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General Plan
for the
24th Iowa in the Piney Woods
for the
24th Iowa in the Piney Woods
1. INTRODUCTION
This document represents the expectations of the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Terry Sorchy.
This document is not meant to be a message entirely for the company commanders. It needs to go down the chain to the NCO's and the men in the ranks. There will be precious little time to work on drill so it is imperative that company officers and NCOs are working from the same page early.
The manual of arms for will be Casey’s. Semper Gumby is watch phrase for the week. (Be Always Flexible). Suggested drill manoeuvers as indicated herein are subject to change as the needs of the event require.
The topics in this email concern : (1) this introduction ; (2) general notes to the companies ; (3) plan for battalion drill ; (4) impression ; and (5) miscellaneous.
2. GENERAL NOTES TO THE COMPANIES
- Forming the Battalion
Know how to form the battalion by the book. This cannot be stressed enough. The manner of forming the battalion is well described in the usual manuals. It is also found in the booklet of battalion drill compiled by adjutant Silas Tackitt. His booklet is available free online by following this link : http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/Drill/mcdbooklet.htm. Below, it is referred to as “Silas’ manual.”
Another helpful manual is Dom Dal Bello’s Parade, Inspection, and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion, 4th Edition (1998; a.k.a. "PIE"). For NCO's LeGal's School of the Guides is an indispensable booklet. A scanned version is available by following this link : http://books.google.com/books?id=CWw...T5&dq=#PPP7,M1 My adjutant can send a copy of LeGal in text format to anyone who would like an electronic copy.
Forming the battalion is the baseline that all company commanders, subalterns, and sergeants MUST know before coming to the event. Further, when companies march to a battalion formation, ALWAYS march them with bayonets fixed.
- Dress Parade
Captains and sergeants must know their roles and places during the ceremony. My adjutant has have a series of pdf illustrations about assembly for parade as well as a lengthy article filled will illustrations about the roles of all the parties during parade. Ask and he will send them via email.
- Stacking Arms / Breaking Ranks
For some reason this seems to be one of the toughest things relative to drill in all of reenacting. The only method authorized is that from Casey’s manual which can also be found in Gilham. DO NOT perform the "swing" method found in Hardee's Revised. Each man in the battalion shall be able to stack properly. Practice stacking in the dark on Monday night if necessary, but it must be done correctly throughout the week.
Stacking is extremely important. It gives the men an opportunity to rest. Whenever the battalion stops and it appears we will have a break for more than five minutes, arms will be stacked and ranks broken. To maximize periods of rest, the men must be able to stack, break ranks, reform and unstack without confusion.
- Company Left and Right Guides (First and Second Sergeants)
In battalion drill, each company’s sergeants must know their functions. They must know the battalion drill as well as the company commanders! Dress company lines the same way in battle as on the drill field. LeGal’s School of the Guides was drafted specifically for sergeants. Review it and be well ahead of the curve.
When we are not in battle and when the company that preceded yours into line is dressed, then the company commander shall order arms to be supported. However, when we are in battle and when the company that preceded yours into line is dressed, the company commander shall be prepared to order his company to fire by file instead of supporting arms. Basically, the faster the men can forms lines, the faster the men can fire safely.
- Left Flank Company’s Second Sergeant
When the left guide of the battalion is not present, the second sergeant of the left most company acts as the battalion’s left guide. He needs to know his position when the battalion line is formed. The position in line of battle and when marching by the flank is different than for the other Second Sergeants. See Dal Bello’s PIE, Casey, Hardee, Silas’ manual and LeGal.
- Markers
When a designated battalion marker is not present, the first company online will set the line for the other companies by posting its first and second sergeants and dressing the remainder of the company upon them. As other companies halt behind the line marked by these two sergeants, the outside sergeant of the next company in line will move to the line indicated by the sergeants of the first arriving company.
3. PLAN FOR BATTALION DRILL
We will perform battalion drill as time allows. Due to time issues, at least one officer and two NCO’s must be on site by 5:00 pm on Monday for “string drill.” Regular battalion drill will commence as soon as is practical. Expect some drill through out our time in the field. Drill will go quickly if senior leaders are working from the same page.
THE PRIMARY DRILL MANUAL OF TACTICS IS CASEY. Citations to Hardee, Gilham and Dal Bello are included for those familiar with those manuals. Page numbers to text and/or illustrations found in Silas’ free manual of battalion drill are also included. Many of the below items include page numbers in Silas’ manual where an illustration of the manoevuer is found. There is no guarantee of what battalion drill will or won’t be used, but the below list is a pretty good idea of what can be expected.
- Assembly of the Battalion - G 297, 737 / D184-D186 / Silas, p. 4
- Dress Parade - G 738 / D10-22 / Silas, p. 4
- By Companies into Line - H 113 / C 151 / D 41 / Silas, p. 20
- Forward into Line (On first company deploy column) - H 514, 508 / C 559, 530 / G 339, 337 / D 95, 93 / Silas, p. 13, 49
- Forward into Line (from fours) - Vol. 2 Morris (SoB) p. 28 / Silas, p. 21, 52
- Change of Front Perpendicularly Forward - H 743 / C 830 / G 355 / D 109 / Silas, p. 35, 57
- By the right of companies to the rear into column - H 87, 105 / C 108, 135 / G 301 / D 43-45 / Silas, p. 9, 46-47
- By the right of companies to the rear (or front) - H105 / C135 / D119 / Silas, p. 24, 46-47
- On the right into line - H 414 / C 502 / G 328 / D83-D84 / Silas, p. 16, 51
- Forming a column doubled on the center (from a line of battle) - H777-H794 / C875-C898 / G 358 / D124-D131 / Silas, p. 39, 61
- Deploy the double column forward (into a line) - H792-H802 / C946-C955 / G 360 / D132-D134 / Silas, p. 39, 62
- Battalion firing - H 31-67 / C 39-56 / G 299 / D 176-183 / Silas, p. 1, 44
- Retreat by alternate companies - Casey 688 (Vol. III) / Scott 2529 of Evolutions of the Line / Silas, p. 25, 53
Please know the above maneuvers so that our battalion drills can be meaningful, instead of "gatherings of officers trying to figure out what to do", as so many other reenactor battalion drills tend to be.
This is not an exhaustive list. Printing a copy of Silas’ manual, reviewing the drawings, and having the booklet handy would be a good idea.
- Advancing in Line of Battle
Left wing company commanders move to the LEFT of their company. This is so that they can look down the length of their company to see its alignment toward the colors. Right wing company commanders remain at the right of their companies. See illustration at page 44 in Silas’ manual.
4. IMPRESSION
The impression for the Federal battalion is the 24th Iowa also known as “The Temperance Regiment.” It is expected that all clothing and equipment brought to the event will be of correct material and construction and that all modern markings be removed from military armaments.
A helpful suggestion comes from the diary of Lt. William T. Rigby, 24th Iowa, which he wrote on 3 March 1864 :
“Yesterday we turned over our tents only retaining one wedge tent to the company for the use of its officers. There are but two wall tents in the Regt. one for the Major & one for the Quartermaster & Adjutant. All our unnecessary baggage was packed in boxes & today started for New Orleans where it will be stored until called for. We start out much better provided for than when we left last fall the boys all have a wool blanket & most of them have a Rubber [ground cloth] with them. They all carry their knapsacks this time & have a change of clothes with them. We have not drawn shelter tents yet but will get them at Franklin when the men will be well equipped for a campaign.”
US Issue M1858 Hardee Hat (may be formed to the wearer’s liking)
US Issue Forage cap
Jackets:
Fatigue Blouse (hand or machine sewn, lined or unlined)
Trousers:
Foot pattern
Shirts:
Contract type, machine sewn, solid colors
M1851 domet flannel issue (hand sewn)
Private purchase flannel shirt (hand or machine sewn)
Civilian style (limited numbers, hand or machine sewn)
Shoes:
US issue Jefferson bootee, sewn or pegged soles
Private purchase, sewn or pegged soles
Misc:
Drawers, while not required, are highly recommended.
Socks should be of correct materials- wool or cotton.
EACH SOLDIER IS VERY MUCH ENCOURAGED TO BRING THREE PAIRS OF WELL MADE, THICK WOOL SOCKS FOR THE WEEK.
Cartridge Box:
M1857 .58 cal Federal box
M861 .58 cal Federal box
Cap Pouch:
M1850 sewn, (with or without rivets on belt loops)
M1850 shield front variant, sewn (with or without rivets on belt loops)
Waist Belt:
M1850 (with leather loop on end)
M1863 (with brass clip keeper on end)
Scabbard:
M1861, sewn, 2 rivet
M1863 7 rivet
M1857, sewn, no rivets
* All scabbards are to be of the “Gaylord” pattern
Haversack:
M1851 issue
Canteen:
M1858 Smoothside (covered)
M1858 Bulls-eye (covered)
Knapsack:
Federal M1853/1855 double bag
* A knapsack, while not required, is recommended over a blanket roll
Blanket:
Federal issue
Ground cloth:
Federal issue rubber
Long-arms:
Top preference is the 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket :
“The regiment left Morganza on June 13th, proceeded to Carrollton, La., and went into camp near Greenville Station, on the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad. Leaving there on the 21st, it was subsequently stationed at Kennerville and Thibodeaux, La., until July 6th , upon which date it proceeded by rail to Algiers, where it received in exchange for the old Enfield rifles with which it had been supplied since taking the field-new Springfield rifles and accouterments.”
Other acceptable long-arms, in order of preference are : M1861 Rifle Musket, Special Pattern Springfield Rifle Muskets, M1863 Rifle Muskets, M1855 Rifle Muskets
Side-knives:
Knives of Sheffield or Green River pattern may be carried for camp use only. No D-guard knives.
Tentage:
Participants may choose to carry correct Federal issue shelter halves.
5. MISCELLANEOUS
When we break files to the front or rear in any battalion maneuver that requires it, two files will be broken, per Hardee. The quickness of only breaking two files instead of three makes the Hardee method easier and more desirable. An illustration of both is contained at page 46 of Silas’ manual.
I am not a fan of company or battalion wheels. When the need arises to form a column from a battle line and the guide will be left, expect me use to break files to the rear into column. When the need arises to form a column from a battle line and the guide will be right, expect to form by company into line.
Breaking files to the front or rear is a much under-utilized manoeuver in reenacting, but was common during the war. The primary uses will be for passing through cannons or tree lines, for retreating to the rear, and for passing columns of companies through defiles. The last use seems a little odd, but here is the situation. When marching in a column of companies and approaching a defile smaller than company size, files will be broken by the right of companies to the front which causes the battalion to march by the flank or in a "column of fours." When the defile is passed, the column of companies will be reformed "by company into line". This was a common practice during the war, but is infrequently done in reenacting.
- Rations
The initial issue of rations will occur Monday afternoon. The ranking NCO of each company present when rations are issued will see to it that his company receives rations. Throughout the week, rations will be issued by battalion at a time and manner designated by the battalion commander.
- Rounds
I hate rolling a zillion rounds then not using them. With five days in the field, a hundred to a hundred and fifty rounds should be adequate per man. (This constitutes an average of twenty to thirty rounds expended per day.)
- Guards and Pickets
The week is devoted to these types of duty. Another one of Silas’ free booklets is available at http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/Drill/guidespickets.htm Said manual was compiled from period sources. Dom DalBello’s work on the subject is worth carrying.
6. CONCLUSION
If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email or note via the Authentic Campaigner forum. You can also reach my second in command, John Wickett, or my adjutant, Silas Tackitt, via the same means.
I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the companies of this battalion. If there is anything I can do to assist, please advise. I will do my best to accommodate. I am
sincerely yours,
Lt. Col. Terry Sorchy,
commanding 24th Iowa
by
1st Lt. Silas Tackitt,
adjutant
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