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Before Casey's manual became the standard manual for Federal infantry troops, there was the 1861 U.S. Tactics. Although there are many similarities in Casey's latter manual, there are some differences. I've spent some serious free time compiling a booklet which contains the rifle drill from the 1861 U.S. Tactics and is supplemented by Scott and some other period authors.
As much as I tried not using Casey, there were times when I had no choice. In particular, the rifle drill is made for the short firearm with the long sabre-bayonet. Although there is a musket drill for smoothbores and the triangular bayonet, it is pretty clear from other texts that Casey's later text was the most likely way that bayonets were fixed and unfixed. Forward thinkers used the right hand for removing the bayonet from the scabbard and fixing/unfixing the bayonet. Since the left hand was used for the sabre-bayonet and since Casey's manual continued to specify the left hand for the triangular bayonet, there was no choice for me other than to use the left hand instead of the easier right hand method found in the musket drill and Hardee's revised manual.
My booklet uses the method of stacking arms per Scott because there isn't an appropriate way to stack the rifle musket in the 1861 U.S. Tactics. Casey-ites should not despire because Casey cut and pasted from Scott. I also included the manner of forming the company from Scott because the few lines found in the beginning of the schools of the company leave much to be desired. I've interwoven the bare bones text found in the first few paragraphs from the school of the company as found in the 1861 tactics with the meatier version from Scott's manual as republished in 1857.
I've included some other period text about loading while marching, about how to perform the charge, about reversing /resting on arms, about saluting per Ellsworth's manual and about a few other things. At the very least, it should
Because most of us are lazy and don't like to read period text, I made copious use of period illustrations. The illustrations of the rifle manual from the 1861 tactics are prettly lame. This caused me to cherry pick for the best illustrations I could find. Some are from lesser used manuals, but are used because of clarity in technique and clarity in the scan. I've also done some tweaking of the foot illustrations from Baxter to create some period-esque illustrations for loading and firing.
Here's the link : http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/Drill/RifleBooklet.htm
All I ask is that if you like it enough to print it, put a buck or more in the preservation hat at the event. I'm sure at deep Hardee hat or two will be passed around at some formation when a call is made to help preserve the 15th Iowa's colors.
Use this booklet. It's a keeper. You can pay more for lesser drill manuals, but you won't find a better manual for the price. I guarantee it.
As much as I tried not using Casey, there were times when I had no choice. In particular, the rifle drill is made for the short firearm with the long sabre-bayonet. Although there is a musket drill for smoothbores and the triangular bayonet, it is pretty clear from other texts that Casey's later text was the most likely way that bayonets were fixed and unfixed. Forward thinkers used the right hand for removing the bayonet from the scabbard and fixing/unfixing the bayonet. Since the left hand was used for the sabre-bayonet and since Casey's manual continued to specify the left hand for the triangular bayonet, there was no choice for me other than to use the left hand instead of the easier right hand method found in the musket drill and Hardee's revised manual.
My booklet uses the method of stacking arms per Scott because there isn't an appropriate way to stack the rifle musket in the 1861 U.S. Tactics. Casey-ites should not despire because Casey cut and pasted from Scott. I also included the manner of forming the company from Scott because the few lines found in the beginning of the schools of the company leave much to be desired. I've interwoven the bare bones text found in the first few paragraphs from the school of the company as found in the 1861 tactics with the meatier version from Scott's manual as republished in 1857.
I've included some other period text about loading while marching, about how to perform the charge, about reversing /resting on arms, about saluting per Ellsworth's manual and about a few other things. At the very least, it should
Because most of us are lazy and don't like to read period text, I made copious use of period illustrations. The illustrations of the rifle manual from the 1861 tactics are prettly lame. This caused me to cherry pick for the best illustrations I could find. Some are from lesser used manuals, but are used because of clarity in technique and clarity in the scan. I've also done some tweaking of the foot illustrations from Baxter to create some period-esque illustrations for loading and firing.
Here's the link : http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/Drill/RifleBooklet.htm
All I ask is that if you like it enough to print it, put a buck or more in the preservation hat at the event. I'm sure at deep Hardee hat or two will be passed around at some formation when a call is made to help preserve the 15th Iowa's colors.
Use this booklet. It's a keeper. You can pay more for lesser drill manuals, but you won't find a better manual for the price. I guarantee it.
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