In order to place troops standing in columns in order of battle towards any side, the following rule must be observed : When troops are placed in column without intervals, the forming front forwards is executed by de ploying to the right ; when all the divisions, except the last, face to the right, and march in double quick time to the flank of their next division to the left, the com mand is given : Halt front, march, dress ! the last di vision only marches straight forward. (Fig. 20.) In deploying to the left forwards, the first division re mains on the spot, and the others perform the above movements reversed. In deploying from the middle, the divisions in front of the middle one face to the right, and those in the rear of it to the left. The division which remained in its place marches forwards into the alignement of the most advanced ; the others form front, advance into the alignement, and dress. (Fig. 21.) When the troops march off to the left, and the last di vision forms the head, all the above movements arc then reversed. (Plate CCCLXXXII. Fig. 22.) In forming front to the rear, all that is necessary previous to de ploying is, that each division counter-march in itself. (Fig. 23.) To form front to the flank, or in an oblique direction, when the columns are placed without intervals, is a manoeuvre not easily performed without creating disorder. The head division would be obliged to wheel into the proposed alignement, and the others then face to the right or left, place themselves behind it, and then deploy in the usual manner. (Fig. 24, 25.) When the battalion has been formed into columns by wheeling, it may be placed in order of battle to the front, by march ing up; (Fig. 26.) but this must always be a tedious movement, because, in order to preserve the distances, it must always be performed in ordinary time ; and it must he still more tedious, when the troops have march ed off to the right, and up to the left. (Fig. 27. It is usual, however, to form divisions, and then to advance and deploy. (Fig. 28.) If it be intended to form front to the rear of the march, and that by marching up, if the troops had marched off to the right, all the sections might be made to face to the right about, and then march up to the left, so that the battalion would then stand precisely so, as if it had faced to the right about. Or each section may be made to counter-march in itself, and then march up to the right, (Fig. 29.) or deploy, (Fig. 30.) so that the battalion stands exactly in its usual order. If the troops have marched off to the left, it is easiest to form upon the tight flank, and :ice versa ; and herein consists the advantage of this kind of march. (Fig. 31.) It is equally easy to form left to left, and right to right, if it be not objected that the battalion stands with reversed front. (Fig. 32.) If it be only intended to bring the first rank forward, it is only necessary to make the sections wheel inwards, to wards that side. (Fig. 33.) But if the usual order of the battalion is to be comple•ely preserved, with the first platoon upon the right flank, the whole must coun ter-march, while the first section wheels to the right about, and all the rest after it, as they arrive at the spot. Now, when the first platoon arrives at the place of the last, and the last upon that of the first, they wheel inwards. (Fig. 34.) But if it be intended, when the battalion stands thus in column, to take an oblique po sition, it is only necessary that the sections should ad vance or retire, by the right or left, round the point about which the column is to turn, taking care always to preserve their proper distance, and then to wheel inwards as soon as they arrive with their flanks in the new alignement. (Fig. 35, 36 ) In the flank-march, a battalion can instantly fot m the proper or reversed front to the flank of the march. It is a more tediousopera tion to form front to the front or rear of the march ; but this may he very easily performed, either by coming round, if the battalion is to he placed towards that side where the third line stands ; or, if it is to be placed to wards the other side, by a double marching up,—the one in the diagonal line, if the ground be clear behind ; the other, by making each soldier go along the two small sides of the right-angled triangle formed by his position in march and that which he takes up in the order of battle. This last is very useful in marching up close to a defile ; and it is also the basis of what is called the bridge-manceuvre. (Fig. 37.) As it is necessary, however, that a battalion, as soon as it arrives in the neighbourhood of the enemy, should be placed in order of battle, and so advance, frequently through difficult ground, it must not be permitted to break its order at every obstacle, but when any such presents itself, the part of the battalion which comes before it should face to the right or left, and hang on the rear of the march, and afterwards immediately march up into the line, when the obstacle is passed. (Fig. 38.) Before we quit this branch of the subject, we must briefly notice a very celebrated mode of placing troops, which has been frequently adopted, hut of which the utility in actual service has been much doubted, viz. the battalion quarree, or square. There.are various me thods of forming the square ; one or other of which may be preferable upon particular occasions, according to the facility of its execution, the nature of the ground, the attack to he sustained, &c. In Miller's Elements of the Science of liar, the reader will find eight different methods described. (Vol. H. pp. 54, &c.) In the neigh bourhood of the enemy, the sides proceed by the flank march ; but when unmolested they may prosecute their march Woken into quarter sections.
It is scarcely necessary to observe that the move ments we have described above are not executed, upon a long march, with the same precision as upon parade. The principles, however, are the same ; and the officers must not only march in their proper places, but must not suffer the different sections to get into confusion, or extend too far in length ; so that on the first signal, all may take up their respective positions, and proceed in proper order. We now proceed to the more general arrangements which are necessary for an army on a march.
If an army were to form a single column, and to march to the right or left, to the front or rear, it would occupy, especially with baggage and artillery, far too long a line, and would require too much time to form in order of battle. Hence it must form more than one column. The number must depend upon the nature of the ground, and its relative situation with respect to the enemy. The following rules, however, are to be observed. 1. In marching forwards towards the ene my, or rear-wards from him, it is of advantage to form as many columns as the ground will admit of, because the troops can be placed more speedily in order of battle, according as the columns are mole numerous, and consequently shorter. The ground will admit of as many columns as there are good roads. But the de sire of having many columns must not induce us to assign to any one too difficult a road, because whatever detains one column is a hindrance to the whole army. 2. When only a few columns can be formed, all our precautions must he doubled, in order to prevent an at tack from the enemy, or, at least, to have sufficient time to receive it in good order. 3. When on a march our flank is exposed to the enemy, it is necessary to march by lines, in order -that each line may be able to form immediately by wheeling. This measure, however, must depend very much upon the degree of probability of a sudden attack from the enemy. For if it be known that he cannot make a sudden attack, it is more conve nient for the army to march in several columns.
As to the arrangement of the columns, it must depend, in a great measure, upon the nature of the ground. The general rule is : To encamp as we would fight, and to march as we would encamp. But to this rule there are exceptions. In marching through woods and hilly ground, the cavalry must not form the outward co lumns, but should march under cover of the infantry. The artillery and baggage should always have the most secure road. In marching forwards or backwards, the columns are always composed of portions of both lines. In marching forwards, the regiments of the first line generally form the head ; and in marching to the rear, they follow those of the second.
For the security of the march, the following precau tions are taken. 1. In marching forwards, a strong ad vanced guard precedes the army, which, according to the nature of the ground, consists either of many ca valry and few infantry, or vice versa, and of light troops. The latter explore the country through which the army is to march, on all sides, and to as great a distance as possible, in order to give timely notice of the approach of the enemy, &c. The other troops not only support the light troops, but also cover the army in its march, against the enemy's detachments, drive back such of the enemy as come in their way, and keep him in check by their manoeuvres, when he advances with his whole force, until the army has time to place itself in order ; for which reason they frequently carry can non along with them. In marching backwards, or re tiring, a rear-guard is appointed, in the same manner, and for a like reason. Its nature, strength, and dis tance from the main body of the army, must depend upon the nature of the ground, and other circumstances. Both must be able, by their movements, and by the position of their detached posts, to cover all the co lumns of the army' against every hostile attack. In the flank-march, troops must be placed on that side where the army has any thing to apprehend from the enemy, in order to cover it ; and light troops must carefully re connoitre at a distance towards the enemy. 2. The baggage in a march must always be covered by the army ; in marching forwards, it should be placed be hind, and in marching backwards, before ; in the flank march, it should be placed on that side on which no hostile attack is to be dreaded. When no attack what ever is apprehended, it may be placed close behind or before the columns ; or even, when in perfect security, between the regiments. 2. At other times, however, it is frequently sent forwards to a distance, or left entirely behind. 3. When marching in full expectation of an attack, the artillery is distributed by brigades among the columns of the troops, in order that it may deploy at the same time with them. At other times, the park has its peculiar column. 4. The columns must never cross each other on a march, nor approach too close, nor remove too far, from each other ; the engineers who direct the route must attend to the former,—the com manders of the columns to the latter. 5. A defile is, every road, or part of a road, where it is not only ne cessary to break off, but where it is impossible to form in order of battle. In breaking off, upon these occa sions, a stoppage is always occasioned: Hence the other columns must regulate themselves by that which has to pass such defiles. But if the whole army must pass them, no part must be allowed to proceed, until we are certain that nothing is to be apprehended from the ene my, so long as we are occupied with the passage.