2d Movement On The Moving Pivot

Categories: SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY
Military Handbooks: The Plattsburg Manual

Being in line, to change direction: 1. Right (left) turn, 2. MARCH, 3:

Forward, 4. MARCH.



Executed as described in the School of the Squad, except that the men do

not glance toward the marching flank and that all take the full step at

the fourth command. The right guide is the pivot of the front rank. Each

rear-rank man obliques on the same ground as his file leader.



[Illustration: THIRD MOV MENT TO CHANGE FROM LINE TO COLUMN AND

MOVE FORWARD]



Being in line, to form column of squads and move forward: 1. Right

(left) by squads, 2. MARCH.



At the command march, the right squad marches forward; the remainder

of the company executes squads right, column left, and follows the

right squad. The right guide, when he has posted himself in front of the

right squad, takes four short steps, then resumes the full steps; the

right squad conforms.



A common error is for the guide to forget to take the four short steps.



Keep dressed accurately on the side of the guide. (He is always on the

side opposite from the file closers This is a rule of thumb that should

be memorized at once.) The guide in every squad should keep 40 inches

from the man in front. So many new men forget about the 40 inches. They

usually take a little over 30. When the company is moved into line there

is of course a jam. Hold your head up. Don't look down to the ground.

You will be in the formation more than any other. Try to keep the

following cautions in mind: The leading men of the company should have

four inches interval. Better to have too much than too little if

mistakes are to be insisted upon. Keep the pieces in the correct

positions at right shoulder and then have heads and rifles in a bee

line. When the movement is completed the company will be in the

formation shown in the drawing.