The School of Recreation by Robert Howlett (best reads of all time txt) 📖

before laid down in the Exercise of the Musket. The Musketiers upon this, being at Shoulder; and the Pikes that stood recovered falling out with their Right-legs, whereupon the Pikes are brought to their Thighs in their Advance. Then the next is.

Poise your Muskets.

Upon this, the Pike-men with their Left hands must grasp their Pikes over against their Shoulders, after which the Words are,

Order your Arms.
Pikes, to your inside Order.
Lay down your Arms.
Quit your Arms.
To the Right about.
March.

You must observe these, as directed in the Exercise, only over and above, when you are clear of your Arms; you must disperse, and upon the beat of Drum, close hastily together with a Huzza, your Swords unsheathed, with their Points upwards. Then further observe the Words of Command, viz.

Return your Swords.
Handle your Arms.
Order your Arms.
Pikes, to your out-side Order.
Advance.

In ordering your Arms, observe you make a little stop before you let the Butt-ends come to the Ground; so that each one may bear you company, and they may fall together at once; and after they are laid down, and quitted, you must stand up together so suddenly, as all your Risings may appear as it were but one Motion.

When you March from your Arms, step Front and Rear at once, with the Left-feet Marching but a little distance.

Then lay your Right-hand on your Sword, taking hold of your Scabbard with your Left; and then drawing, hold your Swords upright before you; after you have held them there a while, bring them down at one Motion, and when by Command your Swords are returned, stand upright to your Arms, facing to your proper Front; and if any thing is to be further known, consider the Exercise of the Pike and Musket distinctly, and you will be informed to your Satisfaction.

Of the Match-Lock.

These Locks were formerly in more use than Fire-Locks, and at this day they are sometimes mixed among them; wherefore I shall speak somewhat relating to the Words of Command, that seem to differ from the Fire-lock, viz.

1. Lay down your Match,
2. Handle your Match,
3. Blow your Match,
4. Cock and try your Match,
5. Return your Match.

All these chiefly consist in keeping your Match in order, with a good hard and well lighted Coal, fastning it on Command, advantageous in your Skrew, blowing the Coal, and so by pulling the Trigger, trying your Pan with false Flashes, laying it down at Command, and by the same order taking it up again; shortning it to the Pan, that it may give true Fire, and upon firing, to return it, and recover the Coal, if it be shattered by the force of the Powder. You must observe also to keep your Match dry, that on occasion you may not be disappointed.

And this in brief is all materially relating to the Match-Lock; the other Postures of the Musket are all ready described, being sufficient to direct the Exercise; yet seeing many lay much stress on the Beat of Drum, Take that a long with you, as it relates to Exercise, and so I shall take Leave of the foot, and make a visit to the Horse.

Exercise by Beat of Drum, relating to the Foot.

There are usually observed in this, six Points, which are called Points of War, and are said to be semi-vocal; because by them the Soldiers understand what is to be done; and can distinguish their Duty and Exercise; and of these in their order.

1. The Call. This is to Summon the Soldiers together to their Arms, or upon any other occasion, as to hear Proclamation, or receive Directions, &c. from the Officers, and are not without leave to Ramble, especially in time of War, beyond the hearing of it, under great Penalties.

2. The Troop. When the Soldiers hear this, they must Advance their Pikes, Shoulder their Muskets, and close their Ranks and Files to order, following their Leaders or Commanders to the place of Rendezvous, Quarters, or elsewhere.

3. The March. When you hear this, you must betake you to your open Orders in Ranks, Shoulder both Musket and Pike; and so as the Drum beats, you March slower or quicker.

4. The Preparative. Is to warn you to close your proportionable or due distance, when you are to prepare for Battle or Skirmish; and to see every thing be in order that may turn to advantage.

5. The Battle. This is by some called the Charge, or Signal to Charge the Enemy, and is beat in the beginning of the Fight to animate the Soldiers Courage.

6. The Retreat. This is beat when being over-powered, it is thought convenient to draw off and save a total Rout, or sometimes when an Enemy you suppose stronger than your self advances towards you to engage, but by Retreating you avoid him.

There are two more things on the Drum, somewhat to our purpose, viz.

1. The Tatto or Tapto. This is used in a Rounds and Garisons, to give notice to the Soldiers and Inhabitants when they ought to repair to their Quarters and Houses.

2. Revalley. Is to let them know when it is time to rise in the Morning, and attend on their Duty also. In Garisons, to let the People know when its safe to go abroad, the out Scouts being Relieved.

The Exercise of Horse in Troops or Squadrons, &c.

The Exercise of the Horse is various from that of the Foot, and therefore that I may not be wanting in what is necessary to the young Soldier in their Exercising in the County Troops, or those that may enter the present Service Abroad, I shall endeavour to give the Words of Command proper with their Explanation.

And first, when Troop or Squadron is drawn out to Exercise, I suppose their Carbines and Pistols loaden, and the Corporals passing through the Ranks to see they are all ready, upon which, observe the chief Officer Commands Silence, and gives the following Words of Command, viz.

1. Lay your Right Hands on your Swords.
2. Draw your Swords.
3. Put your Swords in your Bridle-hand.
4. Lay your Hands on your Pistols.
5. Hold up your Hands. Give Fire.

When you have fired, let not your Pistol-hand sink till the next Word of Command, viz.

6. Return your Pistols.

And this you must observe in Firing to the Left and Right; Then,

7. Lay your Hands on your Carbines.
8. Advance your Carbines.
9. Cock your Carbines. Fire.
10. Let fall your Carbines.
11. Take your Swords from your Bridle-hands.

These must be done with a swift and exact Motion, all as near as may be doing it at one and the same time.

If a Squadron of Horse is to Wheel to the Right, the Right-hand-man must not close to the Left, as has in ancient times been; for that many times disorders the Rank; but you must keep your Ground, suffering the Left to come about whilst you only turn your Horses Heads, observing your Left-hand-man.

To close the File.

The Right Wing file stand.

1. Close your files.
2. To The Right.
3. To the Left as you were.
4. To the Left wing, and stand.
5. To the Left by files close the Squadron.
6. To the Right as you were.
7. The Right and Left Wing Files stand.
8. By half Ranks, close Files to the Right and Left.

And by closing Files you may cleave or divide the Squadron.

The Order of closing Ranks.

1. File-leader stand.
2. By ranks close the
Squadron to the Front.     
3. On the Front as
you were. Or open on the Front,
Or the first distances.

And so be cautious in
observing each Motion.

How doubling Ranks must be Ordered.

1. By half Files to the Right, double your Ranks to the Front.
2. File-leaders, advance your Ranks, File-leaders, take your Ground.

And in this manner Command likewise to the Left, the Order being one and the same in the Words of Command. [Again,]

3. The first half Files stand.
4. By half file-leaders on the Left-wing, double your Rank to the Front.

Now to reduce this, take the following Method;

1. Right-wing half Ranks, advance your Ranks.
2. Half File-leader take your Ground.
3. The first half File stand.
4. By half File-leaders on the Right and Left-wings, double your Ranks to the Front, Carocoling to the Right and Left. Then the last half File stand, and the first half file by Carocol in the Right and Left on the wings; then double our Ranks to the Rear.

Here observe the first File must open the half Rank to the Right and Left, the first half File by Carocol. Then

To the Right and Left double your Ranks to the Rear.

Here observe the last half File must open the half Rank to the Right and Left.

As for the word Carocol, it signifies no more when you Wheel by it, than that it is made by the depth of the Flank of the Squadron, by which Order not the Files, but the Ranks make the Motion.

There is an other Word which some may not well understand at the first setting out, which is called Controversion; and this in Wheeling is performed by the Front of the Squadron, so that whilst the Rank makes the Motion, the File remains.

Instructions for Wheeling, with the proper words of Command.

When the Word is given, viz. To the Right by Conversion, understand that you must close your Right-leg to the Horse, your Knee touching that of your Right-hand-mans, and in like manner observe in the Word of Command to the Left; as when it is said, Close to the Left, then must the Leg be Closed.

By half Ranks and Conversion, divide the Squadron into two Troops.

If you would reduce the Squadron, the Word of Command is.

By Controversion: The Squadron into one Troop, else the Left-wing advance by Conversion.

When you Wheel by Carocol, observe the Word of Command as follows,

The Right-wing to the Left by Carocol, Face about to the Rear: Or it may be done by half Ranks in this manner,

By Quarter Ranks, and by Carocol, divide the Squadron into three Troops.

Then if you would reduce them, order Quarter Ranks and Troops into Squadrons.

If the Volt, Face or facing about be required, observe thus,

Face about to the Right: Face to the Right by Controversion; Face about by Carocol to the Right: Face about to the Left by half Files: Face about to the Right and Left.

And thus much may serve for Wheeling.

The manner of Filing off.

In this case observe, To File by Ranks on the Right-wing, from the Squadron,

File off by Ranks, on the Left-Wing, from the Squadron on the Right,

File off by three Files from the Squadron, the Left-Wing: And this is found the most Expedient way, though some have used to File off by Ranks.

In Hay, what Order is to be considered in drawing up.

Do this, by half Ranks to the Right: To the Right and Left drawing in Hay: To the Front. And if it requires to be reduced again, then proceed by Carocol, viz.

To the Right and Left as you were.

By half Ranks, and by Carocol to the Right and Left.

Then draw up in Hay to the Rear.

In Reduction the Command is;

To the Front as you were.

By half Ranks to the Right and Left, and draw up in Hay.

Reduction by Carocol.

To the Right draw up in Hay.

Reduction by Carocol.

To the Left as you were.

Of doublings.

Doublings are very useful, especially in strengthening any Party, that needs Succour in the Battle; and is to be noted under these general Heads.

1. Doubling of length, Front and Rear.
2. Doubling of Depth, both Flanks.

But in the particular, they are numbered six, that is to say, first of Ranks, when every Rank doubles into the odd, and if it so fall out, that the odd Ranks are