Manual of Military Training by James A. Moss (best e book reader for android .TXT) 📖

direction after passing the reviewing officer. (725)

632. Passing in review at double time. When the battalion arrives at its original position in column, the major commands: 1. Double time, 2. MARCH.

The band plays in double time.

The battalion passes in review as before, except that in double time the command eyes right is omitted and there is no saluting except by the major when he leaves the reviewing officer.

The review terminates when the rear company has passed the reviewing officer: the band then ceases to play, and, unless otherwise directed by the major, returns to the position it occupied before marching in review, or is dismissed; the major rejoins the battalion and brings it to quick time. The battalion then executes such movements as the reviewing officer may have directed, or is marched to its parade ground and dismissed.

Marching past in double time may, in the discretion of the reviewing officer, be omitted; the review terminates when the major rejoins his battalion. (726)

633. Major and staff may be dismounted. At battalion review the major and his staff may be dismounted in the discretion of the commanding officer. (727)

PARADES General Rules

634. Position assumed by reviewing officer and staff while band is sounding off. If dismounted, the officer reviewing the parade, and his staff, stand at parade rest, with arms folded, while the band is sounding off; they resume attention with the adjutant. If mounted, they remain at attention. (732)

635. Reports by captains and majors. At the command report, given by a battalion adjutant, the captains in succession from the right salute and report: A (or other) company, present or accounted for; or A (or other) company, (so many) officers or enlisted men absent, and resume the order saber; at the same command given by the regimental adjutant, the majors similarly report their battalions. (733)

Battalion Parade

636. At adjutant's call the battalion is formed in line, as explained in par. 308, but not presented. Lieutenants take their posts in front of the center of their respective platoons at the captain's command for dressing his company on the line, as explained in par. 302. The major takes post at a convenient distance in front of the center and facing the battalion.

The adjutant from his post in front of the center of the battalion, after commanding: 1. Guides, 2. POSTS, adds: 1. Parade, 2. REST; the battalion executes parade rest. The adjutant directs the band: SOUND OFF.

The band, playing in quick time, passes in front of the line of officers to the left of the line and back to its post on the right, when it ceases playing. At evening parade, when the band ceases playing, retreat is sounded by the field music and, following the last note and while the flag is being lowered, the band plays the Star Spangled Banner.

Just before the last note of retreat, the adjutant comes to attention and, as the last note ends commands: 1. Battalion, 2. Attention, 3. Present, 4. Arms, and salutes retaining that position until the last note of the National Anthem. He then turns about and reports: Sir, the parade is formed. The major directs the adjutant: Take your post, Sir. The adjutant moves at a trot (if dismounted, in quick time), passes by the major's right, and takes his post.

The major draws saber and commands: 1. Order, 2. ARMS, and adds such exercises in the manual of arms as he may desire. Officers, noncommissioned officers commanding companies or armed with the saber, and the color guard, having once executed order arms, remain in that position during the exercises in the manual.

The major then directs the adjutant: Receive the reports, Sir. The adjutant, passing by the major's right, advances at a trot (if dismounted, in quick time) toward the center of the line, halts midway between it and the major, and commands: REPORT. (See par. 635.)

The reports received, the adjutant turns about, and reports: Sir, all are present or accounted for; or Sir, (so many) officers or enlisted men are absent, including in the list of absentees those from the band and field music reported to him by the drum major prior to the parade.

The major directs: Publish the orders, Sir.

The adjutant turns about and commands: Attention to orders; he then reads the orders, and commands: 1. Officers, 2. CENTER, 3. MARCH.

At the command center, the company officers carry saber and face to the center. At the command march, they close to the center and face to the front; the adjutant turns about and takes his post.

The officers having closed and faced to the front, the senior commands: 1. Forward, 2. MARCH. The officers advance, the band playing; the left officer of the center or right center company is the guide, and marches on the major; the officers are halted at 6 paces from the major by the senior, who commands: 1. Officers, 2. HALT. They halt and salute, returning to the carry saber with the major. The major then gives such instructions as he deems necessary, and commands: 1. Officers, 2. POSTS, 3. MARCH.

At the command posts, company officers face about.

At the command march, they step off with guide as before, and the senior commands: 1. Officers, 2. HALT, so as to halt 3 paces from the line; he then adds: 1. POSTS, 2. MARCH.

At the command posts, officers face outward and, at the command march, step off in succession at 4 paces distance, resume their posts and order saber; the lieutenants march directly to their posts in rear of their companies.

The music ceases when all officers have resumed their posts.

The major then commands: 1. Pass in review, 2. Squads right, 3. MARCH, and returns saber.

The battalion marches according to the principles of review; when the last company has passed, the ceremony is concluded, as explained in pars. 617; 631.

The band continues to play while the companies are in march upon the parade ground. Companies are formed in column of squads, without halting, and are marched to their respective parades by their captains.

When the company officers have saluted the major, he may direct them to form line with the staff, in which case they individually move to the front, passing to the right and left of the major and staff, halt on the line established by the staff, face about, and stand at attention. The music ceases when the officers join the staff. The major causes the companies to pass in review under the command of their first sergeants by the same commands as before. The company officers return saber with the major and remain at attention. (734)

ESCORTS Escort of the Color

637. By a company. The regiment being in line or line of masses, the colonel details a company, other than the color company, to receive and escort the national color to its place. During the ceremony the regimental color remains with the color guard at its post with the regiment.

The band moves straight to its front until clear of the line of field officers, changes direction to the right, and is halted; the designated company forms column of platoons in rear of the band, the color bearer or bearers between the platoons.

The escort then marches without music to the colonel's office or quarters and is formed in line facing the entrance, the band on the right, the color bearer in the line of file closers.

The color bearer, preceded by the first lieutenant and followed by a sergeant of the escort, then goes to obtain the color.

When the color bearer comes out, followed by the lieutenant and sergeant, he halts before the entrance, facing the escort; the lieutenant places himself on the right, the sergeant on the left of the color bearer; the escort presents arms, and the field music sounds to the color; the first lieutenant and sergeant salute.

Arms are brought to the order; the lieutenant and sergeant return to their posts; the company is formed in column of platoons, the band taking post in front of the column; the color bearer places himself between the platoons; the escort marches in quick time, with guide left, back to the regiment, the band playing; the march is so conducted that when the escort arrives at 50 paces in front of the right of the regiment, the direction of the march shall be parallel to its front; when the color arrives opposite its place in line, the escort is formed in line to the left; the color bearer, passing between the platoons, advances and halts 12 paces in front of the colonel.

The color bearer having halted, the colonel, who has taken post 30 paces in front of the center of the regiment, faces about, commands: 1. Present, 2. ARMS, resumes his front, and salutes; the field music sounds to the color; and the regimental color bearer executes the color salute at the command present arms.

The colonel then faces about, brings the regiment to the order, at which the color bearer resumes the carry and takes his post with the color company.

The escort presents arms and comes to the order with the regiment, at the command of the colonel, after which the captain forms it again in column of platoons, and, preceded by the band, marches it to its place, passing around the left flank of the regiment.

The band plays until the escort passes the left of the line, when it ceases playing and returns to its post on the right, passing in rear of the regiment.

The regiment may be brought to a rest when the escort passes the left of the line. (736)

638. By a battalion. Escort of the color is executed by a battalion according to the same principles. (737)

Escorts of Honor

639. Escorts of honor are detailed for the purpose of receiving and escorting personages of high rank, civil or military. The troops for this purpose are selected for their soldierly appearance and superior discipline.

The escort forms in line, opposite the place where the personage presents himself, the band on the flank of the escort toward which it will march. On the appearance of the personage, he is received with the honors due to his rank. The escort is formed into column of companies, platoons or squads, and takes up the march, the personage and his staff or retinue taking positions in rear of the column; when he leaves the escort, line is formed and the same honors are paid as before.

When the position of the escort is at a considerable distance from the point where the personage is to be received, as for instance, where a courtyard or wharf intervenes, a double line of sentinels is posted from that point to the escort, facing inward; the sentinels successively salute as he passes and are then relieved and join the escort.

An officer is appointed to attend him and bear such communication as he may have to make to the commander of the escort. (738)

Funeral Escort

640. Composition and strength, formation, presenting arms, marching, etc. The composition and strength of the escort are prescribed in Army Regulations.

The escort is formed opposite the quarters of the deceased; the band on that flank of the escort toward which it is to march.

Upon the appearance of the coffin, the commander commands: 1. Present, 2. ARMS, and the band plays an appropriate air; arms are then brought to the order.

The escort is next formed into column of companies, platoons, or squads. If the escort be small, it may be marched in line. The procession is formed in the following order: 1. Music, 2. Escort, 3. Clergy, 4. Coffin and pallbearers, 5. Mourners, 6. Members of the former command of the deceased, 7. Other officers and enlisted men, 8. Distinguished persons, 9. Delegations, 10. Societies, 11. Civilians. Officers and enlisted men (Nos. 6 and 7), with side arms, are in the order of rank,