Sections of School of Soldier used for
Madison Sesquicentennial Event

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PART I - LESSON III.

PRINCIPLES OF THE DIRECT STEP

The length of the step In common time will be twenty-eight inches, reckoning from heel to heel, and at the rate of ninety to the minute.

Squad, forward.   MARCH.

At the word forward, throw the weight of the body on the right leg without bending the left knee, (this is done to prepare you for the command: - MARCH.
At this command step off with the left foot smartly, but without a jerk, plant it twenty-eight inches on a line straight to the front, depressing a little the toe, the knee slightly turned out, the foot striking the ground flat, without shock, the weight of the body swinging forward so as to rest upon it at that instant. Next pass the right foot in like manner in front of the left, and at the same distance, counting the time as you march upon each foot. This enables you to march more steady, by contracting the muscles of both thighs equally, some instructors have the bad habit of counting the time on one foot only, such as: - LEFT;  LEFT; This has the effect to make the recruit step unequally, the most weight falling on that foot; beside it gives him (the recruit) the appearance of limping; to avoid this, count the time on both feet respectively as they come to the ground in front, as: LEFT; RIGHT; LEFT; RIGHT, or ONE; TWO; ONE; TWO; and so on, until you are able to march steady and straight forward without faltering.
Avoid swing the arms too much, if too much freedom of the, arms are allowed the shoulders will be affected by it, while they should remain steady and square to the front, a slight motion of the arms, particularly the one disengaged with the fire-lock is better than none at all, otherwise, there would be a stiffness throughout the entire body. You plant the foot flat, because if the heel were to strike the ground first, the body would move forward with a jerk at every step made; the upper part of the body must incline forward, and the knee bent a little, so as to facilitate in placing the foot flat.
Avoid raising the foot too much, as time Would be lost in marching; it also causes the knee to bend more than should be allowed; pass the foot near the ground in making the step, and you will incur less fatigue.

To arrest the march, the command will be

Squad.   HALT.

The second command will be given the instant either foot is to the front and coming to the ground. The foot in the rear will be brought up and placed beside it without shock. The recruit having been well instructed in the principles of the direct step, he will be placed in a rank composed of six or more men. - The rank being aligned, to march by the front, a well-instructed man will be placed on the right or left, according to the side on which the guide is to be, when the command will be:

Squad, forward.    Guide right (or left).    MARCH.

At the command march, the rank will step off promptly the left foot; the guide should take care to march straight to the front; the men should touch lightly the elbow toward the side of the guide, be careful not to open out the left elbow nor the right arm, yield to pressure coming from the side of the guide, and resist that coming from the opposite side, keep the head direct to the front, no matter on which side the guide may be, and if found before or behind the alignment, shorten or lengthen the step by degrees, almost insensibly, without altering the cadence, until the fault is corrected.

Mark time.    MARCH.

At the second command, which will be given at the Instant either foot is coming to the ground, make a semblance of marching, by advancing first one foot, and then the other, always bringing back the advanced foot and placing its heel by the side of the heel of the other.

Change-step.    MARCH.

At the second command, given at the instant either foot is coming to the ground, bring up quickly the foot in the rear to the side of that just come to the ground, and step off with the latter.

TO MARCH TO THE REAR

Squad, backward.    Guide right (or left).    MARCH.

At the command MARCH, step off smartly with the left foot  fourteen inches to the rear, just half the length of the step to the front,) and soon on with the feet in succession, the head direct to the front, touching the elbow toward the guide and yielding to pressure from that side, until the command halt. At this command bring the foot in front by the side of the other.