Sections of School of Soldier used for
Madison Sesquicentennial Event

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PART II - LESSON IV. 

THE FIRINGS, DIRECT, OBLIQUE AND BY FILE

FIRINGS

The firings are either direct or oblique.

For the direct fire, the instructor will command:

1. Fire by squad.    2. Squad    3. READY.     4. AIM.    5. FIRE.    6. LOAD.

These several commands will be executed as has been prescribed in the MANUEL OF ARMS. At the sixth they will load their pieces and return immediately to the position of shoulder.
The firing will be re-commenced by the commands:

1. Squad.     2. READY.      3. AIM.    4. FIRE.    5. LOAD.

When the instructor wished the firing to cease, he will command:

CEASE-FIRING,

At this command the men will cease firing, but will load their pieces, if unloaded, and afterwards bring them to a shoulder if at an aim, recover arms, half-cock, and come to a shoulder.

THE OBLIQUE FIRE.

The oblique firings will be executed to the right and left, and by the same commands as the direct fire, with this single difference - the command aim will always be preceded by the caution, right or left oblique.

POSITION OF THE RANKS IN THE OBLIQUE FIRE TO THE RIGHT.

At the command ready, the two ranks will execute what has been prescribed for the direct fire.
At the cautionary command, right oblique, the two ranks will throw back the right shoulder and look steadily to the right oblique.
At the command aim, each front rank man will aim to the right without deranging his feet; each rear rank man will advance the left foot about eight inches towards the right heel of the man, next on the right of his file leader, and aim to the right, inclining the upper part of the body forward, and bending a little the left knee.
At the command load, both ranks will assume the position of load in the fire direct.

POSITION OF THE RANKS IN THE OBLIQUE FIRE TO THE LEFT.

At the command left oblique, the two ranks will throw back the left shoulder, and look steadily to the left oblique.
At the command AIM, the front rank will take aim to the left without deranging the feet; each man in the rear rank will advance the left foot about eight inches, and aim to the left, inclining the upper part of the body forward, and bending a little the left knee.
At the command load, both ranks will come to the position of load, as prescribed in the direct fire.

TO FIRE BY FILE.

1. Fire by file.     1. Squad.    3. READY.     4. COMMENCE FIRING.

At the fourth command, the right file will aim and fire, the two men together; the rear rank man in taking aim will carry the right foot about eight inches to the right; the next file aims at the instant the first has fired, and so on successively to the left. After the first fire every man will load and fire without waiting for the others.

Cease - FIRING.

At this command, the men will cease firing. If they have fired, they will load their pieces and bring them to a shoulder; if at the position of ready, they will half-cock and shoulder arms. If in the position of aim, they will recover their pieces, half-cock, and shoulder arms.

Inspection of Arms

The squad being in two ranks, at shoulder arms, the instructor will command,

1. Prepare to open ranks.     2. To the rear open order.

MARCH

At the first command, the guides upon the right and left of the front rank will place themselves upon the right and left of the rear-rank respectively.
At the second command, they will step perpendicularly to the rear four paces (fourteen inches each) and halt.
At the command MARCH, the whole rear rank will step off together with the left foot first, until they have overstepped the guides who have halted to make to distance, when the guide upon the right will command Right DRESS, turn your head to the right, and dress upon him. The rank being properly aligned, the instructor will command, FRONT, resume the position to the front, he will then command order arms, and

Inspection - ARMS. (Three motions)

(First Motion.) Face to the right, once and a half on left heel, carry the right foot perpendicularly to the rear of alignments, about six inches from and at right angles with the left foot; (Fig. 101) seize promptly the piece with the left hand a little above the middle band, incline the muzzle to the rear without displacing the heel of the butt; the rammer turned towards the body, (if the bayonet has been prescribed for the first motion of fix bayonets from an order) carry at the same time the right hand to the rammer.
(Second Motion.) (Draw and fix the bayonet, if off.) Draw the rammer as has been explained in loading in ten times, and let glide to the bottom of the bore.
(Third Motion.) Face promptly to the front, seize the piece with the right hand, and retake position of ordered arms.
The instructor will then inspect in succession the piece of each recruit, in passing along the front of the ranks. Each, as the instructor reaches him, will raise smartly his piece, with his right hand, seize it with the left, below the tail-band, the lock to the front, the left hand at the height of the chin, the piece opposite the left eye. (Fig. 102). The instructor will take it with the right hand at the handle, and, after inspecting it, will return it to the recruit, who will receive it back with the right hand, and replace it in the position of ordered arms.
When the instructor has examined the piece of the second man, and he has brought it to an ordered arms, the first will retake the prescribed position of inspection of arms, and return the rammer, after which he will face to the front.

To Stack Arms.

The squad being at an order arms, with files numbered from right to left, as one two three &c. The instructor will command,

Stack.     ARMS.

At this command, the front man of every even numbered file, will pass his piece before him, seize it with the left hand above the middle band, turn it barrel to the front, and place the butt outside of and near to the left foot, nearly opposite the right shoulder. At the same time the front rank man of every odd numbered file, will pass his piece before him into his left hand a little below the middle band, hand opposite to and at the height of the elbow which should be close to the body.
The even numbered files of the front rank will then seize the piece of the odd file on his right with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand, two inches above the middle band, carry, without turning it, opposite his right shoulder, swing the butt to the front and set it thirty-six inches in front of the right heel, barrel towards you, lock the shanks of both bayonets and press muzzles to the right. Every even numbered file of the rear rank will project his bayonet forward and insert it through the opening below the shanks of the other two, bringing the three shanks together without shock, holding his piece with both hands and advancing his right foot for that purpose. When the front rank man of his file seizes it with his right hand between the tail and middle bands, brings it to the front and places the butt between the feet of the man on his right, (Fig. 103). Every odd numbered file of the rear rank will pass his piece into his left hand, barrel turned to the front, and place it against the stack, advancing his left foot for that purpose.

Explanation of Fig. 103

A is the front rank (even file) man's piece, the butt of which is placed outside of, and near to his left foot - B, is the odd file's (front rank) piece, its butt placed thirty-six inches in front of the right heel of the even file - C, is the rear rank man's piece, (even file,) the butt of which is places between the feet of the odd file, (Front rank).

TAKE ARMS.

At this command the front rank man of every odd file will remove his piece from the stack - the front rank man of every even file will seize his own piece with his left hand, and that of the man on his right with his right hand, both below the middle bands. The rear rank man of every even file will advance the hollow of his right foot towards the right heel of his file leader, and with his right hand seize his own piece below the middle band - both men will raise the stack, close together, turn the knuckles in, which movement unlocks the bayonets readily - the front rank man will pass the piece in his right hand over to the man on his right, and all taking the position of ordered arms.

This completes the instructions in the School of the Soldier.