FORMATION OF SQUARES. GENERAL PRINCIPLES. I. Use of Squares.-Men are formed into square to resist attacks of cavalry; care should always be taken not to expose men unnecessarily in this formation to the fire of artillery. II. The Four-deep Square.-The formation of a square four deep is the most eligible for a battalion; it is sufficiently strong to resist cavalry, and gives space for the officers, serjeants, band, &c. in the centre, and enables every man to fire. III. The Two-deep Square.-A battalion may be formed into square two deep to protect baggage or treasure against infantry only. IV. Solid Square.-Any compact mass of soldiers will be safe against cavalry, if the outside men kneel down and slant their bayonets outwards. S. 44. A Battalion in Column, forming Square. 1. Forming Square on the leading Company of an Open column. Remaining Companies, except the two in rear ON THE LEADING COMPANY FORM of the Column. SQUARE. QUICK (OR DOUBLE) MARCH. Sections outwards. Two rear Companies close up. No. Halt. Right about face. 2. Forming Square on the rear Company of an Open column. Eight Companies, right in front. ON THE REAR SQUARE. RIGHT ABOUT FACE. QUICK (OR DOU. No. 8 Company will stand fast. No. 7 will close upon No. 8, and halt. Each Company (except Nos. 1 and 2) in succession No. As No. 3 Company receives the word, Front turn. Sections outwards Nos. 1 and 2 Companies will run into the Square, and receive, No. 2-Halt-Front. No. 1-Halt-Front. If a Column on the march is ordered to form Square, the leading Company will at once receive the words "No. Halt-Dress from its Captain. 1 3. Forming Square on the centre, from Open column. Right in front. ON THE LEFT (OR RIGHT) CENTRE COM- (OR LEFT) The Square will be completed on the Company WING, RIGHT of formation, as described in Nos. 1 and ABOUT FACE. Section. of this 4. A Column taking ground to a flank by Fours, forming Square. When a battalion in open column taking ground to a flank by fours, is required to form square, the commanding officer will give the words ON THE LEFT (or RIGHT) CENTRE COMPANY FORM SQUARE, WINGS INWARDS TURN, on which the wings will turn inwards, the captain of the named company will give the words "Sections outwards," and square will be formed as already described. When the column is right in front the square will form on the left centre company: when left in front, on the right centre company. 5. A Battalion in Quarter-distance Column, forming Square. A column at quarter distance will be formed into square in the same manner as an open column, except that the commanding officer will give the word SECTIONS OUTWARDS to all the centre companies, as the second company closes on the first. A quarter-distance column taking ground to a flank by fours, should not be ordered to form square on the centre; it should be ordered to turn to the front and then form on the leading company. A quarterdistance column retiring should also be ordered to turn to the front before forming square. S. 45. A Battalion in Double Column, forming Square. A double column of sub-divisions will form square on the two leading sub-divisions, in the same manner as a single column of companies forms square on the leading company. A double column of companies, when it consists of ten or more companies, may form square in a similar manner, the side faces, being wheeled outwards by sub-divisions instead of sections; but when it consists of less than ten companies, say six, square will be formed as follows:-The whole will form four deep and close to the centre, the two leading companies will stand fast, or halt, if on the march, forming the front face; the two next will move on, and when at sub-division distance from the front, will wheel outwards by companies forming the side faces; the two rear companies will close on the flanks of the two side faces, halt, face to the right about, and thus complete the square. S. 46. A Square preparing to resist Cavalry. PREPARE FOR CAVALRY. READY. FILE FIRING FROM THE RIGHT (OR LEFT, OR FROM BOTH FLANKS) OF THE FRONT (OR RIGHT, OR LEFT) FACES. COMMENCE FIRING. KNEELING RANKS -READY, PRESENT. LOAD. S. 47. A Battalion in Square, re-forming Column, or Double column. 1. Re-forming Column, or Double column of Sub-divisions. RE-FORM CO The Sections of the side faces will wheel back LUMN. QUICK wards, and re-form Companies A Double column of Sub-divisions will be re-formed in like manner. A 2. Re-forming Double Column of Companies. square formed from double column of companies, as described in Section 45 of this PART, will be reduced, when it consists of ten or more companies, and has been formed according to the first method, in a similar manner to that described in No. 1 of this Section, the side faces wheeling back by sub-divisions instead of sections, and the two front and four rear companies moving out to sub-division distance; but when it consists of less than ten companies, and has been formed according to the second method, the two front companies will stand fast, the flank men (on the caution) facing to their front, the side faces will (on the words QUICK MARCH) wheel back by companies into column, and the two rear companies will move back, and halt and front at sub-division distance; the whole will then be formed into two deep. S.48. A Battalion in Line forming Square on any named Company, and re-forming Column, or Line. 1. Square in rear of the Left centre Company. QUICK MARCH. Right about face. No. 1. Halt-front. This square may be formed in rear of any company, but the formation in rear of the left centre company is the most convenient; when companies meet, the general rule will be that they pass each other left arm to left arm. 2. Forming Column, and Re-forming Line. The above square will be formed into column, as described in the preceding section. If it is to remain in column, it will be numbered off afresh from the front, but if it is to be re-formed at once into line, it will be deployed, the companies forming fours outwards, and moving out to their original positions. Should it be necessary to form line on the original alignment, before forming column, the leading company must be ordered to stand fast, instead of opening out to quarter distance, the remainder of the column will then be formed as usual, and will be deployed into line on the leading company as above directed. 3. Forming Quarter Distance, or Open Column, and then Square. If it is not necessary to open fire immediately, the simplest method will be to form quarter-distance column in the usual manner, on any named company, and then form square on the leading company; a line may also be wheeled into open column, and square then formed on the leading, or the centre company; these squares will be reduced as described in the preceding section. S. 49. A Battalion in Line, or Echellon, forming Company squares, and re-forming Line, or Echellon. 1. Forming Company Squares. FORM COMPANY No. SQUARES. 7 Form close column of sections. Quick march. Prepare for cavalry. Ready, &c. -Re-form Column. 2. Re-forming Line, or Echellon. RE-FORM LINE No. 1, 3, and 4 sections face outwards, on the (OR ECHELLON) words-RE-FORM LINE (OR ECHELLON). QUICK MARCH. If there is time, after the companies are formed from line into close columns of sections, they may be wheeled the eighth of a circle to the right, so as to place them in echellon. The commanding officer will give the word WHEEL INTO ECHELLON; the captains will then wheel their companies by their own words of command, "Right Wheel, Quick March, Halt-Dress." Before the columns are again formed into line, they must be wheeled back into their former positions, S. 50. A Close column forming Square, and the square being re-formed into Column. 1. Forming the Square. FORM SQUARE. * The two front and two rear Companies stand FOURS OUT- fast; the remainder form Fours outwards by subdivisions. WARDS. * QUICK MARCH.† The fours will close up; No. 2 company, if right is in front, will step back a pace and a half; No. 1 three paces; the second company from the rear will face to the right about; and the rear company will close up a pace and a half, and face to the right about.. 2. Re-forming Column, MARCH. RE-FORM CO- On the word, RE-FORM COLUMN, the fours will S. 51. A Square marching in any direction. QUICK MARCH. HALT-FRONT. * The Face, that is to lead, stands fast; and those, on either side of it, face to the right, and left; the Face, in the rear of it, faces to the right about. S. 52. Battalion in Line forming Square Two deep, and re-forming Line. 1. Forming Square. ON THE TWO *Centre companies stand fast. Flank companies face inwards.‡ Remainder face to the right about.§ The centre companies close inwards four paces each, to fill up the interval left by the colours. § Right wing companies. Forward. Right wheel. Right face of square. Halt-front, Dress. Left wheel. Halt-front, Dress. Left face of square. Move inwards. 2. Re-forming Line. RE-FORM LINE. QUICK The faces that are to move to a flank form fours to the right, and left. The face to be in rear will be faced to the right about. The The flank Companies face outwards. Companies forming the side Faces will wheel to the right, and left; and, when in echellon, receive the word "Forward." MARCH. flank companies move across in Fours to the outward flanks of the companies, which stand next to them when in Line, they then change their direction parallel to the alignment, and, when clear of the other companies, are halted and dressed up into Line. No. No. No. Forward. Right, (or left) wheel. Halt-Dress up. |