CAVALRY TACTICS.

 

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IN   T H R E E   P A R T S .
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SCHOOL OF THE TROOPER, OF THE PLATOON, 
OF THE SQUADRON, AND THE EVOLU-
TIONS OF A REGIMENT.

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PART I .................................DISMOUNTED
PART II .....................................MOUNTED
PART III .....EVOLUTIONS OF A REGIMENT

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PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

 

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WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1864. 

 
 

 

 

 

 

WAR DEPARTMENT,
February 10, 1841.

The system of Cavalry Tactics, adapted to the organization of Dragoon regiments, having been approved by the President of the United States, is now published for the government of the said service.

Accordingly, instruction in the same will be given after the method pointed out therein; and all additions to, or departures from the exercises and manoeuvres laid down in this system, are positively forbidden.

J. R. POINSETT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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F I R S T   P A R T .
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TITLE FIRST.

BASIS OF INSTRUCTION.

ARTICLE I. - Formation of a regiment of five squadrons in order of battle (or in line) ...  1

Posts of officers and non-commissioned officers of the field and staff of a regiment in order of battle ...  2
Posts of the officers and non-commissioned officers of a squadron in line ...  3
Posts of officers and non-commissioned officers of a company acting singly..  4
Assembly of a regiment mounted ...  4
Assembly of a regiment dismounted ...  5
Formation of the escort of the standard ...  5
Reception of the standard ... 6  
Salute with the standard ... 7
Salute with the sabre ... 7

ARTICLE II. - Formation of a regiment of five squadrons in column ... 8

Order in column by twos or fours ... 8  
Order in column of platoons ... 9
Order in column of divisions ... 11
Order in close column ... 11
Compliments by cavalry under review ... 12
Form and course of inspection. ... 15

ART. III. - Duties of instructors ... 17

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

ART. IV. - Division, order, and progression of instruction - - - 18

ART. V. - Gradation of instruction - - - 20

Recruits - - -  20
Recapitulation of the time necessary to instruct a trooper to the school of the platoon mounted - - - 21
Corporals - - - 22
Sergeants - - - 22
Officers - - - 23  

ART. VI. -  Instruction to mount without saddle, to pack up, to saddle, and to unsaddle- - - 23

Manner of vaulting  - - - 23
Manner of packing up the effects - - - 24
Manner of rolling the cloak - - - 24
Manner of adjusting a saddle - - - 25
Manner of saddling - - - 26
Manner of packing the effects on the horse - - - 28
Manner of bridling - - - 29
Manner of unbridling - - - 30
Manner of unpacking - - - 30
Manner of unsaddling - - - 31

 ART. VII. -  Of the bit 32  

ART. VIII - Manner of training young horses - - - 36

lst Lesson - - - - - - 37
2d Lesson - - - - - - 40
3d Lesson - - - - - - 41
4th Lesson - - - - - - 42
Manner of accustoming the horses to leap the ditch and the bar - - - 42
Assembly of the young horses in a platoon - - - 43
Manner of accustoming young horses to firing and military noises - - - 45
Horses that are difficult to train - - - 47
Lesson of the longe - - - 47
ART. IX. - Definitions and general principles - - - 49  

ART. X - Signals - - - 56

 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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TITLE SECOND.
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INSTRUCTION ON FOOT.

SCHOOL OF THE TROOPER, DISMOUNTED - - - 58

1ST LESSON - - - - 59

1ST PART. - Position of the trooper, dismounted - - - 59

Eyes right, eyes left - - - 61
Right face, left face, about face, right-quarter face, left-quarter face - - - 62  

2D PART. - Common step - - - 63

To mark time - - - 64
To change step - - - 65
To face to the right or left when marching - - - 65
Quarter-face to the right or left when marching - - - 66
Quickstep - - - 66
Backward step - - - 67  

2D LESSON - - - - 68

1ST PART.- Principles of carried arms - - - 69

Instruction with carried arms at a halt, and marching with carried arms - - - 69

2D PART. - Manual of arms - - - 69

Loading in ten times - - - 75
Loading at will - - - 78
Firing --  Position of the front rank - - 79
Position of the rear rank - - - 81
Principles of carried lance - - - 82
Manual of the lance - - - 83

 3D LESSON - - - 86

1ST PART. - Manual of arms, the sabre being worn - - - 86

Inspection of arms - - - 86

2D PART. - Marching with arms at the different steps - - - 92

4TH LESSON - - - 93

1ST PART. - Sabre exercise - - - 94

Lance exercise - - - 102

2D PART. - Target practice - - - 111

 

 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

SCHOOL OF THE PLATOON, DISMOUNTED.

ARTICLE I. - General principles of alignment - - - 114

Successive alignment of files in the platoon, and alignment of the platoon - - - 115
To open and close the ranks - - - 115
To march the platoon backwards - - - 115
Direct march in single file - - - 115
Change of direction - - - 116
Individual oblique march - - - 117
The platoon marching by a flank, to form it front or on right into line - - - 118
To form the platoon left into single rank - - - 119
To form the platoon right into two ranks - - - 120
Manual of arms - - - 120 

ARTICLE II. - The platoon being in line, to break by fours to the right - - - 121

Direct march in column of fours - - - 122
Change of direction - - - 123
Individual oblique march - - - 124
The platoon marching in column of fours, to form it to the front or on right into line - - - 125
Manual of arms - - - 126
Firing - - - 126
Sabre and lance exercise - - - 128  

ARTICLE III. -  March of the platoon in line - - - 129

Counter-march - - - 130
Wheelings - - - 131
Individual oblique march - - - 131
The platoon being in line, to break by fours to the right, and to move off after the wheel - - - 132
To form the platoon - - -132
The platoon marching in line, to break by fours to the right, and to form in line again without halting - - - 133
The platoon marching by fours, to form column by the flank without halting - - - 133

 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

ARTICLE III. -  Continued.

The platoon marching by the flank, to face it to the front without halting ... 134
The platoon being in line, to face it to the rear ... 135
Manual of arms - - - 135

ART. IV. - Rallying and skirmishers 135
SCHOOL OF THE SQUADRON, DISMOUNTED ...137

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S E C O N D   P A R T .
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TITLE THIRD.

INSTRUCTION ON HORSEBACK.

SCHOOL OF THE TROOPER MOUNTED.

FIRST LESSON... 146

1st Part. - To conduct his horse to the ground ...  148

Position of the trooper before mounting ...  148
To mount ...  149
Position of the trooper mounted..  151
Eyes right, eyes left ...  152
To lengthen the reins of the snaffle ...  152
To shorten the reins of the snaffle ...  153
To cross the reins in the left hand ... 153  
To take the reins in both hands ... 154
To cross the reins in the right hand ... 154
The use of the reins ...  154
The use of the legs ...  155
The effect of the reins and legs combined ... 155  
To march ... 155
To halt ... 156
To turn to the right and to the left ...  157
To turn about to the right and to the left ...  157
To make a quarter-turn to the right and to the left ... 158  
To rein back and to cease reining back ... 158

 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

1st Part - Continued

To dismount ...159
To file off ...161

2d Part. - To march to the right hand; to march to the left hand ... 162

To turn to the right and to the left in marching ...163
To halt and to step off ...163
To pass from the walk to the trot, and from the trot to the walk ...163
Changes of hand ... 164
To cross the reins alternately in the two hands, and to separate them in marching ... 165
To turn to the right and to the left by trooper, in marching ... 166
To turn about to the right and to the left by trooper, in marching on the same line ... 166
To turn about to the right and to the left by trooper, in marching in column ... 167

SECOND LESSON... 169

1st Part. - Of the spur ...  171

To march to the right hand, or to the left hand ...172
To pass from the walk to the trot, and from the trot to the walk ...173
Change of direction in the breadth of the riding house ...173
Change of direction in the length of the riding house ...174
Change of direction diagonally ...174
Change of direction obliquely by trooper ... 175
To march in a circle ... 176
To change hand on the circle ... 177

2d Part. - Length of the stirrup ... 178

Position of the foot in the stirrup ... 179
To turn to the right or to the left by trooper, in marching ... 179
To turn-about to the right or to the left, the troopers marching on the same line ... 180

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2nd Part - Continued

To turn-about to the right or to the left, the troopers marching in column ... 180

 

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