A Woodsrunner's Diary: December 2014

Don Troiani's painting of the fighting at Concord Bridge.

THE NEW
MANUAL EXERCISE,
by General BLAKNEY:
To which i< added The
EVOLUTIONS
of the
FOOT,
by General BLAND
CORRECTED, WITH ADDITIONS.
PHILADEPHIA:
Printed by B. FRANKLIN, at the New Printing
Office in Market Street, MDCCXLVII
With modernization< in language and
punctuation to aid in comprehension A
LIST
Of the Word< of Command, a< they follow
in Order in the Manual Exercise.
TAKE CARE
1. Join your right hand< 28. Draw your bayonet<.
To your firelock<. 29. Fix your bayonet<.
2. Poise your firelock<. 30. Rest your bayonet<.
3. Cock your firelock<. 31. Charge your bayonet<
4. Present. Breast high.
5. Fire. 32. Push your bayonet<.
6. Half cock your fire- 33. Present your bayonet<.
Lock<. 34. Rest your bayonet< on
7. Handle your cartridge<. Your left arm.
8. Open your cartridge<. 35. Shoulder.
9. Prime. 36. To the front present
10. Shut your pan<. Your arm<.
11. Cast about to charge. 37. Face to the right.
12. Charge with cartridge<. 38.)
13. Draw your rammer<. 39.) Face to the right.
14. Put them in the barrel. 40.)
15. Recover your rammer<. 41. Face to the right about.
16. Return your rammer<. 42. To the left about a<
17. Shoulder. You were.
18. Rest your firelock<. 43.)
19. Order your firelock<. 44.)
20. Ground your firelock<. 45.) Face to the left.
21. Take up your fire- 46.)
Lock<. 47. To the left about.
22. Rest your firelock<. 48. To the right about.
23. Club your firelock<. 49. Rest on your arm<. 24. Rest your firelock<. 50. Unfix your bayonet<.
25. Secure your firelock<. 51. Return your bayonet<.
26. Shoulder. 52. Rest your firelock<.
27. Rest on your arm<. 53. Shoulder.

THE NEW
MANUAL EXERCISE, &c.
Direction< for position of a soldier under arm<: b="">
I. A soldier having hi< firelock shouldered must stand with a straight body,
holding up hi< head without moving, and alway< looking toward< the
commanding officer, or he who exercise< the battalion; nor to use any motion but
what the word of command, when given, direct<.
II. Hi< feet are to be at one step distance (from each other), the heel< in a
straight line, and the toe< turned a little outward<.
III. The firelock must lie on the left shoulder, and the left hand on the but
end, the thumb being placed in the hollow thereof, pressing the guard against the
breast, that the muzzle may be mounted; the lock must be turned a little outward
till the under part of the butt i< brought opposite to the middle of the body, that
the firelock may be more easily borne.
"TAKE CARE"
At thi< word every man must be silent, stand firm, and not move hand or
foot, but attend carefully to the word< of command.
1. "JOIN YOUR RIGHT HANDS TO YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 1 motion.
Turn the lock upward< with the left hand and, at the same time, take hold
with your right hand close behind the lock drawing down the firelock a little.
Keep the elbow< square and the muzzle of the firelock at the same height a<
when shouldered.
The first motion of each word of command must be done instantly upon
giving it; but when there are more motion< than one, you are to tell, "One,
Two," slowly making a small pause between the word<; and on the word "Two" the motion is performed.
2. "POISE YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 1 motion.
With the left hand, depres< the butt briskly toward< the body, which will
make the piece fly off from your shoulder toward< the front and throw it into an
erect position where you must stop it by seizing it with your left hand just above
the lock, the little finger touching the spring, the arm< extended, the lock to the
front, the left thumb lying up the piece, and the piece so high that you may look
on a level line through the guard.
3. "COCK YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 2 motion<.
Bring the piece to the right side of our head the lock to the right and
about a< high a< your ear. At the same time bring up your right foot, placing the
heel very near the hollow of the left foot, the toe pointing to the right. Tell
"One, Two!" and seize the cock with your right thumb, bend it, and throw the
piece out to the front, the barrel toward< you and directly perpendicular. Thi< i<
the same posture a< the firelock in the recover.
4. "PRESENT!" 1 motion.
Take your thumb from the cock and step out to the right with the right
foot, the toe to the right, the body the the front. Place the butt end betwixt the
right shoulder and breast with the elbow< square, the forefinger before the
trigger, the other< behind the guard, the right knee stiff, the left a little bent,
the head upright, the body straight, the muzzle well leveled breast high.
5. "FIRE!" 1 motion.
Draw the trigger briskly with your forefinger, and if the cock doe< not go
down, don't attempt it again at that time.
6. "HALF COCK YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 2 motion<.
Bring down the firelock to the right side with the barrel slopeing upward<.
Tell "One, Two!" and with the thumb seize the cock and half bend it.
7. "HANDLE YOUR CARTRIDGES!" 2 motion<.
Step back with your right foot almost behind your left. At the same time, bring the piece up close under your arm and clap your hand to your cartridge
box. Tell, "One, Two!" and draw forth your cartridge.
8. "OPEN YOUR CARTRIDGES!" 2 motion<.
Bring your cartridge between your thumb and forefinger to your teeth and
break open the end of it. Tell "One, Two!" and bring it down to your pan ready
to prime.
9. "PRIME!" 1 motion.
Empty a little of the powder of your cartridge into your pan.
10. "SHUT YOUR PANS!" 1 motion.
Bring the smaller finger< of your right hand behind the steel (ie. Frizzen),
shut the pan briskly, and let the finger< remain till the next word of command.
11. "CAST ABOUT TO CHARGE!" 1 motion.
The cartridge remaining between your thumb and forefinger and with the
help of your other finger< on the back of the steel, sink the butt till the piece i<
almost in an upright position bringing it around to your left side. Stepping
forward with your right foot, let the piece fall to a slope by your left side and slip
your right hand up to the muzzle ready to charge.
12. "CHARGE WITH CARTRIDGE!" 2 motion<.
Turning up the hand with the palm out, enter the cartridge into the muzzle
with the open end downward<. Tell, "One, Two!" and give it a slapwith your
finger< to put it all the way in.
13. "DRAW YOUR RAMMERS!" 3 motion<.
Place your forefinger on the top of the rammer gripping it at the same time
between your thumb and middle finger. Tell "One, Two!" and draw your
rammer a< far a< it can reach. Slip down your hand briskly taking the rammer
near the muzzle, your thumb and forefinger being turned downward<. Tell
"One, Two!", draw your rammer quite out, turn and shorten it to a hand'< breadth
on the right breast holding it in the same degree of slope with your piece. 14. "PUT THEM IN THE BARREL!" 3 motion<.
Bring the rammer a little above the muzzle, place the thick end on the
cartridge, and thrust it down a< far a< your hand will permit. Tell "One, Two!",
raise your hand, and seize the rammer about the middle and thrust it down till
your hand touche< the muzzle. Tell "One, Two!", seize it again at the top
thrusting it down a< far a< it will do and ram down the charge.
15. "RECOVER YOUR RAMMERS!" 2 motion<.
Draw forth about half your rammer with a quick motion, give it a spring,
and briskly slip down your hand, your thumb turned downward<, and take it by
the middle. Tell "One, Two!", draw it quite out, turn and shorten it against your
breast to nine inche<, and hold it in the same slope with the piece.
16. "RETURN YOUR RAMMERS!" 3 motion<.
Bring the small end of the rammer with a gentle turn under the barrel, place
it in the stock, and thrust it in a< far a< your hand will permit. Tell "One, Two!",
raise your hand, and seize the rammer in the middle, and thrust it down again till
your hand touche< the muzzle. Tell "One, Two!", raise your hand and place the
palm of it upon the upper end of your rammer and thrust it quite down.
17. "SHOULDER!" 3 motion<.
Bring the firelock upright opposite to your left shoulder near your ear, the
lock in the bending of the left elbow, seizing at the same time under the lock
with your right hand. Tell "One, Two!", fall back with your right foot, and at
the same time let the piece fall smartly on your shoulder seizing it with your left
hand on the butt. Tell "One, Two!", and quit with the right hand letting it fall
to the right side.
18. "REST YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 3 motion<.
Join your right hand to your firelock a< (done) in explanation 1. Tell "One,
Two!", and come to the poise a< in explanation 2. Tell "One, Two!", and turning
the barrel toward< you, bring the butt end down to the inside of the right knee
stepping at the same time a little back with your right foot, the toe pointing to
the right, the right knee stiff, the left a little bending, keeping your body very straight. The firelock must lean a little to the front, and both the body and face
must present themselve< to the front a< much a< possible without constraint.
19. "ORDER YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 3 motion<.
Raise the muzzle of the firelock so that it i< directly upright by the right
side. At the same time slip up the left hand a< high a< the right shoulder and sink
the piece with the right a< low a< you can without constraint or stooping. Tell
"One, Two!", (then) quit (your firelock) with the right hand, sink the firelock
with the left over the toe; at the same time seize with the right hand near the
muzzle , the thumb upward<. Tell "One, Two!", quit the left hand letting it fall
on the left side. Bring up the right foot to it< line placing the firelock on the
outside even with the little toe, the lock outward<. Thi< (last motion) i< to be
performed in such a manner that the right foot and the butt end of the firelock
come to the ground at the same time.
The heel< must be in a straight line (at one step distance from each other),
the toe< turned outward and the right arm, from the hand to the elbow, running
along the outside of the firelock, the left arm down the left side.
20. "GROUND YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 4 motion<.
Turn the firelock with the right hand till the lock point< to the rear and
the barrel toward< your right side. At the same time, quit the muzzel with the
right hand, seize it with the left, and bring the right hand down to the middle of
the barrel and seize it there in such a manner a< that both hand< join the piece at
once, placing the right foot behind the butt, the toe pointing to the right. Tell
"One, Two!", step a moderate pace forward with the left foot, lay down the
firelock bending the right knee at the lock (with) the piece (lying) in a straight
line to the front. Tell "One,Two!", rise up briskly bringing your left foot to it<
place. Throw off the right hand open to the front. Tell "One,Two!", turn your
right foot on the heel over the butt and at the same time turn your right hand to
your side, the palm inward<, your body full to the front.
21. "TAKE UP YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 4 motion<.
Turn the right foot on the heel over the butt turning the toe directly to
the right. At the same time throw off your right hand with an easy motion. Tell
"One, Two!", step forward with the left foot, the right knee bending to the lock,
taking the firelock by the middle of the barrel with your right hand. Tell "One, Two!", rise up with the firelock bringing it up with your left hand at the muzzle,
the piece close to your right shoulder, your left foot at the same time coming to
it< line. Tell "One, Two!" and quit (the piece) with the left hand, bringing up
the right hand to the muzzle, turning the barrel toward< your shoulder, the lock
to the right and placing the right foot on the inside of the butt. Thi< posture i<
the same a< in explanation 19.
Observe that, in grounding and taking up their arm<, the men are to hold
up their head<.
22. "REST YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 3 motion<.
Quit the muzzle with the right hand and seize it with the left. At the same
time, seize it with the left. At the same time, seize the barrel with the right
hand a< low a< the arm will extend without constraint or bending the body. Tell
"One, Two!", bring the firelock directly before you, the right hand a< high a< the
face, the lock outward<, at the same time seizing it with the left so that the little
finger touches the spring. Tell "One, Two!", quit with your right hand, let fall
the arm< turning the lock to the right, and place the right hand behind the lock.
At the same time step away with the right foot observing the position of
explanation 18.
23. "CLUB YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 4 motion<.
Keep the firelock firm in your left hand, cast the butt from you with the
right so that the barrel passe< close to your shoulder, and take hold of the firelock
a< low a< you can reach with the right hand, the muzzle and left thumb
downward< and the lock to the right a< high a< your cheek. Tell "One,Two!",
raise the firelock with the right hand opposite to the left shoulder turning the
lock to the front and bringing up the right foot. At the same time, seize it with
the left hand very near the muzzle with extended arm<. Tell "One, Two!", bring
the firelock to the left shoulder with the lock upward< and the elbow< square.
Tell "One, Two!", bring your right hand briskly down to the right side at the
same time let fall your left elbow. Stand in the shoulder position.
24. "REST YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 4 motion<.
Turn the firelock with the left hand inward<. Thi< bring< the barrel
upward<. At the same time, take hold of it with the right hand a little above the
left keeping the elbow< square. Tell "One, Two!", bring the firelock nimbly before your face with outstreched arm<, the barrel to the front. Tell "One,
Two!", sink the firelock with the right hand opposite to the right side close to
the ear, the lock to the right. At the same time, place the left hand behind the
firelock, the thumb downward< and the little finger touching the spring. Tell
"One, Two!", quit with your right hand bringing the butt down passing the
barrel close by your right elbow. Place your right hand behind the lock, step
back with the right foot, and come to your rest.
25. "SECURE YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 2 motion<.
Bring the piece briskly to an upright position opposite to the left shoulder
turning the barrel to the front and slipping the left hand at the same time to a
hand'< breadth above the lock and bring up the right foot. Tell "One, Two!",
quit with your right hand throwing the firelock under the left arm, the lock a
little below the elbow, the barrel downward<, the muzzle within a foot of the
ground.
26. "SHOULDER!" 3 motion<.
Bring the firelock up nimbly to the position described in the first motion of
explanation 17. Tell "One, Two!", quit with the left hand bringing it under the
right placing the firelock on the left shoulder. Tell "One, Two!" and quit with
your right hand bringing it down briskly to your right side.
27. "REST ON YOUR ARMS!" 4 motion<.
Join your right hand to the firelock. Tell "One, Two!" and come to the
poise. Tell "One, Two!" and quit the firelock with your right hand sinking it
with your left a< low a< your arm will permit without constraint. Seize it at the
same time with your right hand near the muzzle. Tell "One,Two!" and bring the
butt to the ground slipping your left hand at the same time up to your right.
Keep your elbow< square.
28. "DRAW YOUR BAYONETS!" 2 motion<.
Step back with your right foot and seize your bayonet with your right
hand. Tell "One, Two!", draw it out briskly, bring it up and place it upright
over the muzzle. Enter it on the barrel.
29. "FIX YOUR BAYONETS!" 3 motion<. Thrust down the socket of the bayonet a< far a< the notch will permit. Tell
"One, Two!", turn the bayonet from you and fix it. Tell "One, Two!", quit the
handle of the bayonet and seize the firelock just under it with your right hand
placing the palm on the back of the left (hand).
30. "REST YOUR BAYONETS!" 3 motion<.
Raise the firelock with your right hand in a perpendicular line a< high a<
your forehead. Slipping down your left (hand) at the same time, seize the
firelock a little above the lock. Tell "One, Two!", quit the firelock with your
right hand and raise it with the left. At the same time, seize it with your right
hand under the lock observing the same position a< directed by explanation 2.
Tell "One, Two!" and, turning the barrel toward< you, come to your rest, a< in
explanation 18.
31. "CHARGE YOUR BAYONETS BREAST HIGH!" 2 motion<.
Bring up the butt to your right shoulder with the piece level to the front a<
in presenting to give fire. Tell "One, Two!" and step back with your right foot
slipping your right hand behind the butt and carrying the piece a< far a< you can
extend your right arm, the barrel resting on the bend of your left but still level
and pointing to the front, the thumb and finger< of the left hand pointing to the
butt.
32. "PUSH YOUR BAYONETS!" 2 motion<.
Push your firelock with both hand< straight forward until your left arm i<
quite extended, the left knee bending a little, and the body leaning somewhat
forward. Tell "One, Two!" and bring it back to it< former place.
33. "PRESENT YOUR BAYONETS!" 1 motion.
Bring forward the firelock a< if you were going to make a second push, but
sink the butt, turning it at the same time three quarter< around with the lock
passing under. At the same time, kneel down on the right knee facing to the
front, place the butt in the bending of the body on the left side with the lock
upward, the left elbow resting on the left knee and the piece sloping upward< to
the front. 34. "REST YOUR BAYONETS ON YOUR LEFT ARM!" 1 motion.
Rise up, turn the lock to the front, take hold with your right hand below
the lock. Sinking the firelock, take hold of the cock and steel with the left with
the cock lying on the middle finger and the steel on the lower joint of the
thumb, the under part of the stock resting on the bend or middle of the left arm,
the barrel upward<, the butt sloping downward< toward< the middle space
between your thigh<, keeping both hand< a< low a< you can without constraint.
The butt and muzzle must be kept at an equal distance from your body, the
firelock running in a triangular line.
35. "SHOULDER!" 3 motion<.
Quit the lock with the left hand and, with a spring of your left arm, throw
the piece off from your body; seize it above the lock bringing the piece up to
the poise. Tell"One, Two!" and, turning the barrel outward< with your right
hand, quit with the left and seize the butt, at the same time bringing down the
piece to the left shoulder. Tell "One, Two!" and bring down your right hand to
your side.
36. "TO THE FRONT, PRESENT YOUR ARMS!" 3 motion<.
Thi< i< only coming to a rest, a< in explanation 18.
37. "FACE TO THE RIGHT!" 3 motion<.
Bring up the firelock with a quick motion before you placing the right heel
in the hollow of the left foot, the toe (of the right foot) pointing to the right, the
lock a< high a< your face, the barrel toward< you, the arm< extended. Tell "One,
Two!" and face on the left heel to the right a quarter of the circle keeping the
firelock recovered. Tell "One, Two!" and come nimbly to your rest stepping
back a little with the right foot a< in explanation 18.
In the performing of the second motion, which i< the facing, the soldier<
must take care not to move their left heel< from the ground but only to turn them
(so) that they may keep their rank< and file< straight. (They must also take care)
to place their right feet in a line with their left keeping their firelock< in the true
position of a recover till they perform the third motion, which i< the rest.
38, 39, 40. "FACE TO THE RIGHT!" 3 motion< each. Each of these word< of command must be performed at 3 motion<, a< i<
above directed in explanation 37, which complete< the circle in four time<.
41. "FACE TO THE RIGHT ABOUT!" 3 motion<.
Thi< i< to be performed at 3 motion< a< in the foregoing explanation only
they face half the circle to the right.
42. "TO THE LEFT ABOUT AS YOU WERE!" 3 motion<.
Thi< i< done on the left heel a< in the above explanation 41, only they face
half the circle to the left, which bring< them to their proper front.
43, 44, 45, 46. "FACE TO THE LEFT!" 3 motion< each.
These facing< must be performed in the same manner a< those to the right,
on the left heel, with thi< difference only: that they face to the left.
47. "TO THE LEFT ABOUT!" 3 motion<.
Thi< i< half the circle to the left.
48. "TO THE RIGHT ABOUT AS YOU WERE!" 3 motion<.
You are to face half the circle to the right, which bring< you to your proper
front, and complete< the facing<.
49. "REST ON YOUR ARMS!" 3 motion<.
Come to the poise. Tell "One, Two!" and sink the firelock with your left
hand a< in explanation 27.
50. "UNFIX YOUR BAYONETS!" 3 motion<.
Slip the bayonet up with the right hand. Tell "One, Two!" and turn it
toward< you. Tell "One, Two!" and slip it quite off the barrel keeping it upright.
51. "RETURN YOUR BAYONETS!" 3 motion<. Step back a little with your right foot and, turning the point of the
bayonet down, enter it in the scabbard. Tell "One, Two!" and thrust it quite in.
Tell "One, Two!" and bring up your foot seizing the firelock with your right
hand.
52. "REST YOUR FIRELOCKS!" 3 motion<.
A< before in explanation 30.
53. "SHOULDER!" 3 motion<.
Bring the firelock up briskly to a poise. Tell "One, Two!" and shoulder a<
directed in explanation 35.
WHEN the battalion i< to make ready at three word< of command, it i< to be
performed in the following manner<: b="">
1. "MAKE READY!"
At thi< they are to perform all that i< contained in the first three word< of
command of the manual exercise.
2. "PRESENT!"
At thi< command they are only to perform what i< directed by the fourth
word of command of the said exercise.
3. "GIVE FIRE!"
Thi< i< performed a< in explanation 5, after which they are to go on with
the exercise till they have primed and loaded, and when they come to the
shouldering of the firelock, they are to finish, which contain< the 17th word of
command.
THIS complete< the Manual Exercise

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