OF THE ARTE MILITARIE. Of Foote-men, and their Arming: Of drawing of them into bodies.
Tit. 1.
TAKTIKH, Leo Tacticor. cap. 1 § 1. or the Arte Militarie is defined by the Emperour Leo to bee [...], A Science of warelike motions, and thereafter Leo ibid. § 2. [...]. A Generals Arte of framing of Battels, and of Militarie motions and Armes.
Aelian Tact. cap. 3. Aelian the moste accurrate of Tacticke writters citeth the former out of Aeneas his booke of Tactickes, which by the injurie of time hath perished.
The preparations for Warre, are of two sorts (saith the Emperour Leo. ibid. § 7. Leo and Ael. Tactic. cap. 2. Aelian) [...]: The one are Land-forces, who fight vpon Land, the other navall forces, who fight vpon Sea.
The Levees for Land seruice, are two-fold, Vterque, ibid. [...]: Some are that fight, some are that fightes not, but commeth for their use that fights: as Physicians, Clarkes, Merchantes, Chirurgians, VVomen, and all those that follow the [Page 2]Campe, for the necessarie use of the Armie. Those who fight are either Vterque. Ibid. [...], Foote men, or Horse-men. I will treate at this time of foote-men onelie: of their arming, ordering, and exerceasing.
The Foote-men then are either Aelian. Ibidem. [...] or [...] armed, or naked, that is, heauie armed or light armed: as for the [...] I reckon them with the light armed.
The [...] had a compleat armour couering the bodie, called, [...] and an [...] or Target for defence: and a long [...] or Picke of Aeliā Tactic. c. 14. 14. some of 16. cubits long, which is 21. or 24. foote, for offence. The light armed had for offensiue armes onelie Arrowes, Deartes, and Slungs. The Roman heauie armed, called, Scutati, was of three sortes, Hastati, Principes & Triarij. The light armed, called, Velites, were Sagittarii funditores and ferentarii. How they were armed, see Veget de re militari lib. 2. cap 15 & 16. Vegetius Polyb. Hist. lib. 16. Sect. 8. and Polybius; for I will not burthing this short Treatise with citations of antiquities, my purpose beeing to treate onelie of the Militarie discipline vsed in our dayes.
Yee shall therefore knowe that our Pickemen and our Musquetiers serueth in place of the Greeke and Romane heauie armed, and light armed, our Picke-men resembleth their heauie; our Musquetiers their light armed, since the inuention of Artillerie.
The Armes which our Picke-men are accustomed to carrie, are: a Head-peace, or Morion, a Gorget or Craige-peace, a Corslet, or Cuirace with Taces; I haue seene some weare Puldrons or arme Pypes, and those are defensiue: his offensiue armes, are a Sword, and Picke of 15. foote long, shorter than the Grecian [...]: The Armes of a Musquetier offensiue, are a Musquet, the Barrell of the length of foure foote, the bore of 12 bullets to the pound: Bandelier with 12 charges at the least, primer, bullet Bagge, and pruning yron, with a Rest of a length proportionable to his stature, and a Sword. As for defensiue Armes, hee hath none, although in some partes I haue seene them weare an Head-peace.
The [...] amongst the Greekes, were ordered in bodies by themselues, and had their own Officers, differing both in command and appellation from the Officers of the [...] of a Phalanx: for a Companie of [...] confisting of 16. files, and containing foure dilochies, was called, Ael. Tact. cap. 9 [...], and the commander of it [...]: But a Companie of [...], consisting of as manie files, was called, Aeliā. cap. 16. [...], and the Leader of it, [...], and had their owne Collours caried by their owne [...], who was distingushed from the enseignie of the [...], the deipth also was but halfe so much as the other. A Regiment of armed, containing 16. [...], was called [Page 4]a [...]: and the Commander of it [...]: a Regiment of [...] containing 16 [...] was called a [...], and the Commander [...]: and so foorth, which all yee may see in Ael. Tactic. cap. 9. & cap. 16. Aelian: The Roman Velites, sicke like were not comprehended vnder the maniples of the Legion, but were ordered by themselues, and had their owne Commanders.
In our moderne Discipline, wee differ from them both: for our Picke-men and our Musqueteirs concurre together, to make, vp one Companie, and one Regiment vnder the command of the selfe same Officers, and are alike ordered, and alike framed for seruice, and follow both of them one Collours.
All Souldiours thē both Picke-men & Musquetiers, according to our Discipline are collected into Companies, Companies into Regiments, Rigiments into one Armie, which are all vnder the command of a Generall (whose duetie the Emperour Leo sets downe through his whole Booke of Tactickes) Euerie Companie hath for Officers of the field: A Captaine, a Lieuetenant, an Enseigne, (whom the English corruptlie calleth Antient), two Sergeants, , three Corporalls, with their Lanzprazados: those resembleth the Officers of a Grecian [...], who were [...], Aelian. Tac. cap. 9. as Aelian sheweth. Euerie Companie hath also two Drums a Furrier forlodging the Companie, (but in the Lowcountries [Page 5]the Sergeant dischargeth this duetie.) A Prouoost, a Clarke, and Chirurgian. Companies are not alwayes of alike number: Some haue 100. some 200. some 300. men; sicklike Regiments containeth not alwayes alike number of Companies; some haue 10. some 15. some 20. Companies; and in this wee differ from the Grecian [...] and [...] who did alwayes consist of one equall number of Files. A Regiment hath for Officers of the Fielde, a Colonell, a Lieuetenat Colonell, a Sergeant major, and for Delinquents, a Prouoost marshall a Quarter-master for lodging the Regiment, a prouiant Master for prouiding of victuals, a Chirurgian. The Spanish Discipline admits no Lieuetenant Colonell to a Regiment, nor Lieuetenant to a priuate Companie, but maketh the Sergeant major discharge the place of the one, & the Alfiero or Enseigne the place of the other. The duetie of these Officers who haue not yet learned them by practise. may reade them in a Treatise published by the illustrious C. Mansf. in his directions of warre. Count Mansfeilde, or at the least in his name: and in Markhams Epistles of war, and in sindrie others, for I will onelie at this time insist in the exerceasing of a Foote Companie.
A Companie is a Bodie of men composed of Files.
Of Files and Rankes.
Tit. 2.
A File or String called by the Greekes [...] is defined by Aelian Tact. cap. 4. Aelian [...]. A number of men from one Leader, and his followers to the last man: and againe, Aelian Tact. cap. 5. [...]. A row of followers placed after a Leader, euerie one according to his worth. We define it commonlie to be. A Sequence of men standing one behind another backe to bellie. Mās. in his direct. of VVarre Count Mansfeilde calleth a File which consist of 10. Souldiers armed alike, wherof euerie one knoweth his place; all of them standing in a direct Line downe-ward, behind one another, and comprehended betweene the Leader and the bringer vp.
The File is the deipth or thicknes of the battel.
The number of a File is vncertaine, and variable according to the diuersitie of Discipline of euerie Nation; and according to occasions Aelian Tact. cap. 4. Aelian sayth, that the Files of the Grecian Phalanx were some times 8. some times 12. but most ordinarlie 16. deepe, yet some times of 50 deepe, as you maye see in Zenoph. hist. Grec. lib. 6. 596. Zenophon, at the Battell of Leuctra, the Thebans were ordered 50 deepe: but Cleombrotus drew vp the Lacedemonians 12. deep Zenophon d. l. 6. num. 605. Agesilaus bringing his Armie out of the straite of Mantinea, ordered them in 9 deepe; but I thinke the Text bee corrupted: for all odde numbers are rejected by Tacticks, as vnfite for doubling. [Page 7]The Emperour Leo Tactic. c. 4. § 94. Leo giueth command to his Generall, to make the Files of the foote Battells 16. deepe, and the front according to the number of his men: But I finde in Veget de re militari. lib. 2. cap. 8, Vegetius and Polyb. hist. lib. 6 Sect. 9. Polybius, that the Files of the Roman maniples consisted onelie of 10. men: the File was called, Decuria or Contubernium, the Leader of it Decanus, Decurio, or Caput Contubernii▪
The deipth of a File according to our moderne Discipline is 10. howsouer the Spanyards and the Italians maketh it incertaine: for the deipth of 10. is thought a sufficient thicknesse to receiue all charges.
Euerie man in his File is placed according to his worth and dignitie; The first man in dignitie is first in place, and is called by Leo Tac. cap. 4. § 71. Leo and Aelian. Tac. cap. 5. Aelian [...], the Leader, or Forestander: Hee hath commmandement ouer his File, & seeth that euerie one of them doe their duety both in March and Fight, and in exercease, as he moueth and turneth, so must the rest of his File doe. The second man in dignitie is last in place, and is called Leo and Aelian ibid. [...] Bringer-up, or Reare-commander. Hee hath command ouer the File next vnto the Leader, and seeth that those before him keepe a right Line. The third and fourth dignitie is in the 5. and 6. place, and they are called middle-men, the one middle-man to the Front, the other middle-man to the Reare. The fist, sixt, and seuenth Dignitie are in the 2.9 & 4. places. The eight, ninth, and tenth [Page 8]Dignitie in the 7.3. and 8. places, as this Table sheweth.
Number of place. | Number of dignitie. | |
1. 0. | Leader | 1. |
2— | 5. | |
3.— | 6 | |
4— | 7. | |
5. 0. | Middleman | 3. To the Front. |
6. 0. | Middleman | 4. To the Reare. |
7.— | 8. | |
8— | 10. | |
9— | 6. | |
10. 0. | Bringer-vp. | 2. |
Ioyning of Files, produceth Rankes, which is called, [...]; for if ye jone 6. Files or 8. Files together, yee make 6. men, or 8. men in a Ranke, and the more Files ye joyne, the more ye extend the length of your Battell; for as the File measureth the deipth or thicknesse, so doth the Ranke the length of the Battell. Those who are in one File are called [...] and [...], Leaders and followers Those of one Ranke, are called, Of Rāks. [...], or Sidemen.
A Ranke then is. A row of men standing one by another, in a right Line, shoulder to shoulder, or as Aelian describeth it, [...] When the side-men beareth straight foorth in length. The length is called [...] & it is the dimension of the Battell from the one [Page 9]winge or Flanke to the other. The deipth is called, [...] and it is; the dimension of the Battell from the Front to the Reare.
The first Ranke is: A row of File Leaders, and is called, [...], Frons, Acies. The Front. The last Ranke is: A row of Bringers-vp, and is called, [...] Cauda the Reare.
As men in their Files are placed according to their worth, so are the Files ranked in the Battell according to their dignitie: The first place of dignitie hath the File on the right hand, which is the right Flanke. The second place hath the File on the left hand which is the left Flanke, being the tenth (if there bee onelie 10. in Ranke.) The third and fourth dignitic, hath the 5. and 6. Files, which are in the midst of the Rankes. The fift, sixt, and seuenth dignitie, hath the 2.9. and 4. Files. The eight, nynth, and tenth dignitie hath the 7.3. and 8. Files.
Lefe Flanke. | Number of place. | Right Flanke. |
10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2 1. | ||
0. 1. 1. 1. 0. 0. 1. 1. 1. 0. | ||
2. 6. 10. 8. 4. 3. 7. 9. 5. 1. | ||
Number of dignitie. |
Count Mansfeilde his discourse in this varieth from his Table. C. Mans. in his Direct. of war. Pag. 31. & 32.
Euerie man in the first Ranke is Leader of a File; euerie man in the first File is Leader of a Ranke.
This Figure, A, B, C, D, sheweth you the distinction and disposition of Rankes and Files, A. B, is the Front. C. D. the Reare. B. D. the right Flanke. A, C, the left Flanke. The Lines A. B. and C D. with the others betweene them, are Rankes consisting euerie one of 10 men. The Lines B. D. and A C with the others betweene them, are Files consisting euerie one of 10. men also. The number of Files, is from B to A, which is the length of the Battell: The number of Ranks, from B. to D. which is the deipth of the Battell. From B. to D. are Leaders and Followers, from B. to A. Side-men.
In placeing our best mē in the Frōt, of the Battel, & putting our brauest Souldiers in the Auantgarde of the Armie, we follow the custome of the Grecians, who put alwayes their choisest Souldiers, in the Front of the Phalanx; contrare to the custome of the Romans, who placed the Maniples of their Hastati Souldiers of least experience in the Frōt of the Legion; their principes Souldiers of better worth in the middle; their Triarii the oldest Souldiers, [Page 11]and of greatest vallour in the Reare, who were not to joyne with the Enemie, till the former had beene beatten or retired.
Of Distances.
Tit. 3.
SOuldiers being armed, and put in a Bodie, they must then know their distances, for all Ranks ought to bee parallel one to another, as also Files; and therefore, a Souldiers chiefe care, should bee to haue an eye to his Leader & his Sideman, that hee may keepe an equall distance both in his Ranke and File; for: not keeping of distance, breedes confusion, and oft-times is the cause of the ouerthrow of a Battell, and too much thronging together, maketh a Souldier vnable to use his Armes, too much standing remoued, weakneth the Battell, and maketh way to the Enemie to breake it: as Veget. de. re. Militari. lib. 1. cap. 26. Vegetius pertinentlie admonisheth. Nec ultra magis quam expeditant conglobent agmen aut laxent; nam constipati perdunt spatia pugnandi & sibi in vicē impedimento sunt; & rariores atque interlucentes aditum perrumpendi hostibus praestant. Wherefore due distances are the midst betwixt those extremities.
Distances than in our moderne Discipline by the opinion of the most learned Commāaders are three, First, second, and third distance or open Order, Order and close Order.
Open Order or first Distance, is when your men both in Ranke and File stand remoued sixe foote [Page 12]from another. This distance containes [...] or 4. cubits in square; at this distance yee are to exercise your Companie.
Order or second distance is when they stand remoued 3. foote both in Ranke and File one from anothere: this distance is used, when ye embattell your Troupes, and lead them against the Enemie, or when yee come to stand, or meanes to wheale the Bodie. This distance is called of the Aelian Tact. c. 11. Greeks [...], Densatio, and taketh vp 2. cubites, that is three foote, as the former did 4. cubites, for a cubite is a foote and an halfe: Obserue that when your Companie marcheth, they must keepe 3. foote betweene Files, and 6 foote between Rankes.
Close Order or third distance, is when your Souldiers stand a foote and an halfe remoued from File to File, and 3. foote from Ranke to Ranke, and this distance is onely for Picke-men, when they charge, or receiue the charge of the Enemie: For the Musquetiers are neuer to bee closer, than three foote in square, because they must haue a free use of their Armes. Aelian Tact. c. 11. Aelian calleth this distance [...] Constipatio or a joyning of Targets together, and taketh vp a cubitt. There is also a double Distance, or open open Order, which containeth 12. foote betwixt Rankes and Files; and is used when ye march toward a Forte, to let the shotte goe through the Files: and when ye double your Files by conuersiō.
Now the measure of those Distances cannot be taken justlie by the eye; but the Souldier to learne them must acompt the distance of sixe foote to bee betwixt File and File, when the Souldiers streatching out their airmes, toucheth one anothers [Page 13]hands: and betwixt Rankes, when the endes of their Pickes come well neare to the heelles of them that march before: As for the Musquetiers, they must keepe levell with the Pickes: And the measure of the 3. foote betwixt the Files, is whē their Elbowes toucheth one another, betwixt Rankes, when they come vp to touch one anothers Swords; The measure of a foote and an halfe betwixt Files, is when they joyne shoulder to shoulder.
Manie Commanders holdes that open Order is not sixe foote in square, but is 12 foote in Ranke, and 6. in File; Order 6. foote in Ranke, and 3. in File: but I leaue euerie man to his owne opinion: For it is in Militarie Discipline, as in all others Sciences: Certant doctores & adhuc sub judice lis est. Alwayes the former opinion is most receiued.
What Distance and intervall the Romans used betwixt the Maniples and Cohortes of their Legions Veget. de re Militari lib. 3. cap. 15. see Vegetius.
Of Marching.
Tit. 4.
AFter that a confused Bodie of men is orderlie digested into Files and Rankes, and that euerie one of them knoweth their Distance; the next thing of consideration is how to make them March in due order.
All Marches are either in Battell array or by diuisions.
I will not here touch the Grecian Marches, [...]; the knowledge wherof I remitte the Reader to find [Page 14]in Aelian Tactic. cap. 35. & cap. 36.37, 38. & sequent. Aelians Tactikes, but will onelie speake of the ordinarie Marches used now a-dayes.
Suppose then that yee haue a Companie of men consisting of 200. whereof the one halfe are Pickes, and the other Musquetiers: and yee would draw them vp in Battel. You must first know what should bee the length of your Battell, that is, How many men ye should put in Ranke, the deipth alreadie knowne 10. which is speedilie done thus: Diuide your whole number 200. by the deipth 10. the quotus beeing 20. sheweth you the length of your Battell, so that you haue 20 in Ranke, and therefore your Battell consisteth of 20. Files; 10. deepe. Of those 20. Files, 10. are Pickes, 10. Musquetiers: which you shall dispose after this manner. Set your 10 Files of Pickes altogether: diuide your 10. Files of Musquetiers, and draw them vp, fiue of them vpon the right hand of the Pickes, and the other fiue vpon the left hand of the pickes, all fronting equally, so that the Bodie of your Pickes shall bee flanked, with your Musquetiers vpon the right and left, as you see in the Figurs following, where P. signifieth the Picke-men, and M. the Musquetiers, for lacke of better figurs to expresse them.
Heere then yee see your 10. Files or bodie of Pickes, are B. E. your fiue Files of Musquetiers on the right Flanke of your pickes, C. F. the other 5. Files of Musquetiers, on the left Flanke, A. D. frō C. to A. is the whole number of your Files as well Musquetiers as Pickes; from C. to F. the number of your Rankes.
Now if yee would march by diuisions as being forced by the straitnesse of the ground, yee are to command the Bodie to make an halt, or stand, then yee command the fiue Files of Musquetiers which are on the right Flanke of the Pickes, to march out from the Bodie, till their Bringers vp bee before the File-Leaders of the Pickes: And this shall bee your first diuision of Musquetiers. Next yee are to command the fiue Files of Pickes on the right hand, to march out from the rest, and to follow the Musquetiers Fileing euin with them but keeping a distance of 12 foote betwixt the diuisions [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page 16]where the Enseigne must march, and this shall bee your first diuision of Pickes; After them shall follow therest of the Pickes, which shall bee your second diuision of Pickes, keeping also a distance as the former. Last of all shall follow the 5. Files of Musquetiers, which was on the left Flancke of the Pickes, and this shall bee your second diuision of Musquetiers. The Officers of the Companie must bee thus placed: The Captaine marcheth in the Front before the first diuision of Musquetiers; The Enseigne with the Colours is to march before the first diuision of pickes: The oldest Sergeant is to leade the second diuision of pickes. The second Sergeant leads the second diuision of Musquetiers. The Leiuetenant marcheth after the second diuisiō of Musquetiers, & bringeth vp the Reare. The chiefest Drumme beats in the first diuision of Pickes, betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke; The second Drumme beats in the first diuision of Musquetiers, betwixt the 3. and 4, Ranke: but some by the contrare, maketh the chiefest Drumme to beate in the first diuision of Musqueties, because (say they) the Captaine ought to haue the chiefe Drum with him: Some also I haue seene make the Drum who marcheth with the Pickes, to beate in the Front beside the Enseigne, but those differences are not of great moment; if the Companie haue a third Drum, he shall beate in the last diuision of Musquetiers: The figure following expresseth this march clearclie.
In this figure then. A. B. C. is the first diuision of Musquetiers, before which the Captaine marcheth. In D. the second Drum beates betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke. D. E. F. is the first diuision of Picks. C. D. is the interuall, or distance betwixt the first diuision of Musquetiers, and the first diuision of Pickes where the Enseigne marcheth. In E. the first Drumme beateth betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke of Pickes. G. H. is the second diuision of Pickes. F. G. the distance betwixt the two diuisions of Pickes, which is the oldest Sergeants place. I. K. is the last diuision of Musquetiers. H. I. the interuall where the second Sergeant marcheth. K. is the place of the Leiuetenant in the Reare.
Now when ye come againe to a faire Campaigne & desireth to march in Battell, to be the more ready to withstand the assaultes of the Enemie. The Captaine in the Front, commandeth the first diuision of Musquetiers to halt; then commandeth the first diuision of Pickes, which the Enseigne leadeth to march vp vpon the left hand of them; thereafter the first Sergeant, to bring vp the second diuision of Pickes vpon the left hand of the former; Lastly the second Sergeant to march vp with the second diuision of Musquetiers vpon the left hand of all; & so they stand embattelled, as they were at the first.
Obserue when they march in Battell, the Enseigne goeth in the Front of the Pickes with his Colours fleeing, chiefelie if hee bee in sight of the Enemie, or yet bee going out, or comming into his Quarter, or entring vpon Guarde, but in fight, he is to retire into the middle Ranke of the pickes: The Drummes beates also in the Front, but in [Page 19]fight, they must draw aside to the angles on the Flankes: The chiefe Drumme is to attend the Captaine, to deliuer his Commands by touke of Drum to the Souldiers when the voyce cannot bee heard. The Sergeants marcheth in the Flankes, the oldest in the right, the other in the left: hauing care that euerie man march orderlie, and keepe his distance, and that no man goe out of his Ranke. The Lieuetenant remaines in the Reare, bringing vp the Companie, and seeing that no man fall backe, but that euerie man doe his duetie.
That which I haue shown of a single Company, may bee vnderstood of a diuision of a Regiment, a brigada, or any greater Body: but thē the diuisions both of Pickes and Musquetiers, must bee framed according to the number of your Bodie, and the Officers are placed according to the Sergeant major his Direction.
Obserue, that when yee march by diuisions & commeth to a narrow Straite, where onelie one or two can goe in Front as ouer a little Planke or the straite of a Ditch: Yee must make them march away by Files leading out one File after another, or by Rankes, commanding Rankes to ranke 1. or 2. or 3. according to the capacitie of the Straite: and that either to the right or left hand, as the Straite shall ly vpon the right or lef Flanke of your diuision: If vpō the right; then the right hand man marcheth fordward with his sideman, if the place suffer 2. and the nixt 2. sidemen of that Ranke followeth: And so the rest of the Rankes, till all the diuisions bee past [Page 20]ouer: which being done, he is to command Ranks. Ranke as yee were: And so they returne all to their first Station and Posture.
Obserue also, that if yee bee to draw vp your men in a Battallion Quarre, or Square Battell (I meane of men, not of ground) that is a square Quadrate, which is a Eucl. lib. 1. in defin. figure Equilaterall and Rectangulare; whose Rankes and Files shall be of equall number: It is quicklie and exactlie done by extracting the radix quadrata, or the Square roote of the number of your men, which will bee both the length and deipth of your Battell: As for example, ye haue 400. men to put in a square Battell, yee seeke out the square-roote of 400 which yee finde to bee 20. And therefore in an instant you draw vp your men 20. in File, and 20. in Ranke. But if yee bee to make vp any other square Battell Quadrilaterall, which is Euel. lib. 1. in def. Figura alter a parte longior, called by the French Battallion Quarreen lōgue, ye haue nothing to doe, but to diuide the number of your men by the deipth giuen: and the quotus shall bee the length of your Front, which I shew before, as in this instance diuide 400. by the deipth of 10. the quotus 40. shall giue you 40. in Ranke, and siclike of any greater number, the figure following A. B. sheweth the first. C. D. the second.
Obserue by the way, that with a contrarie operation, ye may at the first sight, find the number ofa Batallion, passing by it, and counting the length & the deipth therof, & multiplying the one by the other as in the former instance, multiplie 40. in Ranke, by 10 in File, ye shall find the whole number to be 400.
I will not here speake of the other Battels, which are not square, as of Round, Demilunar, concave or convexe, Rombus or Diamond, Triangle or Vedge, which is halfe a Diamond; and such like others; because they are not fitte for march, neither are they [Page 22]now much used in Battell or fight, as also they are discribed Aelian Tact. cap. 46, 47. by Aelian, where they may bee found by any, who are curious to vnderstand them.
But before I goe further, I must advertise of one thing, that the Souldiers bee acquainted with the seuerall beates of the Drumme, and to vnderstand when the Drumme beates a Call, or Gathering; a March, a Troope, a Charge, a Retreate, a Releife; and according as the Drumme beates, swift or slow, so to accommodate thair motion: as to march slowe or fast, to charge with greater or lesse violence, to retire with greater or lesse speede, and so foorth.
Of the seuerall Postures of the Picke and Musquet.
Tit 5.
IN the next place, the Souldiers are to bee taught the use and postures of the Armes, that euerie one of them doeth carie, bee they Picke or Musquet, and to handle them gracefullie.
The Postures then, which the Picke-men should use, either standing or marching, are these following: In the columne vpon the right hand, are contained the tearmes of command in our Scots Language: on the left the English: for I thought good to acquaint you with both, seeing sometimes the wordes are different.
- 1. Take vp your Picke.
- 2. Shoulder your Picke.
- 3. Slope your picke.
- 4. Levell your picke.
- 5. Order your picke.
- 6. Aduance your picke.
- 7. Traill your picke.
- 8. Cheeke your picke.
- 9. Recouer your picke from traill or cheeke by palming.
- 10. Port your picke.
- 11. Charge your picke.
- 12. Charge to the right hand.
- 13. Charge to the left.
- 14. Charge to the Reare by the right or left.
- 15. Charge at the foote against horse and draw your Sword.
- 16. Lay downe your picke.
- 1. Lift your picke.
- 2. Shoulder your picke.
- 3. Sclant-carie your picke.
- 4. Plate-carie your picke.
- 5. Ouer end, or set down your pick▪
- 6. Mount your picke.
- 7. Traill your picke.
- 8. By the point hold your picke.
- 9. Recouer your pick by palming.
- 10. Porte your picke.
- 11. Present your picke fordward.
- 12. To the right hand, or right about present your picke.
- 13. To the left hand, or left about present your picke.
- 14. To the Reare, or to the lefe roud about presēt your picke.
- 15. Foote your picke, and draw▪ your Swords.
- 16. Lay downe your picke.
Obserue that those three Postures, Take vp your Picke, Order your Picke, Lay downe your Picke, are to bee done onelie standing: The rest standing or marching: but yee must remarke that when your Souldiers charge, standing to make them fall backe with the right Legge, and marching to set fordward the left: Also they must know to charge to the right, to the left, to the Reare, from beeing aduanced, ordered or shouldered, all alike readie, and with alike promptitude: For howsoeuer the Enemie appeare, they must bee readie to charge from euerie Posture they stand in.
The Charging to the Reare by the left, is the most [Page 24]easie and most commodious motion: For the charging by the right (although it bee much used by the French, whē they commād, La charge be a demytour a droit) is verie troublesome and dangerous, & is discharged by the Law Countrie Discipline, for they beeing at close order, (which is the distance, wherein they Charge, or receiue a Charge) and turning to the right hand, their Swordes doe chap and are entangled vpon their Side-men, so that they annoy their Side-men, and themselues are hindered to turne, and therefore breedes a great embarras and confusion in the Battell.
This Posture, Aduance or Mount your Picke, (which the French calleth, Pique en haut, the Greekes [...]) is to bee used in a Troope, and in exercising their motions.
In a march they must alwayes haue their Pickes Shouldered, either Leuell or Sloppe, as the word shalbe giuen: When they come through a gatē or porte, they must porte their pickes, that is, carie them as as they were halfe charged: Vpon an halt or stand, they must order their Pickes, vnlesse there bee command to the contraire.
When the whole Battell chargeth one way, the first 5. Rankes must onelie charge, they way commanded, and the other 5. (if they bee 10. deipth) must onlie port their pickes, & carie them so ouer the heads of the Leaders, that they no wayes empesh them, either in charging or retiring: When they lift their Pickes from their shoulders to charge, let them take heede to lift them in a right Line and paralell with their owne File: for otherwise by inclining of thē to either hand, they shall trouble their next Files.
When Battelles commeth to push of picke, good Commanders sayeth, that your picke-men must not push by aduanceing and retireing their Arme as commonlie is done; but onelie goe joyntlie on together in a Rout without moueing their Armes.
The charge at the foote against horse, is not now used in the Low-Countries, but they charge ouer hand aloft: because (say they) they haue the picke more at command to turne where they will.
The Posturs of the Musquetier are those following, our Scots in the right hand columme, the English in the left.
- 1. Take vp your Musquet, and your Rest.
- 2. Recouer your Musquet, & joyne your rest to your Musq.
- 3. Draw out your match.
- 4. Blow your match.
- 5. Cocke your match.
- 6. Try your match.
- 7. Guarde your pan.
- 8. Presēt by blowing your match and opening your pan.
- 9. Giue fire.
- 10. Dismount your Musquet, & carie it with your rest.
- 11. Vncocke your match.
- 12. Returne your match.
- 13. Blow your pan.
- 14. Prime your pan.
- 15. Shoote your pan.
- [Page 26]16. Cast off your louse powlder.
- 17 Blow your pan lidde.
- 18. Cast about your Musquet, and traill your staffe.
- 19. Charge your Musquet.
- 20. Draw out your Ram sticke.
- 21. Shorten your Ram-sticke.
- 22 Put in your Bullet, and ram downe your powlder & Bullet.
- 23. Draw out your Ram sticke.
- 24. Shorten your Ram sticke.
- 25. Put vp your Ram sticke.
- 26. Fetch your Musquet forward with the left hand, and hold it vp in the right, and recouer the staffe.
- 27. Shoulder your Musquet, and carie your staffe with it.
- 28. March, and carie your staffe in your right hand.
- 29. Sinke your Musquet, and vnshoulder your Musquet.
- 30. Lay your Musq. on your staffe.
- 31. Stād to your Sētinell posture.
- 32. Hold your Musquet in your staffe with the left hand, onelie in ballance.
- 33. Lay downe your Musquet.
- 1. Take vp your Musqut, and your staffe.
- 2. Recouer your Musquet, and joyne your staffe to your Mus.
- 3. Take out your lunt.
- 4. Blow your Lunt.
- 5. Cocke your lunt.
- 6. Try your lunt.
- 7. Guarde your pan.
- 8. Present or lay on by blowing your lunt, & opening your pan.
- 9. Giue fire.
- 10. Take downe your Musquet, and carie it with your stâffe.
- 11. Vncocke your lunt.
- 12. Put your lunt betwene your fingers.
- 13. Blow your pan.
- 14. Morse your pan.
- 15. Shoote your pan.
- [Page 26]16. Cast off your lowse powlder.
- 17 Blow your pan.
- 18. Cast about your Musquet and traill your rest.
- 19. Charge your Musquet.
- 20. Draw foorth your scourer.
- 21. Shorten your scourer.
- 22. Charge with bullet and ram downe your poulder & bullet.
- 23 Draw foorth your scourer.
- 24 Shorten your scourer.
- 25. Returne your scourer.
- 26. Bring about your Musquet, and paise it, and recouer your rest.
- 27. Shoulder your Musquet, and carie your rest with it.
- 28. March, and carie your rest in your right hand.
- 29. Slip your Musquet, and vnshoulder your Musquet.
- 30. Rest your Musquet.
- 31. Stād to your Sētinell Posture.
- 32. To your saluting Posture.
- 33. Lay downe your Musquet.
Obserue that all this multitude of Postures in seruice, are redacted to three, Make readie present, and giue fire.
The Musquetier vpon a March is alwayes to haue [Page 27]his Musquet shouldered, and the Rest in his right hand, his left vpon the Butte-end or head of the Musquet: Although I haue seene many Souldiers and chiefelie the lazie Dutches, to carie their Musquet with their hand vpon the Barrell, and the mouth before them, which is an vnseemelie Posture, and verie vnreadie for seruice.
Vpon one halt or stand the Musquetier is alwayes to rest his Musquet, vnlesse hee haue command to the contrarie.
The Musquetiers are to carie the mouth of their Musquet high, as well when they are shouldered, as when they prime or guarde their pan, or come vp to giue fire: And when they blow their Match, they are to bring their Musquet to their mouth, and not to stoope to it.
A Musquetier in making readie, and in falling away through an diuision, or by counter-march, must take good heede to carie his Musquet in a evin straight line with his File, for if he carie it crosse, hee will disturbe his neighbour Files.
When they giue fire against the Enemie, beeing in open Fielde, they must aime no higher, than the Girdle of a man: But within a Trench or Parapet; where perchance nothing shall bee discouered, but the heade of the Enemie, they must aime at that part which appeareth.
How those Postures, as well of the Picke as Musquet, are to bee performed, may bee some-what vnderstood by the figures which are set downe in his Excellence Graue Maurice, his Booke of postures, but they are neuer to bee learned without action and practise.
Of Motions, and first of Faceing.
Tit. 6.
SOuldiers then beeing Armed, and drawen vp in an orderlie Bodie, and knowing their distances, marches & Postures: The chiefe thing thereafter that they are to learne, is their Motions, which are the life of an Armie, for as the Soule is to the bodie, so is Motions to a Battell: and it is assured that a few number of men well disciplined, and beeing perfect in their Militarie Motions, are able to rencounter and ouerthrow great multitudes without practise of Armes [...] Aelian Tact. cap. 3. (sayeth Aelian) [...], Wee finde often great Forces to bee by their disorder ouercome by a few well ordered and exercised, and therefore; the chiefe thing that Souldiers are to vnderstand, is their Militarie Motions, for the Science of thir Motions, is the definition of the Arte Militarie: These then, I shall sette downe in some fewe Titles with as great varietie and perspicuitie as I can, touching onelie the auncient exercise in so farre as it is a ground, or doeth agree with our moderne Discipline.
The Motions of Troupes are two folde: of the whole, or of a parte: of the whole, either in keeping ground, or changing ground: Keeping ground when euerie person moueth in his proper place, as in Faceing: Changeing ground, when the Battaillon changeth the ground it stood in, as in counter-march [Page 29]and wheeleing: The Motion of a parte, is when a part of the Battell moueth, and a parte standeth still, as in doublinges, closinges, openings, for in those Motions, some Rankes or Files standeth, & the rest moueth: I will then begin with Faceing.
Faceing is: a Motion transferring the Souldiers face to the Flanke or the Reare of the Battell: And therefore is of two sortes, the one, when the Souldier maketh a Quarter turne to the right or the left hand, the other when hee maketh an halfe turne: The first Motion the Greekes called [...], which is defined by Aelian Tact. c. 24. Aelian, [...], a Motion of the Souldier, turning his face to the Picke or the Target, that is to the right, or the left hand, For the Grecians (as I told you before) caried a Picke in their right hand, and a Target in the left, but I wonder why Aelian calleth it a Motion of the Armed Souldier onelie [...] seeing the [...] did also use this Motion.
The action of this Motion is thus performed, How to performe the Motiō. the Souldier standeth firme with his left Legge, and turning onelie vpon his heele, draweth backe the right Legge, if hee face to the right hand, or bringeth foreward the right Legge if hee face to the left hand & this is to bee done in a stand, but in a March, faceing to the right hand, they must bring foreward their left Legge. The use of the Motiō
The use of this Motion, at a stand is to be ready at an instant to receiue the charge of the Enemie, if they assaile either of your Flankes: But if ye face and march, yee may thereby preuent the Enemie from falling vpon your winges Leo Tact. c. 7. § 79. (as Leo showeth) by bringing your Battell to some Riuer or other [Page 30]Strength, and also to eschew some dangerous ground: as Alexander did at Arbela, who perceiuing that Darius had strowed the ground betweene the two Battels with [...] or Calthropes, faced his right winge to the right hand: and marched about: Polienus Stratag lib. 4. in Alexandro § 17. See Polienus.
But if the Enemie charge both your Flankes at one time, yee must face the halfe of your Battell to the right hand, the other half to the left, that is: the halfe of your Files which are vpon the right Flanke, faces to the right hand, the other halfe which are vpon the left Flanke, faces to the left hand: and this is the [...] described by Aelian Tact. c. 38. Aelian, and not [...] as Captaine In his Notes vpon Ael. Tact. cap. 25. Bingame, sayeth. The formes of [...] yee shall see in the figures following.
The figure A. B. C. D. is a faceing of the whole Battell to the right: where that which was before the right Flanke. B. D. is now become the Front: the Reare before C. D. is now become the right Flāke: the Front before A. B. is now become the left Flanke: the left Flanke before A.C. is now become the Reare: The figure E. F. G. H. is a faceing of the Battel to the left, where that which was the left Flāk before E. G. is now become the Front: The right Flanke F. H. the Reare: The Front E. F. the right Flanke: The Reare G. H. the left Flanke. The figure I. K. L. M. N. O. is a faceing of the Battell to the right and left by diuision, where the one halfe of the Battell K. L. N. O. consisting of 5. Files of Pickes and 5. of Musquetiers, faces to the right hand, and maketh the Front. L O. which before was the right Flanke, & the other halfe, I. K. M. N. consisting of alike Files, faces to the left, and maketh the Front. I. M. which before was the left Flanke, so that thereby it is [...], or a double fronted Battell.
The wordes of command are these,
- Face to the right, As yee were.
- Face to the left, As yee were.
- Face to the right and left by diuision. As yee were.
Some say onlie, To the Right, To the Left, &c.
Our Scots wordes of command are,
- Right about, To your first oder.
- Left about, To your first oder.
- Right and left about, To your first oder.
But they are not so proper as the former.
The second manner of faceing is when the Souldiers maketh an halfe turne to the Reare, by the right or left hand: The French calleth it Demy tour a droit or a Gauch. The Greekes calleth it [...], which was either [...] or [...] Leo Tact. cap. 7. § 79. & 84 Leo calleth it [...]. Aelian Aelian. Tact. c. 24. defineth it to be [...] Translation of the former aspect to the Reare.
The Motion is done as the other, How to doe the Motion. except that the Souldier maketh twise so great a Turne, for standing fast with his left Leg, he onelie turneth vpon his heele, and draweth backe his right Legge if hee face to the right about, and bringeth foreward his right Legge, if hee face to the left about, but in a March faceing to the right about, hee must bring foreward his left Legge.
The use of it is, The use of the Motion. if the Enemie charge your Reare, then yee are readie to receiue him by turning the faces of all the Souldiers of your Battell to the Reare against him, which Plutar. in Pyrro. Pyrrhus King of Epirus did comming out of Argos beeing pressed [Page 33]with a multitude of Enemies; and Zenoph. Cyroped. lib. 7. 189. Cyrus comming from the walls of Babylon to his Campe, often faced about his Armie to receiue the Enemie, who saliing out of the Towne, did charge his Reare: But if your Enemie charge both Front and Reare, thē yee must face about the halfe of your Battell, that is, if yee bee 10. deepe, ye face about the halfe Files or middle-men with their followers, (which are the last fiue Rankes) to the Reare, so ye shall be able to receiue his charge both in Front and Reare: The Aelian. Tact. c. 38. Greekes called this [...], and not [...] as Captaine Bingam would haue it: The figures following will manifest them.
The figure P. Q. R. S. is a faceing of the whole Battell to the Reare by the right or the left, where R.S. which before was the Reare, is now become the Front and the Front before P.Q. now the Reare: the right Flanke Q.S. now the left: The left P.R. now the right. The figure T. V. X. Y. is a faceing onelie of the halfe Files, or last fiue Rankes to the Reare, so that yee see the one halfe of your Battell, both Pickes and Musquetiers faceing towards the Front, T. V. and the other halfe faceing towards the Reare, X. Y. which is now also become a Front, so that it is likewise [...], or a double Fronted Battell.
The wordes of Command are those,
- As yee were.
- Face to the right about,
- Face to the left about,
- Halfe Files face to the right or left about.
Some say onelie, To the right about, to the left about, &c.
Count In his direct. of war.Mansfield his wordes of Command, are: By the right hand to the Reare: By the left hand to the Reare: which are all one with the former.
But our Scots words,
- To your first order.
- Right round about,
- Left round about,
- Sixt Ranke right or left round about.
They ar verie vnproper, and I wishe our commanders could agree to change them, for to turne round about, is to bring your face to the part where yee stood in before yee turned, and so yee shall face not to the Reare but to the Front againe.
If the Enemie charge you on all sides, yee must face to the Front, Reare, and Flankes: the Grecians called this Battell [...]. Alexander at Arbela was forced to draw vp his Battell after this fashion as Frontinus Stratagem. lib. 2. cap. 3. Frontinus doeth report: Alexander ad Arbela cum hostium multitudinem vereretur, virtuti autem suorum fideret, aciem in omnem partem spectantem ordinavit, ut circumventi vndique pugnare possent. It is also described by Aelian Tact. c. 36. Aelian to whom I referre the Reader, for I cannot insist particularlie in all thinges: but you shall marke that when such a charge is expected, and that, yee are forced to frame such a Battell, yee must enlarge your deipth aboue 10.
But before I goe further, I must aduertise you, of one thing, which will serue in all Motions: When ye would reduce your Souldiers to their first station, yee are to command them, As yee were, or To your first order: which the Aelian. Tactic. cap. 25. & 27. Greekes called [...] Leo Tact. cap. 7. § 79. Leo [...]. The French calleth it Remettez vous, and so yee are to bring them backe to the [Page 36]place from which they went by the contrarie way, As for example, if they turned to the right hand: they must returne backe againe to the left hand: If they turned to the left, they must returne to the right: If they turned to the right about, they must returne to the left about, and so foorth. Aelian Aelian Tact. cap. 25. describeth this Motion to bee [...], to restore the Souldiers sight to the former aspect hee had in the beginning: That is, before hee turned.
Of Doublings.
Tit. 7.
DOubling is, a Motion of a part of the Battell (for the part doubled standeth, and the part doubling onelie moueth) Whereby either the length or the deipth is augmented: and therefore Doubling is of two sorts, Doubling of Rankes. of Rankes or of Files.
Doubling of Rankes is a Motion whereby the length of the Battell is enlarged, and the deipth diminished, by inserting the one halfe of the Rankes in the other. Leo Tact. cap. 7. § 16. &c. 9. § 109. Leo calleth this Motion [...], and [...]. Aelian Tact. c. 28. Aelian calleth it [...], or [...]. The Motion is performed sundrie wayes.
FIrst when the evin Rankes are inserted into the oddes, as the second in the first, the fourth in the third, the sixt in the fift, and so foorth, and this is to bee done either to the right or left hand.
If the Commād be to double to the right hand, then euerie man that doubles steppes foreward vpon the right hand of his Leader: If the command [Page 37]bee to the left, hee that doubles steppes foreward on the left hand, of his Leader, so that of ten ranks they become fiue, and consequentlie fiue deepe, and if they were before 20. in Ranke, they become 40. and therefore 40. Files, as in the figures following is showne.
The figure A. B. C. D. is a doubling of Rankes to the right hand, where yee see the evin Rankes 2.4.6.8.10. steppe forwards vpon the right hand of their Leaders, the odde Rankes 1. 3. 5. 7. 9. [Page 38]The evin Rankes, are marked with these pointes ..... by which you may consider the place they stood in before the doubling, and these markes / /// showeth the way they goe vp on the right hand of their Leaders: and beeing doubled, yee see the second Ranke is inserted in the first, the 4. in the 3. the 6. in the 5, the 8. in the 7, the 10, in the 9. The figure E. F. G. H. is a doubling to the left hand, where yee see the evin Rankes are inserted as the former, but onelie that they steppe forward on the left hand of their Leaders as these marks \\\\ showeth. In the first figure I haue put the number of the Ranks vpon the left Flanke A. C: In the second on the right Flanke F. H. because the Motion is most perceptible vpon those sides.
The Motion is to be performed by the Souldiers in three steppes, How the Motion is done. beginning with the left legge and stepping forward with the right vpon the right or left hand of their Leaders, and then bringing vp the left legge, place themselues in evin Ranke with the rest: but in reducement, they must turne to the contrarie hand, that is, if they doubled to the right, they must turne againe to the left: and if they doubled to the left, they must turne to the right, because it is the shortest way to to their owne place.
The wordes of Command are,
- Rankes as yee were.
- Rankes to the right hand double,
- Rankes to the left hand double,
Our Scots wordes of Command,
- Rankes to your first order.
- Double your Rankes to the right hand,
- Double your Rankes to the left hand.
SEcondlie Rankes are doubled by the Bringers-vp, when the last Ranke aduanceth through the distances betweene the Files, and after it the nixt last [Page 39] Ranke, and so the rest successiuelie till the Bringers-vp bee in Ranke with the Leaders. The 9 Ranke with the 2. the 8 with the 3. the 7 with the 4. The Bringers-vp middlemen with the Leaders middlemen: so your Front is doubled with your best men: and this is done as the former, either to the right or left hand: If the Command bee to the right, the Bringers-vp with those that follow, goe vp, vpon the right hand of the Leaders: if to the left, they goe vp vpon their left hand, as in these figures folowing appeareth.
The figure I. K. L. M. is a doubling of the Bringers-vp to the right hand: where ye see the 10 Ranke with the 9. and 8. following it, are marching through the distances of the Files, and going vp vpon the right hand of the Leaders, vntill the 10 Ranke come to the Front I. K. And as the Ranks marcheth vp to the Front, they leaue as many voide places towards the Reare L, M. as in the figure yee may see marked by these points ...
The figure N O P Q showeth a doubling of the Bringers-vp to the left hand, where the 10. Ranke with the rest following it, are marching vp vpon the left hand of the Leaders towards the Front N. O. and leaues the voyde spaces towards the Reare P. Q. as did the former.
Let the Pickemen obserue when they begin to double, that they Aduance or mount their Pickes: and when they haue doubled, that they order or ouer-end them: and in reducement, that they turne to the contrarie [Page 41]hand, as I shew before in the first doubling.
Count Mansfield in his directions of Warre. Count Mansfield calles this Motion, A doubling by induction.
The wordes of Command are,
- Bringers-vp as yee were.
- Bringers-vp, double your Front to the Right.
- Bringers-vp double your Front to the Left.
Our Scots words of Command are,
- Tenth Ranke to your first Order.
- Tenth Ranke to the right hand aduance to the Front.
- Tenth Ranke to the Left hand advance to the Front.
THirdlie Rankes are doubled by Middle-men, or halfe Files, that is to say, The last fiue Rāks marcheth vp through the distances betwixt the Files, till the Bringers-vp Middle-men bee in evin Front, with the File-Leaders, so that the sixt Rank (of 10, deipth) doubleth the first, the 7. the 2. the 8. the 3. the 9. the 4. the Bringers-vp the Leaders Middle-men: And this is done, either to the right or left hand, as the former, whē the Middle-men goeth vp either to the right or left hand of the Leaderes: according to the worde of Command, as the figures following showeth.
Those two figures are battells of Pickes onelie, which I haue set downe for breafe perspicuities cause: for yee may imagine the like Motions to be done, by Musquetiers on the Flankes: The Battell then R. S. T. V. is a doubling of Rankes by Middle-men to the right hand, where ye see the sixt [Page 43]Rank with the 7.8.9. & 10. following it, is going vp vpon the right hand of the Leaders, to the Front R.S. and leauing the voyde spaces where they stood towards the Reare T. V. so that the deapth which was before from S. to V. is now diminished to the half. X. Y. Z. A. is a doubling by Middle-men to the left, where the samine rankes marcheth vp vpon the left hand of the Leaders to the Front X. Y. leauing their voyde spaces toward the Reare Z. A. and diminishing the deapth as the former.
The wordes of Command,
- Halfe Files as yee were.
- Middle-men or halfe Files, to the right hand double your Front.
- Middle-men or halfe Files, to the left hand double your Front.
Our Scotes wordes of Command are,
- Sixt Ranke to your first order.
- Sixt Ranke to the right hand, aduance to the Front.
- Sixt Ranke to the left hand, aduance to the Front.
Obserue that those doublinges are to bee done at open order.
FOurthlie, Rankes are doubled by Middle-men or halfe Files enteare, or by diuision: enteare, when the halfe Files or last fiue Rankes faceth about to the hand, to which they are commanded to double; & marcheth out altogether from the Body, till they bee cleare of it, and then face to the Front, and march vp to joyne themselues in evin Front, with the File Leaders: By diuision, when those halfe Files doe face the one halfe to the right hand, the other to the left, and so going out from the Bodie, they march vp vpon both Flankes, vntill they come and Front with the File-Leaders, as may bee seene by these figures following.
The figure A. B. C. is a doubling of the Front by the halfe Files to the right hand enteare, where yee see the last fiue Rankes C. are passed out together from the Bodie, and are marching vp vpon the right Flank B. to joyne in evin Front with the first 5. rākes. The figure D. E. F. is a doubling to the left hand, where the last fiue Rankes F. are gone out from the Bodie to the left, and are marching vp the left Flanke D. to front with the rest, as the former did vpon the right. G. H. I. K. is a doubling to the right and left by diuision, where yee see the last 5. Rankes I.K. hath diuided themselues and gone out from the Bodie; the one halfe K. marching vp the right Flanke H. the other halfe I. marching vp the left Flanke G. to joyne all in evin Front with the rest.
The wordes of Command are,
- Halfe Files as ye were.
- Halfe Files to the right, double your Front Enteare.
- Halfe Files to the left double your Front Enteare.
- Halfe Files double your Front to the right and left by diuision.
I haue not seene our Scots Commanders use this Motion in their exercease, and therfore I cannot set downe their wordes of Command.
In this Motion, if you would keepe your shot and your pickes together, yee must cause your shot on the Flankes to edge out-ward, and leaue a distance for the Pickes to come vp and joyne with the rest, and your Shot that doubleth, marcheth out, and joyneth with rest of the Shot.
I haue heard many Commanders slight this Motion as vnprofitable: but I doe not approue their opinion, for I hold it the most usefull Motion that can bee practised in doubling of Ranks, and more seruiceable thā any other doubling whatsoeuer: because all other doublings must be done at open order & therefore cannot bee used when the enemie commeth to charge, or in time of fight, because that distance is not fit to receiue the charge of the Enemie, but these doublinges are done at close order, & therfore may be used in time of fight, and at all other times, without any trouble: Againe, other doublings disturbes the Battell, & maketh a confusion by marching through the Files of the Bodie: And in this doubling, the halfe Files marching out from the Bodie, breedeth no disorder, nor disturbance at all: but on the contrarie bringeth vp fresh aides vpon the Flankes against the Enemie, and will affright him no lesse, than if a newe Battaillion werecomming to charge him. Lastlie, it is more conducible for the use of doubling (which yee shall see heereafter) seeing it extendeth more the length of the Battell, and keepeth it more from ouer-winging, than any other doubling: For if the enimie come vpon you with a [...], that is, an ouerwinging Battell, minding to encompasse either of your Flankes: by this Motion yee may handsomelie rencounter him: For if it be your right Flanke which hee persewes, yee ought to use the doubling Enteare to the right hand, A. B. C. If it bee the left Flanke, yee are to use the doubling Enteare to the left hand D. E. F. But if hee come vpon you with a [...], that is, an ouer-fronting [Page 47]Battell, minding to encompasse both your Wings, then yee are to use the doubling to the right and left by diuision G. H. I. K. so that by this Motion, yee are readie to resist all his attempes Capt. Bing. in his Notes vpon. Aeliā Tac. c. 29. § 3. & 5. Captaine Bingam (whose learning and vnderstanding in the Airte Militar is sufficientlie knowne) doth allow of this Motion, and commends it aboue the other do ublinges. The illustrious Count Mansfielde in his direction of Warre. Count Mansfield himselfe (whose Authoritie is sufficient to stoppe the mouthes of all contradictors) discribeth this doubling, and setteth it downe with the words of Command, as verie usefull: But laying aside Authoritie, the argument is cleare.
That Motion which in time of fight, without disturbance of the Battell bringeth supplie vnto it, and annoyeth the Enemie, is a steadable Motion.
But, doubling of the Front enteare to either hand or by diuision, is such a Motion.
Ergo it is a steadable Motion.
The major is manifest, the minor I haue already provene: so that this Motion remaineth good and steadable in seruice, although those who vnderstand it not, disdaine it, and neglect the practise of it: I haue insisted longer in this point, than I would haue done, because I cannot disgest the hautie ignorance of manie Commanders, who slighteth and contemneth all thinges which surpasseth the reach of their vnderstanding.
There is yet other doublings of Ranks, as namely by Counter-march, which Leo Tac▪ c. 7.9.84. Leo describeth in those words [...] &c. And I haue seene it oft practised by the English. It is thus done: The Captaine [Page 48]commandeth the Files to counter-march to the right or left (what Counter-march is, yee shall see heereafter) then the File-Leaders beginneth to turne, and the rest following them, they march downe through the Files, till the Leaders bee in evin ranke with the Bringers-vp: then presentlie hee commandeth them to halt or stand, so that the last fiue Ranke are faced to the Front, and the first fiue to the Reare: The Captaine then if he will haue the Battell fronting as it was, hee commandeth the first fiue Rankes to face about to him: which done, they shall all haue their faces directed one way towardes the Front: But if hee please to turne the aspect of his whole Battell towardes the Reare hee commandeth thee Reare diuision, or last fiue ranks, to face about, and so the whole Battell shall bee faced about to the Reare: This is of singulare use against an enemie, comming to charge your Reare, and to encompasse you: For by this Motion in an instant, yee both double the length of your Battell, and bring your best men to receiue the charge of the enemie: And this is the use which the Emperour Leo. Tact. § c. 7. Leo maketh of this Motion, who was the breauest Commander of his tyme, and who for his exquisite knowledge in the Arte Militarie was brought to weare the Imperiall Crowne.
There is another doubling of Rankes, when the evin Rankes are drawne out fullie from the Bodie towardes either of the Flankes, or else when they diuide themselues, and march out towardes both Flankes together, Count Count Mansfield in his direct. of warre. Mansfield calles this to double the Front by the Flankes: The Emperour Leo. Tac. c. 7. § 69. Leo speaketh also of it, and sayeth, It is to be done by this word of command [...].
Rankes also are doubled by wheeling the Flanks, into the Bodie, as yee shall see heere after. The use of Doubling of Ranks.
The generall use of Doubling of Rankes Aelian Tact. c. 28. Aelian setteth downe clearelie, [...]. The length of the Battell is doubled, when either they purpose to ouerwing the Enemie or else expectes to bee ouerwinged by him.
This did Polienus Strat lib. 2. in Cleandrida § 4. Cleandridas the Lacedemonian Generall against the Leucans, for he surpassing them in multitude, first drew his Battell to a great deapth, that he might allure them to charge, which the Leucans seeing drew out their Armie in length & came foreward to encompasse his winges: but Cleandridas doubling the length of his [...] ouerfronted them and ouerthrew them.
The Emperour Leo. Tact. cap. 7. § 69. Leo giueth another reason of Doubling the length of the Battell [...] (saith he) [...]. &c. The length of the Battell is doubled for ornament, and to make a faire show, or to make it equall with another Battell: or else to affright the Enemie, making him thinke your multitude to be greater then it is: as did Polienus Strat. lib. [...]. in Antigono § 19. Antigonus against Eumenes.
But the Emperour Leo Tact c. 14. § 108. Leo giues an good aduertisement and caution for doubling the length of the Battell, whereof all Commanders should take heede: [...] (sayth hee) [...] &c. When the deapth of the Battell is drawn vp in length, it must not be so lengthned that it be ouerweakned in the deapth, for it will fall out that the Enemies shall easilie breake it asunder and make a passage through it, and will not onelie encompasse it before [Page 50]but passing through the midst will bee found behind, and there doe great harme: Wherefore a Generall should not onelie seeke to prevent this, but to doe the like to the Enemie.
Aelian speaketh of a doubling of Rankes in place, which is nothing but an opening of Files to a greater distance.
DOubling of Files, OF doubling of Files.is a Motion whereby the deapth of the Battell is increased, and the length diminished by inserting the one halfe of the Files in the other: Leo Tact. c. 7. § 16 &c. 14 § 109. Leo calleth this Motion [...]: and [...]. Aelian Tact. c. 28. Aelian calleth it, [...]: And is performed sundrie wayes.
FIrst, when the one halfe of the Files fall in into the other, the evin Files into the odde, when the command of Doubling is to the right hand: the odde Files into the evin, when the command is to the left, so that of 10. deepe they are made 20. and therefore 20. Rankes and if they were 10. in Ranke, they become but 5. and therefore 5. Files. The first is this way done, The right hand File which is the first, stands still, the second Filenext it, steppes about and moues in into it: euerie one going behind his right hand Sydeman, so doth the 4. into the 3. the 6. into the 5. the 8. into the 7. the 10. into the 9. & so foorth if there be moe Files in your Battell. Doubling to the left is when the left hand File together with the rest of the evin Files standes still, and the odde Files turnes about to the left and steppes in behind their Sydemen on the left hand, so that the first File is inserted in the second, the 3▪ in the 4; the 5. in the 6, and so foorth of the rest of the Files of your Battell, as the figures following showeth.
The figure L. M. N O. showeth you a doubling of Files to the right hand, where yee see the evin Files 2. 4 6. 8. 10. inserted in the odde Files. 1. 3. 5. 7. 9. P. Q. R. S. showeth a doubling to the left hand, where yee see the odde Files 1. 3. 5. 7. 9. moueth into the evin. 2 4. 6. 8. 10. These points · letteth you see the place where the Files stoode · before the Doubling. Those markes / \ shew· eth the way of the Motion, which in the first figure is towards the right hand M. O. and in the other towardes the left hand P. R. How to doe the Motion.
For the right action of this Motion, your Souldiers must obserue, that if the command bee to double to the right hand, then they who double first turnes about, and setteth foreward the right [Page 52]Legge, next steppeth foreward with the left legge behind their Sidemen on the right hand, and then brings on the right Legge, and place their Bodie even in a right line behind their Sideman now their Leader, and in reducement to come againe to their former Posture, they must first moue their left Legge and in three steppes recouer their first Station: If the command bee to double to the left hand, they who double first turneth about, and setteth foreward their left Legge, then steppeth foreward with the right, behind their Sydemen on the left hand, and then bringeth on their left Legge, and placeth their Bodie in an evin line with their Side. men. In reducement they first moue their right Legge, and in three steppes returnes to the Posture they were in.
The wordes of Command,
- Files as yee were.
- Files to the right hand double
- Files to the left hand double
Our wordes of Command,
- Stringes to your first order.
- Double your Stringes to the right hand
- Double your Stringes to the left hand
Obserue that this Doubling must bee done at open order.
I haue seene some Commanders in exerceasing, command a Doubling of Files to the right and left by diuision: which was done by inserting the evin Files of the right Flanke in the odde, and the odde Files of the left Flanke, in the evin: But in this Motion the Files must consist of a number diuisible in evin numbers, as 8. 12. 16. And this I thinke more curious then profitable
Obserue that Doubling of Ranks & Files, are one anothers reducements, but to the contrarie hand, as [Page 53]if there be a doubling of Ranks to the right hand, ye may command Files double to the left, and so the Rankes are reduced to their first Posture. If the Rankes bee doubled to the left, then command Files to double to the right, and so yee bring the Rankes as they were. Againe, if there bee a doubling of Files to the right, command Rankes to double to the left, and so yee restore Files to their first Station: If the Files bee doubled to the left, command Rankes to double to the right, and so the Files are reduced.
SEcondlie Files are doubled by Countermarch (sayth Aelian. Tact. c. 28. Aelian) when the evin Files countermarch, to the Reare, and place themselues behind the bringers. vp of the odde Files: And this is if the Command bee to the right hand: But if it bee to the left, the odde Files Countermarcheth and placeth themselues in the Reare of the evin. Or it is done, when the Files diuideth themselnes (sayeth. s. Aelian) that it to say, Aelian dict. cap. 28 The Files vpon the one Flanke separates themselues from the Files on the other Flanke (for yee must conceiue the Bodie to be diuided into two Flankes) and countermarcheth to the Reare, & there placeth themselues behind the standing Files of the other Flanke, according as the word is giuen to the right or left hand: for if the command bee to the right hand, the Files of the left Flanke countermarches to the Reare, and placeth themselues behind the Files of the right Flanke: if the Command bee to the left, the Files of the right Flanke doth the like behinde the Files of the left Flanke, as in the figurs following.
This figure T. V. X, Y. is a doubling by countermarch to the right hand. X. Y was the Reare of the Battell before the Doubling, but after the Doubling, [Page 55]yee see the 2. 4. 6. 8. and 10. Files are counter-marched to the Reare, and placed behind the odde Files, so that the deapth which streatched before from V. to Y. is now augmented to the double. A. B. C. D. is a Doubling by Counter-march to the left hand, where the Reare before the Doubling was C. D. and the deapth of the Battell which was onelie from B. to D. is now extended so far as the odde Files are countermarched and placed behind the evin Files. The figure E. F. G. H. is the second manner of Doubling, by Counter-march, where the halfe of the Files that was vpon the left Flanke E. G. to wit, the 10. 9. 8. 7. and 6. hath diuided themselues from the Files of the right Flanke, and are Countermarched to the Reare and enlarged the deapth F. H. to the Double. In. I. K. L. M. the first fiue Files of the right Flanke K. M. are diuided from the rest, and countermarched to the Reare of the left Flanke, and hath augmented the deapth I. L. as did the former.
The wordes of Command may bee those,
- Files as yee were.
- Double your Files by Counter-march to the right hand.
- Double your Files by Counter-march to the left hand.
- Diuid your Files and double them by Counter-march to the right or left hand.
This Motion was oft used amongst the Grecians, but I haue not seene it practised in our moderne exercease.
THirdlie, Files are doubled by advanceing or leading foorth: when the evin Files marcheth out from the Bodie, & placeth themselues in a right▪ [Page 56]line before the Leaders of the odde Files, if the Command bee to the right hand: and the odde Fils before the evin, if the Command be to the left hand: or else it is done when the one halfe of the Files vpon either Flanke marcheth foorth together and advanceth before the Files of the other Flanke, according as the Command is to the right or left hand if to the right, the Files of the left Flanke advanceth before the right Flanke: if to the left, the Files of the right Flanke advanceth before the Files of the left Flanke, as in the figures following.
The figure N. O. P. Q. showeth a doubling to the right hand by advancing the evin Files before the odde: N. O. was the front of the Battell before the Doubling: the deapth was fiō O. to Q. which now is extended to the double. R. S. T. V. is a Doubling to the left hand, by advancing the odde Files before the evin: R S was the Front before the douling, and S. V. the deapth, which is extended as the former: The other two figures are doublings by advancing of the halfe of the Files: Z. A. B. C. is a doubling of the halfe of the Files to the right, where the Files of the left Flanke Z B, the 10. 9. 8, 7. & 6. advanceth together before the Files of the right Flanke. Z. A. was the Front or length of the Battell befor the Doubling which now is contracted to X. Y. A C was the deapth of the Battell, which is now extended to C. A. Y. The other F. G. H I. is a Doubling of the halfe of the Files, [Page 58]to the left; for the Files of the right Flanke 1. 2 3. 4. & 5. advanceth before the Files of the left Flanke the Front of the Battell before the Doubling F. G. is now d [...]minished to D. E. the deapth F. H. is now augmented to H. F. D.
Those Doublings extendeth the deapth of the Battell towardes the Front, as the doublinges by Countermarch did towardes the Reare.
Those Doublings altereth ground, but if yee desire to keepe the same ground, Count Mansfield in his Direct of War. pag. 45. Count Mansfield showeth a way, which is to make the Files that are to double to close their Rankes forewards: and the other to close backwards, and so by a little edgeing aside, shall bee placed before them: But the publisher of his directions hath mistaken himselfe in saying, that the Leaders of the halfe, which is to double, will stand alittle beyond the Bringers vp of the other halfe: for it is the Bringers-vp of the halfe which is to double that will stand before the Leaders of the other halfe.
The wordes of Command,
- Files as yee were.
- Files advance, and double to the right hand.
- Files advance, and double to the left hand.
- Diuide your Files, and double them to the right or left.
- Count Mansfield useth those words File vpon File.
- Files double the Bodie to the right or left hand.
FOurthlie, Files are doubled by the Flankes, that is, When the Files of either Flanke are inserted in the other, and so double them, and that [Page 59]either to the right or left: If the Command bee to double the right Flanke, then the Files of the left Flanke (for yee must conceiue the whole Bodie to be diuided into two Flankes) faceth to the right hand, and marcheth through the spaces of the right Flanke, till the sixt File bee in one evin File with the first, the 7. with the 2. the 8. with the 3. the 9. with the 4 and the 10. with the 5. and then they face as the rest: If the word bee to Double the left Flanke, then the Files of the right Flanke faceth to the left, and doe as the former, till the fift File joyne with the 10 the 4. with the 9. the 3. with the 8. the 2. with the 7. the 1. with the 6. as these figures following showeth.
The figure K. L. M. N. is a Doubling of the right Flanke by the left: where ye see the Files of the left Flanke K. M. which are the 10. 9. 8. 7. and 6. [Page 60]are joyned with the Files of the right Flanke L. N.
O P Q R showeth a Doubling of the left Flanke by the right: where the Files of the right Flanke P. R. the 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. are inserted in the Files of the left Flanke O. Q. Of both the Battelles, the length K. L. and O. P. are contracted to the halfe; and so the Battell is brought into a wing, whereof is made the [...], described by Aelian. Tact c. 27. Aelian [...]. These points · in al these former figurs showeth the place where · the Doubling Files stood.
The wordes of Command,
- Files as ye were.
- Files double your right Flanke.
- Files double your left Flanke.
Some say, Halfe Rankes double your right or left Flanke.
This Doubling mixeth your Armes, which if yee would eschew, yee may countermarch your Flanke, beginning the Motion with the vttermost File of that Flanke, which doubleth: making it march through the distances betwixt Rankes, till it joyne with the vttermost File of the other Flank, the rest following it successiuelie, so your Pickes shall double your Pickes, and your Musquetiers your Musquetiers: As if yee should suppose the tenth File of the figure K. L. M. N, to double the first, the 9 the 2. the 8. the 3. and so foorth. But of this yee shall know more heereafter.
Obserue that yee may proceede in doubling your Files, till yee bring your whole Battell in two Files, or one File.
Or yee may doe this, by making your Rankes File to either hand, or both by division: If ye command [Page 61]Rankes to File to the right hand, the right hand man of euerie Ranke stands still, the next to him falles behind him, the rest of the Ranke follow, vntill the whole Ranke bee in a File: All the Rankes doe the same, falling behind their right hand man, and making one File of the whole Body. If the word bee to the left, the left hand man stands firme, the next to him falles behind him, and the rest follow, and all the Ranke falls behind their left hand man, and so are converted in one File: But in this Motion yee must obserue a Double distance, Yet if it bee in a March, yee may doe it at any Or der: Some call this Motion, Fileing by conversion: But yee must obserue that in a great Front yee can not well use this Motion. If ye would bring your Bodic in two Files, the one halfe of the Rankes fall into the right hand File, the other into the left hand File, the right and left hand File standing fast, and the rest of the Files inverting to them, for some calleth this Motion Fileing by inversion.
The figure S. T. is a Fileing of Rankes to the right hand, where yee see the first ranke is casting it selfe in a File behind the right hand man. V. X. is a Fileing to the left hand, where the first Ranke is going to File behind the left hand man, and as the first Rankes in both doeth, so yee must imagine the rest to doe in an instant. Y. Z. is a Fileing to the right and left by division, where yee see the halfe of the first Ranke falling in behind the right hand man, and the other halfe of it behind the left hand man: which also yee must conceiue the rest of the Rankes to doe.
The wordes of Command,
- File Ranke as yee were.
- Rankes File to the right hand
- Rankes File to the left hand
- Some say,Rankes File by conversion to the right or left hand.
- Files as yee were.
- Rankes File to the right and left by division. Or
- Rankes File by inversion to the right or left.
There is yet a Doubling of Files by wheeling the Rankes to the right or left hand. If the word be to the right, the right hand man turnes to the right, and the rest of his Ranke wheele together, and come [Page 63]aboue him on the left hand, all the Rankes doeth the like: If the command bee to the left, the left hand man turnes to the left, the rest of his Ranke commeth all aboue him on the right hand, and so all the other Rankes.
The figure A. B. is a wheeling to the right hand: where yee see the first Ranke wheeling about the right hand man, and comming vp vpon his left hand. C. D. is a wheeling to the left hand, where the first Ranke is wheeling about the left hand man, and comming vp on his right hand, and so doth all the rest of the Rankes.
The words of Command,
- Rankes as ye were.
- Rankes wheele to the right hand,
- Rankes wheele to the left hand
Yee may wheele Rankes also to the right or left by division.
The use of Doubling of Files, is to strengthen the deapth of your Battell, to resist the Enemie, The use of Doubling of Files. when yee thinke hee mindes to breake through and diuide your forces: It serues also to let the shot goe through your Files, when ye are marching towards [Page 64]an Fort, for which the first maner of Doubling is proper, & the Fileing of Rankes to the right or left hand: Also to giue a Vollie of Musquetados vpon either Flanke, or both: or to make a streete for a Generall, or some great Commander to goe through, or else to lodge the Colours: The Fileing of Rankes to the right or left, or both by division, or the wheeling of Rankes performeth this. It serueth also to make your Forces seeme small to allure the Enemie to fight as did Polien. Strat. lib, 2. in Cleandri. §. 4. Cleandridas against the Leucans: who first first drew out his [...] in a greath deapth, whereby his enemies contemning his apparentlie small number, did charge him, but hee instantlie doubling his Ranks, did encompasse them, and ouerthrow them.
But ye must take heed (as the Emperour Leo Tact. c. 14. §. 109. Leo advertiseth in these words [...] &c.) That when yee double the deapth of your Battell, yee make not the Front of your Armie too narrow, and so giue occasion to the Enemie to ouerfront you, & encompasse you, which was Polyb. histor lib. 1. §. 10. Marcus Attilius Regulus, his error in the Battell against the Carthagenians for hee fearing the Forces of the Carthagenian Elephants to breake through his Armie, drew his Battell to so great a deapth, that it was easilie encompassed by the Carthagenian horse-men, led by Zantippus the Lacedemonian, and by them vtterlie defeate, and himselfe taken prisoner. For as too much weakening of the deapth, and doubling the length of your Battell puts in danger to bee diuided and broken: So too much Doubling the deapth, and diminishing the length puts it in perrill to bee ouerwinged, and encompassed: And [Page 65]therefore a wise Commander will haue a care, if his Front bee narrow, to take the advantage of a Trench, River or Marish, thereby to secure his Flankes that the Enemie may not annoy him there, and if hee can attaine to none of those, yet to make use of his owne Waggons.
Obserue that this Motion of Doublings alters the forme of the Battell, changing both the length and the deapth thereof, which no other Motion doeth.
Obserue also, that in Doubling the length of your Battell ye make the [...], and in doubling the deapth ye make the [...] described by Aelian Tact. c. 29. Aelian. Aelian Tact. c. 28.Aelian speaketh of a Doubling of the deapth, in place which is nothing but an opening of Rankes to a geater distance.
Of Evolution or Counter-March.
Tit. 8.
EVolution or Countermarch called by the Grecians Aelian Tact. c. 26. [...]. is a Motion of the whole Battell whereby the Front is brought in place of the Reare, or one Flanke in place of the other.
And therefore Countermarch is two fold: of Files, or of Ranks, and both of those, saith Aelian Tact. c. 26. Aelian is threefold, for either they gaine ground (in marching not in charging) or loose ground, or keepe that same ground, the first is called the Macedonian Countermarch, the second the Lacedemonian, the third the Chorean or Persian.
The Macedonian Countermarch by File (so called from the Macedonians who were the inventers and [Page 66] users of it) is described by Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those wordes [...], [...] &c. When the File-Leader turneth his face, and the bringer vp with all the rest goe against him on the right or left hand, and passing on to the ground before the Frōt of the phalanx placeth themselues in order, one after another according as the File Leader himselfe hath turned his face: Or it is, when the File-Leader turneth his face, and the next to him passing by him, on the right or left hand, placeth himselfe behind him, & so all the rest one after another: As ye shall see in the figure following.
A B C D is the Battell before the Countermarch. E F A B the Battell after the Countermarch, which hath left the ground A B C D wherein it stood, which yee see marked with points, and taken the ground before it E F A B, and are all faced about to [Page 67]the Reare. A B which before the Countermarch was the Front, doeth yet remaine the Front, but the right hand File B D is become the left hand File B F and the left hand File A C, the right hand File A E. the Reare C D is now the Reare E F.
The wordes of Command, Files Countermarch and gaine ground.
The Lacedemonian Countermarch by File, (so called from the Lacedemonians who invented and practised this Motion) is set downe by Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those wordes [...] &c. When the File-Leader turning his face about to the Picke transferreth the whole File to a place equall to the first, & the rest following standeth behind him: or else, When the Bringer-vp turnes his face about, and hee that stood next before him passing by on either hand, is placed againe next before him and the rest following takes place one before another as they stood till the File Leader be first.
G H I K is the Battell before the Countermarch I K L M the Battell after the Countermarch which hath left the ground it stood in before, and taken the ground behind it, the Flankes are changed as in the former figure. H K the right Flanke to K M the left, and G I the left Flanke to I L the right: But the Front G H is brought to be the Front L M contrarie to the former, where the Front of both figures A B did keepe still one place.
The wordes of Command, Files Countermarch and loose ground.
The proceeding of this Countermarch is contrare to the former, for the Macedonian tooke the ground before the Battell, but this possesseth the ground after the Battell: In the Macedonian the Motion is from the Reare to the Front, in this the Motion is from the Front to the Reare: The Macedonian seemeth to runne away, but the Lacedemonian to charge, and therefore it is preferred to the Macedonian by Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian, because sayeth hee, [...]. It maketh a show of falling on, the Enemie appearing behind: Whereas the Macedonian [...], It maketh a semblance to the Enemies appearing in the Reare of flying away: neuerhelesse, in some cases, the Macedonian is of greater use, as if ye desire to gaine some ground of advantage, or else when yee desire to March on & not giue Battell, for by it ye doe noways hinder your March, but cōtinueth the same, & in the meane time may mak your Musquetiers giue fire vpon the Enemie, so that ye both March & fight: But the Laced emonian falleth on vpon the Enemie, and interupteth the March, Zenephon. bistor. grec. lib. 6.605.Agesilaus the Lacedemonian [Page 69]Generall seemeth to haue used this Countermarch, when hee made his Armie to March out of the Straites of Mantinea, perceiuing that his Enemies were to charge his Reare, from the Hilles he made his Reare-guarde to Countermarch, and goe out of the Straites, himselfe staying last with the Avantguarde: The samine: Zenoph. hist. grec. lib. 4.519. Agesilaus hauing embattelled his Troupes at Coronea against the Thebans himselfe had the right wing of the phalanx & put the Argiues on the left wing of the Theban Armie to flight, but the Thebans hauing beaten the Orchemenians who were vpon his left wing forced a passage through them to the Baggadge; which hee vnderstanding, did presentlie Countermarch his phalanx & ledde against them, where after a fnrious chocke hee killed manie of them: and manie fled away to Helicon after their Confederates.
The Persian or Cretan Countermarch, used by the Persians and Cretans, is also called Chorean, from the similitude of the Grecian Dances, which [...]he Dauncers, called Chorus, used. for they ordered themselues in Rankes and Files, and danced one through another, keeping the same bounds of the place. This Countermarch is described by Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those wordes [...] &c. The Chorean is, when the File-leaders turning to the Picke or the Target preceedeth the File: The rest following, till the Leader haue gotten the place of the Bringer-vp & the Bringer vp the place of the Leader, the Bedie mouing joynthie together, so that this Countermarch maintaines and keepes the samine ground the Batell stood in: And this is our Moderne Countermarch which wee use in our exercease.
Yee see the figure N O P Q, where the File-leaders of euerie File, with their next followers, that is to say, The first two Rankes are turned to the right hand, and hath begun to Countermarch, and are in the distances betwixt the Files, so that the two last of euerie File, that is, The 10. and 9. Rank hath marched vp with the rest to the Front N O. and hath left the place of the Reare P Q so much voyd as the first two Ranks hath marched through the Files from the place of the Front: so that the File-Leaders shall march vntill they come to the place of the Bringers-vp P Q. and the Bringers vp, till they come to the place of the File leaders N O. and there doe stand, and face about with the rest.
Captaine Bingam in his Notes vpon Aelians Tact. c. 28. Bingam expresseth this Motion more liuelie by figures of Armed Picke-men.
The wordes of Command,
- Files to the right hand Countermarch.
- Files to the left hand Countermarch.
Our wordes of Command are,
- Stringes to the right hand Countermarch.
- Stringes to the left hand Countermarch.
Because this Chorean Countermarch is that which is used in our exercease, How the Motion of this Counter-march is done. I will shew you how the motion is performed. If the word of Command be to Countermarch to the right hand, then all the File-leaders at one instant stepeth foreward with the right legge: and bringing about their left legge turneth their Bodie to the right hand, and so march downe through the Files, till they come to the place of the Bringers-vp, where they shall stand, the rest that followeth the File-leaders, must not offer to turne, before they haue come vp to the place of the File-leaders. If the Command bee to the left hand then the File-leaders must step foreward with the left leg, and bringing about the right legge turne their Bodie to the left hand, & march downe as the former; The figure N O P Q showeth a Countermarch to the right hand. The other to the left hand, by it may be easilie vnderstood, for if yee make the File-leaders to turne toward N P. which yee see now turned towards O Q. it shal be a Countermarch to the left hād.
It seemeth to mee to be this Chorean Countermarch whereof the Emperour Leo Tact. c. 12, § 65. Lee speaketh, giuing this word of Command [...].
It is to bee obserued in this Motion of Countermarch, that cuerie follower remarke his Leader, and his right hand man, that by them hee may keepe a due distance; for otherwise the least disorder in this Motion will breed a confusion of the whole Bodie.
Obserue also that this Motion of Countermarch cannot bee done, but at open Order: Also it ought not to bee practised when the Enemie is neare hand: for if the Enemie should suddenlie charge a [Page 72]Battell, while it is Counterraarching, hee should assuredlie ouerthrow it, so that in this case, the best expedient is to face about your Battell.
The use of Countermarching of Files is, if the Enemie appeare in the Reare and come to charge you, yee may by this Motion bring your File-leaders who are your best men to encounter with him: for it was euer the use of good Cōmanders to bring the front of their Battel against their enemies: Thus Frōtinus witnesseth, Alexāder & Iulius Caesar to haue bene accustomed to bring the Souldiers who were in acie or the Front of the Battell, to fight against their Enemie Frontinus Strat. lib. I. c. 3. Alexander Macedo cum haberet vehementem exercitum, semper eum statum belli elegit ut acie confligeret. Caius Casar Bello civili cum exercitum vete, ranum haberet, hostium autem tyronem esse sciret, acie semper decertare studuit.
COuntermarching of Rankes is when one wing of your Battell is brought in place of the other, OF Counter-marching of Rankes.or the wings into the midst of the Battell, or one wing to double the other.
This Countermarch is also threefolde as the former of Files, for it is Macedonian Laceden onian and Chorean. The Macedonian taketh the ground which is on the contrare wing from the Enemie, and therefore seemeth to march away from him.
The Lacedemonian taketh the ground which lyeth on the side of that wing which is towards the Enemie, & therefore maketh a show of charging him. The Chorean keepeth still the same ground whereon the Battell stood before the Countermarch: Aelian speaketh but little of those coūtermarches by Rāks, neither haue I sene them much used in our exercise: [Page 73]Yet for your vnderstanding I will set downe their Motion, and their figures, because some good use may bee made of them.
In the Macedonian Countermarch by Ranke the right hand corner File faces to the left hand, & stands, the rest of euerie Ranke passes through, and place themselues orderlie behind their right hand sidemen, beginning either with the vttermost File on the left Flanke, or with the File next the right hand File, and so they take vp the ground which was on the right wing of the Battell.
R S V X is the Battell before the Countermarch, S T X Y the Battell after the Countermarche, which hath left the place it had, and takin the place vpon the right wing, and are all faced about to the left; so that the front before R S is now become the right Flanke S T. The right hand File before S X is now become the Front.
The words of command
- [Page 74]Left wing Countermarche through to the place beyond the right wing. or
- Rankes Countermarche from the left wing to the right.
The Lacedemonian Countermarche by Ranke is when the left hand corner File turnes his face to the left hand & the rest of euery Rank passe through to the left, and place themselues orderly before their left hand side-man, beginning either from the vttermost File on the right hand, or from the File next to the left hand File.
Yee see this Battell hath left the place where it stood B C E F, and taken the ground beyond the left wing A B D E, & they are all faced about to the left. The Front before the Countermarch was B C and is now become the right Flanke A B. The right hād File C F is now the Front A D: The left hand File B E keeping still its place becomes the Reare.
The wordes of Command.
- Right wing Countermarche through to the place beyond the left wing. or
- Rankes Countermarche from the right wing to the left.
The Chorean Countermarche by Ranke is when the right hand corner File faces to the left, and marches forward to the place of the left hand File: the rest of euery rank following it, & the body mouing joyntly together while the right hand File come to the place of the left hand File, and the left hand File to the place of the right hand File, so that the bodie keepeth still that same ground it had before: or to doe this more easily, face only about your Battell to the left, and then command a Countermarche of Files and this will produce the samine effect,: for it is all one to bring the front of your Battell to the Reare when it is faced to the right as to bring the right wing to the left before it bee faced.
In this Battell ye see the first man of euery Ranke with his Sydman that is to say, the first two Files on the right Flank H K are turned & are Counter-marching through the distances betwixt the Ranks: the rest hath followed them on, to the right Flank and hath left the place of the left Flank G I so-much voyd as the first two Files hath marched through the Ranks from the place of the right Flanke, So that the right hand File shall marche on till it come to the place of the left hand File G I: And the left hand File till it come to the place of the right hand File H K, and so the Battell shall maintaine the samine ground it stood in, and bee faced to the left.
The words of Command are,
- Ranks to the right or left hand Countermarche and maintaine ground.
Our words of Command are,
- Countermarch your Ranks to the right or left hand.
The use of Countermarching by Ranks is: when the enemie appeareth on your left wing to charge you, yee may by this motion oppose him with your best men, and bring your right wing in place of the left against him: and may applie your left wing to some advantage, as a Riuer Marish or Trench, that thereby it may be secure from encompassing: or else it serues to bring one of your wings in place of the other: when beeing embattelled ye minde to change the forme of your embattelling: as if yee desire to set the right wing of your Battell against the right wing of your enemies Battell for some advantage of fight: This did Herodot. in Calliope. 248. & Plutarch. in Aristide. Pausanias generall of the Grecian armie at [Page 77]the Battell of Platea against the Persians: who hauing embattelled the Lacedemonians in the right wing of his armie and the Athenians in the left: Mardonius the Persian Generall gaue the Thebans and other Greekes his right wing and the Persians the left wing, Now Pausanias desiring to oppose the Athenians against the Persians as beeing better acquainted with the Persian fights then the Lacedemonians, he Countermarched his right wing to the place of the left: and so brought the Athenians against the Persians, which Mardonius perceiuing did the like, & immediatlie Countermarched his right wing of Thebans to the left wing of the Persians as fearing to joyne the Persians with the Athenians.
By this manner of Countermarche yee may bring your wings in place of the body of your batallion which is this done: Your right hand File faces to the left: the left hand File to the right, and marche both in towards the center of the Battell while they meet other face to face: the rest of each Ranke vpon both wings followes them and marches out vntill the two middle Files haue gotten the place of the corner Files, and the Corner Files the place of the middle Files. By this meanes P. Scipio making warre in Spaine against Asdrubal brought the Romans into the wings, and the Confederates into the midst of his Battell, whereby he overthrew Asdrubal, as Polyb. Hist. lib. 11 Sect. 7. Polybius and Livius, decad 3. lib. 8. 204. Livius at more length reportes. This is of excellent use in our discipline, to bring the picks to the winges & the Musquetiers to the midst of the Battell, incase there were ane charge of Horse vpon both your Flanks, for by this, the Pickemen [Page 78]would receiue the charge of Horse, and the Musquetiers giue fire vpon them.
Ye may also by this Motion double one wing with another to mak the [...]: which is done as before, except that the Flanks doe not march through, but when the Corner-File of the one Flanke is come in evin line, and joyned with the Corner file of the other Flanke, then yee command an halt and a faceing of them all to the Front:
Obserue, that the Countermarch of Files & of Rāks taks not the denomination à movente, as would appeare: but à loco in quo fit motus evolutionis: for in a Countermarch of Files, it is the Ranks that countermarches and moues downe through the distances betweene the Files, the first Ranke beginning, the second with the rest, continuing the Motion, till it bee ended: In a Countermarch of Rankes, the Files Countermarches, and moues through the distances betwixt the Rankes: the Corner-File which hath the command to Countermarch, beginning the Motion, and the rest of the Files continuing it vntill it bee finished. And therefore in the Countermarch of Files, the Motion is in the deapth of the Battell, in the Countermarch of Rankes the Motion is in the length of the Battell. Hence it is, that the illustrious Count Count Mansfield in his Direct of war.Mansfield calleth a Coūtermarch of Rankes when the Front is brought in place of the Reare, and a Countermarch of Files when one Flanke is brought in place of the other, which is contrarie to the common appellation both of the Auncients and moderns, or else I cannot see how hee can bee reconcealled vnto them.
Of Closiing, and Opening the Battell.
Tit. 9.
Closing, is a drawing of the Battell to a lesse distance. Opening, an extending of it to a greater distance then it had before: and both are either in length or in deapth. And therefore two folde: of Files and of Rankes.
Closing of Files is a contracting of the length of the Battell maintaining the samine deapth, and it is threefolde, for Files are either closed to the right hand, or to the left, or to the midle of the Battell: The Aelian Tact. c. 32. Greekes calleth these Motions [...] or [...] or [...]. To thicken to the right wing or the left wing, or the midst of the Phalanx. Leo. Tact. c. 7. §. 33.Leo calleth the closing to the right and left [...]: To bee thickned towardes the sides.
Aelian Aelian. d. cap. 32. sheweth how the closing to the right hād is to be done in those wordes [...] &c. Ye must command the right hand corner File to stand still, and the rest turning their faces to the Picke to advance forwards towardes the right hand, vntill they haue gotten the distance commanded, the second File first taking his distance, and the rest their distance from him; and then all to face as they were.
The figure A B C D is the boundes where the Battell stood at open order; imagine then the right hand File B D to haue stood still, and the rest of the Files to haue marched from the left Flanke A C. towardes the right B D so that they are contracted to halfe the boundes they possessed before the closing, and therefore standes at order or the distance of three foote, from A C to the left hand File, is the boundes which is left after the closing wherein the halfe of the Battell did stand before the closing, to wit the 10. 9. 8. 7. and 6. Files: so that the 10. File doeth now stand in the place where the 6. stood before the closing.
If yee close Files to the left hand, yee must make the left hand corner File stand still, and the rest facing to the Target advance forward to the left hand as the former did to the right vntill they haue all gotten their distance requyred, and then they face as they were.
E F G H is a closing to the left hand, where yee must conceiue the left hand File E G to haue stood still, and the rest of the Files to haue advanced from the right Flanke F H vntill they haue contracted themselves as yee see: so that they possesse only the halfe of the boundes they had before they closed: From F H to the right hand File is the boundes wherein the halfe of the Battell stoode before the closing to wit, the 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5 Files: so that the first File possesseth now the place which the fyft had.
If yee would close your Battell to the middle, Aelian. d. c. 32. (saith Aelian) yee command the two middle Files to stand still, and then the diphalanx (that is the halfe Battell) on the right wing to face to the Target, and the diphalanx on the left wing to face to the Picke, and then to moue forwards to the middle of the phalanx, the two middle files also close, and so after they haue gotten their true distance they face as they were.
This figure is a closing of the Battell to the middle: The middle Files in K N: that is, the 5 & 6 files stands still: The halfe Battell K L N O moues from the right Flanke L O towards the midle K N: The halfe Battell I K M N moues from the left Flanke I M towards the middle K N: so that the whole Battell I L M O is closed to halfe the distance it had before, leauing the boundes voyde on the right Flanke L O where the first and second File, and on the left Flanke I M: where the 9. and 10. did stand.
The wordes of Command,
- To your order or clo order.
- Files close to the right hand.
- Files close to the left hand.
- Files close to the middle, or
as some say, Files close; for when the Command is onelie for Files to close: without nameing any hand, it is to bee vnderstood a closing to the middle.
Our Scotes words of Command, [Page 83]
- To your first or second distance.
- Close your Stringes to the right hand,
- Close your Stringes to the left hand,
- Close your Stringes.
Some will Close Files to the right and left by division making the halfe Battell on the right hand, moue from the middle to the right hand File, and the other halfe on the left hand, to the left hand File, leauing the voide distāce in the middle which other closings leaues vpon the wings, as if the halfe Battell should moue from K N to L O, and the other halfe from K N to I M, with this word of Command, Files close to the right or left by division to your order, or close order. To reduce your Files after closing to their first posture or station is to open Files to the distance they had before their closing of which I shall shortly speake.
Aelian Tact. c. 32. Aelian saith that closing of Files is to bee done by facing as indeed it is the most fitte action, How the Motion is to bee performed. but I haue seene many Commanders in exercise use this Motion without any Facing; only mouing sydelings to the hand to which the command is to close, and forsooth they will defend this to bee good, because say they Facing in so small a bounds as a private company taketh vp is needlesse, but, I say they maintaine ane errour, for laying aside the authoritie of the Grecian practise (which justly may bee tearmed the touchstone of martiall discipline,) they are easily convinced by reasone, because Facing performes the Motion more assuredly and more gracefully then going asydwayes, seeing their steps are not sure being subject to stumbling, neither the actiō comly, and although the first or second file next the hand [Page 84]to which they close, haue but a litle ground to goe: Yet the ground doth accresse according as the Files are remoued from the standing File (which our blunt Commanders doth not consider), so that the vttermost File must marche the halfe of the boundes wherein the battell stoode before the closing: as for example, Say, yee had a single company of 200 men, making you 20 in Front, and standing at open order, sixe foote betwixt Files: The bounds that the length of your Battell takes vp, is 120 foote (this is found by multiplying the number of your men in Front by the distance they stand in: as 20 multiplied be 6 the factum is 120) if then yee command Files to close to the right hand to their order or distance of 3 foot: the left hand File shall haue 60 foote of ground to march before he close to his distance requyred: which if hee march sydelings yee may easily consider what a stedfast and gracefull Motion it will bee: The Argument then is evident.
The most assured and most gracefull Motion is the best Motion.
But so it is, that closing of Files by facing, according to the Grecian forme, is the most assured and most gracefull Motion.
Ergo, Closing of Files by Facing is the best.
The major I hope no man vvill deny: The minor I haue alreadie proven. This I thought good to aduertise you, whom I would wish to learne the Arte Militare, scientifice, and not according to the vulgare [...] for there are manie men who [Page 85]pertinaciously will maintaine their badde customes, and will obtrude them for precepts and good Laws vpon men, as also I haue knowne manie Commanders more fraught with a Thrasonicall ostentation, then any skill to performe their charge.
Closing of Rankes is a contracting of the deapth of the Battell, Of Closing of Rankes. and it is performed one way only, to wit, towards the Front, which is thus done.
The File-leaders or first Ranke stands still, the second Ranke comes vp and closes to the distance commanded, the rest of the Rankes moue vp, and close to the samine distance, euerie man taking his distance from his Leader.
This figure P Q R S is the boundes wherein your Battell stood at open order, or distance of 6. foote betwixt Rankes, Now the deapth is contracted and the Ranks hath marched vp from the Reare R.S. and closed towards the Front P Q. to [Page 86]their order or distance of 3 foote, so that your Rankes possesses only the halfe of the boundes they had before the closing: from R S to the 10 Ranke is the voyd ground wherein the halfe of your Rankes did stand before your closing to wit, the 10.9.8.7 & 6. so that the 10 Ranke stands now in the place where the 6 stoode before the closing,
The wordes of Command, Close your Rankes to your order or close order.
Our wordes of Command Rankes close to your second or third distance.
The Emperour Leo Tact. c. 7. §. 84. Leo speakes of a closing of Rankes backwards to the Reare, which he calles [...]; this Motion because it is not commodious nor yet aggreeable to our moderne practise I will not touche.
OPening, OF opening of Files. is an extension of the length or deapth of the Battell and therefore is twofolde: of Files or of Rankes.
Opening of Files is an extension of the length of the Battell in place: and it is threefolde as was the closing: For Files are opened to the right hand, or to the left hand, or to both.
Opening of Files to the right hand is thus performed. The left hand File stands still, the next File vnto it first taketh its distance pressing vpon the next File on the right hand and so the rest of the Files successivelie still presseth upon the right hand till they haue all obtained the distance commanded,
TVXY is an opening of Files to the right hand where yee must conceiue the left hand File TX which is the 10 to stand still, so ye see the 9 and 8 to haue already taken their distance, and the rest of the Files to be moueing towards the right hand VY, till they haue all gotten their distance, required.
In opening of Files to the left hand ye must doe the contrare way, for yee make the right hand File stands still, and the rest to open towardes the left stil pressing vpon the left hand, as the former did vpon the right hand, till they haue all gotten the distance commanded: and so both of them taketh vp the double of the boundes they stood in before.
ABCD is an opening of Files to the left hand, where the right hand File BD stands still: The 2 and 3 haue already gottē their distance, the rest are moving towards the left hand AC, till they also get their distance required.
Opening of Files to both hands is performed thus: The two middlemost Files presse vpon the Flāks, the one vpon the right, the other vpon the left, and take their distances and standes, the rest of the Files on both Flanks takes their distance from them, moving, the one halfe to the right, and the other to the left hand: till they haue all gotten their distance commanded.
EFGH is an opening of Files to both hands, where yee see the two middlemost Files to haue gotte their distance, the fyft hauing pressed vpon the right Flanke FH: The sixt vpon the left EG: the files next vnto them, the 4 vpon the right Flanke, and the 7. vpon the left, hath also taken their distance: The rest are mouing vpon both Flankes till they likewise get their distance commanded, so that in this Motion, as in the other openings, the Battell shall possesse in length after it bee fully opened the double of the ground it had before the opening.
The words of Command for these Motions,
- To your open oder, or any order else
- Files open to the right hand.
- Files open to the left hand.
- Files open to the right and left
Or as some say open both wayes: and some onlie, files open: for when there is no nomination of any hand, it is vnderstoode (as before in closing) an opening from the middle, to both hands.
Our wordes of Command,
- To your first distance or any distance else.
- Open your Stringes to the right hand.
- Open your Stringes to the left hand.
- Open your Stringes.
OPening of Rankes is an extension of the deapth of the Battell in place, and is performed but one way, to witte, towardes the Reare, which is thus done: The File-leaders, or the first Ranke standes still, and the rest of the Rankes falles backwardes towards the Reare, vntill the second Ranke haue gotten its distance, which then standes; the rest of the Rankes moues still backwardes, vntill they all haue gotten their distance commanded.
IKLM is an Opening of Rankes where yee see the 2 and 3. Ranks hath moued backwards, and hath alreadie taken their distance, and ye must conceiue the rest of the Rankes to be mouing from the Front IK backwardes to the Reare LM vntill they all get their distance required.
The wordes of Command, [Page 91]
- Rankes open to your open order or any order else.
Our wordes of Command.
- Open your Rankes to your first distance or any distance else,
Some vse an opening of Rankes also forwards from the Reare to the Front if the ground permitt:
The action of these Motions of opening which I haue now showne both of Files and Rankes by making the Files presse vpon their Sydmen, and the Ranks vpon their Followers, is according to our common moderne exercise, which differs much from the action of the Ancient Aelian. Tact. c. 32. Greeks; for they in opening Files and Rankes did performe the Motion by Facing: but in my opinion our common forme is rather to bee followed: for although it want not its owne inconvenients beeing subject to stumbling on stobbs stones, or holes in the way; Yet in respect the terminus ad quem is not certaine nor seene as it was in closing of Files and Rankes: The last Ranke, or the vttermost File which beginneth the Motion of opening, shall never bee assured where to stand, or in what part to set themselues, to giue a due competent ground to all the Rankes or Files to take their distance commanded; neither can the samine be discerned be the ey of the Commander: and therefore the Motion must bee begun, and the distance must first be takin from the terminus à quo which is seene and certaine: to wit, the Ranke or File that stands and so euerie one after other shall assuredly get their distance commanded, which they could not do behind their backs if they used a Facing but in this I submit my selfe to the judgement of the more learned: [Page 92]For I think also that Souldiers may bee taught to take their distance by pacing.
Obserue that closing and opening both of Files and Ranks are one anothers reducemēts as if ye closed Files to the right hand, and would reduce them to their first station, command them to open to the left; if ye opened Files to the left hand, to bring them as they were yee must close Files to the right hand; if yee closed to the middle open to the right and left by division: and so they are reduced, & è contra. Againe if yee close ranks forwards open them backwards, and so yee bring them as they were & è contra.
Aelian. Tact. e. 28. Aelian calleth an opening of Files or Rankes [...] a doubling of the length or deapth in place, which in my opinion is not fitly spokin, for although Files and Rankes bee opened to a greater distance yet the Battell cannot bee said to bee doubled.
The use of opening and closing the Battell in length and deapth yee may finde Supra Tit. 3. before, when I spoke of distances to the which I remitt you, for I will repeat nothing: only this, I adde that Battells are opened and closed, when a Generall will make his Armie appeare strong or weake according as hee mindes to terrifie or allure the enemie, Files are closed to the right or laft hand when a troupe of Horse or Foote or Waggones with bagadge are to passe betwixt either of your Flankes and some strait: Files are closed to the right and left by division when yee will make a streete through your Battell for a Generall or some great Commander to passe.
Of Conversion or VVheeling
Tit 10.
COnversion or Wheeling is a Motion of the whole Battell towards the Flankes or Reare, changing the ground.
And therefore Wheeling is two fold, the one when the Battell makes a quarter turne to the right or left Flanke which the Greeks calles [...] or conuersion the other when it makes an halfe turne to the Reare be the right or left hand, and this they call [...] or inflexion: no other languadge except the Greeke doth expresse this Motion in two seuerall wordes.
Epistrophe, is described clearely by Aelian Tact. c. 24. Aelian [...] &c
When closing the Battell bee the Sydemen and the followers we turne it whollie as the Body of an man either to the Picke or the Target it beeing carryed about the corner File-leader as about a center, and changing the place of the Front, transfer the countenance of the Souldiers to the right or left Flanke.
Aelian. Tact. c. 31. Aelian in an other place setteth it down more amplie, & it is thus to be performed: Ye must commād the Files to close to the hand to which ye mean to Wheele & the Rankes to close also forwardes: Then yee cause the Corner File-leader on the samine hand to stand still as the fixed foote of a compasse but moueing in his owne place, and all the rest keeping their Files and Rankes closed to turne to the samine hand joyntly about the corner File-leader, vntill the Front of your Battell be towards the Flank to which [Page 94]yee Wheele, so that the Front of the Battell beeing wheeled falles like a perpendicular line vpon the Front of the Battell before it Wheeled, making a right angle of 90 degrees at the corner File-leader about whome they Wheele, and the Flanke falles vpon the Front as a parallel which the figure following showeth.
The figure ABCDEF is An Epistrophe or whee ling to the right hand. CDEF is the Battell before the Wheeling, whereof CD is the Front, DF the right hand File: The Command beeing given, the right hand File-leader D who is thus marked * stands in his place, and the whole body turnes about him, vntill the Front of the Battell be in an evin line with the right Flanke of the former. The Battell after the wheeling is ABCD wherof BD is the Front DC the right hand File: BD falls as it were perpendicular [Page 95]vpon the former Front CD, making the angle BD C a right angle, DC falles as it were parallel vnto the former Front.
The other figure is a Wheeling to the left, which by the former ye may easily vnderstand: for the left hand File leader. I. hauing also this mark * stands still, and the whole Battell moues about him to the left, leauing the place they stood in IKLM and taking the place GHIK. The Front of the Battell before the Wheeling is IK, the left hand File IL: The Front after the Wheeling is GI: The left hand File IK, which is parallel vnto the former Front, and GI falls vpon I K, & maks the like angle as was in the former figure.
After yee haue made them close Rankes, and Files: The words of command for Epistrophe, are,
- Wheele your Battell to the right hand.
- Wheele your Battell to the left hand.
Our wordes of Command are,
- The Great turne to the right about,
- The Great turne to the left about.
[...] (saith Aelian. Tact. c. 24. Aelian) [...]. Perispasmus or Wheeling about is a Motion of the Battell in two Epistrophes or single Wheelinges, whereby the Front is brought in place of the Reare.
In performing of the Motion yee must doe all as before in Epistrophe, except that your Battell must make an halfe turne towards the Reare to the right or lefthand, whereas before it made onlie an quarter turne to the right or left hand: So that Epistrophe brought the Front of the Battell to either of the Plankes, Perishasmus bringes the Front to the Reare as yee see in the figure following.
The figure N O P Q R is a Perispasmus or Wheeling about to the Reare by the right hand where the left hand Fileleader Q*. stāds still, the rest of the body moues about him an halfe turne vntill they bee all faced to the Reare and leaues the place they stoode in, P Q S T: and taks the place N O Q R, so that it falls vpon the other like an quadrant vpon an others angle the right hand Fileleader beeing the point of the angle to them both: the Front before the wheeling is P Q: the right hand File Q T: the Front after the wheeling Q R: the right hand File Q N which fals in a right line with the former Q T.
The other figure is a Perispasmus or wheeling about by the left hand, where the body moues about the left hād Fileleader Z* to the left making an halfe turne till they be all faced to the Reare, and leaues the place they stood in Z A B C & takes the place V X Y Z. [Page 97]The tront before the wherling is Z A the left hand File Z B: the Front after the wheeling is Y Z, the left hand File Z X, which falles in a right line with Z B. Obserue that the corner Fileleaders about whom the Battell is turned, either to the Flankes or to the Reare, which I haue marked so*, are said to stand still, not in respect of Motion, but of altering of ground, for they doe also moue in their own place where they stand, not changing the ground, onely facing to the hand they wheele, but all the rest changes the ground and moues to the Flanks or the Reare as the Commād is.
The wordes of Command for Perispasmus, after closing the Battell are,
- VVheele your Battell to the righthand about,
- VVheele your Battell to the left hand about.
Our words of Command are.
- The great turne to the right round about.
- The great turne to the left round about.
The reducement from a wheeling which the A lian. Tact. c. 24. &c. 31. Greekes calleth [...] is thus performed. If ye made an [...] or quarter turne to either hand, yee must first face them to the contrarie hand, and then wheele the Battell backe to the place it stood in before: and after they haue faced againe as they were, Open Rankes and Files, and so they shall bee brought to their first station, (many doe not use a facing in this Reducement): but if yee haue made a [...] or halfe turne, To reduce the Battel, ye must yet mak another Perispasmus or wheeling about to the same hād, as if yee wheeled about to the right hand, yee must yet wheele about to the right hand: if yee wheeled about to the left hand, ye must yet wheele about to the left, and then open Rankes and Files, and so your [Page 98]Battell shall bee reduced to its first Station.
Obserue that the Remoter the Souldiers be from the Fileleader that stands, and the neerer they approach to the opposite corner, the swifter pace they must moue in wheeling, because they mak an greater arc of an Circle, and therefore, hath more bounds to walke, for euerie Ranke of the Battell in wheeling considdered as a Rhombe, describes an quadrant or semi circle according as the wheeling is to the Flanks or the Reare about the corner Fileleader as a center: And ye know that of many Circles described about one center, taking proportionable arcs, they shall be Unequall in bignesse, for the Remoter the Circles be from the Center the greater the arcs of them are, as yee see in the figure following.
F G and D E and B C are proportionable arcs of three Circles described about the center A, whereof yee see F G to bee the biggest, because it is remotest, & B C the least, because it is nearest to the center A. Suppose then three men were placed, the one in F, the nixt in D, the third in B, and were to make their course, the one to G, the next to E, the third to C, which they behoued to make in equall time, it is certaine that hee who goes from D to E must goe more swiftly than he who goes from B to C, because his bounds is greater, and he who walkes from F to G must goe yet a swifter pace than hee who went from D to E, because his arc is geater.
Hence it is cleare that the Remoter the Souldiers are from the File leader about whom they turne, the swifter pace they must goe, because they describe the greater arcs, and the File-bringer vp who is Diagonallie opposite to the File-leader that stands as Center, describes the greatest arc of all: For lacke of this consideration, I haue seene much disorder in wheeling of a Battell.
There is another kinde of VVheeling used in the Low Countre exercise: which is a wheeling by the Center to either hand, or to either hand about: It is thus performed: The middle File-leader of the Flanke, to which they wheele stands still, as the Center, all the rest moues about him, the one halfe falling backward, the other halfe advancing foreward, according as the Command is to wheele: If the Command bee to the right hand, the right Flanke middle File-leader standes still, and all those of the right Flanke goeth backeward, the left Flanke forward: If to the left hand, the left Flanke middle [Page 100]File leader stands, the left Flanke moues backeward, and the right forward, vntill they haue all made their Quarter-turne, or halfe turne, as the word is to wheele to the Flankes or the Reare.
This Figure is a wheeling of the Battell by the Center, to the right hand, where the fift File leader D* did stand as the Center, the body hath moued about him, the right Flanke F C falling backward, & the left Flanke A B advancing forward, vntill they haue left the place D E G H and taken the ground A B C F. D E is a part of the Front before the wheeling E H the right Flanke. B F is the Front after the wheeling, F C the right Flank: the number of the Files are set downe in the Reare of both the figures, because I had no place to set them in the Front, for the intersection of the two Fronts.
By this yee may also easilie conceiue a wheeling to the left, for making the sixt File leader to stand, & the right Flanke F C to moue forward, and the left [Page 101]Flanke B A to fall backward and make a quarter turne, vntill the Front B F shall be converted to the left hand. Likewise yee may consider a wheeling to the right or left about, if yee cause the Bodie make an halfe turne to either hand, vntill the Front bee towardes the Reare, so that B F shall fall parallel vnto the former Front, whereas now it cuttes it perpendicularlie.
The wordes of Command for this Motion.
- VVheele your Battell by the Center to the right hand.
- VVheele your Battell by the Center to the left hand.
- VVheele your Battell by the Center to the right or to the lefth and about.
This VVheeling doeth not alter the ground so much as the other wheelings.
The use of this Motion, The vse of VVheeling is when the Enemie comes to assault you in any one place, as on either of the Flankes, or the Reare, ye turne the Front of your Battell towardes him, and so bringes your best men to fight with him, which Good Commanders was alwayes accustomed to doe, as I shew before; But if he come to charge you on more places then one, as in the Flankes and the Reare, or in the Front and the Reare, or in the Front and the Flankes, VVheeling will doe you no good: your onelie remeade will bee to face about, and receiue his Charge: By this Motion Plutar. in Pyrrho.Pyrrhus ouerthrew Arieius King of Lacedemon, and Polyb. Hict. lib. 1. Sect. 21. Amilcar defeate Spendius with the rest of his Rebelles: See the Histories, For I will not burding this small Treatise with many Allegations.
Obserue that Epistrophe and Perispasmus are in the whole Battell, the same which Clisis and Metabole [Page 102]was in a particular Souldier, for as thir turnes the face of the Souldier to the Flanks or the Reare, keeping still his place, so doeth the others turne the Face or Front of the whole Battell to the Flankes or the Reare, changing the ground.
There is another kind of VVheeling which is when the winges are wheeled into the Bodie: & this is done either towardes the Front or towardes the Reare, If towardes the Front, then yee command the middle File leaders to stand still (I meane from changing of ground not from Motion, for they moue in their owne place) and the right wing to wheele forwards to the left, about its owne middle Fileleader, transferring their faces to the contrarie wing: The left wing in the same time wheeles forward to the right, about the other middle Fileleader, meeting the other wing in the midst face to face: Then the Commander bids the right wing, face to the right hand, and the leftwing to the left hand, & so they shall all haue their aspect towards the Front, If the wheeling be towards the Reare, ye must first face your Battell about by either hand, then the bringersup of the middle Files who are now become leaders stands still & both the wings shall moue about the Bringersvp, the one to the right hand, the other to the left, till they meete other in the midst as did the former: then the Commander may bring their aspect to the Front or the Reare as hee pleases.
This figure is a Wheling of the wings into the midst of the Battell towards the Front, where ye see the right wing K L O P to bee wheeling to the left hand, about the middle Fileleader K* & the left wing I K M N to be wheeling to the right, about its own middle Fileleader, marked also K* and ye must conceiue those two wings to moue still on, vntill they meete other, the Pickes joyning with the Pickes and the Musquetiers with the Musquetiers, and then the left hand File of the left wing I M shall come in evin line with the right hand File of the right wing L P making thereof the Front of the Battell after they are turned, and the File K N shall come in an evin line with K O making thereof the Reare. N Q O is a parte of the ground where the Battell stoode before it began to wheele. But if yee wheele your Battell towards the Reare ye must conceiue N and O to be joyned & to stand still, and the right wing [Page 104]after it is faced about, to wheele to the right hand about O, & the left wing to wheele to the left hand about N, vntill they meete other face to face, so that the File I M [...] shall come in evin line with L P.
The words of Command for this Motion are
- Wheele the wings into the midst of your Battell Or
- Wheele your Battell to the right & left hand by division towards the Front or towards the Reare.
The use of this wheeling is to bring all your Musquetiers or all your Pickes to the Front as occasion shall serue, and therwith to double your Front: The Musquetiers are brought to the Front, by wheeling towards the Front, (if they were before on the Flankes.) The Pickes are brought to the Front, by wheeling towardes the Reare (if they were before in the middle): Suppose then that an troupe of the enemies horse were comming to charge your Front, or your Reare, minding also to encompasse your winges, by this wheeling of the winges into the midest of your Battell, with one labour yee both bring your Pickes against the Enemies horse, and doubles the length of your Battell to eschew over-winging.
This wheeling hath onely a quarterturne, but if yee will make an halfe turne either to the Front or the Reare, yee shall bring the Pickes to both Flankes, if they were before in the mids: as in the former figure, if yee should make an halfe turne, the Files K O and K N shall come to bee the Flankes of the Battell, and I M and L P shall joyne in the middle.
This is of good use against troupes of horse comming to charge both your Flankes, for the Pickes [Page 105]may withstand the charge of the horse, and the Musquetiers play vpon them from the middle.
The wordes of Command.
- Whele your Battell to the right and left hand about by division.
If ye wold reduce any of those to their first station, ye haue nothing to doe, but to face to the contrarie hand and to wheele your Battell back the contrary way quarter turne or halfe turne as they wheeled first, and then they face as they were.
Aelian. Tact. c. 24. & cap. 31. Aelian describeth an triple wheeling which he calleth [...], but I thinke it is an superfluous and foolish Motion, neither can I belieue that ever the Greeks did use it, for to what effect shall ye make an [...] or triple wheeling of your Battell to the Picke or the Target, when a single wheeling, or quarter turne to the contrary hand will effect the samine with greater readinesse, and thrise alse little paines and time? as for example, if you make an [...] to the Target, that is, if yee wheeled your Battell thrise to the left hand, yee bring the Front of it to the right Flanke against the enemie; now if you make but one [...] or single wheeling to the right hand, yee doe the same thing, and I think there is no man of sense but will accorde that it is superfluitie, to use three turnes when one turne will doe the businesse, and chiefly in affaires of warre where the lest moment of time doth carrie with it a great weight: This I thought good to advertise anie who shall read this Motion in Aelian that hee may eschew it, for it is not only against our moderne excercise, but contrarie tosense and reason.
Of the particular exercising of Picke-men and Musquetiers.
Tit. 11.
OVr Pickemen (as I shew before) represents the heauie armed, our Musquetiers the light armed, both of the Grecian Phalanges, and the Roman Legions.
Their heauie armed, did carie for defence: a Target, besides the compleat arming of the bodie: but whether the Discipline of our time hath done well or not, in laying aside the Target from our Pickemen, I will not disput, because it is thought heauie and vnwealdie for an armed man, and verie noysome in a March, yet I thinke that custome and exercise would alleviat those difficulties, and I belieue no good Commander will deny, but it were expedient that stronge able men beeing File, leaders of euerie Battaillon, were appointed to carie large Targets of proofe, after the Macedonian fashion, that vnder the shaddow of them, the rest of the Battaillion might be sheltered from the shot of the Enimie, and also the Battaillion might be kept strong against the charge of the Enemie, minding to breake it, as the Greckes did, when they made their [...] which did mightilie astonish the Romans themselues when they had adoe with them, for Plutar. in Emilio. Suidas in [...]. Consul Lucius Aemilius saepe apud Romanos confitebatur se nihil unquam vidisse terrililius Phalange Macedonicâ.
Now as for the particular exercise of the Pickemen alone, there is no other, but that they ought exactlie to doe their Postures shown Supra Tit. 5. before (the [Page 107] Motions which I haue hitherto described, beeing alike competent to them & the Musquetiers) for ordinarlie the pickemen in time of fight or skirmish doeth nothing vntill the Battells come neare to push of picke, and then onelie they charge their pickes against the Enemie, for the burding of sustaining the fight before that, lyes vpon the Musquetiers of both sides, during which time the Pickemen stands as idle spectators, seruing onelie as a prop for the Enemies shot, and neuer beeing able to offend them, which is a pitifull consideration.
To remead this inconvenient, the Gentlemen Souldiers of the trained bandes of the Artillerie Garding of London doe practise a shooting with the Bow they who are Pickemen, without anie disturbance or hinderance of the use of their picke, which is thus done:
They haue a Bow tyed to the picke in that place where they shoulder by a little engine or vice, about which it turneth as they list, so that plāting the Butend of the picke on the ground, against the right foote, and holding the Bow with their left arme, the picke sloped, and beeing as it were a rest vnto the Bow; they shoote off their volie of Arrowes (which hang in a Cace at their Girdle behind their backe) with great ease & dexterity, if they be exercised therwith: & therafter they may fasten their Bow to a little pinne, and recouer their picke, order, advance, shoulder, or doe anie other posture commanded as well with the Bow as without it: When the whole Battell shoottes, the followers must shoote throw their owne File ouer their Leaders heade: & they must stand in order at the least. But when the Enemie commeth neare hand to charge, the first fiue rankes [Page 108]must close to their close order: and if it bee against horse, while they foote their Pickes to receiue the charge and haue their swords drawne, the last fiue Rankes may shoote their volies of arroues, and doe great execution against them, whereas without their Bowes they can doe nothing but stand with their pickes ported.
The wordes of Command for the use of the Bow with the Picke are those.
- Order your picke.
- Slope your picke.
- Vnfasten your Bow.
- Draw out your Arrow.
- Noke your Arrow.
- Shoote whollie together.
- Recover your picke.
- Fasten your Bow.
- Advance your Picke.
This weapen is of excellent use both against the Enemies foote and his horse: as for the foote it ouerthroweth cleane the Musquetiers, seeing they are vnarmed, & the pickmens face, armes, and legges are also subject to the wounds of the Arrow, which partes being hurt, maketh them vnable for seruice: but it doth especiallie gall the horse; for a horse beeing wounded and hauing an hooked Arrowe fixed in his flesh hee will so rampage and runne to and fro, that hee shall disorder the whole Battell: They serue also to shoote fireworks into the Enemies Trench or Fort, and also are steadable for convoyes, who oft-times are assallied by horse.
But yee will say, that those onelie of the first Rankes can use this Bow, and that it cannot bee handled by them of the middle and Reare of the [Page 109]Battell, for they will harme their owne Leaders: To cleare this, I would ask you, How did the [...] or light armed of the Grecians anie seruice, beeing placed in the Reare of their phalanx, or the Roman Velites in the Reare of their Maniples? for they were sundrie times so ordered as yee may see in Aelian Tact. c. 7. & 15. Aelian and Leo. Tact. c. 14. § 69. Leo: and also beeing placed in the middle of the Battell, or in the [...] described by Aelian Tact. c. 8. Aelian, or yet being inserted betweene the Files of the armed men, as in the Aeiian. Tact. c. 30. [...], how could the light armed, I say, and chiefelie Archers, doe anie seruice? how could they doe any harme to their E nemies without endamnadging their own Phalanx, or Maniples? The doubt is alike, and yet the Auncients many times were accustomed to use this forme of Embattelling: There is no question then, but our Pickmen with their Bowes may doe the same execution, as did the [...] or velites, yea in this respect they haue a great advantage aboue their Archers, seeing they had to shoote their Arrowes ouer the heades of 16 deepe attour the deapth of their own Bodie: but the last Rankes of your Pickemen hath to shoote ouer the heade of 9. deepe onelie: Al. wayes, yee shall consider, that the Enemie must be at a farre distance, when the whole Battell shootes off; otherwayes, when hee comes nigh to charge (as seldome hee will doe, if this weapon bee rightlie used) they must shoote a straight shoote, and then the last Rankes can hardlie let flee their Arrowes, except the first rankes charge at footte, as I said: in which case the first Rankes recouers their picks, fastens their Bows, commeth vp to close order, & chargeth their pickes against the Enemie, the last Rankes [Page 110]standing still at their shooting Posture.
This Bow is verie steadable in warlike service, VVherein the Bow excelles the Musquet. and although the use thereof is almost quite extinguished by the furious execution, which the Musquet appeareth to make, yet I will proue it to surpasse the Musquet in manie respects: first in surenesse because an archer cannot misse to nock his arrow, and to shoote off, but an Musquetier may fail of his shot, by sundrie accidentes, as by rolling out of the bullet, by an badde matche, an matche not right cocked, by euill powlder, or wet powder in his Pan, and suche like: and I haue oftentimes seene an Ranke of Musquetiers hauing presented and given fyre, that three or foure of ten hath failed of their shot & ye must know that in service there is no time to prime againe, or to right their matche, for they must fall away with the rest of their Ranke and make place to the next Ranke to giue fire. Againe it surpasses the Musquet in readinesse, for an Archer shall shoote sixe arrowes at the least, before a Musquetier haue dismounted his Musquet; Vncocked his matche, Blowne his Pan, primed, shoote his Pan, cast off his loose Powlder, cast about his Musquet, charged, drawne out his scourer, shortened his scourer, & done all therest of the Posturs which are requisite for the right using of the Musquet: Also the Musquet, as all fierie wapons, is dangerous to them who are Vnskilfull, for an unexpert man may spoile himselfe and many about him, which inconvenient is notsubject to the Bow. Lastlie, it excelleth the Musquet in execution and pluralitie of vollies, for an whole Battallion of Archers or Pickmen, with their Bowes may shoot off all together, wheras [Page 111]one Rank only of Musquetiers can giue fire at once, vnlesse the rest would either shoote at random, or else kill their leaders, so that in an Battallion of 200 men, halfe Picks, halfe Musquetiers, the Pickmen shall shoote 100 arrowes for 10 shot of Musquet: wherfore so manie flights of 100 arrowes following suddenly, and continually after others, vpon the enemies Battallion shall assuredly so terrifie and disorder them, that they shall bee forced rather to saue themselves by flight, than either follow or a abide the charge.
Of what esteeme the Bow was in ancient tymes and how serviceable in warres, Veget. de re milit. lib. 1. c. 15. Vegetius citeth the Bookes of Cato de disciplinâ militari, and showeth the example of Claudius and Scipio Africanus, who by this weapon ouercame their enemies, whome otherwise they could not haue matched. His wordes ar those. Quātum autem utilitatis boni sagittarij in preliis habeant, & Cato in libris de disciplinâ militari evidenter ostendit; & Claudius pluribus jaculatoribus ante institutis atque perdoctis hestem cui prius impar faerat superavit: Africanus quidem Scipio cum adversum Numantinos, qui exercitum populi Romani sub jugum miserāt, esset acie certaturus, aliter superiorem se futurum esse non credidit, nisi in omnibus centuriis lectos sagitarios miscuisset. The Emperour Leo. Tact. c. 11. [...]ultimo. Leo after hee hath giuen Command to renew the practise of Archerie hee subjuneth [...] (meaning [...]) [...] for the neglect of Archerie hath brought great skaith and damnage to the Roman armie: and it is certaine that by this weapon the Veget. de. re milit. lib. 1. cap. 20. Gothes did subdue the Romans & exstirpat [Page 112]their Empire. By this weapon in leate times the English did euer ouerthrow the French cavallery, & therby obtained many great and famous victories, as those of Cressi, Poictiers, agin. court, and others.
The Souldiers of the militarie yarde at London are taught to use a Musqueton or demy Musquet, with their Pick, which hangs about their Neck in a Belt like a carabine, beeing two foot in length, and of full Musquet bore 12. bullets to a pound, but hauing a snapwork, it wil carie blanck as far as a Musquet which I haue sene: This demy Musquet they charge and discharge with as great facilitie, as if they had nothing to use but their peace: making their Picks as it were a rest vnto it: but the use heereof cannot be so well vnderstoode by discourse as by practise, Yet it is certaine that the first or last two Ranks only can haue the benefite of this weapon, whereas the whole Battell of Pickmen may shoote off their Arrowes altogether.
And thus much for the exercising of Pickmen with a Bow or halfe Musquet, wherein I haue insisted longer then I intended, because the matter is worthie of imitation; for it hath oftentimes grieved my minde that the choisest men in the Battell should patiently stand as a marke to the enemies shotte, and thereby fall to the ground before they come to hands. OF the exercising of Musquetiers.
This exercise of Pickemen with the Bow and halfe Musquet, I haue not else whereseene except in the fornamed places, but the exercising of Musquetiers is ordinarie euerie-where.
The Musquetiers most commonlie are placed [Page 113]in the Flankes of the Battell, although vpon occasron the Commander sometimes will place them in the Front, sometimes in the Reare, sometimes make plottons of them or troupes of reserue.
Musquetiers then are to bee exercised and taught to Giue fyre three manner of wayes: In the Front, in the Reare, in the Flankes: By the first they gine fyre advancing vpon the enemie, or receiuing his charge: by the second reteiring from the enemie: by the third marching by an enemie.
First then they are taught to Giue fire in the Front advancing vpon the enemie, after this manner: How to Giue fire in the Front. A Sergeāt or some higher Officer if the body be great stands some 7 or 8 pace before the body & commāds the first two Rankes of both winges to make readie, and to come vp to him: which when they haue done hee commands the first Ranke to present and giue fire, and thereafter to fall away, those of the right Flanke to the right hand, those of the left Flanke to the left hand, that is: to marche away one after another in a File downe by the Flankes of the Battallion and joyne in the Reare euerie man behinde his owne File. When the first Rank is fallen away, the second presentes and giues fire, and falles away, as the first: Immediatly as the first two Ranks doth moue to goe up, and giue fire, the next two Rankes must make ready, and as soone as the first two Rankes are fallen away, they goe vp to their place and giues fire, and falles away in the like maner as they did: So all the other Ranks by twoes are to doe the samine, one after another, vntill they haue all giuen fire: when the first two Rankes are advanced, the body moues vp to their place, [Page 114]and the rest successively till the whole Rankes haue giuen fire, and made way for the first Ranke to renew the volie.
Yee see in this Battell A B C D the first two Rankes of each wing are advanced before the body to giue fire, and the first Ranke of both winges hath alreadie giuen fire, and fallen away, That of the right wing B D to the right hand, that of the left wing A C to the left hand, and both of them falleth downe to the Reare, euerie man behinde his owne File: The second Ranke of both winges hath presented to giue fire, and thereafter falles away as the first did, and so all the rest.
But if your Battallion cosist of any greater number as of 400 or 600 men, so that ye haue 10 or 15 Musquetiers in Ranke on each wing, then yee must observe to mak them fall away by diuisions, that is, they must divide themselues and fall away downe by the divisions or streetes, which the Sergeant causes make to that purpose through the bodie of the Musquetiers, those of the right wing falling to the right hand, those of the lest wing falling to the left hand.
Yee see heere a Battallion of 400 men, consisting of halfe Picks halfe Musquetiers, hauing 10 Musquetiers in Ranke on each wing: The right wing is G H M O, The left wing E F I L: The first Rank of both wings hath given fyre, & fallen away, That of the right wing to the right hand, the one halfe without the right Flanke H O, the other halfe through the division N, That of the left wing to the left hand, the one halfe without the left Flanke E I, the other through the diuision K. Or else ye may mak them fall away (as I haue seene many doe) on each wing to the right or left hand, making those who fell away to the right hand through the division N, to fall away to the left hand through the diuision G M betwixt the right wing of the Musquetiers and the body of the Pickes, and those who fell away to the left hand through the division K, to fall away to the right hand through the division F L, betwixt the left wing of the Musquetiers and the body of the Pickes, and by this meanes yee shall keep the body of your shotte whole and vndisioyned, which many Commanders studie to doe.
But if your Battaillion be greater, as consisting of [Page 116]600 or 800 men, so that yee haue 15 or 20 Musquetiers in Ranke on each VVinge, then of necessitie yee muste make streetes or diuisiones through the body of your Musquetiers to them to fall away fiue & fiue: For good Commanders holds a maxime, that more than fyue Musquetiers (to make readie seruice) ought not to fall away together, and if the Front bee long, then to make so many diuisiones as there is fiues to fall away, because when the whole Ranke of Musquetiers (if they bee many) falles away together, one after another, they take a long time before they can all fall away, and so hinders the next Ranke to come vp and giue fire, whereas falling away by diuisions, they doe it in an instant, and makes present way for the next Ranke to giue fire, as yee see in the figure following.
O P Q V is the right wing, of a Battell of 800. men, containing 200. Musquetiers, making 20 in Front: yee see then the first Ranke O P hath giuen fire, and divided it selfe in foure partes, containing euerie one fyue, falling all away to the right hand, whereof the one is falling away by the right Flanke [Page 117]P V, the next through the division T, the third through the division S, the fourth through the division R: So that the whole twentie Musquetiers falleth away in as short time, as fiue onelie would haue done: whereas if they had fallen away altogether to either hand, they would haue taken foure times as much time, or had fallen away to the right and left, they would haue taken twise so much time as they haue now takē in falling away by diuisions, & therfore makes ready way to the following Rankes to come vp & giue fyre against the Enemie: The like ye may vnderstand of the left wing of Musquetiers, where they will all fall to the left hand as these hath done to the right: This forme of falling away, I haue found approued, and haue seene practised by the most judicious and best experimented Commanders of our dayes: Notwithstanding, I know many Commanders, who not considering this, make all their Musquetiers fall off together, or at the most, to the right and left by division, how manie so euer they bee: For there are manie more curious to make vnlawfull gaines by their company, then carefull to performe a duetie belonging to their charge.
I haue seene another maner of falling away, used by the English, which is by Counter march, thus: when the first Ranke hath giuen fyre, all those of the ranke turneth together to the right hand, and marcheth downe through the distances betweene the Files, while they come to the Reare, and likewise the second Ranke, & all the rest one after another: And it is chiefelie used in a Phalanx amphistomus; where the halfe of the Ranks of the Musquetiers giues fyre in the Front, and the other halfe in the Reare, when they [Page 118] Countermarch to the division, which is made through the middle of the Rankes: But to performe this, the Files must bee at open order, and they must bee verie expert Musquetiers.
They use another forme of giuing fyre in the Front without anie falling away, thus: when the first ranke hath giuen fyre, it standeth still, the Ranke next it, passeth vp through the same Ranke, and presenteh in due distance before it, and giueth fyre: the third Ranke passeth through them both, and giueth fyre before them, and so the rest of the ranks successiuelie, till the bringers-vp haue giuen fyre in the Front: But I thinke this not so fit for seruice, as to show the varietie of exercise.
If the Commander please to make more execution against the enemie, hee may command the second Ranke to double the first, and to giue fyre altogether, so that for fiue shotte, hee may shoote ten, and for ten twentie.
The use of this exercise is to advance and to charge the Enemie if yee bee stronger than he, and to gaine ground vpon him.
But if ye desire not to gaine ground, as beeing more fite to defend, then offend, yee may make the Rankes giue fyre, where they stand without advancing, and fall away to the right, or to the right and left, as before.
If ye sustaine a charge both in Front and Reare, then they who hath giuen fyre, falleth away to either hand, and joynes in the the division made through the middle of the Battell, betweene the two middle rankes, as in the figure following.
A B C D is a winge of 100 Musquetiers, wherof the one halfe of the rankes giues fyre in the Front A B, The other halfe of the Rankes giues fyre in the Reare C D: and the Ranks that hath giuen fyre both of A B and C D, to wit the first and the tenth, falles away to the right and left hand, and joynes in the division E, euerie man toward his owne Front: the Rankes next them presentes, giues fyre, and falles away, as the former, and so all the rest. Or else they may fall away by Countermarch, as I haue said before: but in so doing, they must bee expert Musquetiers, and carie their Peeces aright, otherwise they will disturbe the whole Ranks: And it is a verie comelie sight to see this Battell, when the pickes are charged, both to the Front & Reare, & the Musquetiers doing their duetie, that is, giuing fyre, and falling away by Countermarch, gracefullie and with readinesse, as I haue seene the Souldiers of the Artillerie Garding doe it most exactlie. How to Giue fire in the Reare.
The second way of Giuing fyre is in Reteiring from the Enemie, and then they giue fire in the Reare, which is in this manner: The Captaine marching in the Reare, (for that is his place in a retreit [Page 120]from the Enemie (honour beeing alwayes accompanied with danger) commands the last Ranke to make ready, and then to the right hand about, and giue fire, which they doe, the body still continuing their marche, and thereafter turnes off to the right hand, or (if they be many) to the right & left towardes both Flankes, or else through the divisiones of the body which are made for that end, and marches vp a good swift pace to the Front, where euerie man falles in the Front of his own File: As soone as the last Rank is turned to giue fire, the next Rank makes ready, and when the last Ranke is fallen off and marched away, it turnes about, giues fire, falls off, and doth all as the former did, and so all the rest of the Rankes successiuelie one after another, as in the figure following.
F G H I is a winge of an 100 Musquetiers Retireing from the enemie: where yee see the 10 Ranke in the Reare hath giuen fire, turned to the right hand, divided it selfe, and fallen away the on halfe through the division H F betwixt the Musquetiers and the Picks, the other halfe through the division K, and are marching away vp to the Front, but [Page 121]if yee would keepe the bodie of your Musquetiers whole, ye may make the Ranke which giues fyre, divide it selfe, and the one halfe fall away to the right hand, the other to the left, so that the halfe which falls away through the division K shall fall away by the Flanke I G. The ninth Ranke hath turned about and presented, and after it giueth fyre, divideth it selfe, and marcheth away as the former, and so doeth all the Rankes successiuelie, one after another continueing still their march, and giuing fyre vpon the Enemie.
If yee would make more execution vpon the Enemie, yee may make the penult Ranke double the last: as I show before in doubling the Front.
The use of Giuing fyre Reteiring is, when the Enemie is stronger than you, and followes you in the Reare, yee beeing much weaker, and not able to encounter him, yee march away, and makes haste to gaine your owne Quarters or Trenche or Forte, from whence you sortied, or to joyne with moe of your owne arme, and yet ye skirmish with the Enemie giuing fyre vpon him, and no wayes hindering your owne marche.
The third way of Giuing fyre is, How to Giue fire on the Flankes. Marching by an Enemie, which is done vpon the Flanks after this maner. The outmost File of the Flanke next the Enemie is commanded to make ready and to turne to the right or left hand (according as the Enemie appeares vpon the right or left wing) and to giue fire altogether: thereafter they march not with the bodie, but stands still, and keepes their ground, and charges their Musquets againe: Now whensoeuer the foresaid File turnes to giue fire, the [Page 122]next File vnto it makes readie, keeping alwayes along with the Body, till its bringer-up bee past a litle beyond the leader of the File that gaue last fyre; and then the whole File must turne and giue fire, and doe all as the former did. Thereafter the first File marches up and joynes with the second File: Assoone as the second File turnes to giue fyre, the third File which is now outmost towards the Enemie, makes ready, turnes about, giues fyre, and doth all as the other two, and so the rest one after another: and then the first two Files marcheth vp to the third, and those three to the fourth after it hath discharged, and so foorth all the rest till the whole wing of shotte be gathered together, and then they all marche vp, and joyne in equall Front with the Pickes: as yee see in the figure following.
K L M N is a winge of 100 Musquetiers marching by an Enemie who showes himselfe on the right Flanke of the Battallion L N: Your first File P. towards him, hath giuen fyre vpon him, and hath charged their Musquets againe in the place they stood: The next File. (). hath also giuen fyre vpon him, and are charging againe in the same ground also, the third File hath turned to the right hand, and so hath presented to giue fyre: after which, yee must imagine the first File. P. to march vp and joyne with the second File. O. and both of them to marche vp to the third File, and so foorth till the whole wing gather and joyne together againe after they haue given fyre.
The like yee may vnderstand if the Enemie appeare vpon your left wing for then the left hand File is to turne about to the left, and to giue fyre, vpon the Enemie, and to doe all as the right hand File hath done: and so the rest of the Files in the left wing doe after the like manner, as those of the right, observing only the diversitie of the hand: Or if the Enemie bee on both your Flankes, yee may make both your Flankes doe as one hath done.
Although this forme of Gathering together of the Files which I haue showne, bee most usuall, yet there is many good Commanders who dislike it, and thinkes it better that the File which hath giuen fire doe not stand longer than they be free of the body, but turning a little to the left, marche immediately vp to the other side betweene the Picks, and the wing of Musquetiers, where there is a distance left for that effect.
Heere yee see the first File. V. hauing given fire and beeing free of the body is marching up the division Q. S. to joyne with the rest on the left side betweene the Picks and the Musquetiers: the second File doth the like, and so all the rest one after another: but in this the whole wing in marching is to edge a litle to the right, that it may keepe the diuision cleare and free to receiue the Files as they giue fyre: This they thinke doth not so much dismember the body as the other, nor yet oppose the Files so muche to the Enemies shotte for when three Files stands one before another they make a great proppe to the Enemie: But I leaue euerie one to their owne opinion, for Martiall Commanders differs amongst themselues, in points of exercise, euerie one following the custome of his owne Countrey.
If yee would Giue more fyre vpon the Enemy [Page 125]yee may make the second File to double the first, and both to giue fire together, and so, through the rest of the Files, as I shew before in giuing fire by doubling of Rankes in the Front or the Reare.
The use of Giuing fyre in the Flankes, is when the Enemy appeareth on either of your Flankes to charge you, and ye not able to sustaine his charge, yee marche away by him in good order, and giues fyre vpon him: and if hee would continue his march with youres thinking to hasten and cut off your passage, or come betwixt you and your retreete, yee may make as much haste as he, and yet sustaine skirmish with him.
A Collection of the VVords of Command which are most necessare in exercise and seruice.
Tit. 12.
IN this treatise I haue set downe sundrie Motions with their wordes of Command, more to show the varietie of exercise than to approue them as steadable in Service: Therefore I haue made heere a collection of the words of Command, which are most necessarie in the exercise of Motiones, and usefull in Service. Our Scotts words, I haue set downe in the right hand Columne, the English in the left: But the wordes of Command for the Postures of the Picke and the Musquet [Page 126]I shew you Supra Tit. 5. before: Your Company then beeing orderlie drawne vp and standing at a due distance, both in Rankes and Files which is open order: The Captaine or other Officer, after he hath commanded Silence, hee begins.
- Stand right in your Rankes and your Files.
- As yee were.
- To the right hand.
- To the left hand.
- To the right and left hand by division.
- To the right hand about.
- To the left hand about.
- Half Files to the right or left hand about.
- As yee were.
- Ranks as yee were.
- Rankes to the right hand double.
- Rankes to the left hand double.
- Bringers vp as yee were.
- Bringers vp double your Front to the right hand.
- Bringers vp double your Front to the left hand.
- Halfe Files as ye were.
- Middlemen, or Half Files to the right hand double your Front.
- Middlemen or Half Files to the left hand double your Front.
- [Page 127]Halfe Files to the right double your Frōt enteare.
- Halfe Files to the left double your Front enteare
- Halfe Files double your Front to the right and left by diuision.
- Files as ye were.
- Files to the right hand double.
- Files to the left hand double.
- File rāk as yee were.
- Rankes file to the right hand.
- Ranks file to the left hād.
- Rankes file to the right and left by division.
- Files Countermarch to the right hand.
- Files Countermarch to the left hand.
- Rankes Countermarch to the right Flanke.
- Rankes Countermarch to the left Flanke.
- To your order or close order.
- Files close to the right hand.
- Files close to the left hand.
- Files close.
- [Page 128]Close your Rankes to your order or close order.
- To your open order, or any order else.
- Files Open to the right hand.
- Files Open to the left hand.
- Files Open
- Rankes Open to your open order or anie order else.
- Wheele your Battell to the right hand.
- VVheele your Battell to the left hād.
- VVheele your Battell to the right hand about.
- VVheele your Battell to the left hand about.
- Stand right in your Ranks and your Stringes.
- To your first order.
- Right about.
- Left about.
- Right and left about
- Right round about.
- Left round about.
- Sixt Ranke right or left round about.
- To your first order.
- Rankes to your first order.
- Double your Rankes to the right hand.
- Double your Rankes to the left hand.
- Tenth Rank to your first order.
- Tenth ranke to the right hād aduance to the frōt
- Tenth ranke to the left hād advance to the Frōt.
- Sixt rāk to your first order.
- Sixt Ranke to the right hād advance to the Frōt.
- Sixt Rank to the left hād advance to the Front.
- Strings to your first order.
- Double your Stringes to the right hand.
- Double your Stringes to the left hand.
- Strings to the right hand Countermarh.
- Stringes to the left hand Countermarch.
- Rankes to the right hand Countermarch.
- Rankes to the left hand Countermarch.
- To your second or third distance.
- Close your Stringes to the right hand.
- Close your Stringes to the left hand.
- Close your Stringes.
- [Page 128]Rankes close to your second or third distance.
- To your first distance or any distance else.
- Open your Strings to the right hand.
- Open your Stringes to the left hand.
- Open your Stringes.
- Open your Ranks to your first distance or any distance else.
- The great turne to the right about.
- The great turne to the left about.
- The great turne to the right round about.
- The great turne to the left round about.
The wordes of Command for the exercise of Musquetiers.
- The wordes for Giuing fire in the Front.
- First Ranke make ready,
- Advance before the Front sixe paces.
- Present and giue fire.
- Fall away orderly to the right or to the left hand, or to both by division.
- Next Ranke doe the like.
- All the rest follow.
- For Giuing Fire in the Reare.
- Last Ranke make ready,
- To the right about present, and giue fire.
- [Page 129]Fall off to the right or left hand, or to both by diuision.
- March vp to the Front,
- Next last Ranke doe the like.
- At the rest follow.
- For Giuing fire in the Flanks.
- Right or left hand File, make ready.
- To the right or left hand present & giue fire.
- Keepe your ground and charge your Musquets againe.
- Next File to the right or left hand present and giue fire.
- Keepe your ground and charge your Musquets againe
- The rest of the Files doe the like.
- First File marche vp and ioyne with the second:
- Marche vp both and ioyne with the third and so foorth.
AND this much for exercising of foote Companyes, in their Postures and Motions. I intended to haue spoken of the Duetie and Charge of euerie Officer of foot; and of the Embattelling and Encamping of Foot-men, if I had not beene pressed with shortnesse of time, and diverted by sundrie distractiones, besides the leevying of my Company, and chiefly by a little praeparation which I haue made for the plantation of New Scotland, in America: A Worke so Noble, so Glorious, so conducible to the honour, and commodity of this Kingdome, that the like hitherto, was neuer intended. The Author wherof, although his rare Vertues, bee not now according to their hight acknowledged by vs, yet [Page 121]ensueing times will approue them, and proue him to haue beene the Glorie of his Age.
If in this treatise I haue committed any errour, I submitt my selfe to the judement and censure of the Learned and experimented Souldier, whose amendation I craue: As for the envious Thrasonicall Critick, who will still be carping that which hee vnderstands not, I disdaine him, I defy him. If in this I bring any profite to my Countrie men, it shall encourage mee with the first opportunity God willing, to proceed and set foorth somewhat of the exercise of Cavalerie: and also of the forme of erecting any regular, or irregular figure of Fortification, with the manner of assayling, and defending a Fort; and that more, to allure others of better vnderstanding, to employ their pen, and publish more perfectly in this subject, then that I esteeme any thing of mine worthy of light: avouching only this, that in a true affection to my KING and my Country, and in a firme resolution to spend the last drop of my Blood in their seruice, I shall bee Inferiour to no Man liuing.