The compleat body of the art military in three books : I. The postures of the pike and musket ..., II. Twelve exercises ..., III. The drawing up and exercising of regiments after the manner of private companies ... : also, the duties of all souldiers and officers ... / by Richard Elton ... ; to which is added a supplement comprehending these particulars, I. the duties and qualifications of all officers belonging to an army .., formerly written by Capt. Tho. Rudd ...

CHAP. VII. The first Exercise of a Regiment in the plainest and easiest way.

THe Major finding the commodiousness of the ground, may draw them up all even abrest again, and proceed to exercise them in a Regimental way, conferring before-hand with the Captains, Lieutenants, Ensigns, and Serjeants, what he intends to do. Whether he will exercise every Maniple, or Division (as is usual in a private Company) in all their plain Motions and Firings, which may be very proper, and easily done, or otherwise proceed to more variety in eve∣ry Division, to give them commands as one man, either to face, double, or other∣wise according to discretion. And having fully instructed them of all his intents and purposes, he must begin to consider of the best manner for the managing of the same. To which end, he shall do well to command the first grand Division to advance forward 12 paces clear of the second, and after face them to the Front, and they will stand in manner as in Folio 147. After he must consider how many Files of Muskettiers there are, and whether he can branch them forth into equal Divisions sutable to the Pikes; but finding them to stand but 18 of a side, he shall do well for time of his Exercise, to draw off eight Files of Musket∣tiers from the Reer, which were formerly appointed to guard the Ammunition, or Baggage, and add two to every Division of Muskettiers, which will make them 20 Files of each side of the Pikes, and then he may thus proceed.

Command. Files, to their open order, and Ranks to close forward to order in each grand Division: every five Files of Muskettiers of each Division close to the right to order: the first six files of Pikes in each grand Division close to the right to order, the rest of the Pikes close every five Files to the right, to the same di∣stance; then there will be in each grand Division four Divisions of Pikes, and eight of Muskettiers, in manner as set forth to your view in Folio 147.

Before the Major shall begin his Exercise, he shall do well to appoint unto each Division, the Captains and their Ensigns, (whose Colours in the mean time may be stuck in the ground, or given to any of the File-leaders of Pikes, to hold du∣ring the time of Exercise) to take charge of them, to order them according unto every word of command, and the Lieutenant and Serjeants to each Division of Muskettiers, that after silence is craved throughout the whole Regiment, the Major by stretching out his voice in every word of Command, the rest as his Eccho are immediately to give it out along the whole Front, and from thence unto the Reer, and every Officer to lead his men accordingly.

The Major having stated all things according to the former directions, may if he please, either face, double, counter-march, or wheel, to Front, Reer, or both Flanks in every particular Division; And may after fire them by way of Divisions

drawn off ten or twenty paces before the Front, firing them 7 or 8 times over, re∣lieving them by other supplies, marching up into their ground. And may after face the Reer-divisions about, and fire them to Front and Reer on the same ground they stand, there being sufficient intervalls for their wheeling off in the Reer of themselves. And after several firings in this kinde, the Pikes may charge on; but before they begin their firings, the Pikes must close into the midst to or∣der, and Muskettiers to close their Pikes to open order, and every Division to pre∣serve so much ground betwixt each other for their conveniencie, that after firing they may wheel off.

Now if you will fire, or skirmish the one with the other, then draw off the Reer, or second grand Division, and move them away, and draw them up in op∣position 100 foot distance of ground betwixt each Front, and let the Lieutenant-Colonels Company be drawn up upon the right, and the Majors upon the left of that grand Division, that it may carry some answerableness with that of the Colonels. The Muskettiers having six foot interval of ground betwixt each other before they begin to fire, they may continue their firings of this nature, as long as they please, and the Pikes may after charge on to such convenient distance, as that they come not within three Pikes length one of another, for avoiding doing hurt the one to the other, the Muskettiers still continuing their firing, and fal∣ling in the Reer of themselves; and when they come within distance, not to pre∣sent above knee-height, for the above-named reasons. Now the Souldiers being almost tired, and all their Powder spent, and retreating from each other, that side which falls out to be strongest, (as being the Colonels grand Division or par∣ty) may beat a parley, to invite the weaker to come in to mercy, offering them all fair Quarter, provided they timely and presently receive it, and that they will cheerfully and willingly go along with them, and never any more revolt, but be on their side, to fight with them upon all just occasions, as shall be required. After which, the Lieutenant-Colonel yeilding, they may wheel about, and march into the same ground from whence they were first drawn forth, and be re∣duced to the same order and condition as they were before they began to skir∣mish. And thus much shall suffice concerning the ordinary plain way of exercising of Regiments: but those that shall desire a little more curiosity, they may observe such Exercises as in the next place shall be set forth unto them.