Part 277

A MARCH, (une Marche, Fr.) is the moving of a body of men from one place to another. Care must be taken, in marching troops, that they are not liable to be flanked or intercepted; for of all operations none is more difficult, because they must not only be directed to the objects they have in view, but according to the movements the enemy may have made.

Of all the mechanical parts of war, none is more essential than that of marching. It may be justly called the key which leads to all important motions and manœuvres of an army; for they depend entirely on this point. A man can be attacked in four different ways; in the front, on both flanks, and in the rear: but he can defend himself, and annoy the enemy, only when placed with his face towards him. Hence it follows, that the general object of marching, is reduced to three points only; to march forwards, and on both sides, because it is impossible to do it for any time backwards, and by that means face the enemy wherever he presents himself. The different steps to be made use of are three: slow, quick, and accelerated. The first is used only at reviews, for parade, or in mounting guard. The second is proper in advancing, when at a considerable distance from the enemy, and when the ground is unequal, that the line may not be broken, and that a regular fire may be kept up without intermission. The third is chiefly necessary, when you want to anticipate the enemy in occupying some post, in passing a defile, and, above all, in attacking an intrenchment, to avoid being a long while exposed to the fire of the artillery and small arms, &c. Columns may be opened and formed into lines, and vice versa, lines into columns, by all these steps. In coming out of a defile, you may instantly form the line without presenting the flank to the enemy. The line may be formed, though ever so near to the enemy, with safety, because you face him, and can with ease and safety protect and cover the motion of the troops, while they are coming out of the defiles and forming. The same thing may be equally executed, when a column is to be formed, in order to advance or retreat; which is a point of infinite consequence, and should be established as an axiom.

The order of march of the troops must be so disposed, that each should arrive at their rendezvous, if possible, on the same day. The quarter-master-general, or his deputy, with an able engineer, should sufficiently reconnoitre the country, to obtain a perfect knowlege both of that and of the enemy, before he forms his routes.

Before a march, the army generally receives several days bread. The quarter-masters, camp-color men, and pioneers, parade according to orders, and march immediately after, commanded by the quarter-master-general, or his deputy. They are to clear the roads, level the ways, make preparations for the march of the army, &c. The general, for instance, beats at 2, the assembly at 3, and the army to march in 30 minutes after. Upon beating the general, the village, and general officer’s guards, quarter and rear-guards, join their respective corps; and the army pack up their baggage. Upon beating the assembly, the tents are to be struck, and sent with the baggage to the place appointed, &c.

The companies draw up in their several streets, and the rolls are called. At the time appointed, the drummers are to beat a march, and fifers play at the head of the line; upon which the companies march out from their several streets, form battalions as they advanced to the head of the line and then halt.

The several battalions will be formed into columns by the adjutant-general, and the order of march, &c., be given to the general officers who lead the columns.

The cavalry generally march by regiments or squadrons. The heavy artillery always keep the great roads, in the centre of the columns, escorted by a strong party of infantry and cavalry.--The field-pieces move with the columns.

Each soldier generally marches with 60 rounds of powder and ball, and three good flints; one of which is to be fixed in the cock of his firelock. The routes must be so formed, that no column may cross another on the march. See American Military Library.

MARCH! (Marche! Fr.) as a word of command, whenever it is given singly, invariably denotes that ordinary or triple time is to be taken; when the slow time is meant, that word will precede the other. The word march, marks the beginning of movements from the halt; but it is not given when the body is in previous motion. It should be sharp, clear, and distinct.

The usual rate of marching for cavalry is 17 miles in 6 hours; but this may be extended to 21, or even 28 miles in that time.

Rates paid for English carriages on the march.

{with 5 horses, or One shilling per mile for every carriage{with 6 oxen, or {with 4 oxen & 2 horses;

nine pence per mile for any cart with 4 horses, and so in proportion for less carriages; or a further sum, not exceeding 4d per mile for every carriage with 5 horses, or with 6 oxen, or with 4 oxen and 2 horses; or 3d per mile for every cart with 4 horses; and so in proportion for less carriages, as the same shall be fixed and ordered by the justices of the peace. The waggons, &c. not to carry more than 30 cwt.

Regular ferries in England are only to be paid for on the march at half the ordinary rate.

Marching money.--Innkeepers in the British dominions, are obliged to furnish troops on the march with diet and small beer, for the day of their marching in, and two days afterwards; unless one of the days be a market day. For which the publican by the king’s warrant, 17th of March, 1800, is to receive 16d, and which is paid in the following manner:

Paid by government, Cav. 9d.--Inf. 11d. -- by the soldier -- 6d. -- 4d. Soldiers beer money -- 1d. -- 1d. ------ ------ Total 16 16

In MARCHING every soldier must be well balanced on his limbs: his arms and hands, without stiffness, must be kept steady by his sides, and not suffered to vibrate. He must not be allowed to stoop forward, still less to lean back. His body must be kept square to the front, and thrown rather more forward in marching than when halted, that it may accompany the movement of the leg and thigh: the ham must be stretched, but without stiffening the knee: the toe a little pointed, and kept near the ground, so that the shoe-soles may not be visible to a person in front: the head to be kept well up, straight to the front, and the eyes not suffered to be cast down: the foot, without being drawn back, must be placed flat on the ground.

The object so generally recommended, of keeping the body erect, and the legs well stretched and pointed, would be effectually gained, were recruits, when they are first placed under the moulding hand of the drill serjeant, taught and gradually accustomed to step well out from the haunches. This method is invariably practised among the French, who are unquestionably not only the best dancers, but the most expert movers on foot in the world.

Quick-MARCH. Ordinary time. A movement by which troops advance at the rate of 75 steps in the minute, each of 24 inches, making 150 feet or 50 yards in a minute.

Quick-MARCH. As a word of command, signifies, that the troops should move in quick time.

Slow-MARCH. A movement by which troops advance at the rate of 60 steps in the minute.

In order to teach a recruit the just length of pace, accurate distances must be marked out on the ground, along which, he should be practised.

Wheeling-MARCH, or accelerated pace is 120 steps of 24 inches each, or 2880 inches, or 240 feet in the minute.

This is the most rapid movement by which men under arms, or otherwise when formed, should go from line into column, or come from column into line. This is applied chiefly to the purpose of wheeling, and is the rate at which all bodies should accomplish their wheels, the outward file stepping 30 inches, whether the wheel be from line into column, during the march in column, or from column into line. In this time also should divisions double and move up, when passing obstacles in line; or when in the column of march, the front of divisions is increased or diminished.

A MARCH, (La Marche, Fr.) a certain tune or concord of notes, which is adapted to the movement of any particular body of troops, as, the grenadier’s march, the march of the Marseillois, la marche des Janizaires, the march of the Janizaries.

MARCHING to the front or rear. This is one of the most difficult operations in military movements.

The person instructing a platoon will, before he puts it in motion to front or rear, indicate which flank is to direct by giving the word, mark time! and then forward or march. Should the right be the directing flank, the commander of the platoon himself, will fix on objects to march upon in a line truly perpendicular to the front of the platoon; and when the left flank is ordered to direct, he and his covering serjeant will shift to the left of the front rank, and take such objects to march upon.

The conductor of the platoon, before the word march is given, will endeavor to remark some distant object on the ground, in his own front, and perpendicular to the directing flank, he will then observe some nearer and intermediate point, in the same line, such as a stone, tuft of grass, &c. these he will move upon with accuracy, and as he approaches the nearest of these points, he must from time to time chuse fresh ones in the original direction, which he will by these means preserve, never having fewer than two such points to move upon. If no object in the true line can be ascertained, his own squareness of person must determine the direction of the march.