Northern Brigade Maneuvers
Background: This maneuver is based on research conducted by Matt Springer in his seminal PhD thesis “With Zeal and Bayonets Only,” soon to be released by Oklahoma University Press as a book. It is based on his statements on the type of bayonet attacks delivered by British troops throughout the war, but especially by the Army of Canada (Carleton and Burgoyne’s Army.) I have assembled the actual drill from a number of sources in the interest of making the maneuver as SAFE as possible while presenting to the public the kind of attack that British and Loyalist soldiers ACTUALLY delivered, vice the ponderous and slow bayonet attacks we often see. I recommend that every officer and man read Springer to understand how thoroughly the British Army in America disdained any SLOW maneuver. They were always willing to trade good order for speed, a decision that horrified the drillmasters at home.
The basis for the maneuver comes from the “Volley and Charge” of the 1778 manual. The 1778 manual was never employed in America, but there is good reason to believe that it reflected the practice of America in its composition. In addition, the “Port Arms” or “Carry Your Firelocks” position of arms comes from Townshend’s Instructions (available on the CSM website) as well as Instructions for the Volunteer Exercise (1792) which contains the following important quote,
“At one motion throw the firelock from the shoulder across the body, to a low diagonal recover, a position known of old in many regiments by the name of porting arms or preparing to charge, in which the lock is turned to the front, and at the height of the breast, the muzzle slanting upwards, so that the barrel may cross opposite the point of the left shoulder, with the butt proportionally depressed, the right hand grasps the small of the butt [the wrist], and the left holds the piece at the swell, close to the lower pipe, the thumbs of both hands pointing towards the muzzle.”
The Maneuver:
Assume the Brigade is drawn up in two ranks at loose or open order with ranks closed and officers in the ranks. At no point is any officer to depart from the ranks, nor are the men to cheer in any way.
The Brigadier will order, “Prepare to Charge!” and will pace himself at the head of the Brigade, with the colors. At this command, officers will assure themselves that their men are loaded, and all soldiers will come to the “Carry” or “Port” position.
The Brigadier will order, “At the double, march!” The Brigade will set off at the double, with the drums sounding the time, and the best possible dress and order being kept. The Brigadier will lead the brigade to the closest SAFE distance from the enemy—at the Brigade level, this distance will be about thirty yards. (NB—in small units, 30 yards seems very far, but when you have 100+ under your command, an optical illusion occurs and it will seem very close! Commanding officers must practice observing this distance!) At thirty yards, the Brigadier will order “Halt! Make ready!” He should pause long enough to make sure that late arrivals and men breathing hard are not going to spoil his volley (I give a long three count). “Present!” and “Fire!”
This maneuver requires that either the cooperation of the enemy has been won, so that they know what is coming and “break” at the moment the volley is fired, or ABSOLUTE control of your men, so that if the enemy is not broken, the charge can be halted.
Background: All 18th century armies fought in multiple lines, and all of them had techniques for passing one line through another. Our brigade has practiced many of these techniques, and arrived at the following as the best. It also happens to be the one most appropriate to those units portraying the 1776-1778 northern campaigns, as we have two primary sources (Sgt. Green and General Brisbane) to tell us that this was the actual method employed in Canada during the Revolution.
There are at least six other methods, and they all have various merits. This is, however, the one our Brigade has chosen to do.
This maneuver seems very complicated. It is, in fact, very simple. To practice with your unit, simply practice retiring by files from the flanks, and advancing by files from the center.
The Maneuver:
Assume the Brigade is drawn up in two ranks at loose or open order with ranks closed and officers in the ranks. Further assume that one of the Brigade’s battalions is in front and the other behind, with their right markers dressed and their lines as even as possible. Each battalion has it’s own music and its own command staff.
The Brigadier orders the second line commander to close up until his line is just ten or so paces distant from the front line. The front line commander prepares to deliver a volley with his entire line.
The front battalion retires by files from the flanks of companies (or sections, depending on unit size. NB—the size of sections should be standardized before the action at roughly 12 men per section.) The men must KNOW this maneuver, and not be waiting for their own NCO to order them to retire by files from the flanks.
The rear battalion advances by files from the CENTER of companies (sections) so that the advancing columns of files pass between the retiring flank files of each company. This is performed company by company down the length of the battalion.
Both the advancing (rear) battalion and the retiring (front) battalion need to be attentive to their commanders. When they are orders to “Form Front” the advancing battalion forms front by sections, restoring a continuous line which is now the “front” line, while the retiring line forms front by files (still facing the enemy) and thus becomes the second line.
The former second line commander (now the front) takes command of the situation, ordering his men to give fire as he sees fit—by battalion, by company, by platoon, etc. The rear line back steps to a comfortable distance, dresses, and rests, drinking water, rotating blocks, and seeing to their arms.
Back to the REFERENCE PAGE