Skirmish Drill
By 2LT Ian Straus, co. K, 6thTexas Infantry
January 2008
Contents:
1. Why learn skirmish drill?
A. By the flank
B. Forward
C. Assembling
4. Operating after you have deployed as skirmishers
A. Moving forward and halting
B. changing direction
C. Firing
D. Rallying
1. Why learn skirmish
drill?
Skirmish drill is part of the body of common mid 19th century military knowledge which reenactors claim to be knowledgable of and claim to be able to demonstrate, and which was actually practiced frequently by well-trained troops.
However your biggest reason to learn the drill is so as not to look like a fool on the day when skirmishing is needed. In a public reenactment context, this may come suddenly. At a small event, deploying as skirmishers will enable you to cover a large field in an authentic manner. And if you to need to skirmish and can’t remember what to do, or demonstrate incompetence in front of the public and in front of knowledgeable reenactors, it will embarrass you. In this article, comments on what is usually done in a reenacting context, if different from the authentic context, are given in italics.
In an authentic context including any “tactical” event, the movement to contact stages of most battles involved use of skirmishers to locate the enemy and to prevent the main body from being surprised or ambushed; and also by the defender to delay an advancing enemy and allow the general to react to the attacker’s main effort. Also, skirmishing was an appropriate tactic to use against artillery. Why? Because skirmishers didn’t have the density to be worthwhile artillery targets, and a battery firing at them would be wasting its ammunition; but skirmishers armed with rifled muskets could fire effectively at an exposed gun crew from hundreds of yards away.
Having said that, knowledge of skirmish drill is well within the ability of any reenactor. Ignorance of it shows a lack of commitment, and neglect to teach it will embarrass your unit.
The reference for skirmish drill is the first volume of
Hardee’s Tactics (Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, by W.J. Hardee, brevet
Partisans of drilling by Scott’s manual of 1829 have no
comparable reference, because Scott’s manual gives only brief instructions for
skirmishing. The reason for this is that
Scott’s main source was his observations during his official visit to
2. An orientation:
So what does skirmishing look like anyway?
According to Hardee, a company deploying as skirmishers
should have a skirmish line and a reserve. In common reenacting practice,
because companies are usually so small, the whole company deploys in the
skirmish line and there is no reserve except the rest of the battalion.
But in the authentic concept, your company would be divided into two platoons (that’s straight out of Hardee’s, Title first, Article first, Formation of the battalion, paragraph 5) and one platoon would form the reserve which stayed in close order while the other platoon skirmished.
The skirmish line operates in a single line of musket-men, usually 5 steps apart. Vital Concept: The -men in line operate in fours, which Hardee calls “comrades in battle”.
Where did the fours come from? That four is the same four men who form a file when the company does a “right face” and doubles. This article, like most of Hardee’s Tactics, requires that your company has numbered (“In each rank, count twos!”) and that your soldiers remember whether they are a front rank or rear rank, one or two. Also that they are familiar with company drill including marching by the flank and at the oblique.
The reserve would provide reinforcements and replace casualties, and would provide a safe base on which to rally, and a unit in close order to oppose any large, dense group of enemy which might punch through the skirmishers. Note that if many companies are deployed as skirmishers the brigade should put a second line of reserve companies behind them at a greater distance (paragraph 6), so at corps or division level Hardee’s concept is a much deeper battle area than we ever see represented on the reenacting field.
The skirmishers take advantage of cover, getting behind trees, rocks, and bushes, and if they halt in the open they kneel or lie down. (paragraph 29) Members of each four are not supposed to lose sight of one another, which is important in woods and tall brush. The officer in command is behind the middle of the line while sergeants supervise the flanks. The officer should have a bugler (which most reenacting unit’s don’t) to help control a line which would be longer than one voice can reach (with authentic numbers for a company of 40-80 men). Hardee’s book includes 23 bugle signals for skirmishers.
The authentic company reserve will be about 150 yards behind the skirmish line, and the battalion or “principal reserve” would be 400 yards behind the skirmish line. (paragraph 7). This would put the main body of the regiment outside the enemy’s effective musket range and that explains how the skirmishers provide security to the main body. Note that the commander of a reserve is also to “profit by any accidents of the ground to conceal “ the reserve fro the enemy’s fire.
But on the typical
reenactment battlefield all the distances are collapsed for the amusement of
the ‘taters, and typical firing range is 25-100 yards where historically it would
have been 100-500 yards; so similarly at a reenactment the distance from
skirmishers to enemy may be 50-100 yards and the main body is often seen about
100 yards from the enemy, or only 50 yards behind the skirmishers. This short distance is a reenactorism and is
not authentic.
Note that a well trained unit would deploy as skirmishers at the double, but reenactors seldom do this both for lack of practice and to accommodate the larger than historical number of us desk jockeys in their 50s. In any case the unit should first train at the ordinary “quick time” pace and then only use the “double quick” after everyone understands his part. Therefore remember it is also authentic to heed paragraph 12: “When skirmishers are ordered to move rapidly, the officers and non-commissioned officers will see that the men economise their strength, keep cool, and profit by all the advantages which the ground may offer for cover.”
3. Deploying and assembling:
Vital concept: There are two methods of deploying as skirmishers (paragraph 15):
1. Deploying on the same line which the unit starts at
2. Deploying moving forward from that line.
In order for the unit to practice these you also have to learn the commands for getting back out of the skirmish formation, which is called “assembling”,.and so assembling is included in this article.
Deploying on the same line is called deploying by
the flank.
Assuming that the company is on the right of the battalion and is ordered to cover the front of the battalion,
The command would be: “Company K as skirmishers, by the (left) flank take intervals, march!”
Deploying forward is called deploying on the file.
Again assuming that the company is on the right of the battalion and is ordered to cover the front of the battalion,
The command would be “Company K as skirmishers, on the right file take intervals, march!
Yes, that’s correct: “left flank” and “right file” are both correct for a company starting on the right of the battalion and extending toward the left. So you can understand both, let’s move on to the details of those maneuvers:
First method of
deployment:
Deploying on the same line (paragraphs 37-50):
Deploying by the flank can be done by the right flank, by the left flank, or by both flanks.
“Company K as skirmishers, by the (left) flank take intervals, march!”
“Company K as skirmishers, by the (right) flank take intervals, march!”
“Company K as skirmishers, by the (right and left) flanks take intervals, march!”
If the command is “Company K as skirmishers, by the (left) flank take intervals, march!” that tells us
a) We are going to deploy as skirmishers, on the same line we are on now
b) The whole company is deploying, so we won’t form a reserve
c) We are extending toward the left flank.
What do you do?
Immediately upon the command of execution, “march”,
a) All the fours except the four on the right of the company, face to the left and start marching. (paragraph 40)
(This should not be a hard concept for the well drilled reenactor. What do you do on the command “by the left flank, march”? The only new element is the words “take intervals”)
After 20 steps, the four at the rear halts and faces front. After 20 more steps the next four halts and faces front. This continues until the last four moves the last 20 steps and halts.
b) After each four comrades in battle halts in its turn, and as soon as the marching body leaves them room, each four faces front and deploys without further command. The four comrades in battle deploy in this manner: The front rank “two” stays where he is. The rear rank “two” moves 5 steps to his left and steps up on line. The front rank “one’ moves ten steps to the right. The rear rank “one” moves five steps to the right and steps up on line.
If you do this right, the front and rear rank men are arranged with each rear rank man to the left of his front rank man, (paragraph 40) and there are five steps between men.
The men, once deployed, should take cover in their immediate area, which means they may move a couple of steps to a tree or other cover; or if in the open they will kneel or lie down. They will handle their muskets in any convenient position (paragraph 9).
c) The sergeants, being file closers, supervise this movement and correct errors, and if necessary a sergeant counts steps and tells each four when to drop off.
d) The corporals are members of their fours. The first corporal is on the right of the line and in this example he is part of the four which doesn’t move, so he ensures that his comrades stay put. The second corporal is on the left and is part of the leading four, so he makes sure his four faces and marches without confusion or delay, leading the rest of the unit. If the flanks are controlled by experienced reenactors, we can have a fair number of green men or men falling in from other units and the company will still accomplish the maneuver.
e) Positions of
the file closers: According to para. 28, in an authentic deployment the
company commander would position himself 80 paces behind the firing line and
the NCOs would be about 10 paces in rear of he line, and if the company had
enough lieutenants for “chiefs of section” they would be 25-30 paces behind the
line and each of them would have 4 men taken from the reserve. On
the reenacting field all these distances are collapsed, and the company
commander seldom has a bugler and so will stay in easy voice range of the
company.
How about the other variations
of this command?
If the command is “by the right flank take intervals, march!” then the left four stays put while all the other fours move to the right.
If the command is “by the right and left flanks take intervals, march!’ then the right platoon moves rightward. And the left platoon moves leftward except that its right four (which is the center of the company) stays put (para. 47).
This last command has the company extending in both right and left directions, which would cover not only the battalion but also the interval to the side of the battalion.
What if the command is “First platoon, as
skirmishers, by the left flank take intervals, March!”?
This tells you that:
a) Only the first platoon is deploying as skirmishers
b) so the second platoon is the reserve
c) the first platoon is going to extend left so as to go through where the front of the second platoon is standing.
Actions taken in obedience to this command are:
1. The chief of the second (reserve) platoon commands “Second platoon, backwards, march!” and halts the platoon after three steps. This is done immediately without any further command from the company commander.
The reserve platoon stays in ranks, elbows touching, and does not deploy.
It should be faced about and marched back, authentically to about 150 yards behind the skirmish line (paragraph 30) and kept at this distance when the line moves forward or back (para. 31).
2. The first platoon then follows the instructions already described above, with its right four staying in place and all the other fours facing left and marching to take their 20-step intervals. All the fours deploy when they have room.
Vital concept: Note that either the first or the second platoon can be deployed as skirmishers. If it’s the second platoon extending to the right (for instance the left platoon of the left company ordered to cover the front of the battalion) then do as instructed above except substitute “right” for “left” as appropriate.
Note that the battalion can form a skirmish line, perhaps to cover the front of a brigade or division as was done at the Battle of Franklin. In this case the color guard does not deploy on line, but stays with (or as) the reserve.
Assembling (paragraph 177):
To get back into close order
from the skirmish formation, on the
same line, that is at a halt:
The command is “Assemble on the (right or left) flank!” (or “Assemble on the center!”)
Vital concept: The fours assemble first. The fours (comrades in battle) come back together by moving next to their front rank “two”,
Then the fours march toward the designated flank, (except for the four which is already on that flank and stays put as the assembly point). When each four meets the rest of the company they fall in to the company formation. Assembling is normally done at quick time and not double time because you assemble when the line is no longer in danger (para. 169).
Vital concept: Note
that a unit which deployed by the right flank could assemble on either the
right or left flank, whichever is appropriate.
Don’t assume that you will always assemble by going back the way you
came, especially if there has been some
maneuvering in the reenacting battle.
Second method of
deployment:
Deploying
forward (paragraphs 22-36):
When the company is to deploy forward, the command might be one of:
“Company K, as skirmishers, on the right file take intervals, march!”
“Company K, as skirmishers on the left file take intervals, march!”
“Company K, as skirmishers on the center file take intervals, march!”
If the command is “Company K as skirmishers, on the right file take intervals, march!”, that tells us
a) The whole company is deploying, so we won’t form a reserve
b) Vital concept: The right file (the right four comrades in battle) is the one everyone else will take their interval from, in other words it is the base file and everyone else is moving to the left.
c) The company is deploying forward, indicated by using the word “file” and not “flank”.
What do you do?
Immediately upon the command of execution, “march”,
1. The right four marches straight forward, supervised by the right guide (orderly sergeant).
2. All the other files oblique away from the right file. In each four, this movement should be led be the front rank two, who is the base man.
This can be understood by looking at Hardee’s original illustration [see Hardee’s plate #25, below]
Hardee’s illustration shows the company starting in close order at the bottom of the page, deploying the 1st (right) platoon forward on the left file.
The left four goes forward and the other fours oblique to get 20 steps apart, then march forward. In the middle o9f the page the fours are halted and deploy/\. Then the skirmishers continue to the top of the page.
The finalpositions of the officers and NCOs are dots behind the line, and the reserve (ahaded platoon) is also shown.
3. As each four men achieves a 20-step interval from the four to their right, they stop obliquing and march forward. In the absence of a corporal the front rank “two” is the base man and should lead that movement, commanding “Forward, march”. So you will see the second four stop obliquing and march to the front, and then a little later the third four, et cetera. Eventually all the fours will be marching to the front, with the right hand (base) four ahead of the others.
Note, for purposes of getting a 20-step interval: If you move only 20 steps at a 45-degree angle you won’t be 20 steps away from your original line of advance.
You are moving along the long side of a right triangle. If you want the short side to your front to be 20 steps, what is the length of that long side?
A review of trigonometry will tell you that the sine of 45 degrees is 1.414, and so
to achieve a 20 step interval you must count 28 steps after the four behind yours stopped obliqueing. In this knowledge you are ahead of the Civil War infantry private, whose knowledge of higher mathematics could stop at knowing how to count to two.
The sergeants will supervise the movement and will correct
errors. The corporals should ensure that
their fours oblique correctly and the corporal on the leading flank ensure that
his four steps off promptly without confusion.
If the flanks are controlled by
experienced reenactors, a fair number of green men can be included and the unit
can still accomplish the maneuver.
4. Vital concept: When the officer commands “halt!” the fours all move on line with the leading four, and deploy, just as in deploying by the flank, without further command.
The four comrades in battle deploy in the same manner described above: The front rank “two” stays where he is. The rear rank “two” moves five steps to his left and steps up on line. The front rank “one’ moves ten steps to the right. The rear rank “one” moves five steps to the right and steps up on line.
Therefore if you do this right, the front and rear rank men are arranged with each rear rank man to the left of his front rank man, and there are five steps between men. The men, once deployed, should take cover in their immediate area,
If the command was
“Company K, as skirmishers on the left file take intervals, march!”
then the left file would be the base file, marching straight forward while all the other fours would oblique to the right.
If the command was
“Company K, as skirmishers on the center file take intervals, march!”
Then the commander should have previously moved to the center of the company and should have given a warning that a particular four is the center file. (With good management this should be the file which contains the third corporal, if he is present.)
Then on the command to take intervals all the fours on the right of them oblique to the right while all the other fours on the left oblique to the left, and that center four marches straight forward.
What if the command is “First platoon, as
skirmishers, on the right file take intervals, March!”?
This tells you that:
a) Only the first platoon is deploying as skirmishers
b) so the second platoon is the reserve
c) the platoon is deploying forward
d) the platoon is going to oblique left (away from the right file)
Actions taken in obedience to this command are:
1. The chief of the second (reserve) platoon cautions it to stay halted. Note that since the skirmishing platoon is moving forward there is no need for the reserve to “backwards march”.
2. The first platoon then follows the instructions already described above, with its right four marching forward and all the other fours obliqueing left and marching to take their 20-step intervals. All the fours deploy when the officer commands “halt”.
Assembling on the file:
To get back into close order from the skirmish formation:
The command is “Assemble on the (right or left) file!” (or “Assemble on the center file!”)
In obedience, the fours (comrades in battle) come back together by moving next to their front rank “two”, and then the fours march at the oblique toward the designated base file, (except for the base four which marches straight backward). When each four meets the base file they fall in to the company formation. Note that after the authentic unit is well trained and energetic, and in the presence of the enemy, assembling should be done at the double-quick.
Note that a unit which deployed by the right file could
assemble on either the right or left file or the center, whichever is
appropriate. Or they could assemble by
one of the flanks. Don’t assume that you
will always assemble by going back the way you came, especially if there has been some maneuvering in the reenacting battle.
Rally on the
battalion: (paragraph 161)
When a whole company skirmishes to cover the front of its battalion, and it is desired to unmask the battalion, the command is “Rally on the battalion!”. In this case the skirmishers run around both flanks of the battalion and assemble as a company in close order behind the battalion, so as to uncover the battalion’s front (field of fire) as quickly as possible.
They re-form 10 paces behind the line of file closers., each platoon behind the respective flanks of the battalion and in column (para. 162). They await the orders of the battalion commander, who may use them to protect his flanks.
4. Operating after you have deployed as skirmishers
Now that you know how to deploy as skirmishers,what do you do next?
Vital concept: In skirmish drill, moving and firing are ordered independently. An order to fire or cease fire does not mean you stop moving, and an order to march or halt does not mean you stop firing.
Firing:
The only firing commands for skirmishes are “commence firing” and “cease firing”. (paragraph 108, 124)
When skirmishers fire, they fire in pairs. The front and rear rank men work together. (Remember, when you deployed the rear rank #1 moved to the left of the front rank #1, the rear rank #2 moved to the left of the front rank #2).
On the order “commence firing” the front rank man fires first, then loads. The rear rank waits until the front rank man says “ready” and then the rear rank man fires, loads, and says “ready” in his turn. In this way half the skirmish line is loaded at any time, and can fire if the enemy makes a sudden charge.
When the command “cease firing” is given, unloaded men load.
Moving forward:
The order to move forward is “forward, march” or “double quick, march”. The entire line will then move forward, guiding on the center. This is important because in brush or woods the flanks will be out of sight of one another. The sergeants on the flanks will repeat the commands, move forward to the line and ensure that it goes in the correct direction, and ensure that the flanks stay even with the center. (paragraph 70).
Halting:
The order is “halt”. The sergeants will ensure the flanks halt on the same line as the center and the men take cover, and then will retire to their prescribed positions.
Moving backward: (paragraphs 79-84)
The command is “in retreat, march”. The skirmishers will face about and march backward. The officers and NCOs “will use every exertion to maintain order”.
When the line is commanded “Halt”, the skirmishers will face to the front.
Changing direction: (paragraphs 86-105)
Skirmishers can wheel and can march to the flank, as described below:.
For example, on “Right wheel. March”, the right guide marks time in place while the left guide marches in a right wheel, watching to his right . The skirmishers conform to the guides, those closer to the pivot taking shorter steps. On the command “forward, march” the line ceases to wheel and guides center.
On the command “By the right flank, march” the sergeants will come up to the line and the right guide will place himself by the side of the right man, in order to guide him. The skirmishers will face to the right and march off, following in single file and maintaining their distances. If the captain wishes to change the direction of this march he will command “By file right (or left)), March”. On the command “Halt” the skirmishers will halt and face the enemy.
Extending and contracting intervals: (paragraphs 51-65)
It may be desirable to stretch your deployed skirmish line or to contract it.
Vital point: The distances between men in the four comrades in battle, remain at 5 paces. What extends and contracts is the distances between the fours.
To extend intervals, command “By the (left or right) flank, (so many paces) extend interval, MARCH.”
If the command is “by the left flank extend intervals, 10 paces, march”
Then the four on the right stand fast and all the other fours move leftward until their interval to the next four is ten paces instead of the original five. This refers only to the intervals between groups, taken from the near man of the neighboring group.
To close intervals the command would be “by the left flank, five paces close intervals, march!”
Then the left group will stand fast and the other groups will move left until thei interval between groups is reduced to five paces again.
If the line of skirmishers is moving forward then the commands use a similar phrase to deploying forward: “On the right group extend intervals 10 paces, march”. Upon this command the right group will march straight forward and all the other groups will oblique away from them to the left, until the interval between groups is ten paces (estimated by eye).
Combining marching and firing: (paragraps 106-125)
Vital point: When marching and firing, the pairs of skirmishers leap frog each other as they alternate firing.
Marching forward, the front rank man fires and then halts to reload. The rear rank man marches ten steps past him and halts, and then when his partner calls “ready”, the rear ranks man fires and reloads, while the front rank man marches ten steps past him. Then when the rear rank man is loaded and calls “ready” the e front rank man fires. Keep moving forward and alternating fire.
The skirmishers should be trained to take cover and to load and fire kneeling and lying down.
If the company is marching by the flank,and firing, the front rank man of every file will halt, face the enemy, step one step forward and fire, while the rear rank man marches past him to the flank. The froint rank man then follows his rear rank man and reloads while marching. When he is loaded and calls “ready”, the rear rank man will step out and fire while the front rank man marches on. Each pair of men leap frongs to the faln, while firing in this manner. At the command “cease firing” the rear rank men go back to their front rank man’s left, if not already there. (paragraph 114).
If the company is marching and firing in retreat, the rearward man fires and then goes ten steps to the rear of his partner, loading on the march. The partners leap frog in retreat as they did in the advance.
Vital point: While firing, it is a safety rule not to fire when your partner is between you and the enemy. Note that in this drill it is always the man nearer the enemy who fires.
At the command to cease firing, the line continues to move but the man of each pair who happens to be in front will stop until his partner coems on line with him.
At the command to halt, skirmishers continue firing but the line re-forms on the skirmishers who are in front. When the line is retreating they re-form on those in the rear.
The rally: (paragraphs 127-143)
If the line of skirmishers is disturbed by scattered cavalry, then in order to keep his men from being ridden down or captures the commander will command “Rally by fours!”. The four men of each comrades-in-battle will run together, and the front rank #2 (the base man) will face to the front and take the position of guard against cavalry. His rear rank #2 will face to the rear, put his heel against the front rank man’s rear heel, and take the same position. The #1 men will take position facing to the sides, also back to back, and guard against cavalry. They will fire as necessary and defend themselves with their bayonets.
The officers and sergeants will place themselves in the centers of the nearest fours.
If the captain judges that these four-man squares are too weak, he commands “rally by sections” or “rally by platoons”. His four raise their muskets to indicate the rallying point. The other fours run to their NCO’s or officer’s four, and fillin to form a compact circle.
If the captain judges that the cavalry threat is big enough
that he needs to unite the company he commands “rally on the reserve”. The reserve refuses its flank sections to
form the front of a square,and the other sections run to it and complete the
square. Hardee’s concept is that the
squares can then march in column of platoons,
back to the battalion in safety from cavalry. Reenacting
companies are not usually numerous enough to form a good square, and that
movement is beyond the scope of this article. Those
with enough men to practice it should see paragraph 139-154.