the manual of arms

Pictorial Demonstration of the Manual and Platoon Exercises of the British Army 1764-1792

The Manual Exercise as Ordered By His Majesty, in 1764

The Position of the Soldier Under ArmsTo stand streight and firm

upon his Legs; Head turned to the Right: Heels close: Toes a little turned out;

The Position of the Soldier Under Arms, cont’d

the Belly drawn in a little, but without constraint; the Breast a little projected ; Shoulders square to the Front, and kept back;


the right Hand hanging streight down the Side, with the Palm close to the Thigh;


the left Elbow not to be turned out from the Body; the Firelock to be carried on the left Shoulder, as low down as can be admitted without Constraint; the three last Fingers under the Butt; the Fore-Finger and Thumb before the Swell; the Flat of the Butt to be supported against the Hip-Bone, and to be pressed so that the Firelock may be felt against the left Side,


and that it may stand before the Hollow of the Shoulder, not leaning towards the Head nor from it; the Barrel almost perpendicular.

The Position of the Soldier Under Arms: Clarified in Contemporary Texts

Perfection of ability and uniformity in this element of drill was regarded as very important to the appearance of a corps. In instructing recruits, therefore, great attention was to be spent on detailing this position, which most contemporaries agreed was “the most graceful and easy manner of carrying a firelock.”1 Campbell Dalrymple, in 1761 wrote that after being instructed in the basic stance a training instructor should “then put arms upon their shoulders, and teach them [the recruits] to march, but nothing else till they are perfectly easy in that situation.”2 Pickering echoed these sentiments in 1775 when he wrote that “great care must be taken that the men carry their arms well, keeping them steady against their shoulders, precisely as directed in the first part of the manual exercise. The most common faults are the carrying the firelock too high, and holding the butt too far forward.”3 To contemporary authors it was necessary that the recruits be fully competent at shouldering before preceding to any other part of the exercise because otherwise the corps would not be able to present a uniform, smart appearance.

While contemporaries of the 1764 Manual of Arms agreed that it was an improvement over the previous manuals in most respects, it was not perfect. Timothy Pickering wrote a revised manual in 1775, A Plan of Discipline For a Militia, (henceforth to be referred to as Pickering’s Discipline) working from the starting point of the 1764 Manual, for the use of American militia. Much of his work was informed by reference to William Windham’s 1759 work, A Plan of Discipline Composed for the Use of the Militia of the County of Norfolk (henceforth to be referred to as the Norfolk Discipline). Both manuals were simplified versions of the manual used by the regular troops, excising certain elements they felt were unnecessary, too complicated, or unwieldy. While they both entailed some changes, they also offered explanations of the positions of the regular exercise which they retained in greater detail than the Manual Exercise of 1764. While the former difference from the manual is interesting for gauging contemporary ideas respecting the perfection of the Army’s drill, the latter is of the most use for this study.


The explanation offered in the Manual Exercise of 1764 for the position of the soldier under arms (alternatively ,the final position of “Shoulder your Firelocks”) is unfortunately sparse in some details. It does not lend to the reader a perfect sense of either the position of the lock respecting the chest, nor does it offer much explanation as to what “constraint” is. It is clear in illustrations of soldiers with shouldered musket that most had some bend in their elbows. This is likely brought about by experience; an arm stretched straight downwards with weight placed in the hand will be painful to move after any time in that position. Imparting a slight bend in the elbow alleviates this by preventing the loss of blood flow and of locking in the elbow.

Before actually handling a musket, Pickering’s Discipline , the Norfolk Discipline, and other manuals point out that the recruit must be instructed in the correct manner of standing. The Manual Exercise of 1764 details that the soldier is to “stand streight and firm upon his Legs; Head turned to the Right: Heels close: Toes a little turned out; the Belly drawn in a little, but without constraint; the Breast a little projected ; Shoulders square to the Front, and kept back…” Pickering wrote of the importance of mastering this position, stating that “The firelocks when shouldered, may be exactly dressed in rank and file, the men must keep their bodies upright and in full front; and not have one shoulder more forward than the other. It is one of the greatest perfections… to have all the firelocks carried so exactly even…”4 Unless the soldier correctly assumes the correct bodily position of the soldier without arms, exact precision and uniformity in the corps when under arms is impossible.


The clarification in Pickering’s Discipline of the bodily position when standing with the musket at the shoulder is even further clarified when compared with other texts. Bennett Cuthbertson, in Cuthbertson’s System for the Complete Interior Management and Œconomy of a Battalion of Infantry (1768), offers another description of how one assumes the position of the soldier under arms. “The first thing to be done in training of young recruits,” wrote Cuthbertson,

is to give them a free and easy carriage; to set them well upon their limbs, and totally expel the clown from their Gait and Air: it must be rendered familiar to every man to hold up his head; to stand quite upright and motionless; to cast his eyes to the right, without the least

appearance of a formal stiffness, and to turn out his Toes, keeping his Knees stiff, and pointing his Toes at the same time, to keep his body

strait without leaning backwards, or pushing out his belly; to bring forward his chest; and to

draw his shoulders back…

Cuthbertson continued his instructions for the assumption

of the position of the soldier under arms by instructing how to imbue a particularly stubborn recruit with a sense of how to stand as a soldier. Such a young soldier “must be obliged to stand some hours… with his hands behind his back, holding the joints of his elbows, which will in a little time draw them to a proper position…” If Cuthbertson, who otherwise preferred that recruits not be instructed with “too much severity,” wished to see soldiers stand in such an uncomfortable posture for hours at a time to educate them on the proper position, it must be that it is of vital importance that the bodily position be mastered.5


Further clarity in the proper body position when standing at the position of the soldier under, or without, arms is found in the Norfolk Discipline. Though Windham’s work predates the 1764 Manual Exercise by 5 years, the position is very similar to what others describe. “The heels at this time are to be in a line, not more than 4 inches asunder, the toes moderately turned out, shoulders square to the front, and kept back; the body upright, the breast pressed forwards, the belly drawn in, but without bending; the right hand hanging down on the right side, the back of the hand to the front…”6 This last point of the hand facing to the front is in direct conflict with that explained in the 1764 Manual Exercise. Oddly, this is how the drill is depicted in the Grenadier Book of 1768. While some elements of the older exercise may have continued past the adoption of the 1764 Manual of Arms, the majority of written descriptions and the bulk of illustrated depictions are of the palm being close to or directed towards the thigh.

Once the body positioning of the position of the soldier without arms has been mastered, the recruit was then instructed on how to carry his arms. The 1764 Manual Exercise describes that “the left Elbow not to be turned out from the Body; the Firelock to be carried on the left Shoulder, as low down as can be admitted without Constraint; the three last Fingers under the Butt; the Fore-Finger and Thumb before the Swell; the Flat of the Butt to be supported against the Hip-Bone, and to be pressed so that the Firelock may be felt against the left Side, and that it may stand before the Hollow of the Shoulder, not leaning towards the Head nor from it; the Barrel almost perpendicular.” While this is rather informative, and there is enough information to gain some idea about what this position is supposed to look like, there remains some question about what it entails exactly.


A better understanding of what is described by the manual of arms can be found in exploring contemporary images of soldiers with shouldered muskets. Unfortunately, because of some artist’s lack of skill in draftsmanship, they often vary in the precise details. The bend in the arm apparent in many images is particularly vexing, as there is little to suggest in the text of the 1764 Manual Exercise for a bend. The strong bend present in some images, particularly the Minorca paintings of the 25th Regiment may, perhaps, be exaggeration on the part of the artist.

What is almost always consistent, however, is the location of the lock. While the 1764 Manual Exercise does not specify a position for the lock in relation to the chest, some contemporary and complimentary manuals do. Pickering’s Discipline, for example, states that the firelock should be “so low down that the guard will be just under the left breast…”7 the Norfolk Discipline offers a similar placement, stating that “the lock being a little turned up, the guard being just below the left breast, and the piece pressed to the body…”8 This placement of the lock in relation to the chest, particularly of the guard, is correlated in the imagery. The lock, in period images, is never above mid-chest and the buttplate is never above the waist.


Another point where the text of the Manual Exercise lacks perfect clarity is the question of whether or not there is any angle to the firelock when properly shouldered. Though the manual directs that the firelock ought to be “perpendicular,” it is not totally clear as to what that means. Further, while the manual specifies that the “flat of the butt” be pressed to the side, it is not fully clear as to how perfectly vertical the firelock should be.

Again, through examining contemporary manuals, it is possible to gain some insight. Pickering’s Discipline offers some clues, in his instructions towards the introduction of recruits to the manual exercise. “[C]are must be taken that the men carry their arms well… The most common faults are the carrying the firelock too high, and holding the butt too far forward.”9 Clearly, Pickering warns against either imparting too much of a bend into the elbow, and lending too much of an angle too the firelock.

Though Pickering’s manual is insightful, it is still not fully resolved as to what is “too far forward.” Contemporary iconography shows us shouldered muskets that have little to no angle. All are depicted as standing exactly vertical and, as the Manual Exercise of 1764 describes, standing before rather than in the “hollow of the shoulder.”

The Movements in the MotionsThe description of the position of the

soldier under arms is concluded with the sentence “To be exact in counting a Second of Time, or One, Two, between each Motion.” Like everything else in the regulations this sentence is characteristically vague. It is not made clear exactly what “a second of time” is, or exactly how saying “one,two” relates to it. Further, it does not describe what the precise cadence should be, nor does it specify as to how “sharp” or how fast the actual movements are.

Clarification can be found through one, rather unlikely, place. In 1782, working from the model of Jonathon Swift’s “Advice to Servants”, an anonymous author penned “Advice to the Officers of the British Army: With the Addition of some Hints to the Drummer and Private Soldier.” Though for the most part a work of humor and of insightful wit, the work does offer a valuable perspective into what was deemed desirable for a soldier to do when executing a motion of the manual exercise:

“ In order to get the character of a smart fellow at exercise, loosen the pins on the stock of your firelock, to make the motions tell. If the piece get damage but it, it is no great matter; your captain, you know, pays the piper; and it is right that he should pay to hear such martial music”10

While, clearly, removing the pins from the stock is detrimental to the condition of a firelock, it is evident that it was a positive thing to hear an audible snap when performing the exercise. This indicates that fast, sharp motions were the order of the day. This is supported in the writings of John Williamson, who, when commenting on the exercise, stated that, compared to the older exercise, “a considerable change has likewise been effected in the time. The British forces have lately adopted a very quick one in the performance of the manual….” While Williamson was not fond of the change, which he termed “an alteration [rather] than an improvement,”11 it is clear that the British Army, during the part of the 18th century when the 1764 Exercise was being used, favored fast, sharp, and snappy movements.

Poise Your Firelock!1st Seize the Firelock with

your right Hand, and turn the Lock outwards, keeping the Firelock perpendicular.

Poise Your Firelock!

2nd. Bring the Firelock with a quick Motion from the Shoulder, and seize it with the left Hand just above the Lock, so that the little finger may rest upon the Spring, and the Thumb lie upon the Stock; The Firelock must not beheld too far from the Body, and the left Hand must be of an equal Height with the Eyes.

The description of this position included in the facings portion of the manual clarify the placement of the left hand: “till your left Hand come even with your Eyes, with the Fingers of that Hand extended along the Stock, just above the Feather Spring” The Manual Exercise With Explanations, accompanying “The General Review Manoevres; Or, the Whole Evolutions of A Battalion of Foot; As Now Practiced By Order of His Majesty” (1778) offers the instruction that in the second motion of poising the firelock one is to “seize [the firelock] with the left hand just above the lock, so that the fingers may lie up the stock, and elbows down, and the thumb to lie upon the stock.” (My Italics)

Cock your Locks!1st. Turn the Barrel

opposite your Face, and place you Thumb upon the Cock, raising the Elbow square at this Motion.2nd. Cock your Firelock, by drawing your Elbow down, placing your Thumb upon the Breech Pin, and the Fingers under the Guard.

Present!Step back about six inches

to the Rear with the Right Foot, bringing the left Toe to the Front; at the same Time the Butt end of the Firelock must be brought to an equal Height with your Shoulder, placing the left Hand on the Swell, and the Fore-Finger of the right Hand before the Tricker, sinking the muzzle a little.

Fire!Pull the Tricker briskly, and

immediately after bringing up the right Foot, come to the Priming Position, with the Lock opposite to the Right Breast, the Muzzle the Height of the Hat, keeping it firm and steady, and at the same Time seize the Cock with the Fore-Finger and Thumb of the right Hand, the Back of the Hand turned up.

Half Cock your Firelocks!Half bend the Cock briskly

with a draw back of the right Elbow, bringing it close to the Butt of the Firelock.

Handle your Cartridge!Bring your right Hand

with a short Round to your Pouch, slapping it hard; seize the Cartridge, and bring it with a quick Motion to your Mouth, bite the top well off and bring the Hand as low as the Chin, with the Elbow down.

Prime!Shake the Powder into the

Pan, Placing the three last fingers behind the Hammer, with the Elbow up.

Shut your Pans!1st. Shut your pan briskly,

drawing your right Arm at this Motion towards your Body, holding the Cartridge fast in your Hand, as in the former Position.2nd. Turn the Piece nimbly round to the loading Position, with the Lock to the Front, and the Muzzle the Height of the Chin, bringing the right Hand behind the Muzzle; both Feet kept fast in this Motion.

Whoops! Forgot to take this picture! Look for it in a future update.

Charge with Cartridge!1st. Turn up your Hand

and put the Cartridge into the Muzzle, shaking the Powder into the Barrel.2nd. Place your Hand, closed, with a quick and strong Motion, upon the Rammer.

Draw your Rammer!1st. Draw the Rammer

with a quick Motion, half out, sexing it at the Muzzle back-handed.2nd. Draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it into the Muzzle.

Ram Down Cartridge!Ram the Cartridge well

down the Barrel, instantly recovering and seizing the Rammer back-handed at the Center, turning it and enter it as far as the lower pipe, placing at the same Time the Edge of the Hand on the Butt End of the Rammer, Fingers extended.

Return your Rammer!Return the Rammer,

bringing up the Piece with the left Hand to the Shoulder, seizing it with the right Hand under the Cock, keeping the left Hand at the Swell, turning the Body square to the Front.

Shoulder your Firelocks!1st. Quit the left Hand and

place it strong upon the Butt.2nd. Quit the right Hand and throw it down the right Side.

Rest your Firelocks!- 3 motions1st. Seize the Firelock

with the right Hand, turning the Lock outwards.

Rest your Firelocks!- 3 motions2nd. Raise the Firelock

from your Shoulder, and place your left Hand with a quick Motion above the Lock, holding the Piece right up and down in both Hands before you, and your left Hand even with your Eyes.

Rest your Firelocks- 3 motions3rd. Step briskly back with your

right Foot, placing it a Hand's breadth distant from you left Heel, at the same Time bring down the Firelock as quick as possible to the Rest, sinking it as far down before your left Knee as your right Hand will permit without Constraint; your left Hand at the Feather Spring, and your Right with Fingers extended held under the Guard, taking care to draw in the Muzzle well towards your Body, and to dress in a Line with the Butt-End.

Rest your Firelocks! –cont’d

Order your Firelocks!1st. Place your Firelock

nimbly with your left Hand against your right Shoulder.

Order your Firelocks!2nd. Quit the Firelock with

your right Hand, and sinking it at the same Time with your left, seize it the Muzzle, which must be of an equal Height with your Chin, and hold it close against your right Side.

Order your Firelocks!3rd. Lift up your right Foot

and place it by your Left; at the same Time throw back you left Hand by your left Side, and with your Right, bring down the Butt-End strong upon the ground, placing it even with the Toe of your right Foot; the Thumb of your right Hand lying along the Barrel, and the Muzzle kept at a little distance from your body.

Order your Firelocks!

Ground your Firelocks!1st. Face to the Right upon

your Heels, and at the same Time turn the Firelock so that the Lock point to the rear, and the flat of the Butt-End lie against the inside of your Foot, at the same Time, slipping the right Foot behind the Butt of the Firelock, the right Toe pointing to the Right, and the Left to the Front.

Ground your Firelocks!2nd. Step directly forward

with your left Foot about as far as the Swell of the Firelock, and lay it upon the Ground, your left Hand hanging down by your left Foot, and your Right kept fast with the Butt-End against it.

Ground your Firelocks3rd. Raise yourself up

again nimbly, bringing back your left Foot to its former Position, keeping your Body faced to the Right.

Ground Your Firelocks4th. Face again to the Left

upon your heels, and come to your proper Front, letting your Hands hang down without Motion.

Take up Your Firelocks1st. Face to the Right upon

both Heels.

Take up Your Firelocks2nd. Sink your Body

down, and come to the Position described in the second Motion of Grounding.

Take up Your Firelocks3rd. Raise yourself, and

Firelock, bringing it close to your right Side.

Take up Your Firelocks4th. Come to your proper

Front, seizing the Firelock at the Muzzle, as in explanation fifteen.

Rest Your Firelocks!1st. Slip your right Hand

down the Barrel as far as the Swell.

Rest Your Firelocks!2nd. Raise the Firelock

high up in a perpendicular Line from the Ground with your right Hand, and seize it with the left above the Spring, the Cock the Height of the Waist-Belt.

Rest Your Firelocks!3rd. Step back with your

right Foot, placing it behind your left Heel, and come to the Rest.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!1st. Lift up your right Foot

and place it by your Left; bring the Firelock at the same Time to your left Shoulder, and seize the Butt-End with the left Hand, Keeping it in the same Position as above described.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!2nd. Throw your right

Hand briskly back.

Secure Your Firelocks!1st. Bring the right Hand

briskly up, and place it under the Cock, keeping the Firelock steady in the same Position.

Secure Your Firelocks!2nd. Quit the Butt with the

left Hand, and seize the Firelock with it at the Swell, bringing the Elbow close down under the Lock; The right Hand kept fast inthis Motion, and the Piece still upright.

Secure Your Firelocks!3rd. Quit the right Hand

and bring it down your right Side, bringing the Firelock nimbly down to the Secure; the left Hand in a Line with the Waist-Belt.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!1st. Bring the Firelock up

to a perpendicular Line, seizing it with the right Hand under the Cock.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!2nd. Quit the left Hand,

and place it strong upon the Butt.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!3rd. Quit the right Hand,

and bring it smartly down the right Side.

Fix Your Bayonets!1st and 2nd. Motions as in

the two first of the Secure.

Fix Your Bayonets!3rd. Quit the right Hand,

and bring the Firelock smartly down to the left Side with the left Hand, as far as it will admit without Constraint, seizing the Bayonet at the same Time with the right Hand, and fixing it, placing that Hand just below the Brass, with the Piece close to the hollow of the Shoulder.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!1st. Quit the right Hand,

and bring up the Firelock with the Left, seize it again under the Cock with your Right, as in the Second Motion of Secure.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!2nd. Quit the left Hand,

and place it strong upon the Butt.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!3rd. Quit the right Hand,

and bring it down the right Side.

Present Your Arms!As explained in the three

Motions of the fourteenth Word of Command.

To the Right, Face!1st. Bring up the Firelock,

with a quick Motion high before you, till your left Hand come even with your Eyes, with the Fingers of that Hand extended along the Stock, just above the Feather Spring. The right Foot to be brought close up to the left Heel in this Motion.

To the Right, Face!2nd. Face to the Right,

taking care in Facing to hold the Firelock right up and down, and steady in your Hands.

To the Right, Face!3rd. Step back with your

right Foot, and come down to your Present.

To the Right About, Face!As in the foregoing

Explanation, coming to the Right about, instead of to the Right.

To the Left, Face!1st. Bring the right Foot

briskly to the Hollow of your Left, with the Firelock in same Position as in the first Motion of facing to the Right.

To the Left, Face!2nd. Face to the Left.

To the Left, Face!3rd. Come down to your

Present.

To the Left About, Face!As before, coming to the

Left about, instead of to the Left.

“Tossing the Firelock:” The Facings A common complaint by British officers of the

official drill regulations during the 18th century is that they were muddled by redundancy and extraneous motions. These complaints were often pointed at the “superfluous” existence of both a platoon and manual exercise. Wrote one author in 1740,”ye superflous tearme Ploton exercise, ought never to be more heard off, but by all generals condemn’d as erroneous, and canceled out of all books of military exercise.”12 Campbell Dalrymple was merely confirming longstanding sentiments when he condemned “tossing of the firelock” when a corps was at exercise, and instead focused attention on the “feet and not the arms.”13

Nowhere is this lack of simplicity more apparent than in the facings. In the Manual Exercise of the 1764 Regulations the facings are taught with the motion of “present arms.” In performing the motions, the soldier starts with a presented piece, comes to the poise, performs the two motions of the feet in facing, and then returns to the “present” or “rest.” The facings in this instance are not two motions of the feet, but at least 4 motions of the feet and arms, not including the initial three to “present” the firelock.

These extraneous motions were not original to the 1764 Regulations. Rather as Pickering, ever the opponent of “useless” motions, points out, the use of the “rest” position in the facings was a holdover from the 17th century. When pikes and muskets were exercised together, there had to be some motion for the musket men to perform, as the drill of the pike involved bringing the pike up vertically before the pikemen could perform any of the facings. “Indeed,” Pickering

wrote, “while rests were actually used to prop up their muskets, it was as necessary, before facing, to raise up the musket as the pike.” Pickering continued however to state that, “it is manifest, that as pikes and rests [as in resting poles] are no longer used, those motions are now mere idle parade… and ought therefore… to be thrown away.”14 Clearly, while it was evidently useless, the Army still utilized it in some situations.

It is certain that the facings were not always to be performed through the rest. Pickering again offers insight into the facings in his discussion of them in the preface to his Discipline. “The Facings (which, as the exercise of the feet and of the hands are quite different things, are improperly introduced into the manual exercise) are accompanied with useless motions of the firelock; and being taught only when the firelock is rested, it begets an opinion in the men that they are to be practised regularly, only when they are in that position; and tell them to face on any other occasion, they will be totally at a loss how to do it…”(My italics from “and”) Pickering does not go into further detail about the rest in the facings, but it is important to note that he removed the facings from his “manual exercise” (which was entirely different than conventional contemporary manual exercises) as well as the motions of “rest” and “present arms”, as in his words the latter motions were “useless and inconvenient.” His model was evidently followed in Baron von Steuben’s 1778 Drill, as that discipline also removed the facings from the manual exercise, and instead placed it at the very beginning, before the recruit even began to hold a musket or in any way use his hands.

“Tossing the Firelock:” The Facings Subsequently, the question of the facings is

under what circumstances the rest would be used. That they were used sometimes is evident, because for Pickering to complain about the practice of resting while facing implies that the Army was, at least occasionally, performing the facings from the rest. Further, while Pickering’s Discipline eliminated that aspect of clumsy “firelock tossing” very few, if any, contemporary English manuals eliminated some sort of movement of the arms from movement of the feet. The Norfolk Discipline, Dalrymple’s discipline, Humphrey Bland’s discipline, as well as the 1764 and 1757 Regulations, are all preceded by the command to “present arms” or in some other way come to the “rest.” Consequently, the descriptions of the facings in the manual all include some hand motions in the explanations. Humphrey Bland’s Discipline offers some clues in regard to the situations in which the facings would incorporate the rest, and the situations in which it wouldn’t. In Article II, Bland writes that the officers of a corps, “at the word of command for it, they are to face briskly (at two motions) to the right or left…”(My italics)15 Later in the discipline Bland details that the normal ‘unbrisk’ facing of officers is 3 motions. It is important to note that the instructions here were meant for officers during review maneuvers. Combined with the complaint of Pickering in regard to confusion, this suggests that the Army utilized both a “showy” facing maneuver, as Pickering might have called it, and an expedited facing maneuver. Neither would necessarily

be “official” or “unnofficial”, but both would have been used in certain contexts. The question remains unanswered, however, as to what that context was. In a matter of word choice, Humphrey Bland once again clarifies the maneuver. In in discussing a review maneuver early in his discipline (in this case the trooping of the colours) Bland states that “as soon as… the Major gives the word of command, Face to the left! upon which the Battalion faces to the left, still remaining with rested arms…”16 (my italics from “still”) The use of the word “still” suggests that it was not a rule that the battalion have rested arms before beginning the facings.

The question is then, why did the manual exercise incorporate the facings, and why were they situated with “present arms?” The answer might be with the fact that several parts of the review maneuvers featured soldiers facing when at the rest. Simply stated, the troops would need to know how to face when at the rest, and to save room in the manual exercise the author combined the necessary feet movements with the occasional hand movements. The problem with this arrangement is that it is awfully confusing. Pickering’s complaint that if you were to try to “tell [the men] to face on any other occasion, they will be totally at a loss how to do it” suggests, however, that on most occasions that the men would be made to face, it was with the added “shew” of the “rest.”

Shoulder Your Firelocks!As in the Motions of

Explanation nineteen.

Charge Bayonets!1st. As in Explanation one. Whoops! Forgot to take

this picture! Look for it in a future update.

Charge Bayonets!2nd. Bring the Swell of the

Firelock down strong upon the Palm of the Hand, turning upon both Heels to the Right, the right Hand grasping the Piece at the Small behind the Lock, and as high as the Waist-Belt; The Firelock upon a level with the Barrel upwards


Shoulder Your Firelocks!1st. Bring up the Firelock

to the Shoulder, place the left Hand upon the Butt, bringing the Feet square to the Front.


Shoulder Your Firelocks!2nd. Quit the right Hand,

and throw it down the right Side.


Advance Your Arms!1st. and 2nd as in

Explanation one.

Advance Your Arms!3rd Bring the Firelock

down the right Side with the right Hand, as low as it will admit without Constraint, slipping up the left Hand a the same Time to the Swell, the Guard between the Thumb and Forefinger of the right Hand, the three last fingers under the Cock, with the Barrel to the Rear.

Advance Your Arms!4th. Quit the left Hand.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!1st. Bring up the left Hand

and seize it at the Swell.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!2nd. Come smartly up to a

Poise.

Shoulder Your Firelocks!3rd. and 4th. Shoulder.

The Useful Manual: The Platoon Exercise The Manual Exercise, so far covered, is of some

limited use for those who wish to recreate British Army Drill. Of the least practical application are the “14 motions” of the firing sequence. Those motions are far more instructive to recruits than they are useful in combat, and to have the motions broken up into 14 distinct movements functions more as a set of training wheels for new soldiers than it does an instructive manual for firing in combat.

To that end, the 1764 Manual also includes a Platoon Exercise. This is the applied drill, and is what would be utilized by a corps of men functioning as a whole. This work will not try to recreate the entire platoon exercise. It is beyond the capabilities of the few individuals involved in this project to perform as a platoon. That said, this study would be incomplete without some attention paid to one of the most commonly misinterpreted sections: “Make Ready!” for all ranks.

The movements of the platoon exercise are fundamentally different than those of the Manual Exercise. Whilst the Manual Exercise consists primarily of single movements, the Platoon exercise is far less metered. Further, the individual’s movements utilize the “recover” as the first position, rather than “poise.”“Recover” is therefore on of the most important positions to understand if one is to recreate the 1764 Regulations.

The postion of “recover” is described within the platoon “prime and load”. The soldier is instructed to “Come smartly to the Recover, by springing the Firelock streight up with the left Hand, turning the Barrel inwards to the proper Height of the Recover; at the same Time that the left Hand springs the Firelock, the right Hand is raised briskly from the right Side, and seizes the Firelock a-cross the Breast; as it rises below the Cock, the left Hand comes with a quick Motion from the Butt, and seizes the Firelock strong above the Lock, the little Finger of the left Hand at the spring of the Lock, the left Hand at an equal Height with the Eyes, the Butt close to the left Breast, but not pressed, the Firelock perpendicular, opposite the left Side of the Face.” This is all done within a single motion; unlike with the poise, the firelock is literally tossed.

The Useful Manual: The Platoon Exercise Execution of the command “make ready!” is also

made through the recover. Though all three ranks of the 1764 Exercise execute different motions, the standing ranks are directed to “Spring the Firelock briskly to the Recover; as soon as the left hand seizes the Firelock above the Lock, the right Elbow is to be nimbly raised a little, placing the Thumb of that Hand upon the Cock, the Fingers open by the Plate of the Lock, and as quick as possible force the Piece to the Cock, by dropping the Elbow, and forcing down the Cock with the Thumb…” “As the Firelock is cocked,” the text continues, “the Thumb is to fall below the Cock, the right Hand seizing the Firelock close under the Cock firmly; the Fore-finger mot to be before the Tricker: The Piece to be held in this Position perpendicular opposite the left Side of the Face, the Butt close to the left Breast, but not pressed, the Body to be streight, and as full to the Front as possible; the Head kept up, looking to the Right of the Rank, that the Body and Firelock may not stoop forward, nor lean much out of the Rank.” The action of “making ready” in this instance, is a single motion that is to be both “smart” and “brisk.”

Forming Up; Layout of the Various Ranks The 1764 Exercise called for the battalion to form on

three ranks. Though not specified by the 1764 Exercise itself, it was custom for the front rank to be made up of the tallest soldiers. The center rank was made up of the shortest, and the rear rank was made up of those of middling height.17

The purpose of forming in this way was partly to enable three ranks to fire in safety. The front rank, kneeling, would be clear of the guns of the center and rear ranks. Secondly, the purpose was psychological. Just as the Grenadier company was made up of the tallest men so as to present the most imposing sight, the front rank, being composed of the tallest men, would be as imposing as the battalion could make itself appear.

Prime and Load! 1st. Come smartly to the Recover, by

springing the Firelock streight up with the left Hand, turning the Barrel inwards to the proper Height of the Recover; at the same Time that the left Hand springs the Firelock, the right Hand is raised briskly from the right Side, and seizes the Firelock a-cross the Breast; as it rises below the Cock, the left Hand comes with a quick Motion from the Butt, and seizes the Firelock strong above the Lock, the little Finger of the left Hand at the spring of the Lock, the left Hand at an equal Height with the Eyes, the Butt close to the left Breast, but not pressed, the Firelock perpendicular, opposite the left Side of the Face.

Prime and Load!

Prime and Load! 2nd. Bring the Firelock down with a

brisk Motion to the Priming Position, the left Hand holding the Firelock as in Priming, the Thumb of the right Hand palced against the Face of the Steel, the Fingers clenched, and the Elbow a little turned out, that the Wrist may be clear of the Cock.3rd. Open the Pan by throwing up the Steel with a strong Motion of the right Arm, turning the Elbow in, and keeping the Firelock steady in the left Hand.4th Handle the Cartridge!5th. Prime!6th. Shut Pans!

In essence, the Platoon Exercise called for the battalion to complete the first few loading motions of the Manual Exercise, those immediately prior to the “Cast About” motion, and excepting that rather than starting from the poise, the “Prime and Load” motions start from the Recover, without the orderly timing, the motions being performed in the fastest individual time.

As the manual states: “The Motion of handling Cartridge, to shutting the Pans, to be done as quick as possible; when the Pans are shut, a small Pause is to be made, and cast about together; then the loading Motions are to be done as quick as possible; but before the Rammer is return'd, another small Pause is to be made, counting one, two, between each Motion, 'till the Firelock is shouldered.”

Prime and Load!7th. Cast about!

8th and 9th. Load!10th and 11th. Draw Rammers!12th Ram down Cartridge!13th. Return Rammers!14th and 15th. Shoulder!

Front Rank: Make Ready! Spring the Firelock briskly to the Recover, keeping

the left Foot fast in this Motion: as soon as the Firelock is at the Recover, without an stop sink the Body briskly without stooping forward, with a quick Motion down upon the right Knee, the Butt-End of the Firelock at the same Time falls upon the Ground, the front Part of the Butt to be in a Line with the Heel of the left Foot; as soon as the Butt comes to the Ground, the Firelock is to be cocked, immediately seizing the Cock and Steel in the right Hand, the Firelock to be held firm in the left Hand, about the Middle of that Part of the Firelock between the lock and the Swell of the Stock; the Point of the left Thumb to be close to the Swell pointing upwards.As the Body is sinking, the right Knee is to be thrown so far back as the left Leg may be right up and down, the right Foot to be thrown a little to the Right, the Body to be kept streight, the Head up, looking to the Right along the Rank, the same as if shouldered; the Firelock to be upright, and the Butt about four inches to the Right of the Inside of the left Foot.

Center Rank: Make Ready! Spring the Firelock briskly to the Recover; as

soon as the left hand seizes the Firelock above the Lock, the right Elbow is to be nimbly raised a little, placing the Thumb of that Hand upon the Cock, the Fingers open by the Plate of the Lock, and as quick as possible force the Piece to the Cock, by dropping the Elbow, and forcing down the Cock with the Thumb, stepping at the same Time a moderate Pace, or two Feet to the Right, keeping the left Foot fast; as the Firelock is cocked, the Thumb is to fall below the Cock, the right Hand seizing the Firelock close under the Cock firmly; the Fore-finger mot to be before the Tricker: The Piece to be held in this Position perpendicular opposite the left Side of the Face, the Butt close to the left Breast, but not pressed, the Body to be streight, and as full to the Front as possible; the Head kept up, looking to the Right of the Rank, that the Body and Firelock may not stoop forward, nor lean much out of the Rank.

Rear Rank: Make Ready!Recover the Firelock and

Cock as before directed for the center Rank. As the Firelock is recovered and cocked, step briskly streight to the Right with the right Foot a full Pace, bring the left hell about six inches before the right Foot, the Body streight and as square to the Front as possible.

Front Rank: Present! Bring the Firelock briskly down to the

Present, by extending the left Arm to the full Length with a strong Motion; at the same Time spring up the Butt by the Cock with the right Hand, and raise up the Butt so high upon the right Shoulder, that you may not be obliged to stoop too much with the Head, the right Cheek to be close to the Butt, and the left Eye shut, and look along the Barrel with the right Eye from the Breech Pin to the Muzzle; keep the left Elbow down in an easy Position, and stand as steady as possible, the Thumb of the right Hand to remain in the Position as described in the third Explanation of the Manual.

Center Rank: Present!Spring the Firelock from

the Body to Arms length with a quick Motion, pressing down the Muzzle with the left Hand, and spring up the Butt with the right Hand, as in the foregoing explanation of the Front Rank

Rear Rank: Present!As in Explanation of the

center Rank.

Front Rank: Fire! Pull the Tricker as directed in the

Manual, and as soon as the Piece is fired, give yourself a strong Spring upon your left Leg, raising your Body briskly and streight up, keeping your left Foot fast, and bringing the right Heel close to the Left; at the same time the Firelock is to be brought up to the priming Position, and half cocked immediately; a short Pause is to be made, then handle Cartridges, and go on with the loading Motions described in the Explanations of Prime and Load.

Center Rank: Fire!As in Explanation four in the

Manual, with this Difference that the left Foot is to be brought up to the Right at the same Time that the Firelock is brought down to the priming Position.The loading Motions as in the Explanations of Priming and Loading, and at the last Motion of shouldering, to spring to the Left again and cover the File-leaders.

Rear Rank: Fire!As in Explanation of the

center rank, and as the Firelock is coming down to the priming Position, the left Foot is to be brought back to the Right, and at the last Motion of shouldering, to spring to the left again, and cover the File-leader.

The Three Ranks Together: Make Ready!

The Three Ranks Together: Present!

The Three Ranks Together: Fire!Whoops! Forgot to take

this picture! Look for it in a future update.

Notes 1 William Windham, George Townshend (1st marq.), A

Plan of Discipline, Composed for the Use of the Militia of the County of Norfolk (1759), 2.

2 Campbell Dalrymple, A military essay: Containing Reflections on the Raising, Arming, Cloathing, and Discipline of the British Infantry and Cavalry with Propsals for the Improvement of the same (1761), 62.

3 Timothy Pickering, An Easy Plan for the Discipline For a Militia (1775), 8.

4 Ibid.

5 Bennett Cuthbertson, Cuthbertson’s System, For the Complete Interior Management and Œconomy of a Battalion of Infantry (1776), 161-162.

6 Windham, 1.

7 Pickering, 14.

8 Windham, 1.

9 Pickering, 8.

10 Advice to the Officers of the British Army: With the Addition of some Hints to the Drummer and Private Soldier (1783), 111.

11 John Williamson, The Elements of Military Arrangement; Comprehending the Tactick, Exercise, Manoevers, and Discipline of the British Infantry, With an Appendix, Containing the Substance of the Principal Standing Orders and Regulations for the Army (1781), 56.

12 James Douglas, quoted in Houlding, 194.

13 C. Dalrymple, 165.

14 Pickering, 20.

15 Humphprey Bland, A Treatise of Military Discipline; In which is Laid down and Explained The Duty of the Officer and Soldier, Thro’ the several Branches of the Service (1759), 13.

16 Ibid., 9.

17 Williamson, 35.

A Note on Sources When approaching a subject as susceptible to individual

interpretation as 18th century military drill, it is necessary to explain how one has comes to personal conclusions, and what materials were used to support those conclusions. With that in mind, it is evidently necessary that any argument about the “correct” way of performing the Manual Exercise of 1764 ought to be accompanied by an explanation of the source material used and why it was chosen.

The written manuals I have chosen for use in this study were so selected because they offer more clarity into what the manual exercise performed by the regular army looked like. Simply stated, the 1764 Manual Exercise is a highly flawed piece of writing. This fact is something that even contemporary authors knew; many period manuals, particularly those intended for militia, clearly work from a knowledge of the 1764 Manual’s positions, but all use new language to describe them. Pickering’s Discipline, for instance, while a manual intended to instruct American militias in an effective manner given their particular limitations, is in itself a revised version of the regular Army’s drill. In several points it identifies what the practice of the Army is, and why or why not a militia corps ought to do the same. Several points of the exercise as explained by Pickering are identical to the drill performed by the Army, and thus any further explanations Pickering offers as to what his drill looks like are valuable to any study of the Army’s drill.

William Windham’s Norfolk Discipline is likewise useful for any study of the regular Army’s discipline. While it predates the Manual Exercise of 1764 by a few years, it is a marked departure from the exercise that pre-dated the 1764 Manual, and in the same vein is remarkably similar to the Manual Exercise of 1764. Like Pickering’s Discipline it was intended for the use of militia corps, and thus was designed as a simple drill for those who were only occasional soldiers. It has several positions that are, descriptively, identical to the Manual Exercise of 1764 and several image plates which also help realize the meaning of the text of the Manual Exercise of 1764.

To further render the text of the 1764 Manual more clear, I have consulted the Manual of Arms that accompanies the 1778 Exercise. The 1778 Exercise was a replacement of the maneuvers contained in the 1764 Exercise. The 1778 Exercise was not adopted in America during the American War and, indeed, was not all that popular afterwards either. The Manual Exercise contained in the “Manoevres” of 1778, however, is a refined version of that in the 1764. Evidently the Army shared the modern and contemporary reader’s sentiments about the 1764 Manual in regards to its interpretable language. The motions described in the 1778 manual are functionally exactly the same as that in the 1764, but the text of the 1778 manual is occasionally more precise.

A Note on SourcesThe Norfolk and Pickering’s disciplines, like other manuals referenced in this work have not been used in isolation. In all cases I have looked for trends in the documentation, and I have tried to avoid basing my conclusions on extracts taken out of context or not substantiated by other points of evidence. For that reason I have occasionally addressed materials that are outside of the timeframe of the 1764 Manual. Such materials are particularly useful for establishing the practice of the Army before and after the introduction of the 1764 Manual of Arms, as otherwise one loses essential context.

Iconographical references entail substantial challenges of interpretation to those who seek to study Army practice in the 18th century. Simply stated, 18th century art is not like a photograph; everything depicted must be taken with a large grain of salt. Artistic message, weaknesses in draftsmanship, and errors in perception needs to be accounted for in any analysis of such materials. Above all, when making claims based on pictorial evidence, one must be careful to substantiate them with as many examples as possible (more is better, in this regard) and to avoid as much as one can works of satire, or political commentary and propaganda. Such works as a matter of style and purpose accentuate details, exaggerate reality, and are designed explicitly to send a message; not communicate facts.

For these reasons I have at all times tried to avoid overextending the value of image documentation. If at all possible I have tried utilizing a variety of illustrations from different artists, and have tried to identify trends rather than specific details. If, as in some cases, there is a lack of multiple sources of pictorial documentation I have tried to correlate what is seen in an image with textual documentation.

Finally, there are a number of points in the demonstration of the drill where there is no accompanying primary sources. This is, in any case, either because there is no substantial source material available, or because the text of the 1764 Manual is clear enough that I do not believe it is in need of further explanation.

Thanks toAndrew Watson KirkRob WelchScott Lance

Sources Bland, Humphrey. A Treatise of Military Discipline; In which is Laid

down and Explained The Duty of the Officer and Soldier, Thro’ the several Branches of the Service. (1759)

Dalrymple, Campbell. A military essay: Containing Reflections on the Raising, Arming, Cloathing, and Discipline of the British Infantry and Cavalry with Propsals for the Improvement of the same (1761)

Windham, William, Townshend (1st marq.) , George. A Plan of Discipline, Composed for the Use of the Militia of the County of Norfolk. (1759)

Dalrymple, William. Tacticks. (1782)

Dundas, Sir David. Principles of Military Movement, Chiefly Applied to Infantry” (1792)

Regulations for the Exercise of Riflemen and Light Infantry (1799)

Fage, Edward. A Regular Form of Discipline for the Militia as it is Perform'd by the West-Kent Regiment, Commanded by the Right Honourable Robert Lord Romney. (1759)

Cuthbertson, Bennett. Cuthbertson’s System, For the Complete Interior Management and Œconomy of a Battalion of Infantry. (1776)

Baron von Steuben, Frederick William. Regulations for the Order and Dsicipline of the Troops of the United States (1794)

Pickering, Timothy. An Easy Plan for the Discipline For a Militia. (1775)

Advice to the Officers of the British Army: With the Addition of some Hints to the Drummer and Private Soldier (1783)

Williamson, John. The Elements of Military Arrangement; Comprehending the Tactick, Exercise, Manoevers, and Discipline of the British Infantry, With an Appendix, Containing the Substance of the Principal Standing Orders and Regulations for the Army. (1781)

1764 Regulations

1757 Regulations

1779 Maneuvers

Secondary Sources

Houlding, J.A. “Fit For Service: The Training of the British Army, 1715-1795.” (New York: Oxford University Press, 1981)

Images:

the manual of arms

Documents

manual of arms

manual exercise

revised manual

pickerings discipline

norfolk discipline

final position of shoulder

plan of discipline

correct bodily position