The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-01
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
Coty of letter from Col. Smyrh Of the Ri.
fe Re tment 10 the tate Col. Whit1ng.

~
SIR yours of The 21st July has been re
eelved.--I am thereby informed thar the
system OF discipline to be reported TO c. on
gress, is that of Baron de Steuben, with a
few alterations and additions. of which those
OF any importance are; l. Echellon move
meats. 2. The square. 5 The prompt
ma euvre-apd 9TH, changing front by coun-
ter larch OF flies - am also infor med
that the system of guides is rejected; and
the reason assigned is that our establish
ment does not admit of many staff off
GERS as the armies where this is pursued -
My opinion on the principles of the propo
sed changes is required. 1t becomes me to
give It with canuor.
viii! first notice the proposed addition
TO the evolutionS. LIST. As he kind az OBJ
ject 81 the echellon manGuvres adopted by
the revisors is not stated, / am unable to
appreciate their Importance If they are
chose necessary to effect various changes of
front, or direction ofthe line, and hat used
to carry an open column into line of battle
to the front, tneY are useful movements.
Ii the evolution consists in marching the
battalion in o6Hgue echelons from one al
ilgnment 10 another. as IN the thirteenth of
the nineteen m - osuvres; do not approve of
It-toI neither the Istance nor direction of
the Hanks OF pIatoons can e correctly pre-
served Troops may advance in Girect
IN my opinion consist of at least 9 5attai
ion
The hollow square is position which
1 CONCEIVE single battalion ought never to
take /; but the man1uvre at exercise NAV
be proper, 20 instruct troops how several
battaions would fern the square The
close colu an AZ directed by 5 Gu en- (chap.
10, arr - is the position for a battalion
pressed Dy cavalry; only l would have ssvo
nj cnA ftaa
rear.
}. The prompt Maneuvre never can be
necessary in marching the column. Ii is
only useful where the front is 10 halt before
the column has wheeled into the new direc-
ton.
If you countermarch the whole battal-
ion by files, you violate ule of S,euben's.
(chap 8, art. - Such q Change o. position
Can be perhaps better effected IN pia.oons
You inform that the visors have rejec
ted the system OF guides. If / supposed
this rejection conclusive, | should deeply
regret it.
Of all the improvement ever made In
military evoutions, this is the most obvious,
the most simple, the most useful
You say, 1.-the system now adopted for
the army, will also govern the militia, and
should be slmplified." This is perfectly cor
rect. The system of guides is the very
thing for the militia. Il is this system
that makes the French consc pts trained
troops in few days. Let two hundred mi
litia, placed in rank elbows touching gt
tempt to form straight line. it will in
vain, unless some one places them, or in
structs them 70 move backwards or for
wards. as may be necessary; but let ten Of
them, that is, every twentieth man, step
forward face to the right, aud each look
past the necks of those before him, the,
(he ten) can be IN line IN moment How
easy then for those remaining III rank to ad
vanc, and dress their breasts in a line with
the light elbows of the ten, vino act as
guides. Those guides retire, and the live
will be perfectly straight Here is the prin
cipe OF the system of the guides. Its sim
plicity and utility are most obvio1s. Ii is
the guides who keep the TANKS of platoons
dressed, when the battalion is in Column -
= It's they who preserve the distances be-
tween platoons. And thus the platoon officer
is left at liberty 10 attend to his patton.
| The system OF Steuben, even with the adj
dltions proposed by the revisors, is not com
petent to every emergency. II wants-1st
! The method of forming the open colu an in
| to line OF battle to the front, without clio
| sing the column. I'd. OF forming from the
open column the line Of battle to the rea.
| 81. OF forming the open Column right in front
into line. facing to the right, by the sue
cessivs wheel of platoons. 4. OF changing
the direction of the close column by move
ment from the flank s. OF countermarch
ing the close column by leading out the al
ternate platoons 6. To form and display
columns OF attack. T. To march by Flank
and form liue by file. s. To march by faux
and form platoons on the march. 9. To pass
the front line to the rear, by retrea ing from
the Hanks OF platoons. 10 To pass III,
rear line to the front by doubling sections o