Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-12
INTRODUCTION.

lNlhOpllliON.
The accompanying pages have been compiled
and translated by the undersigned for the pur-
pose Of supplying what he believes to be al
important want to the volunteers Of the South.
The ser:reliance and personal courage, so uni.
versal with the people Of our country, will
render them equal to any other in the world,
in the capacity Of light troops, provided they
are properly trained.
This little volume embraces the deployments,
rallies and assemblies Of a company Of skr.
mishers, and the drill Of the bayonet and the
sabre hayonct, now in use in the French ar
N.Y. with such suggestions to the soldier in &C.
tua conflict, rs are given by French military
writers. Those suggestions and the exercise for
the bayonct have been tuken from the ofiic.al
books Of instruction Of that most, military Of
all nations; and the instruction for the move
ments of skirmishcrs, has been taken from the
system of tactics prepared by Col. Hardee
late U. s. ~ The value of the bayonet exer-
else is not n matter Of speculation Its prac.
tcabity is no longer an open question; it has
been brought TO its present actual efficiency
from succession Of trials, all OF them i'm.
proved by practicc--hrst on the drill ground
and then on the Hattie field.
1t is absolutely necessary for light infantry
RI attacked by cavalry when deployed as skir-
mishers they must rely mainly upon their bay.
onets. 1t is important that they should under
stand the great value Of the weapon and the
best mode Of using it. 10 show the importance
of the weapon, and Of instruction in its use, it
is deemed not out Of place here to give brief
sketch Of the origin and progress Of such in
struction in the French service. In 1928 the
Superior Council OF War, of France had un-
der discussion the question of abolshlng the
light infantry, when, instead Of doing away
with it, new impetus was given towards pro-
noting it's efficiency After various essays,
the formation of special corps was resolved
on in 1898. The first battalion organized an
swered so well its purpose, that in lS4o ten
battalions of twelve hundred and forty-nine
men each, were formed. These are the celc-
brated "Cltasaeurs de Eincennes' and "Zouare'
which arc now fourfold their original number.
The improvements made from time to time,
have eliminated in the adoption Of the skirm-
isher's drill, riHed arms, the sabre bayonet and
the use of the bayonet according to the prlncl'
plies of fencing as herein prescribed. The re-
suits obtained have been even beyond cXpecta-
ton. From that time the French began to
sweep before them the fearless Arabs in Al.
giers, in spite Of their almost fabulous con-
tempt of danger and excellence in horseman-
ship.
The Russian infantry in the CriHea, and the
Austrian infantry in Lombardy, both equal to
any other infantry Of the line in the world,
each in turn was ove.rmatched and defeated oy
French troops trained in this drill. 1t will be
recollected that the Emperor Of the French, at
the opening Of the campaign in Lombardy al.
ter his landing at Genoa, issued short and
telling proclamation to his soldiers; in it he re-
minds them, that after all ''thcy had to rely on
their bayonets for the victory; and this is so
much the more significant, that it iell from the
lips of one who had endowed his army with the
improved Minnie rifle, and with those rtied
guns, Of his own invention, which made such
havoc amongst the Austrian Cavalry at Soie-
rino and were, then, without rivals IN the field
since the Armstrong gun Of the English was
not completed, and was only tried iii actual ser
vice in the late China war.
Notwithstanding all these advantages, Louis
Napoleon did not think it out of season TO
warn his soldiers just before action, that it Is
for the bayonet to strike the decisive blow
Thus far he seems to agree with another great
practical cheftain, the Russian General Sol-
warow, who. used to say in his picturesque
language, s.the bullet is foolish, the bnyonet
alone is wise These details have been entered
into in order that it shall be we'll understood
that the drill which this book is intended to
introduce to the volunteers Of the State and OF
the South, is not an unmportant work ofiancy,
contrived for amusement, but, on the contrary,
that is the fruit of time and experience reduced
into practical form by military men, who all
acknowledge it to be one Of the most power
flu! agencies Of modern warfare.
This book is, therefore, nothing bat trans
lation, the plates being Jae sinnites Of those
obtained from Paris, and the only merit which
is claimed for it is, that it renders, in our Ian
gunse, the latest and most approved instruction
for the use Of the bayonet, in connection with
the skrmishers' drill, in a convenient form and
for small cost The skirmishers drill and The
bayonet drill we're intended by their inventor
to 90 together The one is incomplete in the
absence of the other. As bearing upon the
skirrnishers' drill, we will indulge ourselves
with an extract frcm very remarkable article
pubishedi the "Noniteur de Farmee" in
1851, By Captain of the staff, Du Casse. LIE
saws, ssit was noble and admirable idea, that
of connecting together four men, neighbors to
ench other in the ranks, under the name OIL
comrades IN battle, and to tell them every one
of you is bound for the whole, and upon him
derolves the care ol preserving the lie
of TIA three others No measure more