New-York tribune., 1867-08-06
INFANTRY TACTICS.

IMPORTANT ORDER FROM THE WAR DEPART
NENT - ADOPTION OF UPTONS INFANTRY
TACTICs-DEsCRIPTIoN OF THE NEW SYSTEM.
THE TRIBUNE of Saturday published an oili-
cal order from the Adutant Generals Office at Washing
ton under date Of Aug. /, notifying the army Of the
adoption Of the system Of infantry tactics prepared
by Brevet MGiorG Gen. Emory Upton, United states Army.
It will be remembered that 10 was 10 examine INTO the
merits Of this system OF tactics that Board OF Ocers
with Gen Grant at ITS head recently assembled at west
Point As this order will effect radical change IN the
entire system Of drll In the United states Army "a lcVeW
the tactics will be Of value For the first time IN
history the infantry soldiers OF the United States are
required 90 be drilled according 10 an original system pre-
pared 10y American officer instead OF system adopted
IRON European models. scotts, llardee = and Casey
tactics simple adaptations OF French systems 10 the
needs OF service the two lastuamcd differing but
slightly from each other.
Brcvet Major-GCn. Emory Upton. the author OF the
present system, Is native oi Batavia new ork,
whence ne appontcdto the United states Military
Academy, from which ne graduated IN play. l%i, ana
was appointed Second Lieutenant In the 9TH United states
Artillery. In the first years OF the war General then
Lieut. Upton. appointed the Colonel OF regiment OF
New York volunteers, and subsequently promoted TO
be- q Brg,dor and Brevet Ma0r-General Of Volunteers
ant Gen Upton has been devoted 10 his professionsO
much that subaltern he had the reputation Of hav
ing B1gader-General on the BRAIN Az the close Oi
the Gen Upton was Captain In the 5tb Artulery
but appointed Lieut. Colonel Of the 25th Infantry
which u h present posluon III te army IFS experience
IN the field convinced the General that some change
needed IN our infantry tactics and long before the ce
saon OF hostites he had commenced the development
Of his present system, which is equally applicable 10
double and sins erank formation aud Is adapted 10 the
topography of country and the improved Kind OF IRE
arms in
The entire system IS based upon front Of four
unit ad the various changes Of front etc, are effected
by wheeling this uult one or the other of It's Hanks as
pivot, although OF course the advance by company or
Tcglinental front - not escheNed Inc manual OF arms
resembles that OF the seventh Regiment In many partu
lars It takes time 20 make recruit good soldier
but the principles o the new system aTe 50 simple tha
they be readily acquired by wholly unacquanted
with requirements About year ago when the Sec
retary Of War appointed Board OF Officers to consider
the subject Of Infantry Tactics, Cen Upton drilled the
corps cadets before the members Of the Board TO their
entire satisfaction. and demonstrated also the readiness
with which the principle OF his system can he acquired
This readiness Of acquisition, however was by many
The simplicity Of tactics. so when the Board. of which
Cen Grant was President convened at West Point, Gen
Cpo. was required 10 drill In MS acuc. conPahy vi
Engineer sOdlers but still II was found that these men
also had trouble In adapting themselves 70 the new
system. 10 Illustrate the Upton tactics We VIII give leW
Of the Compu movements which are Ot course the Dass
Of the drl OF regiment brigade. For instance II me
company be IN line and II is desired 10 march 10 the
night flank the commands VIII be l. Jo"rS TighL =
MAECH g. FoRw ARD; I, guide ict AT the c1mand bUch
each four Will wheel To the nst on H&eu pUI aI the
command JOrwdrd given the instant the wheel sha oe
completed all the fOurs viii step on each rank dressing
10 the left at the fourth command II the company ne
marching In column O front and II Is desired 10 form TIE
line to the right left the commands would pc t0WS
right (Or tf0; ?, MARCH. IL must DC lcncDereu at III
the whecngs the rank always In front ana that
the tactics ali movements by inversion are done
away with This abolition OF inversion Is something tha
has long been needed for movements ny inversion havt
proved a pons dsnOr7un 10 many luckless wight who
was for the hrst time Trying 10 muuct solno '
knowledge Of tactics into his unmihtary soul
To illustrate the company drill stu further the
company DE in line and 1t Is desired To form u IN column
OF fours 10 The front the commands viii be: l. rgf fO
trayd 2, fOirs right; 3, MARCH AT the third com
mand the right four will move straight 10 the front.
Shortening the first three four steps and the other
fours Will wheel TO the right The second i0ur VIII Whee
To the left the instant its first wheel is completed and
will follow the first four the remaining foufs Will wheel
the left the same grounds as the second Al th1
movements in the system can be executed equally wen
by the left or right flank the old cOnstran which
was produced by fixed right and left flank is entirely
Another popularity OF Uptons system illustrated in
the manner In which company Is brought rom col col
umn into line. According to Casey system, u tne
company were marching by the right nank u
could only he brought into line on the ieit
of the leading file According to the present system the
compapy can be brought into line on the rght or let OF
the leading man without confusion To Illustrate: Ihe
company being IN column OF f0urs IN march II Is desired
Ia form line 10 the front the right of the leading man.
the commands to be given are- right front into i'ne
= u,HCu: g. guide ien At the command march, the
first four will straight 10 the 'front.' the other 0ufs
will take the double step and obique to the right t op
nosite their intervals; then march 10 the front taking
nnon arriving i'm line the quick step and the touch OF
elbows toward the guide Lett ront INTO lhe Is
i'm similar manner, except the succeeding fours obque
Again II the company is in line column OF fours and
Il is desired TO march in retreat the commands are yo"s
,iohf Tor lem about; q MAKCH at whch.he fours make
wheel Of half circle to tho right or lett rms movement
IL very pretty when executed by battalion In line.
The method OF forming from single into double rank Is
simple and is follows: The company being IN single
nR IL II desired 10 form IL i'm single rank by the right
flank the Captain will commando l, form SlngeTdnk =
fous right; 81 MARCH for doube tnS hAkoh; AZ ,h ,ho
third command all the fours will wheel To the righ; tue
front rank of the right four upon completing the wheel
will continue the march, the other ranks VII hiI anu
sccessiyey resume the march, when at 70 incheS OF
wheeling distance from the rank proceeding The rear
most rank being at It's distance, the captain VIII oon
mand /, fours len; 2, MARCH 81 HALT. -, H.. .,.
The movements that we have illustrated VIII gito oIi
readers as fair an insight into the system rs can DO oD
tained without the assistance OF plates, We lhe{ seI'
IN exeplfy its chief features, as well as tue
its romnsnds The rapdity with when lhese nOho,
nents c. he executed must be obvious 10 any one
20 or ali posted in tactical matters. Gen upton ma
rcay condensed the tactics, so that IL Is an t
IL nne volume oven TO the evOlutions OF coIP? ~
nmtIne prescribed method for dress paradg, loi
nard mounting muster, funeral escorts, etc inc ,i
Iso the method for reversing arms anu
an arms reversed The forms for parade anu @ ror & "a
brirades divisions, and corps OF infantry are ~ rn2
gested by Brevet MaOr-Gen A. r. A. IorDsrth ~ " G
hch we're so generally used throughout ino army VI
the Potomac a. r., ,,rton has nIapiarzed
ue ~ his movements. but this assertion WIZ De nru
~ oroye as we are assured by hSh authority thai
Gon linton did not read Gen. MOTIFS = system uutli
,,r his own was in manuscript Dcoie tne boaru ana
ht the 10Th Regiment of Sew-l Ofk Is the Ohly DOuy
- he bns ever drilled IN MOfrlss tactcs HOW
~ ,ar his NAV be- the main point Is that Geh upton
~ at IN adapt TO the OF infantry system having
sho mil front OF men. 10 Is true that Uptons
Ior resembles in very many particulars the present
system in hnt this is considered advantage, for
who is now nsructmg IN cavalry drill VIII not
'l ignorant OF the manner IN which infantry are
maneuVered, and vice versa