Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-08-10
THE COMPANY AND SQUADS
RIGHT"

As soon as the company has formed
and starts to march in close-order drill,
the new soldier will find himself put
ting into application more and more
of what he has learned in squad drill.
This will be intelligent application, too,
for he will now be able to see what
1t Is all about. Previously, 1t was nee
essary for him to learn certain move
ments in the squad as unit, for 1t
would be impossible to explain to the
company as whole the details of n
company movement which Is based
upon a collective squad movement, un-
less the squad movement itself were
first comprehended. The parts Of the
machine must be perfected separately,
and then, as he has before observed,
be fitted together.
II the company Is marching in line.
and hence forward on company front,
captain would give is, Squads right
(left) MARCHw The purpose of this
command would be twofold. In the
first place, it would change the dlrec-
ton of the march by diverting 1t
squarely off to the right. In the sec
ond place, it would form the company
into a column Of squads-that is, four
men abreast, In place Of the company
line. This Is far more flexible front,
and one more easily handled IN march
ing.
The movement itself Is executed
precisely as in squad right (left)." as
already described in the school of the
squad. The new soldier would do
we'll to return and refresh his recol-
lections of the details.
As a practical illustration Of what
has taken place following the COM
mand squads right" imagine that the
company is marching on an armory
drill floor. It is in Hne-that is COM
pany front-and is advancing up the
left side of the hall. As it approaches
the wall ut the end of the drill floor,
it is necessary for the captain to
change the direction of the company
otherwise, the men would be compelled
to march head ON into the wall. He
wishes to send them along the end OF
the room, and in this he now has but
one choice of direction-to the right
So he gives the command, squads
right" and the line Immediately
swings into a column of squads. NOV.
ing straight off to the right.
Assume that, while in column OF
squads and half way across the end OF
the drill hall, the captain desires to
return to the company front again
either for the purpose of haltlng or In
order to advance across the drill floor
In the direction opposite to that origi
nally described. He would give the
command, Squads right" once more
and this would execute the movement
Us required.
Being In line, at halt, II the cap
tain wishes to throw the company into
column of squads, he gives the com
mand, Squads right, MARCH; com
pany, HAITI" This movement is exc
cuted In the same way as with an IN
dividual squad in line.
BY this .ime-if not before-the new
soldier will have observed that squads
In the company are as a row of state
room doors on a steamboat. The diff
ference is that they swing as if moved
with a single lever. At one time they
stand open at right angles, thereby
forming column Of squads, and al
another time they are closed and form
the line, or company front. And the
importance Of the fixed pivot Con which
squads right Qeft)" is always execut
ed) is to insure that the squads will
At as exactly when they swing in and
out as the hypothetical row of doors.