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28th New York Infantry Regiment

HARDEES DRILL MANUAL

While on parade, drill, marches or in battle the vast majority of American Civil War reenactment groups use Hardees' Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics. The 28th New York is no exception. All of our military personnel are expected to learn the basics of drill before they are allowed on the field in battle. This is mainly for the purpose of safety. Although we do not face the same risks in battle that our predecessors experienced, there are certain risks which we face which make drill as important today as it was 145 years ago. Every person who participates in Civil War reenactments is carrying a firearm. In the vast majority of cases, these are real weapons. The safety of the soldiers firing in close formation is as important today as it was during the war itself and the drill manual, although it was developed 145 years ago, is still as relevant to reenacting today.

Click click on the following links to view the drill manual in .doc format or click on the indexed links to be directed to a specific section of the Drill Manual.

School of the Soldier

School of the Company

Page Index SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER - TITLE FIRST SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER - TITLE SECOND & PART FIRST SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER - PART SECOND SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER - PART THIRD SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY - TITLE THIRD & LESSON FIRST SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY - LESSON SECOND & LESSON THIRD SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY - LESSON FOURTH & LESSON FIFTH SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY - LESSON SIXTH Contents Index RIFLE AND LIGHT INFANTRY TACTICS TITLE FIRST ARTICLE FIRST - Formation of a Regiment in order of battle, or in line. Post of Company Officers, Sergeants and Corporals. Posts of Field Officers and Regimental Staff. Posts of Field Music, and Band. Color-guard. General Guides. ARTICLE SECOND - Instruction of the Battalion. Instruction of Officers. Instruction of Sergeants. Instruction of Corporals. Commands. TITLE SECOND - SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER. PART FIRST. LESSON I. - Position of the Soldier. LESSON II. - Facings. LESSON III. - Principles of the Direct Step. LESSON IV. - Principles of the Double Quick Step. PART SECOND. LESSON I. - Principles of Shouldered Arms. LESSON II. - Manual of Arms. (All indexed based upon motions from and back to Shoulder Arms) Support - ARMS Present - ARMS Order - ARMS Load in nine times. READY. AIM. FIRE. LOAD. Recover - ARMS. Fix - BAYONET. Charge - BAYONET. Trail - ARMS. Unfix - BAYONET. Secure - ARMS. Right Shoulder Shift - ARMS. Arms - AT WILL. Ground - ARMS. Raise - ARMS. Inspection - ARMS. REMARKS ON THE MANUAL OF ARMS. Mark time. Changing Step. Backwards March. LESSON III. - To load in four times. Load at will. LESSON IV. - Firings, direct, oblique, by file and by rank. Direct Firing. Oblique Firing. Fire by file. Fire by rank. LESSON V. - To Fire And Load Kneeling. LESSON V. - To Fire And Load Lying. LESSON VI. - Bayonet Exercise. Guard against Infantry. Guard against Cavalry. PART THIRD. LESSON I. - Alignments. Left or Right Dress. LESSON II. - The direct march, the oblique march, and the different steps. Forward march. Forward march at Double Quick. About Face on the March. Backwards March. LESSON III. - To march by the flank. Right Face, Forward March. By Files Left or Right. Right or Left Flank. Flank March at Double Quick. LESSON IV. - WHEELINGS - General principles of Wheelings. Wheeling from a halt. Wheeling on the march. Turning. LESSON V. - Long marches in double quick time and the run. Stack arms. Resume arms. TITLE THIRD - SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY LESSON FIRST ARTICLE FIRST - To open ranks. ARTICLE SECOND - Alignments in open ranks. ARTICLE THIRD - Manual of arms. ARTICLE FOURTH - To close ranks. ARTICLE FIFTH - Alignments, and manual of arms in closed ranks. LESSON SECOND ARTICLE FIRST - To load at four times and at will. ARTICLE SECOND - To fire by company. ARTICLE THIRD - The fire by file. ARTICLE FOURTH - The fire by rank. ARTICLE FIFTH - To fire by the rear rank. LESSON THIRD ARTICLE FIRST - To advance in line of battle. ARTICLE SECOND - To halt the company marching in line of battle, and to align it. ARTICLE THIRD - Oblique march in line of battle. ARTICLE FOURTH - To mark time, to march in double quick time, and the back step. ARTICLE FIFTH - To march in retreat. LESSON FOURTH ARTICLE FIRST - To march by the flank. ARTICLE SECOND - To change direction by file. ARTICLE THIRD - To halt the company marching by the flank, and to face it to the front. ARTICLE FOURTH - The company being in march by the flank, to form it on the right or left by file into line of battle. ARTICLE FIFTH - The company marching by the flank, to form it by company or platoon into line, and cause it to face to the right and left in marching. LESSON FIFTH ARTICLE FIRST - To break into column by platoon either at a halt, or while marching. ARTICLE SECOND - To march in column. ARTICLE THIRD - To change direction. ARTICLE FOURTH - To halt the column. ARTICLE FIFTH - Being in column by platoon, to form to the right or left into line of battle, either at a halt or marching. LESSON SIXTH ARTICLE FIRST - To break into platoons, and to re-form the company. ARTICLE SECOND - To break files to the rear, and to cause them to re-enter into line. ARTICLE THIRD - To march in column in route, and to execute the movements incident thereto. ARTICLE FOURTH - Countermarch. ARTICLE FIFTH - Being in column by platoon, to form on the right or left into line of battle.