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28th New York Infantry Regiment

Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics

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.

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Page Index TITLE FIRST TITLE SECOND & PART FIRST PART SECOND PART THIRD 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.