Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben

“ Honesty, sobriety, and a remarkable attention to every point of duty, with a neatness in their dress, are indispensable requisites; a spirit to command respect and obedience from the men, an expertness in performing every part of the exercise, and an ability to teach it, are absolutely necessary; nor can a sergeant or corporal be said to be qualified who does not write and read in a tolerable manner. ”

“ When a non-commissioned officer is a file-closer in action, he must take care to keep the ranks and files properly closed, and when too much crowded, make them incline from the center. When the files of this platoon are disordered by the loss of men, he must exert himself to dress and complete them afresh, with the utmost expedition. He must keep the greatest silence in the ranks, see that the men load well and quick, and take good aim. ”

“ The only means of keeping the soldiers in order is, to have them continually under the eyes of their superiors; for which reason the commandant should use the utmost of severity to prevent their straggling from their companies, and never suffer them to leave their regiment without being under the care of a non-commissioned officer, except in cases of necessity. ”

“ Although no officer should be ignorant of the service of the guards, yet it particularly behooves the lieutenant to be perfectly acquainted with that duty; he being oftener than any other officer entrusted with command of the guard- a trust of the highest importance, on the faithful execution of which the safety of an army depends; and in which the officer has frequent opportunities to distinguish himself by his judgment, vigilance and bravery. ”

“ When learning to march, he must take the greatest pains to acquire a firm step and proper balance, practicing himself at all his leisure hours. He must accustom himself to the greatest steadiness under arms, to pay attention to the commands of his officers, and exercise himself continually with his firelock, in order to acquire vivacity in his motions. ”

“ When an officer is posted at a bridge, defile, or any work, with orders to maintain it, he must defend himself to the last extremity, however superior the force of the enemy may be, as it is to be supposed that the general who gave those orders will reinforce him, or order him to retire whenever he thinks it proper.
An officer must never throw in the whole of his fire at once; for which reason every guard is to be divided into two or more divisions of platoons ”

“ The soldier having acquired that degree of confidence of his officers as to be appointed first sergeant of the company, should consider the importance of his office; that the discipline of the company, the conduct of the men, their exactness in obeying orders, and the regularity of their manners, will in a great measure depend on his vigilance. ”

“ When in the ranks, he must always learn the names of his right and left hand men and file-leader, that he may be able to find his place readily in case of separation. He must cover his file-leader and dress well in his rank, which he may be assured of doing when he can just perceive the breast of the third man from him. Having joined his company, he must no longer consider himself as a recruit, but as a soldier; and whenever he is ordered under arms, must appear well dressed, with his arms, and accoutrements clean and in good order, and his knapsack, blanket &c. ”

“ The commanding officers of each company is charged with the instruction of his recruits; and as that is a service that requires not only experience, but a patience and temper not met with in every officer, he is to make choice of an officer, sergeant, and one or two corporals of his company, who, being approved of by the colonel, are to attend particularly to that business: but in case of the arrival of a great number of recruits, every officer without distinction is to be employed on that service. ”

“ He should be intimately acquainted with the character of every soldier of the company, and should take great pains to impress upon their minds the indispensable necessity of the strictest obedience, as the foundation of order and regularity. ”

“ The choice of non-commissioned officers is also an object of the greatest importance: the order and discipline of a regiment depends so much upon their behavior, that too much care cannot be taken in preferring none to that trust but those who by their merit and good conduct are entitled to it. ”

“ It is highly essential to the services that the ammunition should be at all times kept complete; for which purpose, as often as necessary, a return is to be made by each company of the number of cartridges deficient, to the quartermaster, that he may make out a general one for the regiment, to be signed by the commanding officers of the regiments and brigade, and no time lost in supplying the deficiency. The like care is to be taken that all deficiencies of arms and accoutrements are supplied without loss of time. ”

“ His first object should be, to gain the love of his men, by treating them with every possible kindness and humanity, enquiring into their complaints, and when well founded, seeing them redressed. He should know every man of his company by name and character. ”

“ They must make their patrol with the greatest silence and attention, and where necessary, send a faithful soldier ahead to look out. If they meet a detachment of the enemy stronger than their own, they must retreat in order to their own posts. In the night they must stop all strangers that approach. They must not suffer their men to make the least noise with their arms or accoutrements, and every now and then stop and listen. On their return from patrolling, they must report to the officer what they have seen or heard. ”

“ A sentinel must take the greatest care not to be surprised; he must never suffer the person who advances to give the countersign, to approach within reach of his arms, and always charge with his bayonet.
The officers who mount the camp guards must give orders to their sentries not to suffer any person to pass in or out of camp, except one of the guards, nor then till the officer of the guard has examined him. ”

“ Suppose the guard to consist of twenty-four men, and to furnish eight sentinels, they are divided into three relieves, and the posts being numbered (beginning always with the guardhouse) each man’s name is put down against the number of the post he will always stand sentry at during the guard, by which means an officer knows what particular man was at any post during any hour of the day or night.
The relief of sentries is always to be marched in the greatest order, and with supported arms, the corporal often looking back to observe the conduct of the men ”

“ As there are only two colors to a regiment, the ensigns must carry them by turns, being warned for that service by the adjutant. When on that duty, they should consider the importance of the trust reposed in them; and when in action, resolve not to part with the colors but with their lives. As it is by them the battalion dresses when marching in line, they should be very careful to keep a regular step, and by frequent practice accustom themselves to the march straight forward to any given object. ”

“ Each regiment will furnish a non-commissioned officer to conduct the sick and lame who are not able to march with their regiments. These men are to repair, at the beating of the general, to the rendezvous appointed, where a sufficient number of empty wagons will be ordered to attend for the reception of their knapsacks, and their arms if necessary. A surgeon of each brigade is to attend the sick belonging to it. ”

“ Each sergeant and corporal will be in a particular manner answerable for the squad committed to his care. He must pay particular attention to their conduct in every respect; that they keep themselves and their arms always clean; that they have their effects always ready, and put where they can get them immediately, even in the dark, without confusion ”

“ In case of absence of any field officer, his place is to be filled by the officer next in rank in the regiment; and in order that the officers may remain with their respective companies, if any company officer is absent, his place shall be supplied by the officer next in rank in the same company; but should it happen that a company is left without an officer, the colonel or commanding officer may order an officer of another company to take the command, as well for the exercise as for the discipline and police of the company in camp. ”

“ When the army marches by the right, the field-pieces must march at the head of their respective brigades; when it marches by the left, they follow in the rear, unless circumstances determine the general to order otherwise; but, whether they march in front, center or rear of their brigades, they must always march between the battalions, and never between the platoons. ”

“ A company is to be formed in two ranks, at one pace distance, with the tallest men in the rear, and both ranks sized, with the shortest men of each in the center. A company thus drawn up is to be divided into two sections or platoons; the captain to take post on the right of the first platoon, covered by a sergeant; the lieutenant on the right of the second platoon, also covered by a sergeant; the ensign four paces behind the center of the company; the first sergeant two paces behind the centre of the first platoon, and the eldest corporal two paces behind the second platoon ”

“ When a man of his squad is warned for duty, he must examine him before he carries him to the parade, obliging him to take all his effects with him, unless when specially ordered to the contrary.
In teaching the recruits, they must exercise all their patience, by no means abusing them, but treating them with mildness, and not expect too much precision in the first lessons, punishing those only who are willfully negligent. ”

“ As it is highly necessary an officer should have some knowledge of his situation, he must, immediately after relieving the old guard, visit the sentinels, and examine the ground round his post; and if he thinks the sentries not sufficient to secure him from a surprise, he is at liberty to place more, acquainting therewith the general or field officer of the day who visits his post ”

“ For which reason he must never rudely reprimand them in presence of the men, but at all times treat them with proper respect.
He must pay the utmost attention to every thing which contributes to the health of the men, and oblige them to keep themselves and every thing belonging to them in the greatest cleanliness and order. ”

“ The soldier steps off with his left foot, and marches a free, easy and natural step, without altering the position of his body or head, taking care to preserve a proper balance, and not cross his legs, but to march without constraints in every sort of ground: the officer must march sometimes in his front and sometimes at his side, in order to join example to precept. ”

“ The changing the front of a platoon, division, or even a battalion, may be performed by a simple wheeling; that of a brigade must be performed by first forming the open column, then marching it into the direction required, and forming the line. If it be necessary to change the front of a line consisting of more than a brigade, the simplest and surest method is to form close columns, either by brigades or battalions, march them to the direction required, and display. ”

“ The camp and quarter guards are to parade before the interval of their battalions, where they will be formed by the adjutant who furnishes the officer, and immediately sent off to their respective posts.
The guard of a major general is to be furnished from his own division, each brigade furnishing it by turns; it is to be formed by the major of brigade, and sent from the brigade parade. ”

“ A conductor shall be appointed to each brigade, who shall have under his immediate care and direction a traveling forge and five or six armourers, an ammunition wagon, and a wagon with an arm-chest for each battalion, each chest to hold twenty-five arms, to receive the arms and accoutrements wanting repair, or of the men sick or absent; and when the arms delivered in by a battalion shall exceed the above number, the surplus shall be sent to the commissary of military stores. ”

“ A captain cannot be too careful of the company the state has committed to his charge. He must pay the greatest attention to the health of his men, their discipline, arms, accoutrements, ammunition, clothes and necessaries. ”