Baron Von Steuben's Revolutionary War Drill Manual

A Facsimile Reprint of the 1794 Edition

Frederick William Baron von Steuben

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780486249346
• eBook ISBN: 9780486141350
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

On February 23, 1778, Frederick William Baron von Steuben reported to General George Washington at the Continental Army's bleak winder encampment at Valley Forge. Speaking virtually no English and at an unexpected ebb in his professional fortunes, Steuben nevertheless brought a depth of military training and grasp of command techniques sorely needed by the bedraggled, ragtag army. With his lofty military reputation, forceful bearing, and colorful personality, the Prussian commander had an immediate galvanizing effect on the disorganized insurgents. He soon became one of Washington's most valued officers — an essential figure in the success of the American War of Independence.
Commissioned to mold the troops into an efficient fighting force, Steuben formed a model drill company of one hundred men, transformed it into a precision unit copied throughout the ranks, and captured the imagination of the entire army. His record of drill instructions, written in brief installments, grew into the Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States. Commonly known as the army's "blue book," this basic manual of military training and procedures remained the official U.S. military guide until 1812.  
This inexpensive facsimile reproduces the extremely rare 1794 edition of Steuben's drill manual, published in Boston by I. Thomas and E. T. Andrews. It describes in detail the arms and accoutrements of officers and soldiers, formation and exercise of a company, instruction of recruits, formation and marching of columns, disposition and firing of fieldpieces, laying out of a camp, inspection, treatment of the sick, reviews of parade, and other essentials. The volume is further enhanced by reproductions of the eight copperplates from the 1794 edition and an Appendix (the United States Militia Act of 1792).

THE MANUAL EXERCISE.

I.

Poise——Firelock! Two motions.

1st. With your left hand turn the firelock briskly, bringing the lock to the front, at the fame instant seize it with the right hand just below the lock, keeping the piece perpendicular.

2d. With a quick motion bring up the firelock from the shoulder directly before the face, and seize it with the left hand just above the lock, so that the little finger may rest upon the feather spring, and the thumb lie on the stock; the left hand must be of an equal height with the eyes.

II.

Cock——Firelock! Two motions.

1st. Turn the barrel opposite to your face, and place your thumb upon the cock, raising the elbow square at this motion.

2d. Cock the firelock by drawing down your elbow, immediately placing your thumb upon the breech-pin, and the fingers under the guard.

III.

Take Aim ! One motion.

Step back about fix inches with the right foot, bringing the left toe to the front; at the fame time drop the muzzle, and bring up the butt-end of the firelock against your right shoulder; place the left hand forward on the swell of the stock, and the fore-finger of the right hand before the trigger; sinking the muzzle a little below a level, and with the right eye looking along the barrel.

IV.

Fire ! One motion.

Pull the trigger briskly, and immediately after bringing up the right foot, come to the priming position, placing the heels even, with the right toe pointing to the right, the lock opposite the right breast, the muzzle directly to the front and as high as the hat, the left hand just forward of the feather-spring, holding the piece firm and steady; and at the fame time seize the cock with the fore-finger and thumb of the right hand, the back of the hand turned up.

V.

Half-Cock ——Firelock! One motion.

Half bend the cock briskly, bringing down the elbow to the butt of the firelock.

VI.

Handle——Cartridge ! One motion.

Bring your right hand short round to your pouch, flapping it hard, seize the cartridge, and bring it with a quick motion to your mouth, bite the top off down to the powder, covering it instantly with your thumb, and bring the hand as low as the chin, with the elbow down.

VII.

Prime ! One motion.

Shake the powder into the pan, and covering the cartridge again, place the three last fingers behind the hammer, with the elbow up.

VIII.

Shut——Pan ! Two motions.

1st. Shut your pan briskly, bringing down the elbow to the butt of the firelock, holding the cartridge fast in your hand.

2d. Turn the piece nimbly round before you to the loading position, with the lock to the front, and the muzzle at the height of the chin, bringing the right hand up under the muzzle; both feet being kept fast in this motion.

IX.

Charge with Cartridge ! Two motions.

1st. Turn up your hand and put the cartridge into the muzzle, shaking the powder into the barrel.

2d. Turning the stock a little towards you, place your right hand closed, with a quick and strong motion, upon the butt of the rammer, the thumb upwards,and the elbow down.

X.

Draw——Rammer ! Two motions.

1st. Draw your rammer with a quick motion half out, seizing it instantly at the muzzle back-handed.

2d. Draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it into the muzzle.

XI.

Ram down——Cartridge ! One motion.

Ram the cartridge well down the barrel, and instantly recovering and seizing the rammer back-handed by the middle, draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it as far as the lower pipe, placing at the fame time the edge of the hand on the butt-end of the rammer, with the fingers extended.

XII.

Return——Rammer ! Once motion.

Thrust the rammer home, and instantly bring up the piece with the left hand to the shoulder, seizing it at the fame time with the right hand under the cock, keeping the. left hand at the swell, and turning the body square to the front.

XIII.

Shoulder——Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. Bring down the left hand, placing it strong upon the butt.

2d. With a quick motion bring the right hand down by your fide.

XIV.

Order——Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. Sink the firelock with the left hand as low as possible, without constraint, and at the fame time bringing up the right hand, seize the firelock at the left shoulder.

2d. Quit the firelock with the left hand, and with the right bring it down the right side, the butt on the ground, even with the toes of the right foot, the thumb of the right hand lying along the barrel, and the muzzle being kept at a little distance from the body.

XV.

Ground——Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. With the right hand turn the firelock, bringing the lock to the rear, and instantly stepping forward with the left foot a large pace, lay the piece on the ground, the barrel in a direct line from front to rear, placing the left hand on the knee, to support the body, the head held up, the right hand and left heel in a line, and the right knee brought almost to the ground.

2d. Quitting the firelock, raise yourself up, and bring back the left foot to its former position.

XVI.

Take up——Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. Step forward with the left foot, sink the body, and come to the position described in the first motion of grounding.

2d. Raise up yourself and firelock, stepping back again with the left foot, and as soon as the piece is perpendicular, turn the barrel behind, thus coming to the order.

XVII.

Shoulder——Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. Bring the firelock to the left shoulder, throwing it up a little, and catching it below the tail-pipe, and instantly seize it with the left hand at the butt.

2d. With a quick motion bring the right hand down by your side.

XVIII.

Secure——Firelock !Three motions.

1st. Bring up the right hand briskly, and place it under the cock.

2d. Quit the butt with the left hand, and seize the firelock at the swell, bringing the arm close down upon the lock, the right hand being kept fast in this motion, and the piece upright.

3d. Quitting the piece with your right hand, bring it down by your side, at the fame time with your left band throw the muzzle directly forward, bringing it within about one foot of the ground, and the butt clofe up behind the left shoulder, holding the left hand in a line with the waist belt, and with that arm covering the lock.

XIX.

Shoulder——Firelock ! Three motions.

1st. Bring the firelock up to the shoulder, seizing it with the right hand under the cock.

2d. Bring the left hand down strong upon the butt.

3d. Bring the right hand down by your side.

XX.

Fix——Bayonet ! Three motions.

1st and 2d motion the fame as the two first motions of the secure.

3d. Quitting the piece with your right hand, fink it with your left down the left fide, as far as may be without constraint, at the same time seize the bayonet with the right hand, draw and fix it, immediately slipping the hand down to the stock, and pressing in the piece to the hollow of the shoulder.

XXI.

Shoulder——Firelock ! Three motions.

1st. Quitting the piece with the right hand, with the left bring it up to the shoulder, and seize it again with the right hand under the cock, as in the second motion of the secure.

2d. Bring the left hand down strong upon the butt.

3d. Bring the right hand down by your fide.

XXII.

Present——Ar...

Table of contents

• DOVER BOOKS ON AMERICANA
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright Page
• PUBLISHER’S NOTE
• REGULATIONS
• In CONGRESS, 29th March, 1779.
• REGULATIONS, &c.
• THE MANUAL EXERCISE.
• INSTRUCTIONS.
• Explanation of the Plates.
• APPENDIX.
• DOVER BOOKS