see the first ranke is casting it selfe in a File behind the right hand man V. X. is a Fileing to the left hand where the first Ranke is going to File behind the left hand man and as the first Rankes in both doeth so yee must imagine the rest to doe in an instant Y. Z. is a Fileing to the right and left by division where yee see the halfe of the first Ranke falling in behind the right hand man and the other halfe of it behind the left hand man which also yee must conceiue the rest of the Rankes to doe The wordes of Command File Ranke as yee were Rankes File to the right hand Rankes File to the left hand Some say Rankes File by conversion to the right or left hand Files as yee were Rankes File to the right and left by division Or Rankes File by inversion to the right or left There is yet a Doubling of Files by wheeling the Rankes to the right or left hand If the word be to the right the right hand man turnes to the right and the rest of his Ranke wheele together and come aboue him on the left hand all the Rankes doeth the like If the command bee to the left the left hand man turnes to the left the rest of his Ranke commeth all aboue him on the right hand and so all the other Rankes CD AB The figure A. B. is a wheeling to the right hand where yee see the first Ranke wheeling about the right hand man and comming vp vpon his left hand C. D. is a wheeling to the left hand where the first Ranke is wheeling about the left hand man and comming vp on his right hand and so doth all the rest of the Rankes The words of Command Rankes as ye were Rankes wheele to the right hand Rankes wheele to the left hand Yee may wheele Rankes also to the right or left by division The use of Doubling of Files is to strengthen the deapth of your Battell to resist the Enemie The use of Doubling of Files when yee thinke hee mindes to breake through and diuide your forces It serues also to let the shot goe through your Files when ye are marching towards an Fort for which the first maner of Doubling is proper the Fileing of Rankes to the right or left hand Also to giue a Vollie of Musquetados vpon either Flanke or both or to make a streete for a Generall or some great Commander to goe through or else to lodge the Colours The Fileing of Rankes to the right or left or both by division or the wheeling of Rankes performeth this It serueth also to make your Forces seeme small to allure the Enemie to fight as did (u) Polien Strat. lib 2. in Cleandri §. 4. Cleandridas against the Leucans who first first drew out his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a greath deapth whereby his enemies contemning his apparentlie small number did charge him but hee instantlie doubling his Ranks did encompasse them and ouerthrow them But ye must take heed as the Emperour (x) Leo Tact. c. 14. §. 109. Leo advertiseth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That when yee double the deapth of your Battell yee make not the Front of your Armie too narrow and so giue occasion to the Enemie to ouerfront you encompasse you which was (y) Polyb. histor lib. 1. §. 10. Marcus Attilius Regulus his error in the Battell against the Carthagenians for hee fearing the Forces of the Carthagenian Elephants to breake through his Armie drew his Battell to so great a deapth that it was easilie encompassed by the Carthagenian horse-men led by Zantippus the Lacedemonian and by them vtterlie defeate and himselfe taken prisoner For as too much weakening of the deapth and doubling the length of your Battell puts in danger to bee diuided and broken So too much Doubling the deapth and diminishing the length puts it in perrill to bee ouerwinged and encompassed And therefore a wise Commander will haue a care if his Front bee narrow to take the advantage of a Trench River or Marish thereby to secure his Flankes that the Enemie may not annoy him there and if hee can attaine to none of those yet to make use of his owne Waggons Obserue that this Motion of Doublings alters the forme of the Battell changing both the length and the deapth thereof which no other Motion doeth Obserue also that in Doubling the length of your Battell ye make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in doubling the deapth ye make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described by (z) Aelian Tact. c. 29. Aelian (a) Aelian Tact. c. 28. Aelian speaketh of a Doubling of the deapth in place which is nothing but an opening of Rankes to a geater distance Of Evolution or Counter-March Tit. 8. EVolution or Countermarch called by the Grecians (a) Aelian Tact. c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Motion of the whole Battell whereby the Front is brought in place of the Reare or one Flanke in place of the other And therefore Countermarch is two fold of Files or of Ranks and both of those saith (b) Aelian Tact. c. 26. Aelian is threefold for either they gaine ground in marching not in charging or loose ground or keepe that same ground the first is called the Macedonian Countermarch the second the Lacedemonian the third the Chorean or Persian The Macedonian Countermarch by File so called from the Macedonians who were the inventers and users of it is described by (c) Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When the File-Leader turneth his face and the bringer vp with all the rest goe against him on the right or left hand and passing on to the ground before the Frōt of the phalanx placeth themselues in order one after another according as the File Leader himselfe hath turned his face Or it is when the file-File-Leader turneth his face and the next to him passing by him on the right or left hand placeth himselfe behind him so all the rest one after another As ye shall see in the figure following EFABCD A B C D is the Battell before the Countermarch E F A B the Battell after the Countermarch which hath left the ground A B C D wherein it stood which yee see marked with points and taken the ground before it E F A B and are all faced about to the Reare A B which before the Countermarch was the Front doeth yet remaine the Front but the right hand File B D is become the left hand File B F and the left hand File A C the right hand File A E. the Reare C D is now the Reare E F. The wordes of Command Files Countermarch and gaine ground The Lacedemonian Countermarch by File so called from the Lacedemonians who invented and practised this Motion is set downe by (d) Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those
him the one halfe falling backward the other halfe advancing foreward according as the Command is to wheele If the Command bee to the right hand the right Flanke middle File-leader standes still and all those of the right Flanke goeth backeward the left Flanke forward If to the left hand the left Flanke middle File leader stands the left Flanke moues backeward and the right forward vntill they haue all made their Quarter-turne or halfe turne as the word is to wheele to the Flankes or the Reare ABCDEFGH This Figure is a wheeling of the Battell by the Center to the right hand where the fift File leader D* did stand as the Center the body hath moued about him the right Flanke F C falling backward the left Flanke A B advancing forward vntill they haue left the place D E G H and taken the ground A B C F. D E is a part of the Front before the wheeling E H the right Flanke B F is the Front after the wheeling F C the right Flank the number of the Files are set downe in the Reare of both the figures because I had no place to set them in the Front for the intersection of the two Fronts By this yee may also easilie conceiue a wheeling to the left for making the sixt File leader to stand the right Flanke F C to moue forward and the left Flanke B A to fall backward and make a quarter turne vntill the Front B F shall be converted to the left hand Likewise yee may consider a wheeling to the right or left about if yee cause the Bodie make an halfe turne to either hand vntill the Front bee towardes the Reare so that B F shall fall parallel vnto the former Front whereas now it cuttes it perpendicularlie The wordes of Command for this Motion VVheele your Battell by the Center to the right hand VVheele your Battell by the Center to the left hand VVheele your Battell by the Center to the right or to the lefth and about This VVheeling doeth not alter the ground so much as the other wheelings The use of this Motion The vse of VVheeling is when the Enemie comes to assault you in any one place as on either of the Flankes or the Reare ye turne the Front of your Battell towardes him and so bringes your best men to fight with him which Good Commanders was alwayes accustomed to doe as I shew before But if he come to charge you on more places then one as in the Flankes and the Reare or in the Front and the Reare or in the Front and the Flankes VVheeling will doe you no good your onelie remeade will bee to face about and receiue his Charge By this Motion (e) Plutar. in Pyrrho Pyrrhus ouerthrew Arieius King of Lacedemon and (f) Polyb. Hict lib. 1. Sect. 21. Amilcar defeate Spendius with the rest of his Rebelles See the Histories For I will not burding this small Treatise with many Allegations Obserue that Epistrophe and Perispasmus are in the whole Battell the same which Clisis and Metabole was in a particular Souldier for as thir turnes the face of the Souldier to the Flanks or the Reare keeping still his place so doeth the others turne the Face or Front of the whole Battell to the Flankes or the Reare changing the ground There is another kind of VVheeling which is when the winges are wheeled into the Bodie this is done either towardes the Front or towardes the Reare If towardes the Front then yee command the middle File leaders to stand still I meane from changing of ground not from Motion for they moue in their owne place and the right wing to wheele forwards to the left about its owne middle Fileleader transferring their faces to the contrarie wing The left wing in the same time wheeles forward to the right about the other middle Fileleader meeting the other wing in the midst face to face Then the Commander bids the right wing face to the right hand and the leftwing to the left hand so they shall all haue their aspect towards the Front If the wheeling be towards the Reare ye must first face your Battell about by either hand then the bringersup of the middle Files who are now become leaders stands still both the wings shall moue about the Bringersvp the one to the right hand the other to the left till they meete other in the midst as did the former then the Commander may bring their aspect to the Front or the Reare as hee pleases IKLMNOPQ This figure is a Wheling of the wings into the midst of the Battell towards the Front where ye see the right wing K L O P to bee wheeling to the left hand about the middle Fileleader K* the left wing I K M N to be wheeling to the right about its own middle Fileleader marked also K* and ye must conceiue those two wings to moue still on vntill they meete other the Pickes joyning with the Pickes and the Musquetiers with the Musquetiers and then the left hand File of the left wing I M shall come in evin line with the right hand File of the right wing L P making thereof the Front of the Battell after they are turned and the File K N shall come in an evin line with K O making thereof the Reare N Q O is a parte of the ground where the Battell stoode before it began to wheele But if yee wheele your Battell towards the Reare ye must conceiue N and O to be joyned to stand still and the right wing after it is faced about to wheele to the right hand about O the left wing to wheele to the left hand about N vntill they meete other face to face so that the File I Mâ— shall come in evin line with L P. The words of Command for this Motion are Wheele the wings into the midst of your Battell Or Wheele your Battell to the right left hand by division towards the Front or towards the Reare The use of this wheeling is to bring all your Musquetiers or all your Pickes to the Front as occasion shall serue and therwith to double your Front The Musquetiers are brought to the Front by wheeling towards the Front if they were before on the Flankes The Pickes are brought to the Front by wheeling towardes the Reare if they were before in the middle Suppose then that an troupe of the enemies horse were comming to charge your Front or your Reare minding also to encompasse your winges by this wheeling of the winges into the midest of your Battell with one labour yee both bring your Pickes against the Enemies horse and doubles the length of your Battell to eschew over-winging This wheeling hath onely a quarterturne but if yee will make an halfe turne either to the Front or the Reare yee shall bring the Pickes to both Flankes if they were before in the mids as in the former figure if yee should make an
foote and an halfe Obserue that when your Companie marcheth they must keepe 3. foote betweene Files and 6 foote between Rankes Close Order or third distance is when your Souldiers stand a foote and an halfe remoued from File to File and 3. foote from Ranke to Ranke and this distance is onely for Picke-men when they charge or receiue the charge of the Enemie For the Musquetiers are neuer to bee closer than three foote in square because they must haue a free use of their Armes (c) Aelian Tact. c. 11. Aelian calleth this distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constipatio or a joyning of Targets together and taketh vp a cubitt There is also a double Distance or open open Order which containeth 12. foote betwixt Rankes and Files and is used when ye march toward a Forte to let the shotte goe through the Files and when ye double your Files by conuersiō Now the measure of those Distances cannot be taken justlie by the eye but the Souldier to learne them must acompt the distance of sixe foote to bee betwixt File and File when the Souldiers streatching out their airmes toucheth one anothers hands and betwixt Rankes when the endes of their Pickes come well neare to the heelles of them that march before As for the Musquetiers they must keepe levell with the Pickes And the measure of the 3. foote betwixt the Files is whē their Elbowes toucheth one another betwixt Rankes when they come vp to touch one anothers Swords The measure of a foote and an halfe betwixt Files is when they joyne shoulder to shoulder Manie Commanders holdes that open Order is not sixe foote in square but is 12 foote in Ranke and 6. in File Order 6. foote in Ranke and 3. in File but I leaue euerie man to his owne opinion For it is in Militarie Discipline as in all others Sciences Certant doctores adhuc sub judice lis est Alwayes the former opinion is most receiued What Distance and intervall the Romans used betwixt the Maniples and Cohortes of their Legions (d) Veget. de re Militari lib. 3. cap. 15. see Vegetius Of Marching Tit. 4. AFter that a confused Bodie of men is orderlie digested into Files and Rankes and that euerie one of them knoweth their Distance the next thing of consideration is how to make them March in due order All Marches are either in Battell array or by diuisions I will not here touch the Grecian Marches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge wherof I remitte the Reader to find in (a) Aelian Tactic cap. 35. cap. 36.37 38. sequent Aelians Tactikes but will onelie speake of the ordinarie Marches used now a-dayes Suppose then that yee haue a Companie of men consisting of 200. whereof the one halfe are Pickes and the other Musquetiers and yee would draw them vp in Battel You must first know what should bee the length of your Battell that is How many men ye should put in Ranke the deipth alreadie knowne 10. which is speedilie done thus Diuide your whole number 200. by the deipth 10. the quotus beeing 20. sheweth you the length of your Battell so that you haue 20 in Ranke and therefore your Battell consisteth of 20. Files 10. deepe Of those 20. Files 10. are Pickes 10. Musquetiers which you shall dispose after this manner Set your 10 Files of Pickes altogether diuide your 10. Files of Musquetiers and draw them vp fiue of them vpon the right hand of the Pickes and the other fiue vpon the left hand of the pickes all fronting equally so that the Bodie of your Pickes shall bee flanked with your Musquetiers vpon the right and left as you see in the Figurs following where P. signifieth the Picke-men and M. the Musquetiers for lacke of better figurs to expresse them ABCDEF Heere then yee see your 10. Files or bodie of Pickes are B. E. your fiue Files of Musquetiers on the right Flanke of your pickes C. F. the other 5. Files of Musquetiers on the left Flanke A. D. frō C. to A. is the whole number of your Files as well Musquetiers as Pickes from C. to F. the number of your Rankes Now if yee would march by diuisions as being forced by the straitnesse of the ground yee are to command the Bodie to make an halt or stand then yee command the fiue Files of Musquetiers which are on the right Flanke of the Pickes to march out from the Bodie till their Bringers vp bee before the file-File-Leaders of the Pickes And this shall bee your first diuision of Musquetiers Next yee are to command the fiue Files of Pickes on the right hand to march out from the rest and to follow the Musquetiers Fileing euin with them but keeping a distance of 12 foote betwixt the diuisions where the Enseigne must march and this shall bee your first diuision of Pickes After them shall follow therest of the Pickes which shall bee your second diuision of Pickes keeping also a distance as the former Last of all shall follow the 5. Files of Musquetiers which was on the left Flancke of the Pickes and this shall bee your second diuision of Musquetiers The Officers of the Companie must bee thus placed The Captaine marcheth in the Front before the first diuision of Musquetiers The Enseigne with the Colours is to march before the first diuision of pickes The oldest Sergeant is to leade the second diuision of pickes The second Sergeant leads the second diuision of Musquetiers The Leiuetenant marcheth after the second diuisiō of Musquetiers bringeth vp the Reare The chiefest Drumme beats in the first diuision of Pickes betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke The second Drumme beats in the first diuision of Musquetiers betwixt the 3. and 4 Ranke but some by the contrare maketh the chiefest Drumme to beate in the first diuision of Musqueties because say they the Captaine ought to haue the chiefe Drum with him Some also I haue seene make the Drum who marcheth with the Pickes to beate in the Front beside the Enseigne but those differences are not of great moment if the Companie haue a third Drum he shall beate in the last diuision of Musquetiers The figure following expresseth this march clearclie In this figure then A. B. C. is the first diuision of Musquetiers before which the Captaine marcheth In D. the second Drum beates betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke D. E. F. is the first diuision of Picks C. D. is the interuall or distance betwixt the first diuision of Musquetiers and the first diuision of Pickes where the Enseigne marcheth In E. the first Drumme beateth betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke of Pickes G. H. is the second diuision of Pickes F. G. the distance betwixt the two diuisions of Pickes which is the oldest Sergeants place I. K. is the last diuision of Musquetiers H. I. the interuall where the second Sergeant marcheth K. is the place of the Leiuetenant in the Reare Now when ye come againe to a faire Campaigne desireth to
Battell and it is assured that a few number of men well disciplined and beeing perfect in their Militarie Motions are able to rencounter and ouerthrow great multitudes without practise of Armes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) Aelian Tact. cap. 3. sayeth Aelian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee finde often great Forces to bee by their disorder ouercome by a few well ordered and exercised and therefore the chiefe thing that Souldiers are to vnderstand is their Militarie Motions for the Science of thir Motions is the definition of the Arte Militarie These then I shall sette downe in some fewe Titles with as great varietie and perspicuitie as I can touching onelie the auncient exercise in so farre as it is a ground or doeth agree with our moderne Discipline The Motions of Troupes are two folde of the whole or of a parte of the whole either in keeping ground or changing ground Keeping ground when euerie person moueth in his proper place as in Faceing Changeing ground when the Battaillon changeth the ground it stood in as in counter-march and wheeleing The Motion of a parte is when a part of the Battell moueth and a parte standeth still as in doublinges closinges openings for in those Motions some Rankes or Files standeth the rest moueth I will then begin with Faceing Faceing is a Motion transferring the Souldiers face to the Flanke or the Reare of the Battell And therefore is of two sortes the one when the Souldier maketh a Quarter turne to the right or the left hand the other when hee maketh an halfe turne The first Motion the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is defined by (b) Aelian Tact. c. 24. Aelian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Motion of the Souldier turning his face to the Picke or the Target that is to the right or the left hand For the Grecians as I told you before caried a Picke in their right hand and a Target in the left but I wonder why Aelian calleth it a Motion of the Armed Souldier onelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did also use this Motion The action of this Motion is thus performed How to performe the Motiō the Souldier standeth firme with his left Legge and turning onelie vpon his heele draweth backe the right Legge if hee face to the right hand or bringeth foreward the right Legge if hee face to the left hand this is to bee done in a stand but in a March faceing to the right hand they must bring foreward their left Legge The use of the Motiō The use of this Motion at a stand is to be ready at an instant to receiue the charge of the Enemie if they assaile either of your Flankes But if ye face and march yee may thereby preuent the Enemie from falling vpon your winges (c) Leo Tact. c. 7. § 79. as Leo showeth by bringing your Battell to some Riuer or other Strength and also to eschew some dangerous ground as Alexander did at Arbela who perceiuing that Darius had strowed the ground betweene the two Battels with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Calthropes faced his right winge to the right hand and marched about (d) Polienus Stratag lib. 4. in Alexandro § 17. See Polienus But if the Enemie charge both your Flankes at one time yee must face the halfe of your Battell to the right hand the other half to the left that is the halfe of your Files which are vpon the right Flanke faces to the right hand the other halfe which are vpon the left Flanke faces to the left hand and this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described by (e) Aelian Tact. c. 38. Aelian and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Captaine (f) In his Notes vpon Ael Tact. cap. 25. Bingame sayeth The formes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee shall see in the figures following ABCD EFGH IKLMNO The figure A. B. C. D. is a faceing of the whole Battell to the right where that which was before the right Flanke B. D. is now become the Front the Reare before C. D. is now become the right Flāke the Front before A. B. is now become the left Flanke the left Flanke before A.C. is now become the Reare The figure E. F. G. H. is a faceing of the Battel to the left where that which was the left Flāk before E. G. is now become the Front The right Flanke F. H. the Reare The Front E. F. the right Flanke The Reare G. H. the left Flanke The figure I. K. L. M. N. O. is a faceing of the Battell to the right and left by diuision where the one halfe of the Battell K. L. N. O. consisting of 5. Files of Pickes and 5. of Musquetiers faces to the right hand and maketh the Front L O. which before was the right Flanke the other halfe I. K. M. N. consisting of alike Files faces to the left and maketh the Front I. M. which before was the left Flanke so that thereby it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a double fronted Battell The wordes of command are these Face to the right As yee were Face to the left As yee were Face to the right and left by diuision As yee were Some say onlie To the Right To the Left c. Our Scots wordes of command are Right about To your first oder Left about To your first oder Right and left about To your first oder But they are not so proper as the former The second manner of faceing is when the Souldiers maketh an halfe turne to the Reare by the right or left hand The French calleth it Demy tour a droit or a Gauch The Greekes calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) Leo Tact. cap. 7. § 79. 84 Leo calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelian (h) Aelian Tact. c. 24. defineth it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Translation of the former aspect to the Reare The Motion is done as the other How to doe the Motion except that the Souldier maketh twise so great a Turne for standing fast with his left Leg he onelie turneth vpon his heele and draweth backe his right Legge if hee face to the right about and bringeth foreward his right Legge if hee face to the left about but in a March faceing to the right about hee must bring foreward his left Legge The use of it is The use of the Motion if the Enemie charge your Reare then yee are readie to receiue him by turning the faces of all the Souldiers of your Battell to the Reare against him which (i) Plutar. in Pyrro Pyrrhus King of Epirus did comming out of Argos beeing pressed with a multitude of Enemies and (k) Zenoph Cyroped lib. 7. 189. Cyrus comming from the walls of Babylon to his Campe often faced about his Armie to receiue the Enemie who saliing out of the
yee may by this Motion bring your File-leaders who are your best men to encounter with him for it was euer the use of good Cōmanders to bring the front of their Battel against their enemies Thus Frōtinus witnesseth Alexāder Iulius Caesar to haue bene accustomed to bring the Souldiers who were in acie or the Front of the Battell to fight against their Enemie (l) Frontinus Strat. lib. I. c. 3. Alexander Macedo cum haberet vehementem exercitum semper eum statum belli elegit ut acie confligeret Caius Casar Bello civili cum exercitum vete ranum haberet hostium autem tyronem esse sciret acie semper decertare studuit COuntermarching of Rankes is when one wing of your Battell is brought in place of the other OF Counter-marching of Rankes or the wings into the midst of the Battell or one wing to double the other This Countermarch is also threefolde as the former of Files for it is Macedonian Laceden onian and Chorean The Macedonian taketh the ground which is on the contrare wing from the Enemie and therefore seemeth to march away from him The Lacedemonian taketh the ground which lyeth on the side of that wing which is towards the Enemie therefore maketh a show of charging him The Chorean keepeth still the same ground whereon the Battell stood before the Countermarch Aelian speaketh but little of those coūtermarches by Rāks neither haue I sene them much used in our exercise Yet for your vnderstanding I will set downe their Motion and their figures because some good use may bee made of them In the Macedonian Countermarch by Ranke the right hand corner File faces to the left hand stands the rest of euerie Ranke passes through and place themselues orderlie behind their right hand sidemen beginning either with the vttermost File on the left Flanke or with the File next the right hand File and so they take vp the ground which was on the right wing of the Battell RSVX STXY R S V X is the Battell before the Countermarch S T X Y the Battell after the Countermarche which hath left the place it had and takin the place vpon the right wing and are all faced about to the left so that the front before R S is now become the right Flanke S T. The right hand File before S X is now become the Front The words of command Left wing Countermarche through to the place beyond the right wing or Rankes Countermarche from the left wing to the right The Lacedemonian Countermarche by Ranke is when the left hand corner File turnes his face to the left hand the rest of euery Rank passe through to the left and place themselues orderly before their left hand side-man beginning either from the vttermost File on the right hand or from the File next to the left hand File ABDE BCEF Yee see this Battell hath left the place where it stood B C E F and taken the ground beyond the left wing A B D E they are all faced about to the left The Front before the Countermarch was B C and is now become the right Flanke A B. The right hād File C F is now the Front A D The left hand File B E keeping still its place becomes the Reare The wordes of Command Right wing Countermarche through to the place beyond the left wing or Rankes Countermarche from the right wing to the left The Chorean Countermarche by Ranke is when the right hand corner File faces to the left and marches forward to the place of the left hand File the rest of euery rank following it the body mouing joyntly together while the right hand File come to the place of the left hand File and the left hand File to the place of the right hand File so that the bodie keepeth still that same ground it had before or to doe this more easily face only about your Battell to the left and then command a Countermarche of Files and this will produce the samine effect for it is all one to bring the front of your Battell to the Reare when it is faced to the right as to bring the right wing to the left before it bee faced GHIK In this Battell ye see the first man of euery Ranke with his Sydman that is to say the first two Files on the right Flank H K are turned are Counter-marching through the distances betwixt the Ranks the rest hath followed them on to the right Flank and hath left the place of the left Flank G I so-much voyd as the first two Files hath marched through the Ranks from the place of the right Flanke So that the right hand File shall marche on till it come to the place of the left hand File G I And the left hand File till it come to the place of the right hand File H K and so the Battell shall maintaine the samine ground it stood in and bee faced to the left The words of Command are Ranks to the right or left hand Countermarche and maintaine ground Our words of Command are Countermarch your Ranks to the right or left hand The use of Countermarching by Ranks is when the enemie appeareth on your left wing to charge you yee may by this motion oppose him with your best men and bring your right wing in place of the left against him and may applie your left wing to some advantage as a Riuer Marish or Trench that thereby it may be secure from encompassing or else it serues to bring one of your wings in place of the other when beeing embattelled ye minde to change the forme of your embattelling as if yee desire to set the right wing of your Battell against the right wing of your enemies Battell for some advantage of fight This did (m) Herodot in Calliope 248. Plutarch in Aristide Pausanias generall of the Grecian armie at the Battell of Platea against the Persians who hauing embattelled the Lacedemonians in the right wing of his armie and the Athenians in the left Mardonius the Persian Generall gaue the Thebans and other Greekes his right wing and the Persians the left wing Now Pausanias desiring to oppose the Athenians against the Persians as beeing better acquainted with the Persian fights then the Lacedemonians he Countermarched his right wing to the place of the left and so brought the Athenians against the Persians which Mardonius perceiuing did the like immediatlie Countermarched his right wing of Thebans to the left wing of the Persians as fearing to joyne the Persians with the Athenians By this manner of Countermarche yee may bring your wings in place of the body of your batallion which is this done Your right hand File faces to the left the left hand File to the right and marche both in towards the center of the Battell while they meet other face to face the rest of each Ranke vpon both wings followes them and marches out vntill the two middle Files
the first ranke hath giuen fyre it standeth still the Ranke next it passeth vp through the same Ranke and presenteh in due distance before it and giueth fyre the third Ranke passeth through them both and giueth fyre before them and so the rest of the ranks successiuelie till the bringers-vp haue giuen fyre in the Front But I thinke this not so fit for seruice as to show the varietie of exercise If the Commander please to make more execution against the enemie hee may command the second Ranke to double the first and to giue fyre altogether so that for fiue shotte hee may shoote ten and for ten twentie The use of this exercise is to advance and to charge the Enemie if yee bee stronger than he and to gaine ground vpon him But if ye desire not to gaine ground as beeing more fite to defend then offend yee may make the Rankes giue fyre where they stand without advancing and fall away to the right or to the right and left as before If ye sustaine a charge both in Front and Reare then they who hath giuen fyre falleth away to either hand and joynes in the the division made through the middle of the Battell betweene the two middle rankes as in the figure following ABCD A B C D is a winge of 100 Musquetiers wherof the one halfe of the rankes giues fyre in the Front A B The other halfe of the Rankes giues fyre in the Reare C D and the Ranks that hath giuen fyre both of A B and C D to wit the first and the tenth falles away to the right and left hand and joynes in the division E euerie man toward his owne Front the Rankes next them presentes giues fyre and falles away as the former and so all the rest Or else they may fall away by Countermarch as I haue said before but in so doing they must bee expert Musquetiers and carie their Peeces aright otherwise they will disturbe the whole Ranks And it is a verie comelie sight to see this Battell when the pickes are charged both to the Front Reare the Musquetiers doing their duetie that is giuing fyre and falling away by Countermarch gracefullie and with readinesse as I haue seene the Souldiers of the Artillerie Garding doe it most exactlie How to Giue fire in the Reare The second way of Giuing fyre is in Reteiring from the Enemie and then they giue fire in the Reare which is in this manner The Captaine marching in the Reare for that is his place in a retreit from the Enemie honour beeing alwayes accompanied with danger commands the last Ranke to make ready and then to the right hand about and giue fire which they doe the body still continuing their marche and thereafter turnes off to the right hand or if they be many to the right left towardes both Flankes or else through the divisiones of the body which are made for that end and marches vp a good swift pace to the Front where euerie man falles in the Front of his own File As soone as the last Rank is turned to giue fire the next Rank makes ready and when the last Ranke is fallen off and marched away it turnes about giues fire falls off and doth all as the former did and so all the rest of the Rankes successiuelie one after another as in the figure following FGHI F G H I is a winge of an 100 Musquetiers Retireing from the enemie where yee see the 10 Ranke in the Reare hath giuen fire turned to the right hand divided it selfe and fallen away the on halfe through the division H F betwixt the Musquetiers and the Picks the other halfe through the division K and are marching away vp to the Front but if yee would keepe the bodie of your Musquetiers whole ye may make the Ranke which giues fyre divide it selfe and the one halfe fall away to the right hand the other to the left so that the halfe which falls away through the division K shall fall away by the Flanke I G. The ninth Ranke hath turned about and presented and after it giueth fyre divideth it selfe and marcheth away as the former and so doeth all the Rankes successiuelie one after another continueing still their march and giuing fyre vpon the Enemie If yee would make more execution vpon the Enemie yee may make the penult Ranke double the last as I show before in doubling the Front The use of Giuing fyre Reteiring is when the Enemie is stronger than you and followes you in the Reare yee beeing much weaker and not able to encounter him yee march away and makes haste to gaine your owne Quarters or Trenche or Forte from whence you sortied or to joyne with moe of your owne arme and yet ye skirmish with the Enemie giuing fyre vpon him and no wayes hindering your owne marche The third way of Giuing fyre is How to Giue fire on the Flankes Marching by an Enemie which is done vpon the Flanks after this maner The outmost File of the Flanke next the Enemie is commanded to make ready and to turne to the right or left hand according as the Enemie appeares vpon the right or left wing and to giue fire altogether thereafter they march not with the bodie but stands still and keepes their ground and charges their Musquets againe Now whensoeuer the foresaid File turnes to giue fire the next File vnto it makes readie keeping alwayes along with the Body till its bringer-up bee past a litle beyond the leader of the File that gaue last fyre and then the whole File must turne and giue fire and doe all as the former did Thereafter the first File marches up and joynes with the second File Assoone as the second File turnes to giue fyre the third File which is now outmost towards the Enemie makes ready turnes about giues fyre and doth all as the other two and so the rest one after another and then the first two Files marcheth vp to the third and those three to the fourth after it hath discharged and so foorth all the rest till the whole wing of shotte be gathered together and then they all marche vp and joyne in equall Front with the Pickes as yee see in the figure following KLMN K L M N is a winge of 100 Musquetiers marching by an Enemie who showes himselfe on the right Flanke of the Battallion L N Your first File P. towards him hath giuen fyre vpon him and hath charged their Musquets againe in the place they stood The next File hath also giuen fyre vpon him and are charging againe in the same ground also the third File hath turned to the right hand and so hath presented to giue fyre after which yee must imagine the first File P. to march vp and joyne with the second File O. and both of them to marche vp to the third File and so foorth till the whole wing gather and joyne together againe after they haue given fyre The like yee
wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When the file-File-Leader turning his face about to the Picke transferreth the whole File to a place equall to the first the rest following standeth behind him or else When the Bringer-vp turnes his face about and hee that stood next before him passing by on either hand is placed againe next before him and the rest following takes place one before another as they stood till the File Leader be first GHIKLM G H I K is the Battell before the Countermarch I K L M the Battell after the Countermarch which hath left the ground it stood in before and taken the ground behind it the Flankes are changed as in the former figure H K the right Flanke to K M the left and G I the left Flanke to I L the right But the Front G H is brought to be the Front L M contrarie to the former where the Front of both figures A B did keepe still one place The wordes of Command Files Countermarch and loose ground The proceeding of this Countermarch is contrare to the former for the Macedonian tooke the ground before the Battell but this possesseth the ground after the Battell In the Macedonian the Motion is from the Reare to the Front in this the Motion is from the Front to the Reare The Macedonian seemeth to runne away but the Lacedemonian to charge and therefore it is preferred to the Macedonian by (e) Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian because sayeth hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It maketh a show of falling on the Enemie appearing behind Whereas the Macedonian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It maketh a semblance to the Enemies appearing in the Reare of flying away neuerhelesse in some cases the Macedonian is of greater use as if ye desire to gaine some ground of advantage or else when yee desire to March on not giue Battell for by it ye doe noways hinder your March but coÌ„tinueth the same in the meane time may mak your Musquetiers giue fire vpon the Enemie so that ye both March fight But the Laced emonian falleth on vpon the Enemie and interupteth the March (f) Zenephon bistor grec lib. 6.605 Agesilaus the Lacedemonian Generall seemeth to haue used this Countermarch when hee made his Armie to March out of the Straites of Mantinea perceiuing that his Enemies were to charge his Reare from the Hilles he made his Reare-guarde to Countermarch and goe out of the Straites himselfe staying last with the Avantguarde The samine (g) Zenoph hist grec lib. 4.519 Agesilaus hauing embattelled his Troupes at Coronea against the Thebans himselfe had the right wing of the phalanx put the Argiues on the left wing of the Theban Armie to flight but the Thebans hauing beaten the Orchemenians who were vpon his left wing forced a passage through them to the Baggadge which hee vnderstanding did presentlie Countermarch his phalanx ledde against them where after a fnrious chocke hee killed manie of them and manie fled away to Helicon after their Confederates The Persian or Cretan Countermarch used by the Persians and Cretans is also called Chorean from the similitude of the Grecian Dances which â—he Dauncers called Chorus used for they ordered themselues in Rankes and Files and danced one through another keeping the same bounds of the place This Countermarch is described by (h) Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Chorean is when the File-leaders turning to the Picke or the Target preceedeth the File The rest following till the Leader haue gotten the place of the Bringer-vp the Bringer vp the place of the Leader the Bedie mouing joynthie together so that this Countermarch maintaines and keepes the samine ground the Batell stood in And this is our Moderne Countermarch which wee use in our exercease NOPQ Yee see the figure N O P Q where the File-leaders of euerie File with their next followers that is to say The first two Rankes are turned to the right hand and hath begun to Countermarch and are in the distances betwixt the Files so that the two last of euerie File that is The 10. and 9. Rank hath marched vp with the rest to the Front N O. and hath left the place of the Reare P Q so much voyd as the first two Ranks hath marched through the Files from the place of the Front so that the File-Leaders shall march vntill they come to the place of the Bringers-vp P Q. and the Bringers vp till they come to the place of the File leaders N O. and there doe stand and face about with the rest Captaine (i) Bingam in his Notes vpon Aelians Tact. c. 28. Bingam expresseth this Motion more liuelie by figures of Armed Picke-men The wordes of Command Files to the right hand Countermarch Files to the left hand Countermarch Our wordes of Command are Stringes to the right hand Countermarch Stringes to the left hand Countermarch Because this Chorean Countermarch is that which is used in our exercease How the Motion of this Counter-march is done I will shew you how the motion is performed If the word of Command be to Countermarch to the right hand then all the File-leaders at one instant stepeth foreward with the right legge and bringing about their left legge turneth their Bodie to the right hand and so march downe through the Files till they come to the place of the Bringers-vp where they shall stand the rest that followeth the File-leaders must not offer to turne before they haue come vp to the place of the File-leaders If the Command bee to the left hand then the File-leaders must step foreward with the left leg and bringing about the right legge turne their Bodie to the left hand march downe as the former The figure N O P Q showeth a Countermarch to the right hand The other to the left hand by it may be easilie vnderstood for if yee make the File-leaders to turne toward N P. which yee see now turned towards O Q. it shal be a Countermarch to the left haÌ„d It seemeth to mee to be this Chorean Countermarch whereof the Emperour (k) Leo Tact. c. 12 § 65. Lee speaketh giuing this word of Command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is to bee obserued in this Motion of Countermarch that cuerie follower remarke his Leader and his right hand man that by them hee may keepe a due distance for otherwise the least disorder in this Motion will breed a confusion of the whole Bodie Obserue also that this Motion of Countermarch cannot bee done but at open Order Also it ought not to bee practised when the Enemie is neare hand for if the Enemie should suddenlie charge a Battell while it is Counterraarching hee should assuredlie ouerthrow it so that in this case the best expedient is to face about your Battell The use of Countermarching of Files is if the Enemie appeare in the Reare and come to charge you