Cycle-Infantry Drill Regulations
Cite this book
Citation
Albert Ordway. Cycle-Infantry Drill Regulations. 1892. cyclearchive.com, https://cyclearchive.com/books/cycle-infantry-drill-regulations-a-ordway-1892/
Page numbers are pages of the PDF, which can differ from the numbers printed on the page.
Contents
- Ordway's preface cites Gen. Nelson A. Miles's report on the bicycle tests by regular troops at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and says no comprehensive drill system for military cycling had been published before this one.
- Miles's speech at the League of American Wheelmen banquet in Chicago on 31 May 1892 argues that the bicycle will serve armies as couriers and for rapid movement of troops, citing Sherman, Forrest and the Chicago to New York despatch ride.
- Defines column, depth, distance, front and interval, and fixes the cycle-distance and cycle-interval at six feet, measured from the rear wheel to the front wheel and from steering-pillar to steering-pillar.
- The cycle company is treated as mounted infantry that dismounts where it is to act, with cycle-infantry useful as a courier and signal auxiliary, for the defence of long lines of fortifications and for riots in cities.
- Recruits must already ride well before drill; instruction is short, frequent and progressive, starts with small squads, and is given by sergeants and corporals under an officer, with the able recruits separated out.
- The squad drill with the cycle, from leading out and circling through lifting, grounding, inverting, supporting and stacking the machines, to mounted marching, turning and dismissing the squad.
- The men lead their cycles without looking at them to the places the instructor designates, forming single rank from right to left at six-foot intervals measured steering-pillar to steering-pillar.
- Dismounted alignments follow the infantry school, each man lifting his cycle sideways to correct his interval and moving it forward or back to correct his alignment, with the basis one cycle-distance in front of the squad.
- Each man leads his cycle on a two-yard radius circle, regulating on the flank man, to train the recruit to change direction before the squad moves on the circle as a whole.
- At the command Front the cycle is led to the front and left until parallel to the line, the man facing front; Stand to Cycle reverses the movement.
- Executed as for cycles front, but the man turns to the right and faces the rear.
- Grasping the bar at the balance and the top of the steering-pillar, the man lifts the cycle a few inches off the ground, and the Order command lowers it again.
- The cycle is moved to the front or rear, then lowered to the ground by stepping backward until it rests, and the man takes the soldier's position; Take raises it again.
- The cycle is lowered to within about twelve inches of the ground, pressed against the shin and turned upside down so that it rests on its steering-handle and saddle, and Take brings it upright again.
- Lined up behind or in front of an object, the cycle is wheeled or moved up to within supporting distance and leant against it, and then taken back up on command.
- Odd-numbered men lift their cycles and pass to the right of them, then the pairs are lifted together and inclined until their steering-handles cross to make a stack; Take separates them.
- At Rest the cycle may be held in any position, and At Base the man keeps his right hand on the steering-pillar; Squad, Attention resumes the stand to cycle.
- The man on the right leads his cycle one cycle-distance to the front and then moves away from the line, mounting or leading as he chooses, and each of the others follows in turn.
- The movements are explained for mounted men, though recruits learn them first dismounted with the cycle, and the same commands serve both forms.
- The head is held erect and square to the front, the body inclined slightly forward with straight arms and legs, and the ball of each foot rests lightly on its pedal.
- The brake is applied and speed reduced, then the rider throws his weight onto the pedals and swings the right leg over the rear wheel, comes lightly to the ground and takes the soldier's position.
- The mounted gaits are slow time at the infantry quick time of 300 feet a minute, quick time at the infantry double time of 540 feet a minute, and double time, the fastest the formation and alignment will hold.
- At Guide right the squad moves off with the guide straight ahead; the instructor checks the uniform gait and the six-foot intervals, and at Dress the men look toward the guide and correct.
- Whenever the squad is moving, Squad, Halt makes the men dismount and stand to cycle.
- Each man turns thirty degrees and keeps his cycle parallel to that of the man on his right, so the rank stays parallel to its original front, and the men turn back thirty degrees on Forward.
- The pivot man turns his cycle ninety degrees and halts while the others turn thirty degrees and move by the shortest line onto the new alignment, dressing on him until the instructor calls Front.
- The man on the right turns ninety degrees and moves forward at the same speed while the others turn thirty degrees, move in double time and dress on the pivot's new line.
- In fours with no chiefs of platoon or file-closers, the instructor announces the guide toward either flank.
- From a halt in line each four wheels ninety degrees to the right, and once the wheel is done the men mount and move straight ahead at quick time, dressing on the guide at eighteen feet apart.
- In column of fours the leading four wheels to the right and the others move on and wheel over the same ground, so that the column turns as a whole.
- The fours wheel into column and the column turns right or half-right in one movement, the guide being left or right.
- Each four wheels one hundred and eighty degrees to the right, so the column reverses, and the flanks must be kept clear of one another.
- The right four marches straight to the front and the other fours wheel right and then left to follow it, each one wheeling into column in turn.
- The men turn individually to the right and march at an angle, then turn back to resume the original direction.
- The fours wheel to the right and halt, or move forward, to unite in a line that the guide's command names.
- The leading four wheels and marches thirty yards in the new direction before halting and dressing; each following four moves four yards past the wheeling point, wheels, and takes its place on the new alignment.
- The leading four marches straight to the front and halts after thirty yards, while each other four obliques to its place and halts just short of the line.
- The fours wheel about to the right, and the command halt is given as they unite in line.
- The fours wheel about and march to the rear, the men mounting only once the wheel is complete.
- From a halt the first two of each four move straight ahead, while the second two keep their cycles straight until passed and then oblique to follow at six feet.
- Nos. 1 and 2 of each four march two yards and halt while Nos. 3 and 4 oblique until uncovered and then march up abreast of them.
- No. 1 of each set holds the base while Nos. 2, 3 and 4 oblique to form on his left, following the same principle as forming from column of twos.
- Each two wheels ninety degrees to the right and moves forward in the new direction, keeping six feet between twos.
- Movements in column of files are executed by the same commands and means as in column of fours or twos.
- The man on the right leads his cycle ninety degrees to the right, and each man wheels in turn when the man on his right has moved six feet, with the command halt given as the last man completes his wheel.
- The company is grouped into squads under corporals, its officers and sergeants must study these regulations, and carbines are carried slung or clipped to the cycles.
- The company is formed as in the US Infantry Drill Regulations, in single rank when armed with the carbine, and the cycles are stacked, supported, grounded or inverted before it dismounts.
- The company stands in single rank with carbines slung or clipped to the cycles, its squads become sections in two platoons, and the captain and officers and sergeants take their posts in front and rear.
- Company alignments follow the School of the Cyclist: the captain takes post three yards from the flank, the guidon and principal guide move to their places, and the chiefs take their posts.
- The captain directs the first sergeant to dismiss the company, the officers fall out, and the first sergeant salutes and dismisses it.
- When the company marches in line the guidon takes post beside the guide on the flank indicated and moves to a new position when the guide is changed by command.
- Marching in line or in column, the company passes obstacles by closing or opening intervals, or by breaking into column of fours.
- A company right or left turn follows the pivot rules of the squad, with the chiefs of platoons moving by the shortest lines and the guidon abreast of the pivot man.
- The company moves into column of fours, twos or files by the commands of the squad, with the chiefs of platoons on the left of the leading four and the captain opposite the centre.
- A section column is a company in column of sections, with sections forty-two feet apart, the guidon abreast of the leading section and the captain six yards from the column's flank.
- Each section turns and halts, and its chief takes post two yards in front of its centre, verifying the alignment and calling Front.
- Each section turns and advances, the leading section's chief keeps the gait uniform, and the sections follow the trace of the one in front at section distance.
- From a halt the column moves forward, the guide being named right or left.
- The sections oblique together and keep their parallelism to the original front, and resume the direct march when the forward command is given.
- The leading section turns to the right and the others march squarely up to the turning point and turn in succession, each chief calling the guide as his section turns.
- The fours wheel about, the captain halts the column as they unite, and the guidon turns individually and moves up abreast of the leading section.
- The fours wheel about and the column marches back, with the guide named left or right.
- The sections turn right or left and halt in line, the guidon taking post on the pivot flank of the rear section.
- The leading section turns and marches thirty yards before halting and dressing, and each following section moves section front past the turning point and turns in to the line.
- Close column leaves six yards between sections, and the file-closers close to one yard from the rear rank, falling back to two yards when the full distance is taken again.
- From a halt the rear sections move forward and each stops six yards behind the one before it, with the chiefs dressing their sections toward the guide.
- From a halt the first section advances, and each following section chief moves his section forward until it has full distance, the guide being named right or left.
- The sections turn by fours to march by the flank, with the guide named left or right or centre.
- The sections unite in one column of fours, the right or left leading.
- Each section chief places himself at the head of his section, the sections execute front into line, and the command halt is given when the leading four has advanced section distance.
- In column of fours or twos on route order the captain and first lieutenant lead, the trumpeters, guidon and file-closers march near the head, and the men resume their posts at Company, Attention.
- Cycle-infantry can break up mobs before they organise: they dismount on approaching the disturbance and act as infantry, leaving the cycles under guard, and they take up a defensive position with cycles as a barricade if they are too few to attack.
- From column of sections the first platoon's flanking sections move right forward and the second platoon's left forward, forming a square with the officers and file-closers inside.
- The square opens into column by the first section advancing section distance, the sections of each platoon wheeling into line in turn, and the rear section moving forward last.
- Extended order follows the US Infantry Drill Regulations, the company dismounting where it is ordered to assume it, since the cycle gives no protection and would only draw fire.
- In reviews and parades the company parades mounted and follows the US Drill Regulations, but guard mounting is done dismounted and without the cycles.
- The captain inspects each cycle by raising its wheels to check tyres and spokes, turning the pedals and testing the brake, lamp, bell, tool-bag and pack; the carbines are inspected after the cycles are stacked.
- Muster follows inspection: with cycles stacked and carbines unslung the mustering officer calls each name, and each man answers Here and brings his carbine to the arms.
- The nickel finish is kept dry and the enamel free of oil, bearings are cleaned with benzine at least twice a year, the chain is oiled and never run dry, the nipples are adjusted with a monkey-wrench, and a tyre is cemented with a heated compound on the felloe.
- Arm signals for forward, right and left oblique, fours right and left, fours about, change direction, skirmishers, halt, assemble and rally, with the whistle call to fix the attention before a signal.
- Whistle calls for deploy, assemble, double time, rally by platoon, sections or fours, and attention, the last being the same as cease firing and the most important to learn.
- Trumpet calls for mount, dismount, forward, halt, the three gaits, guides, fours and column movements, company and section movements, skirmishers, rally and cease firing.