Shoulder Arms

PART SECOND.
GENERAL RULES.

SS 125. The instructor will not pass the men to this second part until they shall be well established in the position of the body, and in the manner of marching at the different steps.

SS 126. He will then unite four men, whom be will place in the same rank, elbow to elbow, and instruct them in the position of shouldered arms, as follows:

LESSON 1. PRINCIPLES OF SHOULDERED ARMS.

SS 127. The recruit being placed as explained in the first lesson of the -first part, the instructor will cause him to bend the right arm slightly, and place the piece in it, in the following manner.

SS 128. The piece in the right hand-the barrel nearly vertical and resting in the hollow of the shoulder - the guard to the front, the arm hanging nearly at its full length near the body; the thumb and fore-finger embracing the guard, the remaining fingers closed together, and grasping the swell of the stock just under the cock, which rests on the little finger.

SS 129. Recruits are frequently seen with natural defects in the conformation of the shoulders, breast and hips. These the instructor will labor to correct in the lessons without arms, and afterwards, by steady endeavors, so that the appearance of the pieces, in the same line, may be uniform, and this without constraint to the men in their positions.

SS 130. The instructor will have occasion to remark that recruits, on first bearing arms, are liable to derange their position by lowering the right shoulder and the right hand, or by sinking the hip and spreading out the elbows.

SS 131. He will be careful to correct all these faults by continually rectifying the position; he will sometimes take away the piece to replace it the better; he will avoid fatiguing the recruits too much in the beginning, but labor by degrees to render this position so natural and easy that they may remain in it a long time without fatigue.

SS 132. Finally, the instructor will take great care that the piece, at a shoulder, be not carried too high nor too low. if too high, the right elbow would spread out, the soldier would occupy too much space in his rank, and the piece be made to waver; if too low, the files would be too much closed, the soldier would not have the necessary space to handle his piece with facility, the right arm would become too much fatigued, and would draw down the shoulder.

SS 133. The instructor, before passing to the second lesson, will cause to be repeated the movements of eyes right, left and front, and the facings.

Being at the position of Support Arms,

1. Shoulder 2. ARMS.
One time and three motions.

SS 147. (First motion.) Grasp the piece with the right hand under and against the left fore-arm; seize it with the left hand at the lower band, the thumb extended; detach the piece slightly from the shoulder, the left fore-arm along the stock.

SS 148. (Second motion.) Carry the piece vertically to the right shoulder with both hands, the rammer to the front, chancre the position of the right hand so as to embrace the guard with the thumb and fore-finger, slip the left hand to the height of the, shoulder, the fingers extended and joined, the right arm nearly straight.

SS 149. (Third motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the side

Being at Present Arms

1. Shoulder 2. ARMS.
One time and two motions.

SS 152. (First motion.) Bring the piece to the right shoulder, at the same time change, the position of the right hand so as to embrace the guard with the thumb and fore-finger, slip up the left hand to the height of the shoulder, the fingers extended and joined, the right arm nearly straight.

SS 153. (Second motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the side.

Being at the position of Order Arms

1. Shoulder 2. ARMS.
One time and two motions.

SS 161. (First motion.) Raise the piece vertically with the right hand to the height of the right breast, and opposite the shoulder, the elbow close to the body; seize the piece with the left hand below the right, and drop quickly the right hand to grasp the piece at the swell of the stock, the thumb and fore-finger embracing the guard; press the piece against the shoulder with the loft hand) the right arm nearly straight.

SS 162. (Second motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the side.

Being at the position of Right Shoulder Shift

1. Shoulder 2. ARMS.
One time and two motions.

SS 221. (First motion.) Raise the piece perpendicularly by extending the right arm to its full length, the rammer to the front; at the same time seize the piece with the left hand between the lower band and guide sight.

SS 222. (Second motion.) Quit the butt with the right hand, which will immediately embrace the guard, lower the piece to the position of shoulder arms, slide up the left hand to the height of the shoulder, the fingers extended and closed. Drop the left hand by the side.