Rear Rank One in Stacking Arms

[huntdaw]

So am I missing something? I read the manuals and it seems they say that the only guy who puts the rear rank #1's musket on the stack is that man and he is the only one that takes it off. Isn't that what they say? He reaches through and leans it on the stack. At the order to Take Arms, he reaches through and removes his weapon from the stack.

Now if that is so, how come I keep going to authentic events and keep having folks argue with me that the front rank #2 reaches back, takes it and stacks it for him and then hands it to him when breaking the stack? Isn't that less efficient? Doesn't that make it take more time to make or break the stack? Is it not written that way in any of the manuals? Has anyone read the manuals?

I'm not being facetious here. It happens so much - just the other day at Pickett's Mill for instance - that I am beginning to doubt my ability to comprehend what I'm reading. Please tell me if I am wrong and I will apologize and never say another word about it. But, if I'm right, I want to know so I can continue the crusade to get folks to do this simple thing correctly.

I also would suggest that every event has a stacking drill prior to going live. It will make things go much easier and help those that are not usually in that front rank 2 slot know what their role is.

And don't get me started on the proper way to challenge while on guard and what the parole is really for. But that's another thread.