Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

[john duffer]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

To be realistic for a moment:

It's mid war and the average, non professional, officer or NCO is using HARDEE'S, GILHAM'S, US TACTICS, et al. He doesn't know about how French troops fired in three ranks in 1831, what Upton will do post war or what a booklet written 150 plus years in the future may say but he does have a book in front of him to go by. I'd say it's pretty certain the rear rank fires in the right interval for direct and right oblique so at the left oblique the rear rank man is told to throw back his left shoulder, where to look, where to move his right foot, where to aim, to bend his body slightly and to bend the right knee a little. After going into this much detail did the manual forget to mention shifting to the left interval and how to get the weapon over there or how to get it back ? I don't see many 'aha, I bet they meant to say' moments cropping up so at the very least it's hardly a reenactorism that can be debunked.

Your mileage may vary.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

It seems to be indeed firing over the left shoulder. More clarification from the United Service Journal, Volume I, Number 13, Saturday, October 13, 1850:

Fire to the left.

283. At the command ready, the three ranks will execute what has been prescribed for the fire direct.

284. At the cautionary command left oblique, the three ranks will throw back the left shoulder, and look steadily at the object on which they ought to fire; in this position the men of the centre and rear ranks will be ready to take aim in the interval to the left of the men in front, and in an oblique direction.

285. At the command aim, the front rank will take aim to the left without inclining the knee or stirring the feet. The centre rank men will take aim through the intervals to the left of their file leaders, without stirring the feet. The rear rank men will advance the left foot about six inches toward the right heel of the centre men of their files; they will advance also the upper part of the body in bending a little the left knee, and take aim through the intervals to the left of their file leaders.

256. At the command load, the three ranks will come to the priming position, the pieces still obliquely to the left, and prime; the rear rank will bring back the left heel to the hollow of the right foot. In casting about, the three ranks will take the same position as in the fire direct.

Remarks on the Oblique Firings.

287. Throw back a shoulder in taking aim;
In order to be able to direct the sight more or less obliquely, according to the position of the object aimed at.

288 The Instructer [sic] will render this principle practically intelligible to recruits by placing a man in front, more or less to the light (or left), to represent such object, when they will fully understand the joinery or mechanism of the oblique firings.

289. Advance of tlhe left foot and upper part of the body in the rear rank;
To avoid accidents, because, without this precaution, the pieces of the rear rank would not sufficiently project along beyond the front in the oblique firings.

290. In firing obliquely to the left, to draw back the piece and prime in the oblique position;
Because, if the direct position were resumed, it would be necessary, in drawing back the piece to the priming position, to pass it over the head of the man directly in front.

https://books.google.com/books?id=ha...page&q&f=false

Notice how the footing differs from Hardee's/Casey's though, Jason.

In Scott's, to fire to the left oblique the rear rank man steps forward -- that is, with his left foot toward the right heel of the man in front, whose feet are T'd (rather than to his toe as when firing obliquely to the right). This differs markedly from Hardee's/Casey's, in which the rear rank man steps with his right foot toward the right heel of the man to the right of his file leader.

And in 1850 the "ready" position is vertical.

Both of those differences -- as well as those in Upton's -- obviate the need for the front (or middle) rank man's head to briefly dematerialize if you want to move your feet and come to "aim" as in Casey's yet still fire over the left interval.

[john duffer]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

This is 1835 SCOTT'S very slightly paraphrased but as the three rank formation was suspended when SCOTT'S was accepted not sure why it would be around in 1850 (on a side note do we have any Mexican War students that would have insight as to whether we used two or three ranks in that conflict?). In any case "men in front", "file leaders" and "pass it over the head of the man directly in front". refers to the kneeling front rank man.

[ThehosGendar]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

It seems to be indeed firing over the left shoulder. More clarification from the United Service Journal, Volume I, Number 13, Saturday, October 13, 1850:

Fire to the left.

283. At the command ready, the three ranks will execute what has been prescribed for the fire direct.

284. At the cautionary command left oblique, the three ranks will throw back the left shoulder, and look steadily at the object on which they ought to fire; in this position the men of the centre and rear ranks will be ready to take aim in the interval to the left of the men in front, and in an oblique direction.

285. At the command aim, the front rank will take aim to the left without inclining the knee or stirring the feet. The centre rank men will take aim through the intervals to the left of their file leaders, without stirring the feet. The rear rank men will advance the left foot about six inches toward the right heel of the centre men of their files; they will advance also the upper part of the body in bending a little the left knee, and take aim through the intervals to the left of their file leaders.

256. At the command load, the three ranks will come to the priming position, the pieces still obliquely to the left, and prime; the rear rank will bring back the left heel to the hollow of the right foot. In casting about, the three ranks will take the same position as in the fire direct.

Remarks on the Oblique Firings.

287. Throw back a shoulder in taking aim;
In order to be able to direct the sight more or less obliquely, according to the position of the object aimed at.

288 The Instructer [sic] will render this principle practically intelligible to recruits by placing a man in front, more or less to the light (or left), to represent such object, when they will fully understand the joinery or mechanism of the oblique firings.

289. Advance of tlhe left foot and upper part of the body in the rear rank;
To avoid accidents, because, without this precaution, the pieces of the rear rank would not sufficiently project along beyond the front in the oblique firings.

290. In firing obliquely to the left, to draw back the piece and prime in the oblique position;
Because, if the direct position were resumed, it would be necessary, in drawing back the piece to the priming position, to pass it over the head of the man directly in front.

https://books.google.com/books?id=hatLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA138&dq=%22Left+Oblique%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0qcbQtMrcAhXRrVkKHc6QDAM4ChDoAQgoMAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Casey did not write the text in School of the soldier and school of the company. He reused the text from Hardee's translation. (Just like Gilham did)
I find it pretty clear that his main focus was on volume III, the one about the brigade and larger formations.

Since the 1855 drill book was not copyrighted anyone could use the text for their own drill books... and a number of people did.

Casey had at least an opportunity to edit it when he used his Tactics (and the earlier 1861 Tactics) as the basis for the 1863 USCT infantry manual. In the event, though, he pretty much limited the changes to altering the method of stacking (to the "swing"), eliminating the formation of the battalion in parallel division columns, and throwing out more than half the variations on forming square.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Nothing provides me greater confidence in the correctness of my conclusions about left oblique firing than your complete disagreement thereto. Thanks.

That's a shame, Mark, as an actual historian would rely on the text under discussion rather than personal pique.

[DougCooper]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Nothing provides me greater confidence in the correctness of my conclusions about left oblique firing than your complete disagreement thereto. Thanks.

Another perfectly good keyboard, ruined ;)

[thomas aagaard]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Casey's writings.

Casey did not write the text in School of the soldier and school of the company. He reused the text from Hardee's translation. (Just like Gilham did)
I find it pretty clear that his main focus was on volume III, the one about the brigade and larger formations.

Since the 1855 drill book was not copyrighted anyone could use the text for their own drill books... and a number of people did.

[Silas]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Having read some of Casey's writings other than his Tactics, I find it impossible to believe that he would not have added those explicit instructions to effect firing over the left shoulder of the front rank man, if he intended that to be the case.

Nothing provides me greater confidence in the correctness of my conclusions about left oblique firing than your complete disagreement thereto. Thanks.

[Olafson]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Good point -- the 1791 manual shows that if you wish to fire over the left shoulder the footwork should be analogous to that firing in the right oblique, which is toward the interval you're firing over, rather than away. And if you follow Casey's the foot position on left oblique is *towards the right foot of the man on the right of the file leader, not towards the front as in Mr. Tackitt's diagram. Either way there would be a problem with the acute angle of the weapon aimed to the left, as well as the troublesome issue of going from the Ready with the musket already in the right interval to the aim on the left without either moving the weapon to the old, vertical Ready position, or through the head of the file leader.

These questions and more were also discussed several years ago on a related forum, without so decided a conclusion in favor of Mr. Tackitt's proposed reinterpretation of the manual: http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/sh...t=left+oblique

Casey's foot position does tilt the body 45 degree to the left, which would help with aiming through the left interval, but the fact that you would have to raise the gun to a vertical position (So basicially 1st movement of "Ready") seems counter intuitive. Either the oblique command has to be given before ordering ready or you have raise the gun vertically.
I am not really sure which way it is to be done, aiming over the left interval, like you said makes sense if you look at other manuals, and overall it is more logical, but it would require to either give the order at another time or to raise the gun. Now, maybe it is extremely easy and fast to raise the piece to vertical position (I have no one to try this with at home) and aim through the left interval, but I can not imagine it to be as efficient as just bringing it into the hollow of the shoulder, like you would do when aiming over the right interval.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Doing Napoleonic Reenactment as my primary impression I do not see any similarity for left oblique aiming in the French 1791 manual and for example, Caseys.

Drawing of it is below. The lowest drawing shows the position of the rear rank men when oblique firing to the left.

https://abload.de/img/download14osfb.png

There is no real similarity. In the 1791 manual you do aim over the left shoulder of the front rank man, but the foot position is completely different to the one in the American manuals. I do not think that you can take the 1791 manual as reference/proof for the oblique firing being done over the left shoulder.

Interestingly enough, Smyths manual from 1812, which is an almost identical copy of the 1791 manual, leaves out oblique firing all together.
http://1812marines.org/wp-content/up...ith_plates.pdf

Good point -- the 1791 manual shows that if you wish to fire over the left shoulder the footwork should be analogous to that firing in the right oblique, which is toward the interval you're firing over, rather than away. And if you follow Casey's the foot position on left oblique is *towards the right foot of the man on the right of the file leader, not towards the front as in Mr. Tackitt's diagram. Either way there would be a problem with the acute angle of the weapon aimed to the left, as well as the troublesome issue of going from the Ready with the musket already in the right interval to the aim on the left without either moving the weapon to the old, vertical Ready position, or through the head of the file leader.

These questions and more were also discussed several years ago on a related forum, without so decided a conclusion in favor of Mr. Tackitt's proposed reinterpretation of the manual: http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/sh...t=left+oblique

[Added later] For an example of what I mean, in Upton's Tactics, oblique firing to the left indeed occurs over the left shoulder of the file leader, but the instructions specifically deal with the objections I mention. The rear rank men move their left, not right, feet, and they first bring their weapons to a vertical position. After firing they are similarly told to carry the muzzle over the head of their file leader to Recover. Those instructions occur in Casey's or, so far as I know, any other tactical manual used during the war.

"289. Should the command be left oblique, both ranks will cast their eyes to the left; the rear-rank men will at the same time raise their pieces to a vertical position. At the command aim, the front rank will aim to the left, without deranging the feet; each rear rank man will advance the left foot about eight inches toward the right foot of the man next on the left of his file-leader, at the same time bringing down his piece, and aiming to the left of his file-leader, the upper part of the body inclining forward, the left knee slightly bent.

"290. In recovering arms from the left oblique, each rear-rank man, at the command arms, will carry the muzzle of his piece over the head of his file-leader and take the position of ready."

You can read it for yourself here, on p. 44: https://books.google.com/books?id=PQ...page&q&f=false

Having read some of Casey's writings other than his Tactics, I find it impossible to believe that he would not have added those explicit instructions to effect firing over the left shoulder of the front rank man, if he intended that to be the case.

[Olafson]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Sorry for double posting, but just after I posted my previous post (Which is currently under review by moderators, so I can not edit it :/) I realized a problem with the oblique firing over the left shoulder.

The command to oblique fire to the left is given between ready and aim, the rear rank man will have his rifle in between the front rank man in front of him and the front rank man to his right. If he now wants to aim over the left shoulder, he would have to lift the gun all the way over the head of the front rank man. This makes no sense. It works like fine in Scotts and the 1791 manual because their ready position has the gun upright, but for Casey it makes it needlessly complicated.
I am sorry if you have already addressed this somewhere and I have somehow missed it.

Maybe it is easier to do than I think, I have not actually tried this out with anyone yet, but just thinking about it, it seems to be a quite big problem? I can not imagine that they had to lift the gun over the head of the front rank man.

(If there is a moderator reading this, can you please merge this post with my previous one? I am very sorry for the trouble)

[Olafson]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

I relied upon the foot movements from the Napoleonic manuals as an indicator that feet are positioned in relation to the target, not in relation to which shoulder or interval to place the musket. None of the American manuals, other than the 1820 Tactics, show how feet should be placed.

And more is the pity. A period illustration from any of the post 1820 manuals would eliminate the guess work.

The manuals from Gilham, Hardee and Casey only say that the right "about eight inches towards the right heel of the man next on the right of his file leader." That's the only instruction. That distance is not very far.

Many read that line to mean eight inches FROM the right heel of the man next on the right of his file leader. Moving the right foot that far would make it easier to fire through the right interval. Unfortunately, the text says TOWARDS the right heel. Here's how that looks.

Imagine your feet are in the inverted T of the ready position. My focus is on the the right foot. Either disregard in your mind that left foot, or just move it to the left to get it out of the way. From the inverted T position, pivot that right foot on the heel 45 degrees to the left. This aims the toes toward the front rank man on the right.

Since the length of the foot is approximately twelve inches, look for them all of your right foot. That's going to be about eight inches from your heel. Move your heel to that spot where the ball of your right foot just was. You've successfully advanced your right foot eight inches toward the right heel of the front rank man to the right.

That spot where you placed your right heel would be opposite your left instep.

So, go back to the inverted T position. This time, leave the left foot pointed to the front. Look at your left heel and imagine where the ball of your right foot would rest if you pivoted your right foot 45 degrees as explained in the last paragraph. Now, move it to that spot by going around your stationary left foot. Viola! Your feet are now placed as shown in my illustration for left oblique.

When I do this, I place my right heel in the necessary spot then pivot the foot 45 degrees. Either way will get you there.

It makes sense to me, placing the right foot 8inches TOWARDS the right man simply means that you will tilt your body 45 degrees to the left, making it a lot easier to fire over the left shoulder. My only problem with this is, that it does not bring you much closer to the front rank man, which might bring the muzzle dangerously close to the front rank. I guess this won't be a huge problem with a 3 band rifle, but with a 2 band rifle I can imagine it being to close?
I am not sure, I have not tested oblique firing this way yet, but you did. What would be your conclusion regarding 2 banded rifles? I am assuming that 3 banded rifles are totally fine.

Thank you for the images, and your knowledge of Napoleonic tactics. My comment on the left oblique was not necessarily on footwork, which you have shown is indeed different (the American manuals did have some deviation from the French). My point was merely that the left shoulder was indeed used in the left oblique. My only comment regarding footwork was to show an appreciation for Silas' images of which he posted, and how useful it is in ensuring safety.

Fair enough. I don't really understand why the footwork changed in the american manuals, but I still do believe that they fired of the left shoulder, it simply makes sense.

[Palmyra Possum]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

Back in 2002, Jeff Blakely, writing for The Watchdog, reached the same conclusion. The attached article is from Vol. 10, No. 2, Summer 2002.
Firing by the Left Oblique.pdf

[Silas]

Re: Debunked: Left Oblique Aiming Over Right Shoulders

I relied upon the foot movements from the Napoleonic manuals as an indicator that feet are positioned in relation to the target, not in relation to which shoulder or interval to place the musket. None of the American manuals, other than the 1820 Tactics, show how feet should be placed.

And more is the pity. A period illustration from any of the post 1820 manuals would eliminate the guess work.

The manuals from Gilham, Hardee and Casey only say that the right "about eight inches towards the right heel of the man next on the right of his file leader." That's the only instruction. That distance is not very far.

Many read that line to mean eight inches FROM the right heel of the man next on the right of his file leader. Moving the right foot that far would make it easier to fire through the right interval. Unfortunately, the text says TOWARDS the right heel. Here's how that looks.

Imagine your feet are in the inverted T of the ready position. My focus is on the the right foot. Either disregard in your mind that left foot, or just move it to the left to get it out of the way. From the inverted T position, pivot that right foot on the heel 45 degrees to the left. This aims the toes toward the front rank man on the right.

Since the length of the foot is approximately twelve inches, look for them all of your right foot. That's going to be about eight inches from your heel. Move your heel to that spot where the ball of your right foot just was. You've successfully advanced your right foot eight inches toward the right heel of the front rank man to the right.

That spot where you placed your right heel would be opposite your left instep.

So, go back to the inverted T position. This time, leave the left foot pointed to the front. Look at your left heel and imagine where the ball of your right foot would rest if you pivoted your right foot 45 degrees as explained in the last paragraph. Now, move it to that spot by going around your stationary left foot. Viola! Your feet are now placed as shown in my illustration for left oblique.

When I do this, I place my right heel in the necessary spot then pivot the foot 45 degrees. Either way will get you there.