reason for doubling

[john duffer]

Recently, while looking for something in a number of drill manuals and articles, I blew past a reference to the great advantage gained by doubling. This is now of interest to me but I can't refind it. Has anyone else come across such a reference (that recalls where) ? Thanks in advance.

[Greg Renault]

Re: reason for doubling

John,

As the standard manuals focus on the "how" and not the "why", I turned to Steffen's Digest of the U.S. Tactics for the following (found in section A9 http://home.att.net/~MrsMajor/Steffens.htm#A9):

The march by the flank will be necessary when ground must be gained sideways on the same line on which the battalion is drawn up in line, e.g., to gain the proper distance from the next battalion on the right or left; to take a battalion behind a cover, in order to avoid unnecessary exposure, &c.
When the battalion is at a halt, the command is "right (left) face, march," when marching "by the right (left) flank, march." The men who just touched each other's elbows would now be in rear of each other, with very little interval, and the march, executed in this way on uneven and soft ground, would cause the files to widen out, and produce a dangerous length of the battalion, even straggling. To prevent this and to allow the men to step freely forward, the double file has been introduced. (pp. 20-21)

And a bit further down in the same section:

On a march far from the enemy, it necessary to allow the men all possible convenience, compatible with strict order, and to leave the road open to communication, which would be stopped by marching in broad front. This would be unnecessarily inconvenient both to the troops and to traffic. The battalion marches in such cases by the flank on both sides of road. (p. 23)

The implication is that the usual march formation is in line or column ("on a broad front"), and that marching by the flank is useful for specific maneuvers only (passage of obstacles, freeing up roads). The photograph of ANV in Frederick, MD, comes to mind.

I find it interesting that Steffens does not mention what strikes me as the obvious advantage to doubling when marching by the flank: the the unit is only half as long as it would be were it marching by the flank and undoubled. Doubling gets introduced with Hardee's translation of chasseur tactics; in Scott's Abstract and Tactics for infantry of the line, units marching by the flank do not double (see http://home.att.net/~Rebmus/ScottsSotC.htm#L4A1)

The chasseur tactics are meant to move troops about the battlefield faster. For example, the time it takes a company changing formation from marching by the flank, to marching in line ("by company into line"), is largely determined by the time it takes the rearmost men to move diagonally to their place in line. As a doubled unit marching by the flank is roughly half the length of an undoubled one, the men have less distance to cover to reach their position when changing to line formation; other things being equal, the change of formation occurs faster for a unit that is doubled when marching by the flank. (Of course, the chasseur tactics also use faster marching paces, a point Hardee acknowledges in his introduction.) I am indebted to George Nafziger for this point; he analyzes the relative efficiency of the different Napoleonic tactical systems in his Imperial Bayonets.

Hope this is helpful.

[VMI88]

Re: reason for doubling

Recently, while looking for something in a number of drill manuals and articles, I blew past a reference to the great advantage gained by doubling. This is now of interest to me but I can't refind it. Has anyone else come across such a reference (that recalls where) ? Thanks in advance.

John,

Greg gives you a great answer above; let me add to it just a little bit. Even today, military forces maneuver in battle formation (wide front, little depth) and travelling formation (narrow front, greater depth). The reason, simply put, is that it's easier and faster to travel on a road in column, but when you're moving an entire army you obviously have to also consider the length of your formation.

When you approach the enemy, you deploy into a battle formation, bringing your firepower on line and covering a wide front. One of the purposes of pickets, in addition to locating the enemy, is to force him to deploy his forces at a greater distance, slowing his advance. If you read Gilham's or any other period manual, you'll recognize many of the same principles used by the army today.

[john duffer]

Re: reason for doubling

Thanks Greg, that was what I was looking for.