THIRD MOVEMENT.

Change of front on the right companies of battalions.-Attack in grand echellon.

Form line.

We will now suppose the enemy manoeuvring to his left, in order to secure that flank from being turned; but as some time must have naturally elapsed before the real intention and object of the preceding movement was ascertained by the enemy, and before his troops were put in motion, the right battalion will have gained considerably upon the enemy's left; the General may therefore justly conceive this a favourable moment to attack the enemy in the state he is in, and order the light companies to close towards the front of the right battalion, and to press upon the enemy's light troops who may be advanced, during which time the line will be ordered to change front upon the right company of each battalion.

The line will change front on the right company of battalions. Form lines. Quick march. The battalion will change front on the right company. Right company four paces; right wheel. Remaining companies two prces; quick march. Form line. Quick march.-The General will have timely acquainted the Commanding Officers of regiments with his intention as to the change of front about to be performed, so that no delay may occur in the execution of it, but more particularly with the right battalion, which is nearest to the enemy, and which is to commence the attack. The number of paces (4) for the right company of battalions, and (2) for the other companies to wheel, as herein directed, can only be on the supposition that, in the preceding movement, the line had gained an oblique position of an eighth of a circle from the line before, otherwise the companies of formation will be wheeled until they stand parallel to the intended line, after which the other companies will wheel half the number of paces they did.

The forming of line on the right company of each battalion is done as directed by His Majesty's Regulations for Echellon Movements *.

The battalion will advance in echellon. Quick March.-R. B. halt.-The leading battalion will be ordered to commence firing so soon as it arrives at the most favourable ground to be occupied by the whole, where it will be halted.

C. and L. B. Form line on the Right Battalion.-The centre and left battalion will continue their march, and form a general line on the right battalion-each regiment commencing to fire as it arrives on the ground it is to occupy in the general line.

Order arms. Stand at ease. When the firing ceases, the General may order the troops to rest.

LIGHT COMPANIES.

Centre and left W. close to the right.-So soon as the above change of front has been determined upon, the bugle will sound for the centre and left companies to close to the right, whilst the right company pushes forward in extended order, supported by the other two companies, driving the enemy's advanced parties upon their main body, thereby securing the formation of the right battalion.

When the attack is to commence, the companies will alternately retire round the flanks of the right battalion, and be disposed of in the rear, so as to afford support to whatever part of the line may require it.

When the line ceases firing they will be thrown out again, and occupy such ground in front as may be best adapted for them.

* When the centre and left battalion have formed line they will be ordered to break into column, left in front, and march quick to the left, until clear of the left flank of the battalion in line before them, when they halt and wheel into line, the whole standing in echellon of battalions.

OBSERVATIONS.

An attack in grand echellon upon an enemy who is strongly posted, and who by a previous movement is made to quit his strong ground, is in some measure the most effectual mode of insuring either complete success to troops inferior in point of numbers and positon, or to bring them with safety out of their embarrassed and critical situation: the attacking troops must have at all times the advantage over the others as to time, for the General commanding the former having formed a plan of attack, it will be some time before his real intentions are discovered by his antagonists, and consequently considerable time will be gained between his movements and those of the enemy who is to counteract them: and which will be particularly the case in this instance: The enemy was supposed to be with his right strongly posted, which ground he was obliged to quit in consequence of the Second Movement, and as his chief object during that manœuvre must have been to move quick to his left to secure that flank from being turned, the light companies of this brigade may be justly supposed to be sufficiently strong to annoy seriously his left, whilst the right battalion was forming line; and the subsequent sudden advance and attack of this battalion will disconcert him considerably. If the right battalion is successful in forcing the enemy's left, the successive advancing and attacking of the other two battalions may be expected to complete the defeat of the enemy, who may be still manœuvring whilst the attack is made. Should the right battalion, however, fail in its object, the other two will immediately halt, and not form in the general line, but secure the retreat of the right battalion, until the whole arrive on such ground as may afford them a better position.

The light companies who were assembled when the attack commenced may be best disposed of by being sent to the left, and, if possible, possess themselves of the strong ground on the enemy's right; but if the attack has failed before they arrive there, they will be of great service by forming en potence on the enemy's left, and from thence cause a diversion in favour of the retiring battalion: and it may be here observed, that no troops should ever make an attack without having some post in reserve, to be disposed of as circumstances may require, for very often the timely arrival of a small body of troops, at a point where they were least expected by the enemy, has either completed a victory, or saved a retiring army from being completely defeated.

FOURTH MOVEMENT.

Formation of solid square from line or the centre battalion.—The square marches by the left face, halts, and fires. The square marches by the rear face; halts and fires.-Deployment with line.

Should the enemy now make an attempt to force the centre of the line by an attack with cavalry, the General will prepare against the same by announcing

The line will form solid square on the centre battalion.—Repeated.—(Officers commanding battalions repeat such words of command only, as relate to their respective corps).-C. B. Inwards face.—The order of formation quickly to each battalion, viz.

Centre Battalion.

Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6, stand fast.-Nos. 2, 1, and grenadiers, will face to the left. Nos. 7 and 8, face to the right.-Nos. 2 and 1 form close in rear of Nos. 3 and 4.— Nos. 7 and 8 close in rear of Nos. 5 and 6.-The grenadiers behind the centre.

Right Battalion.

Left face; files into column of companies at half distance, in rear of Nos. 3 and 1 of the centre battalion, except Nos. 3 and 2, forming grand division close to No. 4. No. 1 and grenadiers also forming grand division close to the one before then.

Left Battalion.

Quick March.-Faces to the right; files into column of companies at half distance, in rear of Nos, 6 and 8 of the centre battalion, except Nos. 5 and 6, forming grand division close to No. 4; and Nos. 7 and 8 also in grand division close up to the one in front of them.

The Adjutants of the flank battalions having moved to the rear of the centre battalion, will take distances for their respective battalions, and aligne themselves, or their horses' heads, in the following manner: the Adjutant of the right battalion with the outer shoulder of the officer of No. 3 of the centre battalion; and the Adjutant of the left battalion with the outer shoulder of a serjeant on the left of No. 6 of the centre battalion.

The whole, except Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the centre battalion having stepped off at the words quick march, will form as before directed.

The covering serjeants of the companies of the flank battalion, which are to form at half distance, will run out timely enough to mark their ground, and the companies which are to form grand division will at once file into their proper places.

The Commanding Officers of the flank battalions place themselves on the flanks of the front face, and from thence correct the covering of their officers, or their Adjutants in the rear.

Form Square.-Quick March.-The whole thus being prepared for an immediate formation of square, may, in that state, await the movements of the enemy, or form square at once. When the pivots of sub-divisions of Nos. 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 of the right battalion face to the right, the pivots of sub-divisions of the grenadiers, Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the left battalion face to the left; and at the command quick march these sub-divisions wheel to the right and left, and the grand divisions in the rear face to the right about.—The inner sub-divisions which had wheeled, close to the front.-All company officers fall in the rear of their respective companies.-The colours form in the centre, those of the centre battalion being replaced either by non-commissioned officers, or by as many files from the grenadiers of that battalion. The Faces of the square will be composed as follows.

Front face.

Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6'

1, 2, 7, and 8

of the centre battalion.

Right face. Nos. 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 of the right battalion.

Left face. Grenadiers, Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

If attacked. If the square is attacked, the two front ranks kneel and slope their bayonets, the whole awaiting steadily the onset of the cavalry, until within such distance that the fire of the standing ranks may have great effect upon the front of the enemy; and to keep up a brisk fire, the light companies and grenadiers of the centre battalion may be employed in loading and handing the firelocks to the men of that face which is attacked; but in particular lose no time between the first and second fire, so as not to give the enemy time to recover from the first shock he may bave received.

The square will march by the left face.-Right and left face.—Quick march. Slope Arms.—The brigade having been moved considerably to the right and front of the original ground, by the preceding movements, and is now to regain its former position, the General will order the square to march by the left face; the frout face facing to the left, the rear face to the right, and the right face to the right about.-A serjeant on the left angle of the front face will have a distant object pointed out, on which he marches, and to which the square conforms.-The whole step off together when the General orders quick march, the files keeping well locked

up, and the right face, which is marching in the rear, not crowding upon those who march in flank: the men may be ordered to slope arms, and as the square has to march a considerable distance, one of the bands may play occasionally.-The leading face must not hurry its pace.

Halt; front; square.-When the square arrives near the ground where it is to halt, the music must cease playing, so that the command halt; front; square ; may be distinctly heard by the whole; and if officers have been attentive to the regular march of their men, the faces can require but little dressing, and the square be ready to fire if wanted.

Signal for firing.-A bugle or drum gives the signal for firing and ceasing to fire.

Mode of firing.The mode of fire, whether by faces, sub-divisions, or files, must be previously announced, observing that the whole are never unloaded at one time. The square will march by the rear face.-Right and left face.-After the square has fired, or not, as the case may be, the General will order it to march by the rear face; the right face facing to the right, the left face facing to the left, and the front face to the right about.

Quick march.-Halt; front; square.-A serjeant of one of the angles of the rear face leads the square during the march on a fixed point; when the square arrives on its original ground, the General will order halt; front; square; and be ready to fire or not as may be required.

The square will re-form column.—Quick march.-When the square is to break into column for the formation of line, the inner sub-divisions of the flank faces step back, and at the words quick march, the companies who had wheeled up, wheel back again by sub-divisions.-Nos. 1 and 8 of the centre battalion step back two paces; the colours resume their place; the rear face fronts No. 1 and grena diers of the right battalion, and Nos. 7 and 8 of the left battalion, having previously taken two paces forwards.

Form close column on Nos. 3 and 6 of the centre battalion.—Quick march.When close column is to be formed, the companies who had formed grand divisions of the front and rear face file into their proper place in column, and also the grenadiers of the centre battalion, so that the whole stand in two close columns as directed.

The columns will deploy into line on Nos. 3 and 6 of the centre battalion.—The front of Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the centre battalion being correctly dressed, the alignement will be from thence prolonged by Adjutants of battalions, a mounted officer of the centre battalion marking the right, and the Adjutant the left of the battalion; the Adjutant of the right battalion marking his right, and the Adjutant of the left battalion marking his left.

Outwards face.—Quick march.—The right battalion, and Nos. 2, 1, and grenadiers of the centre battalion, face to the right; the left battalion, and Nos. 7 and 8 of the centre battalion, face to the left, stepping off together at the words quick march, and forming up into line as directed for the deployment of a single battalion column.

Order arms.—Stand at ease.—The line may be ordered to order arms and stand at ease.

LIGHT COMPANIES.

On the approach of cavalry the light companies will gradually fall back during the formation of the square, and file through the rear face when the square is attacked, strengthening the angles of the square, and filling up vacancies wherever they may occur in any of the faces.

When the square marches, they mask the same at some distance in loose order, and when cavalry approaches they concentrate themselves into separate small bodies.

When the square is reduced, and columns for deploying formed, they more to the front, conforming to the deploying columns, as directed in the First Movement. OBSERVATIONS.

When the flanks of a line are not secured, either by rivers, morasses, or heights covered with artillery, so as to prevent cavalry getting round them, it may be necessary for troops so situated to take some other shape, in order to resist more effectually the attacks of cavalry.-The foregoing mode of forming a solid square from line will be found the most simple of any, and most advantageous, as the front face is quickly prepared to resist the approaching attack, whilst the light companies may throw themselves on the flanks, and cover the completing of the other faces. Should any ruins, walls, heights, or precipices offer themselves near, it is advisable to form the square, so as to appui one or two faces on the same.

If troops formed in square are obliged to quit their ground, and take up another position to front, rear, or to either flanks, having at the same time a defile to pass, the new ground will be taken possession of by that face nearest to the defile, the others halting at the entrance, in their perfect order, resisting the cavalry which may press upon them. When the new ground is occupied, the flank faces will commence filing from their outer flanks, through the defile, and the front face retire gradually towards the mouth of the defile, which it will enter by filing from the flanks, being covered by the light companies, who have made themselves masters of some favourable ground, and now defend the entrance of the defile, until the whole have formed either line, or in any other shape that may be required on the new position.

Should baggage or other incumbrances attend the square, the same must first pass the defile, before any of the troops begin to pass.

During the march of the square, the light companies should be thrown out, and formed into separate solid bodies, to impede the close approach of the enemy's cavalry, which they should resist by forming back to back, if only a few have closed, so as to present a front which ever way they may be attacked.

Observations on the Distinguished Conduct of the Marquis of Wellington, whilst employed under Lord Cathcart in the Copenhagen Expedition.

THE calamities to which the human race have been opposed ever since the creation of the world, would almost induce us to believe that we were born more subject to misery, distress, and discord, than to comfort, happiness, and peace: yet vast as the evils are which often oppress mankind, we are well-assured that the great and infinite Being, who is the sole mover of all human actions, has created and ordained nothing but for the wisest purposes: he delights in the well-being of his creatures, and those miseries which at first sight appear to our shallow understanding as the greatest of evils, are in fact the result of unerring wisdom, and of the highest degree of goodness. Of all calamities incident to human nature, which is attended with such dire effects as

there is perhaps none