training

List of Commands

The manual Cookes Cavalry Tactics contains certain commands as they pertain to cavalry reenactors on the field of battle. Cookes Cavalry tactics is the preferred manual of mounted drill and commands among cavalry reenactors and was widely used by both the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Note – There are two parts to a command; the prepitory describes the direction or the function that is about to take place, and the execution describes the key word used to execute the actual command or movement. In the list of commands below, the prepitory is distinguished by italics, execution, by CAPITALS. There are some commands where there are words in parenthesis. These words can be substituted for the word previous to it, depending on the situation.

Mounted Drill Commands with definitions

BOOTS AND SADDLES
When this command is given, troopers are to have their horse saddled and accoutrements on, ready to ride in 5 minutes.

FALL IN
To fall in means dismounted troopers are to take the halter of their stead, and lead it on line. Troopers should be in a straight line, on the left side of their mounts, and all side by side with each other. The senior NCO should be the furthest man to the right, the second highest NCO in the middle of the formation, and the third highest NCO at the very end, all the way to the left.

PREPARE TO MOUNT, MOUNT
When the command is given to prepare to mount, 1’s and 3’s will step forward five paces and wait for the command to mount. When the command is given to mount, troopers will mount their steeds. The next command to finish the mounting process is “Form Company.”

Form COMPANY
Form Company is given after troopers have been given the command to mount. When this command is given, 2’s and 4’s will move up five paces into line.

Right (or left) DRESS
When this command is given, troopers will shift sideways to the right (or left), filling in any gaps in the line. A trooper’s right knee should be 4 inches away from the left knee of the man to his right.

Company count off by fours, count OFF
When this command is given, on the execution of “off,” every trooper’s head will immediately snap to the right. Starting with the man furthest to the right, troopers will be again counting. The man furthest to the right will shout “1.” The man directly to his left will shout “2.” The next man to his left shouts “3,” the next man “4.” After 4 is shouted, the next man in line will start over with “1” and the process repeats itself until all the troopers have counted off. Every trooper will snap his head to the front when he says his number.

Forward at the walk (or trot, canter) MARCH
Forward at the walk can be given while on line or in a column. This simply means that as a company or a platoon, it will begin moving forward at the pace specified by the prepitory part of the command.

Right (or left) about MARCH
Right about is called while in a column or on line. When the command is given in a column, the lead man or rank will turn right or left 180 degrees and everyone will follow. If on line, every trooper will turn right or left 180 degrees and begin moving in the opposite direction. The example below is left about while in a column:

To the rear MARCH
To the rear march, means that every trooper will turn left 180 degrees and begin traveling in the opposite direction regardless of formation.

By the right (or left) flank MARCH
This command can be given either on line or column. While by file (in a column) or on line, the troopers will turn 90 degrees to the right (or left). When in two’s or four’s (in a column), the individual ranks of two’s or four’s will turn 90 degrees as a rank.

Right (or left) oblique MARCH
An oblique means to move a in a 45 degree angle in the direction specified by the prepitory part of the command. It can be called in any formation. This command is usually followed by the command, “front.”

FRONT
The command front is used after a wheel to establish a new direction of march. When called after an oblique, it means to begin traveling in the original direction before the oblique was called.

Right (or left) wheel MARCH
A wheel is used only while a company or unit is on line. It is used to move the battle line as a whole to the left or right.

Form TWO’S (OR FOUR’S, OR FILE)
This command is given only while in a column. Its purpose is to change the file in which you are traveling in.

Company (or platoon) HALT
Halt means to every trooper to come to a complete stop.

Company (or platoon) by two’s (or four’s, or file) from the right (or left) forward (or to the left / right) MARCH
The purpose of this command is to move an on line unit from the halt, into a column.