Organisation and Tactics
The Manoeuvre Regulations of 1812 (Cont'd)
Figure 1 above: shows a battalion drawn up in line. Each company consisted of two Zugen, numbered 1 to 8 within the battalion. The Zug was the basic unit of manoeuvre and it will be noticed that each Zug has a front in the firing line and was three ranks deep. The colours were positioned in the centre and the blocks at the rear of the battalion represent musicians.
Figure 2 shows the method of forming a Zug column from a line. An attack column had a double Zug frontage and was formed on the centre of a line, as is sown in Figure 3 below:
The double Zug column is a compromise between a pure column and a line, having the advantages of the former and, at the same time, retaining double the fire power of a Zug column. THis attack column could be swiftly turned into a square, the Karee by the outer files filling the gaps between the Zugen, as is shown below in Figure 4:
This was an excellent formation for a defense against cavalry, it being easily formed and able to advance as a column with the minimum of dislocation.
The regulations of the mounted service provided fro basic foot drill similar to that undertaken byt he infantry and also for a whole series of mounted manoeuvres.
