The following manual of arms
is taken from
Baron von Steuben’s
"Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States."
printed in 1779.

The Position of a Soldier under Arms.

In this position the soldier is to stand straight and firm upon his legs, with the heels two inches apart, the toes a little turned out, the belly drawn in a little without constraint, the breast a little projected, the shoulders square to the front and kept back, the right hand hanging down the side, with the palm close to the thigh, the left elbow not turned out from the body, the firelock carried on the left shoulder, at such height that the guard will be just under the left breast, the forefinger and thumb before the swell of the butt, the three last fingers under the butt, the flat of the butt against the hip bone, and pressed so as that the firelock may be felt against the left side, and stand before the hollow of the shoulder, neither leaning towards the head nor from it the barrel almost perpendicular. When exercising, he is to be very exact in counting a second of time between each motion.

Attention!

At this word the soldier must be silent, stand firm and steady, moving neither hand nor foot, (except as ordered) But attend carefully to the words of command. This attention of the soldier must be observed in the strictest manner, till he receives the word Rest!

  THE MANUAL EXERCISE

I. Poise, Firelock ! Two motions

1st. With the left hand turn the firelock briskly, bringing the lock to the front, At the same instant, seize it with the right hand just below the lock, keeping the piece perpendicular.

2d. With a quick motion bring up the firelock from the shoulder directly before the face, and seize it with the left hand just above the lock, so that the little finger may rest upon the feather spring, and the thumb lie on the stock; the left hand must be of an equal height with the eyes.

II. Cock Firelock! 2 motions.

1st. Turn the barrel opposite your face, and place your thumb upon the cock, raising the elbow square at this motion.

2d. Cock the firelock by drawing down the elbow, immediately placing your thumb upon the breech-pin, and the fingers under the guard.

III. Take Aim ! 1 motion.

Step back about six inches with the right foot, bringing the left toe to the front; at the same time drop the muzzle, and bring up the butt-end of the firelock against your right shoulder; place the left hand forward on the swell of the stock, and the fore-finger of the right hand before the trigger; sinking the muzzle a little below a level, and with the right eye looking along the barrel.

IV. Fire ! 1 motion.

Pull the trigger briskly, and immediately after bringing up the right foot, come to the priming position, placing heels even, with the right toe pointing to the right, the lock opposite the right breast, the muzzle directly to the front and as high as the hat, the left hand just forward of the feather-spring, holding the piece firm and steady; and at the same time seize the cock with the fore-finger and thumb of the right hand, the back of the hand turned up.

V. Half-cock Firelock! 1 motion.

Half bend the cock briskly, bringing down the elbow to the butt of the firelock.

VI. Handle, Cartridge ! 1 motion.

Bring your right hand short round to your pouch, slapping it hard, seize the cartridge, and bring it with a quick motion to your mouth, bite the top off down to the powder, covering it instantly with your thumb, and bring the hand as low as the chin, with the elbow down.

VII. Prime ! 1 motion

Shake the powder into the pan, and covering the cartridge again, place the three last fingers behind the hammer, with the elbow up.

VIII. Shut, Pan ! 2 motions.

1st. Shut your pan briskly, bringing down the elbow to the butt of the firelock, holding the cartridge fast in your hand.

2d. Turn the piece nimbly round before you to the loading position, with the lock to the front, and the muzzle at the height of the chin, bringing the right hand up under the muzzle; both feet being kept fast in this motion.

IX. Charge with Cartridge ! 2 motions.

1st. Turn up your hand and put the cartridge into the muzzle, shaking the powder into the barrel.

2d. Turning the stock a little towards you, place your right hand closed, with a quick and strong motion, upon the butt of the rammer, the thumb upwards, and the elbow down.

X. Draw, Rammer ! 2 motions.

1st. Draw your rammer with a quick motion half out, seizing it instantly at the muzzle back-handed.

2d. Draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it into the muzzle.

XI. Ram down, Cartridge ! 1 motion.

Ram the cartridge well down the barrel, and instantly recovering and seizing the rammer back-handed by the middle, draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it as far as the lower pipe, placing at the same time the edge of the hand on the butt-end of the rammer.

XII. Return, Rammer ! 1 motion.

Thrust the rammer home, and instantly bring up the piece with the left hand to the shoulder, seizing it at the same time with the right hand under the cock, keeping the left hand at the swell, and turning the body square to the front.

XIII. Shoulder, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. Bring down the left hand, placing it strong upon the butt.

2d. With a quick motion bring the right hand down by your side.

XIV. Order, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. Sink the firelock with the left hand as low as possible, without constraint, and at the same time bringing up the right hand, seize the firelock at the left shoulder.

2d. Quit the firelock with the left hand, and with the right bring it down the right side, the butt on the ground, even with the toes of the right foot, the thumb of the right hand lying along the barrel, and the muzzle being kept at a little distance from the body.

XV. Ground, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. With the right hand turn the firelock, bringing the lock to the rear, and instantly stepping forward with the left foot a large pace, lay the piece on the ground, the barrel in a direct line from the front to rear, placing the left hand on the knee, to support the body, the head held up, the right hand and left heel in a line, and the right knee brought almost to the ground.

2d. Quitting the firelock, raise yourself up, and bring back the left foot to its former position.

XVI. Take up, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. Step forward with the left foot, sink the body, and come to the position described in the first motion of grounding.

2d. Raise up yourself and firelock, stepping back again with the left foot, and as soon as the piece is perpendicular, turn the barrel behind, thus coming to the order.

XVII. Shoulder, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. Bring the firelock to the left shoulder, throwing it up a little, and catching it below the tail-pipe, and instantly seize it with the left hand at the butt.

2d. With a quick motion bring the right hand down by your side.

XVIII. Secure, Firelock ! 3 motions.

1st. Bring up the right hand briskly, and place it under the cock.

2d. Quit the butt with the left hand, and seize the firelock at the swell, bringing the arm close down upon the lock, the right hand being kept fast in this motion, and the piece upright.

3d. Quitting the piece with your right hand, bring it down by your side, at the same time with your left hand throw the muzzle directly forward, bringing it within about one foot of the ground, and the butt close up behind the left shoulder, holding the left hand in a line with the waist belt, and with that arm covering the lock.

XIX. Shoulder, Firelock ! 3 motions.

1st. Bring the firelock up to the shoulder, seizing it with the right hand under the cock.

2d. Bring the left hand down strong upon the butt.

3d. Bring the right hand down by your side.

XX. Fix, Bayonet ! 3 motions.

1st and 2d motion the same as the two first motions of the secure.

3d. Quitting the piece with your right hand, sink it with your left down the left side, as far as may be without constraint, at the same time seize the bayonet with the right hand, draw and fix it, immediately slipping the hand down to the stock, and pressing in the piece to the hollow of the shoulder.

XXI. Shoulder, Firelock ! 3 motions.

1st. Quitting the piece with the right hand, with the left bring it up to the shoulder, and seize it again with the right hand under the cock, as in the second motion of the secure.

2d. Bring the left hand down strong upon the butt.

3d. Bring the right hand down by your side.

XXII. Present, Arms ! 3 motions.

1st and 2d motion the same as in coming to the poise.

3d. Step briskly back with your right foot, placing it a hand's breadth distant from your left heel, at the same time bring down the firelock as quick as possible to the rest, sinking it as far down before your left knee as your right hand will permit without constraint, holding the right hand under the guard, with the fingers extended, and drawing in the piece with the left hand till the barrel is perpendicular; during this motion you quit the piece with the left hand, and instantly seize it again just below the tail-pipe.

XXIII. Shoulder, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. Lift up your right foot and place it by your left, at the same time bring the firelock to your left shoulder, and seize the butt-end with the left hand, coming to the position of the first motion of secure.

2d. Bring the right hand down by your side.

XXIV. Charge, Bayonet ! 2 motions.

1st. The same as the first motion of the secure.

2d. Bring the butt of the firelock under the right arm, letting the piece fall down strong on the palm of the left hand, which receives it at the swell, the muzzle pointing directly to the front, the butt pressed with the arm against the side; the front rank holding their pieces horizontally, and the rear rank the muzzles of theirs so high as to clear the heads of the front rank, both ranks keeping their feet fast.

XXV. Shoulder, Firelock ! 2 motions.

1st. Bring up the piece smartly to a shoulder, seizing the butt with the left hand.

2d. Bring the right hand down by your side.

XXVI. Advance, Arms ! 4 motions.

1st and 2d the same as the two first motions of the poise.

3d. Bring the firelock down to the right side, with the right hand as low as it will admit without constraint, slipping up the left hand at the same time to the swell, and instantly shifting the position of the right hand, take the guard between the thumb and forefinger, and bring the three last fingers under the cock, with the barrel to the rear.

4th. Quit the firelock with the left hand, bringing it down by your side.

XXVII. Shoulder, Firelock ! 4 motions.

1st. Bring up the left hand, and seize the firelock at the swell; instantly shifting the right hand to its former position.

2d. Come smartly up to a poise.

3d and 4th. Shoulder.

Priming and Loading as Performed in the Firings

Prime and Load !

1st. Come to the recover, throwing up your firelock, with a smart spring of the left hand, directly before the left breast, and turning the barrel inwards; at that moment catch it with the right hand below the lock, and instantly bringing up the left hand, with a rapid motion, seize the piece close above the lock, the little finger touching the feather-spring; the left hand to be at an equal height with the eyes, the butt of the firelock close to the left breast, but not pressed, and the barrel perpendicular.

2nd. Bring the firelock down with a brisk motion to the priming position, the heels being even, with the right toe pointing to the right, the lock opposite the right breast, the muzzle directly to the front and as high as the hat, instantly placing the thumb of the right hand against the face of the steel, the fingers clinched, and the elbow a little turned out, that the wrist may be clear of the cock.

3rd. Open the pan by throwing back the stell with a strong motion of the right arm, keeping the firelock steady in the left hand.

4th Handle Cartridge

5th Prime

6th Shut Pan

7th Cast About

8th and 9th Load

10th and 11th Draw Rammer

12th Ram down Cartridge

13th Return Rammer

14th and 15th Shoulder Firelock

N.B.

The motion of recover, coming down to the priming position, and opening the pan to be done in the usual time; the motions of handling cartridge to shutting the pan, to be done as quick as possible; when the pans are shut, make a small pause, and cast about together; then the loading and shouldering motions are to be done as quick as possible.

Position of each Rank in the Firings.

Front Rank! Make Ready ! One motion.

Spring the firelock briskly to a recover, as soon as the left hand seizes the firelock above the lock, the right elbow is to be nimbly raised a little, placing the thumb of that hand upon the cock, the fingers open by the plate of the lock, and as quickly as possible cock the piece, by dropping the elbow, and forcing down the cock with the thumb, immediately seizing the firelock with the right hand, close under the lock; the piece to be held in this manner perpendicular, opposite the left side of the face, the body kept straight, and as full to the front as possible, and the head held up, looking well to the right.

Take Aim ! Fire !

As before explained.

Rear Rank! Make Ready! One motion.

Recover and cock as before directed, at the same time stepping about six inches to the right, so as to place yourself opposite the interval of the front rank.

Take Aim! Fire!

As before explained.

The following movements, although not included in the manual excercise, were mentioned by name in other sections of Von Steuben’s regulations.

Support, Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. Bring the right hand briskly, and place it under the cock.

2nd. Quitting the butt with the left hand, bring the left arm close up under the cock, resting the left hand upon the right arm, fingers extended towards the elbow.

Carry, Arms! Two motions.

1st. Seize the butt with the left hand.

2nd. With a quick motion bring the right hand down by your side.

Although George Washington suggested to Von Steuben that the command, Unfix Bayonet!, be included in the Manual Excerise, it was not.

Unfix, Bayonet ! Three motions.

1st and 2nd motion the same as the two first motions of secure.

3rd. Quitting the piece with your right hand, sink it with your left down the left side, as far as may be without constraint, at the same time seize the bayonet with the right hand, unfix it and place it in the scabbard, immediately slipping the hand down to the stock, and pressing in the piece to the hollow of the shoulder.

Shoulder, Firelock ! Three motions.

1st. Quiting the piece with the right hand, with the left bring it up to the shoulder, and seize it again the the right hand under the cock, as in the second motion of secure.

2nd. Bring the left hand down strong upon the butt.

3rd. Bring the right hand down by your side.

Although I've heard that Search Arms! was a modern command, there is a reference for this command in A Revolutionary People at War by Charles Royster on page 239.

The following is written by an officer with the light-infantry company of the Eighth Massachusetts Regt. "The general inspector, Baron Steuben, came on upon the right and as I was paying him the salute, remarks 'Captain, I am glad to see you at the head of so fine a company.' He passed in front of the officers and received their salutes, then marched back in rear of the regiment to the right. Tells me to order my company to search arms. At the word, the soldiers open pans and draw ramrods, let them down the barrels with a little force; they rebound pretty well. The baron lifts up both hands and exclaims, 'My God! Is it all silver?' He then looks round to the officers, who were standing about, and says, 'Come here, officers; all you officers come here and help me to admire this company.' The officers drew near. He made some handsome remarks in favor of the company. He then turns to me and says, 'You need not take off your packs, you need not show me your book, I will not inspect your company, I will admire it.'"

Search, Firelock ! Three motions.

1st and 2nd motion the same as the first two motions of the secure.

3rd. Quitting the piece with your right hand, sink it with your left down the left side, as far as may be without constraint, at the same time with your right hand drawing the rammer, turning it, and entering it into the muzzle.

As the inspecting officer passes in front of you, release the rammer with a slight downward thrust so that the rammer falls to the breech of the barrel, showing whether or not the barrel is clear.

After the inspecting officer has passed, seize the rammer back-handed by the middle, draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it as far as the lower pipe, placing at the same time the edge of the hand on the butt-end of the rammer, with the fingers extended.

Return, Rammer ! One motion.

Thrust the rammer home, and instantly bring up the piece with the left hand to the shoulder, seizing it at the same time with the right hand under the cock, keeping the left hand at the swell, and turning the body square to the front.

Shoulder, Firelock ! Two motions.

1st. Bring down the left hand, placing it strong upon the butt.

2nd. With a quick motion bring the right hand down by your side.

Back to the Soldier's Duty Page