Dress Parade One f the great unifying factrs in military histry is the traditin f dress parade, a frmal ceremny in which the trps are frmed, assessed, reprts f rll calls received, and imprtant rders read. Dress parade was a fact f everyday military life during the American Civil War, as reprted in many first persn accunts, and, in reliving the military life f the time, it is imprtant that we d it as accurately as pssible. It is prpsed, in this shrt article, t deliver an verview f the parade, and the basics f each sldier s duties in the parade, in hpes f making ur perfrmance f the ceremny a mre exact representatin.
An Overview. It will be ur practice t hld dress parade at 9:00 AM. The time may be adjusted fr ther activities. If we are t fllw the frm exactly, a drum signal wuld be given ne half hur befre trp, in ur case, at 8:30, at which pint the music wuld assemble n the parade field, and each cmpany wuld frm n its wn parade fr rll call and inspectin. Usually this task has already been dne prir t 8:00 cmpany drill. 10 minutes later, r 8:40, the Adjutant's call wuld be played. At this pint, captains shuld march their cmpanies t the regimental parade. The music will cntinue t play thrughut the frming f the battalin, stpping when the adjutant indicates t them that the battalin is frmed. Since rll calls have already been made, and cmpany inspectins held, it seems mre lgical fr ur purpses t have the drum signal at 8:40, 20 minutes befre the parade, and the Adjutant s Call at 8:50, 10 minutes befre the parade. Frming the Battalin. The clr-cmpany frms the basis f the frmatin, and shuld fall in first, n the right f the clr-guard, which the adjutant has frmed and pre-psitined n the line. Other cmpanies, shuld they arrive early, shuld wait until the clr-cmpany is n the line. Cmpanies shuld fall in n the right and left f the clr-cmpany, in rder, rather than falling in and leaving gaps. Thus, fr example, in a fur-cmpany battalin, the 2 nd (clr) cmpany wuld be first t take psitin, then the 1 st cmpany, 3 rd cmpany, and 4 th cmpany. Cmpanies are t fall in n the principle f successive frmatins, such as Frward int Line, n the Right int Line, etc. Remember that, nce the captain is satisfied with the dress, the cmpany is t be put at Supprt Arms, NOT Order Arms. This is true, nt nly fr dress parade, but als fr any battalin frmatin. It is suggested that there is n need t arrive 10 minutes early.
The Adjutant takes his pst tw paces frm the right f the battalin, and the Sergeant-Majr tw paces frm the left. The music is in tw ranks, t the right f the adjutant. Field and staff fficers and nncmmissined staff are in their prper place in line f battle. The Clnel, if he is the ranking fficer present, will place himself a suitable distance in the frnt f the battalin. The Parade. The Adjutant is in ttal cntrl f the frmatin. When he is satisfied with the alignment, he will direct that the Captain f the first cmpany put his cmpany at Parade Rest. That captain will take ne step frward, and cmmand, Shulder- ARMS, Order-ARMS, Parade-REST. When the first cmpany is at Parade Rest, the Captain f the secnd cmpany will repeat the prcedure. Each cmpany shuld be brught t Parade Rest successively, frm right t left. When the adjutant sees each cmpany at Parade Rest, he will rder the music, under the cmmand f the principal musician t Beat-OFF. The music will play a slw march, as they march frm right t left in frnt f the battalin, and then back t return t their psitin. Nte that trping the clr is NOT part f the dress parade. Once the music has returned t its psitin, the Adjutant will cmmand, Attentin- BATTALION, Shulder-ARMS, Prepare t pen ranks; T the rear pen rder- MARCH. This executed exactly as in Schl f the Battalin, except that all cmpany fficers (including lieutenants nt in cmmand) shuld march fur paces frward, captains ppsite their psitin in line, lieutenants ppsite their place, in ther wrds in frnt f their cmmands, (platns r sectins). Lieutenants will pass thrugh the captain s interval t take psitin. The Lieutenant Clnel and Majr will dismunt (if munted), and march frm their psitins behind the line t a place six paces in frnt f their wings, r tw paces in frnt f the line f cmpany fficers. Once the ranks are aligned, and the cmmissined fficers in their places, the adjutant shuld cmmand, FRONT.
The adjutant will then march alng the battalin frnt t the center, face right in marching, and pass the line f cmpany fficers eight r ten paces, face abut, and cmmand, Present-ARMS. He will then face frnt, salute the clnel, and reprt, Sir, the parade is frmed. The Clnel, still with swrd in scabbard, will return the salute with a hand salute. The Adjutant will take pst three paces t the left, and ne t rear f the Clnel, passing arund his right. The Clnel will then draw his swrd, cmmand Battalin, Shulder-ARMS, and drill the battalin in the Manual f Arms, as he sees fit, ending with Order- ARMS. The Adjutant will then pass arund the Clnel s right, taking pst midway between the Clnel and the line f cmpany fficers. He will then cmmand First Sergeants; T the frnt and center-march. At the preparatry cmmand, (all that befre March) they will Shulder Arms, march tw paces frward, and face inward. At the cmmand MARCH, they will march t the center and halt. Nte that they d nt face t the Adjutant until his cmmand. The Adjutant will then cmmand, Frnt-FACE, REPORT. At this, each First Sergeant, beginning n the right, will give the rifle salute, and reprt the result f the rll call. Remember that, while each f ur cmpanies prtrays a different regiment histrically, in the dress parade, we are suppsed t be ne battalin. Thus, the reprt shuld be n the rder f, Cmpany A, all present r accunted fr, Sir. It is nt necessary t give actual numbers. Neither is it necessary t reprt missing sldiers, unless they are missing withut permissin. All thers are accunted fr. After the reprts, the Adjutant will cmmand, First sergeants utward-face. T yur psts-march. The sergeants will face ut and return t their psitins in line. The Adjutant will face t the Clnel, salute, and reprt the results f the rll t the Clnel, wh will then direct that the rders be published. The Adjutant will face abut, and cmmand Attentin t Orders, at which time he will read such rders as the Clnel may direct. He will then face t the Clnel, salute and reprt that the rder has been carried ut.
The Adjutant shuld annunce that the Parade is dismissed. Then the Clnel wuld take cmmand, clse ranks, and wheel the battalin int a clumn by cmpany, and begin the inspectin. Accrding t regulatins, the Dress Parade is a stand-alne frmatin. When the Adjutant annunces that the Parade is dismissed, the cmpany fficers wuld return their swrds, face inwards, and march t side f the Adjutant, wh will have mved t the center f their line. The field fficers wuld step back t the line f cmpany fficers and clse n their flanks. Nte that they d nt face frnt until the adjutant s cmmand. The Adjutant will cmmand Frnt-FACE, Frward- MARCH. They will march frward, dressing n the center, with the music playing, t a pint six paces frm the clnel, when the adjutant will cmmand HALT. The fficers will render a hand salute, and remain as the Clnel cnveys such rders as apprpriate. He shall then indicate that the ceremny is cncluded. The fficers will again salute, and disperse t their camps. The First Sergeants will then take charge f their cmpanies, and march them back t their cmpany parades.
Individual Respnsibilities. Cmmissined and nn-cmmissined Staff. These sldiers have perhaps the easiest jb in the parade. They take their psitins in line f battle and stay there. As arms cmmands are given, they bey them t the extent that either the swrd manual f rifle manual fr sergeants permits. Nte that sergeants carrying a swrd as an arm salute differently than fficers, bringing their swrds t a pise. The Sergeant-Majr des take a different psitin. Rather than being behind the line n the left flank, he takes psitin tw paces frm the left f the frnt rank f the battalin. Once there, he has n ther duties, save beying arms cmmands. D take nte that any f these sldiers might be called upn t perfrm the Adjutant s part, r take cmmand f the parade in the absence f thse fficers. Being prepared remains a watchwrd. Privates, Crprals, and Sergeants, ther than First Sergeants. One f the great jys f being in the ranks is the need t knw almst nthing. All these sldiers need t d is t bey the familiar cmmands f their fficers. Nthing in the parade is any different than cmpany drill. Still, as interested histrians, we all want t understand as much as we can. Nte that any sldier may be called upn t act as First Sergeant, r even cmpany cmmander in the absence f thse fficers.
First Sergeants. The First Sergeant, fr the mst part, acts as thugh he were in cmpany r battalin drill. When the Adjutant cmmands T the rear pen rder, he steps back fur paces as he usually des. When the Captain marches t the frnt, he replaces him in the frnt rank. If lieutenants are present, he may need t step t the frnt, in frnt f the first file f his cmpany, t allw them t pass t the frnt f their cmpanies. The mst imprtant functin f the First Sergeant is the reprt f the rll call. On the Adjutant s cmmand f First Sergeants t the frnt and center, all First Sergeants will shulder arms, march tw paces frward, (midway between the frnt rank and the line f cmpany fficers) and face inwards. On the cmmand MARCH, they march t the center, and halt, still facing inwards. On the cmmand Frnt-FACE, they face the Adjutant. On the cmmand REPORT, the First Sergeant f the first cmpany gives the rifle salute, and reprts the result f the rll. The suggested frm is Cmpany A, all present r accunted fr, Sir. If there are sldiers absent withut permissin, reprt them as such. All thers are accunted fr. On the cmmand, First Sergeants, Outward Face, all face ut. At T yur Psts-MARCH, all return t their psts and rder arms. Lieutenants. The nly real duty f the Lieutenant in the parade is t take pst in frnt f the cmpany. On the cmmand T the rear, pen rder- MARCH, they shuld march t the frnt f their cmmands, passing by the captain s interval, the First Sergeant stepping t the frnt t allw them t pass. A First Lieutenant wuld stand fur paces in frnt f the secnd platn. A Secnd Lieutenant wuld stand fur paces in frnt f the secnd sectin f the first platn. All will bey the Manual f Arms cmmands as far as the swrd manual permits. Of curse, all lieutenants shuld be familiar with the duties f captains, in the absence f thse fficers.
Captains. Captains shuld see that their cmpanies are frmed and aligned at the first drum call befre the parade. They shuld march their cmpanies t the parade grund nly n the sund f the Trp, which is the secnd music heard after the initial drum call. D nt bring yur cmpany early, as they will then have t wait fr the clr-cmpany t frm n line. The captain f the clr cmpany, hwever, will frm his cmpany and march t the parade grund as sn as pssible, preparing fr the Adjutant t place it next t the clr-guard. Remember that the frmatin f the battalin is accrding t the principles f successive frmatins. DO NOT BRING YOUR COMPANY TO ORDER ARMS. Bring them t the Supprt Arms instead. Remember that this is true in all frmatins f the battalin, nt just fr Dress Parade. When the Adjutant directs the Captain f the first cmpany t bring them t Parade Rest, he will step ne pace frward and cmmand Shulder- ARMS, Order- ARMS, Parade-REST. He will then step back int line and take the psitin f parade rest. The Captain f the secnd cmpany will then repeat the prcedure, and s n successively dwn the line. At the Adjutant s cmmand, T the rear pen rder-march, all captains will march fur paces frward and halt. Frm that pint, simply bey Manual f Arms cmmands as allwed by the swrd manual. When the adjutant cmmands Parade is dismissed, await further rders. If we are ging t d smething different, yu will be frewarned.
Field Officers and Chiefs f Cavalry and Artillery. The Lieutenant Clnel and Majrs, after seeing that the cmpanies are frming n their parades, will take their psitins twelve paces behind their respective wings in line f battle. This distance will prbably need t be adjusted t a small battalin frnt. On the cmmand, T the rear pen rder-march, they will march t the frnt, passing thrugh the tw pace interval between the Adjutant r Sergeant Majr and the battalin. Their psitin is six paces in frnt f their respective wings. As a matter f practicality, it is well t step ff when the preparatry cmmand is given. Thus yu shuld be at the battalin line in time t remind the cmpany fficers t march fur paces frward. Clnel. The Clnel directs the Adjutant as t the exact lcatin f the line. He then takes psitin a suitable distance frm the frnt f the battalin, depending n the length f the frnt. His swrd shuld be in the scabbard until the Adjutant takes pst behind him, and he instructs the battalin in the Manual f Arms. He shuld be familiar with the Adjutant s jb, as he is in an excellent psitin t remind him f the rder f the parade. He is respnsible fr infrming the adjutant f the rders t be read. Adjutant. The Adjutant is the main player in this particular drama. He prepares the line fr the parade, and frms it befre turning it ver t the Clnel. Even then, mst f the actins f the parade are initiated by him. Rather than repeat, it is suggested that all wh wish t learn the Adjutant s part study the verview. Mst f that refers t the Adjutant. If yu knw the Adjutant s part, yu knw the parade!!
Dress The term "dress parade" refers back t the English traditin f "dress" and "undress" unifrm. In that traditin, the ceremny did require the full dress unifrm. In unusual circumstances, such as inclement weather, an "undress parade" might be called, which wuld require nly the undress unifrm, and a shrtened ceremny. Summarily, the best unifrm available wuld have been wrn. Early in the war, frck cats, sashes and white glves wuld have been cmmn, thugh nt universal. Sergeants wuld have wrn swrds rather than rifles. During the prgressin t mid and late war, many f these items wuld have been discarded, r have wrn ut and perhaps nt been replaced. Still, even in the late war, there wuld be sme dandies wh wuld dress t the fullest. Sldiers n active campaign wuld have been unlikely t bring such items. If n an active campaign, ne wuld wear the nly unifrm available, the ne n the sldier's back. Blusing f trusers was nt a cmmn perid practice. N images, either phtgraphic, painted, sketched, have surfaced that shw blused trusers, althugh they may exist. Regardless, it is suggested that trps nt be blused fr dress parade, unless in a knwn, heavily tick infested area. Buttning f unifrms is anther pint. CS Regulatins, in Para. 1477, d state that the jacket shuld be buttned r hked at the cllar. I wuld suggest thugh, 15. An fficer, nn-cmmissined fficer r sldier shall indicate respect fr wmen when passing by them in public by tuching the brim f the cap in the manner f a salute, r remving the hat. That fr dress parade, the jacket be buttned cmpletely. The ceremny lasts nly 10 minutes r s. In extreme heat, this culd be adjusted, as the British did with the "undress parade".
Cnclusin. Dress parade is an imprtant military ceremny, with a rich histry. It is imprtant that it is represented as accurately as pssible. All shuld read the verview, and cpy the instructins fr their particular part. Learn the part next abve yur statin, since yu can never tell wh will be n furlugh, and prepare accrdingly. WORKS CITED A listing f the wrks cnsulted in making this study, and a shrt cmmentary n their use. Cper, Samuel. (1836) A Cncise System f Instructins and Regulatins fr the Militia and Vlunteers f the United States. Philadelphia: Rbert Desilver. A predecessr f Gilham s, using Sctt s Infantry Tactics as the basis fr infantry drill. Gilham, William. (1861) Rifle and Infantry Tactics. Philadelphia: Charles Desilver A very useful vlume. Infantry is Hardee s with additins fr vlunteers. Hardee, William J. (1862) Rifle and Infantry Tactics. Nrth Carlina. Hardee s revisin fr three band weapns. 1st printed in Mbile in 1861 Lee, Jas. K. (1861) Vlunteer s Handbk. Richmnd: West & Jhnstn Press Anther manual fr vlunteers. Regulatins fr the Army f the United States. (1861) Philadelphia; J. G. L. Brwn The vlume upn which the CS Regulatins were based. Uptn, Emry. (1867) Infantry Tactics. New Yrk: D. Appletn & C. A revisin f tactics just after the war, which clarifies much that was nt answered in pre-war manuals. Sctt, Winfield. (1830) Abstract f Infantry Tactics. Bstn: Hilliard, Grey, Little, and Wilkins. A shrt manual written by cmmittee befre Sctt s majr wrk, Infantry Tactics. Sctt. Winfield. (1835) Infantry Tactics. New Yrk: Harper and Brthers. The great wrk f Sctt, and the principal manual fr infantry in use until the adptin f Hardee s. It was still in use by many in the war. Viele, Egbert. (1861) Hand-Bk fr Active Service. New Yrk: Jhn, Trw. A valuable reference fr trps in the field.