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LESSON 1. PRINCIPLES OF SHOULDERED ARMS.
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127. The recruit being placed as explained in the first lesson of the first part, the instructor will cause him to bend the right arm slightly, and place the piece in it, in the following manner.
128. The piece in the right hand - the barrel nearly vertical and resting in the hollow of the shoulder - the guard to the front, the arm hanging nearly at its full length near the body; the thumb and fore-finger embracing the guard, the remaining fingers closed together, and grasping the swell of the stock just under the cock, which rests on the little finger.
129. Recruits are frequently seen with natural defects in the conformation of the shoulders, breast and hips. These the instructor will labor to correct in the lessons without arms, and afterwards, by steady endeavors, so that the appearance of the pieces, in the same line, may be uniform, and this without constraint to the men in their positions.
130. The instructor will have occasion to remark that recruits, on first bearing arms, are liable to derange their position by lowering the right shoulder and the right hand, or by sinking the hip and spreading out the elbows.
131. He will be careful to correct all these faults by continually rectifying the position; he will sometimes take away the piece to replace it the better; he will avoid fatiguing the recruits too much in the beginning, but labor by degrees to render this position so natural and easy that they may remain in it a long time without fatigue.
132. Finally, the instructor will take great care that the piece, at a shoulder, be not carried too high nor too low. If too high, the right elbow would spread out, the soldier would occupy too much space in his rank, and the piece be made to waver; if too low, the files would be too much closed, the soldier would not have the necessary space to handle his piece with facility, the right arm would become too much fatigued, and would draw down the shoulder.
Order-ARMS
One time and two motions.
154. (First motion.) Seize the piece briskly with the left hand near the upper band, and detach it slightly from the shoulder with the right hand: loosen the grasp of the right hand, lower the piece with the left, reseize the piece with the right hand above the lower band, the little finger in the rear of the barrel, the butt about four inches from the ground, the right hand supported against the hip, drop the left hand by the side. If the rifle musket is used, the piece will be seized by the left hand a little above the middle band, and it will be seized by the right hand, just above the lower band.
155. (Second motion.) Let the piece slip through the right hand to the ground by opening slightly the fingers, and take the position about to be described.
POSITION OF ORDER ARMS.
156. The hand low, the barrel between the thumb and fore-finger extended along the stock; the other fingers extended and joined; the muzzle about two inches from the right shoulder; the rammer in front; the toe (or beak) of the butt, against, and in a line with, the toe of the right foot, the barrel perpendicular.
Shoulder-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
161. (First motion.) Raise the piece vertically with the right hand to the height of the right breast, and opposite the shoulder, the elbow close to the body; seize the piece with the left hand below the right, and drop quickly the right hand to grasp the piece at the swell of the stock, the thumb and fore-finger embracing the guard; press the piece against the shoulder with the loft hand) the right arm nearly straight.
162. (Second motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the side.