Instructions for forming a Regiment of Infantry for Parade of Exercise, together with the Eighteen Maneouvres, as ordered to be practised by His Majesty?s Forces, accompanied by Explanations and Diagrams.

DICKINSON, H., Captain and Adjutant, 1st Regt. R.E.I. Volunteers.

Published by London, T. Egerton at the Military Library, 1798.

About this Item

uncut throughout in the original drab boards with white paper spine, largely chipped, extremities bumped. Oblong 8vo (143 x 220 mm), pp. 139, with 19 engraved plates, several printed in portrait format but all bound in landscape, A lovely unsophisticated copy of this scarce manual relating to infantry formation, in which detailed instructions are given for the ?Eighteen Manoevres?, the basic standard of infantry drill as refined during the Napoleonic wars. The text is presented in diagrammatic form, taking each manoeuvre in turn and giving details on the Cautions and Commands to be given by Commanding Officers, the Words of Command by Officers of Companies and finally a column giving an Explanation for each command. Each section or Manoeuvre is illustrated with an engraved plate. The work is dedicated to Colonel David Scott of the First Regiment of Royal East India Volunteers, being the author?s - or compiler?s - commanding officer and it is followed by an Index of the various components of the manoeuvres. Dickinson?s visual presentation of infantry formation proved popular, running to a second (corrected) edition in 1799 and a third in 1803. ?It may appear to require some Apology on my Part, that not being a professional Military Man, I should venture to put my Name to this Publication: Were it to contain any Opinions of my own, upon Military Tactics, I might fairly be charged with Presumption; but I pretend to no other Merit than the Endeavour to arrange the Regulations, adopted for His Majesty?s Infantry Forces, in such a Manner as to render them more easy to the Learner? (p.3). WorldCat lists BL, NLS, NYPL, Harvard and Yale.

Seller Inventory # 4187

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Instructions for forming a Regiment of Infantry for Parade of Exercise, together with the Eighteen Maneouvres, as ordered to be practised by His Majesty?s Forces, accompanied by Explanations and Diagrams.
• Publisher: London, T. Egerton at the Military Library, 1798.
• Binding: Hardcover
• Seller catalogs:
  • History and Society