Military 18th Century Tactics, including von Steuben's Drill Manual

In the colonial period, the British colonies in America supported royal militia companies modeled on the plan of the Militia of England . By a Royal order of 1764 these companies were instructed in the infantry drill of the British regulars (l) which was adapted from the regulations of the Prussian infantry. The Prussian drill was devised by by Leopold I., Frince of Anhalt-Dessau, who taught it to the regiments of Frederick the Great and made of them a well drilled army. 

Such training the Continental arny had was in the British drill and not until the spring of 1773, at Valley Forge, were they drilled by Baron von Steuben. The practical work of Steuben resulted in his publishinig his Regulations in 1779. These Regulations were not a translation of the Prussian tactics, as frequently stated, but were an adaptation based on the Prussian drill. They were made official by the Continental Congress on March 29, 1779. 

The characteristics of Steuben :s plan of drill was the omission of all that was not practical and useful, and the providing for a greater openness of movements and formations during combat. He found chat the Continental soldiers had discarded their bayonets as of no value. Due to his teaching of the use the value of the bayonet, Stoncy Point was later taken by a bayonet charge, not a shot being fired. He stopped the men from taking home their muskets as keepsakes and insisted upon the proper care of accouterments.

The bayonet charge was the hallmark of the British Infantry in the Revolutionary War - and with it, they bedeviled every militia unit caught out in the open during the early years of the war, before Steuben's training in 1777-78 at Valley Forge.  The last time the Brits successfully used a bayonet charge to send colonial militia units to panicked retreat was at their decisive victory over Gates at the battle of Camden.  But by 1778 and after, the "regular army" Continental units were all drilled in how to make and withstand a bayonet charge.  They broke a bayonet charge in the decisive victory at Cowpens, and then Washington used a Continental bayonet charge to take redoubt 10 at Yorktown.




Von Steuben's Drill Manual, originally passed by Act of the 2nd Continental Congress in 1779 

Reveries, or Memoirs concerning the Art of War, 1759

Thomas Simes,  The Military Medley, 1767

History of the Infantry Drill Regulations of the U.S. Army:

Before the years of the Revolutionary War the British colonies in America sup ported royal militia companies modeled on the plan of the Militia of England . By a Royal order of 1764 these companies were properly instructed in the infantry drill of the British regulars (l) which was adapted from the regulations of the Prussian in fantry. The Prussian drill was devised by by Leopold I., Frince of Anhalt-Dessau, who taught it to the regiments of Frederick the Great and made of them a well drill ed army. The militias of the provinces of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut and Rhode Island' were instructed in the tactics of the Norfolk militia of 1759.(2) The Norfolk tactics was the drill of the old train bands and in them one finds for the last time the manual of the halberd and and pike.

Such training the Continental arny had was in the British drill and not until the spring of 1773, at Valley Forge, were they drilled by Baron von Steuben. The practical work of Steuben resulted in his publishi^ig his Regulations (4) in 1779. These Regulations were not a translation of the Prussian tactics, as frequently stat ed, but were an adaptation based on the Prussian drill. They were made official by the Continental Congress on March 29, 1779. In 1732, after Congress had authorized the Array of the Unii-.ed States, it made Steubcrx's Reflations the official drill sys tem for it, but militia regiments were permitted to use ar,y drill system. Steuben's plan of drill remained official for the regular army until March 30, 1812 when they were superceeded by Smyth's tactics. However, Steubea'6 Regulations were followed by the larger part of vhs regular army until 1815 and by part of the militia until 1820, Steubenis Regulations were out of print by 1808 and from that date until the close of the second war with England there -./as no uniformity in infantry drill, as several dif ferent systems were in use. The characteristics of Steuben :s plan of drill was the omission of all that was not practical and useful, and the providing for a greater openness of movements arid formations during combat. He found chat the Continental soldiers had discarded their bayonets as of no value. Due to his teaching of the use md vaiu? of the bayonet, Stoncy Point i.tis later taken by a bayonet charge, not a shot being fired. He stopped the men from taking home their muskets as keepsakes and insisted upon the proper e?.re of accoutrement.