"Passage of Lines" Topic

"The standard layout used by most nations during the Napoleonic Wars was in two lines, so that the second could provide a reserve. This is described in the British 1792 Regulations as follows:…"
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Amicalement
Armand

ACW was pretty similar. We drilled that a lot and often used it during 'battles'.

That's why most brigades deploy with two lines of battalions, depending on the circumstances.

The British sometimes also deployed larger units with one wing in open order, the other behind them in close order, during the AWI.

This seems to invalidate any set of rules which provides for disorder if a unit passes through a friendly unit.

That's old school. Quite a few Horse and Musket rules have moved away from it in recent years I've found.

Not before time I might add.

If you think about it, why would armies line up in a manner that would lead to chaos the minute they wanted to pull battered units out of the fight?

As Scott mentioned, drill existed for exactly this purpose in the Civil War, as it did well before that. Just ask the next Roman you meet.

Another example of rules writers and gamers not giving those who actually fought battles, back in the day, credit for having a lick of sense!

That said, it was fine if you completed Passage of Lines in time, if you got caught while doing it, not so much!

Yes, it was used on a regular basis. The examples that Rod provides are passage of lines under fire, which is why there is some comment about how well the passage is done.

Whether Girard at Ocana or Marchant at Salamanca, it was simply a formation change involving multiple units which is the added complication--with all the risks of any formation change in the face of the enemy.

IF the Spanish and English can do it at Albuera under fire from the French, it isn't something that was all that out of the ordinary and certainly not automatically disordering.

Of course every maneuver was more difficult when under fire. If a battalion in the front line was on the verge of breaking and then was ordered to retire, it might disintegrate into a mob which WOULD disorder the line behind it.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

A good link.

+1 Trajanus. I too am glad that most rules have moved beyond the notion that passage of lines under fire was overly difficult, or even impossible to accomplish. Too often the 'reward' for using historical precedent and having supported lines is watching your second line stand helplessly while the first line is worn away. Then if the first line collapses, the impotent supporting line is often instantly disordered or possibly routed.

I think it stems from the WYSIWYG of gamers seeing solid lines of troops and not understanding how troops manoeuvred.

As long as the unit is in reasonable order, human nature would suggest it would more welcome to retire under fire than remain in place.

Having drilled this several times, there is a degree of "disorder" that occurs. It is perhaps one of the toughest maneuvers to try in the face of an enemy and leaves the units involved vulnerable.

I think disorder will occur if units were not well trained. There is a good quote by Captain Elzéar Blaze: Life in Napoleon's Army, about how much drill Napoleonic troops did, far more than any modern unit and massively more than any re-enactor. I am in hospital at present, recovering from a knee replacement operation yesterday, so I don't have access to my library to quote the exact page or text.

Rod

Watch out for clots. Get Doctor to reassure you about clots.

Glad you enjoyed it my friend!.

Amicalement
Armand

Hi Stoppage,

I spent all last night with special pads around my feet to stop DVT, which inflated once every minute, so I did not get much sleep. I will have the same tonight, but managed about 3 hours peaceful sleep this afternoon.

My consultant who performed the operation, Mr Sam Rajaratnam, was the best in UK (Gold Award) in his final fellowship examinations. When I saw him just after the operation he told me it had all gone very well, so I am very happy about that. I should be out of hospital on Friday.

Rod

Hi Rod

Good to know that you have confidence in your consultant.

I like your website and approach – I'd like to see more in the future – please take care of yourself.

Please be aware: link

Hi Rod – thx you for your webpage – really appricate it.

Do a lot of professional research in TKA myself, get walking – that is the best prevention for DVT – hopes for a succesfull recovery.

Interesting stuff. I play the Neil Thomas rules sometimes for simple games. However, will allow passage of the lines, especially for ACW based on this discussion.

As a side note, attacking in column per Napoleonic would be a problem if not shaking out into line going in.

From the link, quoting from Wellington's Lavos General order:

The order of battle of the army is to be two deep, and as follows, beginning with the right:-

Major-General Ferguson's brigade.
Brigadier Catlin Craufurd's ditto.
Brigadier-General Fane's ditto on the left

And the comment on this:

This General Order has been misunderstood as a direction for battalions to form in two ranks, but in the context it is clearly directing that the Army as a whole should form in two lines.

This general order has often been claimed to be evidence of Wellington ordering two deep line for the duration of the Peninsular War, which it certainly isn't because it only applied to the three brigades present at the time.

However, it is almost certainly a direction for these three brigades to form in a line two files deep, rather than each brigade forming their battalions one line behind the other. I challenge anyone to show an example of the expression "two deep" referring to anything other than the depth of files in the British army of this era.

When two separate lines were required, the terminology would have been "two lines", not "two deep".

I've been wondering about this a lot lately, as so many plans of battle show two lines. The thing it, when the first line retires, it's usually due to a morale failure caused by heavy casualties or an overwhelming threat. Those front line guys are not usually in good order when they "retire."