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"Drill Regulations & Manuals for the USA" Topic


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Prince of Essling10 Sep 2025 1:20 p.m. PST

This is the fourteenth post in a series of posts containing links to the drill manuals and regulations. Each post will be for a particular country or state to avoid cross-contamination. The linked items cover more than the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. Regrettably the lists cannot be exhaustive but will contain as much I have been able to find. Should I find anything more, I will add.

Cuthbertson's system for the complete interior management and oeconomy of a battalion of infantry
Cuthbertson.
Rouths and Nelson, Bristol [Eng.] 1776
link

Regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States
Baron Frederick William von Steuben. Prepared and transcribed by Richard C. Knopf
(1800 edition) translation of 1956
link (viewable and downloadable only one page at a time)

Regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States. To which is added, an appendix, containing the United States militia act; together with the law organizing the militia of the state of New York, as now amended
War Dept & Baron Frederick William von Steuben
Daniel & Samuel Whiting, Albany 1803
link (plates are not folded out)

Steuben's regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States
Baron Frederick William von Steuben
William Pelham, Boston 1807
link (plates are not folded out)

Regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States by Baron de Steuben; to which is prefixed the militia law of the United States, and that of the state of New-York ; also is added, the manual exercise and revolutions of the cavalry … : and the rules and articles of war
Baron Frederick William von Steuben
Evert Duyckinck, New York 1807
link (plates are not folded out)

Review of a battalion of infantry: including the eighteen manoeuvres illustrated by a series of engraved diagrams; together with the words of command, and an accurate description of each manoeuvre, explaining the duty and ascertaining the situation of the officers through the various movements of the corps, forming an easy introduction to this part of the system of military discipline : to which is added, an appendix containing three new modes of passing the front of a column to the rear, on a march
Robert Smirke
M. & W. Ward, New York 1811
link (diagrams are embedded in the text)

Regulations for the field exercise, manœuvres, and conduct of the infantry of the United States; drawn up and adapted to the organization of the militia and regular troops.
Alexander Smyth
T. & G. Palmer, Philadelphia 1812
link (plates are not folded out)

A handbook for riflemen: containing the first principles of military discipline, founded on rational method; intended to explain in a familiar and practical manner, the discipline and duties of rifle corps: conformable to the system established for the United Stated military force, and the latest improvements in the modern art of war.
William Duane
Philadelphia 1812
link (diagrams are embedded in the text)

A hand book for infantry: containing the first principles of military discipline, founded on rational method … for the use of the military force of the United States
William Duane
Philadelphia 1813
link (plates are folded out)

A hand book for riflemen: containing the first principles of military discipline, founded on rational method; intended to explain in a familiar and practical manner, the discipline and duties of rifle corps; conformable to the system established for the United States military force, and the latest improvements in the modern art of war
William Duane
Philadelphia 1813
link (download via the Download menu on the lefthand side – diagrams are embedded in the text)

The system of infantry discipline: according to the regulation established for the army of the United States … With an appendix … containing the elements of war
William Duane
Philadelphia? 1814
link (diagrams embedded in the text)

Instructions for the drill: and the method of performing the eighteen manœuvres
Lieut. John Russell
M. Carey and M. Thomas, Philadelphia 1814
link (diagrams are embedded in the text)

Rules and regulations for the field exercise and manœuvres of infantry, compiled and adapted to the organization of the army of the United States, agreeably to a resolve of Congress, dated December, 1814
US War Dept & Winfield Scott
T. & W. Mercein, New York 1815
link (download via the Download Menu on the lefthand side)

The infantry exercise of the United States Army, abridged for the use of the militia of the United States
US War Dept & Paraclete Potter
Philadelphia 1819
link (plates are folded out)
link (download via the Download Menu on the lefthand side – slightly dark version)

Compend of the United States system of infantry exercise and manoeuvres: also the best system extant for light infantry and riflemen: the United States system corrected and abridged; and the augmentation inserted
Charles Kitchell Gardner
William A. Mercin, New York 1819
link (many plates are not folded out)

Scott's Militia tactics: comprising the duty of infantry, light-infantry, and riflemen; in six parts
Pierce Darrow & Winfield Scott
O. D. Cooke, Hartford 1821.
link (diagrams are embedded in the text)

Rules and regulations for the field exercise and manoeuvres of infantry, compiled and adapted to the organization of the Army of the United States, agreeably to a resolve of Congress, dated December, 1814; and published by order of the War Department. With an appendix, containing the rules and articles of war; a treatise on courts-martial and courts of inquiry; acts of Congress relating to the militia; extracts from the General regulations for the Army; forms of returns, reports, &c. Compiled for the use of the militia of Pennsylvania. With twenty-seven plates.
US War Dept & Winfield Scott
A. Finley, Philadelphia 1824
link (plates are folded out)

Military tactics: adapted to the different corps in the United States, according to the latest improvements,
John Holbrook
E. & H. Clark, Middletown [Conn.] 1826
link (diagrams embedded in the text)

Abstract of infantry tactics; including exercises and manœuvres of light-infantry and riflemen; for the use of the militia of the United States
Boston 1830
link (download via the Download Menu on the lefthand side – diagrams embedded in the text)
link (diagrams embedded in the text)

A system of tactics; or, Rules for the exercises and manœuvres of the cavalry and light infantry and riflemen of the United States
US War Dept
P. Blair, Washington 1834
link (plates are folded out)

Infantry tactics: or, Rules for the exercise and manœuvres of the United States' Infantry
Winfield Scott
Harper & Bros., New York 1835
Volume 1 link (plates are not folded out)
Volume 2 link (plates are not folded out)
Volume 3 link (plates are not folded out)

A concise system of instructions and regulations for the militia and volunteers of the United States: comprehending the exercises and movements of the Infantry … for the government of the regular army
Samuel Cooper & Alexander Macomb
R. P. Desilver, Philadelphia 1836
link (download via the Download Menu on the lefthand side – diagrams embedded in the text, however this a slightly dark version)
link (diagrams embedded in the text)

Infantry tactics: or, Rules for the exercise and manœuvres of the United States' Infantry
Winfield Scott
Harper & Bros., New York 1854-1861
Volume 1 link (plates are folded out)
Volume 2 link (plates are folded out)
Volume 3 no sign of a viewable copy.

The volunteer: containing exercises and movements of infantry, light infantry, riflemen and cavalry
William C. Kibbe
B.B. Redding, Sacremento 1855
link

The recruit: a compilation of exercises and movements of infantry, light-infantry, and riflemen: according to the latest improvements. Respectfully dedicated to the recruits of the United States
John T. Cairns.
L.H. Embree, New York 1855
link

Infantry tactics: or, Rules for the exercise and manœuvres of the United States' Infantry
Winfield Scott
Harper & Bros., New York 1857
Volume 1 link (not all plates are folded out)
Volume 2 no sign of a viewable copy.
Volume 3 link (viewable and downloadable one page only at a time).

Rifle and light infantry tactics; for the exercise and manoeuvres of troops when acting as light infantry or riflemen
William Joseph Hardee
Lippincott, Philadelphia 1861
Volumes 1 & 2 combined PDF link (diagrams are embedded in the text)

The Field Manual of Evolutions of the Line – Arranged in a Tabular Form, for the Use of Officers of the U. S. Infantry. Being a Sequel to the Authorized U. S. Infantry Tactics
François Philippe Le Louterel
J. P. Lippincott & co., Philadelphia 1862
link (diagrams are embedded in the text)

U.S. infantry tactics, for the instruction, exercise, and manœuvres, of the soldier, a company, line of skirmishers, and battalion; for the use of the colored troops of the United States infantry.
US Department of War
D. Van Nostrand, New York 1863
link (imperfect as some lates are not folded out, some pages are repeated etc)

Infantry tactics, for the instruction, exercise, and manœuvres of the soldier, a company, line of skirmishes, battalion, brigade, or corps d'armée
Silas Casey
D. Van Nostrand, New York 1862
Volume 1 Schools of the soldier and company. Instruction for skirmishers and music link (plates are folded out)
Volume 2 School of the battalion link (many plates are not folded out)
Volume 3 Evolution of a brigade and corps d'armée link (plates are not folded out)

Infantry tactics, for the instruction, exercise, and manœuvres of the soldier, a company, line of skirmishes, battalion, brigade, or corps d'armée
Silas Casey
D. Van Nostrand, New York 1862-1863
Volume 1 link (plates are folded out)
Volume 2 link (imperfect as some lates are not folded out, some pages are repeated etc)
Volume 3 link (plates are not folded out)

Infantry tactics, for the instruction, exercise, and manœuvres of the soldier, a company, line of skirmishes, battalion, brigade, or corps d'armée
Silas Casey
D. Van Nostrand, New York 1865
Volume 1 Schools of the soldier and company. Instruction for skirmishers and music link (plates are folded out)
Volume 2 School of the battalion link (many plates are not folded out)
Volume 3 Evolution of a brigade and corps d'armée link (plates are not folded out)

Vincent the Librarian11 Sep 2025 12:37 p.m. PST

Thank you. Interesting. As with most nations at the time, there was not one overall drill book for the US Army. I suspect that most militia probably fell back on the Steuben's regulations. I would also suspect that the more wealthier officer probably purchased drill books from Europe.

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