A military dictionary

by William Duane

To FORM, in a general acceptation of the term, is to assume or produce any shape or figure, extent or depth of line or column, by means of prescribed rules in military movements or dispositions.

To Form from file, among cavalry. The front file halts at a given point: the rest, or remaining files successively ride up at a very smart gallop, taking care to halt in time, and not to over-run the ground. If the formation is by doubling round the front file, (in a formation, for instance, to the rear of the march, or to the right when marched from the right,) the files must double as close round as possible and with the utmost expedition. In forming from file, particular attention should be given to make the men put their horses quite straight as they come in. They must keep their bodies square, dress by a slight cast of the eye towards the point of formation, and close and dress in an instant. A dragoon, in fact, must no sooner get into the ranks, than his attention should be given to remain steady, well closed and dressed. It is generally required, that when the cavalry forms, each man must come up in file to his place, and by no means move up to his leader, till that leader has formed to which ever hand the file is forming to. The whole must follow the exact track of the first leader, and come up one by one into their respective places in squadron.

To Form to the front. To move nimbly up from file into ranks, and close to your leader, whether on foot, or horseback.

To Form to the rear. To double round your leaders, who have themselves turned and faced.

To Form to a proper flank. To turn and close in to your leader.

To Form to a reverse flank. To pass, turn and successively close to your leaders.

In all formations from file, the whole, till otherwise directed, dress to the hand to which the squadron, or division forms. See Am. Mil. Lib.

To Form by moving in front, and successively arriving in line, is by divisions, or distinct bodies, to advance forward by word of command towards any given point of alignement. On these occasions the eyes of the whole are turned to the hand to which they are to form, and from which they preserve required distances. The leading officer must be on the inward flank of his division; he conducts it to its point of junction in line, and from thence dresses and corrects it on the person, who is previously placed beyond him, and prolonging the general line. The outward flank of the last formed and halted body, is always considered as the point of conjunction (necessary intervals included) of the succeeding one. Thus the looking and lining of the soldier is always towards that point, and the flank of the line formed to; and the correction of dressing by the officer is always made from that point towards the other flank. Therefore on all occasions of moving up, forming and dressing in line, by the men lining themselves to one hand (inwards) and the officers correcting to the other (outwards) the most perfect line may be obtained. Commanding officers of regiments, when a considerable line is forming, must take every advantage from timeously throwing out intelligent guides to give them true points in the general line. In the French service these persons are called jalonneurs from jalonner, to fix any thing, by which any true direction, perpendicular or otherwise, may be obtained; the word guide is the best translation of the word jalonneur, and it is so used in the American Military Library.

To Form line, is to wheel to the right or left from open column of divisions, subdivisions, or sections, according to prescribed rules, so as to present one continued front or straight line; or to deploy from close column for the same end, or to file to the front.

To Form rank entire, is to extend the front of a battalion or company by reducing it to the least possible depth, from any existing number of ranks.