Sally Port Mess-Ready & Recover Arms

Proper Safety-Ready Position and Recover Arms

Jeremy Bevard

During reenactments safety is often brought up and how important it is. It is stressed over and over again about how important it is to keep the lines dressed and that the rear rank practices their foot work. Those items are written in the manuals because they are needed for proper safety and effectiveness. While these are important there are other safety items written into the manuals that are equally as important but are almost never taught correctly, if at all. The commands and executions that follow apply to Casey’s and Hardee’s. The wording is exactly the same for these movements in both manuals.

The first item is the proper Ready position. This has been taught and practiced almost universally incorrect in the ranks. Many reenactors do the “chicken wing” for a Ready position. This means to place the butt of the weapon under the right arm and almost tuck it into the arm pit. The problem with this is the weapon does not have proper support. If the person lets go with either hand the weapon would fall. Lack of understanding of the correct Ready position puts barrels all over the place in the ranks. High, low, straight, down, to close and to far away from the man in front. The Ready position is also the same position that is used during the loading stage Prime. When the weapon is properly placed it also makes it much easier to put a cap on the cone. Again, because we have proper control of the weapon. Following are the commands for Prime and the Ready position. The foot work portion is as important as the rest of the motions. Emphasis was added to the positions of the arms as this is the primary focus for this article. Next to the text is the drawing from the manuals that illustrates the text:

PRIME.
One time and two motions.

(First motion.) With the left hand raise the piece till the band is as high as the eye, grasp the small of the stock with the right hand; half face to the right; place, at the same time, the right foot behind and at right angles with the left; the hollow of the right foot against the left heel. Slip the left hand down to the lower band, the thumb along the stock, the left elbow against the body; bring the piece to the right side the butt below the right fore-arm -- the small of the stock against the body and two inches below the right breast, the barrel upwards, the muzzle on a level with the eye.

(Second motion.) Half cock with the thumb of the right hand, the fingers supported against the guard and the small of the stock remove the old cap with one of the fingers of the right hand, and with the thumb and forefinger of the same hand, take a cap from the pouch, place it on the nipple, and press it down with the thumb; seize the small of the stock with the right hand.

READY.

One time and three motions.

(First motion.) Raise the piece slightly with the right hand, making a half face to the right on the left heel; carry the right foot to the rear, and place it at right angles to the left~ the hollow of it opposite to and against the left heel; grasp the piece with the left hand at the lower band and detach it slightly from the shoulder.
(Second motion.) Bring down the piece with both hands, the barrel upward, the left thumb extended along the stock, the butt below the right fore-arm the small of the stock against the body and two inches below the right breast, the muzzle as high as the eye, the left elbow against the side; place at the same time the right thumb on the head of the cock the other fingers wider and against the guard.
(Third motion.) Cock, and seize the piece at the small of the stock without deranging the position of the butt.

According to the manuals the butt of the weapon runs along the right forearm and about mid-chest level. The left hand then supports the weapon further up the stock. When this is done a person can let go with either hand and still have complete control of the weapon. When this is combined with dressed ranks and proper foot work the barrel is also always in a safe spot for your pards around you.

Now that we are in the correct Ready position we are ordered to Aim. Now, if we are told to Fire the only commands that should follow are Load or Shoulder Arms. But, if we Aim and it is decided that we are not going to Fire the command could then be Recover Arms. Recover Arms is the next safety item that is written in the manual but over looked. Please read the text from the manuals below:

Recover-ARMS.

One, time and one, motion.
At the first part of the command, withdraw the finger from the trigger; at the command arms, retake the position of the third motion of ready.

Here is one of the very few times you can move on a preparatory command. On the preparatory command, Recover, the finger is to be taken off of the trigger. It does not specify where but the important part is that it is away from the trigger. Then at the exaction command, Arms, the weapon is taken to the proper Ready position we just learned. The military over 140 years ago knew it was a bad idea to have the soldier move the weapon while their finger was on the trigger. This is part of basic firearms safety. Do not have your finger on the trigger unless you are prepared for the weapon to discharge. A funnier way to say it is “keep your booger hook off the bang button”. Now the commander giving the order should also pause between the words Recover and Arms to give the men a couple of seconds to complete this motion.

Many of the safety precautions we should be taking in regards to our weapons and firing are written for us. All we have to do is open the manuals and practice what they say. Let’s work to add the proper Ready position and the finger movement on Recover Arms to the already practiced dressed ranks and proper foot work. When these four items are done consistently together it means greater safety for you and your pards.

References:

Brevet Lieut. Col. W. J. Hardee. Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics. 1855
Brig Gen. Silas Casey. Infantry Tactics. 1862

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