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Army: French Paces from the Manuel d’Infanterie (1808)
TABLE
of the Different Paces, Graduated According to the Progression
of Their Speed |
LITTLE
PACE,Training
pacePivot paceBackward
paceOblique
pace, etc.
|
ordinary
STEP
|
SPECIAL STEP,Accelerated step,Redoubled step,
Charge step, etc.
|
route
STEP
|
BIG STEP
metric step
|
DATE
of the ordinance
(1)
|
MEASURE
or
Distance
|
SPEED
or
space of time
|
| |
Former
measure of military distance (2) |
………………………… |
………………………. |
…………………. |
…………………... |
3 feet |
|
| |
|
|
Route
step…………… |
…………………. |
1766 |
2 feet |
Less
than one sec. |
Short
step………….. |
……………………... |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
1 foot |
One
second |
| |
Ordinary
step………. |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
2 feet |
ditto. |
Training
step……… |
……………………... |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1776 |
1 foot |
ditto. |
| |
Ordinary
step………. |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
2 feet |
70
per minute. |
| |
Ordinary
step………. |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1791 |
2 feet |
76 ditto. |
Pivot
step (3)……… |
……………………... |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
6 inches |
76 ditto. |
Backward
step…….. |
……………………... |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
1 foot |
76 ditto. |
Oblique
step………. |
……………………... |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
17 and 24 inches |
76 ditto. |
third
of a metre step. |
……………………... |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
Brumaire, Year 12 |
1 foot, 4 lines |
76 ditto. |
| |
2
thirds of a metre….. |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
ditto. |
2 feet, 8 lines |
76
per minute. |
| |
|
|
|
lengthened metric. |
ditto. |
2 ft., 6 in., 10 lns. |
76 ditto. |
| |
|
|
|
metric
step……… |
…………………... |
3 feet, 11 lines |
76 ditto. |
| |
According
to Guibert. |
…………………………. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1791 |
1 foot, 8 inches |
80 ditto. |
| |
|
|
Pivot
step en route (4) |
…………………. |
1791 |
1 foot |
from
85 to 90 ditto. (5) |
| |
|
|
Route
step |
…………………. |
ditto. |
2 feet |
from
85 to 90 ditto. |
| |
|
Singular
step…………… |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1793 |
2 feet, 2 inches |
90 ditto. |
| |
|
|
Route
step…………… |
…………………. |
1776 |
2 feet |
from
90 to 100 ditto. |
| |
|
Accelerated
step……….. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1791 |
ditto. |
100 ditto. |
| |
|
Redoubled
step………… |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1766 |
ditto. |
120 ditto. |
| |
|
Charge
step…………….. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
1791 |
ditto. |
120 ditto. |
| |
|
Guibert’s
redoubled step. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
…………………... |
1 foot, 8 inches |
160 ditto. |
| |
|
Guibert’s
charge step….. |
………………………. |
…………………. |
…………………... |
1 foot, 8 inches |
200
to 250 ditto. (6) |
(1) The chronological scale is unavoidably deranged here by the scale
of acceleration.
(2) What the Encyclopaedia calls the camp step, and of which mention
is made in the Instr. of Brumaire, Year 12, on
the encampment.
(3) In the conversions on the march (See no. 93, note 1st)
(4) This measure is the same for the conversions on the march in column,
at half-distance.
(5) The speed of the accelerated step is equally applicable to this,
here.
(6) In imitation of the Roman legions, which, at two hundred
paces of the enemy, precipitated themselves on him at the run.
(See no. 93, 6th note) |
For an image of the table in French, click on: Table au des differens
pas
Source: ~Chap.
III, ‘Theoretical Knowledge’, Lesson III, ‘Military
March’, in Manuel d’Infanterie. 2nd Edn.
Paris: Magimel (1808), pp.122-3.
Provided by: Howie Muir
Placed on the Napoleon Series: August 2008
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