Moving 17th Century Soldiers
 

Countermarching

CounterMarchMaintGrnd_H5

Maintain ground
(a.k.a., Chorean)

Command:
"All files, by the left hand, countermarch to maintain ground!"

File leader (man in red) moves in the direction indicated.  Those behind follow and turn on the same ground so that, in Colonel Barriffe's words, "...Bringers-up have attained unto the place where before their file-leaders stood..."  This is not a modern-day 'about face.'

About this countermarch, Colonel Barriffe remarks: "...it is more in use than any of the other."  So well regarded is the Chorean countermarch that the Colonel goes on to say: "...when there is a Countermartch commanded without any other addition, then it is always intended a Chorean countermartch."

This countermarch with more than one file


Sergeant Subtelus says:

This and any countermarch brings the most experienced and most armored soldiers around to face any enemy that may be gathering to the rear.