Excerpt from 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 The much approved and beautiful system of Tactics prepared by Major General Winfield Scott, being too voluminous to reach recruits, and having myself for twenty years met with a large number of soldiers (rank and file) who deplored the want of an exposition of first principles, at a low price; the following work is most respectfully offered for your consideration. When this work was first compiled, it was intended as a book of reference for myself and the members of my command (the Independence Guard), but, on submitting it to some military friends, I have been induced to offer it to my fellow-soldiers generally. The information of the recruit, has been kept always in view, as it should be by every man who has the least pretension as an Instructor. The first lessons to the recruit may be likened to the foundation of a house; lay a good foundation, and you can rear your superstructure to any height; make a good infantry soldier, and you have the man prepared for any other arm. The frontispiece (description of a musket) will be found useful; every recruit should know the principal parts of the piece, before proceeding to the manual of arms. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.