in a military sense, consists solely in distributing equal motion to every part of a body of troops, to enable the whole to form, or change their position, in the most expeditious and best method, to answer the purposes required of a battalion, brigade, or line of cavalry, artillery, or infantry. It has always been lamented, that men have been brought on service without being informed of the uses of the different manoeuvres they have been practising; and, having no ideas of any thing but the uniformity of the parade, instantly fall into disorder and confusion when they lose the step, or see a deviation from the straight lines they have been accustomed to at exercise. It is a pity to see so much attention given to show, and so little to instruct the troops in what may be of use to them in real service. No manoeuvre should be executed in presence of the enemy, unless protected by some division of the troops.