Reply To: 1859, 1864, 1866 and 1870

[McLaddie]

Grizzlymc:

 

The company formed two zug in a three rank formation,  with six paces between zugs in line.  However this was the parade formation. In combat, the company would detach the third rank and form a third zug which would be pushed forward to skirmish. So in reality, the company formation supporting the skirmishers operated as a column one zug wide and four ranks deep. In close order, I would imagine the file width remained the typical 24-28 inches with men standing elbow to elbow. What happened all to often in 1866 and later in 1870 was that sooner or later, the company would completely commit to skirmish combat.

There is an article discussing this in the 1891 issue of Blackwood’s Magazine #150 starting on page 92 which provides a lot of detail around your question as well as a summary of the development of the Prussian tactics.  Google books has it:

http://books.google.com/books?id=flkhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=Prussian+Infantry+Regulations+1866&source=bl&ots=QvZfWPYvY_&sig=uTFp2VDadTRdMYhkdv2Fnjt7Tg0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=atYmVPiuO8rioATJhIHIDQ&ved=0CE4Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Prussian%20Infantry%20Regulations%201866&f=false

Hope that helps.

McLaddie