Musket Drill 

There are a number of surviving drill books from the Civil War Period. Two of the most commonly used in re-enactment are Directions for Musters: wherein is showed the order of drilling for the Musket and Pike,  written in 1638 and Militarie Discipline by William Barriffe, first published in 1635.  These are principal sources used by the Fairfax Battalia to try to recreate Civil War postures and manouvres in as authentic a way as is possible.  Note that the instructions in Directions for Musters still use the Rest with the musket, although this went out of fashion at the start of the Civil War. Some of the postures have been modified accordingly.

NB  The spelling has been standardised and modernised.
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1.   Put on your Bandoliers
2.   Take up your Rest
3.   Take up your Match

4.   Handle your Musket
5.   Order your Musket
6.   Give Rest to your Musket
7.   Open your Pan
8.   Clear your Pan
9.   Prime your Pan
10. Shut your Pan
11. Cast off your loose Powder
12. Blow off your Powder
13. Cast about your Musket
14. Trail your Rest
15. Open your charge
16. Charge with powder
17. Charge with bullet
18. Draw forth your Scouring Stick
19. Shorten your Scouring Stick
20. Ram Home
21. Withdraw your Scouring Stick
22. Shorten your Scouring Stick
23. Return your Scouring Stick  
24. Recover your Musket
25. Poise your Musket
26. Give rest to your Musket
27. Draw forth your Match
28. Blow your coal
29. Cock your Match
30. Try your Match
31. Guard and Blow
32. Open your Pan
33. Present
34. Give Fire!

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