Hans-Karl wrote:
You put too much emphisize on the word typical (in Art's response).

Hans-Karl:

I only referred to 'typical' in the sense that it would be well-known to military men being typical--which I translated to mean 'common'. Ney describes how to form a Regimental column several pages before section or coda V in the introduction, and then recaps that in sections before V. Having said that, it's no big deal, just curious He goes into so much detail and repreats the same information several times in the first chapter on what is a typical formation. Curious, but there could a lot of different reasons for that.

Hans-Karl wrote:
An approaching column is not destined to fight tactical but to achieve deployment, as Ney describes, in case you look in the 1791 regulation you will find lots of approaching columns - the "only" difference to Ney is - that they would be used to deploy all battalions in line, whereas Ney would keep his tactical units in columns (of battalion or division. And he would form two lines of battle in columns not deployed into line.

Now when he has established those two lines of battalions, he could furhter deploy - on need - some of the battalion columns into line or keep them in column (as tactical formation and not longer as apporaching formation.

I agree with Art that such kind of approaching columns (mybe even of brigades or divisions) would be typical to deploy into tactical columns, see also again the 1791 regulations.

BH: Hans, I need some clarification. What is the difference in formation between 'an approach column' and a 'tactical column'? Ney's discription in 'V' gives directions on how to form two lines from regimental columns, period. As I understand it, the French word deploy means 'to unfold', and specifically refers to a column going into line, which is the way Ney uses it. [Not a criticism or a correction, I just want to make sure I understand.]

Certainly, there could be intermediate steps between the regimental columns and both lines deployed as lines. And certainly a command *could* keep the second line in battalion columns if he wanted to, or two lines of single columns for that matter. Is the difference between an approach and tactical column one of intent, proximity to the enemy or are they different kinds of columns?

Best Regards,

Bill H.