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French Royal Deux-Ponts Standing Make Ready

By the middle of the 18th century most military drill manuals followed 12 to 13 steps to “load by the numbers.” The French Ordonnance Du Roi 1776 used 12 steps, and the constant drilling of the men in these sequential movements guaranteed that the soldiers could successfully deliver deadly volleys toward their foes in the heat of battle. The “make ready” command, apprêtez vos armes, had the soldier move his weapon from the shouldered position by grabbing the musket at the wrist with the right hand while moving the left hand up the musket toward the swell and turning the lock in toward the body, during this movement the thumb of the right hand fully cocks the hammer. The soldier is now ready to “present,” en joue, which is to aim down range, while waiting for the command to “fire,” feu.