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FORMATION
OF A COMPANY FROM TWO RANKS INTO
SINGLE RANK, AND RECIPROCALLY.
368. The
company being formed into two ranks in the manner indicated No. 15,
Title I., and supposed to make part of a column, right or left in
front, when the instructor shall wish to form it into single rank,
he will command:
1.
In one rank, form company. 2. MARCH.
369. At the
first command the right guide will face to the right.
370. At the command march,
the right guide
will step off and march in the prolongation of the front rank.
371. The first file will step off at the same time with the guide;
the front-rank man will turn to the right at the first step, follow
the guide, and be himself followed by the rear-rank man of his file,
who will come to turn on the same spot where lie bad turned. The
second file, and successively all the other -files, will step off as
has been prescribed for the first, the front-rank man of each file
following immediately the rear-rank man of the file next on his
right. The captain will superintend the movement, and when the last
man shall have stepped off, he will halt the company, and face it to
the front.
372. The file closers will take their places in line of battle, two
paces in rear of the rank.
373. The company being in single rank, when the instructor shall
wish to form it into two ranks, he will command:
1.
In two ranks, form company. 2. Company,
right-FACE.
3. MARCH.
374. At the
second command the company will face to the right; the right guide
and the man on the right will remain faced to the front.
375. At the command march, the men who have faced to the right, will
step off, and form files in the following manner: the second man in
the rank will place himself behind the first to form the first file;
the third will place himself by the side of the first in the front
rank; the fourth behind the third in the rear rank. All the others
will, in like manner, place themselves, alternately, in. the front
and rear rank, and will thus form files of two men, on the left of
those already formed.
376. The formations above described will be habitually executed by
the right of companies; but when the instructor shall wish to have
them executed by the left, he will face the company about,
and post the guides
in the rear rank.
377. The formation will then be executed by the same commands, and
according to the same principles as by the front rank; the movement
commencing with the left file, now become the right, and in each
file by the rear-rank man, now become the front; the left guide will
conform to what has been prescribed for the right.
378. The formation ended, the instructor will face the company to
its proper front.
379. When a battalion in line has to execute either of the
formations above described, the colonel will cause it to break to
the rear by the right or left of companies, and will then give the
commands just prescribed for the instructor. Each company will
execute the movement as if acting singly.
FORMATION
OF A COMPANY FROM TWO RANKS INTO FOUR, AND RECIPROCALLY, AT A HALT)
AND IN MARCH.
380. The
company being formed in two ranks, at a halt, and supposed to form
part of a column right in front, when the instructor shall wish to
form it into four ranks, he will command:
1.
In four ranks, form company. 2. Company
left-FACE. 3. MARCH (or double, quick MARCH).
381. At the
second command, the left guide will remain faced to the front, the
company will face to the left; the rear rank will gain the distance
of one pace from the front rank by a side step to the left and rear,
and the men will form into four ranks as prescribed in Nos. 138 and
142.
382, At the command march, the first file of four men will reface to
the front without undoubling. All the other files of four will step
off, and closing successively to about five inches of the preceding
file, will halt, and immediately face to the front, the men
remaining doubled.
383. The file closers will take their new places in line of battle,
at two paces in rear of the fourth rank.
384. The captain will superintend the movement.
385. The company being in four ranks, when the instructor shall wish
to form it into two ranks, he will command:
1.
In two ranks, form company. 2.
Company
right-FACE. 3.
MARCH (or double
quick MARCH).
386. At the
second command the left guide will stand fast, the company will face
to the right.
387. At the command march, the right guide will step off and march
in the prolongation of the front rank. The leading file of four men
will stop off at the same time, the other files standing fast;
the second file will
step off when there shall be, between it and the first, space
sufficient to form into two ranks. The following files will execute
successively what has been prescribed for the second. As soon as the
last file shall have its distance, the instructor will command:
1.
Company. 2. HALT. 3.
FRONT.
388. At the command front, the company will face
to the front and the files will undouble.
389. The company being formed in two ranks, and marching to the
front, when the instructor shall wish to form it into four ranks, he
will command :
1.
In four ranks, form company. 2. By the left,
double files. 3. MARCH (or double quick MARCH).
390. At the
command march, the
left guide. and the left file of the company will continue to march
straight to the front: the company will make a half face to the
left, the odd numbers planing themselves behind the even numbers.
The even numbers of the rear rank will shorten their steps a little,
to permit the odd numbers of the front rank to get between them and
the even numbers of that rank. The files thus formed of fours,
except the left file, will continue to march obliquely, lengthening
their steps slightly, so as to keep constantly abreast of the guide;
each file will close successively on the file next on its left, and
when at the proper distance from that file will face to the front by
a half face to the right, and take the touch of elbows to the left.
391. The company being in march to the front in four ranks, when the
instructor shall wish to form it into two ranks, he will command:
In
two ranks, form company. 2. By the right,
undouble
files. 3. MARCH (or double quick MARCH).
392. At the command march,
the left guide and
the left file of the company will continue to march straight to the
front; the company will make a half face to the right, and march
obliquely, lengthening the step a little, in order to keep, as near
as possible, abreast of the guide. As soon as the second file from
the left shall have gained to the right the interval necessary for
the left file to form into two ranks, the second file will face to
the front by a half face to the left, and march straight-forward;
the left file will immediately
form into two ranks , and take the touch of elbows to the left. Each
file will execute successively, what has just been proscribed for
the file next to the left) and each file will form into two ranks
when the file next on its right has obliqued the required distance,
and faced to the front.
393. If the company be supposed to make part of a column, left ill
front, these different movements will be executed according to the
same principles, and by inverse means, substituting the indication
left for right.
END OF THE SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
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