The fire by company.

39. The colonel, wishing the fire by company to be executed, will command:

1. Fire by company. 2. Commence firing.

40. At the first command, the captains and covering sergeants will take the positions indicated in the school of the company 49.

41. The color and its guard will step back at the same time, so as to bring the front rank of the guard in a line with the rear rank of the battalion.  This rule is general for all the different filings.

42. At the second command, the odd numbered companies will commence to fire; their captains will each give the commands prescribed in the school of the company No. 50, observing to

precede the command company by that of first, third, fifth, or seventh, according to the number of each.

43. The captains of the even numbered companies will give, in their turn, the same commands, observing to precede them by the number of their respective companies.

44. In order that the odd numbered companies may not all fire at once, their captains will observe, but only for the first discharge, to give the command fire one after another; thus, the captain of the third company will not give the command fire until be has heard the fire of the first company; the captain of the fifth will observe the same rule with respect to the third, and the captain of the seventh the same rule with respect to the fifth.

45. The colonel will cause the fire to cease by the sound to cease firing; at this sound, the men will execute what is prescribed in the school of the company No. 63; at the sound, for officers to take their places after firing, the captains, covering sergeants, and color-guard, will promptly resume their places in line of battle: this rule is general for all the firings.

The fire by wing.

46. When the colonel shall wish this fire to be executed, he will command:

1.  Fire by wing. 2. Right wing. 3. READY. 4. Aim. 5. FIRE. 6. LOAD.

47. The colonel will cause the wings to fire al­ternately, and he will recommence the fire by the commands, 1. Right wing; 2. Aim; 3. FIRE; 4. LOAD. 1. Left wing; 2. Aim; 3. FIRE; 4. LOAD; in conforming to what is prescribed No. 35.

The fire by battalion.

48. The colonel will cause this fire to be executed by the commands last prescribed, substituting for the first two, 1. Fire by battalion; 2. Battalion.

The fire by file.

49. To cause this to be executed, the colonel will command:

1. Fire by rank. 2. Battalion. 3. READY. 4. Commence firing.

50. At the fourth command, the fire will commence on the right of each company, as prescribed in the school of the company No. 57.  The colonel may, if he thinks proper, cause the fire to commence on the right of each platoon.

The fire by rank.

51. To cause this fire to be executed, the colonel will command:

1. Fire by rank. 2. Battalion. 3. READY. 4. Rear rank. 5. AIM. 6. FIRE. 7. LOAD.

52. This fire will be executed as has been explained in the school of the company No. 59, in following the progression prescribed for the two ranks which should fire alternately.

To fire by the rear rank.

Remarks on ploying the battalion into column.

159. The battalion may be ployed into column at full, or half distance, on the same principles, and by the same commands, substituting for the first command: Column at full (or half) distance by division.

160. In the ployments and movements in column, when the subdivisions execute the movements successively, such as- to take or close distances, to change direction by the flank of subdivisions, each chief of subdivision will cause his men to support arms after having aligned it and commanded, FRONT.

PART THIRD.

ARTICLE FIRST.

To march in column at full distance.

The column arriving behind the line of battle to prolong it on this line.

184. If the column, right in front, arrive behind the line of battle, as it ought to find itself four paces within this line, after having changed direction, the colonel will cause a marker to be placed at the point where, according to that condition, the first subdivision ought to commence wheeling.  Another marker will be established on the line of battle, to indicate the point at which the general guides ought, in succession to begin to prolong themselves on that line; he will be so placed that each subdivision, having finished its wheel, may find itself nearly in a line with this marker.

185. At the instant the first subdivision, after havingwheeled to the right, begins to prolong itself, parallelly to the line of battle, the leading general guide, placed in advance on that line, will direct himself on the two points taken in his front; the color-bearer and the other general guide will successively place themselves on the same line the instant that their respective subdivisions shall have finished their wheel.

186.  If the column be composed of several battalions, the general guides of the following battalions will successively execute what has been just prescribed for those of the leading battalion, and the whole will conform themselves, as well as the guides of subdivisions, and the field officers of the several battalions, to what is indicated, above, for a column arriving in front of a line of battle.

187. In a column, left in front, arriving in front or in rear of the line of battle, these movements will be executed on the same principles, and by inverse means.

The column arriving on the right or the left of the line of battle, to prolong it on this line.

188.  If the column, instead of arriving in front or in rear of the line of battle, arrive on its right or left, and if it have to prolong itself on that line in order afterwards to form to the left or right into line of battle, the colonel will bring the color and general guides on the flank of the column by the command color and general guides on the line: and these guides will prolong themselves on the line of battle, conforming to what is prescribed above.

Manner of prolonging a line of battle by markers.

189.  When a column prolongs itself on the line of battle, it being all-important that the general guides march correctly on that line, it becomes necessary that colonels, lieutenant colonels, and majors, whose duty it is to maintain the true direction, should be able to see, as far as practicable, the two objects, on which the march of the general guides ought to be directed; consequently, when no prominent objects present themselves in the desired direction, the chief of the column will supply the want of them in advance by aids-de-camp, or other mounted officers, and in such number as may be necessary.

190. Three such officers may prolong a line as far as   may be desired in the following manner: they will place themselves in advance on the line of battle, the first at the point where the head of the column ought to enter; the second, three or four hundred paces behind the first, and the third, a like distance behind the second.  The first of these officers will remain in position till the leading general guide shall have entered on the line of battle, and then, at a gallop, place himself at a convenient distance behind the third.  The second will do the like in respect to the first, when the head of the column shall be near him, and so on in continuation.  These officers, without dismounting, will face to the column, and cover each other accurately in file.  It will be on them that the general guides will steadily direct their march, and it will be so much the more easy for the latter to maintain themselves on the direction, as they will always be able to see the mounted officers over the heads of the preceding guides; thus the de­viation from the direction, by one or more general guides, need not mislead these who follow.

191. A single mounted officer may suffice to assure the direction of a column, when the point of direction towards which it marches is very distinct.  In this case, that officer will place himself on the line of battle within that point, and beyond the one at which the head of the column will halt, and remain in position till the column halts; serv­ing thus as the intermediate point for giving steadiness to the march of the general guides.

192. For a column of one or two battalions, markers on foot will suffice to indicate the line to be followed by the general guides.

Remarks on the march in column.

193. Although the uncadenced step be that of columns in route marches, and also that which ought to be habitually employed in the Evolutions of the Line, because it leaves the men more at ease, and, consequently is better adapted to movements on a large scale and to difficult grounds, nevertheless, as it is of paramount importance to confirm soldiers in the measure and the movement of the cadenced pace, the route step will be but little practised in the exercises by battalion except in going to, and returning from, the ground of instruction, and for teaching the mechanism and movements of columns in route.

194. It is highly essential to the regularity of the march in column that each guide follow exactly in the trace of the one immediately preceding, without occupying his attention with the general direction of the guides.  If this principle be steadily observed, the guides will find themselves aligned, provided that the leading one march exactly in the direction indicated to him; and even should obstacles in his way force him into a momentary deviation, the direction of the column would not necessarily be changed; whereas, if the following guides endeavor to conform themselves at once to all the movements of the leading one, in order to cover him in file, such endeavors would necessarily cause corresponding fluctuationsin the column, from right to left, and from left to right, and render the preservation of distances extremely difficult.

195. As a consequence of the principle, that each guide shall exactly follow in the trace of the one who immediately precedes, if, pending the march of the column, the colonel shall give a new point of direction, too near to the first to require a formal change of direction, the leading guide, advancing the one or the other shoulder will immediately direct himself on this point; the other guides will only conform themselves to this movement as each arrives at the point at which the first had executed it.  Each subdivision will conform itself to the movement of its guide, the men insensibly lengthening or shortening the step, and advancing or refusing (throwing back) the shoulder opposite to the guide, but without losing the touch of the elbow towards his side.

196. The column, by company, being in march, the colonel will cause it to diminish front by platoon, from front to rear, at once, and to increase front by platoon in like manner, which movements will be commanded and executed as prescribed in the school of the company, Nos. 282 and 273 and following, changing the command form company to form companies.  So may he increase and diminish, or diminish and increase front, according to the same principles and at once, by company, changing the command form companies to form divisions, and the command break into platoons, to break into companies.  In this case, the companies and divisions will execute what is prescribed for platoons and companies respectively.

197. The column being at a halt, if the colonel should wish to march it to the rear, and the distance to be gained be so inconsiderable as to render a countermarch a disproportionate loss of time, he will cause the column to face about, and then put it in march by the commands prescribed No. 164: the chiefs of the subdivisions will remain behind the front rank, the file closers before the rear rank, and the guides will step into the rear rank, now in front. In a column, by division, the junior captains, in the intervals between companies, will replace their covering sergeants in the tear rank, and these sergeants will step into the line of file closers in front of their intervals.

ARTICLE SECOND.

Column in route.

198. A column in route, like a column in manoeuvre, ought never to have a depth greater than about the front it had occupied in the line of battle, less the front of a subdivision.

199. The observance of this principle requires no particular rule for a column in manoeuvre; but, as a column in route may have hourly to pass narrow ways, bridges, or other defiles, rendering it necessary to diminish the front of subdivisions, it becomes important to give rules and means by which the column may, for any length of march, preserve the ease of the route step without elongation from front to rear.

200. A column in route will be habitually formed by company.

201. When a column in route shall arrive at a pass too narrow to receive the front of a company, the column will diminish front by platoon before entering.  This movement will be executed successively, or by all the companies at once.

202. If, however, the defile be very short, and ii may be passed by the diminution of a few files, it will be preferable to break to the rear the limited number of files.

203. The column being by platoon, and the want of space rendering a further diminution of front necessary, it will be diminished by section if the platoons be of twelve or more files.

204. The column being by section, will continue to march by that front as long as the defile may permit.

205. If the platoons have less than twelve files one or two files will be broken to the rear, according to the narrowing of the defile, and the rout step continued as long as six files can march abreast.

206. What has just been explained for breaking files to the rear in a column by platoon, is equally applicable to a column by section.

207. If the defile be too narrow to permit six men to march abreast, the subdivisions will be marched successively by the flank, conforming to what is prescribed Nos. 314 and 315, school of the company.

208. The battalion marching by the flank, will be formed into column, by section, by platoon, or by company, as soon as the breadth of the way May permit; the several movements which these formations include will be executed by the commands of the captains, as their companies successively clear the defile, observing the following rules.

209. As soon as the way is sufficiently broad to contain six men abreast, the captain will command:

1. By section (or by platoon) into line. 2. MARCH.

210. At the command march, the subdivisions indicated will form themselves into line; the files which have not been able to enter, will follow (by the flank) the last four files of their subdivision which have entered into line.

211. The column marching in this order, the files in rear will be caused to enter into line as the increased breadth of the way may permit.

212. The column marching by section or by platoon, platoons or companies will be formed as soon as the breadth of the way may permit.

213. The leading subdivision will follow the windings of the pass or defile; the following subdivisions will not occupy themselves with the direction, but all, in succession, pass over the trace of the subdivisions which precede them respectively.  The men will not seek to avoid the bad parts of the way, but pass, as far as practicable, each in the direction of his file.

214. Changes of direction will always be made without command; if the change be important, a caution merely from the respective chiefs to their subdivisions will suffice, and the rear rank, as well as the files broken to the rear, will execute successively the movement where the front rank had executed it.

215. The colonel will hold himself at the head of the battalion; he will regulate the step of the leading subdivision, and indicate to its chief the instant for executing the various movement which the nature of the route may render necessary.

216.  If the column be composed of several battalions, each will conform itself, in its turn, to what shall have been commanded for the leading battalion, observing to execute each movement at the same place, and in the same manner.

217. Finally, to render the mechanism of all those movements familiar to the troops, and to habituate them to march in the route step without elongating the column, commanders will generally cause their battalions to march in this step, going to, and returning from, fields of exercise. Each will occasionally conduct his battalion through narrow passes, in order to make it perceive the utility of the principles prescribed above; and he will several times, in every course of instruction march it in the route step, and cause to be executed, sometimes at once, and sometimes successively, the divers movements which have just been indicated.

General remarks on the column in route.

218. The lesson relative to the column in route is, by its frequent application, one of the most important that can be given to troops. If it be not well taught and established on right principles, it will happen that the rear of the column in route will be obliged to run, to regain distances, or that the front will be forced to halt till the rear shall have accomplished that object; thus rendering the march greatly slower, or greatly more fatiguing, generally both, than if it were executed according to rule.

219. The ordinary progress of a column in route ought to be, on good roads or good grounds, at the rate of one hundred and ten paces in a minute.  This rate may be easily maintained by columns of almost any depth; but over bad roads, ploughed fields, loose sands, or mountainous districts, the progress cannot be so great, and must therefore be regulated according to circumstances.

220. The most certain means of marching well in route, is to preserve always a regular and equal movement, and , if obstacles oblige one or more subdivisions to slacken or to shorten th6 step, to cause the primitive rate of march to be resumed the moment the difficulties are passed.

221. A subdivision ought never to take more than the prescribed distance from the subdivision immediately preceding; but it is sometimes necessary to lessen that distance.

222. Thus: the head of the column encounters an obstacle which obliges it to relax its march all the following subdivisions will preserve the habitual step, and close up in mass, if necessary, on the subdivision nearest to the obstacle. Distances will afterwards naturally be recovered as each subdivision shall successively have passed the obstacle. Nevertheless, if the difficulty be too great to be overcome by one subdivision, whilst the next closing up, so that distances cannot afterwards be recovered without running, the chief of the column will halt the leading subdivision beyond the obstacle, at a distance sufficient to contain the who column in mass.  He will then put the column march, the subdivisions taking distances by the head, observing to commence the movement in time so that the last subdivision may not obliged to halt, after having cleared the obstacle.

223.  When the chief of a column shall wish change the rate of march, be will cause the leading battalion to quicken or to relax the step insensibly, and send orders to the other battalions each to regulate itself by that which precedes it.

224. The column being composed of seven battalions, the general-in-chief will always leave an aid-de-camp with its rear to bring him prompt information if it find a difficulty in following.

225. Subdivisions ought always to step out well in obliquing, both in breaking and forming companies or platoons.  When either is done in succession, it is highly important that no subdivision slacken or shorten the step whilst that which precedes it is engaged in the movement.  The observance of this principle can alone prevent an elongation of the column.

226. If the battalion, marching by the flank encounter a pass so narrow as to oblige it to defile with a front of two men, the colonel will order support arms, take the cadenced step, and undouble the files, which will be executed as prescribed in the school of the company, No. 326; the files will double again as soon as the breadth of the way will permit.

227. If the defile be only sufficient to receive a front of one man, the colonel will cause the men to pass one at a time.  The men of the same file should follow each other in their order as closely as possible, and without loss of time.  As soon as the defile permits a front of two or four men, the battalion will be reformed into two or four ranks, and will march in this order until there be space to form platoons or sections, as indicated No. 209.

228.  In both cases, just supposed, the bead of the battalion, after having passed the defile, will march till sufficient space be left to contain the whole of the subdivisions in mass; afterwards it will be put in march by the means indicated No. 222.

229. When a command has to move rapidly over a given distance, the movements prescribed in this article will be executed in double quick time; if the distance be long, the chief of the column will not allow the march at this gait to be continued for more than fifteen minutes; at the end of this time, he will order the ordinary route step to be marched for five minutes, and then again resume the double quick.  If the ground be uneven, having considerable ascents and descents, he will reserve the double quick for those parts of the ground most favorable to this march.

230. A column marching alternately in double quick time and the ordinary route step, in the manner stated, can easily accomplish very long distances in a very short space of time; but when the distance to be passed over be not greater than two miles, it ought to be accomplished, when the ground is favorable, without changing the rate of march.

ARTICLE THIRD.

To change direction in column at full distance.

231. The column being in march in the cadenced step, when the colonel shall wish to cause it t change direction, he will go to the point at which the change ought to be commenced, and establish a marker there presenting the breast to the flank of the column; this marker, no matter to which side the change of direction is to be made, will b posted on the opposite side, and he will remain ii position till the last subdivision of the battalion shall have passed.  The leading subdivision being within a few paces of the marker, the colonel will command:

Head of column to the left (or right).

232. At this, the chief of the leading subdivision will immediately take the guide on the side opposite the change of direction if not already there. This guide will direct himself so as to graze the breast of the marker; arrived at this point, the chief will cause his subdivision to change  direction by the commands and according to the principles prescribed in the school of the company.  When the wheel is completed, the chief of this subdivision will retake the guide, if changed, on the side of the primitive direction.

233 The chief of each succeeding subdivision, as well as the guides, will conform to what has just been explained for the leading subdivision.

234. The colonel will carefully see that the guide of each subdivision, in wheeling, does not throw himself without or within, but passes over all the points of the arc of the circle, which he ought to describe.

235. As often as no distinct object presents itself in the new direction, the lieutenant colonel will place himself upon it in advance, at the distance of thirty or forty paces from the marker, and be assured in this direction by the colonel; the leading guide will take, the moment be shall have changed direction, two points on the ground in the straight line which, drawn from himself, would pass between the heels of the lieutenant colonel, taking, afterwards, new points as he advances.

236. The major will see that the guides direct themselves on the marker posted at the point of change, so as to graze his breast.

237.  If the column be composed of several battalions, the lieutenant colonel of the second, will cause the marker of the first battalion, to be replaced as soon as the last subdivision of this battalion shall have passed; this disposition will be observed by battalion after battalion, to the rear of the column.

Remarks.

238. It has been demonstrated, school of the company, how important it is, first, that each subdivision execute its change of direction precisely at the point where the leading one had change and that it arrive in a square with the direction; second, that the wheeling point ought, always, to be cleared in time, in order that the subdivision engaged in the wheel may not arrest the movement of the following one.  The deeper the column, the more rigorously ought these principles to be observed; because, a fault that would be but slight in a column of a single battalion, would cause much embarrassment in one of great depth.

ARTICLE FOURTH.

To halt the column.

239. The column being in march, when the colonel shall wish to halt it, he will command:

1. Column. 2. HALT.

240. At the second command, briskly repeated by the captains, the column will halt; no guide will stir, though he may have lost his distance, or be out of the direction of the preceding guides.

241. The column being in march, in double quick time, will be halted by the same commands. At the command halt the men will halt in their places, and will themselves rectify their positions in the ranks.

242. The column being halted, when the colonel shall wish to form it into line of battle, he will move a little in front of the leading guide, and face to him; this guide and the following one will fix their eyes on the colonel, in order promptly to conform themselves to his directions.

243. If the colonel judge it not necessary to give a general direction to the guides, he will limit himself to rectifying the position of such as may be without, or within the direction, by the command guide of (such) company, or guides of (such) companies, to the right, (or to the left;) at this command, the guides designated will place themselves on the direction; the others will stand fast.

244. If, on the contrary, the colonel judge it necessary to give a general direction to the guides of the column, he will place the first two on the direction he shall have chosen, and command:

Guides, cover.

245. At this, the following guides will promptly place themselves on the direction covering the first two in file, and each precisely at a distance equal to the front of his company, from the guide immediately preceding; the lieutenant colonel will assure them in the direction, and the colonel will command:

Left, (or right)-DRESS.

246.  At this command, each company will incline to the right or left, and dress forward or backward, so as to bring the designated flank to rest on its guide; each captain will place himself two paces outside of his guide, promptly align his company parallelly with that which precedes, then command FRONT, and return to his place in column

247.  Finally, if the general guides march on the flank of the column, the colonel, having halted it, will place himself in rear of the color-bearer, to ascertain whether the leading general guide and the color-bearer be exactly on the direction of the two points in advance, and establish them on that direction if they be not already on it: the major will do the like, in respect to the general guide in the rear; which being executed, the colonel will command:

1.Guides-ON THE LINE.

248. At this command, the guide of each company of the directing flank will step promptly into the direction of the general guides, and face the front.  The lieutenant colonel, placed in front of, and facing to, the leading general guide, and the major, placed in rear of the rearmost one will promptly align the company guides.

249. The colonel, having verified the direction of the  guides, will command:

Left (or right)-DRESS.

250. This will be executed as prescribed, No. 246.

Remarks.

251. The means indicated, No. 244, and following for giving a general direction to the guides of acolumn, at full distance, will apply only to a column composed of two, or, at most, three battalions.  If the number be more numerous, its chief will cause the colors and general guides of all the battalions to step out and place themselves on the direction which he may wish to give to the column, as is explained in the evolutions of the line.

ARTICLE FIFTH.

To close the column to half distance, or in mass.

252. A column by company being at full distance right in front, and at a halt, when the colonel shall wish to cause it to close to half distance, on the leading company, he will command:

1. To half distance, close column. 2. MARCH (or double quick-MARCH.)

253. At the first command, the captain of the leading company will caution it to stand fast.

254 At the command march, which will be repeated by all the captains, except the captain of the leading company, this company will stand fast, and its chief will align it by the left; the file closers will close one pace upon the rear rank.

255. All the other companies will continue to march, and as each in succession arrives at platoon distance from the one which precedes, its captain will halt it.

256.  At the instant that each company halts, its guide will place himself on the direction of the guides who precede, and the captain will align the company by the left; the file closers will close one pace upon the rear rank.

257. No particular attention need be given to the general direction of the guides before they respectively halt; it will suffice if each follow in the trace of the one who precedes him.

258. The colonel, on the side of the guides, will superintend the execution of the movement, observing that the captains halt their companies exactly at platoon distance the one from the other.

259. The lieutenant colonel, a few paces in front, will face to the leading guide and assure the positions of the following guides as they successively place themselves on the direction.

260. The major will follow the movement abreast with the last guide.

261. If the column be in march, the colonel will cause it to close by the same commands.

262. If the column be marching in double quick time, at the first command, the captain of the leading company will command quick time; the chiefs of the other companies will caution them to continue their march.

263.  At the command march, the leading company will march in quick, and the other companies in double quick time and as each arrives at platoon distance from the preceding one, its chief will cause it to march in quick time.

264. When the rearmost company shall have gained its distance, the colonel will command:

Double quick-MARCH.

265. When the colonel shall wish to halt the column and to cause it to close to half distance at the same time, he will notify the captain of the leading company of his intention, who at the command march will halt his company and align it by the left.

266. If the column be marching in quick time, and the colonel should not give the command double quick, the captain of the leading company will halt his company at the command march, and align it by the left.  In the case, where the colonel adds the command double quick, the captains of companies will conform to what is prescribed No. 262, and the movement will be executed as indicated No. 263.

To close the column on the eighth, or rearmost company.

267. The column being at a halt, if instead of causing it to close to half distance on the first company, the colonel should wish to cause it to close on the eighth, he will command:

1. On the eighth company, to half distance close column. 2. Battalion about-FACE.  3. Column forward. 4. Guide right. 5. MARCH (or double quick-MARCH).

268. At the second command, all the companies except the eighth, will face about, and their guides will remain in the front rank, now the rear.

269. At the fourth command, all the captains will place themselves two paces outside of their companies on the directing flank.

270. At the command march, the eighth company will stand fast, and its captain will align it by the left, the other companies fill put themselves in march, and, as each arrives at platoon distance from the one established before it, its captain will halt it and face it to the front.  At the moment that each company halts, the left guide, remaining faced to the rear, will place himself promptly on the direction of the guides already established.  Immediately after, the captain will align his company by the left, and the file closers will close one pace on the rear rank.  If this movement be executed in double quick time, each captain, in turn, will halt, and command: Such company, right about-HALT.  At this command, the company designated will face to the right about and halt.

271. All the companies being aligned, the colonel will cause the guides, who stand faced to the rear, to face about.

272. The lieutenant colonel, placing himself behind the rearmost guide, will assure successively the positions of the other guides, as prescribed No. 259; the major will remain abreast with the rearmost company.

273. The column being in march, when the colonel shall wish to close it on the eighth company, he will command:

1. On the eighth company, to half distance, close column. 2. Battalion right about. 3. MARCH (or double quick-MARCH-) 4. Guide right.

274. At the first command, the captain of the eighth company will caution his company that it will remain faced to the front; the captains of the other companies will caution their companies that they will have to face about.

275.  At the command march, the captain of the eighth company will halt his company and align it by the left; the file closer's will close one pace upon the rear rank.

276.The captains of the other companies, at the same command, will place themselves on the flank of the column; the subdivisions will face about, and as each arrives at platoon distance from the company immediately preceding it, its chief will face it to the front and halt it, as prescribed No. 270.  The instant each company halts, the guide on the directing flank, remaining faced to the rear, will quickly place himself on the direction of the guides already established.  After which, the captain will align the company by the left, and the file closers will close one pace upon the rear rank

277. The lieutenant colonel will follow the movement abreast of the first company.  The major will place himself a few paces in rear of the guide of the eighth company, and will assure successively the position of the other guides.

Remarks.

278. A column by division at full distance will close to half distance by the same means and the same commands.

279. A column, by company, or by division, being at full or half distance, the colonel will cause it to close in mass by the same means and commands, substituting the indication, column, close in mass, for that of to half distance, close column.  Each chief of subdivision will conform himself to all that has just been prescribed, except that he will not halt his subdivision till its guide shall be at a distance of six paces from the guide of the subdivision next preceding.

280. In a column, left in front, these various movements will be executed on the same principles.

ARTICLE SIXTH.

To march in column at half distance, or closed in mass.

281. A column at half distance or in mass, being at a halt, the colonel will put it in march by the commands prescribed for a column at full distance.

282. The means of direction will also be the same for a column at half distance or in mass, as for a column at full distance, except that the general guides will not step out.

283.  A column at half distance or in mass, being in march, when the colonel shall wish to halt it, be will give the commands prescribed for halting a column at full distance, and if, afterwards, he judge it necessary to give a general direction to the guides of the column, he will employ, to this end, the commands and means indicated, No. 244 and following.

284. In columns at half distance or closed in mass, chiefs of subdivision will repeat the commands march and halt, as in columns at full distance.

285. The colonel will often march the column to the rear, by the means and the commands prescribed Nos. 170 and 171.

286. A column by division or company, whether at full or half distance or closed in mass, at a halt or marching, can be faced to the right or left, and marched off in the new direction.

ARTICLE SEVENTH.

To change direction in column at half distance.

287. A column at half distance, being in march, will change direction by the same commands and according to the same principles as a column at full distance; but as the distance between the subdivisions is less, the pivot man in each subdivision will take steps of fourteen inches instead of nine, and of seventeen inches instead of eleven, according to the gait, in order to clear, in time, the wheeling point, and the marching flank will describe the arc of a larger circle, the better to facilitate the movement.

ARTICLE EIGHTH.

To change direction in column closed in mass.

1st.  To charge direction in marching.

288. A column by division, closed in mass being in march, will change direction by the front of subdivisions.

289. Whether the change be made to the reverse, or to the pivot flank, it will always be executed on the principle of wheeling in marching; to this end, the colonel will first cause the battalion to take the guide on the flank opposite to the intended change of direction, if it be not already on that flank.

290. A column by division, closed in mass, right in front, having to change direction to the right, the colonel, after having caused a marker to be placed at the point where the change ought to commence, will command:

1.Battalion, right wheel. 2. MARCH.

291. At the command march, the leading division will wheel as if it were part of a column at half distance.

292. The instant that this division commences the wheel, all the others will, at once, conform themselves to its movement; to this end the left guide of each, advancing slightly the left shoulder and lengthening a little the step, will incline to the left, and will observe, at the same time, to gain so much ground to the front that there may constantly be an interval of four paces between his division and that which precedes it; and as soon as be shall cover the preceding guide, be will cease to incline and then march exactly in his trace.

293. Each division will conform itself to the movement of its guide; the men will feel lightly the elbow towards him and advance a little the left shoulder the instant the movement commences; each file, in inclining, will gain so much the less ground to the front, as the file shall be nearer to the pivot, and the right guide will gain only so much as may be necessary to maintain between his own and the preceding division the same distance which separates their marching flanks.

294.  Each chief of division, turning to it, will regular its march, and see that it remains constantly included between its guides, that its alignment continues nearly parallel to that of the preceding division, and that the centre bends only a little to the rear.

295. The colonel will superintend the movement, and cause the pivot of the leading division to lengthen or to shorten the step, conforming to the principle established, school of the company, No. 227 if either be necessary to facilitate the movement of the other divisions.

296. The lieutenant colonel, placed near the left guide of the leading division, will regulate his march, and take care, above all, that he does not throw himself within the are he ought to describe.

297. The major, placed in the rear of the guides, will see that the last three conform themselves, each by slight degrees, to the movement of the guide immediately preceding, and that neither inclines too much in the endeavor to cover too promptly the guide in his front; he will rectify any serious fault that may be committed in either of those particulars.

298. The colonel, seeing the wheel nearly ended, will command:

1. Forward. 2. MARCH.

299. At the second command, which will be given at the instant the leading division completes its wheel, it will resume the direct march; the other divisions will conform themselves to this movement; and if any guide find himself not covering his immediate leader, he will, by slight degrees, bring himself on the trace of that guide, by advancing the right shoulder.

300. If the column, right in front, has to change direction to the left, the colonel will first cause it to take the guide to the right, and then command:

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