27. The colonel, wishing the ranks to be opened, will command:
1. Prepare to open ranks.
28. At this command, the lieutenant colonel and major will place themselves on the right of the battalion, the first on the flank of the file closers, and the second four paces from the front rank of the battalion.
29. These dispositions being made, the colonel will command:
2. To the rear, open order. 3. MARCH.
30. At the second command, the covering sergeants, and the sergeant on the left of the battalion, will place themselves four paces in rear of the front rank, and opposite their places in line of battle, in order to mark the new alignment of the rear rank; they will be aligned by the major on the left sergeant of the battalion, who will be careful to place himself exactly four paces in rear of the front rank, and to hold his piece between the eyes, erect and inverted, the better to indicate to the major the direction to be given to the covering sergeants.
31. At the command march, the rear rank and the file closers will step to the rear without counting steps; the men will pass a little in rear of the line traced for this rank, halt, and dress forward on the covering sergeants, who will align correctly the men of their respective companies.
32. The file closers will fall back and preserve the distance of two paces from the rear rank, glancing eyes to the right; the lieutenant colonel will, from the right, align them on the file closer of the left, who, having placed himself accurately two paces from the rear rank, will invert his piece, and hold it up erect between his eyes, the better to be seen by the lieutenant colonel.
33. The colonel, seeing the ranks aligned, will command:
4. FRONT.
At this command, the lieutenant colonel, major, and the left sergeant, will retake their places in line of battle.
34. The colonel will cause the ranks to be closed by the commands prescribed for the instructor in the S. C., No. 28.