311. The swiftness of the route step will be one hundred and ten steps in a minute; this swiftness will be habitually maintained in columns in route, when the roads and ground may permit.
312. The company being at a halt, and supposed to constitute a subdivision of a column, when the instructor shall wish to cause it to march in the route step, he will command:
1. Column, forward. 2. Guide, left (or right). 3. Route step. 4. MARCH.
313. At the command march, repeated by the captain, the two ranks will step off together; the rear-rank will take in marching, by shortening a few steps, a distance of one pace (twenty-eight inches) from the rank preceding, which distance will be computed from the breasts of the men in the rear-rank, to the knapsacks of the men in the front-rank. The men, without further command, will immediately carry their arms at will, as indicated in the S. S., No. 228 or they may sling them on their backs muzzle up. They will no longer be required to march in the cadence pace, or with the same foot, or to remain silent. The files will march at ease; but care will be taken to prevent the ranks from intermixing, the front-rank from getting in advance of the guide, and the rear-rank from opening to too great a distance.
314. The company marching in the route step, the instructor will cause it to change direction, which will be executed without formal commands, on a simple caution from the captain; the rear-rank will come up to change direction in the same manner as the front-rank. Each rank will conform itself, although in the route step, to the principles which have been prescribed for the change in closed ranks, with this difference only; that the pivot man, instead of taking steps of nine, will take steps of fourteen inches, in order to clear the wheeling point.
315. The company marching in the route step, to cause it to pass to the cadence step, the instructor will first order pieces to be brought to the right shoulder, and then command:
1. Quick time. 2. MARCH.
316. At the command march, the men will resume the cadenced step, and will close so as to leave a distance of sixteen inches between each rank.
317. The company marching in the cadenced pace, the instructor, to cause it to take the route step, will command:
1. Route step. 2. MARCH.
318. At the command march, the front-rank will continue the step of twenty-eight inches, the rear-rank will take, by gradually shortening the step, the distance of twenty-eight, inches from the front-rank; the men will carry their arms at will.
319. If the company be marching in the route step, and the instructor should suppose the necessity of marching by the flank in the same direction he will command:
1. Company by the right (or left) flank. 2. By file left (or right). 3. MARCH.
320. At the command march, the company will face to the right (or left) in marching, the captain will place himself by the side of the guide who conducts the leading flank: this guide will wheel immediately to the left or right; all the files will come in succession to wheel on the same spot as the guide; if there be files broken off to the rear, they will, by wheeling, regain their respective places, and follow the movement of the company.
321. The instructor having caused the company to be again formed into line, will exercise it in increasing and diminishing front, by platoon which will be executed by the same commands, and the same means, as if the company were marching in the cadenced step. When the company breaks into platoons, the chief of each will move to the flank of his platoon, and will take the place of the guide, who will step back into the rear-rank.
322. The company being in column, by platoon, and supposed to march in the route step, the instructor can cause the front to be diminished and increased, by section, if the platoons have a front of twelve files or more.
323. The movements of diminishing and increasing front, by section, will be executed according to the principles indicated for the same movements by platoon. The right sections of platoons will be commanded by the captain and first lieutenant, respectively; the left sections, by the two next subalterns in rank, or, in their absence, by sergeants.
324. The instructor wishing to diminish by section, will give the order to the captain, who will command:
1. Break into sections. 2. MARCH.
325. As soon as the platoons shall be broken each chief of section will place himself on its directing flank in the front-rank, the guides, who will be thus displaced, will fall back into the rear-rank: the file closers will close up to within one pace of this rank.
326. Platoons will be broken into sections only in the column in route, the movement will never be executed in the manœuvres, whatever may be the front of the company.
327. When the instructor shall wish to re-form platoons, he will give the order to the captain, who will command:
1. Form platoons. 2. MARCH.
328. At the first command, each chief of section will place himself before its centre, and the aides will pass into the front-rank. At the command march, the movement will be executed its has been prescribed for forming company. The moment the platoons are formed, the chiefs of the left sections will return to their places as file closers.
329. The instructor will also cause to be executed the diminishing and increasing front by files, as prescribed in the preceding article, and in the same manner, as if marching in the cadenced step. When the company is broken into sections, the subdivisions must not be reduced to a front of less than six files, not counting the chief of the section.
330. The company being broken by platoon, or by section, the instructor will cause it, marching in the route step, to march by the flank in the same direction, by the commands and the means indicated, Nos. 319 and 320. The moment the subdivisions shall face to the right (or left), the first file of each will wheel to the left (or right), in marching to prolong the direction, and to unite with the rear file of the subdivision immediately preceding. The file closers will take their habitual places in the march by the flank, before the union of the subdivisions.
331. If the company be marching by the right flank, and the instructor should wish to undouble the files, which might sometimes be found necessary, he will inform the captain, who, after causing the cadenced step to be resumed, and arms to be shouldered or supported, will command:
1. In two ranks, undouble files. 2. MARCH.
332. At the second command the odd numbers will continue to march straight-forward, the even numbers will shorten the step, and obliquing to the left, will place themselves promptly behind the odd numbers: the rear-rank will gain a step to the left so as to retake the touch of elbows on the side of the front-rank.
333. If the company be marching by the left flank, it will be the even numbers who will continue to march forward, and the odd numbers who will undouble.
334. If it be found necessary, from the narrowness of the way or other cause, to reduce the front still further, the captain, on an intimation from the instructor, will command:
1. In one rank, undouble files. 2. MARCH.
335. At the command march, the right or left guide, with the leading front-rank man, will continue the march, the rear-rank man stepping in rear of his file-leader as soon as he is able to pass; the other files marking time. The second file, and successively all the other files, will step off as soon as sufficient distance is gained, the front-rank man of each file following immediately the rear-rank man of the file next in front of him, and each rear-rank man taking his place as above indicated.
336. If the instructor wishes to double files, he will so indicate to the captain, who will command:
1. In two ranks, double files. 2. MARCH.
337. At the command march, the rear-rank men will take a side step to the right (or left), and each rank will close up on its leading file.
338. If the instructor should wish again to double the files, he will give the order to the captain, who will command:
1. In four ranks, double files. 2. MARCH.
339. At the command march, the files will double in the manner as explained, when the company faces by the right or the left flank. The instructor will afterward cause the route step to be resumed.
340. The various movements prescribed in this lesson may be executed in double quick time. The men will be brought, by degrees, to pass over at this gait about eleven hundred yards in seven minutes.
341. When the company marching in the route step shall halt, the rear-rank will close up at the command halt, and the whole will shoulder arms.
342. Marching in the route step, the men will be permitted to carry their pieces in the manner they shall find most convenient, paying attention only to holding the muzzles up, so as to avoid accidents.