717. The battalion marching in line of battle, when the colonel shall wish to change direction to the right, he will command:
1. Change direction to the right. 2. MARCH (or double quick—MARCH).
718. At the command march, the movement will commence; the color-rank will shorten the step to fourteen or seventeen inches, and direct itself circularly to the right, taking care to advance the left shoulder, but only insensibly; the senior major will place himself before the color-bearer, facing him, and so direct his march that he may describe an arc of a circle neither too large nor too small; he will also see that the color-bearer takes steps of fourteen or seventeen inches, according to the gait.
719. The right general guide will wheel on the right captain of the battalion as his pivot; the left general guide will circularly march in the step of twenty-eight inches or thirty-three inches, according to the gait, and will align himself upon the color-bearer and the right general guide.
720. The corporal placed in the centre of the battalion, will take steps of fourteen or seventeen inches, and will wheel to the right by advancing insensibly the left shoulder; the battalion will conform itself to the movement. of the centre; to this end, the captain of the color-company, and the captain of the next to the left, will attentively regulate their march, as well as the direction of their shoulders, on the three centre corporals. All the other captains will regulate the direction of their shoulders and the length of their step on this basis.
721. The men will redouble their attention in order not to pass the line of captains.
722. In the left wing, the pace will be lengthened in proportion as the file is distant from the centre; the captain of the eighth company who closes the left flank of the battalion will take steps of twenty-eight or thirty-three inches, according to the gait.
723. In the right wing the pace will be shortened in proportion as the file is distant from the centre; the captain who closes the right flank will only slowly turn in his person, observing to yield ground a little if pushed.
724. The colonel will take great care to prevent the centre of the battalion from describing an arc of a circle, either too great or too small, in order that the wings may conform themselves to its movement. He will see also that the captains keep their companies constantly aligned upon the centre, so that there may be no opening and no crowding of files. He will endeavor to prevent faults, and, should they occur, correct them without noise.
725. The lieutenant-colonel, placed before the battalion, will give his attention to the same objects.
726. When the colonel shall wish the direct march to be resumed, he will command:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH.
727. At the command march, the color-rank, the general guides and the battalion, will resume the direct march; the senior major will immediately place himself thirty or forty paces in front, face to the colonel, placed in rear of the centre, who will establish him by signal of the sword on the perpendicular direction which the corporal in the centre of the battalion ought to pursue; the senior major will immediately cause the color-bearer, if necessary, to incline to the right or left, so as to be exactly opposite to his file; the color-bearer will then take two points on the ground between himself and the major.
728. The lieutenant-colonel will endeavor to give too the color-company find the next on the left a direction perpendicular to that pursued by the centre corporal; and all the other companies, without precipitancy, will conform themselves to that basis.
0-729. In changing direction, the companies of skirmishers will execute what is prescribed No. 722.