150. If the company be marching by the right flank, the instructor will command:
1. On the right, by file into line. 2. MARCH.
151. At the command march, the rear-rank men doubled, will mark time; the captain and the covering sergeant will turn to the right, march straight-forward, and be halted by the instructor when they shall have passed at least six paces beyond the rank of file closers; the captain will place himself correctly on the line of battle, and will direct the alignment as the men of the front-rank successively arrive; the covering sergeant will place himself behind the captain at the distance of the rear-rank; the two men on the right of the front-rank doubled, will continue to march, and passing beyond the covering sergeant and the captain, will turn to the right; after turning, they will continue to march elbow to elbow, and direct themselves toward the line of battle, but when they shall arrive at two paces from this line, the even number will shorten the step so that the odd number may precede him on the line, the odd number placing himself by the side and on the left of the captain; the even number will afterward oblique to the left, and place himself on the left of the odd number; the next two men of the front-rank doubled, will pass in the same manner behind the two first, turn then to the right, and place themselves, according to the means just explained to the left, and by the side of, the two men already established on the line; the remaining files of this rank will follow in succession, and be formed to the left in the same manner. The rear-rank doubled will execute the movement in the manner already explained for the front-rank, taking care not to commence the movement until four men of the front-rank are established on the line of battle; the rear-rank men, as they arrive on the line, will cover accurately their file leaders.
152. If the company be marching by the left flank, the instructor will cause it to form by file on the left into line of battle, according to the same principles and by the same commands, substituting the indication left for right. In this case, the odd numbers will shorten the step, so that the even numbers may precede them on the line. The captain, placed on the left, of the front-rank, and the left guide, will return to their places in line of battle, by order of the instructor, after the company shall be formed and aligned.
153. To enable the men the better to comprehend the mechanism of this movement, the instructor will at first cause it to be executed separately by each rank doubled, and afterward by the two ranks united and doubled.
154. The instructor will place himself on the line of battle, and without the point where the right or left is to rest, in order to establish the base of the alignment, and afterward he will follow up the movement to assure himself that each file conforms itself to what is prescribed No. 151.