788. When a battalion, retiring in line, shall encounter a defile which it must pass, the colonel will halt the battalion, and face it to the front.
789. It will be supposed that the defile is in rear of the left flank, and that its width is sufficient to give passage to a column by platoon; the colonel will place a marker fifteen or twenty paces in rear of the file-closers at the point around which the subdivisions will have to change direction in order to enter the defile; he will then command:
To the rear, by the right flank, pass the defile.
790. The captain of the first company will immediately command:
1. First company, right—FACE. 2. MARCH (or double quick—MARCH).
791. At the command march, the first company will commence the movement; the first file will wheel to the right, march to the rear till it shall have passed four paces beyond the file closers, when it will wheel again to the right, and then direct itself straight-forward toward the left flank. All the other files of this company will come to wheel in succession at the same place where the first had wheeled.
792. The second company will execute, in its turn, the same movement, by the commands of its captain, who will give the command MARCH, so that the first file of his company may immediately follow the last of the first, without constraint, however, as to taking the step of the first; the first file of the second company will wheel to the right, on its ground; all the other files of this company will come in succession to wheel at the same place. The following companies will execute, each in its turn, what has just been prescribed for the second.
793. When the whole of the second company shall be on the same direction with the first, the captain of the first will cause it to form, by platoon, into line, and the moment that it is in column, the guide of the first platoon will direct himself on the marker around whom he has to change direction in order to enter the defile.
794. The second company will continue to march by the flank, directing itself parallelly with the line of battle; and it, in its turn, will form by platoon into line, when the third company shall be wholly on the same direction with itself.
795. The following companies will successively execute what has just been prescribed for the second, and each will form by platoon into line, when the next company shall be on the same direction with itself.
796. The first platoon of the leading company having arrived opposite to the marker placed at the entrance of the defile, will turn to the left, and the following platoons will all execute this movement at the same point. As the last companies will not be able to form platoons before reaching the defile, they will so direct themselves, in entering it, as to leave room to the left for this movement.
797. The battalion will thus pass the defile by platoon; and, as the two platoons of each company shall clear it, companies will be successively formed by the means indicated, S. C., No. 278, and following,
798. The head of the column having cleared the defile, and having reached the distance at which the colonel wishes to reform line faced to the defile, he may cause the leading company to turn to the left, to prolong the column in that direction, and then form it to the left into line of battle; or he may halt the column, and form it into line of battle faced to the rear, either direct or by inversion.
799. If it be the intention of the colonel to commence the fire before the whole column is disengaged from the defile, he may cause the leading company, when it has formed to change direction to the right, and then form on the right into line; or, that company may change direction to the left, and then the formation will be on the left into line by inversion.
800. If the defile be in the rear of the right flank, it will be passed by the left; the movement will be executed according to the same principles, and by in verse means.
801. If the defile be too narrow to receive the front of a platoon, it will be passed by the flank. Captains and file closers will be watchful that the files do not Jose their distances in marching. Companies or platoons will be formed into line as the width of the defile may permit, or as the companies shall successively clear it.
REMARKS ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE COMPANIES OF SKIRMISHERS, IN PASSING A DEFILE.
802. If the companies of skirmishers are in rear of the battalion in line, at the first command by the colonel for passing the defile, they will be put in motion, and accompanied by the junior major, will immediately pass the defile either by platoon or by file, according to the width, the company nearest to the defile passing first: they will under the direction of the junior major, take such positions as may best protect the passage of the defile by the battalion companies. [Editor’s Note: See Changes.]
803. If the companies of skirmishers, or a portion of them, are deployed to cover the retreat, and the colonel desires to open the fire of the line previous to passing the defile, he will, before commencing the movement, cause the skirmishers to be rallied on the battalion, when they will immediately pass the defile. [Editor’s Note: See Changes.]
804. If the colonel does not wish to open the fire by line previous to passing the defile, the companies of skirmishers will cover the passage of the battalion companies before passing themselves. [Editor’s Note: See Changes.]