422. In a column at full or half distance, the countermarch will be executed by the means indicated, school of the company; to this end, the colonel will command:
1. Countermarch. 2. Battalion right (or left)—FACE. 3. By file left (or right). 4. MARCH (or double quick—MARCH).
0-423. If the column is at full distance right or left in front, in countermarching the platoon columns will countermarch at the commands given for the battalion column and by the means prescribed in the S. C., No. 350, observing what follows; at the second command by the colonel, the guides of the platoons before facing about, will advance on the prolongation of the line, passing through them a distance equal to the front of a platoon. At the command march, each platoon will file to the front a platoon distance before filing to the left or right, for the purpose of being dressed on its guide.
To countermarch a column closed in mass.
424. If the column be closed in mass, the countermarch will be executed by the commands and means subjoined.
425. The column being supposed formed by division, right in front, the colonel will command:
1. Countermarch. 2. Battalion, right and left—FACE. 3. By file left and right. 4. MARCH (or double quick—MARCH).
426. At the first command, the chiefs of the odd-numbered divisions will caution them to face to the right, and the chiefs of the others to face to the left.
427. At the second command, the odd divisions will face to the right, and the even to the left; the right and left guides of all the divisions will face about; the chiefs of odd divisions will hasten to their right and cause two files to break to the rear, and each chief place himself on the left of the leading front-rank man of his division; the chiefs of even divisions will hasten to their left, and cause two files to break to the rear, and each chief place himself on the right of his leading front-rank man.
428. At the command march, all the divisions, each conducted by its chief, will step off smartly, the guides standing fast; each odd division will wheel by file to the left around its right guide; each even division will wheel by file to the right around its left guide, each division 80 directing its march as to arrive behind its opposite guide, and when its head shall be up with this guide, the chief will halt the division, and cause it to face to the front.
429. Each division, on facing to the front, will be aligned by its chief by the right; to this end, the chiefs of the even divisions will move rapidly to the right of their respective divisions.
430. The divisions being aligned, each chief will command, FRONT; at this, the guides will shift to their proper flanks.
431. In a column with the left in front, the countermarch will be executed by the same commands and means; but all the divisions will be aligned by the left; to this end, the chiefs of the odd divisions will hasten to the left of their respective divisions as soon as the latter shall have been faced to the front.
432. The colonel, placed on the directing flank, will superintend the general movement.
433. The countermarch being ended, the lieutenant-colonel will always place himself abreast with the leading, and the senior major abreast with the rearmost division, the junior major will hold himself abreast with the color company.
434. In a column by company, closed in mass, the countermarch will be executed by the same means and commands. applying to companies what is prescribed for divisions.
435. The countermarch will always take place from a halt, whether the column be closed in mass, or at full or half distance.
0-436. If the column is at half distance or closed in mass, right or left in front, in counter marching, the first platoon of each platoon column, will face to the right, and the second platoon to the left. At the first command by the colonel, each chief of platoon will give the necessary caution; at the second command the platoons will face at the same time with the battalion column; the platoon guides before facing about will advance on the prolongation of the line, passing through them a distance of six paces. At the command march, each platoon conducted by its chief will file to the front a distance of six paces before filing to the left or right, for the purpose of being dressed on its guide.