368. The company being formed into two ranks in the manner indicated No. 15, Title I, and supposed to make part of a column, right or left in front, when the instructor shall wish to form it into single rank, he will command:
1. In one rank, form company. 2. MARCH.
369. At the first command the right guide will face to the right.
370. At the command march, the right guide will step off and march in the prolongation of the front-rank.
371. The first file will step off at the same time with the guide; the front-rank man will turn to the right at the first step, follow the guide, and be himself followed by the rear-rank man of his file, who will come to turn on the same spot where he had turned. The second file, and successively all the other files, will step off as has been prescribed for the first, the front-rank man of each file following immediately the rear-rank man of the file next on his right. The captain will superintend the movement, and when the last man shall have stepped off, he will halt the company, and face it to the front.
372. The file closers will take their places in line of battle, two paces in rear of the rank.
373. The company being in single rank, when the instructor shall wish to form it into two ranks, he will command:
1. In two ranks, form company. 2. Company, right—FACE. 3. MARCH.
374. At the second command the company will face to the right; the right guide and the man on the right will remain faced to the front.
375. At the command march, the men who have faced to the right, will step off, and form files in the following manner: the second man in the rank will place himself behind the first to form the first file; the third will place himself by the side of the first in the front-rank: the fourth behind the third in the rear-rank. All the others will, in like manner, place themselves, alternately, in the front and rear-rank, and will thus form files of two men, on the left of those already formed.
376. The formations above described will be habitually executed by the right of companies; but when the instructor shall wish to have them executed by the left, he will face the company about, and post the guides in the rear-rank.
377. The formation will then be executed by the same commands, and according to the same principles as by the front-rank; the movement commencing with the left file, now become the right, and in each file by the rear-rank man, now become the front; the left guide will conform to what has been prescribed for the right.
378. The formation ended, the instructor will face the company to its proper front.
379. When a battalion in line has to execute either of the formations above described, the colonel will cause it to break to the rear by the right or left of companies, and will then give the commands just prescribed for the instructor. Each company will execute the movement as if acting singly.