1. INSTRUCTION by company will always precede that by battalion, and the object being to prepare the soldiers for the higher school, the exercises of detail by company will be strictly adhered to, as well in respect to principles, as the order of progression herein prescribed.
2. There will be attached to a company undergoing elementary instruction, a captain, a covering sergeant, and a certain number of file closers, the whole posted in the manner indicated, Title First, and, according to the same Title, the officer charged with the exercise of such company will herein be denominated the instructor.
3. The School of the Company will be divided into six lessons, and each lesson will comprehend five articles as follows:
LESSON I.
1. To open ranks.
2. Alignments in open ranks.
3. Manual of arms.
4. To close ranks.
5. Alignments, and manual of arms in closed ranks.
LESSON II.
1. To load in four times and at will.
2. To fire by company.
3. To fire by file.
4. To fire by rank.
5. To fire by the rear-rank.
LESSON III.
1. To march in line of battle.
2. To halt the company marching in line of battle, and to align it.
3. Oblique march in line of battle.
4. To mark time, to march in double quick time, and the back step.
5. To march in retreat in line of battle.
LESSON IV.
1. To march by the flank.
2. To change direction by file.
3. To halt the company marching by the flank and to face it to the front.
4. The company being in march by the flank, to form it on the right or left by file into line of battle.
5. The company marching by the flank, to form it by company or platoon into line, and cause it to face to the right and left in marching.
LESSON V.
1. To break into column by platoon either at a halt, or while marching.
2. To march in column.
3. To change direction.
4. To halt the column.
5. Being in column by platoon, to form to the right or left into line of battle, either at a halt or marching.
LESSON VI.
1. To break into platoons, and to re-form the company.
2. To break files to the rear, and to cause them to re-enter into line.
3. To march in column in route, and to execute the movements incident thereto.
4. Countermarch.
5. Being in column by platoon, to form on the right or left into line of battle.
4. The company will always be formed in two ranks. The men will take their places in ranks as prescribed in No. 15 Title I, and without any preliminary formation. The instructor will then cause the files to be numbered, and for this purpose will command:
In each rank—Count TWOS.
5. At this command, the men count in each rank, from right to left, pronouncing in a loud and distinct voice, in the same tone, without hurry and without turning the head, one, two, according to the place which each one occupies. He will also cause the company to be divided into platoons and sections, taking care that the first platoon is always composed of an even number of files.
6. The instructor will be as clear and concise as possible in his explanations; he will cause faults of detail to be rectified by the captain, to whom he will indicate them, if the captain should not himself have observed them; and the instructor will not otherwise interfere, unless the captain should not well comprehend, or should badly execute his intentions.
7. Composure, or presence of mind, in him who commands, and in those who obey, being the first means of order in a body of troops, the instructor will labor to habituate the company to this essential quality, and will himself give the example.