Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 Part 20

The right guide of the company places himself, facing to the front, where the right of the company is to rest, and at such point that the center of the company will be 6 paces from and opposite the first sergeant; the squads form in their proper places on the left of the right guide, superintended by the other sergeants, who then take their posts.

The first sergeant commands: REPORT. Remaining in position at the order, the squad leaders, in succession from the right, salute and report: ALL PRESENT; or PRIVATE(S) ------ ABSENT. The first sergeant does not return the salutes of the squad leaders; he then commands: 1. _Inspection_, 2. ARMS, 3. _Order_, 4.

ARMS, faces about, salutes the captain, reports: SIR, ALL PRESENT OR ACCOUNTED FOR, or the names of the unauthorized absentees, and without command, takes his post.

If the company can not be formed by squads, the first sergeant commands: 1. _Inspection_, 2. ARMS, 3. _Right_shoulder_, 4. ARMS, and calls the roll. Each man, as his name is called, answers here and executes order arms. The sergeant then effects the division into squads and reports the company as prescribed above.

The captain places himself 12 paces in front of the center of, and facing, the company in time to receive the report of the first sergeant, whose salute he returns, and then draws saber.

The lieutenants take their posts when the first sergeant has reported and draw saber with the captain. The company, if not under arms, is formed in like manner omitting reference to arms.

173. For the instruction of platoon leaders and guides, the company, when small, may be formed in single rank. In this formation close order movements only are executed. The single rank executes all movements as explained for the front rank of a company.

TO DISMISS THE COMPANY.

174. Being in line at a halt, the captain directs the first sergeant: DISMISS THE COMPANY. The officers fallout; the first sergeant places himself faced to the front, 3 paces to the front and 2 paces from the nearest flank of the company, salutes, faces toward opposite flank of the company, and commands: 1. _Inspection_.

2. ARMS, 3. _Port_, 4. ARMS, 5. DISMISSED.

ALIGNMENTS.

175. The alignments are executed as prescribed in the School of the Squad, the guide being established instead of the flank file. The rear-rank man of the flank file keeps his head and eyes to the front and covers his file leader.

At each alignment the captain places himself in prolongation of the line, 2 paces from and facing the flank toward which the dress is made, verifies the alignment, and commands: FRONT.

Platoon lenders take a like position when requited to verify alignments.

MOVEMENTS ON THE FIXED PIVOT.

176. Being in line, to tune the company: 1. _Company_right_ _(left)_, 2. MARCH, 3. _Company_, 4. HALT; or, 3.

_Forward_, 4. MARCH.

At the second command the right-flank man in the front rank faces to the right in marching and marks time; the other front-rank men oblique to the right, place themselves abreast of the pivot, and mark time; in the rear rank the third man from the right, followed in column by the second and first, moves straight to the front until in rear of his front-rank man, when all face to the right in marching and mark time; the remaining men of the rear rank move straight to the front 4 paces, oblique to the right, place themselves abreast of the third man, cover their file leaders, and mark time; the right guide steps back, takes post on the flank, and marks time.

The fourth command is given when the last man is 1 pace in rear of the new line.

The command HALT may be given at any time after the movement begins; only those halt who are in the new position. Each of the others halt upon arriving on the line, aligns himself to the right, and executes FRONT without command.

177. Being in line, to form column of platoons, or the reverse: 1. _Platoons_right_(left)_, 2. MARCH, 3. _Company_, 4. HALT; or, 3. _Forward_, 4. MARCH.

Executed by each platoon as described for the company.

Before forming line the captain sees that the guides on the flank toward which the movement is to be executed are covering. This is effected by previously announcing the guide to that flank.

178. Being in line, to form column of squads, or the reverse; or, being in line of platoons, to form column of platoons, or the reverse: 1. _Squads_right_(left)_, 2. MARCH, or, 1.

_Squads_right_(left)_, 2. MARCH, 3. _Company_, 4. HALT.

Executed by each squad as described in the School of the Squad.

If the company or platoons be formed in line toward the side of the file closers, they dart through the column and take posts in rear of the company at the second command. If the column of squads be formed from line, the file closers take posts on the pivot flank, abreast of and 4 inches from the nearest rank.

MOVEMENTS ON THE MOVING PIVOT.

179. Being in line, to change direction: 1. _Right_(Left)_turn_, 2. MARCH, 3. _Forward_, 4. MARCH.

Executed as described in the School of the Squad, except that the men do not glance toward the marching flank and that all take the full step at the fourth command. The right guide is the pivot of the front rank. Each rear-rank man obliques on the same ground as his file leader.

180. Being in column of platoons, to change direction: 1. _Column_ _right_(left)_, 2. MARCH.

At the first command the leader of the lending platoon commands: RIGHT TURN. At the command MARCH the leading platoon turns to the right on moving pivot; its lender commands: 1. _Forward_, 2. MARCH, on completion of the turn. Rear platoons march squarely up to the turning point of the leading platoon and turn at command of their lenders.

181. Being in column of squads, to change direction: 1. _Column_ _right_(left)_, 2. MARCH.

At the second command the front rank of the leading squad turns to the right on moving pivot, as in the School of the Squad; the other ranks, without command, turn successively on the same ground and in a similar manner.

182. Being in column of squads, to form line of platoons or the reverse: 1. _Platoons,_column_right_(left)_, 2. MARCH.

Executed by each platoon as described for the company.

183. Being in line, to form column of squads and change direction: 1. _Squads_right_(left)_,_column_right_(left)_, 2. MARCH; or, 1. _Right_(Left)_by_squads_, 2. MARCH.

In the first case the right squad initiates the COLUMN RIGHT as soon as it has completed the SQUAD RIGHT.

In the second case, at the command march, the right squad marches FORWARD; the remainder of the company executes SQUADS RIGHT, COLUMN LEFT, and follows the right squad. The right guide, when he has posted himself in front of the right squad, takes four short steps, then resumes the full step; the right squad conforms.

184. Being in line, to form line of platoons: 1. _Squads_right_ _(left),_platoons_column_right_(left)_, 2. MARCH; or, 1.

_Platoons,_right_(left)_by_squads_, 2. MARCH.

Executed by each platoon as described for the company in the preceding paragraph.

FACING OR MARCHING TO THE REAR.

185. Being in line, line of platoons, or in column of platoons or squads, to face or march to the rear: 1. _Squads_right_(left)_ _about_, 2. MARCH; or, 1. _Squads_right_(left)_about_, 2. MARCH, 3. _Company_, 4. HALT.

Executed by each squad as described in the School of the Squad.

If the company or platoons be in column of squads, the file closers turn about toward the column, and take their posts; if in line, each darts through the nearest interval between squads.

186. To march to the rear for a few paces: 1. _About_, 2.

FACE, 3. _Forward_, 4. MARCH.

If in line, the guides place themselves in the rear rank, now the front rank; the file closers, on facing about, maintain their relative positions. No other movement is executed until the line is faced to the original front.

ON RIGHT (LEFT) INTO LINE.