DRILL

THE MARCH TO THE FRONT

Battalion! Forward!

At this caution the individual with the colors advances six paces; the sergeant who covered him taking his place. The whole are to dress by the colors. The commandant of the battalion will be posted two paces in front of the colors, and will give the ensign an object to serve as a direction for him to march straight forward.

March!

The individual who carries the colors will be careful to march straight to the object given him by the colonel; to do which, he must fix on some intermediate object.

If many battalions are in the line, the individual must dress by the individual of the center; if only two, they will dress by each other. They must be very careful not to advance beyond the battalion they are to dress by, it being much easier to advance than to fall back.

Should the battalion by any cause be hindered from advancing in line with the rest, the individual of that battalion must drop his colors, as a signal to the other battalions (who might otherwise stop to dress by them) not to conform to their movements; the colors to be raised again when the battalion has advanced to its post in the line .