for the right company. The adjutant, from his post, causes
the guides to cover.

When about 1 pace in rear of the line, each company is halted and
dressed to the right against the arms of the guides.

The band, arriving from the rear, takes its place in line when the
right company is halted; it ceases playing when the left company has
halted.

When the guides of the left company have been posted, the adjutant,
moving by the shortest route, takes post facing the battalion midway
between the post of the major and the center of the battalion.

The major, staff, noncommissioned staff, and orderlies take their
posts.

When all parts of the line have been dressed, and officers and others
have reached their posts, the adjutant commands: 1. _Guides_, 2.
_POSTS_, 3. _Present_, 4. _ARMS_. At the second command guides take
their places in the line. The adjutant then turns about and reports to
the major: _Sir, the battalion is formed_; the major directs the
adjutant: _Take your post, Sir_; draws saber and brings the battalion
to the order. The adjutant takes his post, passing to the right of the
major.

_To Dismiss the Battalion._

272. _DISMISS YOUR COMPANIES._

Staff and noncommissioned staff officers fall out; each captain
marches his company off and dismisses it.

_To Rectify the Alignment._

273. Being in line at a halt, to align the battalion: 1. _Center
(right_ or _left)_, 2. _DRESS_.

The captains dress their companies successively toward the center
(right or left) guide of the battalion, each as soon as the captain
next toward the indicated guide commands: _Front_. The captains of the
center companies (if the dress is _center_) dress them without waiting
for each other.

274. To give the battalion a new alignment: 1. _Guides center (right_
or _left) company on the line_, 2. _Guides on the line_, 3. _Center
(right_ or _left)_, 4. _DRESS_, 5. _Guides_, 6. _POSTS_.

At the first command, the designated guides place themselves on the
line (par. 271) facing the center (right or left). The major
establishes them in the direction he wishes to give the battalion.

At the second command, the guides of the other companies take posts,
facing the center (right or left), so as to prolong the line.

At the command _dress_, each captain dresses his company to the flank
toward which the guides of his company face.

At the command _posts_, given when all companies have completed the
dress, the guides return to the