775. The color guard, by command of the senior color sergeant, presents arms on receiving and parting with the color. After parting with the color, the color guard is brought to order arms by command of the senior member who is placed as the right man of the guard. 776. At drills and ceremonies, excepting _escort of the color_, the color, if present, is received by the color company after its formation. The formation of the color company completed, the captain faces to the front; the color guard, conducted by the senior sergeant, approaches from the front and halts at a distance of 10 paces from the captain, who then faces about, brings the company to the present, faces to the front, salutes, again faces about and brings the company to the order. The color guard comes to the present and order at the command of the captain, and is then marched by the color sergeant directly to its post on the left of the color company. 777. When the battalion is dismissed the color guard escorts the color to the office or quarters of the colonel. _Manual of the Color._ 778. At the _carry_ the heel of the pike rests in the socket of the sling; the right hand grasps the pike at the height of the shoulder. At the _order_ the heel of the pike rests on the ground near the right toe, the right hand holding the pike in a vertical position. At _parade rest_ the heel of the pike is on the ground, as at the _order_; the pike is held with both hands in front of the center of the body, left hand uppermost. The _order_ is resumed at the command _attention_. The left hand assists the right when necessary. The _carry_ is the habitual position when the troops are at a shoulder, port, or trail. The _order_ and _parade rest_ are executed with the troops. _The color salute:_ Being at a carry, slip the right hand up the pike to the height of the eye, then lower the pike by straightening the arm to the front. THE BAND. 779. The band is formed in two or more ranks, with sufficient intervals between the men and distances between the ranks to permit of a free use of the instruments. The field music, when united, forms with and in rear of the band; when the band is not present the posts, movements, and duties of the field music are the same as prescribed for the band; when a musician is in charge his position is on the right of the front rank. When the battalion or regiment turns about by squads, the band executes the countermarch; when the battalion or regiment executes _right_, _left_, or _about face_, the band faces in the same manner. In marching, each rank dresses to the right. In executing _open ranks_ each rank of the band takes the distance of 3 paces from the rank next in front; the drum major verifies the alignment. The field music sounds the _march_, _flourishes_, or _ruffles_, and _to the color_ at the signal of the drum major.