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 their posts. _To Rectify the Column._ 275. Being in column of companies, or in close column, at a halt, if the guides do not cover or have not their proper distances, and it is desired to correct them, the major commands: 1. _Right (left)_, 2. _DRESS_. Captains of companies in rear of the first place their right guides so as to cover at the proper distance; each captain aligns his company to the right and commands: _FRONT_. _On Right (Left) into Line._ 276. Being in column of squads or companies: 1. _On right (left) into line_, 2. _MARCH_, 3. _Battalion_, 4. _HALT_.