We have considered the company so far to be at a halt; suppose that it had been moving forward. The corporal of the base squad deploys his squad as soon as he has sufficient interval, and then continues straight to the front until the command: 1. Company, 2. HALT, is given by the captain. The other corporals move their squads to the left front (or right front), by commanding their squads, Follow me. They conduct their squads on the shortest and easiest route to their places in the line and then deploy their squads as they arrive in the general line. [Illustration] The corporals should remember that they are not to step out from their squads to conduct them to their proper places until the captain has given the command march. The corporals often fail to take sufficient intervals thus causing a jam. The company being at a halt, the corporals should remember to give by the right or left flank instead of right or left face. SECOND CASE Now suppose the company is in column of squads at a halt. It is desired to form a skirmish line to the front: 1. As skirmishers, guide right (left), 2. MARCH. At the command march, the corporal of the first, or leading squad, deploys his squad without advancing. All of the other corporals move to the left front and deploy their squads on the line formed by the first squad. At the preparatory command the corporals command, follow me, and at the command MARCH, they step in front of their squads and conduct them to their places. Had the command been as skirmishers, guide left, of course all except the leading squad would have moved to the right. For when the company is in column of squads, as skirmishers, guide right means that the first or leading squad is to be the right of the skirmish line. If left, instead of right is given that simply means that the leading or base squad is to be the left of the skirmish line. Now we come to the last variation. It is difficult for the new man. The command as skirmishers, guide center, the company being in column of squads, simply means that the center squad is to be the base squad. All other squads are to regulate their movements on the base squad as in all other cases. This is a peculiar case and for it the authorities have adopted a rule of thumb. All squads in front of the base squad go to the right, those in rear to the left. That's all there is to it. But that must be remembered. Corporals will conduct their squads to their proper places by the shortest and easiest routes. We will use a platoon of four squads to illustrate the idea. [Illustration] Note that the leading corporal turns his squad well to the right rear and then to the left. We have assumed the company to be at a halt; suppose it is moving forward. In that case the base squad simply continues moving forward after it has deployed until the captain gives the command halt. The other corporals conduct their squads by the shortest routes to their proper places and deploy them on the general line.