At the command =posts=, company officers face about.
At the command =march=, they step off with guide as before, and the senior commands: =1. Officers, 2. HALT=, so as to halt 3 paces from the line; he then adds: =1. POSTS, 2. MARCH.=
At the command =posts=, officers face outward and, at the command =march=, step off in succession at 4 paces distance, resume their posts and order saber; the lieutenants march directly to their posts in rear of their companies.
The music ceases when all officers have resumed their posts.
The major then commands: =1. Pass in review, 2. Squads right, 3. MARCH=, and returns saber.
The battalion marches according to the principles of review; when the last company has passed, the ceremony is concluded, as explained in pars. 617; 631.
The band continues to play while the companies are in march upon the parade ground. Companies are formed in column of squads, without halting, and are marched to their respective parades by their captains.
When the company officers have saluted the major, he may direct them to form line with the staff, in which case they individually move to the front, passing to the right and left of the major and staff, halt on the line established by the staff, face about, and stand at attention. The music ceases when the officers join the staff. The major causes the companies to pass in review under the command of their first sergeants by the same commands as before. The company officers return saber with the major and remain at attention. (734)
=637. By a company.= The regiment being in line or line of masses, the colonel details a company, other than the color company, to receive and escort the national color to its place. During the ceremony the regimental color remains with the color guard at its post with the regiment.
The band moves straight to its front until clear of the line of field officers, changes direction to the right, and is halted; the designated company forms column of platoons in rear of the band, the color bearer or bearers between the platoons.
The escort then marches without music to the colonel's office or quarters and is formed in line facing the entrance, the band on the right, the color bearer in the line of file closers.