Guide of a line of subdivisions is center.

Guide of a deployed line is center.

Guide of a squad is toward the side of the guide of the company.

Guide of successive formations into line is toward the point of rest.

File closers remain on the same side of the company except when in so doing they would be left in front of the company.

If the battalion is in line, the guide away from the point of rest (in each company) comes to the “Right shoulder arms” at the command to dress.

At the command “Eyes right”, guides who are charged with the direction do not execute “Eyes right”, but simply salute.

At “Retreat” guides unarmed stand at “Attention”.  Only officers salute.

In “Stack arms” the right guide should align the stacks.

In squads (acting alone) the corporal is the guide; number 2 of the front rank, if the corporal is not in line.

The guides of rear units are charged with the step, trace and distance.

EXERCISE FOR GUIDES.—­Lay out a course of arbitrary distance; 200 yards will answer the purpose.  Instruct the guides to march the course as they would if they were guiding a company, but being sure to count their steps (a pebble transferred to the left hand at 100 steps is often found useful).

RESULT.—­The number of steps will range from 205 to 225.  After getting the number of steps taken by each man, show them that they should have taken 240 steps and that each man took too long a step.  Have them march back guiding on two points in line as before, cautioning them to cut down the length of the step to 30 inches from the start, and not to wait until they get half way down the course and find that they have less than 120 steps.

RESULT.—­All of the men, even after the caution, will have taken too long a step.

Instructor times the guides both ways, and calls attention to the fact that in ALL cases the cadence was under 120 steps per minute.

After repeating above as much as desired have the men march in pairs, one man keeping time and the other counting steps and marching on two points.

They may check up every 10 seconds if desired.

IX.  PLATOON GUIDES.

POSITION: 

   1.  Behind the firing line, on left of platoon leader. (163,
      i.d.r.)
   2.  Advancing in line—­behind center of platoon. (213 and 223,
      i.d.r.) To insure prompt and orderly advance.
   3.  “Advance by thin lines”—­lead even numbered lines. (218, i.d.r.)
   4.  Advancing in squad or platoon column—­in rear.

DUTIES: 

   (104, 213, 223, 229, 255, 367, 375, and 376, i.d.r.)