From Customs of Service by August V. Kautz
426. There should be a uniform method of forming the company;
and there is no reason why there should be a difference in the
different corps or in different regiments. The company should
be sized. In all the odd-numbered companies the tallest men
are placed on the right, diminishing in size to the left, and
in the even-numbered companies the tallest should be on the
left, diminishing to the right,
- the principal being that in each division the tallest men
should be on the flanks, and the shortest in the center; the
regimental front will thus present a level line, and there
will be an apparent uniformity in size of the entire regiment.
Forming the Company from one rank into two ranks
From Casey's Infantry Tactics - School of the Company
Lesson VI
373. The company being in single
rank, when the instructor shall wish to form it into two
ranks, he will command:
1. In two ranks, form company. 2. Company, right-FACE. 3.
MARCH.
374. At the second command the company will face to the right;
the right guide and the man on the right will remain faced to
the front.
375. At the command march, the men who have faced to the
right, will step off, and form files in the following manner:
the second man in the rank will place himself behind the first
to form the first file; the third will place himself by the
side of the first in the front rank; the fourth behind the
third in the rear rank. All the others will, in like manner,
place themselves, alternately, in. the front and rear rank,
and will thus form files of two men, on the left of those
already formed.
376. The formations above described will be habitually
executed by the right of companies; but when the instructor
shall wish to have them executed by the left, he will face the
company about, and post the guides in the rear rank.
377. The formation will then be executed by the same commands,
and according to the same principles as by the front rank; the
movement commencing with the left file, now become the right,
and in each file by the rear-rank man, now become the front;
the left guide will conform to what has been prescribed for
the right.
378. The formation ended, the instructor will face the company
to its proper front.
