Moving 17th Century Soldiers
 

Countermarching

CounterMarch3FilesLoseGrnd_H5

Losing ground (a.k.a., Lacedemonian)
with more that one file

Command:
"Files to the left, countermarch, every man turning after his leader on the ground he stands!"

Files to the left (or right) hand countermarch with every soldier turning after the soldier immediately in front on the ground he stands

Although the animation has the distance between files at Order, Colonel Barriffe recommends for this and other countermarches: "The distance for Countermartch is six foot, or open order in rank and file."  But there may be occasion for files to be as close as Order. Regardless of distances, weapons are to be held at the advance posture - that is, as out of the way as possible.