Frank was the captain, Willy the first lieutenant, and a dozen or more little negroes composed the rank and file, Peter and Cole being trusted file-closers.
"Two Little Confederates"
Thomas Nelson Page
To have formed the line of battle we would have had to have faced by the rear rank, and while that did not make much difference in merely forming the line, only so far as the file closers were concerned, any subsequent manoeuvers from that formation would become exceedingly complicated; and I doubt whether any of the regiments of the First Brigade at that time could have successfully performed those manoeuvers.
"Notes of a staff officer of our First New Jersey Brigade on the Seven Day's Battle on the peninsula in 1862"
E. Burd Grubb
Lyon rode for a moment or two with the file closers on the right of the 1st Iowa, and then turned toward the 2d Kan.
"The Struggle for Missouri"
John McElroy