First off...Hans - Karl, you are correct...in that you cannot execute a passages of lines with battalions stacked one behind each other.

If we know nothing else…we do know that two fundamental events occurred:

1) The leading division was attempting to deploy battalions on its ligne de bataille. Whether en colonne ou bataille…that for the time being is not the issue now.

2) There was a passage des lignes

Therefore we must consider the following executions: what execution would the first division have to execute to do a passage of ligne…whether en colonne ou bataille. Then ask the same question for the second division.

How would this it be executed, using the reglement du 1791 and 1776.

We must also understand that the term colonne when applied to grande manoeuvres may be used in many ways…it could mean a battalion…regiment…brigade…division…or even a corps. This also applies to the term of colonne d’attaque for a body of troops or grand body of troops attacking the enemy...

It looks like we are running into French military terminology and having to deal with semantics; therefore we may even have to consider the military terminology of when it was written.

Best Regards,
Art