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In Casey's the default explanation of stacking arms is for the rifle (what reenactors call the two-bander). Text that should be ignored in favor of the explanation for the rifle-musket (three-banders) is colored in pink.
TO STACK ARMS.
The men being at order arms with bayonets unfixed, the instructor will command:
Stack-ARMS.
423. At this command, the front-rank man of every even-numbered file will pass his piece before him, seizing it with the left hand near the upper band; will place the butt a little in advance of his left toe, the barrel turned toward the body, and draw the rammer slightly from its place; the front-rank man of every odd numbered file will also draw the rammer slightly, and pass his piece to the man next on his left, who will seize it with the right hand near the upper band, and place the butt a little in advance of the right toe of the man next on his right, the barrel turned to the front; he will then cross the rammers of the two pieces, the rammer of the piece of the odd numbered man being inside; the rear rank man of every even file will also draw his rammer, lean his piece forward, the lock-plate downwards, advance the right foot about six inches, and insert the rammer between the rammer and barrel of the piece of his front-rank man; with his left hand he will place the butt of his piece on the ground, thirty-two inches in rear of, and perpendicular to, the front rank, bringing back his right foot by the side of the left; the front-rank roan of every even file will at the same time lean the stack to the rear, quit it with his right hand, and force all the rammers down. The stack being thus formed, the rear-rank man of every odd file will pass his piece into his left hand, the barrel to the front) and inclining it forward, will rest it on the stack.
424. If the rifle musket be used and it is required to stack arms with the bayonets fixed, the following will be the method.
425. At the command stack arms, the front-rank man of every even-numbered tile will pass his piece before him, seizing it with the left hand above the middle band, and place the butt behind and near the right foot of the man next on the left) the barrel turned to the front. At the same time the front-rank man of every odd-numbered file will pass his piece before him, seizing it with the left hand below the middle band, and hand it to the man next on the left; the latter will receive it with the right hand two inches above the middle band, throw the butt about thirty-two inches to the front, opposite to his right shoulder, inclining the muzzle toward him, and lock the shanks of the two bayonets: the lock of this second piece toward the right, and its shank above that of the first piece. The rear-rank man of every even file will project his bayonet forward, and introduce it (using both hands) between and under the shanks of the two other bayonets. He will then abandon the piece to his file leader, who will receive it with the right hand under the middle band, bring the butt to the front, holding up his own piece and the stack with the left hand, and place the butt of this third piece between the feet of the man next on the right, the S plate to the rear. The stack thus formed, the rear-rank man of every odd file will pass his piece into his left hand, the barrel turned to the front and sloping the bayonet forward, rest it on the stack.
426. The men of both ranks having taken the position of the soldier without arms, the instructor will command:
1. Break ranks. 2. MARCH.
TO RESUME ARMS.
427. Both ranks being re-formed in rear of their stacks, the instructor will command:
Take-ARMS.
428. At this command, the rear-rank man of every odd-numbered file will withdraw his piece from the stack; the front-rank man of every even file will seize his own piece with the left hand and that of the man on his right with his right hand, both above the lower band; the rear-rank man of the even file will seize his piece with the right hand below the lower band (if the rifle musket be used the piece will be seized at the middle band); these two men will raise up the stack to loosen the rammers, or shanks of the bayonets. The front-rank man of every odd file will facilitate the disengagement of the rammers, if necessary, by drawing them out slightly with the left hand, and will receive his piece from the hand of the man next on his left; the four men will retake the position of the soldier at order arms.
We also provide the instructions from THE Volunteer's Manual CONTAINING FULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RECRUIT IN THE SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER AND SQUAD, commonly referred to as Baxter's Volunteer's Manual. This version specifies the movement of the feet for the rear-rank men, which seems to be necessary to accomplish stacking arms.
To Stack Arms.
The squad being at an order arms, with the files numbered from right to left, as one, two, three, &c. The instructor will command,
Stack. ARMS.
At this command, the front rank man of every even numbered file, will pass his piece before him, seize it with the left hand above the middle band, turn it barrel to the front, and place the butt outside of and near to the left foot, nearly opposite the right shoulder. At the same time the front rank man of every odd numbered file, will pass his piece before him into his left hand a little below the middle band, hand opposite to and at the height of the elbow, which should be close to the body.
The even numbered files of the front rank will then seize the piece of the odd file on his right with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand, two inches above the middle band, carry, without turning it, opposite his right shoulder, swing the butt to the front and set it thirty-six inches in front of the right heel, barrel towards you, lock the shanks of both bayonets and press the muzzles to the right. Every even numbered file of the rear rank will project his bayonet forward and insert it in through the opening below the shanks of the other two, bringing the three shanks together without shock, holding his piece with both hands, and advancing the right foot for that purpose. When the front rank man of his file seizes it with his right hand between the tail and middle bands, brings it to the front and places the butt between the feet of the man on his right. Every odd numbered file of the rear rank will pass his piece into his left hand, barrel turned to the front, and place it against the stack, advancing his left foot for that purpose.
TAKE ARMS.
At this command, the front rank man of every odd file will remove his piece from the stack-the front ranks man of every even file will seize his own piece with his left hand, and that of the man on his right with his right hand, both below the middle bands. The rear rank man of every even file will advance the hollow of his right foot towards the right heel of his file leader, and with his right hand, seize his own piece below the middle band-both men will raise the stack, close together, turn the knuckles in, which movement unlocks the bayonets readily-the front rank man will pass the piece in his right hand over to the man on his right, and all taking the position of ordered arms.
File Closers
Casey is silent in reference to placement of file closers' arms on stacks. The best reference we have found regarding this is from Lee's Volunteer Handbook, a pre-war (1860-61) booklet. This manual states:
126. When organized companies stack arms the sergeants, (and also the corporals, if in the rank of file closers) will rest their pieces against the stacks nearest them respectively, after ranks are broken, and resume their pieces on the signal to re-form ranks. [after italicized in the original work]
In the absence of further documenation of other practices, we suggest that the above would have been the most common method of file closers stacking and taking arms.