Part 255

LIEUTENANT of engineers. See ENGINEERS.

LIEUTENANT-colonel. See COLONEL.

LIEUTENANT-general. See GENERAL.

LIEUTENANT du Roi, Fr. During the monarchy of France there was a deputy governor in every fortified place, or strong town, who commanded in the absence of the governor, and was a check upon his conduct when present. This person was called LIEUTENANT du Roi.

LIEUTENANT Reduced, (Lieutenant Reformé, Fr.) he whose company or troop is broke or disbanded, but who continued in whole or half pay, and still preserves his right of seniority and rank in the army.

LIEUTENANT de la Colonelle, Fr. the second officer, or what was formerly styled the captain lieutenant of the colonel’s company of every infantry regiment, was so called in France.

LIEUTENANS des Gardes Francoises et Suisses, Fr. lieutenants belonging to the French and Swiss guards. During the existence of the monarchy in France they bore the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and took precedence of all captains.

LIEUTENANS Provinciaux d’Artillerie, Fr. were certain officers belonging to the old French service, and immediately attached to the artillery, who bore the title or name of the particular province in which they were stationed. The majority of this description were employed in the ordnance department; another part superintended different artillery departments upon the frontiers. Some were excused from all duty on account of their age and seniority.

Several provincial lieutenants, who had military employments under the board of ordnance, received the rank of lieutenant general in the army from the king, and could rise to the most exalted stations in common with other officers.

LIEUTENANT Général, Fr. The title and rank of lieutenant-general was of a more desultory nature in France under the old government of that country, than in other countries. High officers of justice were distinguished by the name; and all governors of provinces, as far as their jurisdiction extended, together with the persons who acted under them, were called lieutenants généraux. There were likewise persons who bore the title of lieutenant-general of the kingdom at large. Every officer, moreover, that acted immediately under a general, and was next to him in rank, was styled lieutenant-general. It is the same, in this respect, in England. In both countries, however, (considering the subjects as appertaining to a monarchical institution) the title of general was only ostensible and honorary, as his functions were delegated to him by his sovereign, the real general and head of the army. So that intrinsically a general could only be considered as lieutenant-general to the king; but the lieutenant-general who acts under him, must be viewed as holding a relative rank inferior to both. The words of the two commissions sufficiently explain our observation. They are as follow for a lieutenant-general with the nominal rank of general:--We have made and constituted N. our lieutenant-general, &c. and for those acting under him:--We have made and constituted N. one of our lieutenant-generals. Which plainly indicates, that of the first class there can only be one who represents his sovereign; whereas there are and may be many of the other description. Lieutenant-generals, in the French service, did not receive any pay, in consequence of the rank they bore, unless they actually commanded some part of the army, and received a commission from the king for that purpose. This commission was renewed annually, according to his majesty’s pleasure.

LIEUTENANT-General d’Artillerie. See Lieutenant-general of the ORDNANCE.

LIEUTENANT-General des Armèes Navales du Roi. Fr. an officer in the old French service, belonging to the naval department. He took rank of all chefs d’escadre, or commodores, and issued orders through them to inferior officers.

LIFE GUARDS.--See GUARDS.

LIGHT BOBS, a familiar term used for the light infantry.

LIGHT HORSE. All mounted soldiers, that are lightly armed and accoutred for active and desultory service, may be considered under this term. Thus light dragoons, hussars, mounted riflemen, &c. are strictly speaking light horse.

LIGHT INFANTRY, an active, strong body of men, selected from the aggregate of battalion companies, and made up of the most promising recruits that are occasionally inlisted.

When the light infantry companies are in line with their battalions, they are to form and act in every respect as a company of the battalion; but when otherwise disposed of, they may loosen their files to six inches

The open order of light infantry is usually two feet between each file.

The files may be extended from right, left, or centre; in executing it, each front rank man must carefully take his distance from the man next to him on that side from which the extension is made: the rear rank men conform to the movement of their file leaders.

When light infantry men fire in extended order, it is to be a standing rule, that the two men of the same file are never unloaded together; for which purpose as soon as the front rank man has fired, he is to slip round the left of the rear rank man, who will take a short pace forward, and put himself in the other’s place, whom he is to protect while loading.

The extended order of light infantry varies according to circumstances and situations. They may sometimes loosen their files to three times the distance of open order. But the general rule is to allow convenient intervals for the rear rank men to slip by, and return after they have fired.

All movements of light infantry, except when firing, advancing, or retreating, are to be in quick time.

The officer commanding the company in line will be on the right, covered by a serjeant; the next on the left also covered by a serjeant. The youngest officer in the rear. In extended order the post of the officers and serjeants is always in the rear at equal distances.

In marching by files the officer commanding leads: by divisions each officer leads one. The supernumerary officer, if there be one, is in both cases with the officer commanding, ready to obey any directions he may receive from him.

The arms of light infantry in general are carried sloped, when the bayonets are fixed. Flanking or advanced parties, however, or parties in particular situations, may carry them trailed, and without bayonets, for the purpose of taking a more cool and deliberate aim.

When the light infantry is ordered to cover the line to the front, the divisions will move from their inner flanks round the flanks of the battalions, and when at the distance of fifty paces, the leading flanks will wheel towards each other, so as to meet opposite the centre of the battalion, opening their files gradually from the rear, so as to cover the whole extent of the battalion.

The files are not to wait for any word of command, but to halt and front themselves. In this position, and in all positions of extended order, the post of the officer commanding is in the rear of the centre, and the movements are to be regulated by the company belonging to the battalion, which governs those of the line. See Am. Mil. Lib.

Light infantry men, like hussars, are frequently detached to act as scouts on the flanks, in the front, or with the rear guard of the body of troops to which they belong. They then acquire the appellation of skirmishers, and being previously told off for that specific duty, they advance and form in the front in rank entire; which is effected by each man from the rear rank placing himself on the left of his file leader. The rank entire may be resorted to for various purposes during the movements of one or more battalions, since it may serve not only to cover them from the enemy’s observation, but in some cases, especially in foggy weather, will itself appear a larger body than it really is. Too much attention cannot be given to the organization of light troops on foot. They are very properly called the eyes of an army, and ought always to be considered as indispensibly necessary.