Lieutenant-GENERAL of Artillery, is, or ought to be, a very great mathematician, and an able engineer; to know all the powers of artillery; to understand the attack and defence of fortified places, in all its different
rent branches; how to dispose of the artillery in the day of battle to the best advantage; to conduct its march and retreat; as also to be well acquainted with all the numerous apparatus belonging to the train, and to the laboratory, &c.
Major-General, the next officer to the lieutenant-general. His chief business is to receive orders from the general, or in his absence from the lieutenant-general of the day; which he is to distribute to the brigade-majors, with whom he is to regulate the guards, convoys, detachments, &c. On him the whole fatigue and detail of duty of the army roll. It is the major-general of the day who is charged with the encampment of the army, who places himself at the head of it when they march, who marks out the ground of the camp to the quarter-master-general, and who places the new guards for the safety of the camp.
The day the army is to march, he dictates to the field-officers the order of the march, which he has received from the general, and on other days gives them the parole.
In a fixed camp he is charged with the foraging, with reconnoitring the ground for it, and posting the escorts, &c.
In sieges, if there are two separate attacks, the second belongs to him; but if there is but one, he takes, either from the right or left of the attack, that which the lieutenant-general has not chosen.
When the army is under arms, he assists the lieutenant-general, whose orders he executes.
If the army marches to an engagement, his post is at the head of the guards of the army, until they are near enough to the enemy to rejoin their different corps; after which he retires to his own proper post: for the major-generals are disposed on the order of battle as the lieutenant-generals are; to whom, however, they are subordinate, for the command of their divisions. The major-general has one aid-de-camp, paid for executing his orders.
GENERAL is also used for a particular march, or beat of drum; being the first which gives notice, commonly in the morning early, for the infantry to be in readiness to march.
GENERAL is likewise an appellation by which officers in law, in the revenues, &c. are distinguished; as, attorney-general, solicitor-general, &c. receiver-general, comptroller-general, &c. See ATTORNEY, &c.
GENERAL is also used for the chief of an order of monks; or of all the houses and congregations established under the same rule. Thus we say, the general of the Franciscans, Cistercians, &c.