RANK, is a straight line made by the soldiers of a battalion or squadron, drawn up side by side: this order was established for the marches, and for regulating the different bodies of troops and officers which compose an army.
RANK and Precedence, in the army and navy, are as follow:
Engineers RANK. Chief, as colonel; director, as lieutenant-colonel; sub-director, as major; engineer in ordinary, as captain; engineer extraordinary, as captain-lieutenant; sub-engineer, as lieutenant; practitioner engineer, as ensign.
Navy RANK. Admiral, or commander in chief of his majesty's fleet, has the rank of a field-marshal; admirals, with their flags on the main-top-mast-head, rank with generals of horse and foot; vice-admirals, with lieutenant-generals; rear-admirals, as major-generals; commodores, with broad pendants, as brigadier-generals; captains of post-ships, after three years from the date of their first commission, as colonels; other captains, as commanding post-ships, as lieutenant-colonels; captains, not taking post, as majors; lieutenants, as captains.
| ARMY. | NAVY. | GOVERNORS. |
|---|---|---|
| General in Chief | Admiral in chief | Commander in chief of the forces in America |
| Generals of horse | Admiral with a flag at the main-top mast | Captain generals of provinces. |
| Lieutenant-generals | Vice-admirals | Lieutenant-generals of provinces |
| Major-generals | Rear-admirals | Lieutenant-governors and presidents |
| Colonels | Post-captains of 3 years | Lieutenant governors not commanding |
| Lieutenant-colonels | Post-captains | Governors of charter colonies |
| Majors | Captains | Deputy-governors |
| Captains | Lieutenants | Established by the king, 1760 |
Doubling of the RANKS, is the placing two ranks in one, frequently used in the manoeuvres of a regiment.
RANKS and Files, are the horizontal and vertical lines of soldiers when drawn up for service.