Bret Devereaux

Squad-sized tactical units are basically a 20th century creation, in armies with rank structures inherited from the 19th

Huh. I would have expected the smallest historical tactical unit to be the company, like the pike square... @BrendanDawe

Company is certainly the oldest unit, but the existence of the Captains place holders as junior officers creates an opening for smaller units early on

Ah, so lieutenants started as deputy captains and then turned into platoon commanders? That makes sense...

Basically how I understand developments over the 19th century, though also note that at the start of the period a new lieutenant likely had no training and would learn basic skills with his unit while by the end he was likely a military academy graduate

In the example I'm looking at, a Napoleonic era British unit apparently had its new officers drill with the men until they mastered the skills and could lead them, expecting it would take around 6 months

But the standard of professionalism here was somewhat novel, apparently in the prewar army it was common for officers to need sergeants to lead routine drill

Probably because officers had to be from upper social classes, right?