LIEUTENANT, hi- or leften'ant, a mili tary term, which, like captain and many others, has acquired gradually a much narrower mean ing than it had originally. Its true meaning is a deputy, a substitute, from the French lieu (place, post) and tenant (holding). A lieuten ant-gineral du royaume was a person invested with almost all the powers of the sovereign. Lieutenant-general is the title of the command ing general of each division of an army, per sonating thegeneral-in-chief. Lieutenant colonel is the officer between the colonel and major. The term lieutenant by itself, in mili tary language, signifies the officer next below a captain, whether in the cavalry or infantry. There are also second lieutenants ranking be low lieutenants. A lieutenant in the United States and British navies is the officer next in rank to the commander of a ship who is next to the captain. He takes rank in both these services with a captain in the army, and after eight years' service he ranks in Britain with a major. In the United States a lieutenant rank ing with a major is called lieutenant com mander.
a military title, given the officer next in rank to a colonel, and the senior of a major. He assumes com mand of the regiment only in the event of the disability or temporary absence of the colonel of the regiment.
formerly general officer in the United States army, rank ing above a major-general and below a general. The office of lieutenant-general was first created by Congress for George Washington in 1798, during the troubles between the United States and France. It then lapsed till renewed by Congress for Gen. Winfield Scott, who was made lieutenant-general by brevet. In 1864 it was again revived for Gen. U. S. Grant, and continued for Generals Sherman and Sheridan.
The grade was also conferred on Gen. John M. Schofield, 5 Feb. 1895, who held it till his re tirement, 29 September following. An act of Congress of 6 June 1900 provided that "the senior major-general of the line commanding the army shall have the rank, pay and allow ances of a lieutenant-general"; and on the re organization of the army in February 1901 the grade was revived and President McKinley ap pointed Maj.-Gen. Nelson A. Miles its incum bent. In 1903 the rank was again abolished, an act of Congress providing for. a general staff, the chief of staff to take the place of the lieu tenant-general.