Land-force. A military force, army, or body of troops serving on land, as distinguished from a naval force.
Landgrave. A German nobleman of a rank corresponding to an English earl.
Landgravine. The wife of a landgrave.
Landing. In fortification, is the portion of the floor of the gallery between the frames that bound the entrance to a return. The landing is in all cases horizontal.
Landing of Troops. See [Disembarkation].
Landshut. A town of Prussian Silesia. In June, 1760, the Austrians gained a decisive victory over the Prussians in this place.
Landsturm. A local militia of Prussia, formed of men above forty years of age, which never leaves its own district, and is only called out in case of actual invasion.
Landwehr. The militia of a country. Austria has a landwehr—bei den Oestreichern; and Prussia—bei den Preussen. The former are a sort of a reserve to each regiment of the line; they are under the same colonel, and are drilled once a year with the line regiment. The Prussian landwehr is more completely national. Every Prussian subject commences military service in the standing army, a force composed of the youth of the nation from twenty to twenty-five years old. After two or three years of service, the soldier proceeds to his home, but is liable to be called upon to join his regiment. During this period he is called a reservist. At the expiration of five years from the date of enlistment, the men are transferred into the first class or levy of the landwehr, remaining in it until their thirty-second year. In time of war they are liable to be called upon to serve with the regiment of the line of a corresponding number,—in fact, they form the reserve of that regiment whence reinforcements are drawn. From their thirty-second to their thirty-ninth year the men belong to the second levy, and are only called out occasionally in time of peace, but in war they garrison fortresses.
Lane. The term applied to a body of soldiers in two ranks standing face to face, forming, in fact, a street, passage, or lane. The French call this formation haie, or hedge. It is used when troops form a guard of honor for persons of rank to pass through.
Langensalza. A town of Prussian Saxony, on the Salza, 20 miles northwest of Erfurt. The French and Saxons were here defeated by the Prussians in 1750; in 1761 the Prussians and English defeated the German imperial army; in 1813 the Prussians were defeated by the Bavarians; and in 1866, a bloody contest took place between the Prussians and Hanoverians, resulting in the capture of the Hanoverian army as prisoners of war.