Point blank RANGE, when the piece lies in a horizontal direction, and upon a level plane, without any elevation or depression, the shot is said to take a point blank range. See [Point Blank].
RANGEE, Fr. a series of things placed upon the same line.
RANGE, EE, Fr. the participle of Ranger, drawn out or placed in regular order.
Bataille RANGEE, Fr. a pitched or set battle, in which two armies are drawn up opposite to one another.
Ranger, Fr. to place in a certain line or order.
Rangez vous, Fr. a term in general use among the French when any number of persons are ordered to clear the way, by drawing up on one side or the other of a street or road.
RANGING, in war, disposing the troops in proper order for an engagement, manœuvres, or march, &c.
RANK. Range of subordination, degree of authority. The relative situations which officers hold with respect to each other, or to military things in general. Hence regimental rank, local rank, rank in the army, &c.
One of the egregious errors of the British military institutions is, that the officers belonging to the life guards are entitled to the rank of lieutenant colonel, when they obtain, or purchase a majority, provided they have been seven years. Their commissions in this case run major and lieutenant colonel. But if an officer should not have completed either of those periods, he obtains the rank of major only, until its completion. A lieutenant colonel receives the rank of full colonel if he has been seven years major, or twenty one years in the British service. Cornets in the life guards rank as sub-lieutenants in their own corps, and as first lieutenants in the army. The English fuzileers enjoy the same privilege. Sub-lieutenants in the Welsh fuzileers rank only as second lieutenants in the army. Marines do the same.
With respect to rank in general, the following are the rules of the British army, by which the relative rank of the officers of the regulars, militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, is to be determined.