Officer in the front?

[ZombieFriedNuts]

Why would the officer of a line infantry unit be front row centre along with the drummer boy it’s silly, wouldn’t he want to position himself at the back or sides so he isn’t accidently shot and the unit can present the maximum number of muskets? Is this the way they were actually positioned because I would have hidden at the back when people where trying to kill me.

[Monsieur Alphonse]

Originally the officer in command of a regiment would ride on a horse. Of course this would make him a prime target. By the end of the Napoleonic wars the life expectancy of a officer doing that was less then 15 minutes. It looks nice in the game.

[littlejames]

An officer and a gentleman is expected to lead from the front. I understand that a regiments officers were indeed located at the front of the line.

[BeeSting]

If I'm not wrong, commissioned officers would lead from the back, not front. Ensign and or sergeants would lead from the side, as in rtw/mtw2.

[quadalpha]

Does the loss of an officer affect morale in any way?

[A Very Super Market]

Yeah, I always thought they would stand at the side, as always. There isn't an advantage in standing in the centre, and it causes the volume of fire to drop as well.

Oh, and the officer, drummer, and flagbearer are just wastes of space. They don't do anything to morale, or control

[Hooahguy]

well historically the officer was in the center.

[Calmarac]

Why would the officer of a line infantry unit be front row centre along with the drummer boy it’s silly, wouldn’t he want to position himself at the back or sides so he isn’t accidently shot and the unit can present the maximum number of muskets? Is this the way they were actually positioned because I would have hidden at the back when people where trying to kill me.

Hide at the back ?!

The Colonel was expected to set an example and lead from the front. He'd be on foot and this was the best place for him to see what was going on and to direct his batallion.

There's a very interesting British Army manual from 1745 online here which describes drawing up the battalion before battle (and platoon fire, use of squares etc)

suppose our battalion to consist of 800 or 1,000 men. Let us suppose our battalion drawn up with the army on the field of battle, three deep, their bayonets fixed on their muzzles, the grenadiers divided on the flanks, the officers ranged in the front; and the Colonel or, in his absence, the Lieutenant-Colonel (who, I suppose, fights the battalion) on foot, with his sword drawn in his hand, about eight or ten paces in the front, opposite the centre, with an expert Drum by him. He should appear with a cheerful countenance, never in a hurry, or by any means ruffled, and to deliver his orders with great calmness and presence of mind.

When going into action against the enemy, the other officers and NCO's were posted at intervals between the firing platoons and also behind them,

so that no soldier can possibly misbehave, but there will be an eye presently upon him

to control the men and deter anyone wanting to "hide at the back" or run away

The lieutenant-colonel, or, in his absence, the eldest Captain, posts himself eight or ten paces from the rear rank opposite the centre, the rest of the officers posting themselves four paces from the rear rank, extending to the right and left to cover the battalion, where they will be of as great use as those in the front, in seeing that the soldiers keep up in their ranks and do their duty.

Of course, being at the front the Colonel is in some danger. Here comes the tricky bit ...

As the commanding officer will be exposed to the fire of his own men, as well as that of the enemy, he is to take special care that he keep opposite the two centre platoons while the other parts of the battalion keep firing; and he must also take as great care, that when it comes to the turn of the centre platoons to fire, that both he and the drum step aside, and return as soon as they have done, otherwise they must fall by their own fire.

That's where the "cheerful countenance, unruffled, great calmness" etc comes in handy

[icanus]

And just to add to the fun, as Colonel, you're standing with your back to the men you had flogged last week while they shoot past you from behind.

Better hope your subordinate officers:

• keep a close eye on what the men are doing
• don't dislike you too much
• aren't looking for promotion

[Tecumseh]

And just to add to the fun, as Colonel, you're standing with your back to the men you had flogged last week while they shoot past you from behind.

Better hope your subordinate officers:

• keep a close eye on what the men are doing
• don't dislike you too much
• aren't looking for promotion

lol. not sure I would be looking for THAT kind of promotion...

[Calmarac]

And just to add to the fun, as Colonel, you're standing with your back to the men you had flogged last week while they shoot past you from behind.

Better hope your subordinate officers:

• keep a close eye on what the men are doing
• don't dislike you too much
• aren't looking for promotion

Absolutely, even in the 18th century 'fragging' an officer wasn't unknown. General Kane, the author of the manual, has this to say on the matter ...

Suppose that the signal for battle is given: upon this the Colonel orders his Drum to beat a ruffle, which is as much as to say, “Take Care”, and then saying something to encourage and excite the men to the performance of their duty. This may seem ridiculous by some, yet I know it will animate and raise an emulation among the soldiers, especially when they have a love for their officers.

I cannot but take notice of some gentlemen who, instead of treating their men with good nature, use them with contempt and cruelty; by which those gentlemen often meet with their fate in the day of battle, from their own men; when those officers who, on the other hand, treat their men with justice and humanity, will be sure, on all occasions, to have them stand fast by them, and even interpose between them and death.