"Napoleonic" Names

The Civil War offered a significant, historical change in that it demonstrated that Napoleonic warfare was tragically outdated. Troops still fought the way Napoleon’s army did, but the weaponry was far too modern for the old way of fighting to succeed without innumerable losses. Ulysses S. Grant realized this in 1864 and changed tactics, which is why he has been called "the Father of Modern Warfare". Yet, the old way of warfare: generals mounted on horseback, leading their infantry in charges across fields and woodlands toward entrenched foes often persevered through the spring of 1865.

 Napoleon certainly knew how to fight wars in his day. In fact, his tactics – and his military vocabulary – are still well known. The following are examples of French vocabulary, famously utilized by Napoleon, some employed even before he came along, that are still used in our vernacular:

Military titles. Military ranks, bestowed in French, were decided long before Napoleon fought his famous wars. They were utilized by the Middle Ages, likely brought to England from William the Conqueror. The terms general, colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, corporal and aide-de-camp were used during our own Revolution. General is defined as “leader of gentlemen”, colonel means “leader of the colony”, lieutenant is “taking (or holding) of the place”, sergeant originated as the “servant soldier” or “vassal soldier”. There are various titles attached to the rank of sergeant, such as staff sergeant, gunnery sergeant, and sergeant-major. The last mentioned has since been shortened to the rank of major, which means in French “he who has reached a majority”, and outranks a sergeant. Corporal means “of the body” or, “a leader of a body of men.”   

Weaponry. From the Civil War through modern times, military names for ordnance (also a French term) and weapons (ditto) are commonplace terms even today. A few worthy of note, some pre-dating Napoleon, are musket, bayonet, cannon, caisson, garrison, and battery. While the minié ball is also French, it was not invented until later, years after Napoleon departed his earthly frame.

Tactics. While Napoleonic tactics are rarely used today, owing mostly to the fact that they are woefully outdated, Robert E. Lee often employed them, and especially so during the Battle of Gettysburg. Students of military history are familiar with the terms en echelon, which is a progressive attack (the name means ladder in French), un feu d’enfer (hell fire) – an artillery barrage in a concentrated area, usually against entrenched troops. Both sides of the World War I conflict used this tactic to destroy both the lives and morale of their foes. Enfilade (French for thread) is a spread-out attack, aiming both frontally and extending toward the flanks, attacking from the sides as well. It can be offensive or defensive – as the defending Union capably demonstrated at Pickett’s Charge. Even entrenchment, where soldiers dig in to protect themselves from attack, was famously utilized by Napoleon’s army over two centuries ago. The siege, which is French for seat, was used both anciently and by Napoleon decades before General Grant employed it. The siege gets it name from the fact that those on the offensive just stayed put, wearing out and starving out their foe.

Troops. The army (derived from the French term armée) is divided into sub-categories. The army is divided into several corps, the French word for body. The corps is the largest unit of troops within the army. Their ranks can number anywhere from 10,000 to over 50,000, and are supposed to be led by a lieutenant-general. (The army is supposed to be led by a full general, although in the Civil War, the Union was often lagging in their promotions.) The corps is divided into divisions, led by a major-general. The division is divided into brigades (the original French word for gang), led by a brigadier general. The brigades are made up of regiments. In the Civil War (and since) a full regiment is comprised of one thousand soldiers. By the time of the Battle of Gettysburg, the average regiment was less than half-strength, due to the losses of men killed, wounded, or captured in previous fights, although recruitments (another French word) were definitely occurring on a regular basis. Regiments are broken down further into companies (one hundred soldiers, led by a captain), platoons (about thirty to fifty soldiers, led by a lieutenant) and squads (led by a sergeant). A squad is usually ten or fifteen soldiers, but can be as few as seven.

Miscellaneous Military Words. There are too many military words that originate from French to include, but there are a few more that are worthy of mention: A coup is a military blow out, and is French for hit. A bivouac is the French term for camp. The lunettes (French for crescent moons or eyeglasses) are the crescent shapes of raised earth around the cannon as a protection. They can be easily seen on East Cemetery Hill and elsewhere on the battlefield. The pontoons, which are bridges in a hurry, date from the time of Julius Caesar, but were used by Napoleon as well. They are still an amazing feat of engineering skill, and used to this day. A sortie, which means exit in French, is the action of soldiers leaving on a mission against the enemy. Clothing, such as the kepi (cap) and the brogan (soldier’s shoe), are also derived from the French army of long ago. The vedette (French for scout) was also the name used in the Army of the Potomac and Army of Northern Virginia for the soldiers guarding the camps. A feint (French for pretend) is just that – faking out the enemy in grand military style. The cavalry (a derivation of the French word chevalier) is a troop of horse soldiers. A nom de guerre (French for war name) is the assumed name or earned nickname someone uses due to military necessity (or even used loosely for business these days).

Speaking of French terms, the name Zouave is worthy of mention. The Zouave units at Gettysburg were the colorful soldiers who wore uniforms fashioned after Algerian soldiers during the Crimean war. (This war was just two and a half years long, from 1853-1856 -- By the way, the Crimean War was a war where Russia tried to take over the region that is today known as Ukraine. Sound familiar?) 

 

Zouave regiments at Gettysburg were mostly Union, although there were also some from the South. They chose colorful uniforms with tasseled fez caps and bright red (or striped) pantaloons, like the Zouaves of the past. The Zouave units from an earlier era came after Napoleon. Algeria was part of the French colonies in the 1830s and onward. They still speak French there. The Zouave title is derived from their native name.

While many of these terms were in existence prior to Napoleon, it was he who made them globally known. Napoleon may be in his Parisian tomb, but his memory, his language, and his terms live on.

 

Passez le mot!