Captain, MILITARY, originally a head or leader, irrespective of the number of men under him, but now a company or troop commander. In the German army, where the infantry companies consist of 250 men each, the captain is a mounted officer; in the British army he marches on foot with his men, who look to him for everything, both in barracks and in the field. In cavalry regiments the captain also deals individually with his men when in barracks, but in the field he works under the leader of the squadron of which his troop forms half. Formerly each battery of Royal Artillery was commanded by a first-captain with a second-captain under him; these ranks are now major and captain. In the Royal Engineers and Indian Staff Corps, officers are promoted to the rank of captain after eleven and twelve years' service respectively, whether in command of men or otherwise employed. In the other arms promotion only takes place when a vacancy occurs. In the ordnance and commissariat departments a deputy-assistant commissariat-general holds the honorary rank of captain; quartermasters and riding-masters receive it as a reward for long or distinguished service. A captain's pay at home is 10s. a day in the Royal Horse Artillery, 13s. in the cavalry, 12s. 1d. in the Coast Brigade Royal Artillery, 11s. 7d. (and 6s. engineer pay) in the Royal Engineers, and 11s. 7d. in all other branches. In India it is about double these amounts. The badges of rank are two stars on each shoulder-strap.—The name of captain is also applied to the overseer of a mine, the captain of an eleven at cricket, and the like.
In Spain and some other countries the rank of Captain-general is still retained, and is a very high command. In Queen Elizabeth's reign there was a captain-general of footmen, and Marlborough was Captain-general of the Forces. See COMMISSIONS (ARMY), also PURCHASE SYSTEM.