field battery
C2Technical/Military Historical
Definition
Meaning
A mobile unit of artillery pieces, along with their crew, equipment, and ammunition, deployed for tactical support on the battlefield.
In historical contexts, it can also refer to a set of connected electrical cells designed for portable use, though this usage is now largely archaic and superseded by 'battery pack'.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is strongly associated with pre-modern and early modern warfare (e.g., Napoleonic, American Civil War, World War I). In contemporary military parlance, more specific terms like 'artillery battery' or 'air defense battery' are often used, though 'field battery' persists in historical and ceremonial contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition. Both use the term primarily in historical military contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it evokes historical warfare. May be more familiar in British English due to prominent historical narratives of the Napoleonic Wars.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general usage, slightly higher in historical military literature and wargaming communities.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [adjective] field battery [verb] [prepositional phrase].A field battery of [number] guns.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term.”
Usage
Context Usage
Academic
Used in military history papers and books discussing land warfare tactics prior to the mid-20th century.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Used in historical military manuals, wargame rules, reenactment discussions, and museum descriptions.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The artillery was ordered to field battery after battery against the advancing line.
American English
- The Union army could field battery after battery of superior cannon.
adjective
British English
- The field-battery commander surveyed the ridge through his telescope.
American English
- Field-battery tactics were crucial to their defensive strategy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The museum had an old field battery from the war.
- Soldiers moved the field battery to a new position.
- Napoleon's effective use of mobile field batteries often decided the outcome of battles.
- The historical film depicted the field battery firing volleys of canister shot at close range.
- The deployment of a horse-drawn field battery required precise coordination between the gunners and the drivers to achieve a rapid tactical repositioning.
- Contemporary accounts praised the field battery's commander for his coolness under fire during the pivotal assault.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a FIELD where a BATTERY of cannons is set up, ready to fire. The alliteration links the two words.
Conceptual Metaphor
POWER IS CONCENTRATED FORCE (The battery concentrates destructive force, similar to an electrical battery concentrating energy).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as "полевая батарейка" (which means a small, portable electrical battery). The correct military term is "полевая батарея".
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to a modern portable electrical battery (incorrect).
- Confusing it with 'field hospital' or other 'field' units.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'field battery' most accurately used today?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 'field battery' refers to the complete unit of several cannons (or howitzers), their carriages, ammunition, horses, and the soldiers who operate them. A single cannon is just one part of a battery.
Modern artillery units are still called 'batteries', but the specific term 'field battery' is now largely historical. Modern batteries are motorized or self-propelled and are simply called 'artillery batteries' or given more specific designations (e.g., 'rocket battery').
No. While 'battery' can have an electrical meaning, the collocation 'field battery' is overwhelmingly reserved for the military term. For electrical systems, terms like 'battery array', 'solar bank', or simply 'battery' are used.
A field battery is light and mobile, designed to move with an army on campaign to provide tactical support in open battle. A siege battery consists of heavier, less mobile guns used to bombard fortified positions over a prolonged period.