Flank Companies
Flank companies (German Flügelkompanien, French compagnies d‘élite), the elite companies positioned on the particularly vulnerable, and therefore especially honourable, flanks of an infantry battalion. When deployed in line, the grenadier company stood on the right flank, and the light or voltigeur company on the left. The illustration shows a battalion of the 11th Bavarian Infantry Regiment von Kinkel with its grenadier company on the right flank and the Schützen company skirmishing in front of the battalion.