Judge Advocate - The public prosecutor of officers and soldiers tried by court-martial for breach of the articles of war or the general regulation.

KIA - killed in action

Kit - The complement of a soldier’s regimental necessaries.

Knights of the Round Table - A fraternity of twenty-four knights instituted by King Authur. In order to prevent among them controversies about precedence, the King caused a round table to be made for them when assembled; from which they were denominated Knights of the Round Table.

Lance Sergeant - A corporal who acts as sergeant, but receives only the pay of corporal.

Land Transport Corps - A body of men emplo9yed in conveyance of the wounded.

Laws of Arms - Certain acknowledged rules, regulations and precepts, which relate to war, and are observed by all civilized nations. The laws of arms also prescribe the method of proclaiming war and commencing hostilities.

Law (Military). A prompt and decisive rule of action by which justice is dispensed to the public or to individuals, without passing through the tedious channels of legal investigation.

Leading Column - The first column which advances from the right, left, or center of an army or battalion. The Leading File, the first two men of a battalion or company, that marches from right, left, or center, by files.

Levy (To). Has three distinct military acceptations; to levy or raise an army, to levy or make war, and to levy contributions.

Lie under Arms (To). To be in a state of preparation for action.

Light Bobs - A familiar term for light infantry.

Light Infantry - A company of the active, strong men of a battalion. A regiment employed as light infantry is divided into skirmishers, supports and reserve. The supports are in the rear of the skirmishers. The reserve is the point on which both the supports and skirmishers may rally.

Limber - The fore-part of a traveling gun-carriage, to which it is fastened by means of a pin-tail or an iron pin. The hooking or unhooking the gun or howitzer-carriages from the limbers is called, in the artillery service, for retreat or advancing, limbering up, that is making every thing ready in the gun-carriage; and for action, unlimbering.

Line of Battle - The arrangement or disposition of any army for battle.

Line of Communication - In military strategy, that line which corresponds with the line of operation, and proceeds from the base point. The term also denotes that space of ground which unites the citadel to the town.

Line of Direction - In gunnery, a line formerly marked upon guns, to direct the eye in pointing the gun.

Line of Fire - The space between contending armies, or any space from which objects may be hit by cannon or musketry.

Line of March - The regular and tactical succession of the component parts of an army in motion. The term also signifies the distance of ground over which armed bodies of men move in succession toward a given object.

Line of Operation - The line which corresponds with the line of communication, and proceeds form the base point; or the forward movements of an army, for the purpose of attacking the enemy, penetrating his dominions, etc.

Line (To) Men - Officers and non-commissioned officers are said to line the men belonging to their several battalions, divisions, or companies, when they arrive at their dressing points, and receive the word dress from the commanding officer.

Line (To Form the). To arrange troops in order of battle, or battle array.

Line (To Break the). To attack an opposing front, so as to throw it into confusion. The term also signifies to change the direction from that of a straight line, for the purpose of obtaining a cross fire.

Lines of Approach - See Trench.

Lines of Communications - The trenches which unite one work to another, so as to insure communication between two approaches at a siege, or between two posts or forts.

Lines of Intrenchment - Lines which are drawn in front of a camp, or a place indifferently fortified, to secure it from assault or surprise.

Lines of March - Bodies of armed men marching on given points for he purpose of arriving at any straight alignments on which they are to form.

Lines of Support - Lines of attack which are formed to support one another.

Lines - A series of field-works, either continuous or at intervals, contrived so as reciprocally to flank one another. When continuous they are termed Continual Lines; when at intervals Interrupted Lines, or Lines with Intervals.

Links (Connecting). The men sent out from a support , to keep up its connection with the skirmishers.

Lodgment - A retrenchment made for shelter in a captured post or outwork, for the purpose of maintaining the position. The term also signifies the possession of an enemy’s work.

Loop-holes - Openings in the walls of a castle or fort, through which the garrison may fire. In general they are nine inches long, six or seven wide within, and two or three without, so that there may be a direct fire from them in front, or an oblique fire to right or left, according to circumstances.

Lying - In military parlance, signifies to be stationed or quartered in a given place.