*attal*

n. [ LL. battalia battle, a body of troops. See Battle, n. ] 1. Order of battle; disposition or arrangement of troops (brigades, regiments, battalions, etc.), or of a naval force, for action. [ 1913 Webster ]

A drawing up the armies in battalia. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An army in battle array; also, the main battalia or body. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. bataillon, fr. It. battaglione. See Battalia. ] 1. A body of troops; esp. a body of troops or an army in battle array. [ archaic ] “The whole battalion views.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. (Mil.) An infantry command of two or more companies, which is the tactical unit of the infantry, or the smallest command which is self-supporting upon the battlefield, and also the unit in which the strength of the infantry of an army is expressed. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the United States army, since April 29, 1898, a battalion consists of four companies, and three battalions form a regiment. The term is also applied to two or more batteries of artillery combined into a single command. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To form into battalions. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]