The Battalion of 1812 was composed of four Companies, one Grenadier and three Musketeer companies. In the Grenadier Company the first platoon consisted of Grenadiers and the second of Jagërs.
Each company had three officers, a cadet, seven NCOs, three drummers and 141 men formed on 50 files and 3 ranks occupying a frontage of 90 feet when deployed in Line. The most experienced men usually were in the front rank, the rear ranks was filled with reliable soldiers and the middle one with new ones of doubtful quality.
Russian Company in Line
Grenadier Companies were numbered the same as its Battalion while Musketeer Companies were numbered sequentially all over the regiment. For example, the 1st Battalion comprised the 1st Grenadier Company and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Musketeer Companies while the 2nd Battalion included the 2nd Grenadier Company and the 4th, 5th and 6th Musketeer Companies.
When the Battalion formed in Line the Grenadier Platoon formed up on the right flank, the Jäger Platoon on the left flank and the Musketeer Companies in the middle; for that reason the Musketeer Companies were also known as Center Companies.
Russian Battalion in Line
The Grenadier and Jäger Platoons formed in the back when the Battalion used a Column of Companies formation; there were several Column formations depending on the width (Company, Platoon), the distance between elements (normal, closed) and where the Battalion staff was located (on the right, on the middle).
Russian Battalion in Column of Companies
Russians like others used Square formations against Cavalry even if they considered it too dangerous for Europe due to the large number of artillery pieces.
