Infantry An infantry soldier’s life revolved around his section, consisting of six to twelve men, with whom he would eat, sleep, march and fight during battle. Each soldier was generally armed with a Charleville pattern "1777" smoothbore .69 caliber flintlock musket. A cartridge containing a ball weighing 4/5 of an ounce and gunpowder would be rammed down into the mussel of the weapon. A well-trained soldier could fire up to three times a minute and could hit a target at a hundred yards. Small units, such as a battalion (840 men) or demi-brigade, could fight independently or as part of a larger force as necessary. Each battalion had select units for special battlefield duties: four companies of fusiliers (light, fast-moving infantry), one of grenadiers (shock troops comprised of the tallest, bravest men) and one of voltigeurs or tirailleurs (literally meaning "vaulter" or "leaper") who were skirmishers that would preceed the battalion in attack.