, ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁" cor net ". ▁These ▁ranks ▁have ▁generally ▁been ▁replaced ▁in ▁army ▁ranks ▁by ▁second ▁lieutenant . ▁En sign s ▁were ▁generally ▁the ▁lowest ▁ranking ▁commission ed ▁officer , ▁except ▁where ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁sub altern ▁itself ▁existed . ▁ ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁In ▁the ▁British ▁Army , ▁the ▁senior ▁sub altern ▁rank ▁was ▁captain - lie utenant , ▁ob sole te ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁Before ▁the ▁Card well ▁Re forms ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁cor net ▁and ▁en sign ▁were ▁the ▁junior ▁sub altern ▁ranks ▁in ▁the ▁caval ry ▁and ▁inf antry ▁respectively , ▁and ▁were ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁flag . ▁A ▁sub altern ▁takes ▁temporary ▁command ▁of ▁proceed ings ▁during ▁Tro op ing ▁the ▁Col our . ▁Within ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁sub altern , ▁in ▁a ▁batt alion ▁or ▁regiment , ▁a ▁Senior ▁Sub altern ▁may ▁be ▁appointed , ▁usually ▁by ▁rank ▁and ▁senior ity , ▁who ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁discipline ▁within ▁the ▁junior ▁officer ▁ranks ▁and ▁is ▁responsible ▁to ▁the ▁adj ut ant ▁for ▁this ▁duty , ▁although ▁the ▁adj ut ant ▁is ▁ultimately ▁responsible ▁to ▁the ▁command ing ▁officer ▁for ▁the ▁discipline ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁junior ▁officers ▁within ▁the ▁unit . ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁The ▁Cont inental ▁Army ▁carried ▁over ▁the ▁rank ▁structure ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁including ▁the ▁sub altern ▁ranks ▁of ▁lieutenant , ▁cor net , ▁en sign ▁and ▁sub altern . ▁Cont inental ▁Army ▁sub altern s ▁ranks