O.

O. This letter is generally used in the orderly books to signify orders, viz.

Gl. O. General orders.

R. O. Regimental orders,

Gn. O. Garrison orders.

B. O. Brigade orders.

OATH, a solemn asseveration made in the presence of a magistrate, and taken on the Bible, whereby an individual binds himself to observe certain conditions, or swears to specific facts which he knows of his own knowlege. Soldiers from time immemorial have been accustomed to take oaths of fidelity. These oaths were, however, observed with greater solemnity among the ancients than they are administered in modern armies, except upon very particular occasions. In the latter, indeed, it seldom or ever happens, that oaths are taken by bodies of soldiers, assembled for the purpose. Oaths are taken by men newly enlisted, but those oaths are individually administered, and separately taken. The military oath, on the contrary, among the Romans, was of a more general and impressive nature. Kennett, in his Roman Antiquities, page 188, gives the following account of it:—“The levies being finished, the tribunes of every legion chose out one whom they thought the fittest person, and gave him a solemn oath at large, the substance of which was, that he should oblige himself to obey the commanders in all things to the utmost of his power, be ready to attend whenever they ordered his appearance, and never to leave the army but by their consent. After he had ended, the whole legion, passing one by one, every man, in short, swore to the same effect, crying, as he went by, Idem in me. The same by me.”

OATH of Allegiance. See [Allegiance].

OATS, a grain which constitutes a principal food of horses in Europe. The distribution of this article ought to be narrowly watched by every officer commanding a troop; since it is notorious, that government is frequently charged for quantities which are not delivered, by which means, the horse suffers, and the public are imposed upon.

OBEDIENCE, (Obéissance, Fr.) Submission to the orders of a superior. The first principle which ought to be inculcated and impressed upon the mind of every officer and soldier is obedience to all lawful commands. It is the main spring, the soul and essence, of military duty.

Preter obeissance, Fr. To swear allegiance.

Remettre dans l’obeissance, Fr. To recall to duty.

OBEDIENCE to orders. An unequivocal performance of the several duties which are directed to be discharged by military men. All officers and soldiers are to pay obedience to the lawful orders of their superior officers.

OBEIR, Fr. See [Obey].

To Obey, in a military sense, is without question or hesitation, to conform zealously to all orders and instructions which are legally issued. It sometimes happens, that individuals are called upon (by mistake, or from the exigency of the service) out of what is called the regular roster. In either case they must cheerfully obey, and after they have performed their duty, they may remonstrate.

OBJECT, in a military sense, signifies the same as point, with respect to mere movements and evolutions. Thus in marching forward in line, &c. the leader of a squad, company, or battalion, must take two objects at least upon which he forms his perpendicular movement, and by which the whole body is regulated. In proportion as he advances he takes care to select intermediate and distant objects or points by which his march is governed. See [Marching in line].

OBLATE, any rotund figure flatted at the poles as a turnip, which is properly an oblate spheroid.

OBLIQUATION, -
OBLIQUITY,

a deviation from the parallel or perpendicular line.

Oblique, or second flank. The face of a bastion discovered from a part of the curtain, is so called.

OBLIQUE projection, is that wherein the direction of the striking body is not perpendicular to the body struck, which makes an oblique angle with the horizontal line.

OBLIQUE deployments. When the component parts of a column that is extending into line, deviate to the right or left, for the purpose of taking up an oblique position, its movements are called oblique deployments. This is thus executed, either by wheeling the line by quarter or half wheels toward the point directed in single files, sections, or platoons; so that the movement may be made perpendicular to the newly wheeled front, and the sections will form echellons; if files, they march by what is called the line of science.

OBLIQUE fire or defence, that which is under too great an angle, as is generally the defence of the second flank, which can never be so good as a defence in front. See [Oblique Firing], at the word [Firings]. See Am. Mil. Lib. plates.

Oblique percussion, is that wherein the direction of the striking body is not perpendicular to the body struck, or is not in line with its centre of gravity.

Oblique position. A position taken in an oblique direction from the original line of formation. As described in [oblique deployments].

OBLIQUE radius, a line extending from the centre to the exterior side of a polygon.

OBLIQUE STEP. This absurd and awkward contortion is deservedly exploded.

To Oblique, in a military sense, is to move forward to the right or left, in either of those directions, from a line.

Pas Oblique, Fr. Oblique step.

Oblique à droite, Fr. Right oblique.

Oblique à gauche, Fr. Left oblique.

Feux Obliques à droite et à gauche, oblique firings to the right and left.

Marcher OBLIQUEMENT, Fr. To oblique, or march in an oblique direction.

OBLIVION. See [Amnesty].

OBLONG Square. See [Square].

OBSEDER, Fr. To besiege, to beset, to get possession of.

OBSEQUIES, (Obséques, Fr.) See [Burials].

OBSERVATION. See [Army of observation].

To be under Observation. To be carefully watched and looked after. Etre vu de prés; etre suivi de prés.

OBSERVATOIRE, Fr. See [Observatory].

OBSERVATORY, a building, public or private, which is erected and provided with all sorts of instruments, proper for astronomical observations, &c. The most noted observatories in Europe, are:

1. That of Tycho Brahe, a nobleman of Denmark, at Uraineberg, in the island of Wern, between the coasts of Schonen and Zealand, in the Baltic.

2. The observatory at Paris, which was erected by Louis XIV. This building stands in the Fauxbourg St. Germain, and is so constructed as to answer the four cardinal points of the world, east, west, north and south. The foundation is laid 80 feet below the ground, and the edifice carried as much above it. It contains three stories in height, and has a terrace at top, from whence the whole horizon appears flat. The stair-case of this observatory deserves notice, from the singularity of its construction, being in the form of a screw, and so contrived, that from the bottom there is a full sight of the stars that pass the zenith of this place.

3. The royal observatory at Greenwich, in England, which was founded by Charles the second.

4. The observatory at Pekin in China, which was erected by the late emperor, at the intercession of the Jesuits.

To OBSERVE, to watch closely, &c. Hence, to observe the motions of an enemy, is to keep a good look out by means of small corps of armed men, or of intelligent and steady spies or scouts, and to be constantly in possession of his different movements. No man can be said to have the talents of an able general, who neglects to observe his enemy in all directions; for if it be his intention to attack, you may thwart him by previous manœuvres; and if you are liable to be attacked yourself, you may assume the best possible position, and prevent surprise, &c.

OBSESSION. The act of besieging.

OBSIDIONAL, belonging to a siege.

Obsidional Crown, (couronne obsidionale, Fr.) a crown so called among the ancient Romans, which was bestowed upon a governor or general, who by his skill and exertions, either held out, or caused the siege to be raised of any town belonging to the republic. It was made from the grass which grew upon the spot, and was therefore called gramineus, from the Latin word gramen, signifying grass.

Monnoie Obsidionale, Fr. any substitute for coin, which has a value put upon it that is greater than its intrinsic worth; and a currency given, to answer the convenience of the inhabitants of a besieged place. On a employé le cuir à faire des monnoies obsidionales. The inhabitants made use of leather as a substitute for coin.

OBSTACLES, in a military sense, are narrow passes, woods, bridges, or any other impediments, which present themselves when a battalion is marching to front or rear. These are passed, by the formation, march, and deployment of the close column. Such parts as are not interrupted still move on in front; such parts as are interrupted, double by divisions, as ordered, behind and adjoining a flank or flanks, and in this manner follow in close column in their natural order. As the ground opens they successively deploy, and again perfect the line. The columns are always behind the line, and march closed up. The formed part of the battalion, whether advancing or retiring, continues to move on at the ordinary pace, and in proportion as the obstacles increase or diminish, will the formed or column parts of the line increase or diminish.

The general attentions directed to be observed on these occasions are, that the columns formed shall be of sub-divisions, if the ground will admit. The first sub-division that is obliged to double, will be directed to which hand by the commander of the battalion, the others, as they successively double, will, in consequence, place themselves behind it, and behind each other, and the hand first doubled to, will be that which presents the opening most favorable to the subsequent march, and formation, and which the commanding officer will always hold in view, and order accordingly. The interrupted body will double to one or both flanks, according to circumstances, and the order it receives. Obstacles that impede a flank will occasion a single column to be formed from the flank towards the centre. Obstacles that impede the centre, or a central part of a wing, will, if considerable, occasion two columns to be formed, from the centre towards the flanks. The columns will follow a flank of such part of the line as is not impeded; and either in doubling into column, or extending into line, the rear divisions will conform to the movements of their then leading one. No part less than the front of the column doubles or moves up, and when half or more of a battalion must be thrown into one column, it will be ordered by companies.

Obstacles whose fronts are parallel to the line. When such occur, the divisions impeded must all at once double behind such one, or two, other divisions as clear them of the obstacle.

Obstacles whose first points continue to increase as the line advances. In these cases the doubling is successive, beginning with that division which is first interrupted, and continuing as it becomes necessary, till the column can advance in clear ground.

Obstacles passed, or diminished. When obstacles are of such a nature as to permit of the complete extension at once into line: the whole column performs it by the commands and deployments of the close column on the front division, which then makes part of the line. But when obstacles diminish by degrees only, then the divisions of the column must come up into line successively as the ground opens, and the remainder of the column must, in diminishing, shift toward the obstacle, in the same manner as it before shifted from it in increasing.

Obstacles that are passed in presence of an enemy. Under these circumstances if the battalion, in advancing, should be obliged to fire, it halts in the situation it is then in, executes such firings as are ordered, and again advances.

If the battalion, in retiring, is pressed by the enemy, the part in line will halt! front! the part in column will move on till the last division arrives in line, and will then halt, front. The firing that is ordered, will be executed; and when it is again proper to retire, the whole will face about, the part in line will march, and the columns will also be put in march when the line arrives at their head.

Obstacles whose points of opening are narrow, and continue so, more or less. In such cases the interrupted division, will be ordered to face either to one or both flanks, and closely to follow in file such parts of the battalion as are not broken: the filing will increase as the obstacles increase, but as they diminish, file after file will successively and quickly move up to their place till the whole are again formed; and during this operation the leading file will always remain attached to the flank of the part in line.—The same rules that direct the doubling in column, direct the doubling by files; when a subdivision files, it will be from the flank only; when a company files, it may be from both flanks; and if a larger front than two companies is interrupted, it then doubles into column. Where the obstacles are of small extent, but frequently occurring, this mode is the readiest that can be applied in advancing; but in retiring it cannot be of use, if the enemy be at hand to press upon the battalion; and therefore the passing by column is to be looked upon as the general method. For further explanations on the important operations of passing obstacles, we refer our military readers to Am. Mil. Lib. Article Reconnoitring.

OBSTINATE, in a military sense, determined, fixed in resolution.—Hence obstinate resistance.

Obstinately. Persevering. The two armies fought so obstinately, that night only could separate the combatants.

OBSTINEMENT, Fr. Obstinately. Stubbornly, inflexibly, with unshaken determination.

S’obstiner, Fr. to persist in any thing.

OBSTRUCTION, any difficulty or impediment, opposing the operations of an army, &c.

OBTUS, Fr. Obtuse.

Angle Obtus, Fr. Obtuse angle.

OBTUSANGULAR, having angles larger than right angles.

OBUS, Fr. Hobits. Howitzer. A species of small mortar, resembling a mortar in every thing but the carriage, which is made in the form of that belonging to a gun, only shorter. It has been frequently used at sieges; and is well calculated to sweep the covert way, and to fire ricochet shots. They were usually loaded with cartouches. Belidor writes upon the subject at some length in his Bombardier Francois, page 39. See [Howitzer].

OCCASIO, L., Opportunity, among the Romans, an allegorical divinity, the goddess of time, who presides over the most favorable moment for success in any enterprise. She is represented stark naked, with a long lock of hair upon her forehead, and bald behind. And also standing on a wheel, with wings on her feet, and is said to turn herself very swiftly round; by which is intimated, that we should lay hold of the present opportunity. Among modern nations no people pay greater attention to the instruction which is conveyed by this allegory than the French do. It is common among them to say:—L’occasion est chauve. Occasion or opportunity is bald—Alluding to the Roman allegory; and in the same figure, il faut prendre l’occasion par les cheveux. You must seize time (by which is meant occasion or opportunity) by the forelock; meaning the forelock of hair alluded to.

OCCASION, Fr. has the same signification, in military matters, that affair bears among the French.

Une OCCASION bien chaude, Fr. a warm contest, battle, or engagement.—It further means, as with us, the source from whence consequences ensue. Les malheurs du peuple sont arrivés a l’occasion de la guerre. The misfortunes of the people have been occasioned by the war, or the war has been the occasion of the people’s misfortunes. The French make a nice distinction which may hold good in our language, between cause and occasion, viz. Il n’en est pas la cause—Il n’en est que l’occasion, l’occasion innocente.—He is not the cause, he is only the occasion, the innocent occasion of it. Il s’est faché pour une legére occasion; he took offence, or grew angry on a very slight occasion.

Se servir de l’OCCASION, Fr. to take advantage, or make a proper use of time and opportunity. A French writer has very properly observed, that to seize with dexterity occasions as they occur, is a certain proof of courage and ability, especially in the general of an army. Opportunity or occasion, according to Tacitus, is the mother of events. Opportunos magnis conatibus transitas rerum. One complete and decisive victory leads us to a multiplicity of enterprises and great designs, all of which grow out of the first triumph.

A full and decisive victory, by which the country is left entirely at the mercy of the conqueror, must necessarily throw the inhabitants into confusion, and open fresh avenues to conquest; for one opportunity or occasion well embraced and executed upon, becomes the source of many others. There is not, perhaps, in human contingencies any thing which spreads itself so rapidly, or ought to be so little neglected. An enterprise which grows out of another, though it be in reality more arduous to get through than the one which produced it, becomes more easy in its execution: and yet, how many brave and skilful generals have existed, who could not make a proper use of opportunity? In reading over their gallant exploits, one would be led to believe, that all their knowlege consisted in merely knowing how to fight. We have seen them, with unexampled intrepidity, doing every thing that man dares to do, in the field of battle: we have seen them make a decisive blow, and place victory within their grasp; and when they were in the actual possession of all they fought for, we have seen them suddenly relax, give their enemies time to breathe, and finally lose all the fruits of their victory. The courage and promptitude which they manifested in a decisive battle, were the effects of a transitory impulse which was soon wasted and extinguished.

Hannibal, so much celebrated for his bold enterprise against the Romans, was guilty of this error. After the battle of Cannæ it rested entirely with himself to march to Rome. He had only to follow up his first blow, to take advantage of the consternation of the Romans, and to pursue them to their capitol. By so doing he would have made use of the glorious occasion which fortune had thrown into his hands by the first victory, and would not have been driven to the necessity of endeavoring to obtain the original object of his enterprise, by fighting several battles that proved abortive of it. Adherbal on this account, after having failed in his attempt to persuade Hannibal to pursue his first good fortune, and to march to the gates of Rome, is recorded to have used the following expression: Vincere scis, Hannibal; sed victoriâ uti nescis. Hannibal, thou knowest how to conquer, but thou dost not know how to make use of a victory.

Gustavus Adolphus made the same mistake. Had he, after having won the battle of Leipsic, hung upon the rear of the discomfited Imperialists, pushed and harassed them to the gates of Vienna, there is little doubt of the consequences which must have ensued.

The emperor Ferdinand was as weak in effective forces at the capital as the Romans were at Rome, and the same consternation prevailed among the inhabitants. Had Gustavus profited by his first success, and converted the means, which so glorious an occasion offered, into prompt and vigorous pursuit, he would not indeed have reaped additional laurels in the plains of Outzen, where he fell at the head of his victorious Swedes, but he must have reached Vienna, and there have dictated his own terms.

Carthalon, among the ancients, was on the contrary, an instance of how much may be done by acting up to circumstances, and by judiciously making use of fortune as occasions offer. He was not satisfied with having surprised the Roman fleet, taken off a considerable number of ships, and burned others, but he instantly availed himself of his first good fortune, attempted another enterprise, and succeeded.

The British generals who made war in the American revolution, were as unfortunate in their never taking proper advantage of occasion; their retreat from Princeton, and their subsequent stupor, while the American army of only 4000 men lay hutted at Valley Forge; while they held Philadelphia within 20 miles of them, with 17000 men, is a striking instance. An important occasion was also lost by them after the battle of Brandywine; where the American dispositions and subsequent retreat were alike unsuited to the occasion. The campaign was a series of the most extravagant blunders that can be conceived. The campaign that ended with the capitulation at York Town, was as brilliant on the part of the American arms, as on the English side eggregiously injudicious and unsuitable to the occasion.

Occasional, (elle, Fr.) This adjective is used in a different sense among the French, to what it is with us, viz. Cause occasionally; any thing that occasions an event.

OCCIDENT, Fr. The west.

OCCUPE, Fr. to be taken possession of. Les environs furent occupés par des troupes légéres; the neighboring places were taken possession of by some light troops.

To OCCUPY, is to take possession of any work or post.

OCTAEDRE, Fr. Octahedron, one of the five regular bodies which is terminated by eight equilateral equal triangles.

OCTAGON, (Octogone, Fr.) a figure or polygon that has eight equal sides, which likewise form eight equal angles. The octagon, in fortification, is well calculated in its ground for the construction of large towns, or for such as have the advantage of neighboring rivers, especially if the engineer can so place the bastions, that the entrance and outlet of the rivers may be in some of the curtains. By means of this disposition no person could come in or go out of the garrison without the governor’s or commandant’s permission, as the centinels must have a full view from the flanks of the neighboring Bastions.

OCTAVION, (one, Fr.) any male or female that is born of a quarteron and a white woman, or of a white man and a quarterone.

OCTONS, Fr. a mathematical instrument, which contains 45 degrees or the eighth part of a circle.

OCTOEDRICAL, having eight sides.

OCTOSTYLE, the face of a building containing eight columns.

ODA. The different corps or companies into which the janizaries are divided, bear this appellation. The word itself means a room, and the companies are so called from messing separately.

ODEN, ODIN, or WODEN, a deity so called in ancient times among the Swedes, and Goths. He was their god of war in the same manner that they acknowleged Thor to be their Jupiter, and Freya their Venus.

ODOMETER, (Odometre, Fr.) an instrument by which you may ascertain how much ground you go over on foot, or in conveyance.

OEIL, Fr. in architecture, any round aperture, which is made in a building.

Oeil de dome, Fr. an opening made at the top of an edifice.

Oeil de bœuf, Fr. a round window or aperture, which is made in a wall or roof. The black spot in the centre of a target is likewise called œil de bœuf, or bull’s eye.

Oeil de pont, Fr. the opening, or vacant space, under the arch of a bridge.

OEUVRE, Fr. in architecture this word admits of various significations in the French language, and may be connected with different prepositions, all of which determine the signification, viz.

Dans Oeuvre, Fr. Within. Trente toises de long dans œuvre; signifies 30 toises in length within doors.

Hors d’Oeuvre, Fr. Without. Un escalier hors d’œuvre; a stair-case without doors.

Sous Oeuvre, Fr. From the bottom. Reprendre un mur sous œuvre; to build up a wall from the foot or bottom.

Dans Oeuvre et hors d’Oeuvre, within and without.

OIN, or OING, Fr. Cart-grease, such as is used to the wheels of ordnance carriages, &c.

OFF, an adverb, which is frequently conjoined with verbs; and, in a military sense, is used as follows:

To march OFF, to quit the ground on which you are regularly drawn up, for the purpose of going upon detachment, relieving a guard, or doing any other military duty.

To tell OFF, to count the men composing a battalion or company, so as to have them readily and distinctly thrown into such proportions as suit military movements or evolutions.

OFFENCES. All acts, that are contrary to good order and discipline, omissions of duty, &c. may be called military offences. The principal ones are specified in the Articles of War. No officer or soldier can be tried twice for the same offence; unless in case of an appeal from a regimental to a general court-martial: nor can any officer or soldier be tried for any offence committed more than two years before the date of the warrant for trial; except in cases where the offenders were not amenable to justice in that period, when they may be brought to trial any time within two years after the impediment ceased.

Offensive War. Military acts of aggression constitute what is called an offensive war. Those who assail an opposite or adverse army, or invade the dominions of another power, are said to wage an offensive war.

Offensive Weapons, are such as are fit for the purpose of carrying on offensive war, as cannon, mortars, swords, pistols, musquets, &c.

Offensive Fortification. See [Approaches], [Siege], [&c.]

OFFICE, in a military sense, signifies any place or apartment which is fixed or appointed for officers, clerks, &c. to attend in, for the discharge of their respective employments; as war-office or office of the war department—adjutant and inspector’s office—commander in chief’s office—paymaster general’s office, &c. &c.

Department and board are sometimes synonymous terms. Sometimes the term office is inapplicable to places where military business is transacted, viz. Clothing department, board of general officers, &c. The word conseil is used by the French in the latter sense, the term bureau in almost all others.

Office of the inspector-general.

Office of the commissary-general of stores, &c. to the forces at home.

Office of the military agent.

Office of the superintendant of military stores.

Office of the advocate-general.

Office of the physician-general.

Office of the comptroller. Since the commencement of the coalition wars, the whole system of conducting the extraordinary expences of armies serving abroad has undergone a careful revision in the British service. Among other wise suggestions it has been recommended, 1st. That no military officer should himself have a property, or interest, in any article which his duty obliged him to provide for the public service. The object of this suggestion has in some instances been fulfilled; but it still remains with the commander in chief, and with those persons particularly concerned with army matters, to recommend its adoption in the clothing of the different regiments, regular as well as militia. The property which the colonels manifestly hold in this article, exposes the most honorable character to unmerited imputations, and affords ample means to the base and selfish of growing rich at the expence of public virtue. 2. That no payment should be made by the military officer belonging to any department (such as quarter, or barrack master general, inspector of hospitals, commanding engineers, &c.) but that every expence should be paid by the deputy paymasters general, in pursuance of a warrant from the commander in chief. 3. That all vouchers, proving any payment, should be subject to a careful and speedy examination by persons appointed for the purpose, on the spot where the expence was incurred.

In the present war, the whole of the extraordinary expences of an army serving abroad, are conducted by the means of a commissary general, who receives and has charge of all provisions and stores sent for the use of the troops from this country; who purchases, or provides, under the direction of, or in concurrence with, the commander in chief (without whose authority no service can be performed, or expence incurred) such articles as may be more conveniently obtained on the spot, and who is responsible for all monies, provisions, or stores, whether actually used, damaged, lost, destroyed, or plundered, with the condition of procuring proper certificates to prove every mode of their consumption, before he can be discharged therefrom.

A commissary of accounts also attends each army where the numbers are of sufficient importance, with a proper establishment, for the purpose of examining and controlling accounts on the spot; Both acting under specific instructions.

All monies, for the ordinary services of the army, are obtained by the means of bills drawn by the deputy paymaster abroad on the paymaster general, which bills are negociated by the commissary general, who is obliged to note the rate of exchange on the bill.

All monies, for extraordinaries, are obtained by drafts of the commissary general on the treasury, which, on their arrival, are accepted, if drawn conformably to the rules laid down, as being in payment for services ordered by the commander in chief, and the value of which have been previously examined and ascertained by the commissaries of accounts on the spot.

The commissaries of accounts make returns of their examination; and on these documents the comptrollers of the army accounts found the best enquiry into the expenditure which the nature of the subject admits of.

The commissaries general and commissaries of accounts, are appointed by warrant under the king’s sign manual, directing them to obey all instructions given them for the execution of their duty by the lords commissioners of the treasury; which instructions, since the commencement of this war, have been prepared by the comptrollers of the army accounts, under the orders, and subjected to the inspection of the treasury. Instructions are also given by the secretary of state for the war department, to all commanding officers abroad, to conduct the service on which they are employed, with the utmost regard to public economy, and punctuality in their accounts.

The present establishment of this office is composed in the following manner:—

Two comptrollers at 1000l. per annum each.

One secretary, 700l. ditto.

Civil Department.

One first accomptant and chief clerk 500l.

One second ditto, 300l.

One third ditto, salary not specified.

Military Department.

One first clerk, one second clerk, one third clerk, salaries not specified.

One chamber keeper, one messenger, one necessary woman, salaries not specified.

Office of ordnance, or board of ordnance in the British service.—It belongs to the office of ordnance to supply all military stores for the army and navy; to defray the expence of the corps of artillery, corps of engineers, and other military corps attached to the ordnance service; and also the charge of repairing and building fortifications at home and abroad; excepting field works abroad, and excepting also those fortifications which commanders in chief may deem it expedient to erect without previous instructions from home; in which two cases the bills are paid by the treasury, and placed to account in the extraordinaries of the army. All contingent expences, attending ordnance stores, as well as camp equipage for the artillery, and the article of tents for the privates of the whole army, included in the payments of the ordnance.

The hire of vessels for the transportation of ordnance for foreign service, has, since the establishment of the transport board, been transferred to that office: and the building of barracks belongs now to the barrack department, except when barracks are ordered to be built within a fortification.

The master general, who, in his military character, is commander in chief over the artillery and engineers, has, in his civil capacity, the entire control over the whole ordnance department: he can alone do any act, which can otherwise, if he does not interpose, be done by the board. He can order the issue of money, but that order must be executed in the usual mode, by three board officers.

The lieutenant general, who is second in command over the artillery and engineers, is, in his civil capacity, the first in rank among the members of the board; which comprehends four other principal officers; the surveyor general, the clerk of the ordnance, the store-keeper, and the clerk of deliveries. During the absence of the master general, or the vacancy of the office, the whole executive power devolves on the board; and it belongs to them, though they are subject to the interposition of the master general, to make contracts for stores, and for performance of services, and to direct the issue of stores and of money. The signatures of three members of the board, of whom the clerk of the ordnance must be one, are necessary for the payment of money.

Fortifications are erected by the commanding engineer, pursuant to an order from the master general, for carrying a project into execution, according to an approved plan and estimate. The estimate is usually formed in the first place by the engineer, who is afterwards to execute the work; and its accuracy is examined into by a committee of engineers at home, the expediency of the measure being submitted to the master general. All fortifications, works, and repairs are carried on by measurement and by contract, except where the soldiers of the corps of royal military artificers have been employed; and even in such cases the materials worked up by the soldiers are usually supplied by contract.

The sums voted for the ordnance, consist of the three following heads:—1st. The ordinary, which comprehends the provision for the ordinary establishment, civil and military, for the year ensuing, 2dly; The extraordinary, which comprehends every service known before hand, of a temporary and contingent nature, being a provision for the ensuing year also; and 3dly, the services unprovided for, consisting of services which either have been actually paid in the past year, as is generally the case, or which are supposed to have been paid, but which were not foreseen when the estimate for the past year was made up. Among these unforeseen expences are included various exceedings, which have happened in the individual services voted in the past year’s ordnance estimates; to which are added, such sums as may be necessary to make up the deficiency of the sum directed to the ordnance use from the naval service.

OFFICERS belonging to the military branch of the ordnance.

Corps of Royal Engineers.

One master general, one lieutenant general, one chief engineer and colonel, five colonels, six lieutenant colonels, fifteen captains, thirteen captain lieutenants, twenty-seven first lieutenants.

Officers belonging to the royal military academy at Woolwich.

One governor, one lieutenant governor, one inspector, one professor of mathematics, one professor of fortification, one mathematical master, one arithmetical master, two French masters, one assistant fortification master, two drawing masters, one fencing master, one dancing master, two model makers, one clerk.—Salaries unknown.

Ship-Letter Office. During the continuance of the British army in Holland, a mail was made up every Tuesday and Friday night, and forwarded to Yarmouth, where two packets, taken from the Cuxhaven station, were appointed to convey them to the Helder. A gentleman (the deputy comptroller of the foreign office) was sent to the head quarters, as army post master, and in like manner made up two mails per week, but they were sometimes detained for despatches.

On application from the duke of York the letters of soldiers (being subscribed by the commanding officer) were suffered to pass at the reduced charge of one penny, although that sum was not paid at the time of the letter being put into the post-office, as the act of parliament on the subject requires.

The following particulars, relative to this useful and humane establishment, were issued from the general post-office, on the 20th of September, 1799.

“Notice is hereby given, that letters addressed to persons serving with the army under the command of field marshal his royal highness the duke of York, will be received at the Ship-Letter office twice, instead of once in the week, viz. on Tuesday and Friday from ten in the morning until ten o’clock at night, and not on Thursday, as mentioned in the advertisement from this office of the 10th instant.

“And that such letters will be regularly forwarded in vessels from Yarmouth to the Helder Point on the same days as the mails are sent to Cuxhaven.

“Letters by this conveyance will be chargeable with an half-rate of postage, under the act of the 39th of his present majesty, of sixpence each single letter, one shilling double, one shilling and sixpence treble, and so on in proportion, excepting single letters to and from private soldiers and sailors, which are chargeable with one penny only, under the act of the 35th of his present majesty.

“And that newspapers will also be forwarded at a rate of three pence upon each, provided such paper is sent without cover, or in covers open at the sides.”

Transport Office, in the British service. The transport-office is a newly created board, and was instituted in July, 1794, at first for the superintendance of the transport service only; but to that employment has since been added the management of the prisoners of war, in health, at home, and abroad.

The immediate duty of this office, so far as related to the transport service, used to be performed by the commissioners of the navy; except in some instances, where the ordnance, or other departments hired the transports wanted for their own immediate service; and the present transport board have pursued the modes of engaging transports which were practised by the navy board, when the transport service was under its directions; but it was thought expedient to constitute a distinct board, to transact the business of that extensive branch of the naval service; and from the unparalleled extent to which that service has been carried during the present war, it is highly proper that every possible check and control should be put over so vast an expenditure of money.

Since the institution of this board, which took place in July 1794, to 22d June 1797, the tonnage of vessels, hired as regular transports for four or six months certain, amounted to 99,656 tons; the tonnage of the vessels hired on freight for service amounted to 178,560 tons; making the whole tonnage 278,216. The total expenditure for this service, during this period, amounted to 4,088,524l., 3s. 5d.

The total expence of this establishment for the year 1796, is stated to have been as follows:

Salaries and allowances£.8,838120
Contingent expences 3,907122
Travelling charges and extra pay to officers on distant duty 583156
Total paid by the public 13,329198
The fees which were received from individualsamounted, in the transport department, to£.2,12876
Ditto prisoners of war, to 11476
Making together £. 2,242 15 5 out of which sumthere has been paid to clerks £. 1,650; and for taxes on salaries £. 334 7 6, which is carriedforward to the account of the year 1797.
Deducting from the sum of 13,329198
The taxes paid to government33476 - 592150
And the balance carried to 179725876
The expence to the public for the year 1796, appears to have been 12,73748

In a schedule of the fees paid at the war office, and a paper describing the application thereof, it appeared, that (with the exception of an occasional arrangement made in favor of two retired principal clerks) they have been exclusively paid in certain proportions to the following clerks and officers:—

1. Deputy secretary at war. 2. First clerk. 3. Principal clerk. 4. Ditto. 5. Ditto. 6. Clerk for the entry of commissions. 7. Clerk for accounts of deserters. 8. Clerk for business of widows’ pensions. 9. Examiner of army accounts. 10. Assistant to the examiner of army accounts. It appeared on examination, that during the years 1792, and 1796, (being respectively periods of peace and war) the amount of all fees received and distributed at the war office, was in the year 1792, 4,991l. 3s. 4d. In the year 1796, 42,731l. 11s. 11d.

War Office, British service, the nature of the accounts which come into the war office, the first head consists of the annual accounts of the ordinary and incidental charges of established regiments; the second regimental extraordinaries, or incidental expences more properly belonging to established corps than to the army in general, which latter are known by the term, “extraordinaries of the army.” All claims made by the regimental agents come under the inspection of the “examiner of army accounts,” to whose office they are transmitted of course, in virtue of a general delegation of that duty to him by the secretary at war: after his examination and report, the secretary at war, in many instances, orders partial issues of money by letter to the pay master general. No final payment is made, except under the authority of a warrant countersigned by the secretary at war, and in most instances by three lords of the treasury. The regimental agents account finally to the secretary at war. They are likewise accountable to him and to the commander in chief, for every species of mismanagement or misconduct with respect to the officers and soldiers, &c.

The forms under which all payments derived from the establishment are conducted, consist of the following papers:

1. The establishment of a regiment.

2. The warrant from the war-office to make out debentures, with the state of charges annexed.

3. The debenture made up at the pay-office.

4. The final or clearing warrant.

5. The pay-office state.

OFFICERS, in a military sense, are of several denominations and ranks, viz.

Commissioned Officers, are those appointed by commission; such are all from the general to the cornet and ensign, both inclusive.

Warrant Officers, those who have no commissions, but only warrants from such boards, or persons, who are authorized by law to grant them.

Non-commissioned Officers, are Serjeant majors, quarter master serjeants, serjeants, drum and fife majors, who are appointed by the commanding officers of regiments, and by them may be reduced without a court-martial. But it is not in the power of any captain of a company, or other subordinate officer, to reduce a serjeant without the sentence of a general or regimental court-martial.

General Officers, are those whose command is not limited to a single company, troop, or regiment; but extends to a body of forces, composed of several regiments: such are the general, lieutenant general, major general, and brigadier general; on the United States establishment we have three brigadier generals; and the territory of the United States consists of three districts, over each of which a general presides.

Field Officers, are such as command a whole regiment; as the colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major.

Staff Officers, are all those officers who are not attached to companies in a regiment; whose duties extend over the whole; or a large section, such as a brigade or division; such as the quarter master general, and the adjutant and inspector general, brigade officers, and aids-de-camp, also the quarter masters, adjutants, the physicians, surgeons, and chaplains.

Subaltern Officers, are lieutenants, cornets, and ensigns.

Flag Officers, are admirals who hoist flags at the mast-heads.

Sea Officers, are, in general, all those who have any command in the navy.

The following observations, are generally applicable to every other military situation on service, that we recommend them to the serious attention of every officer.

It is the duty of all officers, to take notice of any negligence, or impropriety of conduct, in the men, whether on duty or off duty, although the person, or persons offending, should not belong to their particular regiments. All neglects of duty, they are immediately to report to the officer commanding the guard; and they are enjoined to confine, and to report to the commanding officer of the regiment to which they belong, any non-commissioned officers or soldiers, they may detect in disorderly practices, or who appear out of their quarters, conducting themselves either in point of behaviour or appearance, in a manner unbecoming soldiers.

Brevet Officer, in the British service. One who in doing duty with other corps takes rank according to the commission which he holds, and which is superior to the one for which he actually receives pay, or by which he can do duty in his own. A captain lieutenant, for instance, in the 23d regiment of foot, who has the rank of brevet major in the army, may, when that corps does brigade duty, command every captain on service with him. The word brevet is taken from the French, and in the instance before us means rank without pay. During the French monarchy there were various instances in which individuals held posts of honor during the king’s pleasure, or during their own natural lives. Hence ducs à brevet; dukes by brevet: or to use an expression more familiar to us, persons who received the patent letter of a dukedom during their natural lives. Brevet likewise signified a sum attached by order of the king to the sale of a commission or place for the benefit of a deceased person’s wife, heirs, or creditors: this was called brevet de retenue. So that the word brevet, though limited to one sense amongst us, was applicable to rank and emolument among the French. Hence breveter signified to give a person a commission, place, or employment; to invest him with honorary rank; or to authorise him to receive a pension. Brevet de capitaine, signifies the commission, or rank of a captain.

Civil Officers belonging to the British laboratory at Woolwich:—

One comptroller, one chief fire-master, one assistant fire-master, one inspector of gunpowder manufactures, six clerks, one extra clerk, one surgeon, one inspector of artillery, one assistant ditto, one clerk and draftsman, one clerk, one proof master, one searcher, one instrument keeper, one modeller, one assistant, one constructor of artillery carriages, one assistant to ditto, one second assistant, and two clerks.

Officers belonging to the British military repository at Woolwich:—

One superintendant, one modeller, one clerk, one draftsman, one astronomical observer at Greenwich, salaries unknown. To these may be added, the officers belonging to the different out ports and garrisons that are subject to the British government.

Commissioners and Officers of the British hospital at Chelsea:—

The civil department consists of:

The president of the council. First lord of the treasury. The two secretaries of state. The paymaster general of land forces. The secretary at war. The two comptrollers of army accounts. The governor and lieutenant governor. Salaries unknown.

The military department consists of:—

Governor. Lieutenant governor. Major. Adjutant. Treasurer, who is the paymaster general for the time being. Deputy treasurer, one clerk, two chaplains, one secretary and registrar, two clerks, one agent and paymaster to the out pensioners, one physician, one comptroller, one steward, one surgeon, two surgeon’s mates, one apothecary, one truss maker, one whitster, one wardrobe keeper, one compter of coal-yard, one organist, one clerk of the works, one master lamp-lighter, one master butler, one master cook, one second cook, two under cooks, one scullery man, one gardener, one master barber, one engine keeper, one clock keeper, one canal keeper and turncock, one sexton, one usher of the hall, one porter, one cellarman, two sweepers, one matron, one master mason, one master smith, one master painter, and one plumber.

Field Officers belonging to the several regiments of militia in Ireland.—By an act passed on the 24th of March 1801, the number of field officers of this description has been increased by adding one additional lieutenant colonel, and one additional major, to such of the Irish regiments as consist of eight companies or upwards, and one additional major to such of the said regiments as consist of seven companies or under. The following counties consist of eight companies and upwards:—Antrim, Armagh, North Cork, South Cork, city of Cork, Donegall, city of Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, King’s County, County of Limerick, Londonderry, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, and Wexford. The Carlow, Cavan, Clare, North Downshire, South Downshire, County of Dublin, Fermanagh, Kildare, Leitrim, city of Limerick, Longford, North Mayo, South Mayo, Queen’s County, Sligo, Westmeath, and Wicklow, regiments consist of seven companies, or are under seven companies.

All such additional field officers, if qualified, in manner as field officers of the same rank in the militia of Ireland are now by law required to be, and not disapproved by the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors of Ireland, within fourteen days after such certificate shall have been laid before him or them, shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed and taken as field officers of the respective regiments in the respective ranks to which their commissions shall respectively appoint them; and shall have the same powers according to such commissions respectively, that other field officers in the militia now have, and shall have rank, and receive pay according to such rank from the dates of their respective commissions, in manner and form as the field officers of the militia regiments of Ireland are now entitled thereto.

Officer in waiting. The officer next for duty is so called. He is always mentioned in orders, and ought to be ready for the service specified, at a minute’s warning. He must not, on this account, quit the camp, garrison, or cantonments.

Officer of the day. An officer whose immediate duty is to attend to the interior œconomy and good order of the corps to which he belongs, or of those with which he does mixed duty. The following regulations will explain the nature of that duty when troops are encamped:—

The officers for daily duty in camp, independent of guards, will be a general or generals of the day, according to the circumstances and strength of the camp. In large camps there will be a lieutenant general of the day, and a major general for each wing, or one major general of cavalry, and one of infantry; and majors of brigade in the same proportion: a field officer per brigade, and a captain and subaltern of the day per regiment, and an adjutant and quarter master of the day per brigade.

The general of the day is to superintend the regularity and discipline of the camp, in every particular: he is to visit the guards of the camp and the outposts (unless the latter are put under the command of some particular officer): he is to call out and inspect the inlying piquets, as often, and at such times as he thinks proper: he is to receive all reports in camp, and make immediate communication of any extraordinary occurrences, to the commander in chief.

The captain of the day of each regiment superintends the cleanliness and regularity of the camp of the regiment: he attends the parading of all regimental guards, orders the roll to be called frequently and at certain hours, and reports every thing extraordinary to the commanding officer.

The subaltern of the day assists the captain in his various duties, and reports to him any irregularity, which may come to his knowlege.

The captain and subaltern of the day, are each to visit the hospital at uncertain hours, the captain is to make his report of the state of the hospital to the commanding officer of the regiment.

The regularity of the men’s messing is an object of primary importance. The captain or subaltern of the day must visit, and inspect the kettles, at the hour appointed for cooking, and no kettle is to be taken from the kitchens till this inspection is made, and the signal is given by the drum for the men to dine, which should be at the same hour, throughout the camp. Independent of this regimental arrangement, the officers of companies must daily and hourly attend to the messing and every circumstance of the œconomy of their companies, in camp more particularly than in quarters.

The adjutant of the day, of the brigades, is to assist the brigade major in the various details of it, and in the absence of the brigade major is to receive and execute all orders; it may frequently be necessary for him likewise to attend for orders, at head-quarters. It is the duty of the quarter master of the day, of the brigade, to attend to the cleanliness of the camp; to take care that all broken glass and filth of all kinds is removed, for which the quarter master of each regiment is responsible, as far as the camp of his regiment is concerned.

The officers on duty and those in waiting, as next for duty, who are always to be mentioned in the orders of the day, are constantly to remain in camp, or within their cantonments. No officer is, on any account, to sleep out of camp, or cantonments, without leave.

Officers making written report, are to sign them, specifying their rank, and the regiments to which they belong.

All orders relating to the men are to be read to them by an officer per company, at the next parade after such orders are given out.

When there is a field officer of the day, it is his duty to visit all guards frequently during the day and night; in the morning, on the dismounting of the guards, he will collect the reports, and carry them to the governor or commandant, together with any observations he may himself have made, in the course of his duty in the preceding day. When there is no field officer of the day, the reports will be collected, and delivered to the governor, by the captain of the main guard. Each regiment must have an alarm post assigned to it, to which it will repair in case of fire, or any other extraordinary alarm either by day or by night.

Marine Officers, all those who command in that body of troops employed in the sea service, under the direction of the lords of the admiralty.

OFFICIAL, all orders, reports, applications, memorials, &c. which pass through the regular channels of communication, are called official.

Officier, Fr. See [Officer].

Officier sur terre, Fr. a land officer, or any commissioned person in the land service.

Officier du genie, Fr. an engineer.

Officier sur mer, Fr. a sea officer, or any commissioned person in the sea service. The term, however, is not confined to this class only, it likewise signifies the master, pilot, boatswain, &c. of a ship, in which case the latter are called officiers mariniers, in contradistinction to the former, who are stiled officiers de la marine, or persons who have naval rank, and whose immediate business is to fight their ships. These consisted, in the old French service, of admirals, vice-admirals, lieutenant generals, commodores, captains of ships, or post-captains, majors, captains of light frigates, captains of fireships, captains of stores or ordnance vessels, port-captains, to which may be added, capitaines en second, together with the lieutenants and ensigns de vaisseau, whether actually employed, and bearing rank, or being only en second. There were besides various employments and situations under the old French government, which entitled individuals to the appellation of officier. Those of a military or naval nature were generally and specifically as follow:—

Officier de guerre, Fr. a military man or officer.

Officier dans les troupes, Fr. any person holding a military situation in the army.

Officier général, Fr. a general officer.

Officier subalterne, Fr. a subaltern officer.

Les hauts Officiers, Fr. Commissioned officers.

Les bas Officiers, Fr. non-commissioned officers.

Officier de la garnison, Fr. an officer belonging to the garrison of a town, or fortified place.

Officier en garnison, Fr. Any officer in garrison.

Officier au régiment des gardes, Fr. an officer belonging to the guards.

Officiers à la suite, Fr. During the existence of the French monarchy a certain number of individuals were permitted to wear the uniform of a regiment, without being otherwise connected with it. These were divided into two classes, viz.

Officiers à la suite d’un régiment, Fr. Officers nominally attached to a regiment. Of this description were the gentlemen appointed by the German princes who were in alliance with France. It is mentioned, as a fact, that before the French revolution took place, there were 42 lieutenant-colonels à la suite du régiment Deux Ponts. The prince of that name having been permitted to extend this strange brevet to any number, provided the officers so distinguished, never went into the town where the regiment lay, or interfered with regard to quarters, &c.

The other class consisted of noblemen and gentlemen, who were appointed by the court of Versailles, and received their brevets from the war-minister. These were called officiers à la suite de toute l’armée; or officers bearing brevet rank without being attached, even nominally, to any specific corps.

This institution though extravagant, was nevertheless calculated to maintain the preeminence of military passions, and to cherish those military ideas which, by thus becoming national, conduced in a great measure to the present military character and triumphs of the French.

Officier dans la marine, Fr. an officer in the marine service.

Officier de marine, Fr. a marine officer.

Officier marinier, Fr. See [Officier sur mer].

OFF-Reckonings, a specific account so called, which exists between government and the colonels of British regiments for the clothing of the men. This account is divided into two parts, viz. gross-off-reckonings, and net off-reckonings.

Gross Off-reckonings consist of all the pay of the non-commissioned officers and private men, above the subsistence.

Net Off-reckonings, are the produce of the gross off-reckonings, reserved for the clothing of the men, after the warrant deduction of one shilling in the pound, and one day’s pay of the whole regiment for Chelsea hospital; and also the deduction of 2d. in the pound for the agent, are made at the pay-office. The balance of the pay of the officers, over and above their subsistence, after the warrant deductions are made, and the respited pay, if there is any, is charged to the officer, is called clearings; which are paid by the paymaster to the agent, who pays them to the officers, and there finds his twopences.

Colonels of regiments either pay the clothier ready money, or allow him interest for forbearance. But no colonel can make a valid assignment of the off-reckonings, till the clothier has exhibited to a board of general officers, appointed by his majesty for that purpose, the patterns of each species of cloathing he is to provide; which patterns are left with the secretary to the clothing board, at the office of the comptrollers of the army, and compared with sealed patterns, already approved by the king; and if found conformable thereto, are sealed by all the general officers, who compose that board, in testimony of their approbation; and when the clothier has completed his clothing, ready to be delivered, the inspector of clothing is directed to view the said clothing, who certifies in writing, that he has found it conformable to his majesty’s instructions in quantity and quality; which certificate, together with the colonel’s assignment of the off-reckonings, is produced by the clothier to the board of general officers, who pass the assignment; but the contract between the colonel and clothier is not laid before any officer whatsoever; nor is any account brought afterwards of the expence of that clothing. Clothiers provide clothing for complete regiments, as upon the establishment.

There are several other articles of expence defrayed out of the clothing fund, as the charge of package, of carriage by land or water, of insurance, when sent abroad, of interest, more or less, as the off-reckonings are paid, of fees of offices, of clothing lost by desertion, of small accoutrements, colors, drums, and other contingent charges. The subsistence of the men, allowed for clothing lost by deserters, is paid to the respective colonels; and the off-reckonings only are included in the assignment. For the latest regulations on this head, see a British work called Military Finance, page 196.

OFFUSQUER, Fr. literally means to darken; or conceal. Ce bâtiment est offusque par les maisons voisines. This building is darkened or concealed from the eye by the neighboring houses. It likewise signifies in a figurative sense, to out-do or out-match. Il se sent offusqué. He feels himself out-done.

OGNON, Fr. literally means an onion. The word is sometimes used in a familiar manner by the French to express persons standing in a row. Ils etoient tous en rang d’ognon. They all stood, like a rope of onions, in a row.

OGEE, -
OGIVE,

in pieces of ordnance, an ornamental moulding, in the shape of an S, taken from architecture, and used in guns, mortars, and howitzers. See [Cannon].

OGIVE, (Ogive, Fr.) In Gothic vaults those arches are stiled ogives, or ogees, which cross one another diagonally. The French likewise call them croisés d’ogives.

OIL. Every soldier should be supplied with a given quantity of oil and emery, for the purpose of cleaning his arms, accoutrements, &c.

OLYMPIAD, in chronology, the space of four years, for on the 5th the Olympic games were celebrated in honor of Jupiter Olympius, near Olympia. The Greeks began to use this epocha a little before the building of Rome.

OLYMPIC Games, were instituted by Hercules, A. M. 2856, in honor of Jupiter Olympius, at Olympia, a city of Elis, in Peloponnesus. They were celebrated every four years, about the summer solstice. The design of them was to accustom the young military men to running, leaping, and every other military exercise.

OMBRE, (sécher à l’ombre, Fr.) This term is in use among the French founders of artillery, when they put the clay or putty, which serves to form the cannon moulds, out to dry, without making any fire for the purpose.

OMRA, or OMHRA, Ind. plural of ameer, a lord. They were persons of considerable consequence in the dominions of the great Mogul. Some of them had command of 1000 horse, others 2000, and so on to 20,000: their pay being regulated according to the number of their horses. The governors and great officers of state were generally chosen out of this body.

ON, a preposition frequently used in military exercise. It precedes those words of command which direct the change or formation of bodies of men upon points that are fixed, viz.

By companies on the left backwards wheel. The left pivot man of each company faces at this cautionary word, and remains a fixed point, on which the rest wheel back when they receive directions so to do. When the column of companies is to be wheeled into line, the word on is equally understood to direct the moveable parts of each company towards the given pivot which faces, and remains a fixed point. In the British drill instructions, they say, to the left wheel into line; but in the third part of the regulations to is wholly omitted, and the commanding officer uses the term left wheel into line, and vice versa; the preposition on is here understood: for it is evident, that in breaking into column the component parts of a line wheel as much from a given point, as they do to a given one, when the column returns into line. Whereas by using on, or understanding it to be used, when, for the sake of abbreviation, it is omitted, we preserve the true meaning of the preposition, keep the men in the recollection of the necessary adhesion, and shew, that whether you wheel backwards or forwards, from line into column, or from column into line, there is one invariable fixed point on which you move. It is more proper to say, on the right or left forwards wheel into line, in lieu of to.

ONAGRA, (Onagre, Fr.) a warlike machine, which was used by the ancients to throw stones of different sizes. It is mentioned by Vegetius.

ONDECAGON, a figure of eleven sides and angles.

ONSET, assault, storm, attack.

OPEN, in military movements and dispositions is frequently used, but it is seldom applicable to any operations in face of an enemy; the ranks, &c. on such occasions being generally compact and close. In formation, the word open is opposed to close, viz. open column, open distance, open order. It also constitutes part of a word of command; as rear ranks take open order; in opposition to rear ranks take close order.

Open distances in column. (Distances entieres en colonne, Fr.) The intervals in these cases are always equal in depth to the extent in front of the different component parts of the column.

Open flank, in fortification, that part of the flank, which is covered by the orillon. See [Fortification].

OPENING of trenches, the first breaking of ground by the besiegers, in order to carry on their approaches towards the place.

OPERATIONS de guerre, Fr. See [Military Operations].

Military OPERATION. Military operations consist in the resolute application of preconcerted measures, in secrecy, dispatch, regular movements, occasional encampments, and desultory combats, or pitched battles.

Line of Operation. All the forward movements of an army for the purpose of attacking an enemy, penetrating into a country, &c. may be properly called a line of operation. There is so intimate and so necessary a connection between this line and the line of communication, that no army can be in security, let its temporary successes be what they may, without a strict and unremitting attention being given to their relative points of continuity and correspondence. The line of operation in a siege is partial and extremely limited, so is that of communication; but upon the large scale of war these two lines are of considerable extent and importance. No man, in fact, can be called a good general, or even an officer, who carries his views so far forward as to venture upon a long line of operation, without having previously secured his line of communication, by a perfect knowlege of the countries through which he moves, and having his flanks so thoroughly covered, that he may fall back or retreat according to circumstances. See Amer. Mil. Lib.

OPINION. In military proceedings that regard the interior government of an army, this word signifies decision, determination, judgment formed upon matters that have been laid before a court-martial, or court of enquiry. Hence, the court-martial having duly weighed the whole matter before them, are of opinion, that —— is not guilty of any part of the charge preferred against him.

Opinion. Officers on courts-martial give their opinion by seniority, beginning with the youngest in rank.

Opinion, abstractedly considered, may be defined an assent of the understanding, with some doubt or distrust of the contrary. In a political sense, it is the acquiescence of the mind to certain principles. In some instances opinion and principle are synonymous terms. Hence French revolutionary opinions, or revolutionary principles.

A war of Opinion, (Guerre d’opinion, Fr.) This expression has grown into familiar use since the commencement of the French revolution, and was never, perhaps, so strongly illustrated as by the perseverance of the French people. Hence also the war commenced against France, as fomented by Burke and the emigrants, was a war against the opinion, which overturned the corrupt abuses of the old French monarchy, to color its atrocity it was called a war against jacobinism—a war in support of religion and order—a war in support of regular government—at length a war of extermination; but experience has shewn, that the influence of opinion is paramount to every consideration in life. Friend, parent, and relation, have given way to the superior calls of public duty, growing out of and sanctioned by public opinion.

Opinion, Fr. This word is variously used among the French, and as we have already observed, is now generally attached to the contest in which they have been engaged for the maintenance of certain principles that seem to have altered their character. The nation at large, in fact, has taken up an opinion, grounded upon certain principles, which are diametrically opposite to those their forefathers had implicitly followed for 1400 years. When Great Britain formed a part of the well known coalition, the preservation of the balance of Europe was the ostensible cause for entering into hostilities against France; so that the war in 1792, &c. might not improperly be called a war of policy or political necessity, as far as it regarded the coalesced powers; but it has unquestionably been, all along, a war of opinion on the other side. The French familiarly say, Il faut respecter l’opinion publique; le pouvoir, l’empire, l’influence de l’opinion. Public opinion must be respected or attended to; the power, the dominion, the influence of opinion. L’opinion est la reine du monde. Opinion governs all the world. When the allied armies under the command of the duke of Brunswick, in 1792, were within a few days march of Paris, it was observed by a firm adherent to the royal cause: Que malgré l’air imposant d’une telle force, ou combinaison, on avoit tout a craindre pendant qu’il existoit un ennemi a combattre, aussi terrible qu’etoit l’opinion. That notwithstanding so formidable a force or combination, every thing was to be apprehended so long as that terrible enemy, opinion, remained to be combated against.

OPIUM, a juice, partly of the resinous, partly of the gummy kind. It is brought from Natolia, Egypt, and the East Indies, produced from the white garden poppy, with which the fields of Asia are in many places sown. The first effect of opium is making the person who takes it cheerful; it removes melancholy, and dissipates the dread of danger. The Turks always take it when they are going to battle: it afterwards quiets the spirits, eases pain, and disposes to sleep. A remarkable instance of the powerful influence of opium over the natives of the East is related by Mr. Orme, in his history of the Carnatic, page 270. His words are: the enemy remained quietly until noon, when having sufficiently intoxicated themselves with opium, they began to swarm out in great numbers; but the field pieces (which were served by Europeans) kept them for some time at a distance, every shot doing execution. During the cannonade a party of the nabob’s sepoys crossed the river, and taking possession of a small choultry, (an open house for the accommodation of travellers, so called in India) at a little distance to the right of the other, began to fire from this untenable post, upon which a body of 300 marattah horse galloped up to attack them; but before they arrived the sepoys took flight; several of them were cut to pieces, and the rest re-crossing the river ran into the city: the marattahs encouraged by this success, (and still flushed with the opium) now galloped up towards the entrenchment of the great choultry, where they were suffered to come so near, that several of them made use of their sabres across the parapet before the troops within gave fire, which then began, and seconded by that of the four pieces of cannon on the other side of the river, killed and wounded a great number of men and horses, and obliged the enemy to retire in confusion; in this instant an officer unadvisedly took the resolution of quitting his post, and passed the river, in order to give captain Dalton, (who commanded the detachment) some information concerning the artillery; some of the soldiers seeing this, imagined that he went away through fear, and concluding, that things were worse than appeared to them, followed his example and ran out of the entrenchment; which the rest perceiving, a panic seized the whole, and they left the post with the greatest precipitation, notwithstanding they had the minute before given three huzzas, on the retreat of the marattahs: a body of 3000 mysore horse, who were drawn up on the bank, immediately galloped into the bed of the river, and charging the fugitives with fury, cut down the whole party excepting 15 men: flushed with this success, they made a push at captain Dalton’s division on the other side. All these motions succeeded one another so rapidly, that he had hardly time to put his men on their guard; more especially as many of them had caught the panic, from having been spectators of the massacre of their comrades; however, some of the bravest hearkening to his exhortations, stood firm by the artillery: their behaviour encouraged the sepoys, who made a strong fire from behind the low wall in their front, which accompanied by the grape shot of the four field pieces, soon abated the ardor of the enemy, and obliged them to retreat, leaving some horses, whose riders fell within 20 yards of the muzzles of the guns: captain Dalton then advanced a little way into the bed of the river, where he remained until he had collected the dead and the wounded. Not a man who escaped could give any reason why he quitted his post, all of them acknowleging that at the time when they took flight, only one man in the intrenchment was wounded, and that they had nine barrels of ammunition.

OPPORTUNITY. In addition to what has been said respecting [occasion], which is nearly similar to opportunity in its import, we shall extract the following account of the latter, which was also honored as a goddess among the pagans. Opportunity was represented by them as a naked woman, with a long lock of hair before, but bald behind, to intimate, that opportunity if not laid hold on when it offers, soon slips away; also standing with one foot on a wheel, and the other in the air, holding a sail in one hand, and a razor in the other; her feet also being winged, and the wheel in continual motion, to intimate that opportunity is always inconstant and in motion.

To OPPOSE, to act as an adversary against another, to resist, &c. It likewise signifies to place as an obstacle.

OPPUGN, To oppugn, is to attack by force of arms.

ORANGE. A term applied to those persons who adhered to the Stadtholder. Hence, orange party. The troops of the prince of orange were taken into British pay in Sept. 1799.

ORANGE MEN. A title assumed by the members of certain clubs instituted by the British government in Ireland; when the Irish or united Irishmen meditated to rescue their country, in 1796, from British dominion, the orange men were sworn to extirpate the catholics wherever found; and their atrocities surpassed the cruelties of the British in India, and the Spanish in South America.

ORB, in tactics, is the disposing of a number of soldiers in circular form of defence. The orb has been thought of consequence enough to employ the attention of the famous marshal de Puysegur, in his Art of war, who prefers this position, to throw a body of infantry in an open country, to resist cavalry, or even a superior force of infantry; because it is regular, and equally strong, and gives an enemy no reason to expect better success by attacking one place than another. Cæsar drew up his whole army in this form when he fought against Labienus. The whole army of the Gauls were formed into an orb, under the command of Sabinus and Cotta, when fighting against the Romans. The orb was generally formed six deep.

ORDER. The arrangement or disposition of things in their proper place; custom or manner, rule or discipline, as order of march, &c.

Order of battle. The arrangement or disposition of the different component parts of an army in one or more lines, according to the nature of the ground, for the purpose of engaging an enemy, by giving or receiving an attack, or in order to be reviewed, &c.

Parade Order. When a regiment of horse or foot, a troop, or company is drawn up with the ranks open and the officers in front, it is said to be in parade order.

Close Order. When a battalion or company is commanded to take close order, at the word march, the ranks (supposing the men to stand three deep) close within one pace, marching one and two paces and then haulting. So that close order in ranks comprehends an interval of one pace between each.

Open Order. When a battalion or company is commanded to take open order, on the word march, the dressers front, and the centre and rear ranks fall back one and two paces, each dressing by the right the instant it arrives on the ground. So that open order comprehends an interval of two paces between each rank.

Extended Order, is preparatory to rank entire, and is frequently practised in light infantry manœuvres. In order to execute this movement the files of a battalion or company, standing two deep, open from the given point, leaving just space enough for one man. Sometimes, and indeed almost always, when the ground will permit, extended order is taken by facing the battalion or company to the right or left, and by marching to either flank until the whole has gradually doubled its original front. This mode is extremely simple, and consists in nothing more than open order of files from the right or left. The battalion or company after it has obtained all its relative distances, and been halted, is fronted, and each rear rank man springs into the vacancy on the word of command—Form rank entire.

Entire, when applied to rank, means a straight line composed of half files. See [Rank entire].

Extended order may likewise be taken, without facing to the right or left. This is effected by every file moving sideways a given distance; say one pace, or twenty four inches, which extent of ground a man generally covers, from the centre file. The word of command in this case would be, battalion or company, mark time, from the centre by the side step to the right and left. The centre file stands fast—march—halt.

ORDER Arms, a word of command, on which the soldier brings the butt of his musquet to the ground, the barrel being held perpendicular in a line with the right side.

ORDERS, in a military sense, all that is lawfully commanded by superior officers. Orders are given out every day, whether in camp, garrison, or on a march, by the commanding officer; which orders are afterwards given to every officer in writing by their respective serjeants.

Commander in chief’s Orders. Such orders as issue directly from the commander in chief’s office for the government of the army at large, or for any specific purpose. These orders are sanctioned by the king, and are irrevocable elsewhere.

General Orders, are such as are issued out by the general who commands, who gives them in writing to the adjutant general, who first sends exact copies to the general officers of the day, and distributes them at his own quarters to all the brigade majors, who daily go to head quarters for that purpose: where they write down every thing that is dictated to them; from thence they go and give the orders, at the place appointed for that purpose, to the different majors or adjutants of the regiments which compose that brigade, who first read them to their colonels and lieutenant colonels, or majors, and then dictate them to the serjeants of companies (this is more frequently done by the serjeant major) who write them correctly down in their respective orderly books, and bring them to all the officers belonging to the company.

Garrison Orders, such orders and instructions as are given by the governor or commanding officer of a town or fortified place.

Brigade Orders, orders which are issued by the generals commanding, through the brigade majors, to the several adju- corps that do duty together, or are brigaded.

Regimental Orders, such orders and instructions as grow out of general or garrison orders, or proceed immediately from the commanding officer of a regiment.

Standing Orders, certain general rules and instructions which are to be invariably followed, and are not subject to the temporary intervention of rank; of this description are those orders which the colonel of a regiment may judge fit to have inserted in the orderly books, and which cannot be altered by the next in command without the colonel’s concurrence.

Sailing Orders, final instructions which are given to ships of war, and the commander in chief.

Beating Order, an authority given to an individual empowering him to raise men, by beat of drum, for any particular regiment, or for general service. It consists of a warrant which is signed by the secretary at war, or issued in his name, by the adjutant general, or adjutant and inspector of the army.

Military ORDERS, are companies of knights, instituted by kings and princes; either for defence of the faith, or to confer marks of honor on their military subjects. They are as follow:

Order of the Bear, a military order in Switzerland, erected by the emperor Frederic II. in 1213, by way of acknowlegement for the service the Swiss had done him, and in favor of the abbey of St. Gall. To the collar of the order hung a medal, on which was represented a bear, raised on an eminence of earth.

Amaranth, an order of military knighthood, instituted in Sweden, by queen Christina, in 1645, at the close of an annual feast, celebrated in that country, and called wirtschaft. Their device was the cypher of amarante, composed of two A’s, the one erect, the other inverted, and interwoven together; the whole inclosed by a laurel crown, with this motto, Dolce nella memoria.

Argonauts of St. Nicolas, was the name of a military order, instituted by Charles III. king of Naples, in the year 1382, for the advancement of navigation, or as some authors say, merely for preserving amity among the nobles. They wore a collar of shells, inclosed in a silver crescent, whence hung a ship with this device, Non credo tempori.

Order of Calatrava, a Spanish military order. It was instituted in 1130 by don Santio, of Toledo. The habit of these knights is a black garment, with a red cross upon the breast.

Order of Alcantara, a Spanish military order. It was established by Ferdinand the second, king of Leon and Castile, in 1170. They wore a green cross upon their garment.

Order of St. James, instituted by Ferdinand II. in 1175. These knights had the privilege of wearing their hats in the chapter, in the presence of their sovereign.

Order of St. Michael, instituted in 1469, by Lewis XII. in honor of the important services done to France by that archangel at the siege of Orleans, where he is supposed to have appeared at the head of the French troops, disputing the passage of a bridge, and to have repulsed the attack of the English, whose affairs ever after declined in that kingdom. The order is a rich collar, with the image of that saint pendent thereto; with this inscription: Immensi tremor oceani.

Order of the Holy Ghost, instituted by Henry II. of France, in 1578. The number of knights are 100, besides the sovereign, who is always grand-master.

Order of St. Louis, instituted by Louis XIV. in the year 1693. This order has remained entirely in the possession of military men, ever since its institution, and has been of singular use in keeping up the spirit, and rewarding the services, of those who have distinguished themselves. The number of knights is unlimited, being given to every man of merit. The order is a golden cross, with eight points, which hang pendent to a broad crimson riband. The motto is Bellicæ virtutis præmium.

Order of Mount Carmel, instituted by Henry IV. in 1608.

Order of St. Lazarus, is of a very early institution, but has been often neglected, and as often revived, till Louis XV. united the order of St. Carmel and St. Lazarus in April 1722. The king was sovereign, chief, founder, and protector.

Order of the knights of Malta. See [Malta].

Order of the knights of the Garter. See [Garter].

Order of the knights of the Bath. See [Bath].

Order of the golden fleece, instituted by Philip duke of Burgundy, surnamed the Good, in 1429. See Fleece.

Order of the Annunciation, instituted by Amadeo, count of Savoy, surnamed the Green, in memory of Amadeo, the first earl, who had valorously defended the island of Rhodes against the Turks. The collar belonging to this order is of gold, and on it are these four letters, F. E. R. T. which means Fortitudo ejus Rhodum tenuit, with the figure of the annunciation hanging to it.

Order of knights templars, instituted at Jerusalem about the year 1118. At first there were but nine of the order, and the two principal persons were Hugo de Paganis, and Jeoffroy of St. Omer’s. This order, after having performed many great exploits against the infidels, became rich and powerful all over Europe; when, on the 22d of May, 1312, the pope by his bull, pronounced the extinction of the order, and united their estates to the order of St. John of Jerusalem. They took the name of templars, because their first habitation stood near the temple dedicated to our Saviour at Jerusalem.

Order of the knights of St. Jago, instituted by king Ramico, of Spain, in commemoration of a victory obtained against the Moors, A. D. 1030. Their ensign is a red cross in form of a sword.

Order of knights of the band, erected by Alphonso, king of Spain, in the year 1268. Their name proceeded from the knights wearing a red scarf, or lace of silk, the breadth of three inches, which hung on their left shoulder.

Order of knights of the Redemption, erected in the kingdom of Arragon, by king James, who conquered the island of Majorca, in the year 1212. Their garments are white, with a black cross thereon.

Order of Teutonic knights, established towards the close of the 12th century, and thus called, as chiefly consisting of Germans, anciently called Teutons.

Order of the knights of St. Stephen, instituted in the year 1561, by Cosmo, duke of Florence. They wear a red cross with a border of gold.

Order of merit, instituted by Frederic III. king of Prussia, as a reward to those officers whose behaviour deserved some marks of distinction. The ensign of this order is a golden star of eight rays, enamelled with blue, which is worn appendant to a black riband, edged with silver: the motto, Pour le mérite.

Order of St. Alexander Newski, or the red riband, which was instituted by Peter I. emperor of Russia; but the czarina Catharine I. conferred it in the year 1725.

Order of the stole, an order of knights instituted by the kings of Arragon.

Order of the golden stole, a Venetian military order, so called from a golden stole, which those knights wore over their shoulder, reaching to the knee, both before and behind, a palm and a half broad. None are raised to this order but patricians, or noble Venetians. It is uncertain when this order was instituted.

Order of Maria Theresa. This order was instituted in June, 1757, by the empress queen of Hungary. In 1765, an intermediate class, styled knights commanders, was added to the two classes that originally composed the order. See [Theresa].

ORDERLY Officer. See [Officer of the day].

Orderly serjeant, -
Orderly men,

are appointed to attend general, or other officers that are entitled to have them.

Orderlies, the non-commissioned officers and private men who do orderly duty are so called.

Orderly serjeants when they go for orders are sashed.

Orderly corporals and orderly men wear their side arms, and carry a small osier switch or cane in their hands.

In the dragoons, orderly men, on foot, have their sword-belts and bayonets; and on horseback, are dressed the same, only with gloves, and boots, and spurs of course, with the sword-belt and sword. They likewise have their pistols. When an orderly dragoon or foot soldier is sent from one quarter to another, the time of his setting out must be specified on the back of the letter which he carries; the dragoon must take care to bring his horse in cool and properly (unless he has been sent on any pressing occasion) and they must both return to quarters perfectly sober.

Orderlies in general. It is the duty of the serjeant-majors to see that the orderlies are properly dressed and accoutred, before they are inspected by the adjutant, who parades them every morning in front of the main guard, &c. When private soldiers are chosen for orderlies in mixed duty, the credit of the corps from which they are taken requires, that they should be the best set up and the best behaved men belonging to it.

Orderly non-commissioned officers, are those who are orderly, or on duty for that week; who, on hearing the drum beat for orders, are to repair to the place appointed to receive them, and to take down in writing, in the orderly book, what is dictated by the adjutant or serjeant-major; they are then immediately to show those orders to the officers of the company, and afterwards warn the men for duty.

Orderly book. Every company has such a book in which the serjeants write down both general and regimental orders, for the specific information of the officers and men. This book is provided by the public.

Orderly Drum. The drummer that beats orders, and gives notice of the hour for messing, &c. is so called.

ORDINAIRE, Fr. The soldier’s messing together is so called among the French.

ORDINANCE, or ORDNANCE, a name given to all that concerns artillery, or engineering: thus, the commander in chief is called master general of the ordnance; and the next officer, lieutenant general of the ordnance, instead of artillery.

Ordnance. The British value of all brass ordnance is at 84l. 17s. or 371 dollars per ton, for the metal; that is, the weight of the gun, and 12lbs. per hundred weight for waste: to which is added for casting, on the total weight of metal used, 64l. or 286 dollars per ton for light pieces; 54l. or 240 dollars for medium; and 44l. 195¹⁄₂ dollars for heavy.

Iron ordnance cost 20l. or 90 dollars per ton. See also the words [Guns], [Mortars], [Howitzers], &c.

For the proof of all kinds of ordnance, see the word [Proof].

ORDINARY TIME. This in the British service is the slowest time in marching that is permitted to be used by infantry, and consists of a pace which is 30 inches from heel to heel, and of which only 75 are to be taken in a minute. But there is a manifest absurdity in having a different length of pace; in the American service the pace in all time is 24 inches; and the ordinary time is what the British call quick time; and is in fact gay and lively, or the time of country dances.

ORDONNANCE. Fr. A warrant. This word is variously used among the French, viz.

Compagnies d’ORDONNANCE. Independent companies, or such bodies of armed men as do duty by detached companies, and are not formed into regular regiments. Of this description were the gendarmes, the light horse, and the musqueteers, under the French monarchy.

Ordonnances, Fr. Orderly men, whether on foot or horseback.

Ordonnance, Fr. The disposition or arrangement of troops for battle.

ORDRE, Fr. Parole and countersign so called.

Aller à l’ORDRE, Fr. To go for the parole or countersign.

Récevoir l’ORDRE, Fr. To receive or get the parole or countersign.

Ordre que l’on donne à la tranchée, Fr. Parole and countersign together with specific orders, which are given out every night in the trenches.

ORDRES Militaires, Fr. Military orders.

Nouveaux ORDRES, Fr. Fresh orders.

Ordres de mouvement. Marching orders.

ORGANIZATION of Troops. The act of putting troops into such uniform state of discipline, as may fit them to co-operate on any service.

ORGUES, thick long pieces of wood, pointed and shod with iron, clear one of another, hanging perpendicular each by a rope, over a gate of a strong place to be dropped in case of emergency.

Their disposition is such, that they stop the passage of the gate, and are preferable to horses or portcullises; because these may be either broken by a petard, or stopped, by different contrivances, in their falling down. But a petard is useless against an orgue; for if it break one or two of the pieces, others immediately fall down and fill up the vacancy.

Orgue, (un Orgue, Fr.) A term used to express that arrangement or disposition of a certain quantity of musquet barrels in a row, which by means of a priming train of gunpowder, may be subjected to one general explosion. This machine has been found extremely serviceable in the defence of a low flank, a tenaille, or to prevent an enemy from crossing the ditch of a fortified place.

ORIENT, Fr. The east.

ORIFLAMME, Fr. The ancient banner belonging to the abbey of St. Denis, which the counts du Vexin, who possessed the perpetual advowson of the abbey, always bore in the different wars or contests that formerly prevailed between the abbot and some neighboring lords. When the Vexin country fell into the hands of the French kings, they made the oriflamme the principal banner of their armies, in honor of St. Denis, whom they chose for the patron and tutelary saint of France.

ORILLON. See [Fortification].

ORME, Fr. Elm. This wood was considered of such consequence by the old French government, (and perhaps is equally so by the present) that a specific order was made out in 1716, enjoining all persons letting or holding land in French Flanders, Artois, and Hainault, to plant elm trees, in order that there might be a constant supply in future of carriages and wainage for the artillery.

ORNAMENTS Military. Those parts of the dress of a soldier which are more for appearance or distinction than for absolute use; as gorgets, plates for cross-belts, pouch ornaments, &c.

ORTEIL. See [Berm] in Fortification.

ORTHOGON, any rectangular figure.

ORTHOGRAPHIE, Fr. See [Orthography].

ORTHOGRAPHY. The art of drawing or sketching out a work according to its breadth, thickness, elevation, and depth.

OSIER, a young willow twig, with which hurdles are made.

OSTAGE, Fr. See [Hostage].

OTTOMAN. A name generally given to the Turks, and to the Turkish empire, from Ottoman, who was one of their most celebrated emperors.

OVATION, (so called of a sheep, because the general who so triumphed, offered only a sheep; whereas in the great triumph he offered a bull) an inferior sort of triumph allowed by the Romans to the generals of their armies for lesser victories, as over slaves, &c. or when the war had not been declared pursuant to military usage. According to Kennett, in his Roman Antiquities, page 224, the word ovation is said to have derived its name from shouting evion! to Bacchus; but the true original is ovis. The shew generally began at the Albanian mountain, whence the general, with his retinue, made his entry into the city: he went on foot with many flutes or pipes, sounding in concert as he passed along, wearing a garment of myrtle as a token of peace, with an aspect rather raising love and respect than fear.

We have already observed, with Gellius, that this honor was then conferred on the victor, when either the war had not been proclaimed in due method, or not undertaken against a lawful enemy, and on a just account; or when the enemy was but mean and inconsiderable. But Plutarch has delivered his judgment in a different manner; he believes that heretofore the difference betwixt the ovation and the triumph was not taken from the greatness of the achievements, but from the manner of performing them: for they who, having fought a set battle, and slain a great number of the enemy, returned victors, led that martial, and, as it were, cruel procession of the triumph. But those who without force by benevolence and civil behaviour, had done the business, and prevented the shedding of human blood; to these commanders custom gave the honor of this peaceable ovation. For a pipe is the ensign or badge of peace; and myrtle the tree of Venus, who, beyond any other deities, has an extreme aversion to violence and war. Vide Plut. in Marcell. For a full account of this ceremony, as well as of the Roman triumph, see Kennett, page 224.

OVENS. The modern improvements in the art of war, has beside making biscuit, the common food of man and horse, also introduced in the equipage of armies, ovens of cast iron, which travel with the waggon train, and the bakers are classed and under military discipline, in the performance of their important functions. The operations of dressing food in military camps, have been also improved by the introduction of count Rumford’s process of boiling, roasting, and baking by steam; all performed by the single fire which heats the oven.

OVERFLOW. See [Inundation].

To OVERLAP, to overspread any preceding object. In marching by echellon, for the purpose of forming upon any given point, but particularly in wheeling from column into line, troops may loose their relative distances by not taking ground enough; when this occurs, the rear division, company, or section, unavoidably crouds upon its preceding one, and it is then said to overlap. When this happens on service, the troops, so shut out, must remain as serre-files, or reserve, to fill up the intervals that will necessarily present themselves in action. But whether so or not, the line must, on no account, be deranged by moving it to right or left.

OVERLANDRES, Fr. Small barges that ply upon the Rhine and the Meuse.

To OVER-RUN. In a military sense, to ravage, to lay waste. A country which is harassed by incursions, is said to be over-run.

OVERSEER, an officer in the ordnance department, who superintends the artificer in the construction of works, &c.

OVERSLAGH, as a military phrase, which is derived from the Dutch, to skip over, will be better explained by the following table.—For instance, suppose 4 battalions, each consisting of 8 captains, are doing duty together, and that a captain’s guard is daily mounted: if in the first regiment the second captain is doing duty of deputy adjutant-general; and the 4th and 7th captains in the second are acting, one as aid-de-camp, the other as brigade major; the common duty of these three captains must be overslaghed, that is skipped over, or equally divided among the other captains.

Table of Explanation.

No. of
captains.		Heads of each column.
Regiments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Pennslvania. 8 1 5 81215192326
Georgia. 8 2 6 91316202427
Massachu’s. 8 3 101417212528
Virginia. 8 4 711 1822 29
Total.32

N. B. The three blanks shew where the overslaughs take place.

OVERTHROW, total defeat, discomfiture, rout.

OUEST ou Occident, Fr. One of the four cardinal points of the world, or the west.

OURAGAN, Fr. A violent tempest.

OUTBAR, to shut out by fortification.

OUT-GUARD. See [Out-posts].

OUTILS, Fr. Tools of every description that are used by the artificers and workmen belonging to the artillery, &c.

Outils à mineur. Fr. Tools used in mining.

OUTLINE, the line by which any figure is defined.

OUTPART, at a distance from the main body. See [Out-posts].

OUT-posts, a body of men posted beyond the grand guard, called out-posts, as being without the rounds or limits of the camp. See [Posts].

OUTSIDE, in fencing, that part which is to the right of the line of defence.

OUTSIDE Guard, a guard used with the broad sword and sabre, to defend the outside of the position. See [Broadsword].

OUTWALL. See [Revetement].

OUTWARD FACE, a word of command for troops to face to the right and left from their centre.

To OUTWING, to extend the flanks of an army or line in action, so as to gain an advantageous position against the right or left wing of an enemy. This manœuvre or evolution is effected by the movement on an oblique line. See [Movements].

Out-works, in Fortification, are works of several kinds, which cover the body of the place, as ravelins, half-moons, tenailles, horn-works, crown-works, counter-guards, envelopes, swallow-tails, lunettes, covert-ways, &c.

These out-works, not only cover the place, but likewise keep an enemy at a distance, and hinder his gaining any advantage of hollow or rising grounds; as such cavities and eminences may serve for lodgments to the besiegers, facilitate the carrying on approaches, and enable them to raise their batteries against the town. When outworks are placed one before another, you will find a ravelin before the curtain, a horn-work before the ravelin, and a small ravelin before the curtain of the horn-work; those works which are nearest to the body of the place must be the highest, though lower than the body of the place, that they may gradually command those without them, and oblige the enemy to dislodge, if in possession of them.

OUVERTURE des portes, Fr. The opening of the gates in a fortified town or place, according to specific military rules. The method in all regular governments is too well known to require any particular explanation.

Ouverture et fermeture des portes chez les Turcs, Fr. There are certain laws and regulations among the Turks, by which the janizaries are entrusted with the keys belonging to the gates of every fortified town or place in which they do garrison duty. The gates are always opened at day-break by two or four janizaries. There is a capigy or porter stationed at each gate. Whenever he opens the gate he repeats, in an audible tone of voice, certain words in the praise of God and the sultan, after which he returns the key or keys to the janizaries, who carry them to the governor or commandant or the place. The closing of the gates is done with the same solemnity.

Ouverture de la tranchée, Fr. the opening of the trench or trenches.

OUVRAGES, Fr. Works. See [Fortification].

Ouvrage à corne, Fr. Hornwork. See [Fortification].

Ouvrage à couronne, Fr. Crowned work. See [Fortification].

Ouvrages detachés, pieces detachées, Fr. See [Dehors].

OUVRIR, Fr. To open.

Ouvrir les rangs, Fr. To take open order.

En arriére, Ouvrez vos rangs, Fr. Rear ranks take open order.

S’aligner à rangs OUVERTS, Fr. To aligne or dress in line at open order.

A jour OUVRANT. At break of day.

A portes OUVRANTES. At the opening of the gates.

OUVRIERS, Fr. All sorts of artificers and workmen employed in fortification, &c. are so called.

OXFORD Blues. See [Horse Guards].

OXYCRAT, Fr. A certain portion of vinegar to five or six times its quantity of water. This mixture is frequently used on service, and in hot weather, to allay the burning heat of any inflamed part. It is likewise employed to cool cannon, during an engagement, in very hot firing.

OXYGENE. The chemical base of vital air with which nitre is found to abound, and to which gunpowder owes its rapid and perfect combustion.

King’s or queen’s Own, a term which has been attached to some British regiments since the revolution in 1688. Thus the 4th, which landed with William III. was called the 4th, or King’s Own.