R.
RABINET, formerly a name given to a small sort of ordnance between a falconet and a base, about one inch and a half diameter in the bore, five feet six inches long, and 300 pounds in weight, loaded with six ounces of powder, and carrying a shot one inch and three-eighths in diameter.
RACHAT du pain, Fr. a certain pecuniary allowance which was made in the old French service to the officers of each company, for the surplus rations of ammunition bread that were left in the purveyor’s hands. The same rule exists in the British service, when troops are in camp or barracks.
RACINE, Fr. See [Root].
RACLOIR, Fr. A scraper. It is used in the artillery to cleanse out mortars.
RACOLER, Fr. To entice men to inlist.
RACOLEUR, Fr. a crimp, a bringer of recruits, one who entices others to inlist. Men of this description are to be found in all countries where military establishments prevail.
RACORDEMENT, Fr. This word is derived from racorder, which, in French architecture, signifies to join two pieces of building on one surface, or to unite an old building with a new one.
RADE, Fr. Road for ships to ride in.
RADEAUX, Fr. Rafters. They are frequently used in sieges, for the purpose of crossing ditches, &c. Chevalier Folard enters largely into the nature of these rafters, particularly in his 4th volume, page 67.
RADIOMETER, (Radiomètre, Fr.) This instrument is sometimes called Jacob’s staff, bâton de Jacob. It is used by some to take the sun’s altitude, and by others to ascertain elevations at sea.
RADIUS, the semi-diameter of a circle. In fortification, the radius is distinguished into exterior, [interior], [oblique], and right radius. The three former are noticed each under its initial letter. The latter is a perpendicular line drawn from the centre of a polygon to the exterior side.
RAFFINAGE, Fr. a term used by the French to express the operation through which saltpetre passes after it has been boiled once. The literal meaning is refining; the act of cleansing any thing from recrementitious matter.
RAFFINER, Fr. To refine.
RAFFINOIR, Fr. a wooden cask, or copper vessel, in which saltpetre is deposited after it has been boiled once. It usually remains thirty minutes, after which it is let out through a cock fixed for that purpose at the bottom of the vessel.
RAFRAICHISSEMENS, Fr. Provisions. See [Quartier].
RAFRAICHIR, Fr. To cool; to spunge; as rafraichir le canon; to spunge a cannon.
Rafraichir une place, Fr. to succor a place by sending in fresh troops and provisions.
Rafraichir des troupes, Fr. to allow troops to repose; likewise to supply them with fresh provisions.
RAFTS, a kind of frames or floats made by laying pieces of timber together, or across each other, to serve as bridges for troops to pass over rivers.
RAFTERS, are pieces of timber, which, standing by pairs on the transom, wall plate, or raising piece, meet in an angle at the top, and form the roof of a building.
It is a rule in building, that no rafters should stand farther than 12 inches from one another: and as to their sizes and scantlings, that principal rafters, from 12 feet 6 inches to 14 feet 6 inches long, be 5 inches broad at the top, and 8 at the bottom, and 6 inches thick: those from 14 feet 6 inches, to 18 feet 6 inches long, to be 9 inches broad at the foot, 7 inches at the top, and 7 inches thick: and those from 18 feet 6 inches, to 21 feet 6 inches, to be 10 inches broad at the foot, 8 at the top, and 8 thick. Single rafters, 8 feet in length, must have 4¹⁄₂ inches, and 3³⁄₄ in their square. Those of 9 feet long, must be 5, and 4 inches square.
RAJPUTES, or RAUJPOOTS, Ind. The second tribe of the four great classes of Hindus; the priests or Bramins are the first. Both classes may be soldiers, and none but members of one or other of these classes can be kings or princes. Rauj means great, and poot means arms, that is great in arms; they are the descendants of the military tribe of Hindus.
RAJAH, Ind. This word means an authority equivalent to that of a king. The Rajahs became generally tributary to the Mogul, but were suffered to follow their own modes of government.
RAIE, Fr. properly means a seam, furrow, streak.
RAINURE, Fr. a grove.
RAIS, Fr. a spoke of a wheel.
To RAISE Troops. See [Levy].
To Raise a plan of a fortress, is to measure with cords and geometrical instruments, the length of the lines, and the capacity of the angles, that by knowing the length, breadth, and thickness, of all the different parts of a fortification, it may be represented upon paper, so as to find out its advantages and disadvantages.
RAISON, Fr. this word is used by the French, in a mathematical sense, to express the relation which one number has to another, and in general, that which exists between one quantity and another. The term is distinguished into raison arithmétique, or arithmetical reasoning; and raison géométrique, or geometrical reasoning. French carpenters likewise use the term, to shew that pieces of wood, &c. are properly laid, viz. Des pieces de bois en leur raison.
RALLIEMENT, Fr. Rallying point. It is sometimes written raliment.
Mot de Ralliement, Fr. a word or countersign, which is given to out posts, and to sentries that are stationed beyond the lines.
RALLUMER, Fr. To light up again, to rekindle, to renew.
RALLY, one of the bugle horn soundings.
To RALLY, (Rallier, Fr.) To bring troops back to order that have been dispersed.
RALLYING, in war, re-establishing, or forming together again, troops broken and put to flight.
To RAM, to drive with violence, as with a battering ram.
To RAM down, to force anything downwards, or to fill with any thing driven hard together, as in the charge of firearms.
Ram down cartridge, a word of command used in the platoon exercise. See [Manual].
Battering RAM, in antiquity, a military engine used to batter and beat down the walls of places besieged.
The battering ram was of two sorts, the one rude and plain, the other compound. The former seems to have been no more than a great beam, which the soldiers bore on their arms and shoulders, and with one end of it, by main force, assailed the walls. The compound ram is thus described by Josephus: it is a vast beam, like the mast of a ship, strengthened at one end with a head of iron, something resembling that of a ram, whence it took its name. This was hung by the middle with ropes to another beam, which lay across two posts, and hanging thus equally balanced, it was by a great number of men drawn backwards and pushed forwards, striking the wall with its iron head.
Plutarch informs us, that Mark Antony, in the Parthian war, made use of a ram 80 feet long: and Vitruvius tells us, that they were sometimes 106, and 120 feet long: to this perhaps the force and strength of the engine was in a great measure owing. The ram at one time was managed by a whole century of soldiers; and they, being exhausted, were seconded by another century; so that it played continually, and without any intermission.
The momentum of a battering ram 28 inches in diameter, 180 feet long, with a head of cast iron of one ton and a half, the whole ram with its iron hoops, &c. weighing 41,112 pounds, and moving by the united strength of 1000 men, will be only equal to that of a ball of 36 pounds, when shot point blank from a cannon.
RAMMER, an instrument used for driving down stones or piles into the ground in military works; or for beating the earth, in order to render it more solid for a foundation.
Rammer, or Ramrod of a gun, the ramrod or gunstick; a rod used in charging a gun, to drive home the powder and shot, as also the wad, which keeps the shot from rolling out. The rammer of a piece of artillery, is a cylinder of wood, whose diameter and length are each equal to the diameter of the shot, with a handle fixed to it, at the end of which is another cylinder, covered with lamb-skin, so as to fit the gun exactly, and called a sponge: it is used to clean the piece before and after it is fired. The ramrod of a musquet is one entire piece of iron.
Return RAMROD. See [Platoon Exercise], under [Manual].
RAMPART, in fortification, or, as some call it, but improperly, rampire; the great massy bank of earth raised about a place to resist the enemy’s shot, and to cover the buildings, &c. On it is raised a parapet towards the country. It is not above 18 feet high, and about 60 or 70 thick, unless more earth be taken out of the ditch than can be otherwise disposed of. The rampart should be sloped on both sides, and be broad enough to allow the marching of waggons and cannon, besides the parapet which is raised on it. The rampart of the half moons is better for being low, that the small arms of the besieged may the better reach the bottom of the ditch; but it must be so high, as not to be commanded by the covert-way. The rampart is encompassed with a ditch, and is sometimes lined with a fausse-bray and a berme.
RAMPS, (Rampes, Fr.) in fortification, are sloping communications, or ways of very gentle ascent, leading from the inward area, or lower part of a work, to the rampart or higher part of it.
RAMS-horns, in fortification, are a kind of low works made in the ditch, of a circular arc; they were invented by M. Belidor, and serve instead of tenailles.
RAMADAN, Fr. a month so called among the Turks, during which period they observe fast days.
RAMASSE, Fr. a sort of sledge, in which travellers are conveyed from the tops of mountains that are covered with snow.
RAMASSER, Fr. to collect, to get together. On a ramassé tout ce qu’on a pu trouver de soldats. They got as many soldiers together as they could.
RAMASSE, Fr. Gathered together, collected. This word is likewise used to distinguish men that are hastily raised and embodied, from soldiers who have been regularly disciplined, viz. Ce ne son pas des troupes reglées, ce sont des gens ramassés. They are not regular troops, but persons hastily got together.
Ramasse, Fr. strong, vigorous. Un homme ramasse. A strong athletic man. Ramasse, in this sense, agrees with the English word tight-built, thickset, &c.
RAMAZAN. See [Ramadan].
RAMBERGE, Fr. an advice boat.
RAME, Fr. an oar. It is likewise called Aviron.
Balle Ramee, Fr. Cross-bar shot.
RAMEAUX de la mine, Fr. Branches belonging to a mine. See [Gallery].
RAMPE au Pente extrêment douce qu’ont fait le long des talus des ramparts, Fr. a slope, or declivity which is extremely gradual along the talus of ramparts. These slopes contain two toises in breadth, and are cut upon the interior talus. They are made, according to circumstances and the exigencies of the place, sometimes within the angle of the rampart, opposite to the entrance into the bastion, when the latter is full; sometimes along the flanks, or at the flanked angle when the bastion is empty. Pieces of ordnance, ammunition, &c. are conveyed up these slopes to the embrazures of the ramparts.
RANCHER, Fr. a sort of ladder which is made of wooden pegs, and is used on various occasions.
RANÇON, Fr. Ransom. It was likewise the name of an old French weapon, consisting of a long stake with a sharp iron point at the end, and two blades or wings bent backwards, and extremely keen.
RANCONNER, Fr. to ransom.
RANDOM shot, in artillery, when the piece is elevated at an angle of 45 degrees upon a level plane. See [Range].
RANG, Fr. Rank.
Rang d’un escadron ou d’un bataillon, Fr. Rank in a squadron of horse, or battalion of infantry. Any straight line which is formed by soldiers standing by the side of each other, is so called.
Doubler les RANGS, Fr. to form from rank entire, or to throw one rank into two, and thereby encrease the depth of any given number of men, by diminishing their front. Hence to double up, or diminish the front of any leading line.
Rang, Fr. the relative rank which is observed in military corps with regard to precedence, tour of duty, &c. In some instances rang et grade mean the same thing.
De RANG, Fr. abreast, side by side.
Paroitre sur les RANGS, Fr. to enter the list.
Etre sur les RANGS, to be numbered amongst any particular set of men.
Mettre au RANG, Fr., to class with, to associate.
Vaisseau du premier RANG, Fr. a first rate ship of war.
Vaisseau du second, ou troisième RANG, Fr. a second or third rate.
RANGER la côte, Fr. to sail along the coast.
Placer par RANG de taille, Fr. To size.
RANGE, in gunnery, the distance from the battery to the point where the shot or shell touches the ground.
Point blank RANGE, when the piece lies in a horizontal direction, and upon a level plane, without any elevation or depression, the shot is said to take a point blank range. See [Point Blank].
RANGEE, Fr. a series of things placed upon the same line.
RANGE, EE, Fr. the participle of Ranger, drawn out or placed in regular order.
Bataille RANGEE, Fr. a pitched or set battle, in which two armies are drawn up opposite to one another.
Ranger, Fr. to place in a certain line or order.
Rangez vous, Fr. a term in general use among the French when any number of persons are ordered to clear the way, by drawing up on one side or the other of a street or road.
RANGING, in war, disposing the troops in proper order for an engagement, manœuvres, or march, &c.
RANK. Range of subordination, degree of authority. The relative situations which officers hold with respect to each other, or to military things in general. Hence regimental rank, local rank, rank in the army, &c.
One of the egregious errors of the British military institutions is, that the officers belonging to the life guards are entitled to the rank of lieutenant colonel, when they obtain, or purchase a majority, provided they have been seven years. Their commissions in this case run major and lieutenant colonel. But if an officer should not have completed either of those periods, he obtains the rank of major only, until its completion. A lieutenant colonel receives the rank of full colonel if he has been seven years major, or twenty one years in the British service. Cornets in the life guards rank as sub-lieutenants in their own corps, and as first lieutenants in the army. The English fuzileers enjoy the same privilege. Sub-lieutenants in the Welsh fuzileers rank only as second lieutenants in the army. Marines do the same.
With respect to rank in general, the following are the rules of the British army, by which the relative rank of the officers of the regulars, militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, is to be determined.
Officers of the regular forces command the officers of equal degree, belonging to the other services; with the exception after mentioned.
Officers of the militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, rank together according to the dates of their respective commissions.
Notwithstanding this regulation, such officers of fencibles as have commissions dated on or before the 25th July, 1798, continue to rank with the officers of the regular forces of equal degree, according to the dates of their respective commissions: unless when acting in conjunction also with officers of the militia; in which case, if the commission of the fencible officer be of a junior date to that of a militia officer, of the same degree, the regular officer of equal rank, although his commission be of a junior date to that of the fencible officer, commands both.
It will further be observed, that all commands in the regular forces fall to the eldest officers in the same circumstances, whether of cavalry or infantry, entire or in parties. In case two commissions of the same date interfere, a retrospect is to be had to former commissions. Should it happen, as it possibly may, that the original commissions interfere, it must be decided by lot.
In page 49 of the Articles of War, it is laid down, that the eldest officer is to command when any troops of the horse guards, and the regiment of horse guards, shall do duty together; or when any of the life guards, horse or foot guards, shall do duty with any other corps. The regiments of life guards, doing duty unmixed, are to be considered as one corps; and the officers are to take rank according to the dates of their commissions. The same holds good with respect to the foot guards. Regular officers with whom militia officers take rank as youngest, command officers of equal degree in the fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, who are to rank together according to the dares of commissions.
To RANK with, to hold the same relative situation with regard to others. Thus post captains of three years standing in the royal navy rank with colonels in the army; and lieutenants in the guards rank with captains in the line or regulars. Officers in the militia rank generally with the regular forces as junior of their respective commissions. An ensign in the guards ranks no higher than an ensign in the regulars.
To RANK with, in a figurative sense, to be in equal estimation, to bear the same character for skill and valor, &c. viz. lord Nelson ranks with the bravest seaman that England, or any other country, has ever produced; Bonaparte with the greatest general in ancient or modern history; Washington with Cincinnatus; and Montgomery with Wolfe, Decatur with Desaix, or Lannes.
Brevet-RANK. Rank without pay, nominal distinction, which sometimes entitles the holder of it to command in mixed service.
Brigade majors rank with captains, provided they have that rank in the army, independent of their staff appointment. But aids-de-camp do not possess any rank in that capacity with regard to the army. The latter constitutes a part of the general’s family, and are paid out of his allowance; they are in fact the mere carriers of his orders in the field, and his domestic inmates at home, &c. The former belonging to the brigade, and are a necessary part of its effective force.
There is likewise a sort of brevet rank which exists in the several regiments belonging to the British service, and is confined to the rank and file, or corporals and private soldiers. Thus a lance serjeant is a corporal who does the duty of serjeant without the pay or emoluments of the latter; and a lance corporal is a private soldier who does the duty of corporal. So that lance, which comes from lansquenet, which signifies a private soldier, and is derived from the German, and when put before serjeant or corporal, points out that a private soldier has the brevet rank of one of those situations. Captains of companies appoint or reduce lance serjeants or corporals, according to their judgment.
Rank, and precedence in the army and navy, are as follow:
Engineers RANK. Chief, as colonel; director, as lieutenant colonel; sub-director, as major; engineer in ordinary, as captain; engineer extraordinary, as captain lieutenant; sub-engineer, as lieutenant; practitioner engineer, as ensign.
Navy RANK. Admiral, or commander in chief of the British fleet, has the rank of a field marshal; admirals, with their flags on the main top-mast head, rank with generals of horse and foot; vice-admirals, with lieutenant generals; rear-admirals, as major generals; commodores, with broad pendants, as brigadier generals; captains of post ships, after three years from the date of their first commission, as colonel; other captains, as commanding post ships, as lieutenant colonels; captains not taking post, as majors; lieutenants as captains.
The rank and precedence of sea officers in the classes abovementioned, are to take place according to the seniority of their respective commissions in the sea service. Post captains commanding ships or vessels that do not give post, rank only as majors during the time they command those vessels.
Nothing in this shall give any pretence to land officers to command any of his majesty’s squadrons; nor to any sea officer to command on shore; nor shall either have right to demand the military honors due to their respective ranks, unless upon actual service.
Rank, is a straight line made by the soldiers of a battalion, or squadron, drawn up side by side: this order was established for the marches, and for regulating the different bodies of troops and officers which compose an army.
Doubling of the RANKS, is the changing one rank to two, by telling off the files, one, two, one, two, &c. and by the word, even files to the rear double; this method is frequently used in the manœuvres of a regiment.
Rank and file, men carrying the firelock, and standing in the ranks, are called rank and file. Thus corporals are included in the return which is made under that head.
Ranks and files, are the horizontal and vertical lines of soldiers when drawn up for service, &c.
RAPE, Fr. a rasp, a file.
RAPIDES, Fr. Falls in a river are so called; as the falls in the rivers Ohio and St. Laurence, &c.
RAPIER, (Rapiére, Fr.) formerly signified a long, old fashioned broadsword, such as those worn by the Scotch regiments; but now is understood only to mean a small sword, in contradistinction to a broad sword.
RAPINE, Fr. Rapine, plunder,
RAPPORT, Fr. Report.
Rapport, Fr. in mathematics, a term frequently used among the French. It bears the same import as raison, and signifies the relation which two quantities have one with another. Thus the rapport or relation between twelve and six is the same as between six and three.
RAPPORTEUR, Fr. in geometry, an instrument made in the figure of a half-circle, and divided into one hundred and eighty degrees. We call it a protractor. It is used for the purpose of ascertaining the openings in angles, and to take plans upon paper.
RAREFACTION, the extension of the parts of a body, by which it is made to take up more room than it did before. It is essentially connected with gunnery; for in proportion to the rapid combustion and consequent rarefaction of air, produced by the ignition of gunpowder confined in the chamber of a gun, so will be the force of expulsion with which the charge is propelled.
RAS, Fr. Every barge and vessel, &c. which is without any deck or upward covering, is called by the French batiment ras.
RASANTE, Fr. See [Ligne Rasante].
| RASANT, | - | |
| RAZANT, |
in fortification, rasant flank, or line, is that part of the curtain or flank whence the shot projected raze or glance along the surface of the opposite bastion.
RASE, Fr. Pitch and tar mixed with tow for the purpose of caulking a ship.
RASLE, Fr. This word is used in some parts of France to signify rafter, and means the same as chevron.
RASALDAR, Ind. the commander of Rasallah, which is ten thousand horsemen armed.
RASSEMBLER, Fr. to collect together.
Rassembler des troups, Fr. to call troops or forces together.
Rassembler les debris d’une armée, Fr. to collect together the broken parts, or scattered remnants of an army. It is likewise used with the personal pronoun, viz. Tous les soldats dispersés se rassemblerent autour du drapeau. All the soldiers or troops that had been dispersed, gathered together round the standard or colors.
Rassembler les forces d’un cheval, to put a horse well upon his haunches.
RASSIS, Fr. Stale; as pain rassis, stale bread.
RASSURER, Fr. to restore confidence, to encourage, to invigorate. Quelques soldats commencionent à s’ébranler, quand l’exemple de leur capitaine les rassura. Some soldiers began to give way, when the example of their captain inspired them with fresh confidence.
RAT, Fr. literally means rat. It is used in a figurative sense, viz. Une arme à feu a pris un rat. A musquet has missed fire.
Rat. Fr. a sort of floating platform made of planks which are tied together upon two or three masts. It is used in caulking ships, &c.
RATAN, a cane used by serjeants of companies, in the British service in drilling the men, and with which, in other countries, the non-commissioned officers and privates, are beaten for slight offences; the Austrian discipline was thus conducted, till they have been beaten out of their manhood and self-respect. The Prussians abolished this barbarous custom after the battle of Jena.
RATELIER, Fr. a rack used in armories, &c. for the purpose of keeping firearms arranged in proper order.
RATER, Fr. to miss fire. Son pistolet a rate. His pistol has missed fire.
Rater likewise means, figuratively, to be unsuccessful in an application. Il a rate sa charge. He did not get the commission.
RATES of subsistence, See [Pay].
RATION, a certain allowance which is given in bread, &c. or forage when troops are on service, for an officer or soldier in the British service.
Complete Ration of the small species.
| Flour, or bread | 1 | ¹⁄₂ | lbs. |
| Beef | 1 | ||
| Or pork | ¹⁄₂ | ||
| Peas | ¹⁄₄ | pint. | |
| Butter, or cheese | 1 | oz. | |
| Rice | 1 | oz. |
When the small species are not issued, 1¹⁄₂ lbs. of flour or bread, with 1¹⁄₂ lbs. of beef, or 10 oz. of pork, forms a complete ration: or 3 lbs. of beef; or 2 lbs. of cheese; or half a pound of rice, forms a complete ration.
At sea the ration is different. The following table contains the allowance for six soldiers, or four seamen on board of ship, for each day in the week. Women are provisioned at a half and children at one fourth of a soldier’s allowance, but receive no rum.
| Days of the Week. | Bread. | Beer, gallons, or half pints of spirits, or pints of wine. | Beef, pieces of 8 lbs. | Pork, pieces 4 lb. | Pints of peas. | Do. oat- meal. | lbs. of butter. | lbs. of cheese. | Vinegar. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lb. | |||||||||
| Sunday, | 4 | 4 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 quart per week. |
| Monday, | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | |
| Tuesday, | 4 | 4 | 1 or 6lbs. of flour or ¹⁄₂lb. of suet and 1lb. of raisins. | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wednesday, | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | ||
| Thursday, | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | ||
| Friday, | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | 4 | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | ||
| Saturday, | 4 | 4 | 1 or as above. | — | — | — | — | — |
The above are served out by full weights and measures.
When flour, suet and raisins are put on board, they are to be served out in equal proportions with beef, viz. half in beef; the other half in flour, suet, and raisins, on each beef day.
4 lbs. of flour, or 3 lbs. of flour with ¹⁄₂ lb. of raisins, (or ¹⁄₄ lb. of currants) and ¹⁄₄ lb. of suet, are equal to 4 lbs. of beef, or 2 lbs. of pork with peas, but are not to be issued in lieu of the latter, except unavoidable, and then the quantities must be certified.
¹⁄₂ lb. of rice is equal to a pint of oatmeal; ¹⁄₂ lb. of sugar is equal to ¹⁄₂ lb. of butter; and 1 lb. of rice is equal to 1 lb. of cheese; 1 pint of oil is equal to 1 lb. of butter, or 2 lbs. of cheese, that is, a pint of oil for the proportion of butter and cheese.
A pint of wine, or half a pint of brandy, rum, or arrack, is equal to a gallon of beer; 1 lb. of fresh beef is equal to 1 lb. of salt beef; and 1¹⁄₂ lb. of fresh beef is equal to 1 lb. of pork.
No wine or spirits are to be issued to the troops while in port, nor at sea, till after all the beer is expended.
The masters of transports are to produce a certificate from the commanding officer of the troops on board, of the quantity expended. If any doubt be entertained of the provisions being full weight, a cask must be weighed in the presence of the commanding officer, the master, and the mate, and the master may upon the certificate of the commanding officer, and the oath of the mate, issue as much beef and pork as will make up the deficiency.
The weight of each must be as follows: 14 pieces of beef, cut for 8 pound pieces taken out of the cask as they rise, and the salt shaken off, are to weigh 112 lbs. avoirdupois. 28 pieces of pork cut for 4 lb. pieces, are also to weigh, under like circumstances, 112 lbs.
The deductions to be taken for provisions from the pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, or men, are the same for all ranks, and in all corps, under the like circumstances of service, when serving out of Great Britain, on stations where provisions are supplied by the public: also, when embarked in transports or other vessels, (except when serving as marines;) also when prisoners of war, are maintained at the expence of Great Britain; also when in general hospitals, whether at home or abroad, a deduction of sixpence per day.
A deduction of three-pence halfpenny from the pay of every non-commissioned officer and private in Jamaica, in New South Wales, or Gibraltar. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving as marines shall not be liable to any deduction from their full pay on account of provisions.
Ration for a horse on home service in 1796: 14 lbs. of hay, 10 lbs. of oats, 4 lbs. of straw; for which a stoppage is made of sixpence.
The French use the same term, viz. Ration de foin, a ration of hay. Double ration, double ration. Demi-ration, a half ration.
Ration d’un fantassin, Fr. the ration or allowance which is given to a foot soldier. During the French monarchy it consisted of twenty-four ounces of ammunition bread, one pint of wine or beer, Paris measure, one pound of beef, veal, or mutton.
Ration pour les troupes de la maison du roi, Fr. the ration for the household troops, during the French monarchy, consisted of two brown loaves of 22 ounces each, two pints of wine, or two pints of cyder or beer, Paris measure, and two pounds and a half of beef, veal, or mutton.
Ration de cavalrie, Fr. Each man belonging to the old French cavalry, received daily one ration, consisting of thirty-six French ounces of ammunition bread, one pint and a half of wine, cyder, or beer, Paris measure, and two pounds of beef, veal, or mutton.
Ration de dragons, Fr. the ration allowed to each dragoon in the old French service, consisted of twenty-four French ounces of ammunition bread, one pound and a half of meat, one pint of wine, Paris measure, or one pot of cyder or beer, ditto.
Ration de fourrage, Fr. A ration of forage in the old French service, consisted of one pound of hay, and one bushel of oats, Paris measure.
Rations des officiers du regiment des gardes Francoises, Fr. rations allowed in a regiment of French guards during the monarchy. These rations differed very considerably from those already stated. The particulars may be found in the third volume of the Dictionnaire Militaire, page 255.
RATISSOIRS, Fr. Graters used by the men employed in making saltpetre.
RAVAGES of War, the spoil, plunder, or waste, made by contending armies in the theatre of war.
RAVELIN, Fr. See [Fortification].
RAVELINS, in fortification, are works raised on the counterscarp before the curtain of the place, and serve to cover the gates of a town, and the bridges. They consist of two faces, forming a saliant angle, and are defended by the faces of the neighboring bastions. They are the most in use of all out-works, and are by the soldiers most commonly called half moons, or demi-lunes. They should be lower than the works of the place, that they may be under the fire of the besieged. Their parapets, as those of all other out-works, should be cannon proof; that is, about 18 feet thick.
RAVINE, in field fortification, a deep hollow, usually formed by a great flood, or long continued running of water; frequently turned to advantage in the field.
RAVITAILLER une place, Fr. To throw stores, ammunition, and provisions into a fortified place.
RAY See [Array].
RAYE, Fr. rifled.
Canon RAYE, Fr. rifle barrel.
RAYON, Fr. in geometry, Radius.
RAW, in a military sense, unseasoned, unripe in skill, wanting knowlege in military tactics, &c.
Raw troops, unexperienced soldiers; men who have been little accustomed to the use of arms. This term is generally used in opposition to veteran troops. A cool and wise general will always know how to make the most of that part of his army which is composed of raw troops; and a rash intemperate one will equally miss the proper application of the spirit and manhood, which ignorance of danger, and confidence of success, almost always give. Some of the most brilliant actions, and some of the greatest victories have been achieved and won by means of that daring impetuosity, which hurries raw troops into the thickest of an enemy. A thousand instances might be adduced from ancient and modern history, to prove the correctness of this remark. It may, perhaps, be sufficient for our purpose, to refer the curious reader to the bold and unexampled charge which was made against the French troops in Germany, by Elliot’s new raised light horse in the seven years war. The laurels of Emsdorff, are still the glory of the 15th regiment of dragoons. The battle of Jemappe and Fleurus, were won by raw troops; but they had officers who knew how to lead them. Bunker’s hill battle was fought by raw troops, as was that of Germantown; bad generalship alone lost the advantage to the American troops at Germantown.
RAZED, any works or fortifications when demolished, are said to be razed.
READY, a word of command in platoon firing, being a contraction of make ready. See [Manual].
| REALE, | - | |
| Galére Reale, |
Fr. The largest or principal galley used in Catholic countries, is so called. The first galley belonging to the pope is called Réale, because it takes precedence of all vessels, in the service of the different Roman Catholic powers.
REAR, in a general acceptation, any thing situated or placed behind another. The term is variously used in military matters, viz.
Rear of an army, signifies in general the hindermost part of an army, battalion, regiment, squadron, or company, &c. Generally the third component part of a large body of forces, which consists of an advanced guard, a main body, and a rear guard.
Rear guard. A certain proportion of an army or regiment, which acts, in various capacities, according to circumstances, and the extent of military operations. The rear guard of an army is often the reserve, &c. The rear guard of a regiment is usually appointed for the purpose of picking up stragglers, &c. The old grand guards of the camp, always form the rear guard of the army, and are to see that every thing comes safe to the new camp. See [Guard].
Forming to the Rear. An alignment may be formed to the rear of any given battalion or platoon; either by posting guides, or moving a battalion to the required position; each battalion or platoon to be then marched to its relative place in the original line. So columns may be formed upon a given section or platoon marched or pivoted in a required position.
Rear line, of an army encamped, is usually 1200 feet at least from the centre line; both of which run parallel to the front line, as also the reserve.
Rear rank. When a regiment, troop, or company is drawn up two or three deep, the last line of men is called the rear rank.
Rear ranks, all the ranks of a line, regiment, troop, or company, which are ranged in order behind the front rank.
Rear rank, take open order. A word of command which is given in the manual and other parade exercises. It is likewise used in marching by the general at a review, or on guard mounting, &c. See [Open order].
Rear half files, are the three hindermost ranks of the battalion, when it is drawn up six deep.
Rear front. When a battalion, troop, or company is faced about, and stands in that position, it is then said to be rear front. It sometimes happens, that through oversight, forgetfulness, or ignorance, and confusion, troops are so clubbed, that, on the deployment of a column, the different troops and companies not only lose their stations in the line of original formation, but the rear rank men stand where the front rank men ought to be; in the latter case, they appear rear front. This error might be easily remedied, by counter-marching the several troops or companies.
Rear rank lengthening out a line. Although a single battalion may, by opening its companies and files, from 3 deep form 2 deep, by introducing its rear rank into the other two, yet a considerable line posted, which is to be lengthened out to one or both flanks by its rear rank, must, to greater advantage, perform such operation, by each company quarter wheeling the sub-divisions of its rear rank and facing to the hand they are to march to; the last rank of each company closes up to its first; the sub-divisions, of each battalion, move up to open distances from their respective head ones, and from each other; officers from the rear are appointed to command them; those of each or of every two battalions, being considered as a battalion, they march on in column, and prolong the line. By this mode of lengthening out the line, the two front ranks remain undisturbed, and they protect the movement which is made unseen behind them.
REARWARD, the last troop or company.
RUBEEWAR, Ind. Sunday.
REBEL, any one guilty of rebellion.
REBELLION, a traitorous taking up of arms against the liberties of a people, or the established constitution of government and laws.
REBOUND, the act of flying back in consequence of motion impressed and resisted by a greater power.
To RECEIVE, in a military sense, to wait the approach of a friend or foe.
To RECEIVE an enemy. To make the best disposition possible of your troops, for the purpose of meeting the attack of an enemy that is advancing against you.
To RECEIVE a general or reviewing officer. To be drawn up according to specific regulations which are laid down, for the purpose of paying the compliments that are due to the rank of a superior, or commanding officer.
RECEPTION d’un officier dans un corps, Fr. A ceremony which was performed in the old French service, when an officer first joined. This was done by beat of drum in front of the company. The officer, being dressed, accoutred, and armed according to regulation, faced towards his men, and as soon as the drums had ceased, took off his hat to his commanding officer, who did the same to him, and then addressed the company in the following terms:
De par le roi, soldats, vous reconnoîtrez M. .... pour votre capitaine, ou pour lieutenant, de la campagnie, et vous lui obéirez en tout ce qu’il vous ordonnera pour le service du roi en cette qualité.
From the king! or pursuant to the king’s will. Soldiers, you will acknowlege M. ...... to be captain, or lieutenant, of the company, and you will obey whatever orders or commands he may issue, in that capacity, for the good of the king’s service.
When a colonel or major was received at the head of a corps, the word soldats, soldiers, was altered into messieurs, gentlemen; the latter term including both officers and men. On this occasion, the corps of captains and subalterns formed a circle; round them stood the serjeants drawn up in the same manner, and beyond the serjeants, the drummers, &c. The different circles being concentrical to each other. The field officer, who was to be admitted or to take command, stood in the centre of the whole, surrounded by the principal officers of the regiment.
RECETTE, Fr. a trough, which persons employed in preparing saltpetre, &c. place beneath tubes filled with broken rubbish, ashes, &c., for the purpose of receiving the liquid that is filtered through.
RECHARGE, a renewal of the charge or attack.
RECHAUD, Fr. a chaffing dish, or pan used for various purposes, particularly during a siege. They are filled with burning materials and hung in different parts of the walls, so as to throw light into the ditches, and to prevent surprizes.
RECHUTE, Fr. literally means a second fall; but in fortification it signifies a greater elevation of the rampart in those spots where it is likely to be commanded.
RECIPIANGLE, Fr. recipient angle. A geometrical instrument, which is much used among the French, for taking the quantities of angles, especially in drawing plans of fortification. It consists of two moveable rules, made in the shape of a square rule. The centre of one of its hands is marked by a semi-circle, which is divided into 180 degrees.
RECIPIENDAIRE, Fr. One who offers himself for any office or appointment.
RECOIL, (recul, Fr.) a falling back. The retrograde motion made by any piece of firearms on being discharged, which is a consequence of the rarefied air pressing on all sides, in order to expand itself with freedom. This term is generally applicable to firearms, especially to pieces of ordnance, which are always subject to a recoil, according to the sizes and the charge they contain, &c. Guns whose vents are a little forward in the chase, recoil most. To lessen the recoil of a gun the platforms are generally made sloping towards the embrasures of the battery.
To RECOIL, reculer, Fr. To fall back, to run back in consequence of resistance or repercussion.
Recoil of Field Guns on travelling carriages, upon Elm Planks.
| Kind. | Charge. | 1 shot, at 1° 30′ Elevation. | 2 shot, at 1° 30′ Elevation. | Case shot, at 3° 45′ Elevation. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lbs. | oz. | Feet. | Feet. | Feet. | ||
| 12 Pr. Medium | 4 | — | 12 | 25 | 8 | ¹⁄₂ |
| 6 Pr. Heavy | 2 | — | 7 | 11 | 7 | ¹⁄₂ |
| 6 Pr. Light | 1 | 8 | 12 | 21 | 10 | |
| 3 Pr. Heavy | 1 | — | 7 | 5 | 3 | ¹⁄₂ |
Recoil of Sea Service, Iron Guns, on Ship Carriages, upon a horizontal platform.
| Charges of powder and shot. | Eleva- tion. | 32 pr. | 24 pr. | 18 pr. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| deg. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | |
| ¹⁄₃ of powder and 1 shot | 2 | 11 | — | 11 | — | 10 | 6 |
| ¹⁄₃ of powder and 2 shot | 4 | 19 | 6 | 18 | 6 | 18 | — |
| ¹⁄₄ of powder and 2 shot | 7 | 11 | — | 12 | 6 | 12 | — |
Recoil of Land Service, Iron Mortars, on Iron beds.
| Ft. | In. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Inch, | with a charge of | 6 lbs. —— | 4 | 2 | ¹⁄₂ |
| 10 Inch, | 3 lbs. —— | 2 | 10 | ||
| 8 Inch, | 1 lb. 9 oz. | 3 | 10 | ||
RECOLLECTION. A mode of thinking, whereby those ideas sought after by the mind, are brought again to view. A retentive memory, and a cool collected presence of mind, are necessary qualities in every good officer; and military men should often exercise the faculty of thinking, in order to become instantly familiar with what they have formerly studied and occasionally practised. For memory, like every thing else, acquires strength, and is increased by cultivation. Memoria, ut in cæteris rebus, colendo augetur.
Necessary RECOLLECTIONS for the exercise of a battalion.
It appears, that the front of any division or body is, in ordinary paces of 24 inches, nearly ³⁄₄ths of the number of files of which it is composed. That the circumference of the quarter circle which it describes, is equal in number of paces to the same as the number of files of which it is composed, counting the paces of the centre man of the front rank at 24 inches, allowing 6 inches in addition to the military pace of 24 inches. That the number of files being once ascertained in each division, the officer commanding it must, on all occasions, recollect the number of paces that are equal to his front, by finding the centre man of the front rank.
The field officers and adjutants must always recollect the number of paces the front of the battalion and its divisions occupy, in order to take up ground exactly in all formations; and this is done by counting the number of men from one flank to the centre, which gives the number of military paces.
To RECOMMEND. When a young gentleman wishes to enter into the army, his first object is to get well recommended for that purpose. There is no regulation to determine fitness, and on this account a great many are appointed who are afterwards found unfit.
RECOMMENDATION, in a military sense, is a letter from some influential character, member of congress, or other citizen, stating an individual to be properly qualified for a situation in the army.
RECOMPENSES militaires, Fr. See [Military Rewards].
RECONNOITRE, Fr. To reconnoitre.
Reconnoitre une place, Fr. To reconnoitre a fortified town or place.
RECONNOITRE, in military affairs, implies to view and examine the state of things, in order to make a report thereof.
Parties ordered to reconnoitre, are to observe the country and the enemy; to remark the routes, conveniences, and inconveniences of the first; the position, march, or forces of the second. In either case, they should have an expert topographer, capable of taking plans readily: he should be the best mounted of the whole, that in case the enemy happen to scatter the escort, he may save his works and ideas.
All parties that go for reconnoitring only, should be but few in number. I would never chuse more than twelve or twenty men. An officer, be his rank what it will, cannot decline going with so few under his command: the honor is amply made up by the importance of the expedition, frequently of the most interesting consequence, and the properest to recommend the prudence, bravery, and address of an officer that has the fortune to succeed.
It is previously necessary that the officer ordered on this duty should be well acquainted with the country, the roads, and the distance of the enemy. His party must consist of men of approved fidelity, part of whom should be disguised. This detachment must march off in the night. The men must have strict orders neither to smoke tobacco, make a noise, nor speak. The officer must be provided with two guides, who are to be strictly interrogated, but are to remain ignorant of the route you intend to take. A detachment of this kind should be furnished with subsistence for two or three days. The horses are to be fed every ten or twelve miles, for it is absolutely necessary that they should be always fresh and fit for duty. The officer will take care never to halt, but at a distance from any road, and also take every precaution to prevent his being surprised, whilst his horses are feeding, &c.
Reconnoitring. The following necessary observations to be made in examining a country in a military point of view, are principally translated from the Aide Memoire, but improved by some judicious remarks from Mr. Landman’s introduction to reconnoitring.
Before an officer sets out to reconoitre a country, he should trace out from the best map he can procure, its principal features, which will serve him as a guide in his progress through the principal parts which are to be the subject of his observations, and enable him to connect the whole into one grand plan.
His observations should be expressed by written remarks, and by sketches. For this purpose he must be provided with a sketch book, on the right hand page of which, he may express the appearance of the country by sketches, and on the left the remarks made on particular parts, with the names of the towns, their distances asunder, &c. with proper references to the sketches. The scale most proper for this purpose is 2 inches to a mile; if therefore, the sketch book be made 6 inches wide, and the leaves divided by lines into three equal parts, each division will be one mile, which will be a sufficient scale for the purpose.
1st. Roads. The principal points to be attended to in examining roads for military purposes, are, their direction; the villages, countries, and rivers, which they pass through; the roads which cross them; their names and the seasons in which they are in best condition; and if ever impassable; their breadth, whether variable or constant; their bottoms, of what principally formed; their ascents and descents, whether practicable for all kinds of carriages. The enclosures may be hedges, ditches, walls, or fences. If the roads require repair for the transport of artillery and other heavy carriages, observe if the necessary materials are at hand. If they pass over rivers, remark whether by bridges or fords; if through marshes, whether by causeways or otherwise. If 2 or more roads pursuing the same route, and by which different columns may march, at any part join or cross each other, it will be necessary to observe, whether the march of the columns will be thereby impeded. If they only cross each other, it will be sometimes possible in hollow ways, to throw a temporary bridge across the deepest, by which one column may pass over and the other under the bridge, without interrupting each others march.
2. Fords. A ford for cavalry ought not to be deeper than four feet; for infantry not more than three feet. Observe the banks of the ford at each side; their form, steepness, and height; their situation as to the turnings of the river. Their bottom, whether passable for carriages. Observe marks by which the ford may be readily found; points from which it may be protected. Notice the rapidity of the water; whether its height be variable; its direction, its breadth, and the means by which the ford may be destroyed or rendered impassable.
3. Inundations. Learn the manner of working the sluices; the time in which the inundation may be effected; its extent and depth. Observe how the dam may be protected; its height and solidity; whether it can be easily raised, or easily destroyed; whether it is commanded by distant positions, and whether the inundation can be otherwise drained. Notice the adjacent country.
4. Springs and wells. Attend to the quality and quantity of the water; whether it will serve for the cavalry, as well as infantry, and the manner of its being drawn. Observe the situation of the spring, and of its source, whether it can be protected, and the enemy prevented from cutting it off.
5. Lakes, marshes, and swamps. Learn their cause; if arising from a moist soil, the overflowing of rivers or from springs. Observe their situation, and the appearance of the surrounding country; the best means of crossing them. If they are divided by causeways, notice their breadth and condition; it not, remark if causeways can be easily established, and whether the swamp can be drained, and whether it is passable at any season of the year. Observe the points from which the causeways can be defended against the passage of an enemy’s column. Learn whether or not the swamps are subject to fogs; and at what seasons they are most hurtful.
6. Of woods and forests. Remark their extent; their situation; their thickness; whether the trees are lofty or low: whether there is much underwood. Observe if the different clumps form openings or passes; and their extent; whether their sides are formed of thick wood or brush; whether their breadth is uniform, or widens at particular parts. Remark whether the ground of the forest be level or hilly, swampy or dry. Observe the nature and condition of the roads (for remarks to be made on these, see the article [roads];) observe also the means the forest affords of intrenching; of making fascines, abbatis, &c. Attend to the face of the country round the forests, whether cultivated fields or meadows: whether it affords positions; is intersected by rivulets, swamps or ravines.
Remark the castles, villages, towns, &c. in the neighborhood; and their distances from the skirts of the wood.
Go round the wood and examine its principal debouches; observe the ravines, rivulets, roads, &c. issuing from it, and learn their direction.
7. Heaths. Notice for what nature of troops they are best calculated. The nature of hedges and brush wood; some form a good breast work. Observe the directions of the rivulets, roads, and ravines. When the ground of a heath is of the common color, the roads are usually good: but when it is blackish and mixed with white sand, the roads are generally impassable in winter seasons.
8. Canals. For this article see also the observations on [rivers]. Observe their intention; the nature of the soil in which they are dug, their breadth and depth; their locks; the craft found upon them; the best means of protecting or destroying them: learn the countries they pass through.
9. Rivers. Learn in what country they arise, and where empty themselves; the nature of the countries they run through, and whether they belong to us or the enemy. Learn the extent to which they are navigable; and if they ever freeze over, whether strong enough to bear troops and carriages. Notice the quality of the water, its course, currents, depths, and breadths. The banks and the beds of the rivers. Observe the nature and number of craft that navigate them; and the mills upon their banks, whether of wind or water. Visit the bridges and fords; and make the proper remarks on their nature and situation. Learn whether the rivers ever overflow their banks, and at what seasons; and whether or not this causes inundations. Observe the most favorable points for crossing, and the roads leading to these points. The turnings and windings of the rivers, the form of their peninsulas; and the most favorable situations for throwing over bridges. If there are any wharves on the banks, observe what craft can lie along side of them.
If there are islands in the rivers, note their size, their banks; whether inhabited, cultivated, woody, or barren; and whether they command the channel.
Observe the mountains and high grounds near the rivers; remark their distance from the banks, and the advantages, or disadvantages which they offer. Learn what branches or confluence of other rivers there are either above or below, the best situations for crossing. Examine the positions which the adjoining country affords an army to protect the passage of the river; and whether in a perpendicular or parallel direction; and the routes by which three or four columns may arrive at the place.
10. Passes. Observe their breadth, their length, and their situation; the nature of the adjacent country; the best positions to occupy to cover a retreat; or to dispute the pass. How the troops would be best arranged; and the number that would be required for this purpose.
11. Ravines, vallies. Observe the nature of the soil; whether rocky, or of loose flints. If the sides are rugged and steep, whether they can be easily scarped off. The points that command them: whether storms or floods are to be apprehended; and at what seasons most expected.
12. Cultivated lands. Notice their state of cultivation: their productions; their time of harvest. Learn what quantity of wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize, or other grain they produce, over and above the necessary subsistence of the inhabitants. How much grain or hay they yield per acre.
13. Orchards. Observe whether they are thick planted and afford a good cover; their enclosures, whether wood fences, hedges, ditches, walls, &c.
14. Bridges. Remark their situation; their length and breadth; the materials of which they are built; their strength, whether sufficient to bear artillery; the roads leading to them; their situation, as to the turnings of the river: their purpose; if to connect towns and villages, the nature, direction, and breadth of the streets leading to them. Observe the country around, whether flat or commanding: study the best means of fortifying the bridge head; and observe the best and most expeditious mode by which the bridge may be destroyed, if necessary.
15. Mountains, hills. Amongst high mountains, such as the Alps, roads are very rare; it is seldom more than the vallies that are inhabited and accessible for troops; observe their slopes, if steep or rugged. Examine the positions: means of gaining the summits: and note the state of cultivation and general appearance of the vallies; the pasturage, forage, cottages, villages, castles, roads, paths, and passes. Distinguish the principal chains of hills and their direction. Their relative heights; whether they are sufficiently extensive to form a line of defence; their communications; their strong points; positions proper for batteries, &c. Whether practicable for cavalry and artillery.
16. Coasts. Their nature; whether bordered by sand hills; surrounded by rocks, which render their approach dangerous; or by shoals, which make their access impracticable; note the points and headlands proper for the forts and batteries to defend the anchorage, ports, harbors, or other accessible parts. If there are any adjacent isles, perhaps they will serve for the erection of advanced batteries, to form a barrier to the efforts of an enemy. Observe the nature of the shores, bays, roads for shipping, &c. with the winds required to go in and out the harbors; and whether they are of easy access; their advantages and disadvantages, their size and depth of water. If a river empties itself on the coast, observe the particular channel for shipping, and whether it can be defended by any of the batteries. If the coast is already fortified, observe all the batteries, forts, or intrenchments, established for its defence, and the protection of the anchorage, &c. Examine the camps and other military posts, which cover the principal points, and the interior of the country. Estimate all the dangers to be run, and all the obstacles to be overcome in a descent, and point out the means of augmenting them. Observe the time of the tide most favorable for approaching the coast. Ascertain the number of artillery and other troops constantly on the coast, and the force that can be collected at a short notice; and how soon they can be drawn to any particular point attacked. Examine the system of defence adopted, and endeavor to improve it.
17. Forts, redoubts. Remark their form, whether ancient or modern; whether they are permanent or temporary; elevated or low; revetted or demi-revetted, with stone, brick or turf. Whether the ditch is wet or dry; fraized or palisaded; natural or artificial. Observe their situation; the face of the adjacent country; whether they effectually command the passes, or protect the country intended. The defence they are capable of making in their present state, and the improvements of which they are susceptible.
18. Castles, citadels. Their situation; their form; their extent; their object; the protection they give the city; their connection and communication with it. The present state of their defence, and the improvements of which they are susceptible. Their [Souterraines].
19. Villages. Observe their situation: ascertain the number of families they contain; the nature of the land; the quality and quantity of their crops: their markets; the suburbs that supply these markets; their beasts of burthen: their flocks, herds, poultry, &c. The number of their ovens; quality of the water; stile of houses, barns, stables, and sheep walks. The situation of the church; the nature of the church yard, and its inclosures. The wind and water mills. Observe whether the village is surrounded by hedges, ditches, banks, or walls; whether it can be easily intrenched. Its streets; roads leading to it; and the face of the surrounding country.
20. Cities not fortified. Their situation; population; commerce; commodities; manufactures; the succors that may be drawn from them, as to men, horses, &c. Their squares and principal buildings. The defence they are susceptible of; whether they are surrounded by walls, old towers, ditches, &c. Their gates, and the roads leading to them. The face of the surrounding country.
21. Fortified towns. Their situation with respect to their position, and with respect to other towns in the neighborhood, whether in the first or second line; the assistance which they can afford each other. The succors that may be drawn from them, or that may be thrown into them in case of a siege. The direction which such relief, whether of men or provisions, ought to take, according to the side attacked; whether they will serve as depots or hospitals. The state of the fortifications (see the word [fortification] in the alphabet;) their nature; the strength of each front. The rivers in the neighborhood; the surrounding country within the range of the guns. The form of investment; what lines will be required considering the nature of the country, and the positions; and the means the country affords of executing them. The advantages which the ground would afford between the glacis and the lines, either to the besiegers or besieged; the means of establishing the most certain communications between the different quarters of the army, and the means of cutting them off.
22. Positions. Every military position ought to possess decided advantages of situation, and ought to be commanded in no part of its front, flank, or rear. All commanding grounds ought to be without the range of cannon. There are four principal objects to be attended to in the choice of a position: 1st. The advantages of the ground; 2d. the ground; 3d. the objects to be attained; and, 4th. the communications with the rear. The front of a position should be intersected by rivers, ravines, or broken ground, or any other obstacles which can prevent the enemy advancing in order of battle, and oblige him to pass through defiles; but a position becomes useless when the front is so covered by obstacles that the army cannot advance or move out of its camp when necessary; but no obstacles can be too great on the flanks. All obstacles which cover a position, or passes which lead to it, must be within the range of the artillery, or the enemy will pass them unmolested. In a flat country, where the ground does not afford commanding situations, a position is only more or less eligible, as being covered or protected by obstacles; these are very thick woods, in which there are very few roads; large rivulets which cannot be forded or passed without bridges; narrow roads; deep and broken ravines; ground much intersected with hedges, ditches, &c. but it is essential that all these obstacles should be under the fire of the artillery. It is always dangerous to occupy a position, which has its rear so covered by swamps, crossed by rivers or ravines, &c. as to render the retreat of the army difficult. The number of passes by which an army can retire must be examined and secured, and should never be less than 5 or 6. The rivers, brooks, &c. in front of a position, should never be depended upon for a supply of water, as the enemy may cut them off. The ground for a camp should not be too much intersected by hedges, ditches, or ravines, which occasion great intervals in the line, and obstruct the communications through the camp.
In an offensive position it is absolutely necessary that the army should not be too much confined by obstacles, but be at liberty to act in every direction; but in a defensive position, the fewer accessible points there are the better: and if the natural difficulties in front and flank are not sufficient to render an enemy’s attack dangerous, they must be increased by redoubts, intrenchments, abbatis, inundations, &c. The obstacles on the flanks, should also be of such extent that they cannot be easily turned, without the enemy makes a very great circuit; and consequently expose his own flank, and weakens his line of communication. In case the enemy detaches a body to attack a defensive position in the rear; the front must be sufficiently strong to enable the general to oppose the enemy’s detachment, by a strong body from his own army. In short, the enemy must not be able by any manœuvre to force the army to quit its position. The want of wood or water, or other supplies absolutely necessary for an army, renders every other advantage of a position useless; nor, can a position be long tenable, that is far removed from its depots; and has not its intermediate posts perfectly secure from the attacks of an enemy. These principles like all others in the ordinary affairs of war, are subject to those exceptions which the creative genius of the general may devise. Thus the first campaign of Bonaparte in Italy, was undertaken by an inferior force without magazines; the general determination was to seize those of the enemy; the same took place in the campaign in 1809, the force hastily collected had no magazines, but by the first battle he penetrated the centre, and cut off two of the corps of the Austrians, and took magazines adequate to six months subsistence from the Austrians. The general principles are nevertheless to be constantly regarded. For further remarks upon positions, see [Artillery in the Field], and Amer. Mil. Lib. Article Reconnoitring.
To RECOVER arms, a position of the firelock when the piece is held with the lock in front of the left shoulder, and the sling to the front. The steadiness of soldiers is frequently proved by bringing them to the recover, after the word take aim.
To bring to the RECOVER. See [Recover Arms].
RECRUITS, (Recrues, Fr.) men raised for military purposes on the first formation of corps, or to supply the places of such as are disabled, or have lost their lives in the service. For particulars respecting the enlistment of recruits, see [Regulations].
RECRUITING, a term prefixed to certain corps and districts, which are specifically established for the recruiting service. Hence recruiting districts.
All recruits made for the regular army of the U. States, are inlisted for five years. In almost every service in Europe men are enlisted for a certain number of years, except the British, who inlist for life. Experience has convinced the powers upon the continent of Europe, that the system of binding a man during the whole course of his life to military subjection, is contrary to every sound principle of œconomy, and effective service.
The following are the established forms and instructions for the recruiting service, established by the United States.
Instructions to Recruiting Officers, respecting the rendering and settlement of their accounts of bounties and premiums for recruits.
I. Every recruit shall be inlisted, and receive the first payment of his bounty according to the [form] marked (A.)
II. Every officer employed in recruiting, shall, at the expiration of each calendar month, make musters according to the [form] marked (B.) embracing all the recruits inlisted by him; one set of which muster rolls he is regularly to transmit to the office of the paymaster of the army of the United States, at the seat of government.
III. Every officer on quitting the recruiting service, or before, if it is by proper authority required of him, shall state his accounts according to the [form] marked (C.) (D.) and transmit the same without delay to the office of the paymaster of the army of the United States, at the seat of government, or to the paymaster of the district in which he held his rendezvous; who shall with all possible dispatch examine and adjust them.
(A.)
STATE
I born in aged years, feet inches high, of complexion, eyes, hair, and by profession a do hereby acknowlege to have this day voluntarily inlisted as a soldier in the army of the United States of America, for the period of five years unless sooner discharged by proper authority; do also agree to accept such bounty, pay, rations, and clothing as is, or may be established by law. And I do solemnly swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against their enemies or opposers whomsoever; and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles of war.
Sworn and subscribed to, at this day of 18 before
Received of of the United States army, this day of 18 dollars, in part of my bounty for inlisting into the army of the United States for five years.
Signed duplicate receipts.
DOLLS. 100
Witness,
(B.)
| MUSTER ROLL of a Company of under the command of in the of the United States, commanded by from when last mustered, to | ||||||
| No. | NAMES. | Rank. | Dates of appointment or inlistm’t. | To what time engaged or inlisted. | NAMES Present. | Remarks and alterations since the last Muster. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RECAPITULATION.
| Cap- tain. | Lieu- tenants. | En- signs. | Ser- jeants. | Corpo- rals. | Musi- cians. | Pri- vates. | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present fit for duty, | ||||||||
| Sick present, | ||||||||
| Sick absent, | ||||||||
| On detachment, | ||||||||
| On command, | ||||||||
| On extra service, | ||||||||
| On furlough, | ||||||||
| In confinement, | ||||||||
| Missing, | ||||||||
| Deserted, | ||||||||
| Dead, |
[This recapitulation goes on the back of the Return, and should properly appear on the head of the quarter-fold.]
(C.)
RECRUITING ACCOUNT of in the
| Number of vouchers. | Names of recruits (arranged in alphabetical order.) | Dates of inlistment. | Periods of inlistment. | Bounty allowed. | Bounty paid. | Balances of bounty. | Premium allowed. | Bounty paid, and premium allowed. | When, and in what company or detachment these recruits were first mustered present after their inlistment. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dolls. | dolls. | cts. | dolls. | cts. | dolls. | dolls. | cts. | Remarks, &c. | ||||
☞ The paper (D.) next page, is usually prepared or printed on the back of (C.)
(D.)
| Dr. | The United States in Account Current (for bounties and premiums) with | Cr. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date. | Dolls. | Cts. | Date. | Dolls. | Cts. | ||
| For bounties and premiums allowed for recruits, per within account, | By | ||||||
| For cash received of him on account of bounties and premiums to recruits, | |||||||
| For advances made to the following officers, on account of bounties and premiums to recruits,for which advances the said officers are accountable, viz. | |||||||
| To per receipt No. | |||||||
I do hereby certify, upon my word and honor, as an officer and a gentleman, that this recruiting account exhibits a faithful, accurate, and true statement of all monies received and paid away by me, on account of bounties and premiums to recruits, not heretofore accounted for; and that the balance of dollars, cents, stated in the above account current, is due from to
Given at in the state of this day of 18
Recruit-horses, are the horses brought up for completing the regiments of horse, and dragoons, &c.
RECTANGLE, Fr. rectangle.
| RECTANGLE, | - | |
| RECTANGULAR, |
See [Angle].
RECTILIGNE, Fr. rectilinear, or right lined.
| RECTILINEAR, | - | |
| RECTILINEOUS, |
after the manner, or consisting of right lines.
RECUIT, Fr. A term used its the French foundaries of artillery, signifying the annealing or hardening of a cannon-mould.
RECUL du canon, Fr. The recoil of a piece of ordnance. See [Recoil].
RECULADE, Fr. The act of recoiling or falling back.
RECULER, Fr. To fall back. This expression is used by the French in a figurative sense, viz.
Reculer pour mieux sauter, Fr. To fall back or retreat, in order to return and advance with more energy.
RED hot shot, shot made red hot, and in that state thrown out of cannon, against the vessels or magazines of an enemy.
REDCOAT, a familiar term for a British soldier.
REDANS, in field fortification, are a kind of indented works, lines, or faces, forming sallying and re-entering angles, flanking one another; generally constructed on the sides of a river which runs through a garrison town. They were used before bastions were invented, and are by some thought preferable to them. They are likewise called Ouvrages à scie, from their resemblance to a saw.
REDDITION d’une place, Fr. The surrender of a besieged place.
REDIGER, Fr. To draw out.
Rediger des memoires, Fr. To draw out memorials.
REDINTEGRATION, the act of restoring any single substance, from a damaged mixed body, to its former nature and properties. Thus col. Congreve, of the British artillery, by the redintegration of nitre from damaged gunpowder, has effected a vast saving in that article.
REDOUBT, (Redoute, Fr.) in fortification, a square work raised without the glacis of the place, about musquet shot from the town; having loop-holes for the small arms to fire through, and surrounded by a ditch. Sometimes they are of earth, having only a defence in front, surrounded by a parapet and ditch. Both the one and the other serve for detached guards to interrupt the enemy’s works; and are sometimes made on the angles of the trenches for covering the workmen against the sallies of the garrison. The length of their sides may be about 20 toises; their parapets must have two or three banquettes, and be about nine or ten feet thick. They are sometimes (in a siege) called places of arms.
Redoubt, is also the name of a small work made in a ravelin, of various forms. See [Fortification].
Redoubt, castle or donjon, a place more particularly intrenched, and separated from the rest of a ditch. There is generally in each of them a high position, from whence the country round the place may be discovered.
Detached REDOUBT, is a work made at some distance from the covert-way, much in the same manner as a ravelin with flanks. See [Arrow].
Redoubts en cremaillere, differ from all the rest, because the inside line of the parapet is broken in such a manner as to resemble steps of stairs, or teeth of a saw; whereby this advantage is gained, that a greater fire can be brought to bear upon the defile, than if only a simple face was opposed to it, and consequently the passage is rendered more difficult.
REDOUTER, Fr. To be alarmed at. Redouter les armes d’un ennemi, to be alarmed at the strength of an enemy.
REDOUTES de terre, Fr. redoubts that are hastily thrown up, and are made with earth, for the purpose of securing entrenchments, circumvallations, passages of rivers, &c.
Redoutes de maconnerie, Fr. redoubts made of mason work. These are generally constructed in places where an enemy might derive advantage from establishing himself; they are likewise built upon the saliant angles of the glacis.
Redoutes casematées, Fr. Casemated redoubts. These are arched over and are bomb proof. Those constructed for the defence of Gibraltar, and for the security of Dover Castle, are of this description.
Redoutes à machicoulis, Fr. redoubts made of stone work, which are several stories high. The highest story juts out about one foot beyond the wall that surrounds or fronts the redoubt.
REDRESSER, Fr. in a military sense, to recover. To make straight again, viz.
Redressez vos armes, recover arms. Redressez la ligne, redress the line.
To REDRILL. To drill again. To put a soldier through the first elements of military training. Every soldier on his return from furlough, should be redrilled before he is permitted to act in the ranks of his company.
To REDUCE a place, is to oblige the governor to surrender it to the besiegers, by capitulation.
To REDUCE the circle. To restore or bring back a battalion or company, which has been formed in circle, to its original position in line.
To REDUCE the square. To restore or bring back a battalion or battalions, which have been formed in a hollow or oblong square, to their original situation in line or column. On the word form close column, the front which the column is to have is noted to stand still by its proper officer, whether it be flank or centre; the other portions of the line are faced towards the point of formation; and then quarter faced or wheeled to front or rear; as the columns is to be formed. The column upon the centre, is the best and most effective of all the formations for columns of attack.
To be REDUCED, in a military sense, to be taken off the establishment, to cease to receive pay as soldiers. When a regiment is reduced, the officers are generally put upon half pay. Sometimes the corps are reduced, and the officers remain upon full pay. This happens at the close of a war, when the standing army of the country is confined to a certain number of battalions. Hence is derived the expression, in and out of the break. In the break, is the liability of being reduced; out of the break, is the certainty of being kept upon the establishment.
To be REDUCED to the ranks. To be taken from a superior appointment in a regiment, and to be ordered to the duty of a common soldier. This sometimes happens, by way of punishment, when a serjeant or corporal misbehaves himself.
REDUCT. See [Redoubt].
REDUCTION des troupes, Fr. A reduction of the armed force of a country.
REDUIRE, Fr. in drawing, to copy, to reduce a plan or picture. This operation differs from that of chalking out. The French use the expression in various senses, viz.
Reduire en grand, Fr. To copy an original drawing, by giving it larger dimensions.
Reduire en petit, Fr. To copy an original drawing, by giving it smaller dimensions, which is literally to reduce it.
Reduire un plan au petit pied, Fr. To make a copy of a drawing, in which every part is faithfully represented, though on a small scale.
REDUIT, Fr. literally means a nook, or bye-place; in a military sense, it signifies a sort of citadel, which is extremely inconvenient to the inhabitants of the town, because it takes up more ground than those that are regularly built, and is, at the same time, uncomfortable to the troops, because they must be very much crowded. This word is explained by an English lexicographer, in the following manner:—Reduct or Reduit, an advantageous piece of ground, intrenched and separated from the rest of the place, camp, &c. for an army, garrison, &c. to retire to in case of surprize. Reduits are sometimes made for the purpose of securing different posts in a town independent of its citadel. These have been proposed by the celebrated Vauban.
Reduit, in architecture, a recess.
REED, an arrow.
REEDIFIER, Fr. To rebuild.
RE-ENTERING angle, in fortification, is that which, turns its point towards the centre of the place. See [Fortification].
REFAIT, bois refait et remis à l’equerre, Fr. An expression used among French carpenters, and by the artificers belonging to the train, to signify any piece of wood which has been planed and made perfectly square and level.
REFEND, Fr. in architecture, a partition wall, viz. Mur de refend.
To RE-FORM, in a military sense, is after some manœuvre or evolution, to bring a line to its natural order, by aligning it on some given point. This frequently occurs in the passage of lines, &c. viz. When a line or several battalions hath passed another that remains posted, by retreating through by files, it may be reformed in the following manner:
To RE-FORM by a flank battalion, on a central battalion, in an oblique position.
When by a flank battalion, the line that has passed is fronted in column, and the several pivots are dressed correctly before wheeling up into line. To this effect, the commander of the head battalion will instantly place the pivots of his three first platoons in a true direction, and order the officers of his other platoons to line on them; himself remaining with the head platoon at the point d’appui, will see that this is correctly done. The first battalion thus steadied, will become a sufficient direction for the second, and every other one, to prolong it by their adjutants; and this operation, though successive from platoon to platoon, and from battalion to battalion, may be performed quickly and correctly; if the adjutants are timeously detached, and if the head of the column be quickly arranged.
To RE-FORM a first line on a central battalion. In order to give the alignment from a central battalion, after halting and fronting, the platoon pivots of the given battalion are from its head to be accurately lined by its commander, in the true direction. This battalion being placed, from which distances and dressings are taken, the others will instantly proceed to line their pivot flanks upon it: those that are behind it, will readily do this; those that are before it will find more difficulty, as they must take their distances from the rear; to facilitate this necessary object, their platoon officers will face to the directing battalion, and will then successively take their distances and covering from their then front; as soon as each has acquired his true position, he will face about and make his platoon join to and dress to him. The line will then be ready to form, by wheeling up to the pivot flank.
To RE-FORM a first line, that has passed through a second which remains posted, in an oblique position.
When it is found necessary that the passing battalions, which constitute the first line should take a new position not parallel to the second, or to their own original formation, the commander, with his two leading platoons, will first enter it (i. e. the new position) and direct the others to regulate their flanks by them; and if several battalions are passing the second line, the new alignment is thus made easier for them.
It frequently happens, that a height in the rear is to be crowned by a retiring line. In this case, each officer must not dress exactly to the platoon that precedes him, but in joining it he must halt, and arrange his own in such a manner, that the slope of the rising or ascent can be entirely seen and commanded, which is here the great object, and would not be attained, if the troops were to adhere to a straight line.
To Reform, (Reformer, Fr.) is likewise to reduce a corps of men, by either disbanding the whole, or only breaking a part, and retaining the rest; or sometimes by incorporating them with other regiments.
REFORME, Fr. reduced.
Officier REFORME, Fr. An officer put upon half-pay; or seconded according to the regulations of the old French service.
REFORMED officer. One whose troop or company being broke, is continued on whole or half-pay. He preserves the right of seniority, and continues in the way of preferment.
REFOULER, Fr. To ram down.
REFOULOIR, Fr. A cannon rammer.
REFUGEE, (Réfugeé, Fr.) See [Emigrant].
To REFUSE. A military phrase, signifying to throw back, or to keep out of that regular alignment which is formed when troops are upon the point of engaging an enemy. This often occurs in order to occupy a particular position, to prevent the enemy’s designs on any particular part of a line, or at least to make him take a greater detour to effect his purpose; or that he may be obliged to align his own on a height which is occupied, and from which he may be flanked. When a first line has passed through a second, and it is found necessary to refuse a wing, the several platoons of that line must pass according to the wing which is to be refused. If the left, for instance, is to be posted, and the right to be refused, the platoons may pass from their left by the facing of the platoon to the left, and marching to the required position in succession; the column will thereby have its left in front, will be more readily directed on the point d’appui, and the preservation of the distances will be facilitated, as they will then be taken from the front. If the right is to be posted, the platoons may pass from their right; but the movement into echellon, and wheeling into line is preferable to any mode, as errors can always be remedied in an instant, and without confusion.
It may happen where the passing line is to post one flank and refuse the other, that the officers will have their distances to take from behind; halt the whole at any time after passing, and countermarch each platoon, which will then cause the future formation to be taken from the front of the column.
A retiring line may also refuse a wing, by forming in line very soon after passing, and then taking up an oblique position to the rear, by the echellon march, or some other of the modes prescribed. See Amer. Mil. Lib.
Frederic, surnamed the great, king of Prussia, who had attentively studied the tactics of the ancients, first adopted the method of refusing a wing in the forming of an attack. This method has been since successfully followed by the best modern generals. It answers to a partial reserve of a force which is always ready at command; and in point of security, it is the reverse of what the French mean in préter un aile, to expose a wing, or post it in a precarious manner. The French during the whole of the action which was fought in Egypt, on the 21st of March, 1801, refused their right wing. Notwithstanding this precaution they were defeated by the British.
As a correct formation of the line by the echellon march, whether it advance or retire in the presence of an enemy, is generally resorted to when it is found necessary to refuse any part of a line, it will not appear superfluous to submit the following mode which is practised by the French.
Formation of the line by the echellon march of divisions, by the covering serjeants or guides running out to mark the point in the new alignment, for their respective divisions.
When the battalion changes position to the front on a fixed flank company, by throwing forward the rest of the battalion, the commander having determined the new line, and wheeled a given company into that line the named number of paces (say 4) the remaining companies wheel two paces on their right forward into echellon. The guide or covering serjeant of the second company instantly moves out, takes about ³⁄₄th distance for his company, faces the point d’appui, and places himself in such a manner, that the outside of his right arm will pass in line with the breast of the men of the company already in the line. He is corrected, if necessary, on the distant point of formation by a proper person placed on the right for that purpose. On the words form line and march being given by the commander, the guide or covering serjeant of the third company runs briskly out, places himself so as to cover the second guide or serjeant, faces the point d’appui, and takes the order ³⁄₄th distance, corrected on the distant point by the person on the right. The officer commanding the second company, marches on till he sees himself clear of the left flank of the right company; he then gives the word quarter face to the right, (his right pivot marking time) and when he observes his company square with the new line, he gives the word forward, runs nimbly out and places himself in front of the third left file of the first formed company, and when the men of his company have their feet off the ground ready to finish the last pace to bring them into line, he gives the word mark time, and dresses his men close to the outside of the right arm of the covering serjeant: and then gives the word halt. Taking care that the outward flank of his company does not shut out the distant point of dressing: he then places himself on the right of his division, covered by his serjeant, who quits his ground and briskly passes through the interval on the right of his division, at the word halt.
In this manner division after division arrives in the new line; and as the covering serjeants of each of the other divisions approach within 15 or 20 paces of the line, they run out to mark the points for their respective companies, face the point d’appui as already directed, and there remain till the word mark time—front—halt, when the guides quit their places in front and take post on the flank or in the rear.
In forming line to the rear by the echellon march, (suppose on a left company) the same operation takes place with regard to the covering serjeants running out, to mark the points of dressing for their respective divisions; but with this difference, that instead of their taking only about ³⁄₄th distance, they are to take about one pace more or less than the proper distance; face the point of appui, and are corrected on the distant point, as before, by a proper person on the left. The commanders of companies will, as soon as they see the proper front rank of their companies touch that part of the line already formed, give the word mark time, front, halt. Each officer dresses the men of his platoon at the marked time, till he brings them in line with the outside of the left arm of his covering serjeant; he then gives the word halt; taking post on the right of his company, covered by his serjeant, who quits his ground as before on the word halt.
It is to be observed, in order to preserve the proper interval, on the covering serjeant quitting his division to mark the point in the true line, the officer’s place is to be immediately filled by a supernumerary or other man from the rear, where he is to remain till replaced by the officer, or covering serjeant.
It is likewise to be observed, that in forming line to the front on a right division, the dressing is close to, and on the outside of the right arm of the covering serjeant; and on forming the line forward on a left company or division, the dressing is close to and on the outside of the left arm. In forming line to the rear on a right division, the dressing is on the right arm: and in forming line to the rear on a left division, the dressing is on the left arm of the covering serjeant.
In forming line to the rear, the officers, or other persons appointed to correct the serjeants on the distant point of formation, move along in the rear and correct the serjeants, as they successively arrive to mark the points for their respective divisions.
By the foregoing method of sending out the covering serjeants or guides to mark the point in the new line for their respective companies, that inaccuracy of dressing, which so often takes place when forming line to the front; and that very great confusion and incorrectness, which too frequently occur when forming to the rear, (particularly so, when the wheel into echellon is in any degree less than the one eighth of the circle or four paces,) are entirely obviated.
REFUSER, Fr. For its application in a military sense, see [To Refuse].
Refuser, Fr. This word is used among the French as a sea-phrase, viz. le vaisseau a refusé. The ship has missed the wind.
REGAIN, Fr. in carpentry and masonry, means the surplus of a piece of stone or wood when it proves too broad or too long for any particular use, and must of course be taken off. It likewise means after-grass or math.
REGALER, Fr. to level or make even.
REGIE, Fr. government, administration.
REGIMENT, (Regiment, Fr.) a term applied to any body of troops, which, if cavalry, consists of one or more squadrons, commanded by a colonel; and, if infantry, of one or more battalions, each commanded in the same manner. The squadrons in cavalry regiments are divided, sometimes into six, and sometimes into eight, nine, or ten troops. The battalions of infantry are generally divided into ten companies. There is not, however, any fixed rule on this head; as both cavalry and infantry regiments differ according to the exigencies of service in time of war, or the principles of economy in time of peace. The German regiments frequently consist of 2000 men: and the regiment of Picardy in the old French service had 6000. The French formerly made a distinction between the commanding officer of a regiment of cavalry, and the commanding officer of a regiment of infantry. The former was stiled Mestre de camp, the latter colonel as with us; but according to the establishment of the present French army, the term of regiment is confined to the cavalry and artillery: and the name of half brigade is given to the infantry. So that chiéf de brigade, chief of brigade, corresponds with our colonel of a regiment of infantry. The denomination of colonel is again established in the French cavalry.
With respect to the derivation of the word, it appears, that the best etymology is from the French word Régie, management, which comes from the Latin regere, to govern. Hence a regiment is said to be governed by a colonel. M. Beneton, a celebrated French etymologist, differs from this explanation. He traces it from the French régime, which signifies system, regimen, administration, and which is again derived from the Latin regimen, bearing the same import. In a physical acceptation of the term, regime is used to express any body that is composed of several others. But this is mere conjecture on his part.
Regiments were first formed in France in the year 1558, and in England in the year 1600.
Dromedary REGIMENT, a corps raised by the French during their stay in Egypt. The men were mounted upon dromedaries. To quote the words of Mr. Morier, in his account of a campaign with the Ottoman army in 1800, the dromedaries composing this troop are made to go through a number of evolutions, and when attacked, they are formed into a hollow square: they kneel, and by means of a cord which is thrown round one of the knees, they are prevented from getting up, and thus they afford a breast-work for the soldiers. The same author observes in a note, page 59, that the most convenient and only way of travelling in Egypt is upon dromedaries. The traveller need not encumber himself with food for his animal, as a very scanty allowance of beans suffices for many days journey. Travellers ride upon convenient saddles; and the animal is so docile, that he is guided only by touching him with a small stick on the side that he is to turn. Some have a ring through each nostril, which serves as a bit to a bridle fastened to them. They walk very fast; and their trot is swift, but very inconvenient.
Cape REGIMENT. We have already mentioned under the article [Hottentots], (which see) that a proposal had been delivered in to the British government to raise, train, and discipline a certain number of the original inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope. This proposal, after considerable delay, and much deliberation, was finally accepted; and a few days previous to the sudden cessation of arms between England and France. Sir John Dalrymple many years ago proposed to the British government the raising of African corps for the subjection of the West and East Indies, and South America.
Malays REGIMENT, a corps which has been raised by the British on the islands and on the coasts of Malacca, for the specific purpose of doing duty in the island of Ceylon.
REGIMENTAL, any thing belonging to a regiment.
Regimental staff. See [Staff].
REGIMENTALS, the uniform clothing of the army; as a leather cap, coat, waistcoat, breeches, stocks, shoes, boots, spats, spatterdashes, &c.
Regimental courts-martial. See [Courts-Martial].
Regimental bond. See Bond.
Regimental parade. See [Parade].
Regimental, belonging to a regiment.
Regimental orders. See [Orders].
Regimental necessaries. By the British mutiny act, it is declared, that any person, buying, detaining, or exchanging any articles called regimental necessaries, or who shall cause the color of the clothes to be changed, shall forfeit 5l. Soldiers selling or exchanging them, are liable to military punishment, &c.
Regimental receipts for forage on service. Vouchers which must be produced by the contractors of an army to authorize them to have their claims discharged by the commissary general, or his deputies. It is sensibly observed in page 32 of the British Commissary, that in every case there should, if possible, be only one voucher for one issue. The mode of accomplishing this must be simple, and it is adopted by those who certainly have most experience; for every German corps, or German officer, who draws forage, or any other article, from the commissariat, sends a mere receipt. This prevents farther writing or trouble, because the receipt may be presented in the open field, and is in itself a complete voucher. All that is required, is, for the regiment to order its forage party to bring back the receipt, if the quantity be not obtained; and the quarter-master, or foraging serjeant, to give a receipt for what he gets, if only part can be had.
REGIR, Fr. to govern; to manage; to take charge of, viz.
Régir des soldats; to take charge of soldiers.
REGLE, Fr. See [Rule].
Vent REGLE, Fr. a trade wind.
REGALEMEN. See [Regulation].
REGRATTER, Fr. in architecture, to scrape the outside of a building.
Among engravers this word signifies to re-touch a plate.
REGULAR. In geometry, a regular body is a solid, whose surface is composed of regular and equal figures, and whose solid angles are all equal.
REGULAR attacks, in a siege, are such as are made in form; that is, by regular approaches. See [Attacks].
Regular, when applied to the army, signifies those troops that are inlisted for a regular period, do duty as soldiers and nothing else; contradistinguished from those who are citizens occasionally exercising the duties of soldiers; thus the militia are not ranked among the regulars, unless on actual service and well disciplined, and fit for any service. Hence regular troops, or regulars.
REGULARS, (Troupes Régulieres, Fr.) Those troops whose conditions of enrollment are not limited to time or place, in contradistinction to fencibles, militia, or volunteer corps; called also the line.
To REGULATE, to adjust by rule or method.
Regulating Battalion. See [Parallelism of a March].
REGULATION, the act of regulating, or adjusting by rule or method.
Regulation, a term generally used in the British army to signify the regulated price at which any commission, or saleable warrant is permitted to be disposed of. These prices have been fixed by the king. For particulars see Military Finance, page 160.
REGULATIONS, for the American army.
There is no coherent or consistent system of regulations in existence for the military establishment of the United States. The economy of military arrangement is as essential as the discipline of the field, to assure the effects of military operations. There should be a well digested system of regulations, and upon that system should be engrafted a staff, susceptible of adaptation to the peace or the war establishment, to the smallest or the largest force. The French have derived the greatest advantage from their regulations, which have been formed by a well digested body of principles adapted to all circumstances, and the enforcement and execution of which is always distinctly appropriated to the proper officers of the staff. At present the regulations of the United States army is confined to a few general orders from the war department, on detached points of service; and of occasional orders of the commander in chief, issued upon some exigency, at remote periods; and adopted into permanent use. In many instances these regulations have been altered by the war office, in others the circumstances which gave rise to them have ceased, and the regulations become obsolete or inappropriate. In 1810, an attempt was made, by the establishment of a quarter-master general’s office, to commence something like a system; should this be accomplished it may be beneficial, though the want of information in the duties of a staff, particularly if those heretofore arranged under the quarter-master general’s department alone are to be adopted, that it is to be feared the system may remain defective, should the old English model, now exploded by the British themselves, be kept in view instead of the more enlarged system introduced in modern wars. The treatise on the staff by Grimoard, contains the best body of regulations extant. It has been translated, and will form a part of the American Military Library.
The following are among the principal regulations in force at the beginning of the year 1810.
(General Orders.)
Head Quarters, Fort Washington, May 22, ’97
To prevent the necessity of repetition, to establish principle, without which there can be no permanent order, to define the rights of individuals, to exclude caprice, to promote economy, and precision, to disseminate an uniformity of duty and of service throughout the army, and to impress the necessary ideas of subordination and discipline, the following regulations have been digested, and must be duly respected by all ranks.
I. Precedence in command is attached to seniority of corps, and the oldest commission subject to such deviations as the commander in chief may deem essential to the national weal, and the point of honor is determined by the following gradation.
1. Guard of the president.
2. The attack.
3. Reconnoitring parties, and corps of observations.
4. Foraging before the enemy.
5. Posts in the enemy’s country.
6. National barriers.
7. Detachments and out posts.
8. Guard of the trenches.
9. Van guards to the front.
10. Rear guards in retreat.
11. General courts-martial.
12. Guard of the commander in chief.
13. Guards of camp or garrison taken from the line.
14. All other guards mounted from the grand parade.
15. Guards of general officers, and the staff according to rank.
16. Pickets.
17. General fatigues.
18. Regimental police.
Should a tour of service occur while an officer is on any subordinate duty, he shall be relieved, but the tour on which he was engaged shall pass to his credit. If an officer’s tour for general court-martial, picket, or fatigue, occurs while he is on any other duty from the grand parade, he shall not be relieved, but is to stand for the next tour.
II. In all services by detachment, the corps are to furnish according to their strength, the longest off the first on; but in all cases of duty and of service where it may be found practicable, the troops are to operate by companies, battalions, or regiments.
III. Marching off the grand parade, or swearing in on general court-martial, is to pass for a tour of duty.
IV. Return detachments not to be excused from duty more than two days.
V. Police in conformity to the regulations of Baron de Stuben.
VI. Fatigues, general or particular, to be regulated by detail, and duty of every kind to be apportioned impartially.
A soldier, by voluntary compact, becomes the servant of the state, but not the slave of any individual. Extra men are never to be drawn from the ranks, but by permission of the commanding officer of a district, department, or regiment; and when employed in the service of officers, they are to be paid one third of a dollar per day, by the individual for whom they work. To abstract a soldier from his professional duties, and to subject him to the orders of persons not attached to the army, or to impose upon him menial laborious services, is an abuse of authority, a breach of contract, and a deep injury to the service; because it authorizes negligence in the soldier, and in effect destroys his arms and clothes. This practice is therefore positively prohibited.
VII. The annual clothing should be issued in the following manner.
In the Southern States.
On the first day of December, woollen overalls and vests, two shirts, two pair shoes, and two pair socks.
On the first day of April, the residue.
In the middle and Eastern States.
On the first day of November, woollen overalls and vests, two shirts, two pair shoes, and two pair socks.
On the first day of May, the residue.
Where circumstances will permit, it is to be drawn by the paymasters of corps, under the orders of the commanding officers, upon returns certified by the captains, or officers commanding companies, who are to receive it, and are to be held responsible for the distribution; extraordinary arrangements will be applied to extraordinary cases.
VIII. Company books and papers belong to the company, and are never to be separated from it, therefore whenever an officer is taken from his company, by promotion, transfer, or leave of absence, he is to deposit all the books and papers belonging to it, with the officer next of rank, taking duplicate receipts for the same, one of which is to be lodged with the paymaster of his corps; and whenever a man is transferred or ordered upon distant service, the commanding officer of the company from which he is taken, will be held responsible, that the date of his inlistment and a state of his accounts, as to pay, clothing, arms, ammunition, and accoutrements, be transmitted to the commanding officer of the corps, garrison, or detachment, which he is to join: certificates of provision are always to accompany individual soldiers and non-commissioned officers commands, from post to post.
IX. Servants to be taken by voluntary consent from the regiment, corps, or detachment, to which the officer served may belong, in the following proportions, viz.
A lieutenant colonel commandant on duty, three, one without arms.
Major on duty, two, one without arms.
Captain commanding a post or battalion, two, one without arms.
Captain on ordinary duty, one with arms.
| Subaltern on duty, one | with arms. |
| Surgeon on duty, two | do. |
| Surgeon’s mate, one | do. |
Quarter-master general with the army, two, one without arms.
Paymaster general two, one without arms.
Subordinate staff, at the discretion of the commanding officer.
The servants of platoon officers are always to accompany them on duty, and will be included in the same detail: no officer on furlough can be allowed more than one servant, and him without arms.
This allowance is a liberal one, and but too sensibly impairs the strength of the line. If gentlemen will mess, as in all other armies, it will be found abundant; otherwise they must employ domestics to be fed, paid, and clothed from their privy purses, as no further indulgence on the part of the public can be admitted.
The commanding officers of corps, posts, and detachments, will be held responsible for the strict observance of this order, and the violation by whomsoever permitted or committed, will be followed by an arrest, and the sentence of a general court-martial.
X. Four women per company complete, and in that ratio, are permitted to draw provisions and no more; washing the clothes of the company is to be performed by these women, at such price as the commanding officer of the regiment may establish; the officer commanding the company will be held responsible that it is fairly and impartially distributed, rating an officer as four men; mistresses or kept women are prohibited to the officers—the habit is a vicious one, it is repugnant to the rules of society, it is burthensome to the service, ever pregnant with discord, often afflictive to the meritorious soldier, always disgraceful, and frequently destructive to men of merit; the ceremony of marriage heretofore performed by the officers of the army, is also strictly forbid.
XI. Discharges for services fully performed to be given by the commandants of regiments, upon the certificate of the captain or commanding officer of the company in which the soldier served; but in all other cases by the commander in chief, or superior authority—retiring officers are not to take off soldiers with them as waiters or in any other capacity; a contrary practice has lost many valuable men to the service, and has perplexed the company accounts.
XII. The power of granting furloughs is in the commander in chief, on the recommendation of the colonel or officer immediately commanding the applicant, unless where the authority of the president is interposed.
XIII. Settling is restricted to the permission of the commander in chief, or officer commanding a separate department, but no permission is to be granted, except to citizens of the United States of known probity, and attachment to the government.
XIV. As we have no chaplain, the troops are to be inspected by companies every Sunday, and by regiments, battalions, or detachments, monthly; when returns of inspection are to be made out agreeably to the established form, these returns are to be regularly transmitted to the commander in chief, under the certificate of the commanding officers of companies, and the inspecting officer, who in the absence of the inspector, is to be appointed by the commanding officers of corps, posts, or detachments.
XV. The appointment of adjutants and quarter-masters of corps, hertofore in the commander in chief, appertains of right to the lieutenant colonels commandant, who have the power of removal from office. The regimental paymaster is elective by the officers of the regiment, under the orders of the colonel.
XVI. The appointment of non-commissioned officers, held of great importance in all services, because it is the root of all subordination and discipline, has been much neglected in ours. More circumspection on this interesting point is strictly enjoined, the captain or commanding officers of companies may recommend, but the appointment is in the colonel or commanding officer of the corps only.
XVII. Reformation being the end of all punishments, a soldier is never to be punished when drunk, but when found in that disgraceful situation, he is to be confined until he recover his senses, and is then to be punished.
XVIII. The residence of the regimental staff is at the head quarters of the regiment, except the surgeons mates, who are subject to be detached.
XIX. Stoppages of pay are to be rigorously enforced for lost arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and clothing, which cannot be satisfactorily accounted for, it therefore becomes indispensible that company and regimental books, as well as those of the paymaster and quarter-master, should be kept with great exactness, and that councils of administration should sit quarterly whenever practicable, to scrutinize the regimental accounts.
XX. Garrisons of posts are not to be varied, except by the officer who establishes them, or his superior, but subordinate officers commanding posts in the department, are to report monthly to the head quarters of the regiment to which they belong.
XXI. Commanding officers of posts, under the grade of field officers, are to be relieved annually, and majors biennially, this rotation is founded in the principles of justice and sound policy.
XXII. The use of cards and dice are strictly prohibited in camp or quarters, except for the game of backgammon.
XXIII. In military institutions the force of example is incalculable, no officer, therefore, off duty, can be excused from parades, regimental or general, except in case of actual sickness or confinement; the officer who feigns sickness to elude duty, is a dishonor to his cloth, and will be held in infamy: and should any officer or non-commissioned officer, (be his command ever so diminutive,) betray such indolence and insensibility of professional obligation, as to omit one regular roll call, he shall be made an example to the army.
These orders are to be read to the troops, on the first day of the months of January, April, July, and October.
(Extract of General Orders.)
Head Quarters, Loramiers, June 12, 1797.
To correct and extinguish the abuses which have crept into the service, is an herculean task, yet the commander in chief owes it to his own honor, to the honor of the army, and to his country, to effect a reform, and he calls upon his officers of every grade, for their co-operation in the arduous undertaking.
The spirit of cropping,[16] which is almost every where to be seen, is repugnant to the principles of soldiership, destructive to the service, and disgraceful to those who indulge it; not less exceptionable is the practice of collecting and breeding live stock in large quantities.
[16] This term refers to a practice which found its way into the army, in the western cantonments, who had employed the soldiery in raising crops of produce to the neglect of discipline.
The highest obligations of a soldier are briefly comprised to be ever ready to march, to fight, and to die, but the principles and condition of the former are at utter variance with this solemn text; gentlemen in commission must reflect, that it is to them the private looks for example; the national bounty is expended not to improve the agricultural arts, but to instruct men in the use of arms; the hoe and plough must be laid aside, and every moment from professional duty, devoted to form, instruct, and to train them in the glorious science of war. It is for this noble purpose gentlemen receive the pay and subsistence of their country, and their honor is pledged for the performance.
Planting and improving of corn fields is prohibited; garden, sufficient for the accommodation of officers and soldiers, are proper and necessary, and it is obligatory on all commanding officers to pay attention to this subject, the labor is however to be done by detail; the idea of an officer’s farming for profit is inadmissible, as it tends to a neglect of duty, a relaxation of discipline, abuse of the public service, and the disgrace of the profession.
In marching from one post of the continent to another, it is repugnant to every principle of economy and of justice, that the public should transport private provisions (other than groceries) or household furniture; if one officer is indulged in this way, another is equally intitled to indulgence, what a spectacle should we behold was every officer to move, with all the baggage and stock accumulated at the several posts, we should look more like a horde of Tartars than a regular military corps; while such practices prevail the public service will be embarrassed and delayed, and in effect exposed to destructive consequences, they are therefore prohibited.
(Extract of General Orders.)
Head Quarters, South West Point, September 1, 1801.
Besides the rolls of muster directed to be furnished to the pay department, one roll of each company or detachment of the army, and of the regimental staff for the months of June and December annually, are to be transmuted to the inspector of the army, at the city of Washington, on the first of January, and the first day of July following such musters, in the same manner that inspection and other returns are directed to be transmitted to him by the order of the 30th of November last; for the strict observance of which all commanding officers will be held responsible.
(General Orders.)
Head Quarters, Washington, July 9, 1804.
The opinion having prevailed that an officer may throw up his commission and abandon the service at his discretion, the general considers it his duty to correct a delusion so pregnant with mischief to the public interest, and so subversive of every principle of subordination and discipline; it is therefore to be clearly understood that no officer, bearing a commission in the United States, has the power to resign the same, or quit the service without the president’s permission, or that of some subordinate duly authorized, and all offences against this order are to be punished with rigor.
(Extract of General Orders.)
Head Quarters, Natchitoches, Sept. 24, 1806.
To recover lost ground, and to revive the languishing principle of subordination, it is essential this little corps should recollect the rights and attributes of rank and commission; agreeably, therefore, to a standing rule, which can never be dispensed with, without prejudice to the service.
The general can hold no communication on a professional topic, except in cases of public or personal grievances but through the commandant of the post; or commanding officers of corps, nor can these gentlemen receive any similar application from their subalterns, but through their respective captains.
(Extract of General Orders.)
Head Quarters, New Orleans, January 22, 1807.
It is deemed unnecessary to muster the troops every month, since it rarely happens that a payment is made for so short a period: the general therefore directs that in future the several companies be mustered on the last day of February, April, June, August, October, and December, and that each muster, comprise the casualties of two months.
(Extract of General Orders.)
Head Quarters, New Orleans, March 31, 1807.
The following regulations are to be considered of standing import, and are to be punctually observed until revoked.
All commanding officers are in person to command the daily parades of their respective garrisons, unless prevented by indisposition.
The troops are to be exercised once a week in battalion, and by companies twice a week when the weather may permit, without prejudice to the arms or the health of the men.
Whenever a superior officer shall visit a post or garrison, it is the duty of the commanding officer immediately to wait upon him, and make a tender of the keys, returns, reports, regulations, and instructions relative to the said post or garrison, and receive his orders.
Quarter guards are not permitted in garrison, nor are guards of quarters allowed, except to the commanding officer, and those who are entitled to them by established regulation.
The guards are invariably to be exercised by the officer of the day, when the weather may permit, before they are marched off the grand parade for their posts.
Awkward recruits are to be drilled daily until perfected in the elements of their profession.
(General Orders.)
Head Quarters, New Orleans, April 15, 1807
In all cases where men are discharged, the full complement of clothing to which they are intitled by law, is to be paid up out of the company stock.
Inspector’s Office,
Washington, January 21, 1810.
The foregoing are true copies from the orderly books in this office.
A. Y. NICOLL,
Adjutant and Inspector.
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
Regulations to be observed in the allowances for barracks or quarters to the officers of the army, and in the delivery and distribution of fuel and straw to the garrisons on the sea coast and recruiting parties.
Barracks or Quarters.
To the commanding general, for himself, four rooms and a kitchen.
To his aid, one room.
To the quarter-master general, three rooms and a kitchen, and two rooms for offices and clerks.
To each field officer, two rooms.
To the inspector of the army, one room in addition to his allowance as a field officer.
To each captain, one room.
To each of the regimental staff, one room.
To a field officer, or a captain, when commanding a separate post, in addition, a kitchen.
To two subalterns, one room.
To every mess of eight officers, one room and a kitchen.
Fuel.
From the first day of October to the first day of April, in each year.
To the commanding general, two cords and one half of wood per month.
To the quarter-master general, two cords per month.
To the inspector of the army, two cords per month.
To each field officer, one and an half cord per month.
To every commanding officer of a garrison, one and an half cord per month.
To every officer commanding a recruiting party, one cord per month.
To every other commissioned officer, one cord per month.
To every room occupied as barracks by eight non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, one cord per month.
To a garrison barrack guard, half a cord per month.
To officers and soldiers half of the aforesaid allowances of fuel from the first day of April until the first day of October in every year, but none for offices.
To the sick in hospital, the allowance of wood is to be regulated by the surgeon.
The commanding general, under special circumstances, may by orders in writing, enlarge or diminish the foregoing allowances of fuel, and may by the like orders, direct or withhold allowances of fuel or straw at such other posts as he may judge expedient, in cases not provided for by any special regulation.
No compensation in money to be made in lieu of allowances of fuel, nor is any compensation to be received by or paid to officers, in lieu of quarters or barracks.
Straw.
1. One truss of straw weighing thirty six pounds, is allowed for each palliass for two men. At the expiration of sixteen days, each palliass is to be refreshed with eight pounds. At the expiration of thirty two days, the whole straw is to be removed, and a fresh bedding of one truss to be furnished, and so on, every succeeding period of sixteen and thirty two days.
2. The same quantity of straw is allowed for servants or batmen not soldiers, and for washer-women attached to each company in the proportion of one washer-woman to every seventeen non-commissioned officers and privates.
3. The straw is to be changed for the sick in the hospital as often as may be deemed necessary: this necessity to be determined by the surgeon, or surgeon’s mate, in the absence of the surgeon.
Requisitions for Fuel or Straw.
1. Requisitions for wood or straw, must state the number and rank, of the officers; the number of non-commissioned officers, and privates, servants and batmen not soldiers, and of washer-women for whom demanded, and be certified by the commandant of the garrison, or recruiting party.
2. No wood or straw shall be drawn for officers, or wood or straw for soldiers, whilst on furlough, or any allowance made to them for the same.
3. Whenever it shall appear that more wood or straw has been drawn than there were officers, soldiers, servants or batmen not soldiers, and washer-women actually present and entitled thereto; the commanding officer signing such requisition, shall be held responsible for the value of the article drawn beyond the quantity allowed by these regulations, and shall have his name and the circumstances of the case, reported to the secretary for the department of war.
4. Requisitions thus signed, and the receipts given by the officers, to whom the articles are delivered for consumption, shall be produced as vouchers by the contractor, agent, or quarter-master, in the settlement of his accounts.
As a smaller quantity of fuel may suffice for the garrisons and recruiting parties to the southward than ordered by these regulations, their commandants are enjoined to regulate the demands for this article by the nature of the climate.
Given at the war office of the United States in the city of Washington, this twenty eighth day of April, A. D. 1801.
HENRY DEARBORN,
Secretary of War.
Additional regulations relative to fuel.
At all posts, garrisons, or recruiting rendezvous, to the northward of the 39th degree of north latitude, should be allowed in addition to the present allowance of wood, from the first day of October, to the first day of April in each year;
To each field officer, half a cord per month.
To every commanding officer, of a garrison, consisting of one company, half a cord per month.
To every other commissioned officer, one third of a cord per month.
To every room occupied by eight men, half a cord per month.
To a garrison or quarter guard, half a cord per month.
May 1, 1806.
Regulations respecting certain supplies and objects of special and extra expense.
The several contractors, besides rations including ardent spirits and vinegar, shall only provide and furnish quarters, transportation, forage, fuel, straw, and stationery, to recruiting parties where there is no appropriate officer of the quarter-master general’s department to furnish the same. The quarters intended, are those of a temporary kind. The power to provide them shall not extend to the building or repairing of barracks. In what they furnish, they shall govern themselves exclusively by the regulations which have been established by law or by the war department, and in cases to which no regulations apply, by the orders of the particular commanding officer.
No repairs shall be made to any barracks or buildings which shall incur a disbursement of money exceeding fifty dollars, but by an order of the secretary of war.
As often as any matter which may require any special or extra expense can wait without material injury to the service, for a communication to, and the direction of the secretary of war, or the commander of the army; it is not to be undertaken till after such communication and direction shall have been had.
The quarter-master general, his deputies and assistants, are primarily charged with making the disbursements in the cases abovementioned. When there is no such officer, the agent of the war department in the vicinity shall do it. All orders for such disbursements must be definite and in writing, to be transmitted with the accounts of them to the accountant of the war department; and all disbursements made in pursuance of these regulations must be substantiated by such vouchers as shall be prescribed by the said accountant.
Given at the war office of the United States in the city of Washington, this twenty eighth day of April, A. D. 1801.
HENRY DEARBORN,
Secretary of War.
Rules adopted by the president of the United States relative to promotions in the army.
Promotions in the army of the United States, shall hereafter be made agreeably to the regulations in force previous to those of the 3d of September 1799, which were promulgated in general orders, dated the ninth of that month.
Promotions to the rank of captain shall be made regimentally, and to the rank of major and lieutenant colonel in the lines of the artillery and infantry respectively.
The officer next in rank, will, on the happening of a vacancy, be considered, in ordinary cases, as the proper person to fill the same; but this rule may be subject to exceptions in extraordinary cases.
Given at the war office of the United States, this twenty sixth day of May, A. D. 1801, and of independence the twenty fifth.
HENRY DEARBORN,
Secretary of War.
The above rules for promotion in the infantry and artillery, are applicable to the cavalry and riflemen.
No officer will consider himself as filling a vacancy until he receives notice thereof through the department of war.
H. DEARBORN.
March 7, 1808.
Regulations respecting salutes.
Salutes from the forts in the several ports and harbors of the United States shall, as a general rule, be of sixteen discharges from guns of a calibre not exceeding nine or twelve pounders.
No salute shall be fired to foreign ships or vessels of war, but in return; and in every such case, their salute shall be returned gun for gun.
Each military post within the United States may fire a national salute on the morning of the fourth of July, annually; and when there shall be a collection of citizens at, or within the immediate vicinity of a military post for the purpose of celebrating the anniversary of American independence, sixteen guns may be fired in the course of the feast.
A national salute shall be fired on a visit to the post from the president or vice president of the United States, or the governor of the state in which the post may be.
A gun not exceeding a six pounder, should be fired daily at reveille beating, immediately after the break of day; after which, no officer or soldier should remain in bed.
Given at the war office of the United States in the city of Washington, this tenth day of June, A. D. 1801, and in the twenty fifth year of American independence.
(Signed) HENRY DEARBORN,
Secretary of war.
Regulations respecting extra pay, and allowance of soldiers, when ordered on constant labor, for a term not less than 40 days.
The non-commissioned officers and privates of the artillery or infantry who may be drawn as artificers, to work constantly on fortifications or bridges, for a term not less than 40 days, Sundays excepted, shall be allowed, for each day’s actual labor, fourteen cents, and one gill of spirits each, in addition to their pay and rations, and one pair of linen overalls, and one frock; and if they shall be continued at work for 120 days, Sundays excepted, they shall each be allowed an additional frock, and an additional pair of overalls.
Other non-commissioned officers and privates, not artificers, who shall be drawn from the artillery and infantry for constant labor on fortifications, roads, or bridges, for a term not less than 40 days, Sundays excepted, shall be allowed for each day’s actual labor, ten cents and one gill of spirits each, in addition to their pay and rations; and if they shall be continued at work for 120 days, an additional frock and pair of overalls in like manner as the artificers.
It shall be the duty of the officer commanding any such working party, to have a regular account, kept under his inspection of every day’s work performed by each non-commissioned officer or private, signed by the commanding officer, and to transmit monthly a fair abstract thereof to the paymaster of the district in which the labor may be performed, which paymaster will be authorised to draw the money on the said abstracts, and pay the men conformably therewith.
It is to be understood, that the extra daily pay and allowance, is only to be given for actual day’s work, and not to be granted, when from sickness or other causes, the work shall not actually be performed.
(Signed)
H. DEARBORN,
Secretary of war.
War department, June 25, 1801.
The above regulations, so far as they respect allowances of extra clothing, are considered as being superseded by the act fixing the military peace establishment, which grants fatigue clothing to all the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates of that establishment, annually.
H. DEARBORN.
March 7, 1808.
The following rates are to govern in the allowance to officers for the transportation of their baggage, when ordered on distant commands.
| A colonel | 750 | pounds. |
| Lieut. colonel, | 600 | |
| Major, | 500 | |
| Captain, | 400 | |
| First lieutenant, | 300 | |
| Second do. | 250 | |
| Ensign, | 250 | |
| Surgeon, | 500 | |
| Surgeon’s mate, | 300 |
Each officer to be allowed the usual and customary prices of transportation by land or water per hundred, on the route which shall be necessary for him to transport himself and baggage, for as many hundred as he is entitled to the transportation of, by the regulations hereto annexed. An average price by land, will not exceed two dollars per hundred for 100 miles, and by water there are but few cases where a certain rate per cwt. is not known.
(Signed)
H. DEARBORN.
War department, June 23, 1801.
In addition to the foregoing regulations, there shall be allowed to each officer, when ordered on general courts-martial, at the rate of three dollars for every hundred miles, for the transportation of his baggage.
(Signed)
H. D.
Ordinance, regulating and ascertaining the quantity of stationery which each officer, serving in the army of the United States, shall be entitled to receive annually.
To every officer commanding a separate post, the garrison of which shall consist of, from one to two companies, twenty quires of writing paper.
To every officer commanding a separate post, the garrison of which shall consist of, from three to five companies, thirty-six quires of writing paper.
To every officer commanding a separate post, one blank book containing two quires of paper.
For the use of the garrison of every separate post, ingredients sufficient to make two quarts of ink.
For the use of the garrison of every separate post, twenty dozen of wafers.
For the use of the assistant military agent, at every separate post, one blank book containing two quires of paper.
For the use of every military company, whether in garrison or otherwise, two quires of paper, and one blank book containing the same quantity.
For the use of every other commissioned officer in the army, two quires of letter paper, with a proportionate allowance of ink, quills, and wafers.
Done at the war office of the U. States, this 25th day of February, 1802.
H. DEARBORN,
Secretary of war.
Regulations relative to the employment of physicians.
In future, no surgeon, surgeon’s mate, or physician, not holding an appointment in the army of the United States, is to be employed on public account, by any officer or other person whatever to act in the capacity of surgeon or physician, for any man or men attached to the army, unless by special agreement first entered into, in which the compensation for medical service to be performed, shall be stipulated in writing, either by the day or month.
When the services required shall be such, as not to exceed the usual duties of a surgeon’s mate, the compensation per month, should not exceed the pay and emoluments of a surgeon’s mate.
For any number of men, not exceeding twenty, the compensation should not exceed the rate of two hundred dollars a year, including medicine; and for any number of men, not exceeding thirty, the compensation should not exceed the rate of three hundred dollars a year, including medicine.
In no instance, extraordinary cases excepted, should the compensation for medical assistance, for a shorter period than one month, exceed the rate of four dollars per day, exclusive of medicine.
Charges for medical services, after the promulgation of these regulations, will require certificates, of their having been performed agreeable thereto.
April 2, 1806.
Regulations relative to returns of clothing.
It shall be the duty of the commanding officers of companies, to make out in December each year correct returns of the clothing necessary for their respective companies for the succeeding year, including what is on hand fit for service; also correct returns or all clothing on hand, noting such as is fit for use: the said returns to be forwarded annually, by the 1st day of January, to the department of war, through the commanding officer of the military post, garrison, or encampment, at which the officer making the returns is stationed. The commanding officers of companies, shall be responsible for the correctness of their respective returns.
War department, Dec. 1, 1807.
Regulations to be observed by officers commanding detachments of the army to be embarked, and on ship board.
I. The officer commanding the embarkation, prior to the men’s going on board, must personally inspect the transports, to ascertain that the quantity of provisions assigned, and every necessary accommodation is provided.
II. As soon as the troops are on board, an officer from each company will personally see, that the arms and accoutrements, the clothing neatly packed in the knapsacks, together with the hats, are to be placed in order, and properly secured, over their respective births, on the racks and pins ordered for the purpose: the arms are all to be provided with cloth tompkins; they are to be oiled, and handled daily, during the voyage, and are to be frequently inspected by the officers, to prevent their being injured by rust.
III. The men must be allotted to births, in the order in which they roll in their companies, and are to be divided into messes by squads, with a non-commissioned officer at the head of each, who is to be responsible for the good order and cleanliness of it; particular attention must be paid to the cooking, for which purpose two men must be detailed weekly from the company to attend to this duty, and it is essential that every other soldier should be prohibited from going to the camboose.
IV. An officer of the day will be appointed, whose duty it will be to enforce regularity, cleanliness and order amongst the men; to see that their provisions are well cooked and equally distributed; and in case of neglect, in any instance, he must immediately report the circumstance to the officer commanding, who will chastise the offender, if necessary.
V. The men must not be permitted to go below during the day, except in case of indisposition, or bad weather; and the bedding must invariably be brought on deck every morning, if not prevented by rain, and taken down always before sun set.
VI. To prevent accidents by fire, no candles must be suffered below, but in lanterns, and smoking between decks must be on no account, permitted. All lights are to be extinguished at eight o’clock; and the officers, to set an example of good order, should not indulge themselves in sitting up beyond a reasonable hour.
VII. General parades and calls of the roll are to be had at troop and retreat, with arms and accoutrements, in good weather, and without in bad; and on every Saturday, the commanding officer must make a complete inspection of arms, accoutrements and clothing.
VIII. To ensure cleanliness, the men must be compelled to wash their heads and hands every morning, and their feet every evening.
IX. A serjeant’s guard must be mounted daily, and a sufficient number of sentries posted, to enforce these regulations; and particularly one or more at the necessary, camboose and hatchways, with their side arms.
X. In case of coming to anchor, care must be taken to prevent the men having any communication with the shore; and attention must be paid to prevent their purchasing liquor or green fruit, from boats coming along side.
XI. The commanding officer is to co-operate with the master of the transport, in whatever may be necessary to promote the voyage; and in approaching a sail, he is positively forbid shewing a single soldier on deck: the sentries are in such case to be removed below.
XII. The men are to be furnished with two flints; twenty four rounds of ball cartridges, each: six in their cartridge boxes, and the residue packed in kegs.
These regulations are to be strictly observed in every particular; and any officer who may violate them, by omission or commission, will be brought before a general court-martial.
Given at Head Quarters, city of Washington, Dec. 15, 1808.
This closes the whole body of Regulations for the United States force, as far as the American editor has been able to collect them.
To buy or sell at the Regulation, to give or receive no more for a commission than what has been settled by the king’s authority in the British service. When an officer is allowed to retire from a regiment with permission to sell, the one next for purchase is supposed to pay the regulation price or his commission; but it frequently happens that parties agree among themselves with respect to terms; and it sometimes occurs, that young men of interest and fortune stop the regular promotions of officers by overbidding the market. This traffic, so infamous in its principle, as well as in its abuses, was exhibited in an odious light in the case of the duke of York and his courtesans in 1809.
Cavalry Regulations, specific instructions for the formations and movements of cavalry.
Infantry Regulations. A system of tactics for infantry. The general principles for the formations and movements of cavalry and infantry being invariably the same, their more particular explanation in several points, is to be found in the regulations for the infantry. See American Military Library.
General Regulations and orders. A collection of certain general rules which were published for the British army by authority on the 20th of August, 1799, and which are to be considered as the ground work of those instructions that generals commanding districts, and officers in the command of brigades and regiments, forts or garrisons, may find it necessary to issue to the troops under their respective commands. To use the words of the adjutant general, this publication does by no means comprehend the whole detail which the various duties and services, and the interior economy and management of regiments may require. They are principally extracted from a book, intituled The Rudiments of War, which was published by N. Conant in 1777, they are directed to be considered as the standing orders of the army at large. They cannot be altered, or in any sense be deviated from, without the king’s or commander in chief’s approbation. It is however to be observed, that a book manifestly calculated for the interior management of the army, and consequently a necessary companion to the rules and regulations, should have been more specific. Many circumstances, apparently insignificant in themselves, and, of course, unnoticed at head quarters, grow into objects of serious discussion among the different regiments of the service, both at home and abroad. It is an old maxim, that he who neglects small faults will soon fall into great offences.
RE-IMBODY. To re-imbody, is to imbody again any regiment or corps that has been disbanded. Thus, the English militia is disbanded, and partially re-imbodied for 28 days in every year during peace.
REIN, that part of a bridle which extends from the head of a horse to the hands of the rider, &c.
REINFORCE, in founding guns, that part of a gun next to the breech, which is made stronger than the rest of the piece, in order to resist the force of the powder. There are generally two in each piece, called the first and second reinforce: the second is something smaller than the first, upon the supposition that when the powder is inflamed, and occupies a greater space, its force is diminished, which is not the case. See [Cannon].
Reinforce ring. There are three in each gun, called the first, second, and third: they are flat mouldings, like flat iron hoops, placed at the breech end of the first and second reinforce, projecting from the rest of the metal by about ¹⁄₄ of an inch.
REINFORCEMENT to the army, is an addition of fresh troops to strengthen an army, in order to enable it to go on with an enterprise, &c.
To REJOIN. To meet again. To return. He left his regiment when it broke up camp, but rejoined it again before the army marched into the enemy’s country·
REJOUISSANCES publiques, Fr. Public rejoicings, or thanksgivings. Chevalier Folard makes a curious and interesting comment relative to this subject, in one of his notes upon Polybius. He therein asserts, that the Te Deum, or thanksgiving to God, was as much practised among the heathens as it is among the moderns.
REITRES, Fr. a body of armed horsemen, who came out of Germany, and entered into the French service during the reign of Henry III. They were incorporated with the carabineers.
RELAYER, Fr. to relieve; to lessen the labor of any particular set of men by occasionally sending fresh workmen.
RELAIS, Fr. a term used in fortification to signify a space, containing some feet in breadth, which is between the foot of the rampart and the scarp of the fosse. It serves as a convenient receptacle for the earth that occasionally crumbles off.
RELAY horses, in the artillery, are spare horses that march with the artillery and baggage, ready to relieve others, or to assist in getting up a hill, or through bad roads, &c.
RELEASE. The commanding officer alone has the prerogative of releasing a prisoner from confinement, after he has once been duly given in charge to the guard, with his crime or crimes stated in writing; or of remitting after he has been adjudged to suffer military punishment; except in cases of a general court-martial, when the general of the district in certain cases, and the president of the United States in higher cases, can remit or mitigate.
Cheval de Relais, Fr. a hackney horse.
RELEVEE, Fr. The afternoon.
RELEVER, Fr. to relieve. Hence,
Relever une sentinelle, Fr. To relieve a sentry, by posting another soldier in his room.
Relever la garde, Fr. To relieve guard.
RELIEF, Fr. an order, given by the minister at war, to authorize an officer to receive the arrears of pay which had accumulated during his absence from the regiment.
Relief, Fr. In architecture means the same as the term does when used in English.
RELIEN, Fr. The broken grains of gunpowder which have not passed through the sieve.
To RELIEVE the guard, is to put fresh men upon guard, which is generally done every 24 hours.
To Relieve the trenches, is to relieve the guard of the trenches, by appointing those for that duty, who have not been there before, or whose turn is next.
To Relieve the sentries, is to put fresh men upon that duty from the guard, which is generally done every two hours, by a corporal who attends the relief, to see the proper orders are delivered to the soldier who relieves.
RELIEVER, an iron ring fixed to a handle by means of a socket, so as to be at right angles to it: it serves to disengage the searcher of a gun, when one of its points is retained in a hole, and cannot be got out otherwise. See [Searcher].
A REMAIN, a term used among store-keepers belonging to the board of ordnance, &c. to express the actual quantity of stores which is found at an outport, &c. when a new store-keeper is appointed.
Remains of stores are ordered to be taken at all places at home, once in seven years, as also at the expiration of a war. In foreign parts a remain is taken only on the appointment of a new store-keeper. See [Office of Ordnance], or [Board of Ordnance].
To REMAND, to send back; as when a soldier who has been brought out of prison, or the guard-house, for the purpose of being examined or tried, is sent back without any thing final occurring relative to his case
To Remark, to take note of any thing.
REMARKS. Army returns, regimental statements, guard reports, &c. have a column allotted for remarks and observations relative to extraordinary occurrences.
REMBLAI, Fr. Earth collected together for the purpose of making a bank way, &c.
REMBLAYER, Fr. To collect earth together.
REMBARQUER, Fr. To re-embark.
REMBOITER, Fr. The same as Emboiter. To replace, to put together. The latter term is used by the French in artillery and cavalry manœuvres. It is the correlative to Déboiter; to break off.
REMETTEZ vous. This term agrees with the phrase—as you were. Se Remettre. To take a former position, to return to the original ground
REMETTRE, Fr. to restore, to bring back again. It is frequently used in a military sense, viz. Remettre un bataillon; to restore or bring back a battalion to its original formation
REMIT To lessen; as to remit a part of a soldier’s sentence.
To REMONSTRATE, to make a representation of a case or cases wherein one or more may consider themselves to be aggrieved. Military men may remonstrate through their superior officers; but where the duty of the service is concerned, that duty must be first performed with cheerfulness and fidelity.
REMONTER, Fr. To Remount.
Remonter une compagnie de cavalerie, Fr. To remount a troop of horse.
Remonter une rivière, Fr. To sail up a river.
REMORA, Fr. This word is sometimes written Rémora, and signifies obstacle, hindrance. It comes from the Latin Remora, a small fish, which was supposed by the ancients to impede the progress of a ship.
REMORAL, Fr. an officer belonging to a galley, who has charge of the oars.
To REMOVE, to change the situation of a person.
A REMOUNT, means a supply of good and serviceable horses for the whole or part of a cavalry regiment. The following instructions have been copied from a compilation of English general and regimental orders, viz. The size of the horses for the heavy cavalry must run from 15 hands and 1 inch, to 15 3; and the age be 4 or 5 off, if possible; the taking horses coming four must be avoided as much as can be. No horse must be taken for the public service, unless he be very close and compact in his make, very broad across the loins, short and straight backed, close coupled, round barrelled, and well carcassed, wide between the rider’s thighs, deep at the girt and shoulders, and full, though not heavy chested, with short jointed, clean, bony legs, and full furnished, with strong thighs: the shoulders must lay well back; the forehand rise so as to give the horse freedom; and the head must be so set on as to admit of his getting his nose in. To this must be added, action, and good sound, full feet, with open heels. No horse must be taken with flat feet, or any lameness, or visible defect. No heavy, fleshy legged, lumbering horse must be taken on any account.
To REMOUNT. To remount the cavalry or dragoons, is to furnish them with horses in the room of those which have been either killed, disabled, or cast.
RENCONTRE, Fr. This word has been adopted amongst us, and signifies either a private quarrel, in which individuals accidentally meet and fight; or an unexpected and irregular combat between two bodies of armed men, who belong to armies that are in hostile opposition to each other. Thus, as in the former instance it serves to distinguish the casual determination of a feud or difference from the pre-determined and settled plan of a duel; so in the latter it marks the difference between a skirmish, &c. and a regular battle.
RENDER. See [Surrender].
RENDEZVOUS, the place appointed for troops to assemble at. It likewise means any particular spot that is fixed upon for two duellists to decide their quarrel.
| RENDEZVOUS, | - | |
| RENDEVOUS, |
in a military sense, the place appointed by the general, where all the troops that compose the army are to meet at the time appointed, in case of an alarm. This place should be fixed upon, according to the situation of the ground, and the sort of troops quartered in the village. In an open country it is easy to fix upon a place of rendezvous, because the general has whatever ground he thinks necessary. In towns and villages the largest streets, or market places, are very fit; but let the place be where it will, the troops must assemble with ease, and be ready for the prompt execution of orders.
RENDU, Fr. Surrendered, given up.
Soldat RENDU, Fr. This term is used, to express the difference between a soldier who deserts to the enemy, and one who lays down his arms. In the former instance he is called déserteur; in the latter, soldat rendu. It is sometimes used as a substitute, viz. Un rendu, a man who has surrendered.
| RENEGADE, | - | |
| RENEGADO, |
a deserter; any one who goes over to the enemy.
RENFORCEMENT, Fr. a hollow place.
RENFORCER, Fr. to reinforce, to strengthen, to fortify.
RENFORT, Fr. Reinforcement.
Renfort, Fr. a certain part or a cannon so called. See [Reinforce].
REPARATIONS dans un regiment, Fr. repair of arms, necessaries, camp equipage, &c.
To RENEW, (renouveler, Fr.) to repeat, to begin afresh. Hence to renew hostilities.
Renewal. The act of renewing, as the renewal of hostilities.
RENVOI, Fr. Sending back; any thing returned.
Chevaux de Renvoi, Fr. Returned horses.
REPARTIR, Fr. To divide, to separate, to detach.
REPARATION des troupes, Fr. Distribution of troops in different quarters.
REPERTORY. See [Magazine].
REPLIER, se replier, Fr. To fall back, to retreat. In military movements, to take a rear direction towards any particular part of the line, viz.
Se REPLIER sur la droite, Fr. To fall back upon the right.
REPLY. After the prisoner’s defence before a court-martial, the prosecutor or informant may reply, but without noticing any matter foreign to the specific crime or crimes expressed in the charge.
REPORT, sound; loud noise, as that made by the discharge of a musquet or cannon.
REPORT. Specific statement of persons and things. Although this word may, in some sense, be considered the same as return, yet it so far differs in military matters, that it is less comprehensive, and relates more immediately to persons and occurrences than to things.
General officers report to the commander in chief only.
The commander in chief’s guard reports to himself by one of his aid-de-camps.
Reports of cavalry are given in to the senior generals of cavalry; and reports of infantry, to the senior general officers of infantry. On a march the field officer of the piquet reports to the general of the day who leads the column; and in camp to the next superior officer to himself. A provost martial gives in his return of prisoners, and reports to the general of the day.
Judge advocates, acting in districts or garrisons, &c. send in the minutes of courts-martial, and report to the district general. Regimental surgeons report to their commanding officers, and surgeons in districts, &c. to the war office.
Monthly Report. Every company in the service of the United States, is required to make a monthly inspection and report, according to forms furnished by the adjutant and inspector.
All troops belonging to the British service, the marines excepted, who report to the admiralty, report through their several commanding officers, &c. to the adjutant general and secretary at war, and to the commander in chief.
Special Report. A special report is said to be made when the name of an officer is transmitted by his commander to the general of a district, independent of the regular returns; and some specific instance of misconduct is laid before him; every officer on his arrival from abroad with a regiment or detachment of troops, must report himself to the governor or commanding officer of the seaport at which he arrives; and every officer who takes his passage for foreign service, must do the same previous to his departure.
The senior officer in each recruiting quarter reports weekly to the field officer of the district, the number and strength of the parties therein. The field officers commanding recruiting parties in districts, report to the adjutant and inspector, to whom all returns and reports are to be transmitted by them, and not direct from the recruiting officers.
Reports are made daily, weekly, or monthly, according to circumstances.
The various subordinate reports consist of
Report of a rearguard.
Report of a barrack guard.
Report of a quarter guard.
Report of a main guard and its dependencies, &c. &c.
In the column of remarks which must accompany each of these reports, it is necessary, for the person who signs, to specify all casualties and extraordinary occurrences according to the particular nature of each report. The different hours at which the grand rounds, visiting rounds, and patroles went, must likewise be put down.
REPOS, Fr. Rest, ease. It is used by the French as a word of command, viz.
Repos, Fr. a word of command which agrees with stand at ease.
Quartiers de Repos, Fr. These places are so called where troops remain for some days to refresh themselves.
Soldat REPOSE sur l’arme, Fr. a soldier standing at ease with ordered arms.
Reposez vous sur vos armes, Fr. Order arms.
In REPOSE, (en repos, Fr.) This term, which is manifestly taken from the French, applies to troops that are allowed to be stationary for any given period during an active campaign either through sickness, or from some other cause. Thus the 5th regiment being in repose, it was judged expedient to order the 28th to advance by forced marches.
REPOSITORY, a place or repertory, in which any thing is preserved. Thus the British Repository at Woolwich, contains models of every sort of warlike stores, weapons, and fortification: whether invented by officers of the army or civilians, as well of other nations as of Britain, receipts being given to preserve the title to the inventor. The British Repository is indebted to the ingenuity of colonel Congreve, for some of its most useful and important instruments of escalade, fortification, and gunnery.
REPOUSSER, Fr. to drive back, to repel.
REPOUSSOIRS, Fr. Drivers, chissels.
Repoussoir, Fr. a small stick which artificers and fire-workers use in making fire pots and other works.
REPRESAILLES, Fr. Reprisals.
REPRIMAND, a slighter kind of punishment sometimes inflicted on officers and non-commissioned officers. It consists in reproving or reprimanding them at the head of their respective regiments, troop, or company, as the cases may be. A reprimand is sometimes inserted in the orderly books.
REQUISITION, (réquisition, Fr.) A term peculiarly used by the French during the course of their revolution, and applicable to most nations in its general import. It signifies the act of exacting either men or things for the public service. Hence—Denrées, marchandises mises en réquisition; necessaries of life, goods, &c. put in a state of requisition, or subject to be disposed of for the common good at a fixed price.
Jeunes gens de la Requisition, Fr. Young men required or called upon to serve in the army.
REQUISITIONNAIRE, Fr. A person liable to be put in a state of requisition.
RESERVE, corps de réserve, Fr. any select body of troops posted by a general out of the first line of action, to answer some specific or critical purpose, in the day of battle. The French likewise call that body a corps de réserve, which is composed of the staff of the army, and moves with the commander in chief, from whom it receives the parole or word; but in every other respect it is governed by its own general.
RESINE, Fr. Rosin.
RESOLUTION, in algebra, the solution of a problem.
Resolution, (résolution, Fr.) an indispensible quality of the mind, which every general of an army should possess to its full extent. It is the advice of all wise men, leisurely to digest plans, and calmly deliberate upon them; but when once it becomes necessary to put them into execution, the person entrusted with command, should be prompt and vigorous.
RESOOM, Ind. Fees or dues.
To RESPITE, to suspend, to delay; from the French respiter.
To be RESPITED on the muster-roll, to be suspended from pay, &c. during which period all advantages of promotion, pay, &c. are stopped. It is originally derived from respite, which signifies delay, forbearance, &c. Thus in Clarendon’s history of the civil wars we read, that an act passed for the satisfaction of the officers of the king’s army, by which they were promised payment in November following; till which time they were to respite it, and be contented, that the common soldiers and inferior officers should be satisfied upon their disbanding. At present to respite means to deprive an individual of all the advantages attached to his situation; in which sense it signifies much the same as to suspend.
When an officer has exceeded his leave of absence, and has not sent a satisfactory account of himself to his commanding officer, the latter reports him, in an especial manner, to the general of the district, by whom he is returned absent without leave. It sometimes happens, that the colonel or commanding officer gives directions to have him noted on the muster-roll of the regiment; in which case he is said to be respited or deprived of pay. This is the first step towards suspension from rank and pay, which ultimately terminates in a total exclusion from the service, by the offending party being peremptorily superseded. The name of the person is laid before the secretary at war, who with the approbation of the president, directs the adjutant and inspector to strike it off the list of the army.
The money which is respited upon the muster-roll is accounted for by the account of the war department, and placed to the credit of the public by the paymaster-general.
RESPONSIBILITY. The state of being answerable. All public officers, civil or military, are in a state of responsibility with respect to national concerns.
RESPONSIBLE. Answerable; accountable; liable to be called upon. Colonels of regiments are responsible for the discipline of their men; and captains for the interior economy and clothing of their companies.
RESPONSION, Fr. A term used by the French. In military orders signifying the same as charge or redevance, charge or service. Thus each commandery pays a certain sum, called somme de responsion, to its order in proportion to its value.
RESSERRER, to hem in; to confine. Une garnison fort resserrée, a garrison narrowly watched by a besieging army, and kept within its walls.
RESSORT, Fr. Spring. Elasticity. This word is used in various senses by the French, viz.
Dernier Ressort, Fr. the last shift.
N’agir que par RESSORT, Fr. To do nothing of one’s own free will; to be influenced, to be acted upon by others.
Manquer de RESSORT, Fr. To want energy, vigor, &c.
Un caractère qui a du RESSORT, Fr. A firm, determined character.
RESSOURCE, Fr. Resource, shift, refuge.
Un homme de RESSOURCES, Fr. a man who has resources within himself.
Un homme plein de RESSOURCES, a man full of resources, full of expedients.
To REST arms, to bring the firelock to the same position as in present arms. See [Manual].
To REST upon arms reversed. At military funerals the arms are reversed. The soldiers belonging to the firing party, rest upon the butt ends of their firelocks, while the funeral service is performed, leaning with their cheeks, so as to turn from the corpse.
Rest upon your arms reversed! A word of command which is used at military funerals.
RESTANT, Fr. the remainder; what is left.
RESTE, Fr. Remainder, viz. Le reste des troupes, the remainder of the troops.
Etre en RESTE, Fr. To be in arrears.
RESTER, Fr. to remain behind.
RETENUE, Fr. Stoppage; any thing kept back.
RETIAIRE, Fr. See [Retiarius].
RETIARIUS, a kind of gladiator who fought in the amphitheatre during the time of the Romans. He is thus described by Kennett, in his Roman Antiquities, page 274.
The Retiarius was dressed in a short coat, having a fuscina or trident in his left hand, and a net, from which he derives his name, in his right. With this he endeavored to entangle his adversary, that he might then with his trident easily dispatch him: on his head he wore only a hat tied under his chin with a broad riband.
RETIRADE, or Coupure, Fr. In fortification, a retrenchment, which is generally made with two faces, forming a rentrant angle, and is thrown up in the body of a work for the purpose of receiving troops, who may dispute the ground inch by inch. When the first means of resistance have been destroyed, others are substituted by cutting a ditch, and lining it with a parapet. The retirade sometimes consists of nothing more than rows of fascines filled with earth, stuffed gabions, barrels or sand bags, with or without a ditch, and either fenced with palisadoes, or left without them.
Whenever it becomes absolutely necessary to quit the head or side of a work, the whole of it must, on no account, be abandoned. On the contrary, whilst some determined troops keep the enemy in check, others must be actively employed in throwing up retirades, which may flank each other, and in cutting a ditch in front. It is particularly incumbent upon the engineer officer to assist in works of this sort, and every officer and soldier should zealously co-operate with him. A slight knowlege of field fortification will on these occasions give a decided advantage. The body of a retirade should be raised as high as possible, and several fougasses should be laid beneath it, for the purpose of blowing up the ground on which the enemy may have established himself.
Retirades as practised by the ancients: these were walls hastily run up behind breaches that were made by the battering rams. The able commentator upon Polybius observes, that in no instance, did the skill of the great men of antiquity appear in so conspicuous a light, as in the various chicanes to which they resorted for the preservation of a town. Their ingenuity and resolution increased in proportion as the danger approached. Instead of offering to capitulate as the moderns generally do, when a practicable breach has been opened by a besieging enemy, the ancients, in that emergency, collected all their vigor, had recourse to various stratagems, and waited behind the retirades or temporary retreats to give the enemy a warm and obstinate reception. Cæsar, in his Commentaries, has given a minute description of the manner in which these retirades were constructed; and we find them mentioned by Josephus, in his history of the war of the Jews against the Romans.
The intermediate periods, since the days of the Greeks and Romans, and before the modern era furnish various examples on this head. In 1219, Genghis Khan set all his battering rams to work, for the purpose of effecting a breach in the walls of Ottrar; but, to his great surprise, he no sooner entered the town, than he found a fresh line of entrenchments that had been thrown up in the very heart of the city. He saw every street cut asunder with temporary ditches, and every house presented fresh obstacles: so much so, that he experienced more difficulty in subduing the inhabitants after he had forced the walls, than had occurred in practising the breach.
When the emperor Charles V. laid siege to Metz in 1552, the duke de Guise, who was governor of the town, instantly adopted the necessary precautions to defend it to the last. He built a new wall behind the one against which the principal attack was directed; and when the breach was made, the besiegers found themselves obstinately opposed afresh, within a short space of the ground they had carried. In consequence of this unexpected check, the enemy’s troops grew disheartened; and their want of confidence soon convinced the emperor that the place could not be taken. The siege was unexpectedly raised, and the preservation of the town was entirely owing to the wise precautions that had been adopted by the duke de Guise.
In 1742, marshal Broglio, being closely besieged in the city of Prague, threw up retrenchments within the walls, and prepared to make a most vigorous resistance. An occasion, however presented itself, of which he took advantage, that rendered any further precautions useless. He made a vigorous sortie and forced the enemy to raise the siege.
RETIRED List, a list on the British marine establishment upon which superannuated officers are placed.
Officers who RETIRE in the East India company service. The India company have resolved, that an officer, (in his military capacity) after twenty years actual service in India, coming to Europe on leave, will be allowed to retire on the pay of his rank, provided he signifies his intention of so doing, within twenty months after his arrival. Officers on leave who are desirous of retiring, and who declare their intention to that effect, within twelve months from their arrival, will be permitted to retire on the pay of the rank they may be entitled to at that period. An officer having completed 22 years actual residence in India, will be allowed to retire on the full pay of his rank, directly on his leaving India.
RETOURS de la mine, Fr. returns of a mine. See [Gallery].
Retours de la tranchée, Fr. returns of a trench. In fortification, the several windings and oblique deviations of a trench which are drawn, in some measure, parallel to the sides of the place attacked, in order to avoid being enfiladed, or having the shot of the enemy scour along the length of the line. On account of these different returns a considerable interval is opened between the head and the tail of the trench, which, were the lines directed, would not be at any great distance from each other.
RETRAITE, Fr. See [Retreat].
Retraite dans les montagnes, Fr. The act of fading back or retreating among the mountains.
Faire RETRAITE, Fr. To retire, to fall back.
Battre la RETRAITE, Fr. To beat the tap-too.
Se battre en RETRAITE, Fr. To maintain a running fight.
RETRAITE, Fr. certain appointments which were given during the French monarchy to infantry officers, when they retired from the active duties of their profession, to afford them means of support. The pensions which were settled upon cavalry officers were likewise distinguished by the same term.
Retraite, Fr. See [Relais].
RETRANCHEMENS. Fr. See [Retrenchments].
Retranchemens particuliers qu’on fait sur la tête des brèches d’une place assiègèe, Fr. Particular retrenchments, which are made in front of breaches that have been effected in the walls of a besieged town.
It is always necessary, that retrenchments of this description should have the figures of rentrant angles, in order, that they may not only flank the breaches, but be capable of defending themselves.
A besieging enemy, seldom or ever, attempts a breach at the flanked angle of a bastion, because it must be seen by the two flanks of the neighboring bastions, and be perpetually exposed to the fire of the casemates of the town. Nevertheless should the breach be actually effected, retrenchments might be thrown up, in the same manner that horn-works are constructed, for the purpose of flanking it.
If the breach should be made in the face of the bastion, (which usually happens, because that quarter can be seen by the garrison from one side only) retrenchments in the shape of rentrant angles must be constructed.
Breaches are seldom attempted at the angle of the epaulement, because that part of the bastion is the most solid and compact, and the most exposed to the fire from the curtain to that of the opposite flank, and to the reverse discharge, or fire from the rear. Add to this, that the storming party would be galled in flank and rear, not only from the simple bastion, but likewise from the casemates. If, however, a breach should be effected in that quarter, it would become necessary to throw up retrenchments of a saliant and rentrant nature.
In constructing these different retrenchments it must be an invariable rule, to get as near as possible to the parapets of the bastions and to their ruins, in order to batter those in flank and rear, who should attempt to scale, and at the same time to be out of the reach of the besieger’s ordnance.
When the head of the breach is so much laid open, that the besieger’s cannon can scour all above it, small mines must be prepared beneath, and a retrenchment be instantly thrown up in the body of the bastion.
To RETREAT. To make a retrograde movement. An army or body of men are said to retreat when they turn their backs upon the enemy, or are retiring from the ground they occupied: hence, every march in withdrawing from the enemy is called a retreat.
That retreat which is done in sight of an active enemy, who pursues with a superior force, is the one we particularly allude to in this place; being with reason, looked upon as the glory of the profession. It is a manœuvre the most delicate, and fittest to display the prudence, genius, courage, and address, of an officer who commands: the records of all ages testify it, and historians have never been so lavish of eulogiums as on the subject of the brilliant retreats of their heroes. If it be important, it is no less difficult to regulate, on account of the variety of circumstances, each of which demands different principles, and an almost endless detail. Hence a good retreat is esteemed, by experienced officers, the master-piece of a general. He should therefore be well acquainted with the situation of the country through which he intends to make it, and careful that nothing is omitted to make it safe and honorable. General Moreau’s retreat in 1796, has rendered his name immortal. The three most celebrated modern retreats have been—the one already mentioned, that of Prague, and that of general Macdonald in Italy.
Retreat, is also a beat of the drum, at the firing of the evening gun; at which the drum-major, with all the drums of the battalion, except such as are upon duty, beats from the camp colors on the right to those on the left, on the parade of encampment: the drums of all the guards beat also; the trumpets at the same time sounding at the head of their respective troops. This is to warn the soldiers to forbear firing, and the sentinels to challenge till the break of day, when the reveille is beat. The retreat is likewise called setting the watch.
Chequered RETREAT, rétraite en échequier, Fr. It is so called from the several component parts of a line or battalion, which alternately retreat and face in the presence of an enemy, exhibiting the figure of the chequered squares upon a chess board.
All manœuvres of a corps retiring, are infinitely more difficult to be performed with order, than those in advancing. They must be more or less accomplished by chequered movements; one body by its numbers or position, facing and protecting the retreat of another; and if the enemy presses hard, the whole must probably front in time and await him: as the ground narrows or favors, different parts of the corps must double; mouths of defiles and advantageous posts must be possessed; by degrees the different bodies must diminish their fronts, and throw themselves into column of march when it can be done with safety.
The chequered retreat by the alternate battalions or half battalions of a line going to the rear, while the others remain halted, cover them, and in their turn retire in the same manner, is the quickest mode of refusing a part of a corps to the enemy, and at the same time protecting its movement, as long as it continues to be made nearly parallel to the first position.
In the chequered retreat, the following rules must be observed: the battalions of the division nearest to the enemy, will form flanks as soon as there is nothing in their front to cover them; but the other divisions will not have any flanks except to the outward battalion of each. The battalions always pass by their proper intervals, and it is a rule in retiring, that the left of each shall always pass the right of the neighboring one.—Whatever advantage the ground offers, those advantages must be seized, without too critical an observance of intervals, or minute adherence to the determined distance of each retreat. The division next the enemy must pass in front, through the intervals of the division immediately behind, and any battalion that finds it necessary, must incline for that purpose. The retiring division must step out, and take up no more time than what is absolutely required to avoid confusion. The division nearest the enemy fires; the flanks of its battalions only fire when the enemy attempts to push through the intervals. When that division retires it fires on, skirmishes by its riflemen, and if they have none, by men detached from the light companies, if any, or from platoons formed of rear rank men of one or two of the companies, and placed behind the flanks of the battalions. But should any of its battalions be obliged to halt and to fire, a shorter step must then be taken by the line; and should the enemy threaten to enter at any of its intervals, besides the fire of its flanks, such platoons of the line behind it, as can with safety, must give it support.
RETRENCHMENT, in the art of war, is any work raised to cover a post, and fortify it against an enemy; such as fascines loaded with earth, gabions, barrels, &c. filled with earth, sand bags, and generally all things that can cover the men, and stop the enemy; but it is more applicable to a ditch bordered with a parapet; and a post thus fortified, is called a retrenched post, or strong post. Retrenchments are either general or particular.
General Retrenchments, are a kind of new defence made in a place besieged, to cover the defendants, when the enemy becomes master of a lodgment on the fortification, that they may be in a condition of disputing the ground inch by inch, and of putting a stop to the enemy’s progress, in expectation of relief; as, if the besieger’s attack a tenaille of the place, which they judge the weakest, either by its being ill flanked, or commanded by some neighboring ground; then the besieged make a great retrenchment, inclosing all that part which they judge in most danger. These should be fortified with bastions and demi-bastions, surrounded by a good ditch countermined, and higher than the works of the place, that they may command the old works, and put the besiegers to infinite trouble in covering themselves.
Particular RETRENCHMENTS, or retrenchments within a bastion, (retrenchemens dans un bastion, Fr.) Retrenchments of this description must reach from one flank to another, or from one casemate to another. It is only in full bastions that retrenchments can be thrown up to advantage. In empty bastions you can only have recourse to retirades, or temporary barricadoes above the ramparts. The assailants may easily carry them by means of hand grenades, for these retrenchments never flank each other. It is necessary to raise a parapet about five or six feet thick before every retrenchment. It must be five feet high, and the ditches as broad and as deep as they can be made. There must also be small mines run out in various directions, for the purpose of blowing up the assailants should they attempt to force the retrenchments.
RETURNS, in a military sense, are of various sorts, but all tending to explain the state of the army, regiment, troop, or company; namely, how many capable of doing duty, on duty, sick in quarters, barracks, infirmary, or hospital; prisoners, absent with or without leave; total effective; wanting to complete the establishment, &c. See [Regulations] and Amer. Mil. Lib.
Returns of a mine, are the turnings and windings of the gallery leading to the mine. See [Gallery].
Returns of a trench, the various turnings and windings which form the lines of the trench, and are, as near as they can be, made parallel to the place attacked, to avoid being infiladed. These returns, when followed, make a long way from the end of the trench to the head, which going the straight way is very short: but then the men are exposed; yet, upon a sally, the courageous never consider the danger, but getting over the trench with such as will follow them, take the shortest way to repulse the enemy, and cut off their retreat if possible.
Any officer who shall knowingly make a false return to any his superior officer authorised to call for such returns, shall, upon being convicted thereof before a general court-martial, be cashiered.
Whoever shall be convicted of having designedly, or through neglect, omitted sending such returns, shall be punished according to the nature of the offence by the judgment of a general court-martial.
To RETURN, in a military sense, to insert the names of such officers, as are present or absent on the stated periods for the identification of their being with their regiments, on detachment, or absent with or without leave.
To be RETURNED. To have one’s name inserted in the regular monthly, fourteen days, or weekly state of a regiment, according to circumstances; as to be returned absent without leave; to be reported to the commander in chief, or to any superior officer, as being absent from the duty of the corps; either from having exceeded the leave given, or from having left quarters without the necessary permission. To be returned upon the surgeon’s list as unfit for duty, &c. from illness, &c.
Commanding officers of regiments or posts, in the British service, are regularly to transmit to the adjutant and inspector’s office the following returns:
A monthly, on the 1st of each month.
A return of officers, on the 14th of each month.
A weekly state, to arrive on Mondays.
To the war office.
A monthly return, on the 1st of each month.
A return of absent officers, on the 14th of each month.
Every officer commanding a regiment, or detachment, on embarking for a foreign station, will transmit an embarkation return to the adjutant-general’s office, and to the war office, a duplicate of which he will deliver to the general or officer commanding at the port from which he embarks.
On a regiment embarking, the commanding officer is to transmit to the adjutant-general’s office, a return of the recanting parties he purposes to leave in Great Britain, or Ireland, specifying their strength, their stations, and the officers by whom they are commanded; a duplicate of this return is to be transmitted to the inspector-general of the recruiting service in the Isle of Wight.
All officers belonging to regiments on foreign stations, not actually employed on the recruiting service, are to report their arrival from abroad, and the cause of their absence, at the adjutant-general’s office, and are to leave their addresses with their respective agents, and in case of their changing their places of residence, are immediately to notice the same to their agent: any officer whose address is not with his agent, will be considered as absent without leave, and guilty of disobedience of orders.
Officers upon half pay are, in like manner, to leave their addresses at the war office; particularly so if they should leave the united kingdoms; and officers belonging to the militia are to leave their names, &c. with the several adjutants of regiments.
Commanding officers of regiments or posts, are to transmit to the adjutant and inspector an half yearly return of quarters, on the 1st of December, and the 1st of May, agreeable to the printed form; like wise a report of any march performed by the corps under their orders.
All returns, reports, and papers, purely of a military and public nature, which are to be sent to the war office of the United States, are to be addressed, “To the adjutant and inspector, Washington.”
All official letters, intended for the secretary at war, should be transmitted, under covers, addressed as above, to the adjutant and inspector.
To prevent an improper expence of postage, all official letters and returns sent to the adjutant and inspector, are to be sent, under covers, addressed “To the officer by name, with the title of adjutant and inspector, at Washington,” and on the outside of the covers is to be written in legible characters, “public service, and then the name and rank of the writer.”
RETURN pistol. See [Pistol].
Return bayonet. This term is sometimes used, but it is not technically correct, as the proper word of command is unfix bayonet.
Return ramrod. See [Manual].
Return swords. See [Sword].
REVEILLE, is the beat of a drum, about break of day, to advertise the army that it is day light, and that the sentinels forbear challenging.
REVERS, Fr. Behind, in rear, at the back of any thing.
Etre vu de REVERS, Fr. To be overlooked by a reverse commanding ground. When a work, for instance, is commanded by some adjacent eminence, or has been so badly disposed, that the enemy can see its terre-pleine, or rampart, that work may be said to be overlooked, être vu de revérs. The same term is applicable to a trench when the fire of the besieged can reach the troops that are stationed within it.
Revers de la tranchée, Fr. Literally means the back part of the trench. It is the ground which corresponds with that proportion of the border of the trench that lies directly opposite to the parapet. One or two banquettes are generally thrown up in this quarter, in order that the trench guard may make a stand upon the reverse when it happens to be attacked by a sortie of the enemy.
REVERSE. A contrary; an opposite; as, the reverse, or outward wheeling flank; which is opposite to the one wheeled to or upon. See [Pivot].
Reverse likewise signifies on the back, or behind: so we say, a reverse commanding ground, a reverse battery, &c.
REVERSED arms. Arms are said to be reversed when the butts of the pieces are slung or held upwards.
Reversed. Upside down; as arms reversed.
REVETEMENT, (revêtement, Fr.) in fortification, a strong wall, built on the outside of the rampart and parapet, to support the earth, and prevent its rolling into the ditch.
Revetement du rampart, Fr. Revetement belonging to the rampart.
REVETIR, Fr. To line, to cover, to fortify.
REVIEW, (revue, Fr.) In the military acceptation of the term, an inspection of the appearance, and regular disposition of a body of troops, assembled for that purpose, is called a review.
At all reviews, the officers should be properly armed, ready in their exercise, salute well, in good time, and with a good air; their uniform genteel, &c. The men should be clean and well dressed; their accoutrements well put on; very well sized in the ranks; the serjeants expert in their duty, drummers perfect in their beatings, and the fifers play correct. The manual performed in good time, and with life; the men carry their arms well; march, wheel, and form with exactness; manœuvres performed with regularity, both in quick and slow time. The intention of a review is, to know the condition of the troops, to see that they are complete, and perform their exercise and evolutions well. See [Movements], likewise [Inspection].
To REVISE, (réviser, Fr.) To review; to re-examine; to re-consider. This term is used in military matters, which relate to the proceedings of a general or regimental court-martial. It sometimes happens that the members are directed to re-assemble for the purpose of revising part of the whole mass of the evidence that has been brought before them, and of maturely weighing afresh the substance of the proofs upon which they have formed their opinion and judgment. Great delicacy and discretion are required in those who have authority to order a revision of this sort. A court-martial ought to be the most independent court on earth. Interest, prejudice, or partiality, has no business within its precincts. An honest regard to truth, a sense of the necessity of good order and discipline, and a stubborn adherence to facts, constitute the code of military laws and statutes. Quirks, quibbles and evasions, are as foreign to the genuine spirit of martial jurisdiction, as candor, manliness, and resolute perseverance in uttering what he knows to be the fact, are familiar to the real soldier.
REVOCABLE, (révocable, Fr.) That may be recalled. Nominations for appointments in the army, are made by the president of the United States, subject to the concurrence of the senate, who, if they disagree, revoke the appointment.
REVOLT, (révolte, Fr.) Mutiny; insurrection.
Revolter. One who rises against lawful authority; a deserter, &c.
REVOLTES, Fr. Rebels.
REVOLUTION, (révolution, Fr.) A change in government, as the throwing off the tyranny of Britain, by the declaration of independence, in 1776, and as the French revolution.
REVOLUTIONNAIRE, Fr. A friend to the revolution.
Revolutionnaire, Fr. An adjective of two genders. Anything belonging to the revolution. Hence
Armée Révolutionnaire. A revolutionary army; such as appeared in France.
REVOLUTIONNER, Fr. To revolutionize. To propagate principles in a country which are subversive of its existing government.
REWARD, (récompense, Fr.) A recompence given for good performed. Twenty shillings are allowed by the mutiny act, as a reward for apprehending deserters.
Military Rewards, (récompenses militaires, Fr.) The original instances of military rewards are to be found in the Grecian and Roman histories. The ancients did not, however, at first recompence military merit in any other way than by erecting statues to the memory, or presenting them with triumphal crowns. The warriors of that age were more eager to deserve public applause by extraordinary feats of valor, by temperance and moral virtue, than to become rich at the expence of the state. They thirsted after glory; but it was after a species of glory which was not in the least tarnished by the alloy of modern considerations.
The services which individuals rendered were distinguished by the kind of statue that was erected, and its accompanying decorations, or by the materials and particular formation of the crowns that were presented.
In process of time, the state or civil government of a country, felt the propriety and justice of securing to its defenders something more substantial than mere show and unprofitable trophies. It was considered, that men who had exposed their lives, and had been wounded, or were grown infirm through age, &c. ought to be above want, and not only to have those comforts which through their exertions millions were enjoying, but to be placed in an independent and honorable situation. The most celebrated of their warriors were consequently provided for at the public expence, and they had regular claims made over to them, which were answered at the treasury.
Triumphal honors were likewise reckoned among the military rewards which the ancients voted to their best generals. Fabius Maximus, Paul Emilius, Camillus, and the Scipios were satisfied with this recompense for their services. With respect to old infirm soldiers, who were invalided, they were provided for by receiving, each a lot of ground, which they cultivated and improved. Lands, thus appropriated, formed part of the republican or national domains, or were divided amongst them in the conquered countries.
The Roman officer was rewarded for his services, or for particular acts of bravery in three ways: 1st. By marks of honor or distinction, which consisted of two sorts, viz. Of that which was merely ornamental to their own persons, or limited to the investiture for life; and of that which may be called rememorative, such as statues, &c. The latter descended to their posterity, and gave their families a certain rank in the republic. 2dly. By pensions or allowances, and 3dly. By a grant of lands which exceeded the lots given to private soldiers. These lands, the property of the veteran soldier, in process of time became objects of solicitude among the Patricians and rich men; they encroached upon them, and often excited foreign wars, in order to take away the citizens, and in their absence, engross their lands; this rapacity of the senators, was the true cause of the agrarian laws, which has generally been held up as a reproach to the injured and not to the oppressors, and the people in republics have been held forth as turbulent and inimical to personal property, because the people of Rome sought to recover the lands of which they had been despoiled by the avarice of the senate, and by an inordinate spirit of speculation.
The Franks, who got possession of the country which was formerly occupied by the Gauls, had, at first, no other method of recompensing their generals than by giving them a certain proportion of land. This grant did not exceed their natural lives, and sometimes it was limited to the time they remained in the service.
These usages insensibly changed, and by degrees it became customary for the children of such men as had received grants of national territory, to continue to enjoy them; upon condition, however, that the actual possessors of such lands should be liable to military service. Hence the origin of fiefs in France, and the consequent appellation of milice des fieffés, or militia, composed of men who held their lands on condition of bearing arms when called upon. The French armies were for many years constituted in this manner; and the custom of rendering military service in consideration of land tenure, only ceased under Charles the VIIth.
In process of time, those lands which had been originally bestowed upon men of military merit, descended to their children, and were gradually lost in the aggregate mass of inheritable property. Other means were consequently to be resorted to by the state, in order to satisfy the just claims of deserving officers and soldiers. The French, therefore, returned to the ancient custom of the Romans, and rewarded those, who distinguished themselves in war, by honorary marks of distinction.
Under the first race of French kings may be found several instances of men of obscure condition having, by their valor, obtained the rank and title of count, and even those of duke. These dignities, of themselves, entitled the bearers to places of high command in the armies. The title of knight, most especially of knight banneret, gave very high rank during the reign of Philip Augustus: and in the reigns of one or two of his predecessors, it was bestowed upon individuals who behaved in a distinguished manner in the field.
This species of reward did not cost the public any thing. It was bestowed upon the individual by the general of the army, and consisted in nothing more than a salute given by the latter on the field of battle, by which he became knight banneret, and was perfectly satisfied with the honor it conferred.
This mode of rewarding individuals for great actions or long services, continued until men inlisted themselves for money, and the army was regularly paid, according to the several ranks of those who composed it. At this period, however, it became expedient to have recourse to the second method which was adopted by the Romans to compensate individuals for services rendered to the state. The royal treasury was either subjected to the annual claims of individuals, or to the payment of a specific sum, for having eminently distinguished themselves under arms. Notwithstanding this, honorary rewards continued to be given, and the knighthood conferred in the field by the kiss or salute of a general, which the French style accolade, was practised until the 16th century:
It was usual, even during that century, to reward a soldier, who did a brave action, by some mark of distinction, that was given on the spot by a crown made of grass or other verdure, which was placed upon his head by his comrades, or by a gold ring, which his commanding officer put upon his finger in the presence of the whole troop or company to which he belonged. It sometimes happened, as in the reign of Francis the first, that this mark of distinction was given by the general of the army.
Several brave men have been distinguished with titles of nobility and armorial bearings, which were conferred by princes, in consequence of some singular feat or exploit. There have been instances recorded in the French history of extraordinary actions having been rewarded upon the spot by kings who commanded in person. A soldier of merit was peculiarly honored by Louis the XIth, for bravery and good conduct in the field. That monarch took the collar of a military order off his own neck, and placed it round the neck of Launay Morvillier, as a reward for great prowess and intrepidity.
Besides the gramineous crown and gold ring, which were thus given as marks of honor and distinction, the private soldiers were frequently rewarded by small sums of money when they performed any particular feat or act of bravery. They were likewise promoted from the ranks, and made serjeants or corporals.
Honorary rewards and compensations for service were not confined to individual officers and soldiers. Whole corps were frequently distinguished in the same manner. When several corps acted together, and one amongst them gave signal proofs of gallantry and good conduct, that one frequently took precedence of the others in rank, or was selected by the sovereign to be his personal guard. Sometimes, indeed, the king placed himself at the head of such a corps on the day of battle, thereby testifying his approbation of their conduct, and giving a proof of his confidence in their bravery.
It is now usual, in most countries, to confer marks of distinction on those corps, that have formed part of any army that has signalized itself. Thus the kettle drums, under the appellation of nacaires, were given to some regiments, as proofs of their having behaved gallantly on trying occasions.
The military order of St. Louis, which was created by Louis the XIVth in 1693, and that of Maria Theresa. The modern French legion of honor, instituted by Bonaparte, adopts and organizes into a most influential and comprehensive military and political system, all the usages of pre-existing military orders; and fixes degrees of rank under various denominations, those thus decorated are preferred for other trusts and honors. There are many other orders in different countries, were only instituted for the purpose of rewarding military merit. The Greeks and Romans satisfied themselves with honorary rewards, or occasional compensations. The moderns, particularly the French and English, have placed military claims upon a more solid footing. The gratitude of the public keeps pace with the sacrifices of individuals, and permanent provisions are made for those who are wounded or rendered infirm in the service.
The Athenians supported those who had been wounded in battle, and the Romans recompensed those that had served during a given period. The French kings reserved to themselves the privilege of providing for individuals who had been maimed in action, by giving them certain monastic allowances and lodging, &c. in the different convents of royal institution. Philip Augustus, king of France, first formed the design of building a college for soldiers who had been rendered infirm, or were grown old in the service. Louis, surnamed the great, not only adopted the idea, but completed the plan in a grand and magnificent style. Charles the second, on his restoration to the crown of Great Britain, established Chelsea, and James the second added considerable improvements to this institution.
REZ, Fr. A preposition which signifies close to, adjoining, level with. Rez le metal in a right line with the metal, a phrase used in pointing guns, to discriminate between the real and artificial point blank; it means on a level with the tops of the base-ring and swell of the muzzle. As rez pied, rez-terre. Démolir les fortifications, rez-pied, rez-terre. To level the fortifications with the ground.
Rez-de-chaussée, Fr. The ground floor. This term properly means the surface or floor of any building which is even with the ground on which it is raised. It would be incorrect to say Rez-de chaussée d’une cave, ou du premier étage d’une maison; the ground floor of a cellar, or of the first story of a house.
RHAGOON, Ind. The twelfth month which, in some respect, corresponds with February. It follows the month Magh, which agrees with January.
RHINELAND rod, is a measure of twelve feet, used by all the Dutch engineers.
RHOMBUS, (Rhombe, Fr.) in geometry, an oblique angled parallelogram, or a quadralateral figure whose sides are equal and parallel, but the angles unequal; two of the opposite ones being obtuse, and the other two acute.
RIBAND, Rubande, Ruban, Fr. This word is sometimes written Ribbon. A narrow web of silk which is worn for ornament.
Riband cockade. The cockades which are given to recruits, and is commonly called the colors.
RIBAUDE, Fr. Irregular, noisy, ill-mannered. This term is likewise used as a substantive, viz.
Un Ribaud, Fr. A noisy, ill-mannered fellow. It is an old French word, which at present is seldom spoken in the polished circles of life. In former times, as late indeed as during the reign of Philip Augustus, king of France, it was current without carrying along with it any particular reproach or mark of infamy. The foot guards, who did duty at the palace, were generally called ribauds, from the looseness of their morals; which by degrees grew so very corrupt, that the term, (harmless perhaps at first) was insensibly applied to persons guilty of dishonorable acts. Hence pick-pockets, thieves, cheats, &c. were called ribauds. On which account the provost of the hotel or town house in Paris, was popularly stiled roi des ribands, or provost of ribauds. This phrase prevailed until the reign of Charles the VIth.
Ribaud, Fr. adj. likewise means lewd, debauched, &c.
| Un homme Ribaud, | - | |
| Une femme Ribaude, |
Fr. A licentious man; a licentious woman.
RIBAUDEQUIN, Fr. A warlike machine or instrument, which the French anciently used. It was made in the form of a bow, containing twelve or fifteen feet in its curve, and was fixed upon the wall of a fortified town, for the purpose of casting out a prodigious javelin, which sometimes killed several men at once.
According to Monstrelet, a French writer, ribaudequin, or ribauderin, signified a sort of garment which was worn by the soldiers when they took the field.
RIBLEURS, Fr. Vagabonds, debauched fellows that run about the streets, or spend their nights in disorderly houses. Soldiers who give themselves up to pillage &c. in war time, are likewise called ribleurs, by way of reproach.
RIBLER, Fr. To ramble, &c. was formerly the verb, and riblerie, the act of rambling, &c. the substantive. Both terms are now obsolete, except among the lower orders.
RICOCHER, Fr. To ricochet, to batter or fire at a place with ricochet shots. The author of a very valuable work entitled, Essai Général de Fortification, et d’Attaque et Defense des places, observes in a note to page 89, vol. I, that in strict analogy, we should say ricocheter; but use, which is above all rules, has made ricocher a technical term, whenever we speak of the ricochets of cannon shot.
Une face RICOCHEE, Fr. The face of a fortification, which is fired at with ricochet shots.
RICOCHET, literally means a bound, a leap, such as a flat piece of stone or slate makes when it is thrown obliquely along the surface of a pool.
Ricochet, (ricochet, Fr.) in gunnery, is when guns, howitzers, or mortars, are loaded with small charges, and elevated from five to twelve degrees, so that when fired over the parapet, the shot or shell rolls along the opposite rampart. It is called ricochet-firing, and the batteries are likewise called ricochet-batteries. This method of firing out of mortars, was first tried in 1723, at the military school of Strasburgh, and with success. At the battle of Rosbach in 1757, the king of Prussia had several 6-inch mortars made with trunnions, and mounted on travelling carriages, which fired obliquely on the enemy’s lines, and amongst their horse, loaded with eight ounces of powder, and at an elevation of one degree fifteen minutes, which did great execution; for the shells rolling along the lines, with burning fuzes, made the stoutest of the enemy not wait for their bursting. See [Battery].
Ricochet firing is not confined to any particular charge or elevation; each must vary according to the distance and difference of level of the object to be fired at; and particularly of the spot on which it is intended the shot shall make the first bound. The smaller the angle is under which a shot is made to ricochet, the longer it will preserve its force and have effect, as it will sink so much the less in the ground on which it bounds; and whose tenacity will of course present so much less resistance to its progress. In the ricochet of a fortification of any kind, the angle of elevation should seldom be less than 10°, to throw the shot over a parapet a little higher than the level of the battery. If the works should be of an extraordinary height, the piece must be removed to such situation, and have such charge, that it can attain its object at this elevation, or at least under that of 13° or 14°, otherwise the shot will not ricochet, and the carriages will suffer very much. The first gun in a ricochet battery should be so placed as to sweep the whole length of the rampart of the enemy’s work, at 3 or 4 feet from the parapet, and the rest should form as small an angle with the parapet as possible. For this purpose the guns should be pointed about 4 fathoms from the face of the work towards the interior. In the ricochet of ordnance in the field, the objects to be fired at being principally infantry and cavalry, the guns should seldom be elevated above 3 degrees; as with greater angles the ball would be apt to bound too high, and defeat the object intended. For ricochet practice, see the different pieces of ordnance, as [Gun], [Mortar], and [Howitzer].
Battre en Ricochet, Fr. To put a sufficient quantity of gunpowder in a piece of ordnance to carry the ball, with effect, into the works that are enfiladed. This sort of firing is generally practised along the whole extent of a face or flank. The celebrated marshal Vauban first invented the mode of firing ricochet-shots. He tried the experiment at the siege of Ath, in 1679.
Battre un rempart à RICOCHET, Fr. To batter a rampart with ricochet shots.
RIDEAU is a rising ground, or eminence, commanding a plain, sometimes almost parallel to the works of a place: it is a great disadvantage to have rideaus near a fortification, which terminate on the counterscarp, especially when the enemy fire from afar: they not only command the place, but facilitate the enemy’s approaches.
RIDER, in artillery carriages, a piece of wood somewhat higher than broad, the length equal to that of the body of the axle-tree, upon which the side pieces rest, in a four-wheel carriage, such as the ammunition waggon, block carriage, and sling waggon.
Rough Rider. See [Rough].
RIDING-Master. In the cavalry, an officer whose duty it is to instruct the officers and soldiers in the management of their horses.
To RIFLE, to plunder; to rob.
Rifle, the thread, ray, or line made in a rifled barrel.
| Rifled gun, | - | |
| Rifled piece, | ||
| Rifled barrel, |
Arquebuse rayée, Fr. a fire arm which has lines or exiguous canals within its barrel that run in a vermicular direction, and are more or less numerous, or more indented, according to the fancy of the artificer. With respect to the word itself, it does not appear to bear any other analogy to our common acceptation of the verb, than what may be vulgarly applied to the common practices of riflemen. It is, on the contrary, more immediately connected in sense and signification with an old obsolete word to ray; to streak: which comes from the French rayer. The rifled barrel possesses many advantages over the common one; which advantages are attributed to the threads or rays with which it is indented. These threads are sometimes cut in such a manner, that the line which commences on the right side at the breech, terminates on the left at the muzzle; by which means the ball acquires a rotary movement, revolving once and a half round its own axis before it quits the piece, and then boring through the air with a spiral motion. It is well known, that cannon balls and shot out of common barrels are impelled in a line formed by the centre of the ball, and a compound of the projectile force of the explosion acted upon by the air and by gravitation in its course; the ball has a tendency to rise upward to a certain extent after leaving the muzzle of the gun; its particular motion is as if the ball had a transverse axis, and rolled forward in that axis, in the manner that the wheels of a carriage roll; and at the same time continue their progression forward. See Amer. Mil. Lib.
The rifled barrels of America, during the revolution, contained from 10 to 16 rays or threads; some had as few as four. Some persons have imagined, that those of 16 rays were the best, from a supposition that by the air collapsing in the several grooves, the ball obtained more velocity. Mr. Robins, however, seems to differ in opinion, particularly with respect to the depth of the grooves. He observes, page 339 and 340, in his Tracts on Gunnery, that whatever tends to diminish the friction of these pieces, tends at the same time to render them more complete; and consequently it is a deduction from hence, that the less the rifles are indented, the better they are; provided they are just sufficient to keep the bullet from turning round the piece. It likewise follows, that the bullet ought to be no larger than to be just pressed by the rifles, for the easier the bullet moves in the piece, supposing it not to shift its position, the more violent and accurate will its flight be. It is necessary, that the sweep of the rifles should be in each part exactly parallel to each other. See Robins on Gunnery, page 328.
Paradés, a gunsmith at Aix-le-Chapelle, who was reputed to be very ingenious in the construction of rifled barrels, used to compress his barrels in the centre.
RIFLEMEN, experienced marksmen, armed with rifles. They formed the most formidable force of the United States in the revolution, being posted along the American ranks, and behind hedges, &c. for the purpose of picking off the British officers. They have proved equally fatal in the hands of the French during their revolution. Considerable improvements are daily made; and light infantry battalions, like the chasseurs of the French, should form a considerable portion of every army, and all infantry and cavalry should be taught to act as riflemen, as well as artillerists.
Mounted Riflemen, are no other than good riflemen, accustomed to horsemanship, mounted.
RIGHT, that which is ordered; that which justly belongs to one.
Rights, certain unalienable claims and privileges, which every individual, civil as well as military, possesses in regulated community. See [Wrongs].
RIGOL. See [Circle].
RING. A circle, an orbicular line.
Ring of an Anchor. That part of the anchor to which the cable is fastened.
RINGS, in artillery, are of various uses; such as the lashing-rings in travelling-carriages, to lash the sponge, rammer, and ladle, as well as the tarpauling that covers the guns; the rings fastened to the breeching-bolts in ship-carriages; and the shaft-rings to fasten the harness of the shaft-horse by means of a pin.
RINGS of a Gun. Circles of metal, of which there are five, viz.
Base-ring, reinforce-ring, trunnion-ring, cornice-ring, and muzzle-ring. See Am. Mil. Lib.
RINGLEADER. The head of any particular body of men acting in a riotous or mutinous manner.
To Ring. To make a sharp reverberating noise.
Ring Ramrod! A word of command which is sometimes used at private inspections, to try the bottom of the barrel of a musquet.
RINGROD, Fr. A strong iron bar which is used in forges. It likewise means a thick pole with an iron ferrel.
RINGRAVE, Fr. Pantaloon breeches.
RIOT and Tumult. Sedition, civil insurrection, disturbance, &c. A breach of the peace committed by an assembled multitude.
RIOTERS. Disturbers of the public peace; persons acting in open violation of good order; raising or creating sedition, &c.
RIPOSTE, Fr. A parry and thrust. It likewise signifies in a figurative sense, a keen reply, a close retort.
RIPOSTER, or RISPOSTER, Fr. In fencing, to parry and thrust,
RISBAN, Fr. In fortification, a flat piece of ground upon which a fort is constructed for the defence and security of a port or harbor. It likewise means the fort itself. The famous Risban, of Dunkirk, was built entirely of brick and stone; having within its walls excellent barracks, a large cistern well supplied with water, magazines for stores, provisions, and ammunition. A ready communication was kept up with the town by means of the jetée, which corresponded with the wooden bridge that joined the entrance into the fort. The rampart was capable of receiving forty-six pieces of ordnance, which were disposed in three different alignements or tiers, owing to the triangular figure of the fort; so that a fire could be kept up on all sides.
To RISE. To break into commotions; to make insurrections.
To RISE. In a military sense, to make hostile attack: as the military rose against their government.
To RISE. To obtain promotion.
To RISE from the ranks. To obtain promotion by degrees after having been in the ranks as a private soldier; a circumstance which has happened to some of the best generals in the world.
RISE. Increase of price; as the rise of commissions in the army upon the prospect of peace.
RISSALA, or RASSAULA, Ind. An independent corps of cavalry.
RISSALDAR, Ind. The commander of an independent corps of cavalry.
RIVAL, one who is in pursuit of the same thing which another pursues. A competitor.
Rival Powers. Nations are so called when their relative situation and resources in men and money, &c. enable them to oppose each other.
RIVERAINS, Fr. Persons who inhabit the banks of rivers. By a regulation which was in force during the French monarchy, all persons, so situated, were obliged to leave a space 20 feet broad at least, between their houses or huts, and the bank, for the convenience of navigation. A set of men, called baliseurs, were paid to see this regulation strictly complied with.
RIVER, (Riviére, Fr.) a land current of water bigger than a brook.
Fordable RIVER. A river which may be passed without the assistance of any floating machines. In order to sound the ford, and to ascertain the state of it, men on horseback are first ordered to cross. By that means you will be able to know whether any obstacles have been thrown in the way by the enemy; for nothing is more easily effected. The passage of a ford may be rendered impracticable by throwing whole trees in, by tables or platforms covered with nails, and by stakes. The two latter impediments are the most dangerous. But stakes are not easily fixed, and are consequently seldom used. When fords are embarrassed by them, it requires some time and trouble to clear the river; and it is equally difficult to get rid of the inconvenience that arises when wells have been sunk. Whenever there is reason to apprehend such obstacles, it is always best to reach the ford at dusk. A good resource in such cases, is to collect a great number of empty casks or hogsheads, and lay over them either platforms of boards or faggots of underwood and boards over them, upon which either cavalry or artillery may pass. Intervals sufficient for the passage of the water must be left. The banks should be lined with riflemen to cover the passage; light guns and grape might be employed upon suitable ground.
When the prince of Condé in 1567, resolved to cross the river Seine, the royalists who were on the opposite side, endeavored to prevent his passage by throwing quantities of madriers or thick planks that were nailed together, iron hoops and water-cats into the ford. The Hugonots or Protestants, however, were not diverted from their purpose. Aubigné, a French writer, says, that on that occasion they placed 400 arquebusiers upon the bank to protect the men that raked the ford.
This was certainly a singular method which was used to clear a ford, nor could it be done without much difficulty, and no inconsiderable share of danger. The chevalier Folard has proposed a much safer, and a much easier way, by means of grappling hooks, tied to long ropes, which might be thrown into the ford. Yet even in this case, observes the writer, the object could not be accomplished if the river were broad, unless the persons employed in the undertaking, be under the cover of so heavy a discharge of ordnance and musquetry, that the enemy would not be able to interrupt them, even from an intrenched position on the opposite bank.
With respect to caltrops, the removal of them, when properly distributed at the bottom of a ford, must be attended with great difficulty; for they must render the passage absolutely impracticable, unless they were to sink very deep into the mud and sand, and thus become useless. The men that first enter are in this case the only persons incommoded, but the rest may follow without much hazard.
It sometimes happens, that the bottom of a stream or rivulet is firm and gravelly; when this occurs, the greatest precautions must be taken to escape the effects of caltrops, which would be extremely hurtful to any persons that might attempt to cross. In order to obviate their mischievous consequences, and to render them in a manner useless, a good stock of hurdles must be provided. The soldiers will hand these to one another, force them into the water, and then cover them with stones.
When one or two fords in a river are so situated, that several battalions cannot cross them upon one front, it is then highly prudent to throw a bridge over, either above or below the ford; for a swell may intervene and render it otherwise impassable; and to which, you have the advantage of getting a greater number of troops over at once.
In order to effect a passage for his army over the river Segre, Cæsar gave directions that ditches, thirty feet broad, should be dug in such parts of the banks as might with ease receive the water out of the stream, and render it fordable. Having accomplished this object, he found no difficulty in reaching Petréius, who, being in the daily fear of wanting provisions and forage for his men, was on the eve of quitting his position and marching forwards.
The passage of the Granicus by Alexander the great, is likewise mentioned in history, as an instance of bold enterprise. But however celebrated that act may be in ancient records, we shall not be thought partial to the moderns when we state, that the passage of the river Holowitz by Charles XII. of Sweden, was equally bold and well managed.
The passage of the Tagliamento by Bonaparte during his campaign in Italy, would be the most celebrated of modern times, had not the passage of the Danube in 1809, eclipsed all similar achievements by the magnitude of the difficulties to be overcome, and the astonishing success of the means by which they were overcome.
RIVET, a fastening pin clenched at both ends, so as to hold an intermediate substance with more firmness.
RIVETING-plates, in gun carriages, small square thin pieces of iron, through which the ends of the bolts pass, and are riveted upon them.
RIZAMEDAR, Ind. An officer commanding a small body of horse.
RO, Ind. In Indian music means quick.
ROBE-courte, Fr. literally means a short gown. Provost-marshals, under-bailiffs, vice-seneschals, then lieutenants, and various other persons, occasionally employed in camps and garrisons, to assist the military in maintaining internal good order and discipline, were formerly called in France officiers de robe-courte.
ROC, Fr. A rock.
Roc de lance, Fr. In tournaments the wooden part of a lance is so called.
ROCHER, Fr. a large rock; derived from roc, and generally bearing the same import.
ROCHE à feu, Fr. a solid composition, which gradually consumes when it has been lighted, but which emits a very broad and lively flame, and is not extinguished by water.
ROCKETS. Composition.
| Old proportion. | New proportion. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lbs. | oz. | lbs. | oz. | ||
| Saltpetre | 4 | 0 | —— | 4 | 4 |
| Sulphur | 1 | 0 | —— | 0 | 12 |
| Charcoal | 1 | 8 | —— | 2 | 0 |
Composition for the Stars.
| Mealed powder | 0 | lb. | 8 | oz. |
| Saltpetre | 8 | 0 | ||
| Sulphur | 2 | 0 | ||
| Antimony | 2 | 0 | ||
| Isinglass dissolved | 0 | 3 | ¹⁄₂ | |
| Spirits of wine | 1 | pint. | ||
| Vinegar | 1 | quart. | ||
Composition for rain to head sky rockets, is the same as the above for the rockets.
General Table of Sky Rockets.
| 2 Pound. | 1 Pound. | ¹⁄₂ Pound. | ¹⁄₄ Pound. | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inch. | Inch. | Inch. | Inch. | |||||||||||
| Case | - | Exterior diameter | 2 | .13 | 1 | .69 | 1 | .34 | 1 | .06 | ||||
| Interior diameter | 1 | .529 | 1 | .214 | 0 | .961 | 0 | .761 | ||||||
| Length before driving | 15 | .97 | 12 | .67 | 10 | .05 | 8 | .25 | ||||||
| Length of guage for the choke | 1 | .5 | 1 | .25 | 1 | .0 | 0 | .75 | ||||||
| Cylinders for heading | - | Diameter | 2 | .84 | 2 | .25 | 1 | .79 | 1 | .39 | ||||
| Length | 4 | .26 | 3 | .38 | 2 | .68 | 2 | .12 | ||||||
| Cones for heading | - | Diameter | 2 | .84 | 2 | .25 | 1 | .79 | 1 | .39 | ||||
| Height | 4 | .36 | 3 | .38 | 2 | .68 | 2 | .18 | ||||||
| Mallet for driving—Weight | 1lb. | 3 8oz. | 2 1 | 1 10 | ||||||||||
| No. of Strokes | 31 | 21 | 18 | 13 | ||||||||||
Copper Ladles for filling Sky Rockets.
Length, 1¹⁄₂ the exterior diameter of the case.
Diameter, equals the interior diameter of case.
Circumference, ³⁄₄ the interior calibre of the case.
Sky rockets are driven with composition up to 4¹⁄₂ exterior diameters of the case from the choke; and ¹⁄₅ of a diameter above the composition with good clay. They are bored and reamed up to 3¹⁄₂ diameters.
Dimensions of Sticks for Rockets. General rules.
For rockets from ¹⁄₂ an ounce to one pound, the stick must be 60 diameters of the rocket in length: for rockets from one pound and upwards fifty or fifty-two diameters. Their thickness at top about ¹⁄₂ a diameter, and their breadth very little more. Their square at bottom equal to ¹⁄₂ the thickness at top.
| Kind of Rockets. | 6 Pr. | 4 Pr. | 2 Pr. | 1 Pr. | ¹⁄₂ Pr. | ¹⁄₄ Pr. | ¹⁄₈ Pr. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ft. | in. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | ft. | in. | |
| Distance of poise from the point of the cone | 4 | 1¹⁄₂ | 3 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10¹⁄₂ | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
Rockets of between 3 and 4 inches diameter have been observed to ascend as high as 1000 or 1200 yards; but the height of common rockets is between 450 and 600 yards; and their flight usually short of 7 seconds.
Rocket as used in India. A most formidable weapon against cavalry; they are made of the hollow tube of the bamboo, of a very large size, filled with the usual composition of rockets. The rod is only a part of the same bamboo, the six eighths or seven eighths of which is cut away, leaving the rod. See [Fougette].
Rockets. See [Laboratory].
ROD. See [Measuring].
RODS, or rammers, either of iron or wood, to drive home the charges of musquets, carabines, and pistols.
Rods, or sticks, fastened to sky-rockets, to make them rise in a straight line.
RODOMONT, Fr. A bully. An unmilitary character.
Raire le Rodomont, Fr. To bully, to talk loudly without possessing the real spirit of a man or soldier.
RODOMONTADE, Fr. Rodomontade. The act of bullying, vain boasting or arrogating to ourselves qualities which we do not possess. A French writer has very justly observed, that there cannot be a greater defect in the character of an officer than an overweening display of real or fictitious talents. The word is derived from one Rodomont, the hero or principal character in an old romance, who makes himself conspicuously ridiculous in this way. Sir John Falstaff and Bobadil in English comedy, are specimens of this character.
ROGUE’S March. See [March].
ROHILLAS, Ind. A tribe of Afghans inhabiting the country north of the Ganges, as tar as Oude to the eastward.
ROI, Fr. King.
ROI d’armes, Fr. See [King at arms].
ROKER, Ind. Cash.
ROLE, Fr. A muster roll, state, or return. The word Role is used among the French indiscriminately, to signify either the effective force of an army, or the actual quantify of stores and ammunition which the magazines contain.
To ROLL in duty, is when officers of the same rank take their turns upon duty pursuant to some established roster, as captains with captains, and subalterns with subalterns, and command according to the seniority of their commissions.
To ROLL. To continue one uniform beat of the drum, without variations, for a certain length of time. When a line is advancing in full front, or in echellons, for any considerable distance, the music of one regulating battalion may, at intervals, be permitted to play for a few seconds at a time, and the drums of the other battalions may be allowed occasionally to roll; drums, likewise roll when troops are advancing to the charge.
Long ROLL. A beat of drum by which troops are assembled at any particular spot of rendezvous or parade.
Muster-Roll, is a return, given by the muster-master, on which are written the names of both officers and soldiers of the regiment, troop, or company, with their country, age, and service.
Squad Roll. A list containing the names of each particular squad. Every non-commissioned officer and corporal, who is entrusted with the care and management of a squad, must have a roll of this kind.
Size-Roll. A list containing the names of all the men belonging to a troop or company, with the height or stature of each specifically marked. Every serjeant keeps a regular size-roll, and every captain of a troop or company ought to have one likewise.
Roll-Call. The calling over the names of the several men who compose any part of a military body. This necessary duty is done by the serjeants of companies morning and evening, in every well regulated corps. Hence morning roll-call, and evening roll-call. On critical occasions, and in services that require promptitude and exertion, frequent roll-calls should be made.
ROLLER. A small wheel placed at the foot of the hammer of a gun, or pistol lock, in order to lessen the friction of it against the hammer or feather spring.
Roller likewise means a long piece of wood which is rounded and made taper to suit the regulated size of a military trail.
Roller. In surgery, a long and broad ligature, usually made of linen cloth, for binding, surrounding, and containing the parts of the human body, and keeping them in their proper situation, thereby disposing them to a state of health and redintregation.
ROLLERS, are round pieces of wood of about nine inches diameter, and four feet long, used in moving pieces of artillery from one place to another.
ROMAINE, Fr. A steelyard or balance for weighing things of various weights by one single weight, as from one single pound to 112 pounds.
ROMPRE, Fr. To break.
Rompre un battaillon, Fr. In military evolutions to break a battalion into a given number of parts for the purpose of defiles, &c.
Rompre en colonne, Fr. To break into column.
RONDACHE, Fr. A sort of shield which the French formerly used, and which is still carried by the Spaniards.
RONDEL, in fortification, a round tower, sometimes erected at the foot of a bastion.
RONDES, Fr. See [Rounds].
Ronde Major, Fr. Town-majors round. So called from the town-major visiting the different quarters of a garrison during the night. This round, in some degree, corresponds with our grand round.
Rondes roulantes, Fr. Rounds that are made by officers, serjeants, or corporals, over a certain part of the ramparts. These agree with our visiting rounds. The French say, qui va la? Who goes there? technically with us, Who comes there?
Ronde d’officier. Officer’s round.
Chemin des Rondes, Fr. A path marked out for the convenience of the rounds.
Ronde de gouverneur, Fr. The governor’s rounds.
The French method of ascertaining the nature of the several rounds is by challenging in the same manner that we do, viz. qui va la? Who comes there? This must be said sufficiently loud for the main guard to hear. He is instantly answered: ronde de gouverneur, governor’s rounds; ronde major, major’s round, or grand round, and so on, according to the nature of the rounds. The sentry, who stands posted near the guard-house, after having cried out—Demure là; stop there: or as we say, stop round; cries out again, Caporal hors de la garde, corporal turn out the guard. The corporal or officer of the guard with his sword drawn, according to the French custom, repeats, qui va la? Who comes there? He is answered ronde, round. He then says, avance qui a l’ordre; let him advance who has the parole or countersign; or, as we say, advance one, and give the countersign.
Ronde des officiers de picquet, Fr. Piquet rounds.
Rondes chez les Turcs, Fr. See [Turkish rounds].
RONDELLE, Fr. a small round shield, which was formerly used by light armed infantry. It likewise means a part of the carriage of a gun.
RONDELIERS, Fr. Soldiers who were armed with rondelles, or small wooden shields, covered with leather, were anciently so called.
ROPE. A cord; a string; a halter; a cable; a haulser.
Rope is always distinguished by its circumference: thus a two inch rope means a rope of 2 inches in circumference.
Rule for finding the weight of Ropes.
Multiply the square of the circumference in inches, by the length in fathoms; and divide the product by 480 for the weight in cwt. See also [Drag ropes].
Rope of sand. A phrase in familiar use to signify disunion, want of adhesion and continuity. Thus the colonel and the captains of a regiment disagreeing may be called a rope of sand.
ROPES, of various lengths and thickness, according to the uses they are made for; such as drags for the gin, for the sling cart and waggon, &c.
Drag-Ropes, according to the old practice in the artillery, by which the soldiers pulled the guns backwards or forwards, both at practice and in an engagement, were of the following dimensions, viz.—For a 24-pounder, 54 feet long, with the loop-holes for the pegs included, and 5³⁄₄ inches in circumference; for 18 and 12-pounders, 48 feet long, and four inches in circumference; for 6 and 3-pounders, 39 feet long, and 1⁷⁄₈ inches in circumference. For 13 and 10-inch howitzers, 45 feet long, and 6³⁄₄ inches in circumference; for 8-inch howitzers, 48 feet long, and four inches in circumference; for all other howitzers, 35 feet long, and two inches in circumference. These awkward and cumbersome ropes are now superceded by the more improved and powerful method, of the bricoles, which instead of drag ropes held each by several; there is attached a single bricole or rope with a hook and belt to each of several artillerists; the number of bricoles is in proportion to the calibre. See [Bricoles] and [Prolonge], See Amer. Mil. Lib.
ROSETTE, an ornamental bunch of ribands, or cut leather, which was worn both by officers and soldiers in the British service, on the upper part of their cues.
Rosettes. Two small bunches of ribands that are attached to the loops by which the gorget of an officer is suspended upon his chest. The color of the riband must correspond with the facing of the uniform. The French use the same word.
ROSE-buds. See [Nails].
ROSTER, in military affairs, is a plan or table, by which the duty of officers, entire battalions, squadrons, or parts of a company are regulated.
ROOM. Space; extent of space, great or small. Any part of a building for the accommodation of individuals; as barrack room, orderly room; viz. the orderly room, mess room, guard room, soldier’s rooms, and store-room, for the duty of the regiment.
ROOMS. In a military sense are those parts of a building or barrack which by specific instructions, the different barrack masters must provide, and furnish for the accommodation of the troops. A schedule as published by authority describes the number of rooms allowed in barracks for the commissioned, warrant, and non-commissioned officers, and private men, in the British service, to be as follows:
Cavalry rooms. Field officers, each two rooms; captains, each one ditto; subalterns, staff and quarter-masters, each one ditto; the serjeants of each troop of dragoons, and the corporals of each troop of horse, one ditto; eight rank and file, one ditto; officer’s mess, two ditto.
Infantry rooms. Field officers, each two ditto; captains, each one ditto; two subalterns, one ditto; staff, each one ditto; twelve non-commissioned officers, and private men, one ditto; officer’s mess, two ditto; serjeant-major, and quarter-master serjeant, one ditto. When there are a sufficient number of rooms in a barrack, one may be allowed to each subaltern of infantry. See [Regulations].
ROSTRAL Crown, Couronne Rostrale, Fr. A crown which was bestowed upon that Roman sailor who should first leap on board an enemy’s ship.
ROSTRUM. A Latin word which literally means the beak or bill of a bird, and figuratively the prow of a vessel. There was in a public place in ancient Rome, a tribunal ornamented with various prows of ships, which the Romans had taken from the Antiati. The orators who harangued the people in public, mounted this rostrum. Hence the Roman phrase: To speak from above the rostra or prows.
ROUAGE, Fr. The wheel-work of a carriage, &c.
Bois de Rouage, Fr. Timber to make wheels with.
ROUANNE, Fr. A concave iron instrument, which is used for the purpose of enlarging the hollow of a pump. It likewise signifies a mark. An auger.
ROUANNER, Fr. To bore; also to make casks.
ROUE, Fr. a licensed libertine. One whose principles of morality are considerably relaxed, but who is not sufficiently vitiated in his manners to be excluded from society. The French make a familiar use of the term, and do not affix any degree of stigma to it. They say, on the contrary, c’est un aimable roué, he is an agreeable gay fellow.
ROUE, Fr. Wheel.
Roue de feu, Fr. An artificial firework. See [Soleil Tournant].
Rouet, Fr. A small solid wheel made of steel, which was formerly fixed to the pans of blunderbusses and pistols, for the purpose of firing them off.
Arquebuses et Pistolets à Rouet, Fr. Blunderbusses and pistols to which a small wheel was attached. These firearms are very little known; some, however, are still to be found in European arsenals, kept merely for curiosity.
ROUGES, boulets Rouges, Fr. Red-hot balls.
ROUGH Rider. A person who is indispensably necessary in every cavalry regiment. He is a sort of non-commissioned officer, and should always associate with the serjeants in preference to the private men.
Rough Riders are the assistants of the riding master, and one should always be appointed to each troop. The necessary qualifications, for every Rough Rider (independently of a thorough knowlege of horsemanship) are activity, zeal, and good conduct.
Every rough rider must provide himself with a proper jacket for the riding school business, according to the pattern fixed upon in the regiment.
To ROUGH horses, a word in familiar use among the dragoons to signify the act of breaking in horses, so as to adapt them to military purposes.
To ROUGH it, a cant word used among military men, signifying to face every sort of hardship.
ROULEAU, Fr. A cylindrical piece of wood with iron ferrels at both ends, and with mortises fitted to the end of the lever.
Rouleau de cartouche, Fr. A cylindrical solid piece of wood, which is used in making cartridges; by us called a Former, as it give the form to the cartridge.
ROULEAUX, Fr. Round bundles of fascines which are tied together. They serve to cover men, when the works are pushed close to a besieged town, or to mask the head of a work.
ROULEMENTS, Fr. The several rolls which are beat upon a drum, as preparations for exercise, &c.
ROULER, Fr. To be subject to a fixed roster according to rank and precedence.
ROUND. From the French ronde. In military matters, a visitation; a personal attendance through a certain circuit of ground, to see that all is well. A round consists, in the ordinary way, of a detachment from the main-guard, of an officer or a non-commissioned officer and 6 men, who go round the rampart of a garrison, to listen if any thing be stirring without the place, and to see that the sentinels be diligent upon their duty, and all in order. In strict garrisons the rounds go every half hour. The sentinels are to challenge at a distance, and to port their arms as the round passes. All guards turn out, challenge, exchange the parole, and present arms, &c.
Rounds, are ordinary and extraordinary. The ordinary rounds are three: the town major’s round, the grand round, and the visiting round.
Manner of going the Rounds. When the town major goes his round, he comes to the main-guard, and demands a serjeant and four or six men to escort him to the next guard; and when it is dark, one of the men is to carry a light.
As soon as the sentry at the guard perceives the round coming, he shall give notice to the guard, that they may be ready to turn out when ordered; and when the round is advanced within about 20 or 30 paces of the guard, he is to challenge briskly; and when he is answered by the serjeant who attends the round, town major’s round, he is to say, stand, round! and port his arms: after which he is to call out immediately, serjeant, turn out the guard! town major’s round. Upon the sentry calling the serjeant to turn out the guard, he immediately draws up the men in good order with shouldered arms, and the officer places himself at the head of it, with his sword drawn. He then orders the serjeant and four or six men to advance towards the round, and challenge: the serjeant of the round is to answer, town major’s round; upon which the serjeant of the guard replies, advance, serjeant, with the parole! at the same time ordering his men to rest their arms. The serjeant of the round advances alone, and gives the serjeant of the guard the parole in his ear, that none else may hear it; during which period, the serjeant of the guard holds the point of his bayonet or sword at the other’s breast. The serjeant of the round then returns to his post, whilst the serjeant of the guard, leaving his men to keep the round from advancing, gives the parole to his officer. This being found right, the officer orders his serjeant to return to his men; says, advance, town major’s round! and orders the guard to port their arms; upon which the serjeant of the guard orders his men to wheel back from the centre, and form a lane, through which the town major is to pass (the escort remaining where it was) and go up to the officer and give him the parole, laying his mouth to his ear. The officer holds the point of his sword at the town major’s breast while he gives him the parole.
Grand Rounds. The rounds which are gone by general officers, governors, commandants, or field officers. When there are no officers of the day on piquet, the officer of the main guard in garrison may go the grand rounds.
Visiting Rounds. Rounds gone by captains, subalterns, and the town majors of garrisons.
The grand rounds generally go at midnight; the visiting rounds at intermediate periods, between sunset and the reveille. The grand rounds receive the parole, and all other rounds give it to the guards.
There is also a species of subordinate rounds which are performed by a corporal and a file of men; and which are in reality nothing more than a patrole. When challenged they answer patrole rounds.
The governor of a garrison can order the rounds to go as often as he may judge expedient. Extraordinary rounds are resorted to when any particular event or occurrence is expected, and in cases of tumult, &c.
The going the rounds, though generally considered among the inferior duties of military discipline, ought to be most scrupulously attended to.
Turkish Rounds. The Turks are in the habit of going the rounds like other nations, for the purpose of ascertaining, whether sentries are alert and vigilant on their posts. They call the rounds rol. They start from the guard-house, and the person who goes them has no other weapon of defence than a stick in his hand. He is accompanied by a corporal who carries a lantern. He observes whether at his approach the sentry instantly cries out, jedger Allah, which signifies good God! If any sentry should be found asleep, or be backward in crying out jedger Allah, good God, he is put in prison, and there severely bastinadoed. The Turks never give a parole or countersign, in camp or in garrison.
The design of rounds is not only to visit the guards, and keep the sentinels alert, but likewise to discover what passes in the outworks, and beyond them.
ROUND Robbin. The term is a corruption of ruban rond, which signifies a round riband. It was usual among French officers, when they signed a remonstrance, to write their names in a circular form, so that it was impossible to ascertain who signed first. Hence to sign a round robbin against any person, is for any specific number of men to sign, one and all, a remonstrance against him. This usage has been perverted to the most seditious purposes of insubordination; and of itself should cause the immediate dismission of every officer concerned.
Round Parade. See [Parades].
ROURA, Ind. A term used to express lord, sir, master, worship.
ROUSE. One of the bugle horn soundings for duty. It is derived from the German word which signifies to turn out.
ROUT. Confusion of an army or body of men defeated or dispersed.
To Rout, to put to the Rout. To defeat, to throw into confusion, &c.
ROUTE, (Route, Fr.) in military matters, an order to direct troops to march, the road they are to take, and an authority to the magistrates to provide quarters for them.
Pas de Route, Fr. Stepping at ease, or marching with the least possible restraint.
Marche Route, Fr. Route of march. The French use this term in contradistinction to marche manœuvre; march in manœuvring.
ROUTIER, Fr. A ruttier. The French say figuratively c’est un vieux routier; he is an old stager.
ROUTINE, Fr. This word has been adopted by us in the same sense that it is familiarly used by the French. It signifies capacity, or the faculty of arranging; a certain method in business, civil or military, which is as much acquired by habit and practice as by regular study and rule. We say familiarly the routine of business.
ROUVERIN, Fr. Brittle iron, such as easily breaks when it is committed to the forge.
ROWANNA, Ind. A passport or certificate from the collector of the customs; or any other passport.
ROWEL. The pointed part of a horseman’s spur, which is made in a circular form, with rays or points like a star.
ROXANA, Ind. An Indian term expressive of great magnificence, resplendence.
ROY, Ind. A Hindoo name for an officer of the finances.
ROYAL parapet, in fortification, a bank about three toises broad, and six feet high, placed upon the brink of the rampart, towards the enemy: its use is to cover those who defend the rampart.
Royal academy. See [Academy].
Royal Military College. See [School].
ROYALS, in artillery, are a kind of small mortars, which carry a shell whose diameter is 5.5 inches. They are mounted on beds the same as other mortars.
ROZEENDAR, Ind. A person holding a yearly pension.
ROZENADAR, Ind. One who receives an allowance daily.
ROZENAMA, Ind. A day-book.
RUBBY, Ind. A division of the year, containing the months of Chaite or 3d month, from the 11th of March to the 10th of April. Bysac or 4th month, from the 11th of April to the 11th of May. Jeet or 5th month. Assaf or 6th month, from the 12th of June to the 13th of July. Savan or 7th month, in some manner, agrees with July and August. Baudhoon, or the same as Jeet, from the 11th of May to the 12th of June. The other half of the year is called Kureef.
RUDIMENTS. The first principles, the elements of any particular science. Hence—
Rudiments of War. The first principles or elements of war; as marching, facing, wheeling; the drill, manual, and platoon exercises, manœuvres, &c. &c.
RUE, Fr. Street.
RUFFLE. A term used among the drummers to signify a sort of vibrating sound, which is made upon a drum, and is less loud than the roll.
To beat a Ruffle. To make a low vibrating noise upon the drum. It is generally practised in paying a military compliment to a general officer, and at military funerals.
In the British army a lieutenant-general is entitled to three ruffles.
A major-general to two ruffles.
A brigadier-general to one ruffle.
RUG, (couverture velue, Fr.) A coarse nappy coverlet used for mean beds. Each set of bedding which is provided for regimental hospitals has one rug.
RUILLER, Fr. To establish marks for the purpose of rendering surfaces and places correct.
RUINE, Fr. Literally signifies ruin. It is used by the French in a warlike sense.
Battre en Ruine, Fr. To defeat an enemy in such a manner as to destroy all means of taking the field again.
RUINES, Fr. Ruins.
RULE, in a general sense, government, sway, empire. In a more confined one, canon, precept, direction. Hence rules and regulations for the government of the army.
To Rule. To govern, to command.
| RULE, | - | |
| RULER, |
an instrument by which lines are drawn.
RULES and Articles. Under this term may be considered the military code or laws of the United States, and the regulations issued by the War Office.
RULES and Regulations. See [Regulations].
RUMB de vent, Fr. Point of the compass.
Rumb or Rum, Fr. The hold of a ship.
RUMOR, a desultory, loose report of what may, or may not be.
To spread false Rumors, to circulate things without the foundation of reality. Reports, &c. are sometimes circulated by means of spies, deserters, &c. for the purpose of covering some particular design, or intended operation. Rumors of this kind should be cautiously listened to by the commanding officer of the army through which they are spread. It sometimes happens that individuals, through wantonness, or from some other motive, create alarms among their own people, by anticipating some looked for or dreaded event. This offence is not only punishable by the civil law, but, being contrary to good order and discipline, is rigidly so in every army. A singular circumstance of this kind occurred at Colchester, England, in 1797. During the alarm which universally prevailed at that time, especially along the coast of Essex, a serjeant belonging to a militia regiment, unwittingly, for it is not supposed he did it wilfully, said in the hearing of some soldiers, that the French would dine at Ipswich on the Sunday following! This expression soon spread among the inhabitants of the place, and a formal complaint was made to the general of the district. The offender having originally belonged to the line, and bearing the best of characters, was so far considered, as not to be tried by a general court-martial; but, for the sake of example, he was ordered to be escorted to the church nearest to the coast, and on a Sunday to appear in the porch, and there ask pardon of the inhabitants for the alarm he had created.
To RUN the gantlope, (that is the gauntlet) to undergo a punishment which has been allotted for considerable offences in some foreign countries. When a soldier is sentenced to run the gantlope, the regiment is drawn out in two ranks facing each other: each soldier, having a switch in each hand, lashes the criminal as he runs along naked from the waist upwards. While he runs, the drums beat at each end of the ranks. Sometimes he runs 3, 5, or 7 times, according to the nature of the offence. The major is on horseback, and takes care that each soldier strikes the culprit.
RUNNING-fire. See [Fire].
RUPEE, a silver coin which varies in its value according to the part of India in which it is current. Rupees struck by the English, are generally worth half a dollar.
RUPTURE, a disease which disqualifies a man from being admitted as a soldier; but as some men are capable of producing and reducing a rupture with great ease, they should not be discharged in slight cases, as by the use of a truss they may be enabled to do duty for a long time.
Rupture. This word also signifies the commencement of hostilities between any two or more powers.
RUSE, Fr. Cunning, trick, ingenuity. It is applied to military matters, and signifies stratagem.
RUSER, Fr. To make use of stratagems: Il est permis de Ruser à la guerre; it is lawful to make use of stratagems in war.
RUSES de guerre, Fr. Stratagems of war. See [Stratagems].
RUSSOOT, Ind. A tribe of Hindoos, whose particular duty is the care of horses.
RUSSUMDAR, Ind. A person deriving a particular perquisite.
RUSTRE, Fr. A lance so called, which was formerly used in tournaments.
RUTTIER. A direction of the road or course at sea.
RYET or Ryot, Ind. The general name given in India to cultivators of the ground.
Ryet or Ryot Lands, Ind. Lands farmed out and cultivated by a tenant.