A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer / Comprising ancient and modern military technical terms, historical accounts of all North American Indians, as well as ancient warlike tribes; also notices of battles from the earliest period to the present time, with a concise explanation of terms used in heraldry and the offices thereof. The work also gives valuable geographical information. Compiled from the best authorities of all nations. With an appendix containing the Articles of war, etc.

by Thomas Wilhelm

Inlist. See [Enlistment].

Inlying Picket. A body of infantry or cavalry in campaign, detailed to march, if called upon, and held ready for that purpose in camp or quarters.

Inner. One of the circular rings on the Creedmoor target; a shot striking in this space counts three.

Inniskilliners, or Enniskilliners. In the British service, the officers and soldiers of the 6th Dragoons and the 27th Foot are so called, from the two regiments having been originally raised at Enniskillen (or Inniskillen), a town of Ulster, where the inhabitants distinguished themselves in favor of King William against James II.

Innuit. A name given by some ethnologists to the Indian races inhabiting the northwestern coast of North America. They differ in many respects from the Indians of the interior and farther south. The Aleuts and Esquimos are not included in the term.

Inofficial. Not official; not proceeding from the proper officer; not clothed with the usual forms of authority, or not done in an official character; not required by or appropriate to the duties of any office; as, inofficial intelligence.

Inquiry, Board of. A term used in contradistinction to a court-martial, to signify the meeting of a certain number of officers (who are not sworn) for the purpose of ascertaining facts that may afterwards become a matter of investigation on oath. There are also courts of inquiry; such courts in the armies of Europe, it would seem, derived their origin from the prerogative of the sovereign, and became part of the military judicature by custom and not by express law. From this fact it has been considered that the exercise of this authority, instead of being regarded as an assumption of power, is a favor to the accused, and it is thus stated by Capt. Simmons in his work on courts-martial. For the army of the United States, courts of inquiry have been specially authorized by legal enactment. (See Appendix, [Articles of War], [115] to [121].) The origin and purposes of such courts would naturally lead to the conclusion that they are of the essence of high command; and therefore the right to convoke them, under all the legal restrictions, is properly confined to the President of the United States, a general commanding an army, or a colonel commanding a department; and in the cases of enlisted men, the commanding officer of the regiment. See [Court of Inquiry].

Inroad. The entrance of an enemy into a country with purposes of hostility; a sudden or desultory incursion or invasion; attack; encroachment.

Inroll. See [Enroll].

Insconced. In the military art, when any part of an army has fortified itself with a sconce, or small work, in order to defend some pass, etc., it is said to be insconced. See [Ensconce].