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

Register. A list or roll; as, the army register; which is a list of the officers, with rank and date of commission, etc.

Regulars. Are those troops whose conditions of enrollment are not limited to time or place, in contradistinction to militia or volunteer corps; troops permanently in service.

Regulation Sword. A sword of the kind or quality prescribed by the official regulations. Also regulation cap, uniform, etc.

Regulations. Under the Constitution of the United States, rules for the government and regulation of the army must be made by Congress. Regulation implies regularity; it signifies fixed forms; a certain order; method; precise determination of functions, rights, and duties. (See [Military Regulations].) A “regulation” of an executive department is a rule by the head of such department for its action, under a statute conferring such power, and has the force of law; a mere order of the President, or of the Secretary of the department, is not a regulation. The power of the Executive to establish rules and regulations for the government of the army is undoubted. The power to establish implies necessarily the power to modify or repeal, or to create anew. The Secretary of War is the regular constitutional organ of the President for the administration of the military establishment of the nation; and rules and orders publicly promulgated through him must be received as the act of the Executive, and as such be binding upon all within the sphere of his legal and constitutional authority. Such regulations cannot be questioned or defied, because they may be thought unwise or mistaken. But as it sometimes occurs that rights of rank, command, and pay, concerning which Congress has legislated, are subjects of dispute, and variable expositions of laws regulating those essentials of good government have been by different Executives, with an increasing tendency to invalidate rank created by Congress; there should be a law passed by Congress to enable cases to be brought before the Federal civil courts, in order that the true exposition of military statutes and authorities in dispute may be determined. With such a remedy, laws, however defective they may be, would at least be known, and rights, powers, and duties, established by law would be well determined.

Regulators. The popular name of a party in North Carolina, which arose in 1768, and had for its object the forcible redress of public grievances.

Reigate. A town of England, in the county of Surrey. Its castle was destroyed in 1648. Its church contains the tomb of Lord Howard, who commanded the English fleet against the Armada.

Reign of Terror. A term applied to a period of anarchy, bloodshed, and confiscation, in the history of the French revolution, during which the country was under the sway of the actual terror inspired by the ferocious measures of its governors, who had established it avowedly as the principle of their authority. It commenced after the fall of the Girondists, May 31, 1793, and extended to the overthrow of Robespierre and his accomplices, July 27, 1794. Thousands of persons were put to death during this short time.

Reims. See [Rheims].

Rein. A crack or vein in a musket-barrel.

Reinforce. In gunnery, is the thickest part of the body of the gun, in front of the base-ring or base-line; if there be more than one reinforce, that which is next the base-ring or base-line is called the first reinforce; the other the second reinforce. See [Ordnance, Construction of, Molding].