Postes de campagne, Fr. Every construction or groupe of buildings that will admit of being defended, and is consequently tenable, is called a poste de campagne, or field work. Of this description are churches, houses, country houses, farm houses, villages, redoubts, &c. in which a sufficient number of men may be stationed for the purpose of holding out against an enemy, until succours can arrive. Chevalier Folard has written upon this subject; and since him, F. Gaudi, with comments and illustrations by A. P. J. Belair, chief of brigade in the French army. We recommend the latter production, which appeared in 1793, to the perusal of every officer. The work is intituled, Instruction addressée aux officiers d’Infanterie pour tracer et construire toutes sortes d’ouvrages de Campagne. See likewise, Aide Mémoire pour les officiers d’artillerie. A late work, intituled, Duties of an Officer in the Field, &c. by Baron Gross, of the Dutch brigade, is very useful; the whole of this tract is incorporated in the American Military Library.
Post avantageux, Fr. See [Advantageous Post].
Petits POSTES separés, Fr. small detached posts.
Postes intermédiaires, Fr. intermediate posts, or men so stationed between different corps, that, in case of urgency, they may with ease advance to the support of that which is more immediately threatened by the enemy.
POSTERN, more frequent a sally-port, is a small door in the flank of a bastion, or other part of a garrison, to march in and out unperceived by an enemy, either to relieve the works, or make sallies.
POSTICHE, Fr. any thing fictitious put in room of something that has been real and natural. In military matters, among the French, it serves to distinguish supernumerary or auxiliary soldiers that are taken from one, or more companies; to strengthen any particular body of men.
POSTILION, Fr. an express boat which is kept in French seaports for the purpose of carrying and bringing intelligence.
POT, Fr. a vessel used in the making of artificial fireworks, &c.
Stink Pot, a vessel filled with combustible matter, which is thrown on various occasions, when men come into close action. The consequences of its explosion are sometimes fatal, and always dangerous.
Pot à brai, Fr. an iron pot in which pitch or tar is melted.