STAND. The act of opposing; thus troops that do not yield or give way are said to make a stand.
To STAND the enemy’s fire; to remain with steady firmness in orderly array, without being discomposed by the shot, &c. of an opposing enemy.
To STAND. To have an erect position. Every recruit should be taught to hold his body in such a manner, that he feels himself firm and steady upon whatever ground he may be placed for the purposes of exercise or parade. See [Position without arms].
To STAND well under arms. To be so perfectly master of the firelock as not to be embarrassed, or to be rendered unsteady by its weight, but to be able to preserve a correct relative position of the body through all the changes of the manual and platoon, &c. and during the prescribed movements in parade and field exercises. See [Position with arms].
To STAND at ease. To be allowed a certain indulgence with regard to bodily position, with or without arms. See [Ease]. It is likewise a word of command, as Stand at—Ease.
Stand fast. This term is frequently used as a caution to some particular part of a line or column. In the first of the nineteen manœuvres, for instance, the grenadiers are directed to stand fast, while the remaining companies march from their alignement to form close column behind them. When a battalion, drawn up in line, is to move forward in front of its original position from the right, left, or centre, the named division, subdivision, or section, stands fast, and the remaining ones, which have been wheeled backward into column, march towards the inward flank of the standing division, subdivision, or section. On the first of the moving bodies arriving at the inward pivot of the standing one, the latter receives the word march, and the former wheels into the ground. The rest successively do the same. By this method the leading division is spared the trouble of wheeling back and returning again to its original ground.
STANDARD, that which is the test or criterion of other things.
STANDARD. A measure by which men enlisted into the British service have the regulated height ascertained.
According to the British regulations and orders published in 1799, the standard for men raised for the heavy cavalry shall be five feet seven inches, and for the light cavalry and infantry five feet five inches; but no recruits are to be taken, even of those sizes, who exceed 35 years of age, or who are not stout and well made. Lads between 16 and 18 years of age, who are well limbed, and likely to grow, may be taken as low as five feet six inches for the heavy cavalry, and as low as five feet four inches for the light cavalry and infantry. In those regiments which are specially authorised to enlist boys, healthy lads, under 16 years of age, who are likely to grow, may be taken as low as five feet one inch. It will be recollected, that this standard is for men inlisted during a war; when regiments are put upon the peace establishment a higher standard is resorted to. Thus by a letter dated 28th January, 1802, it is directed, that the standard for the infantry of the line shall be five feet seven inches; that no man shall be inlisted who is above 25 years of age; but growing lads from 17 to 19 years of age, shall be taken as low as five feet five inches.
STANDARD, in war, a sort of banner or flag, borne as a signal for the joining together of the several troops belonging to the same body.