Regiments, not having paillasses, are allowed straw at the following rates:
On taking the field, two trusses of 36 pounds each to every five men, at the end of eight days to be refreshed by one truss, and at the end of eight days more to be refreshed again by the same quantity. At the end of twenty-four days the whole to be removed, and an entire new bedding to be given, and refreshed as before, viz. two trusses for every five men.
Four pounds of straw are to be added to the ration forage for the cavalry and artillery horses only.
Six pounds of straw are to be allowed to the general officers and staff, in addition to the prescribed ration of forage. See [Regulations].
STRAW. For straw! is a word of command in the British service, to dismiss the soldiers when they have stacked their arms, so that they may be ready on the first signal given.
STREAKS, are the iron bands on the outside of the wheel to bind the fellies strongly together.
Streak-nails, are those driven through the streaks into the fellies.
STREET. See [Encampment].
Street-firing. See [Firing].
STRELITZ. A Russian word, whose plural number is strelitzy, derived from strelai, an arrow, in the same language. An ancient militia, which was formerly kept in pay among the Muscovites both in time of peace and in time of war, was so called. The men who composed it always served on foot, and were originally armed, as their name indicates, with bows and arrows. They afterwards received musquets or firelocks, and laid aside the bow and arrow. The rest of the Russian army, which was only called together in cases of emergency, retained the bows, arrows, and lances; with which each soldier armed himself according to his own particular whim or notion.