A military dictionary

by William Duane

Commissary-general of provisions, has the charge of furnishing the army in the field with all sorts of provisions, forage, &c. by contract; he must be very vigilant and industrious, that the troops may never suffer want. He has under him various commissaries, store-keepers, clerks, &c.

COMMISSION, in a military sense, any situation or place which an individual may hold in the army, or militia. In the United States the President nominates the officer, who enters upon service and pay immediately on his acceptance, but the appointment must be submitted to the senate, and approved by a majority, before the commission issues.

Militia Commissions are issued in different modes in all the United States; officers being elective by the line in some states, as in Pennsylvania; they are appointed by the governor, as Maryland.

Commission of array. In the reign of Henry II. 1181, an assize of arms was settled to the following effect: That every person possessed of a knight’s fee, was to have a coat of mail, an helmet, a shield, and a lance, and as many of these as he had fees. Every free layman that had in goods or rents to the value of 16 marks, was to have the same arms; and such as had 10 marks were to have a lesser coat of mail, an iron cap, and a lance; the two last of which with a wamhois were assigned for the arms of burgesses, and all the freemen of boroughs. These arms were all to be provided before the feast of St. Hilary next following.

To enforce these regulations, it was customary for the time, at certain seasons of the year, to issue commissions to experienced officers, to draw out and array the fittest men for service in each county, and to march them to the sea coasts, or to such other quarters of the country as were judged to be most in danger. Of these commissions of array, there are many hundreds in the Gascon and French rolls in the tower of London, from the 36th of Henry III. to the reign of Edward IV. The form of the ancient commissions of array may be seen in Rushworth’s historical collection published in 1640. These commissions were again attempted to be revived by Charles I but they were voted illegal and unconstitutional by the parliament.

Non-Commissioned, applies to that particular class of men who act between what are called the rank and file of a battalion, and the commissioned or warrant officers. See [Serjeants].

COMMITTEE, a select number of persons to whom the more particular consideration of some matter is referred, and who are to report their opinion to the court, &c. of which they are members.

COMMUNICATION, in fortification signifies all sorts of passages, or ways which lead from one work to another. The best, and indeed the only good communications are those which the besieger cannot annoy, or interrupt by his fire. The obstinate defence of a work is rendered almost impracticable, if you are destitute of good communications. Subterraneous galleries, coffers, or caponiers, slopes made on the outside of gorges, may be termed communications. When the ditches are filled with water, floating bridges, &c. serve as communications.

COMPAGNE, Fr. a room or cabin belonging to the chief of a galley.

Companies-Franches, Fr. free corps or companies, which during the old government of France, were put upon a certain establishment in war time. The Austrians and Prussians had free corps in the seven years war; there were some in France at the beginning of the revolution, but they were more fatal to friends than enemies, and utterly destitute of discipline.