CONCORDANT, Fr. a certain agreement, which officers belonging to the same corps in the French service formerly entered into, for the specific purpose of providing for a comrade who left the regiment. This contract was, however, without the sanction of government, and if known incurred its displeasure.
CONDUCTORS, are assistants to the commissary of stores, to conduct depots, or magazines, from one place to another: they have also the care of the ammunition waggons in the field; they report to the commissary, and are under his command.
CONFEDERATE Troops. Troops of different nations united together in one common cause against an enemy. Hence the league by which they are so engaged, is called a confederacy. The same as coalition, the powers of Europe coalesced in 1791, to partition France, and were defeated; there were several other coalitions since, which have ended in the subjugation of them all.
CONFIDENCE, in a military sense, implies an explicit reliance upon the skill, courage, &c. of an individual. Next to a perfect knowlege of military tactics, the faculty of securing the confidence of the soldiers is, perhaps, one of the surest means of becoming successful in war. There are instances, indeed, which prove that many victories have been gained by men who had the entire confidence of their army, without being remarkable for much military knowlege; whilst on the other hand, battles have been lost by the most celebrated generals, because they did not possess the good opinion of their men. When confidence and military science go together, an army must be unfortunate not to succeed in the most desperate enterprize.
CONFLICT. See [Combat].
CONGE, Fr. leave of absence, The old service of France admitted of two sorts. The Congé limité, a limited or specific leave, and Congé absolu, a full discharge: in time of war, the latter was always suspended.
CONGLOMERATE, to gather together, to assemble in a knot.
CONGRESS, in military and political affairs, is an assembly of commissioners, deputies, envoys, &c. from several powers meeting to agree on terms for a general pacification, or to concert matters for their common good. A committee of the American Congress conducted the war during the first years of the revolution.
CONNETABLE de France. Constable of France. This appointment succeeded to that of Grand Sénéchal de France. It was not originally a military place of trust, but merely an office belonging to the king’s household.
CONSCRIPT, conscriptus, a term anciently applied to the senators of Rome, from their names being entered all in one register. It was used by congress in our revolution.