CONSCRIPTS, men raised to recruit the French armies. In Bohemia and Hungary, all men capable of bearing arms are enregistered, and must march whenever there is occasion for their services. The conscripts in France have been raised during the present war upon similar principles.
The militia of Great Britain come under the appellation, with this difference, that the men are raised by ballot, and do not march out of their native country, unless they be voluntarily disposed so to do. In a republic every man is a soldier, and as the word means must have his name written on the militia roll.
CONSEILLE-de-guerre, Fr. not only signifies a council of war, at which the French king and his minister sat to determine upon military matters, both by sea and land, but it likewise meant a general or regimental court martial.
CONSIGNE, Fr. parole or countersign.
It likewise means, when used in the masculine gender, a person formerly paid by the French government for constantly residing in a garrisoned town, in order to take cognizance of all persons who entered or went out of the gates. He had a place allotted to him in the half-moon, and delivered a regular report to the governor or commandant of the place.
CONSPIRATION, Fr. Conspiracy.
Conspiration contre le service du Roi, Fr. a conspiracy against the King’s service. During the existence of the old government of France, any conspiracy, collusion, or unlawful understanding, which was discovered to exist against the king, his governors, commandants, or other inferior officers, was reckoned a capital military offence; and by an order which took place on the 1st of July, 1727; it was enacted, that every person convicted of the crime should be broken upon the wheel.
CONSTABLE, chief. A person employed under the militia establishment to collect fines.
They may likewise apprehend persons suspected of being deserted serjeants, corporals or drummers.
High Constable and Marshal were officers of considerable weight and dignity, not only in France, but throughout all the feudal governments of Europe. The title of constable or comes stabuli, according to the ingenious author of an essay on military law, explains the original nature of this office, which was that of commander of the cavalry, and as these once constituted the principal strength of the imperial or royal armies, this officer became naturally the commander in chief of those armies. The office of marshal appears originally to have been of a much inferior nature, the person who exercised it being the actual superintendant of the stables, or chief of the equerries, whose duty was to furnish the provender for the horses, and to oversee their proper management. But in process of time this office grew into high consideration, and the marshal subordinate only to the constable, became the second in command of the armies, and in the absence of the latter supplied his place. See [Marshal].