It must be observed that this is the old British system of march; the war of the French revolution has brought this part of the art of war to a degree of perfection, which would have rendered the insertion of this unnecessary if their system were published.
HOMME, Fr. a man.
Homme de mer, Fr. a seaman.
Homme d’armes, Fr. a military phrase among the French, signifying a gentleman or cavalier who belonged to one of the old companies, was armed cap-a-pied, and always fought on horseback. In ancient times every man of this description was accompanied by two horsemen independent of his servants. One of the mounted attendants was armed with a cross-bow, and the other with a common bow or battle-axe; so that one hundred hommes d’armes composed a body of three hundred horse. It was a species of cavalry which existed from the reign of Louis XI. until the reign of Henry II. Charles VII. had begun to form the French nobility into regular corps of cavalry, dividing them into different troops. Out of these he established a body of fifteen hundred hommes d’armes or armed bowmen, and he gave the troops or companies according to their sizes, to the princes and most experienced captains in his kingdom. For particulars we refer the curious to Le Gendre and Gaia, Traité des armes, L. 14, and to Fauchet, L. 2. C. 1. de son Traité de la milice et des armes.
Etre Homme de Cheval, Fr. a term in French equitation, signifying, that a man is completely master of his horse, or knows how to manage him thoroughly and according to prescribed rules and regulations. Thus Il est suffisamment homme de cheval pour d’etre point embarrassé de celui qu’il monte en commandant sa troupe—He is sufficiently master of his horse, or he is horseman enough, not to be in the least embarrassed by the one he rides in exercising his troop.
HONDEAAN or HUNDYVEAAN, an Indian term signifying commission on bills of exchange.
HONEY-Combs, in cannon, flaws in the metal, a fault in casting, which renders it extremely dangerous in firing. The British board of ordnance rejects all guns (on proof) having an honey-comb of ¹⁄₉th of an inch deep, as being unfit for service.
HONI soit qui mal y pense, Fr. evil be to him that evil thinks. The motto of the English order of the Garter.
HONNEUR, Fr. honor.
Honneurs Militaires, Fr. military honors. It was directed by a general instruction in the French service, that whenever an officer saluted or paid a military honor to a general officer, he should make his troop or company invariably face towards the enemy. The same practice prevails in our service.