Surgical Instruments directed to be provided for the field. An amputating saw, 1 metacarpal saw, 12 curved needles, 1 amputating knife, 1 catlin, 1 screw tourniquet, 1 silver catheter, 1 elastic ditto, 2 trephines to fit one handle, 1 trephine forceps, 1 elevator, 2 scalpels, 1 bullet forceps, 1 trocar with spring and introductory canula, 1 trocar with spring canula for hydrocele, a brush, a tenaculum, thread for ligatures.
To INSULT, in a military signification, is to attack boldly and in open day, without going through the slow operations of opening trenches, working by mines and saps, or having any recourse to those usual forms of war, by advancing gradually towards the object in view. An enemy is said to insult a coast when he suddenly appears upon it, and debarks with an immediate purpose to attack. The British forces under the command of sir Ralph Abercrombie, insulted the Dutch coast when they took possession of the Helder, in consequence of a bold descent. The British fleet which entered the Chesapeake bay, and on the 22 June, 1807, attacked the United States frigate Chesapeake, insulted the nation; they had the baseness to deny it, and to make an apology afterwards; but they did not punish their officers; and afterwards fled from the engagements made by their ambassador to the U. S. In attacking fortified places it is usual to insult the counterscarp, in order to avoid the destruction which would naturally follow, if the besieged had time enough allowed them to give effect to the different mines that must necessarily have been prepared beneath it. The grenadiers are always employed on these occasions, accompanied by workmen and artificers to secure the post, after it has been taken by assault.
INSULTER, Fr. See [To Insult].
INSURGENTS. All vassals in Hungary when assembled together in consequence of the general proclamation by Ban and Arriere Ban are so called. This, however, does not happen except in cases of great emergency, when they are headed by the prince Palatine of Hungary, and march to the defence of their frontiers. The Hungarians have sometimes indeed gone beyond them, in order to support their sovereign’s right, and have acted offensively in the neighboring countries.
Insurgents is a term used to signify persons who have made inroads into a country; or who rise in revolt against the established laws.
INTELLIGENCE, in a military sense may be variously applied, and of course has different significations. No general can be said to be in any degree qualified for the important situation which he holds, unless, like an able minister of state, he be constantly prepared with the requisite means to obtain the best intelligence respecting the movements and the designs of the enemy he is to oppose. On the other hand, it is not possible to conceive a greater crime than that of affording intelligence to an enemy, and thereby bringing about the overthrow and destruction of a whole army. A French military writer, (to whose work we have the satisfaction of being frequently indebted for much general and useful knowlege) makes the following observations respecting the latter species of intelligence, which he classes under two specific heads.
He justly remarks, that to hold correspondence, or to be in intelligence with an enemy, (étre d’intelligence avec l’Ennemi) is to betray your country. Armies and fortified places are almost always surprized and taken by means of a secret intelligence, which the enemy keeps up with domestic traitors, acting in conjunction with commissioned spies and delegated hirelings. Arnold had nearly effected the destruction of the American army by the intelligence which he kept up through the British major André, with the British.
A garrison town may be taken by surprize, under the influence of secret intelligence, in two different ways. The one is when the assailant to whom the place has been surrendered, is not bound to join his forces to those troops by whom he has been admitted; the other when it is necessary, that an assault should be made by openly storming, by throwing shells and petards, or by stratagem.
The first species of intelligence may be held with a governor who has influence enough to direct the will and actions of the garrison; with a garrison which is indisposed towards the governor and the officers that command the troops; with the inhabitants who have undertaken to defend a place where no garrison is stationed, and lastly with the prevailing faction, where there are two parties that govern in a free town.
The other species of intelligence may be practised with a governor who either wants power, or is afraid to tamper with the fidelity of the garrison; with some particular officer, serjeants, or soldiers; with the body of inhabitants who think differently from the armed force that overawes them, or with active and shrewd individuals, who have access to the ruling party, and can skilfully combine affected loyalty with secret disaffection.