Lacher un prisonnier, Fr. to let a prisoner escape, or go away unmolested.
Lacher un coup, in speaking of fire arms, signifies to discharge a pistol or musquet. Il lui lâcha un coup de pistolet dans la tête; he lodged a bullet in his head. Le vaisseau lâcha toute sa bordée à la portée du mousquet; the ship fired a whole broadside within musquet shot.
LACHETE, Fr. An opprobrious term which is frequently used among the French, and is applied in all instances of cowardice, want of spirit, or dishonorable conduct. One of their writers emphatically observes, that in a military sense of the word it cannot be misunderstood, as the least imputation of cowardice or want of spirit, is sufficient to destroy the entire character and fame of every officer and soldier whom it may affect. As it is the direct opposite to courage, the person who enters into the profession of arms, should weigh well within himself whether he possesses that indispensible quality, which is above all the temptations of pleasure or the effeminacy of life, and is only alive to the glorious impulse of military animation. He only, in fact, is fit for arms, whose spirit is superior to every sordid view, who knows no personal fear, and who can encounter the greatest difficulties and dangers with an inward placidity of soul, and an outward indifference to life. In order to illustrate this article, we shall quote some ancient and modern instances of that species of cowardice or lâcheté, which affects the military character.
Euripidas, chief of the Eléans, having imprudently advanced too far into a long and narrow defile, and learning, that Philip of Macedon was on this march to block up the passage through which he had entered, instead of manfully waiting the issue of an engagement, abandoned his army, in the most cowardly manner. It does not appear says the chevalier Folard, that Euripidas possessed those talents which are necessary to form a great general; for instead of meanly stealing off by a bye road and leaving his army to its fate, he would have remained at its head, and either have fought his way through, honorably have capitulated, or have died combating with his men.
Base and inglorious as this conduct of Euripidas most unquestionably was, the behaviour of Perseus king of the Macedonians exceeded it in cowardice and degradation. This infamous prince did not wait to be visited by misfortune or to lose a battle; he had, on the contrary, obtained a signal victory over the Romans, and when Paulus Emilius marched against him, the army he commanded was not inferior to that of his opponent in discipline and valor, and had the advantage in point of numbers. Yet, strange to relate! the engagement was no sooner begun, than he rode off full gallop, and repaired to the town of Pydnus, under the flimsy pretext of sacrificing to the God Hercules; as if Hercules, to use Plutarch’s expression, was the deity to whom the prayers and offerings of Cowards were to be preferred!
The English duke of York on two occasions during his command in the Netherlands, displayed this lâcheté.
Mark Antony on the other hand, after having acquired the reputation of a brave and distinguished general, submitted to the allurements of sensual gratification, and buried all his glory in the meretricious embraces of an Egyptian strumpet. We have had a striking instance, during the present war, of the superiority which a real military thirst for glory will always have over private indulgences. When the French army was very critically situated in Germany, general Hoche who commanded it, became exposed one evening to the allurements of a most beautiful woman, who by design or accident got placed near the general at a public supper. Aware of the weakness of human nature, and full of his own glory, as well as conscious of the critical state of the army entrusted to his care, he suddenly rose, ordered his horses, and left the place at midnight.
We might enumerate a variety of cases in which the greatest heroes have fallen victims to human weakness; and few alas! in which a sense of public duty and a regard for the opinion of posterity have got the ascendancy. History, however, saves us that trouble, and we shall remain satisfied with having explained under the word Lâchete, what we conceive disgraceful in an officer or soldier, who suffers personal fear, passion, or interest to get the better of public character.
La trahison est une lâcheté; treason is infamous in its nature.
LACUNETTE, Fr. a term in fortification. A small fossé or ditch was formerly so called. The word [Cunette] has since been adopted.