Line, or camp courts-martial. These courts-martial are frequently resorted to, and differ from regimental ones, in as much as they are composed of the officers belonging to different corps, and the ratification of the sentence is vested in the general or commanding officer of the camp. So that no time is lost in waiting for the commander in chief’s approbation, when he is delegated by him; nor has the colonel or commanding officer of the regiment to which the offender may belong, any power to interfere. The sentences of line or camp, field, and garrison courts-martial, are confined to corporeal punishments, but they can neither affect life, nor occasion the loss of a limb. The proceedings are read by the adjutant of the day; the surgeon is from the regiment to which the prisoner belongs, and the punishment is inflicted in front of the piquet by the drummers of the different corps under the direction of the drum-major, who is from the regiment to which the adjutant of the day belongs. Field and drum-head courts-martial, may be considered in the same light, when an army is on its march; with this difference, that the prisoner is tried either by officers belonging to his own corps, or by a mixed roster. A circle is formed at a short distance from the men under arms, and the sentence is written upon a drum-head; whence the appellation of drum-head courts-martial is derived. When there are several regiments present, the same forms are attended to in punishing prisoners as are observed in line or camp courts-martial; and when there is only one regiment, the examination and the punishment of the prisoner or prisoners take place within itself.
Lines, in fortification, bear several names and significations; such as,
| Line of | - | [defence] | - | See [Fortification]. | ||
| [defence fichant] | ||||||
| [defence razant] | ||||||
| [circumvallation] | ||||||
| [countervallation] | ||||||
| [counter-approach] | ||||||
| [defence prolonged] | ||||||
| [Line, Capital] | ||||||
Line of communication. (Ligne de communication, Fr.) That space of ground in a fortified place which joins the citadel to the town.
Lines of communication, are trenches that unite one work to another, so that men may pass between them without being exposed to the enemy’s fire: thence the whole intrenchment round any place is sometimes called a line of communication, because it leads to all the works.
Inside Lines, are a kind of ditches towards the place, to prevent sallies, &c.
Outside Lines, are a kind of ditches towards the field, to hinder relief, &c.
Capital Line of the half moon. (Ligne capitale de la demi-lune, Fr.) That which is drawn from the flanked angle of a half moon, to the rentrant angle of the counterscarp on which it is constructed.
Line of counter approach. (Ligne de contre-approche, Fr.) A sort of trench which the besieged make, and push forward from the glacis, for the purpose of counteracting the enemy’s works. See [Approaches].
Line of defence. (Ligne de dèfense, Fr.) See [Fortification].