CIVIC-CROWN, among the ancient Romans, was a crown given to any soldier who had saved the life of a citizen. It was composed only of oaken boughs, but accounted more honorable than any other.
CIVIERE,Fr.a small hand-barrow, which is carried by 2 men, and is much used by the artillery.
CLARENCIEUX, a silly pageant which has survived the feudal and heraldic ages, and kept up for shew in the court of England, he is called the second king at arms, from the duke of Clarence, third son of king Edward III.
CLARIGATION, inRoman antiquity, a ceremony which always preceded a formal declaration of war. It was performed in the following manner: the chief of the heralds went to the territory of the enemy; where, after some solemn prefatory indication, he, with a loud voice, intimated, that he declared war against them for certain reasons specified; such as injury done to the Roman allies, or the like.
CLAN, a term used among the Scotch for a number of families subject to one head, or chief, who led them to war. The word isclaöwnCeltic signifyingChildren.
CLATES.-CLAYES.
SeeHurdles.
CLAYONAGES,Fr.a species of hurdle, with which the timber work of a gallery is covered. It is likewise used in saps.
CLEAR, to clear the trenches. SeeTrenches.
CLERK, in the general acceptation of the term, a writer in a public office; military departments have persons of this description. SeeRegimentalBook.
CLOCHE,Fr.a bell.
CLOTHING. Clothing of the army of the United States is provided under the order of the war department, by a purveyor of public supplies, who buys and sees the clothing made; it is then placed in the military stores and issued upon order. The clothing of the British army is determined by a permanent board, composed of the commander in chief, and a certain number of general officers, who act under the king’s immediate authority: The annual clothing of the infantry of the line, or fencible infantry, serving in Europe, in North America, or at the Cape of Good Hope, (Highland corps excepted) consists in a coat, waistcoat, or waistcoat front, a pair of breeches, unlined, except the waistband, and with one pocket only: a cap made of felt and leather, with brass plate, cockade and tuft. The felt crown of the cap, cockade, and tuft to be supplied annually, the leather part and brass plate, every two years. Two pair of good shoes, of the value of 5s.6d.each pair, are to be supplied annually in lieu of the half mounting, and each serjeant is to be credited with the sum of 3s.being the difference between the value of the former articles of half mounting for a serjeant and private man. Some exceptions are made with respect to highland corps, and regiments serving in the East and West Indies.
CLOY, orto cloy guns. SeeToNail.
CLOU,Fr.SeeNails.
CLOUTS. SeeAxle-tree.
ToCLUBa Battalionimplies generallya temporary inability in the commanding officer to restore any given body of men to their natural front in line or column. This occurs after some manœuvre has been performed, and is occasioned by false directions being given to the different component parts. Ignorant and inexperienced officers may frequently commit this error; sometimes however, the circumstance may arise from an erroneous movement of a division or company, notwithstanding that the word of command was correct. An able officer in that case will instantly know how to unravel the several parts. The less informed and the less capable may find a relief in sounding thedisperse, which see. It does not, however, always follow, that because an officer may occasionally commit this error with respect to the minute movements of a battalion, he must therefore be unequal to the superior functions of command; or that when a man, who has risen from the ranks, is perfectly master of the mechanical arrangement of inferior movements, he should be able to act upon the enlarged scale of locality and position. The military science which is required in each of these cases essentially differs in its appropriate exercise, but both are necessary. In the confusion of a manœuvre, the best mode would be to halt those parts which are not disordered, and bring the rest either forward in line—under separate officers in detachments different ways, or to rear, right, and left: and halt each as they recover some order; and then marching the parts to the positions analogous to those from which they had been deranged; it would be a useful exercise to create this disorder, in order to be ready at correcting it.
CLEY-MORE, (Celtic, thelarge sword) a great sword, formerly in use among the highlanders, two inches broad, doubly edged: the length of the blade, 3 feet 7 inches; the handle, 14 inches; of a plain transverse guard, 1 foot; the weight, 6 pounds and a half. These swords were the original weapons of England, as appears by the figure of a soldier found among the ruins of London, after the great fire in 1666.
COALITION, seeConfederacy.
COATofMail, armor made of scales or iron rings.
COCK, that part of the lock of a musket, which sustains the two small pieces of iron called jaws, between which the flint is fixed.
ToCock, to fix the cock of a musquet or pistol, so as to have it ready for an instant discharge.
COCKADE, a ribbon worn in the hat. This military mark succeeded the scarf that was formerly worn by the officers and soldiers belonging to European nations, which are principally distinguished in the following manner. In the army and navy of Great Britain, black silk riband for the officers, and hair cockades for the non-commissioned officers, private soldiers and mariners; light blue, pink and white ribands mixed, called tricolor or three-colored, distinguish the French; red marks the Spaniard, black the Prussian and Austrian, green the Russian, &c. Under the old government of France, officers were not permitted to wear a cockade, unless they were regimentally dressed; and, singular as it may appear, the officers and men belonging to a certain number of old regiments in the Prussian service do not wear any mark in their hats. In the United States the cockade is worn, in and out of regimentals, by every species of military character.
COFFER, infortification, a hollow lodgment sunk in the bottom of a dry ditch, from 6 to 7 feet deep, and from 16 to 18 feet broad, and the length of it, the whole breadth of the said ditch, from side to side. The besieged generally make use of these coffers to repulse the besiegers, when they attempt to pass the ditch: they are distinguished only by their length fromCaponiers; the difference between coffers and the traverse and gallery, consists in this, that the latter are made by the besiegers, and the former by the besieged. They are covered with joists, hurdles, and earth, raised 2 feet above the bottom of the ditch; which rising serves instead of a parapet, with loop-holes in it.
COFFRE. SeeCoffer.
COGNIZANCE. Judicial notice, trial, judicial authority. In a military sense, implies the investigation to which any person or action is liable. During the suspension of civil authority, every offence comes under military cognizance, is subject to military law, and may be proceeded upon according to the summary spirit of its regulation. Hence, a drum-head court-martial is the strongest instance of military cognizance.
COHORT, inRoman antiquity, a name given to part of the Roman legion, comprehending about 600 men.
COINS, in gunnery, are a kind of wedges to lay under the breech of a gun, to raise or depress the metal.
COLLET,Fr.that part of a cannon which is between the astragal and the muzzle.
COLONEL, the commander in chief of a regiment, whether of horse, foot, dragoons, or artillery: but in France, Spain, and some other southern nations, the colonels of horse are calledMâitres de Camp; in Germany, and most northern nations, they are calledRitmeesters. Colonels of foot in the English army take place, and command one another, according to the seniority of their regiments, and not of their commissions; but those of horse, on the contrary, according to the dates of their commissions.
Colonelof horse, who is the first officer of the regiment; hence his attention ought to be given to keeping the regimentcomplete, to have it composed of both men and horses fit for service, and to take particular care to have them well exercised and taught the different evolutions; to be able on all occasions to form themselves according to the ground, or manner in which they may attack, or be attacked.
Colonelof foot, orinfantry. His functions are more extensive than those of the cavalry, as the infantry are employed to more and different purposes. A colonel of infantry should understand something of fortification, and be well acquainted with field engineering. He cannot be too careful to maintain union and harmony among his officers; and, to succeed in this, he must acquire their esteem and confidence, and make himself to be respected. The true way to succeed in this, is to keep up subordination with unalterable firmness; to do justice to every one, to employ all his credit to procure favors to the corps in general, and to the officers in particular, without ever losing sight of the health, comfort, and contentment of his men.
Colonelof dragoonsis nearly connected with that ofhorse, to which word we refer the reader.
Colonelof artillery. The commander of a battalion of artillery is one of the most laborious employments both in war and peace, requiring the greatest ability, application, and experience. He is supposed to be a very able mathematician and engineer, to be thoroughly acquainted with the power of artillery, to understand the attack, and defence of fortifications in all the different branches; to be able on all occasions to form the artillery according to the ground or manner in which they may attack or be attacked; in short, he should be master of every thing belonging to that important corps.
Colonelof engineers, should be a very able mathematician and mechanician, he should be master of fortification, and be correctly versed in the art of planning, constructing, attacking, and defending. SeeEngineer.
LieutenantColonel, is the second person in command of a regiment. Under his direction all the affairs of the regiment are conducted. His military qualifications should be adequate to the size and the importance of the corps in which he has the honor to serve.
Colonelgeneral of the French infantry. An appointment of great trust and authority, which was suppressed during the old government of France. A colonel-general was formerly entitled to the nomination of every commission and place of trust in the infantry. He could order courts-martial, and enforce the sentences awarded by them without ulterior reference; and he had a company in every regiment which was called the colonel-general’s company.
This appointment was created during the reign of Francis I. in 1544, and became an immediate gift of the king, under Henry III. in 1584.
There was likewise a colonel-general of the cavalry; which appointment was entrusted to two officers under the reign of Louis XIII. One commanded the French and the other the German cavalry.
The appointment of colonel-general of dragoons was created by Louis XIV. in 1688.
Colonelle,Fr.was formerly the first company in a French regiment.Madame la Colonelleis still the colonel’s wife.
COLORSin the military art, are large silk flags fixed on half pikes, and carried by the ensigns; when a battalion is encamped, they are placed in its front; but in garrison they are lodged with the commanding officer.
The size of the colors to be 6 feet 6 inches flying, and 6 feet deep on the pike. The length of the pike (spear and ferril included) to be 9 feet 10 inches. The cords and tassels of the whole to be of the standard color, mixed with gold or silver; silver for the infantry and cavalry; gold for the artillery, rifle corps, and engineers.
Camp-Colors, are a small sort of colors placed on the right and left of the parade of a regiment when in the field; one or two to each company; they are 18 inches square, and of the color of the facing of the regiment, with the number of the regiment upon them. The poles to be 7 feet 6 inches long, except those of the quarter and rear-guards, which are to be 9 feet. SeeBannerolls.
Color-guard. SeeGuard.
Colors,used in the drawings of fortification. It is necessary to usecolorsin the drawings of plans and profiles of a fortification, in order to distinguish every particular part, and separate, as it were, the one from the other, so as to make their difference more sensible. The different sorts ofcolors, generally used in these kinds of drawings, are,Indian-ink,carmine,verdigrease,sap-green,gum-bouge,Prussian blue,indigo, andumber.
Indian-inkis the first and most necessary thing required in drawing; for it serves, in drawing the lines, to express hills or rising grounds, and, in short, for all what is called shading in drawings. The best sort ofIndian inkis of a bluish black, soft and easily reduced into a liquid, free from sand or gravel. It is made in oblong squares. The manner of liquefying it, is by putting a little clear water into a shell or tea-cup, and rubbing it gently ’till the water is black, and of a consistence much like common ink: when it is used for drawing lines, it must be made very black, though not too thick, otherwise it will not easily flow out of the camel hair pencil; but when it is for shading, it must be pale, so as to go over the same shade several times, which adds a beauty to the shading.
Carmine, is an impalpable powder, and the fairest red we know of: it serves for coloring the sections of masonry, the plans of houses, and all kinds of military buildings; as likewise their elevation; but then it is made of a paler color. It is also used for drawing red lines in plans, to represent walls. It is of a high price, but a little will go a great way. It must be mixed with a little gum-water.
Verdigrease, orsea-green, used in drawings, is either liquid in small phials, or mixed in little pots or shells, &c. it serves to color wet ditches, rivers, seas, and in general to represent all watery places; it is most soluble in vinegar; and mixed with vinegar makes a fine green ink.
Sap-green, is a stone of a faint yellowish green, when liquefied with clear water: but when mixed with a little sea green, it makes a beautiful grass-green; but, as all mixedcolorsare liable to fade, ifverdigreasecan be had, it will be much better.Sap-greenis very cheap.
Gum-bouge, is a fine yellow gum. It may be dissolved in water, but requires no other gum: it serves to color all projects of works; as likewise to distinguish the works unfinished from those that are complete. It serves also to color the trenches of an attack.
Indigo, is in small cakes, and very cheap; it serves to color iron, and roofs of buildings which are covered with slates: it must be well ground upon a smooth stone or glass, and mixed with a little gum-water.
Prussian blue, is a kind of friable substance of an exceeding fine blue: it is used to represent the color of blue cloth in drawing encampments, battles, &c. It must be well ground, and mixed with a little gum-water.
Smalt, also a good sort of blue, and may be used for the same purposes.
Ultramarine, is an impalpable powder, and of a very delicate sky-blue. It is acolorof high price.
Umber, is a yellowish browncolorin powder: when it is mixed with gum-water, it serves to color dry ditches, sand, and all kinds of earth. By mixing a little red ink with it, it will make a woodcolor.
If some tobacco-leaves be steeped in clear water for several hours, and filtered through a woollen cloth, or brown paper, with a little red ink mixed with it, it will make the best earth or woodcolor, as lying smoother than any other.
Gum-water, is best when it is made some time before it is used; for which purpose take somegum arabicand steep it in clear water for some hours, ’till it is dissolved; then strain it through a woollen cloth or brown paper, and preserve it in phials, well stopped, ’till wanted.
COLUMN, in the art of war, a long, deep file of troops or baggage. The advantages and disadvantages of columns are so numerous, that we shall only mention, that columns ought to be able to form near the enemy; and in such a position, as not to suffer much from the artillery; that their motions be quick, so as not to suffer much during the operation; and that the divisions, in short, which compose each column, be so arranged as to afford each other a mutual defence and assistance, in case they should be attacked. Such are the principles that should guide, in forming of columns judiciously, and of freeing them from that multiplicity of inconveniencies which make them liable to the most melancholy accidents. The chevalier Folard has written a treatise on the disposition of the column as the best order of battle; after his death the theory sunk into disregard; but the French revolution has revived and realized all the advantages, held forth by Folard.
Close-Column, a compact, solid column, with very little space between the divisions of which it is composed.
Open-Column, a column with intervals between the divisions equal to their respective fronts.
COMBAT, a battle or duel. Anciently it was not uncommon for contending powers to adjust their disputes by single combat, when each party chose for itself a champion who contested the point in presence of both armies.
COME-in, soldiers are said to come in, as volunteers, recruits, &c. when invited to join any particular standard.
Come-over, when men desert from an enemy, and join the army that opposes them, they are said to come over. This term is opposed togo over.
ToCome-in to, to join with, to bring help. “They marched to Wells, where the Lord Audley, with whom their leaders had before secret intelligence,came in tothem.”English History.
ToCome-up, to overtake. To come up with an enemy, is a military phrase much in use.
COMINGE,Fr.a shell of extreme magnitude, which takes its name from the person who originally invented it.
COMMAND, generally calledthe word of command, is a term used by officers in exercise, or upon service.
Command, in military matters. Allcommandsfall to the eldest in the same circumstances, whether of horse, dragoons, artillery, foot, or marines.
COMMANDE, a rope made use of in boats and pontoons.
Commands,in fortification, are:
A command in front, when any eminence is directly facing the work which it commands.
A command in rear, when any eminence is directly behind the work which it commands.
A command by enfilade, when an eminence is situated in the prolongation of any line of a work, and a considerable part of it may be seen from thence.
COMMANDANT, is that person who has the command of a garrison, fort, castle, regiment, company, &c. called also commander.
COMMANDEMENTFr.in a military sense, means any spot which is higher than another. A commandement is calledsimple, when the difference between two heights is only 9 feet. It is calleddouble, when the difference is 18 feet; triple when 27, and so progressively, taking 9 feet invariably, for the height of each commandement. A commandement may be considered in three lights. Infront, inenfilade, and inreverse. The commandement infront, is when you see all the persons who are employed in protecting a work; inenfilade, when you only see them from a flank; and inreverse, when you see them obliquely from behind.
COMMANDING-ground, implies in a military sense, a rising ground which overlooks any post, or strong place. There are, strictly speaking, three sorts of commanding grounds; namely,
FrontCommanding-ground, Every height is called so, that lies opposite to the face of the post which plays upon its front.
ReverseCommanding-ground, an eminence which plays upon the rear of a post.
EnfiladeCommanding-ground, orCurtainCommanding-ground, a high place, which, with its shot, scours all the length of a line, &c.
COMMANDERY, a certain benefice belonging to a military order. A body of the knights of Malta, were so called. They have now only a nominal existence.
COMMIS,Fr.Clerk or inferior person, who is employed in any of the French war-departments.
COMMISSAIRE,Fr.Commissary. This term was used in the old French service, to express a variety of military occupations. The following are the principal designations.
Commissaire-général des armées. Commissary-general of the armies. His duties were correspondent to those of a quarter master, forage master, or agent for supplying an army with provisions and stores.
Commissaire-général de la cavalerie légère.Fr.Commissary general of light cavalry.
Commissaired’artillerie.Fr.Commissary of artillery. One commissary general superintended in each department of the ordnance, and had one of the three keys which belonged to the general magazine. This officer had the power of giving directions respecting the cleanliness and the general government of the magazines.
Commissairesprovinciaux d’artillerie,Fr.Provincial commissaries attached to the ordnance.
Commissairesordinaires d’artillerie,Fr.Commissaries in ordinary attached to the ordnance. These were subordinate to the provincial commissaries, and were distributed among the navy, forts, and garrison towns.
Commissairesextraordinaires d’artillerie,Fr.Extraordinary commissaries attached to the ordnance. These formed the third class of commissaries under the monarchial government in France. They likewise did duty on board the king’s ships, or in garrisoned towns.
Commissaireprovincial en l’Arsenal de Paris, au départment de l’Isle de France. Provincial commissary belonging to the arsenal in Paris. This officer received his commission from the grand master, in whose gift the situation lay, and had the exclusive privilege of being rendered privy to every alteration or movement that was made in the arsenal.
Commissairegénéral des poudres et salpêtres,Fr.Commissary general of gun-powder and saltpetre.
Commissairegénéral des fontes,Fr.Commissary general of the Founderies.
Commissairesdes guerres,Fr.Commissaries of the war departments or muster masters general.
Commissairesordinaires des guerres,Fr.Commissaries in ordinary, or deputy muster masters. These were subordinate to the former, and were entrusted with the superintendance of hospitals, to see that proper provisions were procured for, and distributed among the sick. They likewise gave proper vouchers to account for the absence of soldiers, and regulated what number of extraordinary waggons should be furnished to the troops on marches.
Commissairesprovinciaux et ordinaires des guerres,Fr.Provincial or ordinary commissaries of war. Specific duties were attached to their appointments, the discharge of which was principally confined to the different provinces.
Commissairesdes guerres entretenus dans l’hotel des invalides,Fr.Commissaries of war, specifically attached to, and resident in the hotel des invalides. It was their duty to keep a regular roll, containing all the names of the different officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers who might be detached on garrison duty, &c. which return was made monthly by them to the secretary at war. Each commissary at every review or inspection of the corps of invalids, had particular directions to mark out those men who appeared capable of serving; and a regular return to that effect was made to the secretary at war.
Commissairedes vivres,Fr.Commissary of stores. The commissary of stores had several deputies, who acted immediately under, and were in every respect accountable to him for the management of their trust.
Commissairegeneral des fortifications,Fr.Commissary general of Fortifications. This was a very important situationduring war, as it was the duty of the commissary general to trace the lines of circumvallation, &c. at the siege; to determine upon the mode of attack and defence, and to see, that the necessary repairs were made.
COMMISSARY, in military affairs, is of various denominations, though generally a civil officer appointed to inspect the musters, stores, and provisions for the army. In war-time their number is proportioned to the service required.
Commissary-general of the musters, ormuster-master general. He takes account of the strength of every regiment as often as he pleases; reviews them, sees that the horse are well mounted, and all the men well armed and clothed. He receives and inspects the muster rolls, and knows exactly the strength of the army. The British have created aninspector general of cavalry, which answers every purpose for which that of muster master general was intended.
Commissary-general of stores, a civil officer in the artillery, who has the charge of all the stores, for which he is accountable to the office of ordnance. He is allowed various other commissaries, clerks, and conductors, especially in war-time.
Commissaryof the train horses, a civil officer likewise of the artillery, who has the inspection of all horses belonging to the train, the hospital, and the bakery; having under him a number of conductors, drivers, &c.
Commissaryof accountsis a responsible person who attends each army, where the numbers are of sufficient importance, with a proper establishment, for the purpose of examining and controlling accounts on the spot. All commissaries of accounts make returns of their examination, and on these documents the comptrollers of the army accounts found the best enquiry into the expenditure which the nature of the subject admits of.
Commissary-general of provisions, has the charge of furnishing the army in the field with all sorts of provisions, forage, &c. by contract; he must be very vigilant and industrious, that the troops may never suffer want. He has under him various commissaries, store-keepers, clerks, &c.
COMMISSION, in a military sense, any situation or place which an individual may hold in the army, or militia. In the United States the President nominates the officer, who enters upon service and pay immediately on his acceptance, but the appointment must be submitted to the senate, and approved by a majority, before the commission issues.
MilitiaCommissionsare issued in different modes in all the United States; officers being elective by the line in some states, as in Pennsylvania; they are appointed by the governor, as Maryland.
Commissionof array. In the reign of Henry II. 1181, an assize of arms was settled to the following effect: That every person possessed of a knight’s fee, was to have a coat of mail, an helmet, a shield, and a lance, and as many of these as he had fees. Every free layman that had in goods or rents to the value of 16 marks, was to have the same arms; and such as had 10 marks were to have a lesser coat of mail, an iron cap, and a lance; the two last of which with awamhoiswere assigned for the arms of burgesses, and all the freemen of boroughs. These arms were all to be provided before the feast of St. Hilary next following.
To enforce these regulations, it was customary for the time, at certain seasons of the year, to issue commissions to experienced officers, to draw out and array the fittest men for service in each county, and to march them to the sea coasts, or to such other quarters of the country as were judged to be most in danger. Of thesecommissions of array, there are many hundreds in the Gascon and French rolls in the tower of London, from the 36th of Henry III. to the reign of Edward IV. The form of the ancient commissions of array may be seen in Rushworth’s historical collection published in 1640. These commissions were again attempted to be revived by Charles I but they were voted illegal and unconstitutional by the parliament.
Non-Commissioned, applies to that particular class of men who act between what are called the rank and file of a battalion, and the commissioned or warrant officers. SeeSerjeants.
COMMITTEE, a select number of persons to whom the more particular consideration of some matter is referred, and who are to report their opinion to the court, &c. of which they are members.
COMMUNICATION, in fortification signifies all sorts of passages, or ways which lead from one work to another. The best, and indeed the only good communications are those which the besieger cannot annoy, or interrupt by his fire. The obstinate defence of a work is rendered almost impracticable, if you are destitute of good communications. Subterraneous galleries, coffers, or caponiers, slopes made on the outside of gorges, may be termed communications. When the ditches are filled with water, floating bridges, &c. serve as communications.
COMPAGNE,Fr.a room or cabin belonging to the chief of a galley.
Companies-Franches,Fr.free corps or companies, which during the old government of France, were put upon a certain establishment in war time. The Austrians and Prussians had free corps in the seven years war; there were some in France at the beginning of the revolution, but they were more fatal to friends than enemies, and utterly destitute of discipline.
COMPANY, in a military sense,means a small body of foot, or artillery, the number of which is never fixed, but is generally from 50 to 120, commanded by a captain, a lieutenant, and an ensign, and sometimes by a first and second lieutenant, as in the artillery and flank companies of the line. A company has usually 4 or 6 serjeants, 4 or 6 corporals, and 2 drums. A company should have at least 4 commissioned officers, a serjeant and corporal for every ten men and a company consist of 120. In the Austrian service a company consists of 200 men.
FreeCompany, is one of those corps commonly called irregular; is seldom or never under the same orders with the regular corps of the army, but for the most part acts like a detached army, either by itself, or in conjunction with some of its own kind; therefore their operations are properly considered under the title of thepetite guerre. Same as companies Franches.
IndependentCompany, that which is not incorporated in a regiment. Two such companies generally belong to each regiment in England, who are to supply the regiments with recruits.
COMPARTIMENTde feu,Fr.a specific division of the intermediate spaces belonging to a mine, and the regular allotment of the saucissons or train-bags to convey fire to the furnaces at one and the same time.
COMPLEMENTof the curtain, that part in the interior side of a fortification which makes the demi-gorge. SeeFortification.
Complementof the line of defence, the remainder of the line of defence, after you have taken away the angle of the flank. SeeFortification.
COMPLETE, a regiment, troop, or company, is said to be complete when it has the whole number of officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, according to the regulation for the time being.
Complimentof the line of the army. SeeHonors.
Complimentfrom guards. SeeHonors.
COMPOSITION.—For the composition ofFuzes,Portfires,Tubes,Carcasses, see those words.
Composition for Kitt.
This composition to be carefully fused, and cast into the shape of balls, which when cold will be sufficiently hard to be fired from a small mortar.
Composition forSuffocating Pots.
This composition when intimately mixed, to be rammed into wooden boxes, and primed in the usual way.
This composition will answer for fumigation.
Chinese, orWhite Light.
ForSmoke Balls.
ForFire Hoops,Fire Arrows, andFire Lances.
Compositionto fill cases forsetting fire to Fascine Batteries.
All dry compositions must be well mixed; first by the hands, and then passed several times through fine hair sieves, that the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated. In mixing compositions which require fire, the greatest precautions are necessary; particularly in those where gunpowder enters. The dry parts of the composition may in general be mixed together first, and put by degrees into the cauldron, while the other ingredients are fluid, being well stirred all the time of putting in. When the dry ingredients are inflammable, the cauldron must not only be taken off the fire, but the bottom must be dipt in water, to prevent the possibility of accident while mixing them.
COMPOUNDmotion. SeeGunnery.
COMPTROLLERof the artillery, inspects the musters of the artillery, makes the pay-list, takes the account and remains of stores, and is accountable to the office of ordnance. This post is only in war-time. Also an officer who superintends the accounts of the army at large.
COMRADE, a fellow soldier in the same regiment, troop, or company.
ToCONCERT, in a military sense, is to digest, arrange, and dispose matters in such a manner, that you may be able to act in conjunction with other forces, however much divided, at any given point of offensive or defensive operation.
CONCORDANT,Fr.a certain agreement, which officers belonging to the same corps in the French service formerly entered into, for the specific purpose of providing for a comrade who left the regiment. This contract was, however, without the sanction of government, and if known incurred its displeasure.
CONDUCTORS, are assistants to the commissary of stores, to conduct depots, or magazines, from one place to another: they have also the care of the ammunition waggons in the field; they report to the commissary, and are under his command.
CONFEDERATETroops. Troops of different nations united together in one common cause against an enemy. Hence the league by which they are so engaged, is called aconfederacy. The same as coalition, the powers of Europe coalesced in 1791, to partition France, and were defeated; there were several other coalitions since, which have ended in the subjugation of them all.
CONFIDENCE, in a military sense, implies an explicit reliance upon the skill, courage, &c. of an individual. Next to a perfect knowlege of military tactics, the faculty of securing the confidence of the soldiers is, perhaps, one of the surest means of becoming successful in war. There are instances, indeed, which prove that many victories have been gained by men who had the entire confidence of their army, without being remarkable for much military knowlege; whilst on the other hand, battles have been lost by the most celebrated generals, because they did not possess the good opinion of their men. When confidence and military science go together, an army must be unfortunate not to succeed in the most desperate enterprize.
CONFLICT. SeeCombat.
CONGE,Fr.leave of absence, The old service of France admitted of two sorts. TheCongé limité, a limited or specific leave, andCongé absolu, a full discharge: in time of war, the latter was always suspended.
CONGLOMERATE, to gather together, to assemble in a knot.
CONGRESS, in military and political affairs, is an assembly of commissioners, deputies, envoys, &c. from several powers meeting to agree on terms for a general pacification, or to concert matters for their common good. A committee of the American Congress conducted the war during the first years of the revolution.
CONNETABLEde France. Constable of France. This appointment succeeded to that of Grand Sénéchal de France. It was not originally a military place of trust, but merely an office belonging to the king’s household.
CONSCRIPT,conscriptus, a term anciently applied to the senators of Rome, from their names being entered all in one register. It was used by congress in our revolution.
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 hisname 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.
Conspirationcontre 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.
HighConstableandMarshalwere officersof considerable weight and dignity, not only in France, but throughout all the feudal governments of Europe. The title of constable orcomes 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. SeeMarshal.
The powers of the constable as a field officer, were extremely ample and dignified. The constable was subordinate only to the king in the command of the army; and even when the king was actually in the field, the efficient command of the troops seems to have been in this officer, and all the general orders were issued jointly in the sovereign’s name and in the constable’s.
CONSUL. The person invested with the powers of the consulate.