Consulchief, or-premierConsul,Fr.
The first or chief magistrate of three persons, each bearing the title of consul, according to the constitution of France, in 1799, the chief consul commanded, directed, and superintended all the military establishments of the country, and whenever it was judged expedient led the armies into battle. Bonaparte, was appointed chief consul; but soon after emperor.
CONSULAR, relating, or appertaining to the consul.
CONSULATE, a civil and military power which was originally instituted by the Romans, on the extinction of their kings in Tarquin the Proud. It has been revived in France, and was the principal feature of the last constitution.
CONSULSHIP. The office of consul.
CONTACT, a touching, or the point or points where one body touches another.
CONTINGENT, something casual or uncertain, that may or may not happen.
TheContingentbillof a regiment, is an account of extra charges, which depend on the accidental situation or circumstances, which may attend any regiment in its due course of service. SeeRecruiting.
CONTRABAND, this term is applicable to various foreign commodities which are either totally prohibited by the laws, or are subject to severe penalties and heavy duties.
CONTRAMURE, in fortification, is a wall built before another partition wall to strengthen it, so that it may receive no damage from the adjacent buildings.
CONTRAVALLATION, in military art, implies a line formed in the same manner as the line of circumvallation, to defend the besiegers against the enterprises of the garrison: so that the army, forming a siege, lies between the lines of circumvallation and contravallation. The trench of this is towards the town, at the foot of the parapet, and is never made but when the garrison is numerous enough to harrass and interrupt the besiegers by sallies. This line is constructed in the rear of the camp, and by the same rule as the line of circumvallation, with this difference, that as it is only intended to resist a body of troops much inferior to a force which might attack the circumvallation, so its parapet is not made so thick, nor the ditch so wide and deep; 6 feet is sufficient for the 1st, and the ditch 8 feet broad, and 5 feet deep.
Amongst the ancients this line was very common, but their garrisons were much stronger than ours; for, as the inhabitants of towns were then almost the only soldiers, there were commonly as many troops to defend a place, as there were inhabitants in it. The lines of circumvallation and contravallation are very ancient, examples of them being found in histories of the remotest antiquity. The author of the military history ofLouis le Grandpretends however, thatCæsarwas the first inventor of them; but it appears from the chevalier de Folard’s treatise on the method of attack and defence of places, used by the ancients, how little foundation there is for this opinion. This author asserts with great probability on his side, that these lines are as ancient as the time in which towns were first surrounded with walls, or, in other words, were fortified.
CONTREBANDE,Fr.SeeContraband.
Faire laContrebande,Fr.to smuggle.
CONTREBANDIER,Fr.a smuggler.
CONTRE-Forts,Fr.Brick-work which is added to the revetement of a rampart on the side of the terre-pleine, and which is equal to its height. Contre-forts are used to support the body of earth with which the rampart is formed. They are likewise practised in the revetements of counterscarps, in gorges and demi-gorges, &c. The latter are constructed upon a less scale than the former. It has been suggested by an able engineer in the French service, to unite contre-forts, and consequently to strengthen them, by means of arches.
Contre-forts likewise form a part of the construction of powder magazines, which are bomb proof.
Contre-queue d’hironde,Fr.denotesthe figure or shape which is made by the oblique direction of the wings, or long sides of a horned or crowned work, whose branches widen as they approach any place.
CONTRIBUTION, in military history, is an imposition or tax paid by countries who suffer the afflictions of war, to redeem themselves from being plundered and totally destroyed by the enemy; or when a belligerent prince, wanting money, raises it by contribution on the enemy’s country, and is either paid in provisions or in money, and sometimes in both.
CONTROL,comptrol, orcontrole, is properly a double register kept of acts, issues of the officers or commissioners in the revenues, army, &c. in order to ascertain the true state thereof.
CONTROLER, an officer appointed to control or oversee the accounts of other officers, and on occasions to certify whether or no things have been controled or examined.
CONTROLES,Fr.SeeMuster-rolls.
CONTROLEURSdes guerres,Fr.Muster-masters. This term was likewise applied to signify various other appointments belonging to the interior arrangement of the French army, viz. controlleurs general d’artillerie, controleurs des hopiteaux militaires. SeeSuperintendantof military hospitals.
Controleurgeneral des vivres. SeeCommissarygeneral of stores.
CONVALESCENT, recovering, returning to a state of health.
List ofConvalescents, is a return made out by the surgeon belonging to a battalion, hospital, &c. to ascertain the specific number of men who may shortly be expected to do duty.
CONVENTION, a treaty, contract, or agreement between two, or more parties.
CONVERSION, is a military motion or manœvre, which turns the front of a battalion where the flank was, when the flank is attacked. The old method of conversion is now exploded, and the new method which has superceded it, has received the name ofcounter-march, orchanging front by counter-march; this is best effected in column; and is never attempted in line in the face of an enemy. For the manner of performing it and the bad effects of attempting it in the face of an enemy, seeAm. Mil. Lib.
CONVOY, in military affairs, a detachment of troops employed to guard any supply of men, money, ammunition, provisions, stores, &c. conveyed in time of war, by land or sea, to a town, or army. A body of men that marches to secure any thing from falling into the enemy’s hand, is also called aconvoy. An officer having the command of a convoy, must take all possible precautions for its security; and endeavor, before its march, to procure some good intelligence concerning the enemy’s out-parties. And as the commanding officer of the place from which the convoy is to march, and those of such other places as he is to pass by, are the most proper persons to apply to for assistance; he must therefore take such measures as will enable him to keep up a constant intercourse with them. The conducting a convoy is one of the most important and most difficult of all military operations.
Convoys.A waggon with four horses occupies about sixteen paces; a mile will therefore hold about 117 waggons: but allowing a short distance between each waggon in travelling, a mile may be said to contain 100 waggons. Waggons in convoy may travel from one to two miles per hour, according to the roads and other circumstances. A great object in convoys is to preserve the horses as much as possible from fatigue. For this purpose, if the convoy amounts to many hundred waggons, they must be divided into divisions of not more than 500 each. Should it consist of thousands, it will be adviseable to divide them intogranddivisions, and then again into subdivisions of 500 each: by this means, and the time of departure being calculated by the following rules, each division may remain at rest, till just before its time of movement; and which will prevent the necessity of the latter part of a large convoy being harrassed for a considerable time before its turn to move.
Rule 1.To find the time in which any number of waggons may be driven off: Divide the number of waggons by 100, and multiply by the time of travelling one mile.
Rule 2.To find the time in which any number of waggons will drive over any number of miles: To the time they take in driving off, add the time any one of the waggons takes to travel the distance.
The different divisions of the convoy should be numbered, and obliged each day to change the order of their marching.
Whenever the progress of a train of waggons is arrested by the breaking down of any one of them, or other delay, all the waggons in the rear of the stoppage, should immediately drive up into the first open space, to as great a number as the open space will hold; this keeps the convoy together and better under the care of the escort.
The escort for a convoy should be divided into front, centre, and rear guards; beside the divisions for the flanks, which should never be beyond musquet shot, or at most 400 yards from each other. The whole escort should never be so separated that they could not be collected in an hour. Under proper precautions against an enemy, a convoy of any size cannot travel more than ten or fifteen miles per day.
ToCO-OPERATE, to put a well digested plan into execution, so thatforces, however divided, may act upon one principle and towards one end.
COOK, each troop or company has cooks, who are excused from other duties.
COPPER. No other metal is allowed to the magazines, or barrels of gunpowder.
COQUILLESà boulet,Fr.shells or moulds. They are made either of brass or iron; two are required for the casting of a cannon ball; but they never close so effectually as to prevent the liquid metal, which has been poured in, from running somewhat out of the part where they join. This excrescence is called the beard, which is broken off to render the ball completely round.
CORBEILLES,Fr.Large baskets, which being filled with earth, and placed one by another along the parapet, serve to cover the besieged from the shot of the besieging enemy. They are made wider at top than at the bottom, in order to afford loop-holes, through which the men may fire upon the besiegers. Their usual dimensions are one foot and a half high, as much in breadth at the top, and eight or ten inches at the bottom. SeeGabion.
CORDE,Fr.Cord, in geometry and fortification, means a straight line which cuts the circumference into two parts, without running through the centre.
CORDEAU,Fr.a cord which is used in measuring ground. It is divided into toises, feet, and inches, for the purpose of ascertaining with precision, the opening of angles and the extent of lines. In wet weather a small chain made of wire is substituted to prevent mistakes that would necessarily occur, from the cord becoming shorter or longer, according to the influence of the weather. The technical terms among French Engineers, are Manier lecordeau, Pendre lecordeau, Travailler aucordeau.
CORDON, in fortification, is a row of stones made round on the outside, and placed between the termination of the slope of the wall, and the parapet which stands perpendicular, in such a manner, that this difference may not be offensive to the eye; whence those cordons serve only as ornaments in walled fortifications.
TheCordonof the revetement of the rampart is often on a level with the terre pleine of the rampart. It has been observed in a late French military publication, that it might be more advantageously placed some feet lower; especially when there is a wall attached to the parapet, to shield the rounds from the enemy’s fire.
Cordon, in military history, is a chain of posts, or an imaginary line of separation between two armies, either in the field or in winter quarters.
CORIDOR, the covert way which is formed between the fossé and the pallisade on the counterscarp. SeeCovert-way. This word is becoming obsolete as a military term, and is chiefly confined to domestic buildings.
CORNAGE, an ancient tenure, which obliged the land-holder to give notice of an invasion by blowing a horn.
CORNE,ouOuvrageaCorne,Fr.SeeHorned work.
CORNET, in the military history of the ancients, an instrument much in the nature of a trumpet: when the cornet only sounded, the ensigns were to march alone without the soldiers; whereas, when the trumpet only sounded, the soldiers were to move forward without the ensigns. A troop of horse was so called.
Cornet, in the military history of the moderns, the junior commissioned officer in a troop of horse or dragoons, subordinate to the captain and lieutenants, equivalent to the ensign amongst the foot. His duty is to carry the standard, near the centre of the front rank of the squadron.
CORNETTE-BLANCHE,Fr.an ornament which in ancient times, served to distinguish French officers who were high in command. It was worn by them on the top of their helmets. It likewise meant a royal standard, and was substituted in the room of the Pennon Roïal. The cornette-blanche was only unfurled when the king joined the army; and the persons who served under it were princes, noblemen, marshals of France, and old captains, who received orders from the king direct.
CORNETTE,Fr.SeeCornet.
TheCornettesorCornets, of the colonel general of cavalry, in the old French service, as well as those attached to the quarter-master general and commissary general, ranked as lieutenants, and the cornettes of la colonelle général des dragons ranked as youngest lieutenants, and commanded all other cornets.
Cornette,Fr.was likewise the term used to signify the standard peculiarly appropriated to the light cavalry. Hence cornettes and troops were synonimous terms to express the number of light-horse attached to an army. The standard so called was made of taffeta or glazed silk, one foot and a half square, upon which the arms, motto, and cypher of the officer who commanded the cavalry were engraved. A sort of scarf or long piece of white silk, (the old French colors) was tied to the cornette whenever the cavalry went into action, in order to render the standard conspicuous, that the men might rally round it.
CORNISHring, in gunnery, the next ring from the muzzle backwards. SeeCannon.
CORPORAL, a rank and file man with superior pay to that of common soldiers, and with nominal rank under a serjeant. He has charge of one of the squads of the company, places and relieves centinels, and keeps good order in the guard. He receives the word of the inferiorrounds that pass by his guard. Every company should have a corporal for every ten men.
Lance-Corporal, one who acts as corporal, receiving pay as a private.
CORPS, any body of forces, destined to act together under one commander.
Corpsde garde,Fr.an inferior post which is sometimes covered in, and at others is in the open air, garrisoned and defended by troops who are occasionally relieved, and whose immediate duty is to prevent a post of greater consequence from being surprised.Corps de garde, in the French acceptation of the word, signifies not only the place itself, but likewise the men who are stationed to protect it.
Corpsde garde avancés,Fr.These posts are occupied by cavalry and infantry, according to the exigency of the service, and the peculiar nature of the ground. When a camp is secured by entrenchments, and has one line of defence, the corps de garde, or advanced post of the cavalry is on the outside of the line, and each part has its quarter and main guard. These guards are always within sight of the same line, unless the unevenness of the ground should obstruct the view. The quarter guard or petit corps de garde is more in front, but still in sight of the main guard, and thevedetteis still further in advance for the security of both.
Corpsde battaille,Fr.the main body of an army, which marches between the advanced and the rear guard.
Corpsde reserve, SeeRear Guard.
CORRESPOND, an officer or soldier who corresponds with the enemy, is liable to suffer death, by the articles of war.
CORSAIR, in naval history, a name given to the piratical cruisers of Barbary, who frequently plunder the merchant ships of countries with whom they are at peace.
CORSELET, a little cuirass; or according to others, an armor, or coat made to cover the whole body, anciently worn by the pike-men, who were usually placed in the fronts and flanks of the battle, for the better resisting the enemy’s assaults, and guarding the soldiers posted behind them.
COSECANT, the secant of an arch which is the complement of another to 90°.
COSINE, the right sine of an arch which is the complement of another to 90°.
COSSACS, in military history, a wild irregular people, who inhabit the Ukraine, and live by plunder and piracy, in small vessels on the Black Sea. A scythe fixed on the end of a pole was their ancient weapon. They are now a regular militia, and use the same arms as the Croats and Pandours.
COTANGENT, the tangent of an arch which is the complement of another to 90°.
COTEextérieur du poligone,Fr.exterior side of the polygon. The line which is drawn from the capital of one bastion to another.
Coteintérieur du poligone,Fr.interior side of the polygon. The line which is drawn from the angle of one gorge to the angle of the gorge most contiguous to it. Seesides of thePolygon.
COUNCILof war, in military affairs, is an assembly of principal officers of an army or fleet, called by the general or admiral who commands, to concert measures for their conduct.
COUNTER-Approaches, lines or trenches made by the besieged, when they come out to attack the lines of the besiegers in form.
Line ofCounter Approach, a trench which the besieged make from their covered way to the right and left of the attacks, in order to scour or enfilade the enemy’s works.
Counter-Battery, a battery used to play on another in order to dismount the guns. SeeBattery.
Counter-breastwork. SeeFausse-braye.
Counter-forts, in fortification, are certain pillars and parts of the wall, distant from 15 to 20 feet one from another, which are advanced as much as may be in the ground, and are joined to the height of the cordon by vaults, to sustain the chemin de rondes, and the part of the rampart, as well as to fortify the wall, and strengthen the ground. SeeButtresses.
Counter-guards, in fortification, are small ramparts, with parapets and ditches, to cover some part of the body of the place. They are of several shapes, and differently situated. They are generally made before the bastions, in order to cover the opposite flanks from being seen from the covert way; consisting then of 2 faces, making a salient angle, and parallel to the faces of the bastion. They are sometimes made before the ravelins. SeeFortification.
Counter-round. SeeRounds.
Counter-mines. SeeMines.
Counter-trenches.SeeSiege.
Counter-working, is the raising of works to oppose these of the enemy.
Counter-swallow’s-tail, in fortification, is a kind of an out-work very much resembling a single tenaille.
ToCountermand, is to give contrary orders to those already given; to contradict former orders, &c.
COUNTERMURE, a wall built up behind another in order to increase the strength of any work.
COUNTERMARCH, a change by wings, companies, subdivisions, sections, or files, whereby those who were on the right take up the ground originally occupied by the left; generally used in changing the front. SeeMarch.
COUNTERSCARP, in fortification,is properly the exteriortalus, or slope or the ditch, on the farther side from the place, and facing it. Sometimes the covert way and glacis are meant by this expression. SeeFortification.
COUNTERSIGN, in a general acceptation of the term means any particular word, such as the name of a place or person, which, like the parole, is exchanged between guards, entrusted to persons who visit military posts, go the rounds, or have any business to transact with soldiers in camp or garrison. It ought always to be given in the language most known to the troops.
COUNTERVALLATION, or line of countervallation, a trench with a parapet, made by the besiegers, betwixt them and the place besieged, to secure them from the sallies of the garrison; so that the troops which form the siege, are encamped between the lines of circumvallation and countervallation. When the enemy has no army in the field, these lines are useless.
COUP-DE-MAIN, in military affairs, implies a desperate resolution in all small expeditions, of surprise, &c. The favorable side of the proposed action must ever be viewed; for if what may happen, arrive, or fall out, is chiefly thought upon, it will, at the very best, not only greatly discourage, but, in general, it will produce a total failure. The very name of an expedition implies risk, hazard, precarious warfare, and a critical but desperate operation, orCoup-de-main.
COUP-d’œil,Fr.in a military sense, signifies that fortunate aptitude of eye in a general, or other officer, by which he is enabled at one glance on the ground or on a map to see the weak parts of an enemy’s country, or to discern the strong ones of his own. By possessing a readycoup d’œil, a general may surmount the greatest difficulties, particularly in offensive operations. On a small scale this faculty is of the greatest utility. Actions have been recovered by a sudden conception of different openings upon the enemy, which could only be ascertained by a quick and ready eye, during the rapid movements of opposing armies. SeeAm. Mil. Lib.articlesReconnoitring, andCoup d’oeil.
COUPURE, in fortification, are passages, sometimes cut through the glacis, of about 12 or 15 feet broad, in the reentering angle of the covert way, to facilitate the sallies of the besieged. They are sometimes made through the lower curtain, to let boats into a little haven built on the rentrant angle of the counterscarp of the out works.
COURANTIN,Fr.a squib; a term used among French artificers.
COURCON,Fr.a long piece of iron which is used in the artillery, and serves to constrain, or tighten cannon.
COURIER, in a military sense, means a messenger sent post, or express, to carry dispatches of battles gained, lost, &c. or any other occurrences that happen in war.
COURIERSdes vivres,Fr.were two active and expert messengers attached to the French army, whose duty consisted wholly in conveying packets of importance to and fro, and in taking charge of pecuniary remittances.
COURONEMENT, orCouronnement, in fortification, implies the most exterior part of a work when besieged.
COURSER. SeeCharger.
COURSIER,Fr.a gun which was formerly placed in the forecastle of a galley for the purpose of firing over the ship’s beak. The weight of its ball was from 33 to 34 lb.
COURT-martial, a court appointed for the investigation and subsequent punishment of offences in officers, under-officers, soldiers, and sailors; the powers of which are regulated by the articles of war for the government of the armies of the United States, passed in the year 1806.
Art. 64. General courts martial may consist of any number of commissioned officers from five to thirteen inclusively, but they shall not consist of less than thirteen, where that number can be convened, without manifest injury to the service.
Art. 65. Any general officer commanding an army, or colonel commanding a separate department, may appoint general courts martial whenever necessary. But no sentence of a court martial shall be carried into execution until after the whole proceedings shall have been laid before the officer ordering the same, or the officer commanding the troops for the time being; neither shall any sentence of a general court martial, in time of peace, extending to the loss of life, or the dismission of a commissioned officer, or which shall, either in time of peace or war, respecting a general officer, be carried into execution, until after the whole proceedings shall have been transmitted to the secretary of war, to be laid before the President of the United States, for his confirmation or disapproval and orders in the case. All other sentences may be confirmed and executed by the officer ordering the court to assemble, or the commanding officer for the time being, as the case may be.
Art. 66. Every officer commanding a regiment, or corps, may appoint, for his own regiment or corps, courts martial, to consist of three commissioned officers, for the trial and punishment of offences, not capital, and decide upon their sentences. For the same purpose all officers, commanding any of the garrisons, forts, barracks, or other places where the troops consist of different corps, may assemble courts martial, to consist of three commissioned officers, and decide upon their sentences.
Art. 67. No garrison, or regimental court martial shall have the power to try capital cases, or commissoned officers; neither shall they inflict a fine exceeding one month’s pay, nor imprison, nor put to hard labor, any non-commissioned officer or soldier, for a longer time than one month.
Art. 68. Whenever it may be found convenient and necessary to the public service, the officers of the marine shall be associated with the officers of the land forces, for the purpose of holding courts martial and trying offenders belonging to either; and in such cases the orders of the senior officers of either corps who may be present and duly authorised, shall be received and obeyed.
Art. 69. The judge advocate, or some person deputed by him, or by the general, or officer commanding the army, detachment, or garrison, shall prosecute in the name of the United States, but shall so far consider himself as council for the prisoner, after the said prisoner shall have made his plea, as to object to any leading question to any of the witnesses, or any question to the prisoner, the answer to which might tend to criminate himself; and administer to each member of the court before they proceed upon any trial, the following oath, which shall also be taken by all members of the regimental and garrison courts martial.
“You A. B. do swear that you will well and truly try and determine, according to evidence, the matter now before you, between the United States of America, and the prisoner to be tried, and that you will duly administer justice, according to the provisions of “An act establishing rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States,” without partiality, favor or affection; and if any doubt shall arise, not explained by said articles, according to your conscience, the best of your understanding, and the custom of war, in like cases; and you do further swear, that you will not divulge the sentence of the court until it shall be published by the proper authority; neither will you disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court martial, unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness, by a court of justice, in a due course of law.So help you God.”
And as soon as the said oath shall have been administered to the respective members, the president of the court shall administer to the judge advocate, or person officiating as such, an oath in the following words:
“You A. B. do swear, that you will not disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court martial, unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness, by a court of justice in due course of law. Nor divulge the sentence of the court to any but the proper authority, until it shall be duly disclosed by the same.So help you God.”
Art. 70. When any prisoner arraigned before a general court martial shall, from obstinate and deliberate design, stand mute or answer foreign to the purpose, the court may proceed to trial and judgment as if the prisoner had regularly pleaded not guilty.
Art. 71. When a member shall be challenged by a prisoner, he must state his cause of challenge, of which the court shall, after due deliberation determine the relevancy or validity, and decide accordingly; and no challenge to more than one member at a time shall be received by the court.
Art. 72. All the members of a court martial are to behave with decency and calmness; and in giving their votes, are to begin with the youngest in commission.
Art. 73. All persons who give evidence before a court martial, are to be examined on oath or affirmation in the following form:
“You swear or affirm (as the case may be) the evidence you shall give in the cause now in hearing, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.So help you God.”
Art. 74. On the trials of cases not capital, before courts martial, the deposition of witnesses not in the line or staff of the army, may be taken before some justice of the peace, and read in evidence; provided, the prosecutor and person accused are present at the taking the same, or are duly notified thereof.
Art. 75. No officer shall be tried but by a general court martial, nor by officers of interior rank, if it can be avoided. Nor shall any proceedings or trials be carried on excepting between the hours of eight in the morning, and three in the afternoon, excepting in cases, which, in the opinion of the officer appointing the court martial, require immediate example.
Art. 76. No person whatsoever shall use any menacing words, signs, or gestures, in presence of a court martial, or shall cause any disorder or riot, or disturb their proceedings, on the penalty of being punished at the discretion of the said court martial.
Art. 77. Whenever any officer shall be charged with a crime, he shall be arrested and confined in his barracks, quarters, or tents, and deprived of his sword, by the commanding officer. And any officer who shall leave his confinement before he shall be set at liberty by his commanding officer, or by a superior officer, shall be cashiered.
Art. 78. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers, charged with crimes, shall be confined until tried by a court martial, or released by proper authority.
Art. 79. No officer or soldier who shall be put in arrest, shall continue in confinement more than eight days, or untilsuch time as a court martial can be assembled.
Art. 80. No officer commanding a guard, or provost martial, shall refuse to receive or keep any prisoner committed to his charge by an officer belonging to the forces of the United States; provided the officer committing, shall, at the same time, deliver an account in writing, signed by himself, of the crime with which the said prisoner is charged.
Art. 81. No officer commanding a guard, or provost martial, shall presume to release any person committed to his charge, without proper authority for so doing, nor shall he suffer any person to escape, on the penalty of being punished for it by the sentence of a court martial.
Art 82. Every officer or provost marshal, to whose charge prisoners shall be committed, shall within twenty-four hours after such commitment, or as soon as he shall be relieved from his guard, make report in writing, to the commanding officer, of their names, their crimes, and the names of the officers who committed them, on the penalty of being punished for disobedience or neglect, at the discretion of a court martial.
Art. 83. Any commissoned officer convicted before a general court martial of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, shall be dismissed the service.
Art. 84. In cases where a court martial may think it proper to sentence a commissioned officer to be suspended from command, they shall have power also to suspend his pay and emoluments from the same time, according to the nature and heinousness of the offence.
Art. 85. In all cases where a commissioned officer is cashiered for cowardice or fraud, it shall be added in the sentence, that the crime, name, and place of abode, and punishment of the delinquent, be published in the newspapers, in and about the camp, and of a particular state from which the offender came, or where he usually resides, after which it shall be deemed scandalous for an officer to associate with him.
Art. 86. The commanding officer of any post or detachment, in which there shall not be a number of officers adequate to form a general court martial, shall, in cases which require the cognizance of such a court, report to the commanding officer of the department, who shall order a court to be assembled at the nearest post or detachment, and the party accused, with necessary witnesses, to be transported to the place where the said court shall be assembled.
Art. 87. No person shall be sentenced to suffer death but by the concurrence of two thirds of a general court martial, nor except in the cases herein expressly mentioned; nor shall more than fifty lashes be inflicted on any offender, at the discretion of a court martial, and no officer, non-commissioned officer, soldier, or follower of the army, shall be tried a second time for the same offence.
Art. 88. No person shall be liable to be tried and punished by a general court martial for any offence which shall appear to have been committed more than two years before the issuing of the order for such trial, unless the person by reason of having absented himself, or some other manifest impediment, shall not have been amenable to justice within that period.
Art. 89. Every officer authorised to order a general court martial, shall have power to pardon or mitigate any punishment ordered by such court, except the sentence of death, or of cashiering an officer; which in the cases where he has authority (by article 65) to carry them into execution, he may suspend until the pleasure of the President of the United States can be known; which suspension, together with copies of the proceedings of the court martial, the said officer shall immediately transmit to the President for his determination. And the colonel or commanding officer of the regiment or garrison, where any regimental or garrison court martial shall be held, may pardon or mitigate any punishment ordered by such court to be inflicted.
Art. 90. Every judge advocate, or person officiating as such, at any general court martial, shall transmit, with as much expedition as the opportunity of time and distance of place can admit, the original proceedings and sentence of such court martial, to the secretary of war, which said original proceedings and sentence shall be carefully kept and preserved in the office of the said secretary, to the end that the persons entitled thereto may be enabled, upon application to the said office, to obtain copies thereof.
The party tried by any general court martial, shall, upon demand thereof made by himself, or by any person, or persons in his behalf, be entitled to a copy of the sentence and proceedings of such court martial.
The following section is extracted from the laws of Congress of 1808.
Sec. 10.And be it further enacted, That the officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates of the said corps, shall be governed by the rules and articles of war, which have been established by the United States in Congress assembled, or by such rules and articles as may be hereafter, by law established;Provided nevertheless, That the sentence of general courts martial, extending to the loss of life, the dismission of a commissioned officer, or which shall respect the general officer, shall, with the whole of the proceedings of such cases, respectively, be laid before the President of the United States, who is hereby authorised to direct the same to be carried into execution, or otherwise, as he shall judge proper.
Courtof inquiry, an assemblage of officers who are empowered to inquireinto the conduct of an officer, or to see whether there is ground for a court-martial, &c. Courts of inquiry cannot award punishment, but must report to the officer by whose order they were assembled. Courts of inquiry are also appointed to examine into the quality and distribution of military stores. SeeArticles of War,§. 91, and92.
A regimentalCourt-Martialcannot sentence to the loss of life or limb. The colonel or commanding officer approves the sentence of a regimental court-martial.
A garrisonCourt-Martialresembles a regimental one in as much as the members are not sworn, and only differs by its being composed of officers of different regiments. The governor, or other commanding officer of the garrison, approves the sentence.
COURTINE,Fr.SeeCurtain.
COUSSINETà mousquetaire,Fr.a bag formerly worn by a French soldier on his left side beneath the cross belt. It hung upon hooks near the but of his musquet. It likewise signifies a wedge used to support the mortar in its frame.
COUTELAS,Fr.SeeCutlass.
COUVERT,Fr.SeeCover.
COUVRE-FACE,Fr.a term used by some engineers, and among others by Cohorn, to express the counter-guard: others, particularly Montalembert, convey bycouvre face génerala second line of complete investment.
ToCOVER, in the mechanical disposition of a battallion, company or squad, only means that a man is to stand in such a position in files, as that when he looks exactly forward to the neck of the man who leads him, he cannot see the second man from him. Nothing but great attention at the drill can bring men to cover so truly as never to destroy the perpendicular direction of any leading body. The least deviation in the men who cover upon either flank of a leading column or division, will throw all that follow out of the true line.
ToCoverground, is to occupy a certain proportion of ground individually, or collectively. A foot soldier upon an average covers 22 inches of ground when he stands in the ranks. The dimensions are taken from his shoulder points.
A file on horseback covers or occupies in the ranks about 2 feet 8 inches. Thus three file, 8 feet; twelve file will occupy about 32 feet or 10 yards and 2 feet; thirteen file, 34 feet 8 inches, or 11 yards, 1 foot 8 inches; fourteen file, 37 feet 4 inches, or 12 yards 1 foot 4 inches, and so on.
One horse’s length from nose to croup, on an average, 8 feet and about 2 inches, or 2 yards 2 feet 2 inches. This consequently will be the space which about three files occupy in front.
Cavalry and infantry officers cannot pay too much attention to the calculation of distances by an accurate knowlege of which, ground will be properly covered, and any proportion of men, on horseback or on foot, be drawn up so as to answer the intentions of an able general. The best way that an officer can form his eye, is to exercise it to the measurement of ground by the regular pace of two feet, used in the military drawing; by this he can calculate his interval exactly, when he once knows how many feet his division occupies; for it is only halving the number of feet, and the number, so produced, is his distance in paces of two feet each. This instruction has been given to cavalry officers, by a very able Tactician.
Cover, a term in war to express security or protection: thus, to land under cover of the guns, is to advance offensively against an enemy who dares not approach on account of the fire from ships, boats or batteries. It likewise signifies whatever renders any movement imperceptible: as, under cover of the night, under cover of a wood, &c. The gallery or corridor in fortification is however, particularly distinguished by the termChemin Couvert, covert way, because the glacis of the parade is its parapet.
COVERT-WAY, in fortification, is a space of 5 or 6 fathoms on the border of the ditch towards the country, covered by a rising ground, which has a gentle slope towards the field. This slope is called the glacis of the covert-way. SeeFortification.
SecondCovert-way, or as the French call itavant chemin couvert, is the covert-way at the foot of the glacis.SeeFortification.
CRAB. SeeGin.
CRANE, an instrument made with ropes, pullies, and hooks, by which great weights are raised.
CREDITS. SeeDebtsand Credits.
CREMAILLE, in field fortification, is when the inside line of the parapet is broken in such a manner as to resemble the teeth of a saw; whereby this advantage is gained, that a greater fire can be brought to bear upon the defile, than if only a simple face were opposed to it; and consequently the passage is rendered more difficult.
Redouts enCremaillere, orCremaille, are such as are constructed as above mentioned.
CRESSET, any great light upon a beacon, light-house, or watch-tower.
CRETE, in fortification, implies the earth thrown out of the ditch in a fortification, trench, &c. The most elevated part of a parapet or glacis.
CRIdes armes,Fr.a savage custom which is still preserved by the Turks and other uncivilized nations, whenever they go into action. It was formerly practised among the French, Spaniards, and the English, &c. The national exclamations were Montjoie and St. Dennis forFrance, St. James for Spain, St. George for England, St. Malo or St. Yves for the Dukes of Britanny, St. Lambert for the principality of Liege, &c. The war-whoop may likewise be considered in this light. It is still practised among the savages of America. SeeWar-whoop.
Every species of noise however is now exploded in Europe. When two armies are upon the point of engaging, a dead silence prevails, the eye and ear of the soldier are rivetted to the word of command; and when he comes into close contact with the enemy, nothing is heard besides the noise of drums, trumpets and cymbals, to which are added the discharge of ordnance and the fire of the musquetry.
In making any desperate assault, or in charging bayonet, or when one battalion is directly opposed to another, or squadron to squadron, the French soldiery frequently use the cri des armes;tué tué; and the Spaniards vociferateamat. Silence and calmness in the soldier, with steadiness and observation in the officer, are nevertheless superior to such ungovernable effusions. The former must contribute to regularity, the latter seldom fails to create disorder.
CRIQUES,Fr.small ditches which are made in different parts of a ground, for the purpose of inundating a country, in order to obstruct the approaches of an enemy.
CROATS, in military history, light irregular troops so called; generally people of Croatia. They are ordered upon all desperate services, and their method of fighting is the same as the Pandours. They wear a short waist-coat, and long white pantaloons, with light boots, a cap greatly resembling the hussar cap. Their arms are a long firelock with rifled barrel, and short bayonet, a crooked hanger, and brace of pistols.
CROCUS, a calcined metal used by the soldiers to clean their musquets, &c.
CROIXde St. Louis,Fr.The cross of St. Louis, a French order which was purely of a military nature. It was instituted by Louis, surnamed the Great, in 1693.
In 1719 the number of grand crosses to be distributed in the French army was limited, with appropriate allowances, in the following manner.
445 Commandeurs and chevaliers. 12 grand crosses at 6000 livres, 13 commandeurs at 4000 livres, 27 ditto at 3000, 25 chevaliers at 2000, 38 ditto at 1500, 100 ditto at 1000, 1 ditto at 900, 99 ditto at 800, 45 ditto at 600, 23 ditto at 500, 35 ditto at 400, 5 ditto at 300, and 4 ditto at 200.
The King was Sovereign Grand Master of the order. Land and sea officers wore it promiscuously. The cross consisted of an enamelled goldenfleur de liswhich was attached to the button hole of the coat by means of a small riband, crimson colored and watered.
On one side was the cross of St. Louis, with this inscriptionLudovicus Magnus instituit, 1693; on the reverse side a blazing sword with the following words,Bellicæ virtutis, præmium.
This is the only order which could be properly and strictly called military. There were several others during the old French government, which we judge superfluous to the present work.
CROSS, the ensign or grand standard borne by the crusaders in the holy-war.
CROSS-fire, in the art of war, is when the lines of fire of two or more adjoining sides of a field-redoubt, &c. cross one another; it is frequently used to prevent an enemy’s passing a defile. It may be two ways obtained: first, by constructing the redoubt with the face opposite the defile, tenailled; that is, forming a re-entering angle. The other way is, to defend the defile by 2 redoubts, whose faces command the passage, flanking each other at the same time.
Cross-bar shot, shot with iron bars crossing through them, sometimes standing 6 or 8 inches out at both sides: they are used at sea, for destroying the enemy’s rigging. At a siege they are of great service in demolishing the enemy’s palisading, &c.
Cross-bars. SeeCarriages.
Cross-bow, a missive weapon used to propel arrows, &c. previous to the use of gunpowder.
CROTCHET, of cavalry. SeeCross.
CROW, an iron bar used as a lever, in moving heavy ordnance, or carriages, &c.
CROWS-feet, orCaltrops, in the art of war, are 4 pointed irons, so made that what way soever they fall, one point is always uppermost. The short ones are about 4 inches in length, and the long ones 6 or 7. The short ones are thrown on bridges, &c. and the long ones on the earth, both to incommode the cavalry, that they may not approach without great difficulty.
CROWN-work, in fortification, an out work that takes up more ground than any other. It consists of a large gorge, and two sides terminating towards the country in two demi-bastions, each of which is joined by a particular curtain, forming two half bastions and one whole one: they are made before the curtain, or the bastion, and generally serve to inclose some buildings which cannot be brought within the body of the place, or to cover the town gates, or else to occupy a spot of ground which might be advantageous to the enemy. SeeFortification.
CROWNEDhorned-work, in fortification, is a horn-work, with a crown-work before it.
CROWNS, in ancient military history,were of various uses and denominations, viz.
OvalCrown,corona ovalis, given to a general who, without effusion of blood, had conquered the enemy.
NavalCrown,corona navalisdistributed to those who first should board an enemy’s ship.
CampCrown,corona castrensis, the reward of those who first passed the palisades of, and forced an enemy’s camp.
MuralCrown,corona muralis, the recompense and mark of honor due to those who first mounted the breach at an assault of a besieged town.
CivicCrown,corona civica, more esteemed than the preceding: it was the distinguishing mark of those who had saved the life of a Roman citizen in battle. It was given to Cicero for dissipating the conspiracy of Catiline, and denied to Cæsar, because he embrued his hands in the blood of his fellow citizens.
TriumphalCrown,corona triumphalis, the symbol of victory, and presented to a general who gained any signal advantage to the republic.
GrassCrown,corona gramineawas delivered by the whole Roman people to any general who had relieved an army invested or besieged by the enemy. The othercrownswere distributed by the emperors and generals; this was given to Fabius by the Roman people, for obliging Hannibal to decamp from Rome.
OliveCrown,corona oliva, the symbol of peace, and presented to the negotiators of it.