OFF-Reckonings, a specific account so called, which exists between government and the colonels of British regiments for the clothing of the men. This account is divided into two parts, viz. gross-off-reckonings, and net off-reckonings.
GrossOff-reckoningsconsist of all thepay of the non-commissioned officers and private men, above the subsistence.
NetOff-reckonings, are the produce of the gross off-reckonings, reserved for the clothing of the men, after the warrant deduction of one shilling in the pound, and one day’s pay of the whole regiment for Chelsea hospital; and also the deduction of 2d.in the pound for the agent, are made at the pay-office. The balance of the pay of the officers, over and above their subsistence, after the warrant deductions are made, and the respited pay, if there is any, is charged to the officer, is calledclearings; which are paid by the paymaster to the agent, who pays them to the officers, and there finds his twopences.
Colonels of regiments either pay the clothier ready money, or allow him interest for forbearance. But no colonel can make a valid assignment of the off-reckonings, till the clothier has exhibited to a board of general officers, appointed by his majesty for that purpose, the patterns of each species of cloathing he is to provide; which patterns are left with the secretary to the clothing board, at the office of the comptrollers of the army, and compared with sealed patterns, already approved by the king; and if found conformable thereto, are sealed by all the general officers, who compose that board, in testimony of their approbation; and when the clothier has completed his clothing, ready to be delivered, the inspector of clothing is directed to view the said clothing, who certifies in writing, that he has found it conformable to his majesty’s instructions in quantity and quality; which certificate, together with the colonel’s assignment of the off-reckonings, is produced by the clothier to the board of general officers, who pass the assignment; but the contract between the colonel and clothier is not laid before any officer whatsoever; nor is any account brought afterwards of the expence of that clothing. Clothiers provide clothing for complete regiments, as upon the establishment.
There are several other articles of expence defrayed out of the clothing fund, as the charge of package, of carriage by land or water, of insurance, when sent abroad, of interest, more or less, as the off-reckonings are paid, of fees of offices, of clothing lost by desertion, of small accoutrements, colors, drums, and other contingent charges. The subsistence of the men, allowed for clothing lost by deserters, is paid to the respective colonels; and the off-reckonings only are included in the assignment. For the latest regulations on this head, see a British work calledMilitary Finance, page 196.
OFFUSQUER,Fr.literally means to darken; or conceal.Ce bâtiment est offusque par les maisons voisines.This building is darkened or concealed from the eye by the neighboring houses. It likewise signifies in a figurative sense, to out-do or out-match.Il se sent offusqué.He feels himself out-done.
OGNON,Fr.literally means an onion. The word is sometimes used in a familiar manner by the French to express persons standing in a row.Ils etoient tous en rang d’ognon.They all stood, like a rope of onions, in a row.
OGEE,-OGIVE,
in pieces of ordnance, an ornamental moulding, in the shape of an S, taken from architecture, and used in guns, mortars, and howitzers. SeeCannon.
OGIVE, (Ogive,Fr.) In Gothic vaults those arches are stiled ogives, or ogees, which cross one another diagonally. The French likewise call themcroisés d’ogives.
OIL. Every soldier should be supplied with a given quantity of oil and emery, for the purpose of cleaning his arms, accoutrements, &c.
OLYMPIAD, inchronology, the space of four years, for on the 5th the Olympic games were celebrated in honor of Jupiter Olympius, near Olympia. The Greeks began to use this epocha a little before the building of Rome.
OLYMPICGames, were instituted by Hercules, A. M. 2856, in honor of Jupiter Olympius, at Olympia, a city of Elis, in Peloponnesus. They were celebrated every four years, about the summer solstice. The design of them was to accustom the young military men to running, leaping, and every other military exercise.
OMBRE, (sécher à l’ombre,Fr.) This term is in use among the French founders of artillery, when they put the clay or putty, which serves to form the cannon moulds, out to dry, without making any fire for the purpose.
OMRA,orOMHRA,Ind.plural ofameer, a lord. They were persons of considerable consequence in the dominions of the great Mogul. Some of them had command of 1000 horse, others 2000, and so on to 20,000: their pay being regulated according to the number of their horses. The governors and great officers of state were generally chosen out of this body.
ON, a preposition frequently used in military exercise. It precedes those words of command which direct the change or formation of bodies of men upon points that are fixed, viz.
By companiesonthe left backwards wheel. The left pivot man of each company faces at this cautionary word, and remains a fixed point,onwhich the rest wheel back when they receive directions so to do. When the column of companies is to be wheeled into line, the wordonis equally understood to direct the moveable parts of each company towards the given pivot which faces, and remains a fixed point. In the British drill instructions, they say,to the left wheel into line; but in the third part of the regulationstois wholly omitted, and the commanding officeruses the termleft wheel into line, and vice versa; the prepositiononis here understood: for it is evident, that in breaking into column the component parts of a line wheel as muchfroma given point, as they dotoa given one, when the column returns into line. Whereas by usingon, or understanding it to be used, when, for the sake of abbreviation, it is omitted, we preserve the true meaning of the preposition, keep the men in the recollection of the necessary adhesion, and shew, that whether you wheel backwards or forwards, from line into column, or from column into line, there is one invariable fixed point on which you move. It is more proper to say,onthe right or left forwards wheel into line, in lieu ofto.
ONAGRA, (Onagre,Fr.) a warlike machine, which was used by the ancients to throw stones of different sizes. It is mentioned by Vegetius.
ONDECAGON, a figure of eleven sides and angles.
ONSET, assault, storm, attack.
OPEN, in military movements and dispositions is frequently used, but it is seldom applicable to any operations in face of an enemy; the ranks, &c. on such occasions being generally compact and close. In formation, the wordopenis opposed toclose, viz. open column, open distance, open order. It also constitutes part of a word of command; asrear ranks take open order; in opposition torear ranks take close order.
Opendistances in column. (Distances entieres en colonne,Fr.) The intervals in these cases are always equal in depth to the extent in front of the different component parts of the column.
Openflank, infortification, that part of the flank, which is covered by the orillon. SeeFortification.
OPENINGof trenches, the first breaking of ground by the besiegers, in order to carry on their approaches towards the place.
OPERATIONSde guerre,Fr.SeeMilitary Operations.
MilitaryOPERATION. Military operations consist in the resolute application of preconcerted measures, in secrecy, dispatch, regular movements, occasional encampments, and desultory combats, or pitched battles.
Line ofOperation. All the forward movements of an army for the purpose of attacking an enemy, penetrating into a country, &c. may be properly called a line of operation. There is so intimate and so necessary a connection between this line and the line of communication, that no army can be in security, let its temporary successes be what they may, without a strict and unremitting attention being given to their relative points of continuity and correspondence. The line of operation in a siege is partial and extremely limited, so is that of communication; but upon the large scale of war these two lines are of considerable extent and importance. No man, in fact, can be called a good general, or even an officer, who carries his views so far forward as to venture upon a long line of operation, without having previously secured his line of communication, by a perfect knowlege of the countries through which he moves, and having his flanks so thoroughly covered, that he may fall back or retreat according to circumstances. SeeAmer. Mil. Lib.
OPINION. In military proceedings that regard the interior government of an army, this word signifies decision, determination, judgment formed upon matters that have been laid before a court-martial, or court of enquiry. Hence, the court-martial having duly weighed the whole matter before them, are ofopinion, that —— is not guilty of any part of the charge preferred against him.
Opinion.Officers on courts-martial give their opinion by seniority, beginning with the youngest in rank.
Opinion, abstractedly considered, may be defined an assent of the understanding, with some doubt or distrust of the contrary. In a political sense, it is the acquiescence of the mind to certain principles. In some instances opinion and principle are synonymous terms. Hence French revolutionary opinions, or revolutionary principles.
A war ofOpinion, (Guerre d’opinion,Fr.) This expression has grown into familiar use since the commencement of the French revolution, and was never, perhaps, so strongly illustrated as by the perseverance of the French people. Hence also the war commenced against France, as fomented by Burke and the emigrants, was a war against theopinion, which overturned the corrupt abuses of the old French monarchy, to color its atrocity it was called a war against jacobinism—a war in support of religion and order—a war in support of regular government—at length a war of extermination; but experience has shewn, that the influence of opinion is paramount to every consideration in life. Friend, parent, and relation, have given way to the superior calls of public duty, growing out of and sanctioned by public opinion.
Opinion,Fr.This word is variously used among the French, and as we have already observed, is now generally attached to the contest in which they have been engaged for the maintenance of certain principles that seem to have altered their character. The nation at large, in fact, has taken up an opinion, grounded upon certain principles, which are diametrically opposite to those their forefathers had implicitly followed for 1400 years. When Great Britain formed a part of the well known coalition, the preservation of the balance of Europe was the ostensible cause for entering into hostilities against France; so that the war in 1792, &c. might not improperly be called a warof policy or political necessity, as far as it regarded the coalesced powers; but it has unquestionably been, all along, a war of opinion on the other side. The French familiarly say,Il faut respecter l’opinion publique; le pouvoir, l’empire, l’influence de l’opinion.Public opinion must be respected or attended to; the power, the dominion, the influence of opinion.L’opinion est la reine du monde.Opinion governs all the world. When the allied armies under the command of the duke of Brunswick, in 1792, were within a few days march of Paris, it was observed by a firm adherent to the royal cause:Que malgré l’air imposant d’une telle force, ou combinaison, on avoit tout a craindre pendant qu’il existoit un ennemi a combattre, aussi terrible qu’etoit l’opinion.That notwithstanding so formidable a force or combination, every thing was to be apprehended so long as that terrible enemy, opinion, remained to be combated against.
OPIUM, a juice, partly of the resinous, partly of the gummy kind. It is brought from Natolia, Egypt, and the East Indies, produced from the white garden poppy, with which the fields of Asia are in many places sown. The first effect of opium is making the person who takes it cheerful; it removes melancholy, and dissipates the dread of danger. The Turks always take it when they are going to battle: it afterwards quiets the spirits, eases pain, and disposes to sleep. A remarkable instance of the powerful influence of opium over the natives of the East is related by Mr. Orme, in his history of the Carnatic, page 270. His words are: the enemy remained quietly until noon, when having sufficiently intoxicated themselves with opium, they began to swarm out in great numbers; but the field pieces (which were served by Europeans) kept them for some time at a distance, every shot doing execution. During the cannonade a party of the nabob’s sepoys crossed the river, and taking possession of a small choultry, (an open house for the accommodation of travellers, so called in India) at a little distance to the right of the other, began to fire from this untenable post, upon which a body of 300 marattah horse galloped up to attack them; but before they arrived the sepoys took flight; several of them were cut to pieces, and the rest re-crossing the river ran into the city: the marattahs encouraged by this success, (and still flushed with the opium) now galloped up towards the entrenchment of the great choultry, where they were suffered to come so near, that several of them made use of their sabres across the parapet before the troops within gave fire, which then began, and seconded by that of the four pieces of cannon on the other side of the river, killed and wounded a great number of men and horses, and obliged the enemy to retire in confusion; in this instant an officer unadvisedly took the resolution of quitting his post, and passed the river, in order to give captain Dalton, (who commanded the detachment) some information concerning the artillery; some of the soldiers seeing this, imagined that he went away through fear, and concluding, that things were worse than appeared to them, followed his example and ran out of the entrenchment; which the rest perceiving, a panic seized the whole, and they left the post with the greatest precipitation, notwithstanding they had the minute before given three huzzas, on the retreat of the marattahs: a body of 3000 mysore horse, who were drawn up on the bank, immediately galloped into the bed of the river, and charging the fugitives with fury, cut down the whole party excepting 15 men: flushed with this success, they made a push at captain Dalton’s division on the other side. All these motions succeeded one another so rapidly, that he had hardly time to put his men on their guard; more especially as many of them had caught the panic, from having been spectators of the massacre of their comrades; however, some of the bravest hearkening to his exhortations, stood firm by the artillery: their behaviour encouraged the sepoys, who made a strong fire from behind the low wall in their front, which accompanied by the grape shot of the four field pieces, soon abated the ardor of the enemy, and obliged them to retreat, leaving some horses, whose riders fell within 20 yards of the muzzles of the guns: captain Dalton then advanced a little way into the bed of the river, where he remained until he had collected the dead and the wounded. Not a man who escaped could give any reason why he quitted his post, all of them acknowleging that at the time when they took flight, only one man in the intrenchment was wounded, and that they had nine barrels of ammunition.
OPPORTUNITY. In addition to what has been said respectingoccasion, which is nearly similar to opportunity in its import, we shall extract the following account of the latter, which was also honored as a goddess among the pagans. Opportunity was represented by them as a naked woman, with a long lock of hair before, but bald behind, to intimate, that opportunity if not laid hold on when it offers, soon slips away; also standing with one foot on a wheel, and the other in the air, holding a sail in one hand, and a razor in the other; her feet also being winged, and the wheel in continual motion, to intimate that opportunity is always inconstant and in motion.
ToOPPOSE, to act as an adversary against another, to resist, &c. It likewise signifies to place as an obstacle.
OPPUGN, To oppugn, is to attack by force of arms.
ORANGE. A term applied to those persons who adhered to the Stadtholder. Hence, orange party. The troops of theprince of orange were taken into British pay in Sept. 1799.
ORANGEMEN. A title assumed by the members of certain clubs instituted by the British government in Ireland; when the Irish or united Irishmen meditated to rescue their country, in 1796, from British dominion, the orange men were sworn to extirpate the catholics wherever found; and their atrocities surpassed the cruelties of the British in India, and the Spanish in South America.
ORB, intactics, is the disposing of a number of soldiers in circular form of defence. Theorbhas been thought of consequence enough to employ the attention of the famous marshal de Puysegur, in hisArt of war, who prefers this position, to throw a body of infantry in an open country, to resist cavalry, or even a superior force of infantry; because it is regular, and equally strong, and gives an enemy no reason to expect better success by attacking one place than another. Cæsar drew up his whole army in this form when he fought against Labienus. The whole army of the Gauls were formed into anorb, under the command of Sabinus and Cotta, when fighting against the Romans. Theorbwas generally formed six deep.
ORDER. The arrangement or disposition of things in their proper place; custom or manner, rule or discipline, as order of march, &c.
Orderof battle. The arrangement or disposition of the different component parts of an army in one or more lines, according to the nature of the ground, for the purpose of engaging an enemy, by giving or receiving an attack, or in order to be reviewed, &c.
ParadeOrder. When a regiment of horse or foot, a troop, or company is drawn up with the ranks open and the officers in front, it is said to be in parade order.
CloseOrder. When a battalion or company is commanded to take close order, at the wordmarch, the ranks (supposing the men to stand three deep) close within one pace, marching one and two paces and then haulting. So that close order in ranks comprehends an interval of one pace between each.
OpenOrder. When a battalion or company is commanded to take open order, on the wordmarch, the dressers front, and the centre and rear ranks fall back one and two paces, each dressing by the right the instant it arrives on the ground. So thatopenorder comprehends an interval of two paces between each rank.
ExtendedOrder, is preparatory to rank entire, and is frequently practised in light infantry manœuvres. In order to execute this movement the files of a battalion or company, standing two deep, open from the given point, leaving just space enough for one man. Sometimes, and indeed almost always, when the ground will permit, extended order is taken by facing the battalion or company to the right or left, and by marching to either flank until the whole has gradually doubled its original front. This mode is extremely simple, and consists in nothing more than open order of files from the right or left. The battalion or company after it has obtained all its relative distances, and been halted, is fronted, and each rear rank man springs into the vacancy on the word of command—Form rank entire.
Entire, when applied to rank, means a straight line composed of half files. SeeRank entire.
Extended ordermay likewise be taken, without facing to the right or left. This is effected by every file moving sideways a given distance; say one pace, or twenty four inches, which extent of ground a man generally covers, from the centre file. The word of command in this case would be, battalion or company,mark time, from the centre by theside stepto the right and left. The centre file stands fast—march—halt.
ORDERArms, a word of command, on which the soldier brings the butt of his musquet to the ground, the barrel being held perpendicular in a line with the right side.
ORDERS, in amilitary sense, all that is lawfully commanded by superior officers. Orders are given out every day, whether in camp, garrison, or on a march, by the commanding officer; which orders are afterwards given to every officer in writing by their respective serjeants.
Commander in chief’sOrders. Such orders as issue directly from the commander in chief’s office for the government of the army at large, or for any specific purpose. These orders are sanctioned by the king, and are irrevocable elsewhere.
GeneralOrders, are such as are issued out by the general who commands, who gives them in writing to the adjutant general, who first sends exact copies to the general officers of the day, and distributes them at his own quarters to all the brigade majors, who daily go to head quarters for that purpose: where they write down every thing that is dictated to them; from thence they go and give theorders, at the place appointed for that purpose, to the different majors or adjutants of the regiments which compose that brigade, who first read them to their colonels and lieutenant colonels, or majors, and then dictate them to the serjeants of companies (this is more frequently done by the serjeant major) who write them correctly down in their respective orderly books, and bring them to all the officers belonging to the company.
GarrisonOrders, such orders and instructions as are given by the governor or commanding officer of a town or fortified place.
BrigadeOrders, orders which are issued by the generals commanding, through the brigade majors, to the several adju-corps that do duty together, or are brigaded.
RegimentalOrders, such orders and instructions as grow out of general or garrison orders, or proceed immediately from the commanding officer of a regiment.
StandingOrders, certain general rules and instructions which are to be invariably followed, and are not subject to the temporary intervention of rank; of this description are those orders which the colonel of a regiment may judge fit to have inserted in the orderly books, and which cannot be altered by the next in command without the colonel’s concurrence.
SailingOrders, final instructions which are given to ships of war, and the commander in chief.
BeatingOrder, an authority given to an individual empowering him to raise men, by beat of drum, for any particular regiment, or for general service. It consists of a warrant which is signed by the secretary at war, or issued in his name, by the adjutant general, or adjutant and inspector of the army.
MilitaryORDERS, are companies of knights, instituted by kings and princes; either for defence of the faith, or to confer marks of honor on their military subjects. They are as follow:
Orderof the Bear, a military order in Switzerland, erected by the emperor Frederic II. in 1213, by way of acknowlegement for the service the Swiss had done him, and in favor of the abbey of St. Gall. To the collar of the order hung a medal, on which was represented abear, raised on an eminence of earth.
Amaranth, an order of military knighthood, instituted in Sweden, by queen Christina, in 1645, at the close of an annual feast, celebrated in that country, and calledwirtschaft. Their device was the cypher ofamarante, composed of twoA’s, the one erect, the other inverted, and interwoven together; the whole inclosed by a laurel crown, with this motto,Dolce nella memoria.
Argonauts of St. Nicolas, was the name of a military order, instituted by Charles III. king of Naples, in the year 1382, for the advancement of navigation, or as some authors say, merely for preserving amity among the nobles. They wore a collar of shells, inclosed in a silver crescent, whence hung a ship with this device,Non credo tempori.
Orderof Calatrava, a Spanish military order. It was instituted in 1130 by don Santio, of Toledo. The habit of these knights is a black garment, with a red cross upon the breast.
Orderof Alcantara, a Spanish military order. It was established by Ferdinand the second, king of Leon and Castile, in 1170. They wore a green cross upon their garment.
Orderof St. James, instituted by Ferdinand II. in 1175. These knights had the privilege of wearing their hats in the chapter, in the presence of their sovereign.
Orderof St. Michael, instituted in 1469, by Lewis XII. in honor of the important services done to France by that archangel at the siege of Orleans, where he is supposed to have appeared at the head of the French troops, disputing the passage of a bridge, and to have repulsed the attack of the English, whose affairs ever after declined in that kingdom. The order is a rich collar, with the image of that saint pendent thereto; with this inscription:Immensi tremor oceani.
Orderof the Holy Ghost, instituted by Henry II. of France, in 1578. The number of knights are 100, besides the sovereign, who is always grand-master.
Orderof St. Louis, instituted by Louis XIV. in the year 1693. This order has remained entirely in the possession of military men, ever since its institution, and has been of singular use in keeping up the spirit, and rewarding the services, of those who have distinguished themselves. The number of knights is unlimited, being given to every man of merit. The order is a golden cross, with eight points, which hang pendent to a broad crimson riband. The motto isBellicæ virtutis præmium.
Orderof Mount Carmel, instituted by Henry IV. in 1608.
Orderof St. Lazarus, is of a very early institution, but has been often neglected, and as often revived, till Louis XV. united the order of St. Carmel and St. Lazarus in April 1722. The king was sovereign, chief, founder, and protector.
Orderof the knights of Malta. SeeMalta.
Orderof the knights of the Garter. SeeGarter.
Orderof the knights of the Bath. SeeBath.
Orderof the golden fleece, instituted by Philip duke of Burgundy, surnamed the Good, in 1429. SeeFleece.
Orderof the Annunciation, instituted by Amadeo, count of Savoy, surnamed the Green, in memory of Amadeo, the first earl, who had valorously defended the island of Rhodes against the Turks. The collar belonging to this order is of gold, and on it are these four letters,F. E. R. T.which meansFortitudo ejus Rhodum tenuit, with the figure of the annunciation hanging to it.
Orderof knights templars, instituted at Jerusalem about the year 1118. At first there were but nine of the order, and the two principal persons were Hugo de Paganis, and Jeoffroy of St. Omer’s. This order, after having performed many great exploits against the infidels, became rich and powerful all over Europe; when, on the 22d of May, 1312, the pope by his bull, pronounced the extinction of the order, and united their estates to the order of St. John of Jerusalem. They took the name of templars, because their firsthabitation stood near the temple dedicated to our Saviour at Jerusalem.
Orderof the knights of St. Jago, instituted by king Ramico, of Spain, in commemoration of a victory obtained against the Moors, A. D. 1030. Their ensign is a red cross in form of a sword.
Orderof knights of the band, erected by Alphonso, king of Spain, in the year 1268. Their name proceeded from the knights wearing a red scarf, or lace of silk, the breadth of three inches, which hung on their left shoulder.
Orderof knights of the Redemption, erected in the kingdom of Arragon, by king James, who conquered the island of Majorca, in the year 1212. Their garments are white, with a black cross thereon.
Orderof Teutonic knights, established towards the close of the 12th century, and thus called, as chiefly consisting of Germans, anciently called Teutons.
Orderof the knights of St. Stephen, instituted in the year 1561, by Cosmo, duke of Florence. They wear a red cross with a border of gold.
Orderof merit, instituted by Frederic III. king of Prussia, as a reward to those officers whose behaviour deserved some marks of distinction. The ensign of this order is a golden star of eight rays, enamelled with blue, which is worn appendant to a black riband, edged with silver: the motto,Pour le mérite.
Orderof St. Alexander Newski, or the red riband, which was instituted by Peter I. emperor of Russia; but the czarina Catharine I. conferred it in the year 1725.
Orderof the stole, an order of knights instituted by the kings of Arragon.
Orderof the golden stole, a Venetian military order, so called from a golden stole, which those knights wore over their shoulder, reaching to the knee, both before and behind, a palm and a half broad. None are raised to this order but patricians, or noble Venetians. It is uncertain when this order was instituted.
Orderof Maria Theresa. This order was instituted in June, 1757, by the empress queen of Hungary. In 1765, an intermediate class, styled knights commanders, was added to the two classes that originally composed the order. SeeTheresa.
ORDERLYOfficer. SeeOfficer of the day.
Orderlyserjeant,-Orderlymen,
are appointed to attend general, or other officers that are entitled to have them.
Orderlies, the non-commissioned officers and private men who do orderly duty are so called.
Orderly serjeants when they go for orders are sashed.
Orderly corporals and orderly men wear their side arms, and carry a small osier switch or cane in their hands.
In the dragoons, orderly men, on foot, have their sword-belts and bayonets; and on horseback, are dressed the same, only with gloves, and boots, and spurs of course, with the sword-belt and sword. They likewise have their pistols. When an orderly dragoon or foot soldier is sent from one quarter to another, the time of his setting out must be specified on the back of the letter which he carries; the dragoon must take care to bring his horse in cool and properly (unless he has been sent on any pressing occasion) and they must both return to quarters perfectly sober.
Orderliesin general. It is the duty of the serjeant-majors to see that the orderlies are properly dressed and accoutred, before they are inspected by the adjutant, who parades them every morning in front of the main guard, &c. When private soldiers are chosen for orderlies in mixed duty, the credit of the corps from which they are taken requires, that they should be the best set up and the best behaved men belonging to it.
Orderlynon-commissioned officers, are those who are orderly, or on duty for that week; who, on hearing the drum beat for orders, are to repair to the place appointed to receive them, and to take down in writing, in the orderly book, what is dictated by the adjutant or serjeant-major; they are then immediately to show those orders to the officers of the company, and afterwards warn the men for duty.
Orderlybook. Every company has such a book in which the serjeants write down both general and regimental orders, for the specific information of the officers and men. This book is provided by the public.
OrderlyDrum. The drummer that beats orders, and gives notice of the hour for messing, &c. is so called.
ORDINAIRE,Fr.The soldier’s messing together is so called among the French.
ORDINANCE, orORDNANCE, a name given to all that concerns artillery, or engineering: thus, the commander in chief is called master general of theordnance; and the next officer, lieutenant general of theordnance, instead ofartillery.
Ordnance.The British value of all brass ordnance is at 84l.17s.or 371 dollarsperton, for the metal; that is, the weight of the gun, and 12lbs.perhundred weight for waste: to which is added for casting, on the total weight of metal used, 64l.or 286 dollarsperton for light pieces; 54l.or 240 dollars for medium; and 44l.195¹⁄₂ dollars for heavy.
Iron ordnance cost 20l.or 90 dollarsperton. See also the wordsGuns,Mortars,Howitzers, &c.
For the proof of all kinds of ordnance, see the wordProof.
ORDINARY TIME. This in the British service is the slowest time in marching that is permitted to be used by infantry, and consists of a pace which is 30 inches from heel to heel, and of which only75 are to be taken in a minute. But there is a manifest absurdity in having a different length of pace; in the American service the pace in all time is 24 inches; and the ordinary time is what the British callquicktime; and is in fact gay and lively, or the time of country dances.
ORDONNANCE.Fr.A warrant. This word is variously used among the French, viz.
Compagnies d’ORDONNANCE. Independent companies, or such bodies of armed men as do duty by detached companies, and are not formed into regular regiments. Of this description were the gendarmes, the light horse, and the musqueteers, under the French monarchy.
Ordonnances,Fr.Orderly men, whether on foot or horseback.
Ordonnance,Fr.The disposition or arrangement of troops for battle.
ORDRE,Fr.Parole and countersign so called.
Aller à l’ORDRE,Fr.To go for the parole or countersign.
Récevoirl’ORDRE,Fr.To receive or get the parole or countersign.
Ordreque l’on donne à la tranchée,Fr.Parole and countersign together with specific orders, which are given out every night in the trenches.
ORDRESMilitaires,Fr.Military orders.
NouveauxORDRES,Fr.Fresh orders.
Ordresde mouvement. Marching orders.
ORGANIZATIONof Troops. The act of putting troops into such uniform state of discipline, as may fit them to co-operate on any service.
ORGUES, thick long pieces of wood, pointed and shod with iron, clear one of another, hanging perpendicular each by a rope, over a gate of a strong place to be dropped in case of emergency.
Their disposition is such, that they stop the passage of the gate, and are preferable tohorsesorportcullises; because these may be either broken by a petard, or stopped, by different contrivances, in their falling down. But a petard is useless against anorgue; for if it break one or two of the pieces, others immediately fall down and fill up the vacancy.
Orgue, (un Orgue,Fr.) A term used to express that arrangement or disposition of a certain quantity of musquet barrels in a row, which by means of a priming train of gunpowder, may be subjected to one general explosion. This machine has been found extremely serviceable in the defence of a low flank, a tenaille, or to prevent an enemy from crossing the ditch of a fortified place.
ORIENT,Fr.The east.
ORIFLAMME,Fr.The ancient banner belonging to the abbey of St. Denis, which the counts du Vexin, who possessed the perpetual advowson of the abbey, always bore in the different wars or contests that formerly prevailed between the abbot and some neighboring lords. When the Vexin country fell into the hands of the French kings, they made the oriflamme the principal banner of their armies, in honor of St. Denis, whom they chose for the patron and tutelary saint of France.
ORILLON. SeeFortification.
ORME,Fr.Elm. This wood was considered of such consequence by the old French government, (and perhaps is equally so by the present) that a specific order was made out in 1716, enjoining all persons letting or holding land in French Flanders, Artois, and Hainault, to plant elm trees, in order that there might be a constant supply in future of carriages and wainage for the artillery.
ORNAMENTSMilitary. Those parts of the dress of a soldier which are more for appearance or distinction than for absolute use; as gorgets, plates for cross-belts, pouch ornaments, &c.
ORTEIL. SeeBerminFortification.
ORTHOGON, any rectangular figure.
ORTHOGRAPHIE,Fr.SeeOrthography.
ORTHOGRAPHY. The art of drawing or sketching out a work according to its breadth, thickness, elevation, and depth.
OSIER, a young willow twig, with which hurdles are made.
OSTAGE,Fr.SeeHostage.
OTTOMAN. A name generally given to the Turks, and to the Turkish empire, from Ottoman, who was one of their most celebrated emperors.
OVATION, (so called of a sheep, because the general who so triumphed, offered only a sheep; whereas in the great triumph he offered a bull) an inferior sort of triumph allowed by the Romans to the generals of their armies for lesser victories, as over slaves, &c. or when the war had not been declared pursuant to military usage. According to Kennett, in his Roman Antiquities, page 224, the word ovation is said to have derived its name from shoutingevion!to Bacchus; but the true original isovis. The shew generally began at the Albanian mountain, whence the general, with his retinue, made his entry into the city: he went on foot with many flutes or pipes, sounding in concert as he passed along, wearing a garment of myrtle as a token of peace, with an aspect rather raising love and respect than fear.
We have already observed, with Gellius, that this honor was then conferred on the victor, when either the war had not been proclaimed in due method, or not undertaken against a lawful enemy, and on a just account; or when the enemy was but mean and inconsiderable. But Plutarch has delivered his judgment in a different manner; he believes that heretofore the difference betwixt theovationand the triumph was not taken from the greatness of the achievements, but from the manner of performing them: for theywho, having fought a set battle, and slain a great number of the enemy, returned victors, led that martial, and, as it were, cruel procession of the triumph. But those who without force by benevolence and civil behaviour, had done the business, and prevented the shedding of human blood; to these commanders custom gave the honor of this peaceable ovation. For a pipe is the ensign or badge of peace; and myrtle the tree of Venus, who, beyond any other deities, has an extreme aversion to violence and war.Vide Plut. in Marcell.For a full account of this ceremony, as well as of the Roman triumph, seeKennett, page 224.
OVENS. The modern improvements in the art of war, has beside making biscuit, the common food of man and horse, also introduced in the equipage of armies, ovens ofcast iron, which travel with the waggon train, and the bakers are classed and under military discipline, in the performance of their important functions. The operations of dressing food in military camps, have been also improved by the introduction of countRumford’sprocess of boiling, roasting, and baking by steam; all performed by the single fire which heats the oven.
OVERFLOW. SeeInundation.
ToOVERLAP, to overspread any preceding object. In marching by echellon, for the purpose of forming upon any given point, but particularly in wheeling from column into line, troops may loose their relative distances by not taking ground enough; when this occurs, the rear division, company, or section, unavoidably crouds upon its preceding one, and it is then said tooverlap. When this happens on service, the troops, so shut out, must remain as serre-files, or reserve, to fill up the intervals that will necessarily present themselves in action. But whether so or not, the line must, on no account, be deranged by moving it to right or left.
OVERLANDRES,Fr.Small barges that ply upon the Rhine and the Meuse.
ToOVER-RUN. In a military sense, to ravage, to lay waste. A country which is harassed by incursions, is said to beover-run.
OVERSEER, an officer in the ordnance department, who superintends the artificer in the construction of works, &c.
OVERSLAGH, as amilitary phrase, which is derived from the Dutch, to skip over, will be better explained by the following table.—For instance, suppose 4 battalions, each consisting of 8 captains, are doing duty together, and that a captain’s guard is daily mounted: if in the first regiment the second captain is doing duty of deputy adjutant-general; and the 4th and 7th captains in the second are acting, one as aid-de-camp, the other as brigade major; the common duty of these three captains must beoverslaghed, that isskippedover, or equally divided among the other captains.
Tableof Explanation.
N. B. The three blanks shew where the overslaughs take place.
OVERTHROW, total defeat, discomfiture, rout.
OUESTou Occident,Fr.One of the four cardinal points of the world, or the west.
OURAGAN,Fr.A violent tempest.
OUTBAR, to shut out by fortification.
OUT-GUARD. SeeOut-posts.
OUTILS,Fr.Tools of every description that are used by the artificers and workmen belonging to the artillery, &c.
Outilsà mineur.Fr.Tools used in mining.
OUTLINE, the line by which any figure is defined.
OUTPART, at a distance from the main body. SeeOut-posts.
OUT-posts, a body of men posted beyond the grand guard, called out-posts, as being without the rounds or limits of the camp. SeePosts.
OUTSIDE, infencing, that part which is to the right of the line of defence.
OUTSIDEGuard, a guard used with the broad sword and sabre, to defend the outside of the position. SeeBroadsword.
OUTWALL. SeeRevetement.
OUTWARD FACE, a word of command for troops to face to the right and left from their centre.
ToOUTWING, to extend the flanks of an army or line in action, so as to gain an advantageous position against the right or left wing of an enemy. This manœuvre or evolution is effected by themovement on an oblique line. SeeMovements.
Out-works, inFortification, are works of several kinds, which cover the body of the place, as ravelins, half-moons, tenailles, horn-works, crown-works, counter-guards, envelopes, swallow-tails, lunettes, covert-ways, &c.
These out-works, not only cover the place, but likewise keep an enemy at a distance, and hinder his gaining any advantage of hollow or rising grounds; as such cavities and eminences may serve for lodgments to the besiegers, facilitate the carrying on approaches, and enable them to raise their batteries against the town. When outworks are placed one before another, you will find a ravelin before the curtain, a horn-work before theravelin, and a small ravelin before the curtain of the horn-work; those works which are nearest to the body of the place must be the highest, though lower than the body of the place, that they may gradually command those without them, and oblige the enemy to dislodge, if in possession of them.
OUVERTUREdes portes,Fr.The opening of the gates in a fortified town or place, according to specific military rules. The method in all regular governments is too well known to require any particular explanation.
Ouvertureet fermeture des portes chez les Turcs,Fr.There are certain laws and regulations among the Turks, by which the janizaries are entrusted with the keys belonging to the gates of every fortified town or place in which they do garrison duty. The gates are always opened at day-break by two or four janizaries. There is a capigy or porter stationed at each gate. Whenever he opens the gate he repeats, in an audible tone of voice, certain words in the praise of God and the sultan, after which he returns the key or keys to the janizaries, who carry them to the governor or commandant or the place. The closing of the gates is done with the same solemnity.
Ouverturede la tranchée,Fr.the opening of the trench or trenches.
OUVRAGES,Fr.Works. SeeFortification.
Ouvrageà corne,Fr.Hornwork. SeeFortification.
Ouvrageà couronne,Fr.Crownedwork. SeeFortification.
Ouvragesdetachés,pieces detachées,Fr.SeeDehors.
OUVRIR,Fr.To open.
Ouvrirles rangs,Fr.To take open order.
En arriére,Ouvrezvos rangs,Fr.Rear ranks take open order.
S’aligner à rangsOUVERTS,Fr.To aligne or dress in line at open order.
A jourOUVRANT. At break of day.
A portesOUVRANTES. At the opening of the gates.
OUVRIERS,Fr.All sorts of artificers and workmen employed in fortification, &c. are so called.
OXFORDBlues. SeeHorse Guards.
OXYCRAT,Fr.A certain portion of vinegar to five or six times its quantity of water. This mixture is frequently used on service, and in hot weather, to allay the burning heat of any inflamed part. It is likewise employed to cool cannon, during an engagement, in very hot firing.
OXYGENE. The chemical base of vital air with which nitre is found to abound, and to which gunpowder owes its rapid and perfect combustion.
King’sorqueen’s Own, a term which has been attached to some British regiments since the revolution in 1688. Thus the 4th, which landed with William III. was called the 4th, or King’s Own.