O.
O. This letter is generally used in the orderly books to signify orders, viz.
Gl. O.General orders.
R. O. Regimental orders,
Gn. O.Garrison orders.
B. O. Brigade orders.
OATH, a solemn asseveration made in the presence of a magistrate, and taken on the Bible, whereby an individual binds himself to observe certain conditions, or swears to specific facts which he knows of his own knowlege. Soldiers from time immemorial have been accustomed to take oaths of fidelity. These oaths were, however, observed with greater solemnity among the ancients than they are administered in modern armies, except upon very particular occasions. In the latter, indeed, it seldom or ever happens, that oaths are taken by bodies of soldiers, assembled for the purpose. Oaths are taken by men newly enlisted, but those oaths are individually administered, and separately taken. The military oath, on the contrary, among the Romans, was of a more general and impressive nature. Kennett, in his Roman Antiquities, page 188, gives the following account of it:—“The levies being finished, the tribunes of every legion chose out one whom they thought the fittest person, and gave him a solemn oath at large, the substance of which was, that he should oblige himself to obey the commanders in all things to the utmost of his power, be ready to attend whenever they ordered his appearance, and never to leave the army but by their consent. After he had ended, the whole legion, passing one by one, every man, in short, swore to the same effect, crying, as he went by,Idem in me. The same by me.”
OATHof Allegiance. SeeAllegiance.
OATS, a grain which constitutes a principal food of horses in Europe. The distribution of this article ought to be narrowly watched by every officer commanding a troop; since it is notorious, that government is frequently charged for quantities which are not delivered, by which means, the horse suffers, and the public are imposed upon.
OBEDIENCE, (Obéissance,Fr.) Submission to the orders of a superior. The first principle which ought to be inculcated and impressed upon the mind of every officer and soldier is obedience to all lawful commands. It is the main spring, the soul and essence, of military duty.
Preter obeissance,Fr.To swear allegiance.
Remettre dans l’obeissance,Fr.To recall to duty.
OBEDIENCEto orders. An unequivocal performance of the several duties which are directed to be discharged by military men. All officers and soldiers are to pay obedience to the lawful orders of their superior officers.
OBEIR,Fr.SeeObey.
ToObey, in a military sense, is without question or hesitation, to conform zealously to all orders and instructions which are legally issued. It sometimes happens, that individuals are called upon (by mistake, or from the exigency of the service) out of what is called the regular roster. In either case they must cheerfully obey, and after they have performed their duty, they may remonstrate.
OBJECT, in a military sense, signifies the same as point, with respect to mere movements and evolutions. Thus in marching forward in line, &c. the leader of a squad, company, or battalion, must take two objects at least upon which he forms his perpendicular movement, and by which the whole body is regulated. In proportion as he advances he takes care to select intermediate and distant objects or points by which his march is governed. SeeMarching in line.
OBLATE, any rotund figure flatted at the poles as a turnip, which is properly anoblate spheroid.
OBLIQUATION,-OBLIQUITY,
a deviation from the parallel or perpendicular line.
Oblique,or second flank. The face of a bastion discovered from a part of the curtain, is so called.
OBLIQUEprojection, is that wherein the direction of the striking body is not perpendicular to the body struck, which makes an oblique angle with the horizontal line.
OBLIQUEdeployments. When the component parts of a column that is extending into line, deviate to the right or left, for the purpose of taking up an oblique position, its movements are called oblique deployments. This is thus executed, either by wheeling the line by quarter or half wheels toward the point directed in single files, sections, or platoons; so that the movement may be made perpendicular to the newly wheeled front, and the sections will form echellons; if files, they march by what is called the line of science.
OBLIQUEfire or defence, that which is under too great an angle, as is generally the defence of the second flank, which can never be so good as a defence in front. SeeOblique Firing, at the wordFirings. SeeAm. Mil. Lib. plates.
Obliquepercussion, is that wherein the direction of the striking body is notperpendicular to the body struck, or is not in line with its centre of gravity.
Obliqueposition. A position taken in an oblique direction from the original line of formation. As described inoblique deployments.
OBLIQUEradius, a line extending from the centre to the exterior side of a polygon.
OBLIQUE STEP. This absurd and awkward contortion is deservedly exploded.
ToOblique, in a military sense, is to move forward to the right or left, in either of those directions, from a line.
PasOblique,Fr.Oblique step.
Obliqueà droite,Fr.Right oblique.
Obliqueà gauche,Fr.Left oblique.
FeuxObliquesà droite et à gauche, oblique firings to the right and left.
MarcherOBLIQUEMENT,Fr.To oblique, or march in an oblique direction.
OBLIVION. SeeAmnesty.
OBLONGSquare. SeeSquare.
OBSEDER,Fr.To besiege, to beset, to get possession of.
OBSEQUIES, (Obséques,Fr.) SeeBurials.
OBSERVATION. SeeArmy of observation.
To be underObservation. To be carefully watched and looked after.Etre vu de prés; etre suivi de prés.
OBSERVATOIRE,Fr.SeeObservatory.
OBSERVATORY, a building, public or private, which is erected and provided with all sorts of instruments, proper for astronomical observations, &c. The most noted observatories in Europe, are:
1. That of Tycho Brahe, a nobleman of Denmark, at Uraineberg, in the island of Wern, between the coasts of Schonen and Zealand, in the Baltic.
2. The observatory at Paris, which was erected by Louis XIV. This building stands in the Fauxbourg St. Germain, and is so constructed as to answer the four cardinal points of the world, east, west, north and south. The foundation is laid 80 feet below the ground, and the edifice carried as much above it. It contains three stories in height, and has a terrace at top, from whence the whole horizon appears flat. The stair-case of this observatory deserves notice, from the singularity of its construction, being in the form of a screw, and so contrived, that from the bottom there is a full sight of the stars that pass the zenith of this place.
3. The royal observatory at Greenwich, in England, which was founded by Charles the second.
4. The observatory at Pekin in China, which was erected by the late emperor, at the intercession of the Jesuits.
ToOBSERVE, to watch closely, &c. Hence,to observe the motions of an enemy, is to keep a good look out by means of small corps of armed men, or of intelligent and steady spies or scouts, and to be constantly in possession of his different movements. No man can be said to have the talents of an able general, who neglects to observe his enemy in all directions; for if it be his intention to attack, you may thwart him by previous manœuvres; and if you are liable to be attacked yourself, you may assume the best possible position, and prevent surprise, &c.
OBSESSION. The act of besieging.
OBSIDIONAL, belonging to a siege.
ObsidionalCrown, (couronne obsidionale,Fr.) a crown so called among the ancient Romans, which was bestowed upon a governor or general, who by his skill and exertions, either held out, or caused the siege to be raised of any town belonging to the republic. It was made from the grass which grew upon the spot, and was therefore calledgramineus, from the Latin wordgramen, signifying grass.
MonnoieObsidionale,Fr.any substitute for coin, which has a value put upon it that is greater than its intrinsic worth; and a currency given, to answer the convenience of the inhabitants of a besieged place.On a employé le cuir à faire des monnoies obsidionales.The inhabitants made use of leather as a substitute for coin.
OBSTACLES, in a military sense, are narrow passes, woods, bridges, or any other impediments, which present themselves when a battalion is marching to front or rear. These are passed, by the formation, march, and deployment of the close column. Such parts as are not interrupted still move on in front; such parts as are interrupted, double by divisions, as ordered, behind and adjoining a flank or flanks, and in this manner follow in close column in their natural order. As the ground opens they successively deploy, and again perfect the line. The columns are always behind the line, and march closed up. The formed part of the battalion, whether advancing or retiring, continues to move on at the ordinary pace, and in proportion as the obstacles increase or diminish, will the formed or column parts of the line increase or diminish.
The general attentions directed to be observed on these occasions are, that the columns formed shall be of sub-divisions, if the ground will admit. The first sub-division that is obliged to double, will be directed to which hand by the commander of the battalion, the others, as they successively double, will, in consequence, place themselves behind it, and behind each other, and the hand first doubled to, will be that which presents the opening most favorable to the subsequent march, and formation, and which the commanding officer will always hold in view, and order accordingly. The interrupted body will double to one or both flanks, according to circumstances, and the order it receives. Obstacles that impede a flank will occasion a single column to be formed from the flank towards the centre. Obstacles that impede the centre, or a central part of a wing, will, if considerable,occasion two columns to be formed, from the centre towards the flanks. The columns will follow a flank of such part of the line as is not impeded; and either in doubling into column, or extending into line, the rear divisions will conform to the movements of their then leading one. No part less than the front of the column doubles or moves up, and when half or more of a battalion must be thrown into one column, it will be ordered by companies.
Obstacleswhose fronts are parallel to the line. When such occur, the divisions impeded must all at once double behind such one, or two, other divisions as clear them of the obstacle.
Obstacleswhose first points continue to increase as the line advances. In these cases the doubling is successive, beginning with that division which is first interrupted, and continuing as it becomes necessary, till the column can advance in clear ground.
Obstaclespassed, or diminished. When obstacles are of such a nature as to permit of the complete extension at once into line: the whole column performs it by the commands and deployments of the close column on the front division, which then makes part of the line. But when obstacles diminish by degrees only, then the divisions of the column must come up into line successively as the ground opens, and the remainder of the column must, in diminishing, shift toward the obstacle, in the same manner as it before shifted from it in increasing.
Obstaclesthat are passed in presence of an enemy. Under these circumstances if the battalion, in advancing, should be obliged to fire, it halts in the situation it is then in, executes such firings as are ordered, and again advances.
If the battalion, in retiring, is pressed by the enemy, the part in line willhalt! front!the part in column will move on till the last division arrives in line, and will thenhalt, front. The firing that is ordered, will be executed; and when it is again proper to retire, the whole will face about, the part in line willmarch, and the columns will also be put in march when the line arrives at their head.
Obstacleswhose points of opening are narrow, and continue so, more or less. In such cases the interrupted division, will be ordered to face either to one or both flanks, and closely to follow in file such parts of the battalion as are not broken: the filing will increase as the obstacles increase, but as they diminish, file after file will successively and quickly move up to their place till the whole are again formed; and during this operation the leading file will always remain attached to the flank of the part in line.—The same rules that direct the doubling in column, direct the doubling by files; when a subdivision files, it will be from the flank only; when a company files, it may be from both flanks; and if a larger front than two companies is interrupted, it then doubles into column. Where the obstacles are of small extent, but frequently occurring, this mode is the readiest that can be applied in advancing; but in retiring it cannot be of use, if the enemy be at hand to press upon the battalion; and therefore the passing by column is to be looked upon as the general method. For further explanations on the important operations of passing obstacles, we refer our military readers toAm. Mil. Lib.ArticleReconnoitring.
OBSTINATE, in a military sense, determined, fixed in resolution.—Hence obstinate resistance.
Obstinately.Persevering. The two armies fought so obstinately, that night only could separate the combatants.
OBSTINEMENT,Fr.Obstinately. Stubbornly, inflexibly, with unshaken determination.
S’obstiner,Fr.to persist in any thing.
OBSTRUCTION, any difficulty or impediment, opposing the operations of an army, &c.
OBTUS,Fr.Obtuse.
AngleObtus,Fr.Obtuse angle.
OBTUSANGULAR, having angles larger than right angles.
OBUS,Fr.Hobits.Howitzer.A species of small mortar, resembling a mortar in every thing but the carriage, which is made in the form of that belonging to a gun, only shorter. It has been frequently used at sieges; and is well calculated to sweep the covert way, and to fire ricochet shots. They were usually loaded with cartouches. Belidor writes upon the subject at some length in hisBombardier Francois, page 39. SeeHowitzer.
OCCASIO,L.,Opportunity, among the Romans, an allegorical divinity, the goddess of time, who presides over the most favorable moment for success in any enterprise. She is represented stark naked, with a long lock of hair upon her forehead, and bald behind. And also standing on a wheel, with wings on her feet, and is said to turn herself very swiftly round; by which is intimated, that we should lay hold of the present opportunity. Among modern nations no people pay greater attention to the instruction which is conveyed by this allegory than the French do. It is common among them to say:—L’occasion est chauve. Occasion or opportunity is bald—Alluding to the Roman allegory; and in the same figure,il faut prendre l’occasion par les cheveux. You must seize time (by which is meant occasion or opportunity) by the forelock; meaning the forelock of hair alluded to.
OCCASION,Fr.has the same signification, in military matters, that affair bears among the French.
UneOCCASIONbien chaude,Fr.a warm contest, battle, or engagement.—It further means, as with us, the source from whence consequences ensue.Les malheursdu peuple sont arrivés a l’occasion de la guerre. The misfortunes of the people have been occasioned by the war, or the war has been the occasion of the people’s misfortunes. The French make a nice distinction which may hold good in our language, between cause and occasion, viz.Il n’en est pas la cause—Il n’en est que l’occasion, l’occasion innocente.—He is not the cause, he is only the occasion, the innocent occasion of it.Il s’est faché pour une legére occasion; he took offence, or grew angry on a very slight occasion.
Se servir de l’OCCASION,Fr.to take advantage, or make a proper use of time and opportunity. A French writer has very properly observed, that to seize with dexterity occasions as they occur, is a certain proof of courage and ability, especially in the general of an army. Opportunity or occasion, according to Tacitus, is the mother of events.Opportunos magnis conatibus transitas rerum.One complete and decisive victory leads us to a multiplicity of enterprises and great designs, all of which grow out of the first triumph.
A full and decisive victory, by which the country is left entirely at the mercy of the conqueror, must necessarily throw the inhabitants into confusion, and open fresh avenues to conquest; for one opportunity or occasion well embraced and executed upon, becomes the source of many others. There is not, perhaps, in human contingencies any thing which spreads itself so rapidly, or ought to be so little neglected. An enterprise which grows out of another, though it be in reality more arduous to get through than the one which produced it, becomes more easy in its execution: and yet, how many brave and skilful generals have existed, who could not make a proper use of opportunity? In reading over their gallant exploits, one would be led to believe, that all their knowlege consisted in merely knowing how to fight. We have seen them, with unexampled intrepidity, doing every thing that man dares to do, in the field of battle: we have seen them make a decisive blow, and place victory within their grasp; and when they were in the actual possession of all they fought for, we have seen them suddenly relax, give their enemies time to breathe, and finally lose all the fruits of their victory. The courage and promptitude which they manifested in a decisive battle, were the effects of a transitory impulse which was soon wasted and extinguished.
Hannibal, so much celebrated for his bold enterprise against the Romans, was guilty of this error. After the battle of Cannæ it rested entirely with himself to march to Rome. He had only to follow up his first blow, to take advantage of the consternation of the Romans, and to pursue them to their capitol. By so doing he would have made use of the gloriousoccasionwhich fortune had thrown into his hands by the first victory, and would not have been driven to the necessity of endeavoring to obtain the original object of his enterprise, by fighting several battles that proved abortive of it. Adherbal on this account, after having failed in his attempt to persuade Hannibal to pursue his first good fortune, and to march to the gates of Rome, is recorded to have used the following expression:Vincere scis, Hannibal; sed victoriâ uti nescis. Hannibal, thou knowest how to conquer, but thou dost not know how to make use of a victory.
Gustavus Adolphus made the same mistake. Had he, after having won the battle of Leipsic, hung upon the rear of the discomfited Imperialists, pushed and harassed them to the gates of Vienna, there is little doubt of the consequences which must have ensued.
The emperor Ferdinand was as weak in effective forces at the capital as the Romans were at Rome, and the same consternation prevailed among the inhabitants. Had Gustavus profited by his first success, and converted the means, which so glorious an occasion offered, into prompt and vigorous pursuit, he would not indeed have reaped additional laurels in the plains of Outzen, where he fell at the head of his victorious Swedes, but he must have reached Vienna, and there have dictated his own terms.
Carthalon, among the ancients, was on the contrary, an instance of how much may be done by acting up to circumstances, and by judiciously making use of fortune as occasions offer. He was not satisfied with having surprised the Roman fleet, taken off a considerable number of ships, and burned others, but he instantly availed himself of his first good fortune, attempted another enterprise, and succeeded.
The British generals who made war in the American revolution, were as unfortunate in their never taking proper advantage of occasion; their retreat from Princeton, and their subsequent stupor, while the American army of only 4000 men lay hutted at Valley Forge; while they held Philadelphia within 20 miles of them, with 17000 men, is a striking instance. An important occasion was also lost by them after the battle of Brandywine; where the American dispositions and subsequent retreat were alike unsuited to the occasion. The campaign was a series of the most extravagant blunders that can be conceived. The campaign that ended with the capitulation at York Town, was as brilliant on the part of the American arms, as on the English side eggregiously injudicious and unsuitable to the occasion.
Occasional, (elle,Fr.) This adjective is used in a different sense among the French, to what it is with us, viz.Cause occasionally; any thing that occasions an event.
OCCIDENT,Fr.The west.
OCCUPE,Fr.to be taken possessionof.Les environs furent occupés par des troupes légéres; the neighboring places were taken possession of by some light troops.
ToOCCUPY, is to take possession of any work or post.
OCTAEDRE,Fr.Octahedron, one of the five regular bodies which is terminated by eight equilateral equal triangles.
OCTAGON, (Octogone,Fr.) a figure or polygon that has eight equal sides, which likewise form eight equal angles. The octagon, in fortification, is well calculated in its ground for the construction of large towns, or for such as have the advantage of neighboring rivers, especially if the engineer can so place the bastions, that the entrance and outlet of the rivers may be in some of the curtains. By means of this disposition no person could come in or go out of the garrison without the governor’s or commandant’s permission, as the centinels must have a full view from the flanks of the neighboring Bastions.
OCTAVION, (one,Fr.) any male or female that is born of a quarteron and a white woman, or of a white man and a quarterone.
OCTONS,Fr.a mathematical instrument, which contains 45 degrees or the eighth part of a circle.
OCTOEDRICAL, having eight sides.
OCTOSTYLE, the face of a building containing eight columns.
ODA. The different corps or companies into which the janizaries are divided, bear this appellation. The word itself means a room, and the companies are so called from messing separately.
ODEN,ODIN,orWODEN, a deity so called in ancient times among the Swedes, and Goths. He was their god of war in the same manner that they acknowlegedThorto be theirJupiter, andFreyatheirVenus.
ODOMETER, (Odometre,Fr.) an instrument by which you may ascertain how much ground you go over on foot, or in conveyance.
OEIL,Fr.in architecture, any round aperture, which is made in a building.
Oeilde dome,Fr.an opening made at the top of an edifice.
Oeilde bœuf,Fr.a round window or aperture, which is made in a wall or roof. The black spot in the centre of a target is likewise calledœil de bœuf, or bull’s eye.
Oeilde pont,Fr.the opening, or vacant space, under the arch of a bridge.
OEUVRE,Fr.in architecture this word admits of various significations in the French language, and may be connected with different prepositions, all of which determine the signification, viz.
DansOeuvre,Fr.Within.Trente toises de long dans œuvre; signifies 30 toises in length within doors.
Hors d’Oeuvre,Fr.Without.Un escalier hors d’œuvre; a stair-case without doors.
SousOeuvre,Fr.From the bottom.Reprendre un mur sous œuvre; to build up a wall from the foot or bottom.
DansOeuvreet hors d’Oeuvre, within and without.
OIN,orOING,Fr.Cart-grease, such as is used to the wheels of ordnance carriages, &c.
OFF, an adverb, which is frequently conjoined with verbs; and, in a military sense, is used as follows:
To marchOFF, to quit the ground on which you are regularly drawn up, for the purpose of going upon detachment, relieving a guard, or doing any other military duty.
To tellOFF, to count the men composing a battalion or company, so as to have them readily and distinctly thrown into such proportions as suit military movements or evolutions.
OFFENCES. All acts, that are contrary to good order and discipline, omissions of duty, &c. may be called military offences. The principal ones are specified in the Articles of War. No officer or soldier can be tried twice for the same offence; unless in case of an appeal from a regimental to a general court-martial: nor can any officer or soldier be tried for any offence committed more than two years before the date of the warrant for trial; except in cases where the offenders were not amenable to justice in that period, when they may be brought to trial any time within two years after the impediment ceased.
OffensiveWar. Military acts of aggression constitute what is called an offensive war. Those who assail an opposite or adverse army, or invade the dominions of another power, are said to wage an offensive war.
OffensiveWeapons, are such as are fit for the purpose of carrying on offensive war, as cannon, mortars, swords, pistols, musquets, &c.
OffensiveFortification. SeeApproaches,Siege,&c.
OFFICE, in a military sense, signifies any place or apartment which is fixed or appointed for officers, clerks, &c. to attend in, for the discharge of their respective employments; as war-office or office of the war department—adjutant and inspector’s office—commander in chief’s office—paymaster general’s office, &c. &c.
Department and board are sometimes synonymous terms. Sometimes the term office is inapplicable to places where military business is transacted, viz. Clothing department, board of general officers, &c. The wordconseilis used by the French in the latter sense, the termbureauin almost all others.
Officeof the inspector-general.
Officeof the commissary-general of stores, &c. to the forces at home.
Officeof the military agent.
Officeof the superintendant of military stores.
Officeof the advocate-general.
Officeof the physician-general.
Officeof the comptroller. Since the commencement of the coalition wars, the whole system of conducting the extraordinary expences of armies serving abroad has undergone a careful revision in the British service. Among other wise suggestions it has been recommended, 1st. That no military officer should himself have a property, or interest, in any article which his duty obliged him to provide for the public service. The object of this suggestion has in some instances been fulfilled; but it still remains with the commander in chief, and with those persons particularly concerned with army matters, to recommend its adoption in the clothing of the different regiments, regular as well as militia. The property which the colonels manifestly hold in this article, exposes the most honorable character to unmerited imputations, and affords ample means to the base and selfish of growing rich at the expence of public virtue. 2. That no payment should be made by the military officer belonging to any department (such as quarter, or barrack master general, inspector of hospitals, commanding engineers, &c.) but that every expence should be paid by the deputy paymasters general, in pursuance of a warrant from the commander in chief. 3. That all vouchers, proving any payment, should be subject to a careful and speedy examination by persons appointed for the purpose, on the spot where the expence was incurred.
In the present war, the whole of the extraordinary expences of an army serving abroad, are conducted by the means of a commissary general, who receives and has charge of all provisions and stores sent for the use of the troops from this country; who purchases, or provides, under the direction of, or in concurrence with, the commander in chief (without whose authority no service can be performed, or expence incurred) such articles as may be more conveniently obtained on the spot, and who is responsible for all monies, provisions, or stores, whether actually used, damaged, lost, destroyed, or plundered, with the condition of procuring proper certificates to prove every mode of their consumption, before he can be discharged therefrom.
A commissary of accounts also 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; Both acting under specific instructions.
All monies, for the ordinary services of the army, are obtained by the means of bills drawn by the deputy paymaster abroad on the paymaster general, which bills are negociated by the commissary general, who is obliged to note the rate of exchange on the bill.
All monies, for extraordinaries, are obtained by drafts of the commissary general on the treasury, which, on their arrival, are accepted, if drawn conformably to the rules laid down, as being in payment for services ordered by the commander in chief, and the value of which have been previously examined and ascertained by the commissaries of accounts on the spot.
The 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.
The commissaries general and commissaries of accounts, are appointed by warrant under the king’s sign manual, directing them to obey all instructions given them for the execution of their duty by the lords commissioners of the treasury; which instructions, since the commencement of this war, have been prepared by the comptrollers of the army accounts, under the orders, and subjected to the inspection of the treasury. Instructions are also given by the secretary of state for the war department, to all commanding officers abroad, to conduct the service on which they are employed, with the utmost regard to public economy, and punctuality in their accounts.
The present establishment of this office is composed in the followingmanner:—
Two comptrollers at 1000l.per annum each.
One secretary, 700l.ditto.
Civil Department.
One first accomptant and chief clerk 500l.
One second ditto, 300l.
One third ditto, salary not specified.
Military Department.
One first clerk, one second clerk, one third clerk, salaries not specified.
One chamber keeper, one messenger, one necessary woman, salaries not specified.
Officeof ordnance, or board of ordnancein the British service.—It belongs to the office of ordnance to supply all military stores for the army and navy; to defray the expence of the corps of artillery, corps of engineers, and other military corps attached to the ordnance service; and also the charge of repairing and building fortifications at home and abroad; excepting field works abroad, and excepting also those fortifications which commanders in chief may deem it expedient to erect without previous instructions from home; in which two cases the bills are paid by the treasury, and placed to account in the extraordinaries of the army. All contingent expences, attending ordnance stores, as well as camp equipage for the artillery, and the article of tents for the privates of the whole army, included in the payments of the ordnance.
The hire of vessels for the transportation of ordnance for foreign service, has, since the establishment of the transportboard, been transferred to that office: and the building of barracks belongs now to the barrack department, except when barracks are ordered to be built within a fortification.
The master general, who, in his military character, is commander in chief over the artillery and engineers, has, in his civil capacity, the entire control over the whole ordnance department: he can alone do any act, which can otherwise, if he does not interpose, be done by the board. He can order the issue of money, but that order must be executed in the usual mode, by three board officers.
The lieutenant general, who is second in command over the artillery and engineers, is, in his civil capacity, the first in rank among the members of the board; which comprehends four other principal officers; the surveyor general, the clerk of the ordnance, the store-keeper, and the clerk of deliveries. During the absence of the master general, or the vacancy of the office, the whole executive power devolves on the board; and it belongs to them, though they are subject to the interposition of the master general, to make contracts for stores, and for performance of services, and to direct the issue of stores and of money. The signatures of three members of the board, of whom the clerk of the ordnance must be one, are necessary for the payment of money.
Fortifications are erected by the commanding engineer, pursuant to an order from the master general, for carrying a project into execution, according to an approved plan and estimate. The estimate is usually formed in the first place by the engineer, who is afterwards to execute the work; and its accuracy is examined into by a committee of engineers at home, the expediency of the measure being submitted to the master general. All fortifications, works, and repairs are carried on by measurement and by contract, except where the soldiers of the corps of royal military artificers have been employed; and even in such cases the materials worked up by the soldiers are usually supplied by contract.
The sums voted for the ordnance, consist of the three following heads:—1st. The ordinary, which comprehends the provision for the ordinary establishment, civil and military, for the year ensuing, 2dly; The extraordinary, which comprehends every service known before hand, of a temporary and contingent nature, being a provision for the ensuing year also; and 3dly, the services unprovided for, consisting of services which either have been actually paid in the past year, as is generally the case, or which are supposed to have been paid, but which were not foreseen when the estimate for the past year was made up. Among these unforeseen expences are included various exceedings, which have happened in the individual services voted in the past year’s ordnance estimates; to which are added, such sums as may be necessary to make up the deficiency of the sum directed to the ordnance use from the naval service.
OFFICERSbelonging to the military branch of the ordnance.
Corps of Royal Engineers.
One master general, one lieutenant general, one chief engineer and colonel, five colonels, six lieutenant colonels, fifteen captains, thirteen captain lieutenants, twenty-seven first lieutenants.
Officersbelonging to the royal military academy at Woolwich.
One governor, one lieutenant governor, one inspector, one professor of mathematics, one professor of fortification, one mathematical master, one arithmetical master, two French masters, one assistant fortification master, two drawing masters, one fencing master, one dancing master, two model makers, one clerk.—Salaries unknown.
Ship-LetterOffice. During the continuance of the British army in Holland, a mail was made up every Tuesday and Friday night, and forwarded to Yarmouth, where two packets, taken from the Cuxhaven station, were appointed to convey them to the Helder. A gentleman (the deputy comptroller of the foreign office) was sent to the head quarters, as army post master, and in like manner made up two mails per week, but they were sometimes detained for despatches.
On application from the duke of York the letters of soldiers (being subscribed by the commanding officer) were suffered to pass at the reduced charge of one penny, although that sum was not paid at the time of the letter being put into the post-office, as the act of parliament on the subject requires.
The following particulars, relative to this useful and humane establishment, were issued from the general post-office, on the 20th of September, 1799.
“Notice is hereby given, that letters addressed to persons serving with the army under the command of field marshal his royal highness the duke of York, will be received at the Ship-Letter office twice, instead of once in the week, viz. on Tuesday and Friday from ten in the morning until ten o’clock at night, and not on Thursday, as mentioned in the advertisement from this office of the 10th instant.
“And that such letters will be regularly forwarded in vessels from Yarmouth to the Helder Point on the same days as the mails are sent to Cuxhaven.
“Letters by this conveyance will be chargeable with an half-rate of postage, under the act of the 39th of his present majesty, of sixpence each single letter, one shilling double, one shilling and sixpence treble, and so on in proportion, excepting single letters to and from private soldiers and sailors, which are chargeablewith one penny only, under the act of the 35th of his present majesty.
“And that newspapers will also be forwarded at a rate of three pence upon each, provided such paper is sent without cover, or in covers open at the sides.”
TransportOffice, in the British service. The transport-office is a newly created board, and was instituted in July, 1794, at first for the superintendance of the transport service only; but to that employment has since been added the management of the prisoners of war, in health, at home, and abroad.
The immediate duty of this office, so far as related to the transport service, used to be performed by the commissioners of the navy; except in some instances, where the ordnance, or other departments hired the transports wanted for their own immediate service; and the present transport board have pursued the modes of engaging transports which were practised by the navy board, when the transport service was under its directions; but it was thought expedient to constitute a distinct board, to transact the business of that extensive branch of the naval service; and from the unparalleled extent to which that service has been carried during the present war, it is highly proper that every possible check and control should be put over so vast an expenditure of money.
Since the institution of this board, which took place in July 1794, to 22d June 1797, the tonnage of vessels, hired as regular transports for four or six months certain, amounted to 99,656 tons; the tonnage of the vessels hired on freight for service amounted to 178,560 tons; making the whole tonnage 278,216. The total expenditure for this service, during this period, amounted to 4,088,524l., 3s.5d.
The total expence of this establishment for the year 1796, is stated to have been as follows:
In a schedule of the fees paid at the war office, and a paper describing the application thereof, it appeared, that (with the exception of an occasional arrangement made in favor of two retired principal clerks) they have been exclusively paid in certain proportions to the following clerks andofficers:—
1. Deputy secretary at war. 2. First clerk. 3. Principal clerk. 4. Ditto. 5. Ditto. 6. Clerk for the entry of commissions. 7. Clerk for accounts of deserters. 8. Clerk for business of widows’ pensions. 9. Examiner of army accounts. 10. Assistant to the examiner of army accounts. It appeared on examination, that during the years 1792, and 1796, (being respectively periods of peace and war) the amount of all fees received and distributed at the war office, was in the year 1792, 4,991l.3s.4d.In the year 1796, 42,731l.11s.11d.
WarOffice, British service, the nature of the accounts which come into the war office, the first head consists of the annual accounts of the ordinary and incidental charges of established regiments; the second regimental extraordinaries, or incidental expences more properly belonging to established corps than to the army in general, which latter are known by the term, “extraordinaries of the army.” All claims made by the regimental agents come under the inspection of the “examiner of army accounts,” to whose office they are transmitted of course, in virtue of a general delegation of that duty to him by the secretary at war: after his examination and report, the secretary at war, in many instances, orders partial issues of money by letter to the pay master general. No final payment is made, except under the authority of a warrant countersigned by the secretary at war, and in most instances by three lords of the treasury. The regimental agents account finally to the secretary at war. They are likewise accountable to him and to the commander in chief, for every species of mismanagement or misconduct with respect to the officers and soldiers, &c.
The forms under which all payments derived from the establishment are conducted, consist of the following papers:
1. The establishment of a regiment.
2. The warrant from the war-office to make out debentures, with the state of charges annexed.
3. The debenture made up at the pay-office.
4. The final or clearing warrant.
5. The pay-office state.
OFFICERS, in amilitary sense, are of several denominations and ranks, viz.
CommissionedOfficers, are those appointed by commission; such are all from the general to the cornet and ensign, both inclusive.
WarrantOfficers, those who have no commissions, but only warrants from such boards, or persons, who are authorized by law to grant them.
Non-commissionedOfficers, are Serjeant majors, quarter master serjeants, serjeants, drum and fife majors, who are appointed by the commanding officers of regiments, and by them may be reduced without a court-martial. But it is not in the power of any captain of a company, or other subordinate officer, to reduce a serjeant without the sentence of a general or regimental court-martial.
GeneralOfficers, are those whose command is not limited to a single company, troop, or regiment; but extends to a body of forces, composed of several regiments: such are the general, lieutenant general, major general, and brigadier general; on the United States establishment we have three brigadier generals; and the territory of the United States consists of three districts, over each of which a general presides.
FieldOfficers, are such as command a whole regiment; as the colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major.
StaffOfficers, are all those officers who are not attached to companies in a regiment; whose duties extend over the whole; or a large section, such as a brigade or division; such as the quarter master general, and the adjutant and inspector general, brigade officers, and aids-de-camp, also the quarter masters, adjutants, the physicians, surgeons, and chaplains.
SubalternOfficers, are lieutenants, cornets, and ensigns.
FlagOfficers, are admirals who hoist flags at the mast-heads.
SeaOfficers, are, in general, all those who have any command in the navy.
The following observations, are generally applicable to every other military situation on service, that we recommend them to the serious attention of every officer.
It is the duty of all officers, to take notice of any negligence, or impropriety of conduct, in the men, whether on duty or off duty, although the person, or persons offending, should not belong to their particular regiments. All neglects of duty, they are immediately to report to the officer commanding the guard; and they are enjoined to confine, and to report to the commanding officer of the regiment to which they belong, any non-commissioned officers or soldiers, they may detect in disorderly practices, or who appear out of their quarters, conducting themselves either in point of behaviour or appearance, in a manner unbecoming soldiers.
BrevetOfficer, in the British service. One who in doing duty with other corps takes rank according to the commission which he holds, and which is superior to the one for which he actually receives pay, or by which he can do duty in his own. A captain lieutenant, for instance, in the 23d regiment of foot, who has the rank of brevet major in the army, may, when that corps does brigade duty, command every captain on service with him. The wordbrevetis taken from the French, and in the instance before us means rank without pay. During the French monarchy there were various instances in which individuals held posts of honor during the king’s pleasure, or during their own natural lives. Henceducs à brevet; dukes by brevet: or to use an expression more familiar to us, persons who received the patent letter of a dukedom during their natural lives.Brevetlikewise signified a sum attached by order of the king to the sale of a commission or place for the benefit of a deceased person’s wife, heirs, or creditors: this was calledbrevet de retenue. So that the wordbrevet, though limited to one sense amongst us, was applicable to rank and emolument among the French. Hencebrevetersignified to give a person a commission, place, or employment; to invest him with honorary rank; or to authorise him to receive a pension.Brevet de capitaine, signifies the commission, or rank of a captain.
CivilOfficersbelonging to the British laboratory atWoolwich:—
One comptroller, one chief fire-master, one assistant fire-master, one inspector of gunpowder manufactures, six clerks, one extra clerk, one surgeon, one inspector of artillery, one assistant ditto, one clerk and draftsman, one clerk, one proof master, one searcher, one instrument keeper, one modeller, one assistant, one constructor of artillery carriages, one assistant to ditto, one second assistant, and two clerks.
Officersbelonging to the British military repository atWoolwich:—
One superintendant, one modeller, one clerk, one draftsman, one astronomical observer at Greenwich, salaries unknown. To these may be added, the officers belonging to the different out ports and garrisons that are subject to the British government.
Commissioners andOfficersof the British hospital atChelsea:—
Thecivil departmentconsists of:
The president of the council. First lord of the treasury. The two secretaries of state. The paymaster general of land forces. The secretary at war. The two comptrollers of army accounts. The governor and lieutenant governor. Salaries unknown.
Themilitary departmentconsistsof:—
Governor. Lieutenant governor. Major. Adjutant. Treasurer, who is the paymaster general for the time being. Deputy treasurer, one clerk, two chaplains, onesecretary and registrar, two clerks, one agent and paymaster to the out pensioners, one physician, one comptroller, one steward, one surgeon, two surgeon’s mates, one apothecary, one truss maker, one whitster, one wardrobe keeper, one compter of coal-yard, one organist, one clerk of the works, one master lamp-lighter, one master butler, one master cook, one second cook, two under cooks, one scullery man, one gardener, one master barber, one engine keeper, one clock keeper, one canal keeper and turncock, one sexton, one usher of the hall, one porter, one cellarman, two sweepers, one matron, one master mason, one master smith, one master painter, and one plumber.
FieldOfficersbelonging to the several regiments of militia in Ireland.—By an act passed on the 24th of March 1801, the number of field officers of this description has been increased by adding one additional lieutenant colonel, and one additional major, to such of the Irish regiments as consist of eight companies or upwards, and one additional major to such of the said regiments as consist of seven companies or under. The following counties consist of eight companies and upwards:—Antrim,Armagh,North Cork,South Cork,city of Cork,Donegall,city of Dublin,Galway,Kerry,Kilkenny,King’s County,County of Limerick,Londonderry,Louth,Meath,Monaghan,Roscommon,Tipperary,Tyrone,Waterford, andWexford. TheCarlow,Cavan,Clare,North Downshire,South Downshire,County of Dublin,Fermanagh,Kildare,Leitrim,city of Limerick,Longford,North Mayo,South Mayo,Queen’s County,Sligo,Westmeath, andWicklow, regiments consist of seven companies, or are under seven companies.
All such additional field officers, if qualified, in manner as field officers of the same rank in the militia of Ireland are now by law required to be, and not disapproved by the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors of Ireland, within fourteen days after such certificate shall have been laid before him or them, shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed and taken as field officers of the respective regiments in the respective ranks to which their commissions shall respectively appoint them; and shall have the same powers according to such commissions respectively, that other field officers in the militia now have, and shall have rank, and receive pay according to such rank from the dates of their respective commissions, in manner and form as the field officers of the militia regiments of Ireland are now entitled thereto.
Officerin waiting. The officer next for duty is so called. He is always mentioned in orders, and ought to be ready for the service specified, at a minute’s warning. He must not, on this account, quit the camp, garrison, or cantonments.
Officerof the day. An officer whose immediate duty is to attend to the interior œconomy and good order of the corps to which he belongs, or of those with which he does mixed duty. The following regulations will explain the nature of that duty when troops areencamped:—
The officers for daily duty in camp, independent of guards, will be a general or generals of the day, according to the circumstances and strength of the camp. In large camps there will be a lieutenant general of the day, and a major general for each wing, or one major general of cavalry, and one of infantry; and majors of brigade in the same proportion: a field officer per brigade, and a captain and subaltern of the day per regiment, and an adjutant and quarter master of the day per brigade.
The general of the day is to superintend the regularity and discipline of the camp, in every particular: he is to visit the guards of the camp and the outposts (unless the latter are put under the command of some particular officer): he is to call out and inspect the inlying piquets, as often, and at such times as he thinks proper: he is to receive all reports in camp, and make immediate communication of any extraordinary occurrences, to the commander in chief.
The captain of the day of each regiment superintends the cleanliness and regularity of the camp of the regiment: he attends the parading of all regimental guards, orders the roll to be called frequently and at certain hours, and reports every thing extraordinary to the commanding officer.
The subaltern of the day assists the captain in his various duties, and reports to him any irregularity, which may come to his knowlege.
The captain and subaltern of the day, are each to visit the hospital at uncertain hours, the captain is to make his report of the state of the hospital to the commanding officer of the regiment.
The regularity of the men’s messing is an object of primary importance. The captain or subaltern of the day must visit, and inspect the kettles, at the hour appointed for cooking, and no kettle is to be taken from the kitchens till this inspection is made, and the signal is given by the drum for the men to dine, which should be at the same hour, throughout the camp. Independent of this regimental arrangement, the officers of companies must daily and hourly attend to the messing and every circumstance of the œconomy of their companies, in camp more particularly than in quarters.
The adjutant of the day, of the brigades, is to assist the brigade major in the various details of it, and in the absence of the brigade major is to receive and execute all orders; it may frequently be necessary for him likewise to attend for orders, at head-quarters. It is the duty of the quarter master of the day, of the brigade, to attend to the cleanliness of the camp;to take care that all broken glass and filth of all kinds is removed, for which the quarter master of each regiment is responsible, as far as the camp of his regiment is concerned.
The officers on duty and those in waiting, as next for duty, who are always to be mentioned in the orders of the day, are constantly to remain in camp, or within their cantonments. No officer is, on any account, to sleep out of camp, or cantonments, without leave.
Officers making written report, are to sign them, specifying their rank, and the regiments to which they belong.
All orders relating to the men are to be read to them by an officer per company, at the next parade after such orders are given out.
When there is a field officer of the day, it is his duty to visit all guards frequently during the day and night; in the morning, on the dismounting of the guards, he will collect the reports, and carry them to the governor or commandant, together with any observations he may himself have made, in the course of his duty in the preceding day. When there is no field officer of the day, the reports will be collected, and delivered to the governor, by the captain of the main guard. Each regiment must have an alarm post assigned to it, to which it will repair in case of fire, or any other extraordinary alarm either by day or by night.
MarineOfficers, all those who command in that body of troops employed in the sea service, under the direction of the lords of the admiralty.
OFFICIAL, all orders, reports, applications, memorials, &c. which pass through the regular channels of communication, are called official.
Officier,Fr.SeeOfficer.
Officiersur terre,Fr.a land officer, or any commissioned person in the land service.
Officierdu genie,Fr.an engineer.
Officiersur mer,Fr.a sea officer, or any commissioned person in the sea service. The term, however, is not confined to this class only, it likewise signifies the master, pilot, boatswain, &c. of a ship, in which case the latter are calledofficiers mariniers, in contradistinction to the former, who are stiledofficiers de la marine, or persons who have naval rank, and whose immediate business is to fight their ships. These consisted, in the old French service, of admirals, vice-admirals, lieutenant generals, commodores, captains of ships, or post-captains, majors, captains of light frigates, captains of fireships, captains of stores or ordnance vessels, port-captains, to which may be added,capitaines en second, together with the lieutenants and ensigns de vaisseau, whether actually employed, and bearing rank, or being onlyen second. There were besides various employments and situations under the old French government, which entitled individuals to the appellation ofofficier. Those of a military or naval nature were generally and specifically asfollow:—
Officierde guerre,Fr.a military man or officer.
Officierdans les troupes,Fr.any person holding a military situation in the army.
Officiergénéral,Fr.a general officer.
Officiersubalterne,Fr.a subaltern officer.
Les hautsOfficiers,Fr.Commissioned officers.
Les basOfficiers,Fr.non-commissioned officers.
Officierde la garnison,Fr.an officer belonging to the garrison of a town, or fortified place.
Officieren garnison,Fr.Any officer in garrison.
Officierau régiment des gardes,Fr.an officer belonging to the guards.
Officiersà la suite,Fr.During the existence of the French monarchy a certain number of individuals were permitted to wear the uniform of a regiment, without being otherwise connected with it. These were divided into two classes, viz.
Officiersà la suite d’un régiment,Fr.Officers nominally attached to a regiment. Of this description were the gentlemen appointed by the German princes who were in alliance with France. It is mentioned, as a fact, that before the French revolution took place, there were 42 lieutenant-colonelsà la suite du régiment Deux Ponts. The prince of that name having been permitted to extend this strange brevet to any number, provided the officers so distinguished, never went into the town where the regiment lay, or interfered with regard to quarters, &c.
The other class consisted of noblemen and gentlemen, who were appointed by the court of Versailles, and received their brevets from the war-minister. These were calledofficiers à la suite de toute l’armée; or officers bearing brevet rank without being attached, even nominally, to any specific corps.
This institution though extravagant, was nevertheless calculated to maintain the preeminence of military passions, and to cherish those military ideas which, by thus becoming national, conduced in a great measure to the present military character and triumphs of the French.
Officierdans la marine,Fr.an officer in the marine service.
Officierde marine,Fr.a marine officer.
Officiermarinier,Fr.SeeOfficiersur mer.