R.
RABINET, formerly a name given to a small sort of ordnance between a falconet and a base, about one inch and a half diameter in the bore, five feet six inches long, and 300 pounds in weight, loaded with six ounces of powder, and carrying a shot one inch and three-eighths in diameter.
RACHATdu pain,Fr.a certain pecuniary allowance which was made in the old French service to the officers of each company, for the surplus rations of ammunition bread that were left in the purveyor’s hands. The same rule exists in the British service, when troops are in camp or barracks.
RACINE,Fr.SeeRoot.
RACLOIR,Fr.A scraper. It is used in the artillery to cleanse out mortars.
RACOLER,Fr.To entice men to inlist.
RACOLEUR,Fr.a crimp, a bringer of recruits, one who entices others toinlist. Men of this description are to be found in all countries where military establishments prevail.
RACORDEMENT,Fr.This word is derived fromracorder, which, in French architecture, signifies to join two pieces of building on one surface, or to unite an old building with a new one.
RADE,Fr.Road for ships to ride in.
RADEAUX,Fr.Rafters. They are frequently used in sieges, for the purpose of crossing ditches, &c. Chevalier Folard enters largely into the nature of these rafters, particularly in his 4th volume, page 67.
RADIOMETER, (Radiomètre,Fr.) This instrument is sometimes called Jacob’s staff,bâton de Jacob. It is used by some to take the sun’s altitude, and by others to ascertain elevations at sea.
RADIUS, the semi-diameter of a circle. In fortification, the radius is distinguished intoexterior,interior,oblique, andrightradius. The three former are noticed each under its initial letter. The latter is a perpendicular line drawn from the centre of a polygon to the exterior side.
RAFFINAGE,Fr.a term used by the French to express the operation through which saltpetre passes after it has been boiled once. The literal meaning isrefining; the act of cleansing any thing from recrementitious matter.
RAFFINER,Fr.To refine.
RAFFINOIR,Fr.a wooden cask, or copper vessel, in which saltpetre is deposited after it has been boiled once. It usually remains thirty minutes, after which it is let out through a cock fixed for that purpose at the bottom of the vessel.
RAFRAICHISSEMENS,Fr.Provisions. SeeQuartier.
RAFRAICHIR,Fr.To cool; to spunge; asrafraichir le canon; to spunge a cannon.
Rafraichirune place,Fr.to succor a place by sending in fresh troops and provisions.
Rafraichirdes troupes,Fr.to allow troops to repose; likewise to supply them with fresh provisions.
RAFTS, a kind of frames or floats made by laying pieces of timber together, or across each other, to serve as bridges for troops to pass over rivers.
RAFTERS, are pieces of timber, which, standing by pairs on the transom, wall plate, or raising piece, meet in an angle at the top, and form the roof of a building.
It is a rule in building, that no rafters should stand farther than 12 inches from one another: and as to their sizes and scantlings, that principal rafters, from 12 feet 6 inches to 14 feet 6 inches long, be 5 inches broad at the top, and 8 at the bottom, and 6 inches thick: those from 14 feet 6 inches, to 18 feet 6 inches long, to be 9 inches broad at the foot, 7 inches at the top, and 7 inches thick: and those from 18 feet 6 inches, to 21 feet 6 inches, to be 10 inches broad at the foot, 8 at the top, and 8 thick. Single rafters, 8 feet in length, must have 4¹⁄₂ inches, and 3³⁄₄ in their square. Those of 9 feet long, must be 5, and 4 inches square.
RAJPUTES,orRAUJPOOTS,Ind.The second tribe of the four great classes of Hindus; the priests orBraminsare the first. Both classes may be soldiers, and none but members of one or other of these classes can be kings or princes. Rauj means great, and poot means arms, that is great in arms; they are the descendants of the military tribe of Hindus.
RAJAH,Ind.This word means an authority equivalent to that of a king. The Rajahs became generally tributary to the Mogul, but were suffered to follow their own modes of government.
RAIE,Fr.properly means a seam, furrow, streak.
RAINURE,Fr.a grove.
RAIS,Fr.a spoke of a wheel.
ToRAISETroops. SeeLevy.
ToRaisea plan of a fortress, is to measure with cords and geometrical instruments, the length of the lines, and the capacity of the angles, that by knowing the length, breadth, and thickness, of all the different parts of a fortification, it may be represented upon paper, so as to find out its advantages and disadvantages.
RAISON,Fr.this word is used by the French, in a mathematical sense, to express the relation which one number has to another, and in general, that which exists between one quantity and another. The term is distinguished intoraison arithmétique, or arithmetical reasoning; andraison géométrique, or geometrical reasoning. French carpenters likewise use the term, to shew that pieces of wood, &c. are properly laid, viz.Des pieces de bois en leur raison.
RALLIEMENT,Fr.Rallying point. It is sometimes written raliment.
Mot deRalliement,Fr.a word or countersign, which is given to out posts, and to sentries that are stationed beyond the lines.
RALLUMER,Fr.To light up again, to rekindle, to renew.
RALLY, one of the bugle horn soundings.
ToRALLY, (Rallier,Fr.) To bring troops back to order that have been dispersed.
RALLYING, inwar, re-establishing, or forming together again, troops broken and put to flight.
ToRAM, to drive with violence, as with a battering ram.
ToRAMdown, to force anything downwards, or to fill with any thing driven hard together, as in the charge of firearms.
Ramdown cartridge, a word of command used in the platoon exercise. SeeManual.
BatteringRAM, inantiquity, a military engine used to batter and beat down the walls of places besieged.
The battering ram was of two sorts, the one rude and plain, the other compound. The former seems to have been no more than a great beam, which the soldiers bore on their arms and shoulders, and with one end of it, by main force, assailed the walls. The compound ram is thus described by Josephus: it is a vast beam, like the mast of a ship, strengthened at one end with a head of iron, something resembling that of a ram, whence it took its name. This was hung by the middle with ropes to another beam, which lay across two posts, and hanging thus equally balanced, it was by a great number of men drawn backwards and pushed forwards, striking the wall with its iron head.
Plutarch informs us, that Mark Antony, in the Parthian war, made use of a ram 80 feet long: and Vitruvius tells us, that they were sometimes 106, and 120 feet long: to this perhaps the force and strength of the engine was in a great measure owing. The ram at one time was managed by a whole century of soldiers; and they, being exhausted, were seconded by another century; so that it played continually, and without any intermission.
The momentum of a battering ram 28 inches in diameter, 180 feet long, with a head of cast iron of one ton and a half, the whole ram with its iron hoops, &c. weighing 41,112 pounds, and moving by the united strength of 1000 men, will be only equal to that of a ball of 36 pounds, when shot point blank from a cannon.
RAMMER, an instrument used for driving down stones or piles into the ground in military works; or for beating the earth, in order to render it more solid for a foundation.
Rammer,orRamrodof a gun, the ramrod or gunstick; a rod used in charging a gun, to drive home the powder and shot, as also the wad, which keeps the shot from rolling out. The rammer of a piece of artillery, is a cylinder of wood, whose diameter and length are each equal to the diameter of the shot, with a handle fixed to it, at the end of which is another cylinder, covered with lamb-skin, so as to fit the gun exactly, and called a sponge: it is used to clean the piece before and after it is fired. The ramrod of a musquet is one entire piece of iron.
ReturnRAMROD. SeePlatoon Exercise, underManual.
RAMPART, infortification, or, as some call it, but improperly,rampire; the great massy bank of earth raised about a place to resist the enemy’s shot, and to cover the buildings, &c. On it is raised a parapet towards the country. It is not above 18 feet high, and about 60 or 70 thick, unless more earth be taken out of the ditch than can be otherwise disposed of. The rampart should be sloped on both sides, and be broad enough to allow the marching of waggons and cannon, besides the parapet which is raised on it. The rampart of the half moons is better for being low, that the small arms of the besieged may the better reach the bottom of the ditch; but it must be so high, as not to be commanded by the covert-way. The rampart is encompassed with a ditch, and is sometimes lined with a fausse-bray and a berme.
RAMPS, (Rampes,Fr.) infortification, are sloping communications, or ways of very gentle ascent, leading from the inward area, or lower part of a work, to the rampart or higher part of it.
RAMS-horns, infortification, are a kind of low works made in the ditch, of a circular arc; they were invented by M. Belidor, and serve instead of tenailles.
RAMADAN,Fr.a month so called among the Turks, during which period they observe fast days.
RAMASSE,Fr.a sort of sledge, in which travellers are conveyed from the tops of mountains that are covered with snow.
RAMASSER,Fr.to collect, to get together.On a ramassé tout ce qu’on a pu trouver de soldats.They got as many soldiers together as they could.
RAMASSE,Fr.Gathered together, collected. This word is likewise used to distinguish men that are hastily raised and embodied, from soldiers who have been regularly disciplined, viz.Ce ne son pas des troupes reglées, ce sont des gens ramassés.They are not regular troops, but persons hastily got together.
Ramasse,Fr.strong, vigorous.Un homme ramasse.A strong athletic man.Ramasse, in this sense, agrees with the English word tight-built, thickset, &c.
RAMAZAN. SeeRamadan.
RAMBERGE,Fr.an advice boat.
RAME,Fr.an oar. It is likewise calledAviron.
BalleRamee,Fr.Cross-bar shot.
RAMEAUXde la mine,Fr.Branches belonging to a mine. SeeGallery.
RAMPEau Pente extrêment douce qu’ont fait le long des talus des ramparts,Fr.a slope, or declivity which is extremely gradual along the talus of ramparts. These slopes contain two toises in breadth, and are cut upon the interior talus. They are made, according to circumstances and the exigencies of the place, sometimes within the angle of the rampart, opposite to the entrance into the bastion, when the latter is full; sometimes along the flanks, or at the flanked angle when the bastion is empty. Pieces of ordnance, ammunition, &c. are conveyed up these slopes to the embrazures of the ramparts.
RANCHER,Fr.a sort of ladder which is made of wooden pegs, and is used on various occasions.
RANÇON,Fr.Ransom. It waslikewise the name of an old French weapon, consisting of a long stake with a sharp iron point at the end, and two blades or wings bent backwards, and extremely keen.
RANCONNER,Fr.to ransom.
RANDOMshot, inartillery, when the piece is elevated at an angle of 45 degrees upon a level plane. SeeRange.
RANG,Fr.Rank.
Rangd’un escadronoud’un bataillon,Fr.Rank in a squadron of horse, or battalion of infantry. Any straight line which is formed by soldiers standing by the side of each other, is so called.
Doubler lesRANGS,Fr.to form from rank entire, or to throw one rank into two, and thereby encrease the depth of any given number of men, by diminishing their front. Hence todouble up, or diminish the front of any leading line.
Rang,Fr.the relative rank which is observed in military corps with regard to precedence, tour of duty, &c. In some instancesrang et grademean the same thing.
DeRANG,Fr.abreast, side by side.
Paroitre sur lesRANGS,Fr.to enter the list.
Etre sur lesRANGS, to be numbered amongst any particular set of men.
Mettre auRANG,Fr., to class with, to associate.
Vaisseau du premierRANG,Fr.a first rate ship of war.
Vaisseau du second, ou troisièmeRANG,Fr.a second or third rate.
RANGERla côte,Fr.to sail along the coast.
Placer parRANGde taille,Fr.To size.
RANGE, ingunnery, the distance from the battery to the point where the shot or shell touches the ground.
Point blankRANGE, when the piece lies in a horizontal direction, and upon a level plane, without any elevation or depression, the shot is said to take a point blank range. SeePoint Blank.
RANGEE,Fr.a series of things placed upon the same line.
RANGE,EE,Fr.the participle ofRanger, drawn out or placed in regular order.
BatailleRANGEE,Fr.a pitched or set battle, in which two armies are drawn up opposite to one another.
Ranger,Fr.to place in a certain line or order.
Rangezvous,Fr.a term in general use among the French when any number of persons are ordered to clear the way, by drawing up on one side or the other of a street or road.
RANGING, inwar, disposing the troops in proper order for an engagement, manœuvres, or march, &c.
RANK. Range of subordination, degree of authority. The relative situations which officers hold with respect to each other, or to military things in general. Henceregimental rank,local rank,rank in the army, &c.
One of the egregious errors of the British military institutions is, that the officers belonging to the life guards are entitled to the rank of lieutenant colonel, when they obtain, or purchase a majority, provided they have been seven years. Their commissions in this case run major and lieutenant colonel. But if an officer should not have completed either of those periods, he obtains the rank of major only, until its completion. A lieutenant colonel receives the rank of full colonel if he has been seven years major, or twenty one years in the British service. Cornets in the life guards rank as sub-lieutenants in their own corps, and as first lieutenants in the army. The English fuzileers enjoy the same privilege. Sub-lieutenants in the Welsh fuzileers rank only as second lieutenants in the army. Marines do the same.
With respect to rank in general, the following are the rules of the British army, by which the relative rank of the officers of the regulars, militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, is to be determined.
Officers of the regular forces command the officers of equal degree, belonging to the other services; with the exception after mentioned.
Officers of the militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, rank together according to the dates of their respective commissions.
Notwithstanding this regulation, such officers of fencibles as have commissions dated on or before the 25th July, 1798, continue to rank with the officers of the regular forces of equal degree, according to the dates of their respective commissions: unless when acting in conjunction also with officers of the militia; in which case, if the commission of the fencible officer be of a junior date to that of a militia officer, of the same degree, the regular officer of equal rank, although his commission be of a junior date to that of the fencible officer, commands both.
It will further be observed, that all commands in the regular forces fall to the eldest officers in the same circumstances, whether of cavalry or infantry, entire or in parties. In case two commissions of the same date interfere, a retrospect is to be had to former commissions. Should it happen, as it possibly may, that the original commissions interfere, it must be decided by lot.
In page 49 of the Articles of War, it is laid down, that the eldest officer is to command when any troops of the horse guards, and the regiment of horse guards, shall do duty together; or when any of the life guards, horse or foot guards, shall do duty with any other corps. The regiments of life guards, doing duty unmixed, are to be considered as one corps; and theofficers are to take rank according to the dates of their commissions. The same holds good with respect to the foot guards. Regular officers with whom militia officers take rank as youngest, command officers of equal degree in the fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, who are to rank together according to the dares of commissions.
ToRANKwith, to hold the same relative situation with regard to others. Thus post captains of three years standing in the royal navy rank with colonels in the army; and lieutenants in the guards rank with captains in the line or regulars. Officers in the militia rank generally with the regular forces as junior of their respective commissions. An ensign in the guards ranks no higher than an ensign in the regulars.
ToRANKwith, in a figurative sense, to be in equal estimation, to bear the same character for skill and valor, &c. viz. lord Nelson ranks with the bravest seaman that England, or any other country, has ever produced; Bonaparte with the greatest general in ancient or modern history; Washington with Cincinnatus; and Montgomery with Wolfe, Decatur with Desaix, or Lannes.
Brevet-RANK. Rank without pay, nominal distinction, which sometimes entitles the holder of it to command in mixed service.
Brigade majors rank with captains, provided they have that rank in the army, independent of their staff appointment. But aids-de-camp do not possess any rank in that capacity with regard to the army. The latter constitutes a part of the general’s family, and are paid out of his allowance; they are in fact the mere carriers of his orders in the field, and his domestic inmates at home, &c. The former belonging to the brigade, and are a necessary part of its effective force.
There is likewise a sort of brevet rank which exists in the several regiments belonging to the British service, and is confined to the rank and file, or corporals and private soldiers. Thus a lance serjeant is a corporal who does the duty of serjeant without the pay or emoluments of the latter; and a lance corporal is a private soldier who does the duty of corporal. So thatlance, which comes fromlansquenet, which signifies a private soldier, and is derived from the German, and when put before serjeant or corporal, points out that a private soldier has the brevet rank of one of those situations. Captains of companies appoint or reduce lance serjeants or corporals, according to their judgment.
Rank,and precedence in the army and navy, are as follow:
EngineersRANK. Chief, as colonel; director, as lieutenant colonel; sub-director, as major; engineer in ordinary, as captain; engineer extraordinary, as captain lieutenant; sub-engineer, as lieutenant; practitioner engineer, as ensign.
NavyRANK. Admiral, or commander in chief of the British fleet, has the rank of a field marshal; admirals, with their flags on the main top-mast head, rank with generals of horse and foot; vice-admirals, with lieutenant generals; rear-admirals, as major generals; commodores, with broad pendants, as brigadier generals; captains of post ships, after three years from the date of their first commission, as colonel; other captains, as commanding post ships, as lieutenant colonels; captains not taking post, as majors; lieutenants as captains.
The rank and precedence of sea officers in the classes abovementioned, are to take place according to the seniority of their respective commissions in the sea service. Post captains commanding ships or vessels that do not give post, rank only as majors during the time they command those vessels.
Nothing in this shall give any pretence to land officers to command any of his majesty’s squadrons; nor to any sea officer to command on shore; nor shall either have right to demand the military honors due to their respective ranks, unless upon actual service.
Rank, is a straight line made by the soldiers of a battalion, or squadron, drawn up side by side: this order was established for the marches, and for regulating the different bodies of troops and officers which compose an army.
Doubling of theRANKS, is the changing one rank to two, by telling off the files,one,two,one,two, &c. and by the word,even files to the rear double; this method is frequently used in the manœuvres of a regiment.
Rankand file, men carrying the firelock, and standing in the ranks, are called rank and file. Thus corporals are included in the return which is made under that head.
Ranksand files, are the horizontal and vertical lines of soldiers when drawn up for service, &c.
RAPE,Fr.a rasp, a file.
RAPIDES,Fr.Falls in a river are so called; as the falls in the rivers Ohio and St. Laurence, &c.
RAPIER, (Rapiére,Fr.) formerly signified a long, old fashioned broadsword, such as those worn by the Scotch regiments; but now is understood only to mean a small sword, in contradistinction to a broad sword.
RAPINE,Fr.Rapine, plunder,
RAPPORT,Fr.Report.
Rapport,Fr.in mathematics, a term frequently used among the French. It bears the same import asraison, and signifies the relation which two quantities have one with another. Thus therapportor relation between twelve and six is the same as between six and three.
RAPPORTEUR,Fr.in geometry,an instrument made in the figure of a half-circle, and divided into one hundred and eighty degrees. We call it aprotractor. It is used for the purpose of ascertaining the openings in angles, and to take plans upon paper.
RAREFACTION, the extension of the parts of a body, by which it is made to take up more room than it did before. It is essentially connected with gunnery; for in proportion to the rapid combustion and consequent rarefaction of air, produced by the ignition of gunpowder confined in the chamber of a gun, so will be the force of expulsion with which the charge is propelled.
RAS,Fr.Every barge and vessel, &c. which is without any deck or upward covering, is called by the Frenchbatiment ras.
RASANTE,Fr.SeeLigne Rasante.
RASANT,-RAZANT,
infortification, rasant flank, or line, is that part of the curtain or flank whence the shot projected raze or glance along the surface of the opposite bastion.
RASE,Fr.Pitch and tar mixed with tow for the purpose of caulking a ship.
RASLE,Fr.This word is used in some parts of France to signify rafter, and means the same as chevron.
RASALDAR,Ind.the commander ofRasallah, which is ten thousand horsemen armed.
RASSEMBLER,Fr.to collect together.
Rassemblerdes troups,Fr.to call troops or forces together.
Rassemblerles debris d’une armée,Fr.to collect together the broken parts, or scattered remnants of an army. It is likewise used with the personal pronoun, viz.Tous les soldats dispersés se rassemblerent autour du drapeau.All the soldiers or troops that had been dispersed, gathered together round the standard or colors.
Rassemblerles forces d’un cheval, to put a horse well upon his haunches.
RASSIS,Fr.Stale; aspain rassis, stale bread.
RASSURER,Fr.to restore confidence, to encourage, to invigorate.Quelques soldats commencionent à s’ébranler, quand l’exemple de leur capitaine les rassura.Some soldiers began to give way, when the example of their captain inspired them with fresh confidence.
RAT,Fr.literally means rat. It is used in a figurative sense, viz.Une arme à feu a pris un rat.A musquet has missed fire.
Rat.Fr.a sort of floating platform made of planks which are tied together upon two or three masts. It is used in caulking ships, &c.
RATAN, a cane used by serjeants of companies, in the British service in drilling the men, and with which, in other countries, the non-commissioned officers and privates, are beaten for slight offences; the Austrian discipline was thus conducted, till they have been beaten out of their manhood and self-respect. The Prussians abolished this barbarous custom after the battle of Jena.
RATELIER,Fr.a rack used in armories, &c. for the purpose of keeping firearms arranged in proper order.
RATER,Fr.to miss fire.Son pistolet a rate.His pistol has missed fire.
Raterlikewise means, figuratively, to be unsuccessful in an application.Il a rate sa charge.He did not get the commission.
RATESof subsistence, SeePay.
RATION, a certain allowance which is given in bread, &c. or forage when troops are on service, for an officer or soldier in the British service.
Complete Ration of the small species.
When the small species are not issued, 1¹⁄₂ lbs. of flour or bread, with 1¹⁄₂ lbs. of beef, or 10 oz. of pork, forms a complete ration: or 3 lbs. of beef; or 2 lbs. of cheese; or half a pound of rice, forms a complete ration.
At sea the ration is different. The following table contains the allowance for six soldiers, or four seamen on board of ship, for each day in the week. Women are provisioned at a half and children at one fourth of a soldier’s allowance, but receive no rum.
The above are served out by full weights and measures.
When flour, suet and raisins are put on board, they are to be served out in equalproportions with beef, viz. half in beef; the other half in flour, suet, and raisins, on each beef day.
4 lbs. of flour, or 3 lbs. of flour with ¹⁄₂ lb. of raisins, (or ¹⁄₄ lb. of currants) and ¹⁄₄ lb. of suet, are equal to 4 lbs. of beef, or 2 lbs. of pork with peas, but are not to be issued in lieu of the latter, except unavoidable, and then the quantities must be certified.
¹⁄₂ lb. of rice is equal to a pint of oatmeal; ¹⁄₂ lb. of sugar is equal to ¹⁄₂ lb. of butter; and 1 lb. of rice is equal to 1 lb. of cheese; 1 pint of oil is equal to 1 lb. of butter, or 2 lbs. of cheese, that is, a pint of oil for the proportion of butter and cheese.
A pint of wine, or half a pint of brandy, rum, or arrack, is equal to a gallon of beer; 1 lb. of fresh beef is equal to 1 lb. of salt beef; and 1¹⁄₂ lb. of fresh beef is equal to 1 lb. of pork.
No wine or spirits are to be issued to the troops while in port, nor at sea, till after all the beer is expended.
The masters of transports are to produce a certificate from the commanding officer of the troops on board, of the quantity expended. If any doubt be entertained of the provisions being full weight, a cask must be weighed in the presence of the commanding officer, the master, and the mate, and the master may upon the certificate of the commanding officer, and the oath of the mate, issue as much beef and pork as will make up the deficiency.
The weight of each must be as follows: 14 pieces of beef, cut for 8 pound pieces taken out of the cask as they rise, and the salt shaken off, are to weigh 112 lbs. avoirdupois. 28 pieces of pork cut for 4 lb. pieces, are also to weigh, under like circumstances, 112 lbs.
The deductions to be taken for provisions from the pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, or men, are the same for all ranks, and in all corps, under the like circumstances of service, when serving out of Great Britain, on stations where provisions are supplied by the public: also, when embarked in transports or other vessels, (except when serving as marines;) also when prisoners of war, are maintained at the expence of Great Britain; also when in general hospitals, whether at home or abroad, a deduction ofsixpence per day.
A deduction ofthree-pence halfpennyfrom the pay of every non-commissioned officer and private in Jamaica, in New South Wales, or Gibraltar. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving as marines shall not be liable to any deduction from their full pay on account of provisions.
Ration for a horse on home service in 1796: 14 lbs. of hay, 10 lbs. of oats, 4 lbs. of straw; for which a stoppage is made ofsixpence.
The French use the same term, viz.Ration de foin, a ration of hay.Double ration, double ration.Demi-ration, a half ration.
Rationd’un fantassin,Fr.the ration or allowance which is given to a foot soldier. During the French monarchy it consisted of twenty-four ounces of ammunition bread, one pint of wine or beer, Paris measure, one pound of beef, veal, or mutton.
Rationpour les troupes de la maison du roi,Fr.the ration for the household troops, during the French monarchy, consisted of two brown loaves of 22 ounces each, two pints of wine, or two pints of cyder or beer, Paris measure, and two pounds and a half of beef, veal, or mutton.
Rationde cavalrie,Fr.Each man belonging to the old French cavalry, received daily one ration, consisting of thirty-six French ounces of ammunition bread, one pint and a half of wine, cyder, or beer, Paris measure, and two pounds of beef, veal, or mutton.
Rationde dragons,Fr.the ration allowed to each dragoon in the old French service, consisted of twenty-four French ounces of ammunition bread, one pound and a half of meat, one pint of wine, Paris measure, or one pot of cyder or beer, ditto.
Rationde fourrage,Fr.A ration of forage in the old French service, consisted of one pound of hay, and one bushel of oats, Paris measure.
Rationsdes officiers du regiment des gardes Francoises,Fr.rations allowed in a regiment of French guards during the monarchy. These rations differed very considerably from those already stated. The particulars may be found in the third volume of the Dictionnaire Militaire, page 255.
RATISSOIRS,Fr.Graters used by the men employed in making saltpetre.
RAVAGESof War, the spoil, plunder, or waste, made by contending armies in the theatre of war.
RAVELIN,Fr.SeeFortification.
RAVELINS, infortification, are works raised on the counterscarp before the curtain of the place, and serve to cover the gates of a town, and the bridges. They consist of two faces, forming a saliant angle, and are defended by the faces of the neighboring bastions. They are the most in use of all out-works, and are by the soldiers most commonly called half moons, ordemi-lunes. They should be lower than the works of the place, that they may be under the fire of the besieged. Their parapets, as those of all other out-works, should be cannon proof; that is, about 18 feet thick.
RAVINE, infield fortification, a deep hollow, usually formed by a great flood, or long continued running of water; frequently turned to advantage in the field.
RAVITAILLERune place,Fr.Tothrow stores, ammunition, and provisions into a fortified place.
RAYSeeArray.
RAYE,Fr.rifled.
CanonRAYE,Fr.rifle barrel.
RAYON,Fr.in geometry,Radius.
RAW, in a military sense, unseasoned, unripe in skill, wanting knowlege in military tactics, &c.
Rawtroops, unexperienced soldiers; men who have been little accustomed to the use of arms. This term is generally used in opposition toveteran troops. A cool and wise general will always know how to make the most of that part of his army which is composed of raw troops; and a rash intemperate one will equally miss the proper application of the spirit and manhood, which ignorance of danger, and confidence of success, almost always give. Some of the most brilliant actions, and some of the greatest victories have been achieved and won by means of that daring impetuosity, which hurriesrawtroops into the thickest of an enemy. A thousand instances might be adduced from ancient and modern history, to prove the correctness of this remark. It may, perhaps, be sufficient for our purpose, to refer the curious reader to the bold and unexampled charge which was made against the French troops in Germany, by Elliot’s new raised light horse in the seven years war. The laurels of Emsdorff, are still the glory of the 15th regiment of dragoons. The battle of Jemappe and Fleurus, were won by raw troops; but they had officers who knew how to lead them. Bunker’s hill battle was fought by raw troops, as was that of Germantown; bad generalship alone lost the advantage to the American troops at Germantown.
RAZED, any works or fortifications when demolished, are said to berazed.
READY, a word of command in platoon firing, being a contraction ofmake ready. SeeManual.