that the proper oath has been administered to him by the said magistrate. ATILT, in the attitude of thrusting with a spear, &c. as was formerly the case in tournaments, &c. AVANT, Fr. foremost, most advanced toward the enemy, as AVANT-chemin-couvert, Fr. The advanced covert-way which is made at the foot of the glacis to oppose the approaches of an enemy; AVANT-duc, Fr. the pile-work which is formed by a number of young trees on the edge or entrance of a river. They are driven into the ground with battering rams or strong pieces of iron, to form a level floor, by means of strong planks being nailed upon it, which serve for the foundation of a bridge. Boats are placed The wherever the avant-duc terminates avant-duc is had recourse to when the river is so broad that there are not boats Avantsufficient to make a bridge across ducs are made on each side of the river. AVANT-fossé, Fr. the ditch of the It is counterscarp next to the country. dug at the foot of the glacis, See FOR TIFICATION. AVANT-garde. See VAN GUARD. AVANT-train, Fr. The limbers of a field piece, on which are placed one or two boxes containing ammunition enough for immediate service. AUDITOR, the person who audits regimental or other military accounts. AVENUE, in fortification, is any kind of opening or inlet into a fort, bastion, or out-work. BAL B. BACK-Step, the retrogade movement of a man or body of men without changing front; it is half the forward step. BACKWARDS, a technical word made use of in the British service to express the retrogade movement of troops from line into column, and vice versa. WHEEL. Sec BAGGAGE, in military affairs, signifies the clothes, tents, utensils of divers sorts, and provisions, &c. belonging to an army. BAGGAGE-Waggons. See WAGGONS. BAGPIPE, the name of a musical warlike instrument, of the wind kind, used by the Scots regiments, and someBagpipes were used times by the Irish. by the Danes; by the Romans, and by the Asiatics at this day; there is in Rome a most beautiful bas-relievo, a piece of Grecian sculpture of the highest antiquity, which represents a bag-piper playing on his instrument exactly like a modern highlander The Greeks had also an instrument composed of a pipe and blown-up skin. The Romans in ali probability, borrowed it from them. The Italians still use it under the names of piva and cornu. musa The Bagpipe has been a favorite instrument among the Scots. There are two varieties: the one with long pipes, and sounded with the mouth; the other with short pipes, filled with air by a bellows, and played on with the fingers: the first is the loudest and most ear-pierc AUGET, or AUGETTE, Fr. a wooden pipe which contains the powder by whiching of all music, is the genuine highland a mine is set fire to. pipe, and is well suited to the warlike genius of that people. It formerly roused their courage to battle, alarmed them when secure, and collected them when scatter marches, and in times of peace kept up the memory of the gallantry of their ancestors, by tunes composed after signal victories. The other is the Irish bagpipe. AULNE de Paris, a French measure, containing 44 inches, used to measure sand-bags. AUTHORITY, in a general accepta-ed: solaced them in their long and painful tion of the term, signifies a right to cominand, and a consequent right to be obeyed. The appointment of officers in the army of the United States is in the nomination by the president, and approved by a majo. rity of the Senate. The president may however dismiss at his discretion. The king of Great Britain has the power to exercise military authority without controul, as far as regards the army; and may appoint or dismiss officers at his pleasure. BAGS, in military employments, arc used on many occasions: as, Sand BAGS, generally 16 inches diameter, and 30 high, filled with earth or sand to repair breaches, and the embrasures of batteries, when damaged by the enemies fire, or by the blast of the guns. Sometimes they are made less, and placed three together, upon the parapets, for the men to fire through. AUXILIARY. Foreign or subsidiary troops which are furnished to a belligerEarth-BAGS, containing about a cubical ent power in consequence of a treaty of alliance, or for pecuniary considerations. foot of carth, are used to raise a parapet Of the latter description may be consi-in haste, or to repair one that is beaten dered the Hessians that were employed by Great-Britain to enslave America. AXLE-TREE, a transverse beam sup- RIAGES. down. They are only used when the ground is rocky, and does not afford earth enough to carry on the approaches. BALANCE, Fr. a term used in the French artillery to express a machine in which stores and ammunition are weighed. BALL, in the military art, comprehends all sorts of balls and bullets for fire-arms, from the cannon to the pistol. 9632 2,423 (1,923 Fire-BALLS, of which there are vaLight-BALLS, rious sorts, used for various purposes. Their composition is mealed powder 2, saltpetre 1, sulphur 1, rosin 1, turpentine 24. Sometimes they are made of an iron shell, sometimes a stone, filled and covered with various coats of the above composition, until it conglomerates to a proper size; the last coat being of grained powder. But the best sort in our opinion, is to take thick brown paper, and make a shell the size of the mortar, and fill it with a composition of an equal quantity of sulphur, pitch, rosin, and mealed powder; which being well mixed, and put in warm, will give a clear fire, and burn a considerable time. When they are intended to set fire to magazines, buildings, &c. the composi tion must be meated powder 10, saltpetre 2, sulphur 4, and rosin 1; or rather mealed powder 48, saltpetre 32, sulphur 16, rosin 4, steel or iron filings 2, fir-tree saw. dust boiled in saltpetre ley 2, birch-wood charcoal 1, well rammed into a shell for that purpose, having various holes filled with small barrels, loaded with musketballs; and lasily the whole immerged in melted pitch, rosin and turpentine oil. Smoke-BALLS are prepared as above, with this difference, that they contain 5 to 1 of pitch, rosin and saw-dust. This composition is put into shells made for that purpose, having 4 holes to let out the smoke. Smoke-balls are thrown out of mortars, and continue to smoke from 25 to 30 minutes. Stink-BALLS are prepared by a composition of mealed powder, rosin, saltpetre, pitch, sulphur, rasped horses and asses hoofs, burnt in the fire, assa-foetida, seraphim gum or ferula, and bug or stinking herbs, made up into balls, as mentioned in Light-BALLS, agreeably to the size of the mortar out of which you intend to throw them. Poisoned BALLS. We are not sure that they have ever been used in Europe; but the Indians and Africans have always been very ingenious at poisoning several sorts of warlike stores and instruments. Their composition is mealed powder 4, pitch 6, rosin 3, sulphur 5, assa-foetida 8, extract of toad's poison 12, other poisonous substances 12, made into balis as above directed. At the commencement of the French Revolution poisoned balls were fired by the Austrians, particularly at exhibited to the people said to have been the siege of Lisle. We have seen some of this sort. They contained glass, small pieces of iron, &c. and were said to be concocted together by means of a greasy composition which was impregnated with poisonous matter. In 1792, they were deposited in the Archives of Paris. Red-hot BALLS are fired out of mortars, howitzers, or cannon. Use which you will, the ball must be made red-hot, which is done upon a large coal fire in a square hole made in the ground, 6 feet every way, and 4 or 5 feet deep. Some make the fire under an iron grate, on which the shell or ball is laid; but the best way is to put the ball into the middle of a clear burning fire, and when redhot, all the fiery particles must be swept off. Whatever machine you use to throw the red-hot ball out of, it must be elevated according to the distance you intend it shall range, and the charge of powder must be put into a flannel cartridge, and a good wad upon that; then a piece of wood of the exact diameter of the piece, and about 3 inches thick, to prevent the ball from setting fire to the powder; then place the ball on the edge of the mortar, &c. with an instrument for that purpose, and let it roll of itself against the wood, and instantly fire it off. Should there be a ditch or parallel before such a battery, with soldiers, the wood must not be used, as the blast of powder will break it to pieces, and its own elasticity prevent it from flying far; it would in that case either kill or wound your own people. For this deficiency the wad must be double. See American Mil. Lib. article ARTILLERY. Chain-BALLS are two balls linked together by a chain of 8 or 10 inches long, and some have been made with a chain of 3 or 4 feet long; they are used to destroy the pallisadoes, wooden bridges, and chevaux-de-friezes of a fortification. They, are also very destructive to the rigging of a ship. Stang-BALLS are by some called balls of two heads; they are sometimes made of two half-balls joined together by a bar of iron from 8 to 14 inches long; they are likewise made of two entire balls; they are for the same purpose as the beforementioned. times to prevent the men from quitting camp, at others to enforce the rigor of military discipline; sometimes for the purpose of receiving a new commanding officer, and at others to degrade a military character. Anchor-BALLS are made in the same made by the sound of drums, trumpets, way as the light-balls, and filled with the and tamborines, either at the head of a same composition, only with this addi-body of troops, or in quarters. Sometion, that these are made with an iron bar two-thirds of the ball's diameter in length, and 3 or 4 inches square. One half is fixed within the ball, and the other half remains without; the exterior end is made with a grapple-hook. Very useful to set fire to woopen bridges, or any thing inade of wood, or even the rigging of ships, &c. for the pile end being the heaviest, flies foremost, and wherever it touches, fas-plies the commander in chief of the troops tens, and sets all on fire about it. of the canton of Berne, in Switzerland. BANDES, Fr. bands, bodies of infantry. Message-BALLS. See SHELLS. BALLIUM, a term used in ancient military history. In towns the appellation of ballium was given to a work fenced with pallisades, and sometimes to masonry, covering the suburbs; but in castles it was the space immediately within the outer wall. BANDER, Fr. to unite, to intrigue together for the purposes of insurrection. BANDERET, in military history, im BANDES Francoises. The French infantry was anciently so called. The term, however, become less general and was confined to the Prévôt des Bandes, or the Judge or Prevost marshal that tried the men belonging to the French guards. BALLOON, a hollow vessel of silk, BANDIERES, Fr. Une Armée ranvarnished over and filled with infiamma-gée en front de bandieres, signifies an army ble air, by which means it ascends in the atmosphere. It has during the war been used by the French in reconnoitering, and with great success at Fleurus. BALOTS, Fr. sacks or bales of wool, made use of in cases of great emergency, to form parapets or places of arms. They are likewise adapted for the defence of trenches, to cover the workmen in saps, and in all instances where promptitude is required. BAN, or BANN, a sort of proclamation made at the head of a body of troops, or in the several quarters or cantonments of an army, by sound of trumpet, or beat of drum; either for observing martial discipline, or for declaring a new officer, or punishing a soldier, or the like. At present such kind of proclamations are given out in the written orders of the day. in battle array. This disposition of the army is opposed to that in which it is cantoned and divided into several bodies. BANDOLEER, in ancient military history, a large leathern belt worn over the right shoulder, and hanging under the left arm, to carry some kind of warlike weapon. BANDOLIERS were likewise little wooden cases covered with leather, of which every musqueteer used to wear 12 hanging on a shoulder-belt; each of them contained the charge of powder for a musquet. BANDROLS. See CAMP COLORS. BANDS, properly bodies of foot, though almost out of date. Train-BANDS. In England the militia of the City of London were generally so called. The third regiment of Foot or the Old Buffs were originally recruited from the Train bands, which circumstance gave that corps the exclusive privilege of marching through London with drums beating and colors flying. They lost their colors in America, which are now in the war-office at Washington. BAND of Music. The term band is applied to the body of musicians attached to any regiment or battalion, with wind in struments. BAN and ARRIERE BAN, a French military phrase signifying the convocation of vassals under the feudal system. Ménage, a French writer, derives the term from the German word ban, which means publication; Nicod derives it from another German term which signifies field. Boret from the Greek pan which means all, because the convocation was general. In the reign of Charles VII. the ban and arriere ban had different significations. Formerly it meant the assembling of the ordinary militia. After the days of Charles BAND is also the denomination of a miVII. it was called the extraordinary mili- litary order in Spain, instituted by Altia. The first served more than the lat-phonsus XI. king of Castile, for the ter; and each was distinguished according to the nature of its particular service. The persons belonging to the arriere-ban were at one period accoutred and mounted like light-horse; but there were occasions on which they served like the infantry. Once under francis I in 1545, and again under Lewis XIII. who issued out an order in 1637, that the Arriere-Ban should serve on foot, BAN likewise signified during the ancient monarchy of France, a proclamation younger sons of the nobility, who, before their admission, must serve 10 years, at least, either in the army or during a war; and are bound to take up arms in defence of the Catholic faith, against the infidels. BANERET, Fr. a term derived from Baniere, This appellation was attached to any lord of a fiel who had vassals sufficient to unite them under one banier or banner, and to become chief of the troops or company. BAR, a long piece of wood or iron. Bars have various denominations in the construction of artillery carriages, as sweep and cross bars for tumbrils: fore, hird and under cross bars, for powder carts; shaft bars for waggons, and dowel || bars used in mortar beds. BA Shot, two half bullets joined together by an union bar, forming a kind of double headed shot. BARB, the reflected points of the head of an arrow. The armor for horses was so called. See CAPARISON. a BARRACK-Allowance, a specific allowance of bread, beer, wood, coals, &c. to the regime ts stationed in barracks See RATION. BARRACK-Guard, when a regiment is in barracks, the principal guard is the barrack-guard; the offic. r being responsible for the regular ty of the mer in barracks, and for all prisoners duly committed to his charge while on that dut. BARRACK Master General, a staff of ficer at the head of the barrack department; he has a number of barrack-masters an deputies under him, who are stationed at the diff rent barracks; he has an office and clerks for the dispatch of business; to this office all reports, &c. respecting the barrack department are made. This is a British sinecure (ffice. BARRACK-Office: the office at which all business relating to the Barrack de. partment is transacted. BARRELS, in military affairs, are of various kinds." Fire-BARRELSs are of different sorts: some are mounted on wheels, filled with composition and intermixed with loaded grenades, and the outside full of sharp BARBACAN, or BARBICAN, spikes: some are placed under ground, watch-tower, for the purpose of descrying which have the effect of small mines: an enemy at a great distance: it also im- others are used to roll down a breach, to plies an outer defence, or sort of ancient prevent the enemy's entrance.-Compofortification to a city or castle, used espe-sition, corned powder 30lb. Swedish cially as a fence to the city or wa ls; also an aperture made in the walls of a fortress to fire through upon the enemy. It is sometimes used to denote a fort at the entrance of a bridge, or the outlet of a city, having a double wall with towers. BARBETS were peasants of Piedmont, who abandoned their dwe lings when an enemy has taken possession of them. They formed into bodies and defended the Alps. BARBET-Battery, in gunnery, is when the breast-work of a battery is only so high, that the guns may fire over it without being obliged to make embrasures: in such cases, it is said the guns fire en barbette. See BATTERY. BARDEES d'eau, Fr. a measure sed in the making of saltpetre, containing three half-hogsheads of water, which are poured into tubs for the purpose of refining it. Four half-hogsheads are sometimes thrown in. BARILLER, Fr. an officer employed among the gallies, whose chief duty was to superintend the distribution of bread and water. BARRACKS, or BARACKS, are places erected for both officers and men to lodge in; they are built different ways, according to their different situations. When there is sufficient room to make a large square, surround a with buildings, they are very convenient, because the soldiers are easily contained in their quarters; and the rooms being contiguous, orders are executed with privacy and expedition; and the soldiers have no connection but with those who instruct them in their duty. pitch 12, saltpetre 6, and tailow 3. Not used now. Thundering-BARRELS are for the same purpos, filled with various kinds of combustibles, intermixed with small shells, grenades, and other fire-works. Not used now. Powder-BARRELS are about 16 inches diameter, and 30 or 32 inches long, holding 100 pounds of powder. BARRELS for powder-Their dimen. sions, The whole barrels are made to contain 100 pounds, and the half barrels 50 pounds of powder; but of late only 90 pounds have been put into the barreis, and 45 into the half barrels; which, by leaving the powder room to be shifted, preserves it the better. Budge BARRELS, hold from 40 to 60 pounds of powder; at one end is fixed a leather bag with brass nails: they are used in actual serv ce on the batteries, to keep the powder from firing by cciden, for foaling the guns and mortars. Budge-Barrels contain 38 lbs. base line, or appui which each successive BASE-ring. See CANNON. BASKET-Hilt, the hilt of a sword, so made as to contain, and guard the whole hand. BASKETS, in military allairs, are simple baskets, frequently used in sicges. They are filled with earth, and placed on the parapet of th trench, or any other part. They are generally about a toot and a half in diameter at the top, and eight inches at the bottom, and a foot and a half in height; so that, bein placis form at the bottom, through which Weight of barrel-hazie hooped-6lbs. Length of barrel-hazle hooped-10ed on th parapet, a kind of embraspre inches Diameter of barrel-hazle hooped-1 the soldiers fire, without being exposed to the shot of the enemy. See GABION. BASKETS. Bailast, bushel-weight foot 1 inch. BARRICADE. To barricade is to fortify with trees, or branches of trees, cut down for that purpose, the brushy ends towards the enemy. Carts, waggons, &c. are sometimes made us of tor the same purpose, viz. to keep back both horse and foot for some t me. ABATIS. BARRIER, in a gen ral sense means any fortification, or strong place on the frontiers of a country. It is likewise a kind of fence compos d of stakes, and transunis, as overthwart rafters, erected to defend the entrance of a passage, retrenchment, or the The. In the middle of the barrier is a moveable bar of wood, which is opened and shut at pleasure. It also implies a rate nude or wooden bars, about 5 feet long, perpendicular to the horizon, and kept together by two long bars going across, and another crossing das o ally: Barriers are used to stop the cut made through the esplanade before the gate o, a town. 5 lbs. Diameter, 1 foot 6 nches-length 1 fort. BARRIER-Towns, in military history, BAT DE MULET, a pack-saddle used were Merin, Dendermond, Ypres, Tour-on service when mules are employed to nay, Mons, Namur, and Maestricht. carry stores, &c. These towas were formerly garrisoned half by French or Imperial, and half by Dutch troops BATAGE. Fr. the time employed in reducing yun-powder to its proper consistency. The French usually consumed BARM, or BERM. See BERM. 24 hours n pounding the materials to BASCULE, Fr. a counterpoise which mak good gun-power; supposing the serves to lift up the draw bridge of a mortar to contain 16 pounds of compotown. Likewise a term used in fortifi-sition, it would require the application cation to express a door that shuts and opens like a trap door. BASE, or BASIS, in fortification, the exterior part or side of a polygon, or that imaginary Ine which is drawn from the flanked angle of a bastien to the angle opposite to it. BASE signifies also the level line on which any work stands that is even with the ground, or other work on which it is erected. Hence the base of a parapet is the rampart. BASE, an ancient word for the smallest canon Se CANNON. PASE-line, the line on which troops in column move, the first division that marches into the alignement forms the of the pestle 3500 times each hour. The labour required in this process is less in summer than in winter, becaus. the water is softer. BATAILLE, Fr. a battle. Cheval de BATAILLE, Fr. a war horse, or charger. This expression is used figu ratively as a sheet anchor or last re Source. BATAILLER, Fr. to struggle hard. BATARDE, French 8 pounders were so called. BATARDEAU, in fortification, is a massive perpendicular pile of masonry, whose length is equal to the breadth of the ditch, inundation, or any part of a fortification where the water cannot be |