Part 114

OFFICIER _sur 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 called _officiers mariniers_, in contradistinction to the former, who are stiled _officiers 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 only _en second_. There were besides various employments and situations under the old French government, which entitled individuals to the appellation of _officier_. Those of a military or naval nature were generally and specifically as follow:--

OFFICIER _de guerre_, _Fr._ a military man or officer.

OFFICIER _dans les troupes_, _Fr._ any person holding a military situation in the army.

OFFICIER _général_, _Fr._ a general officer.

OFFICIER _subalterne_, _Fr._ a subaltern officer.

_Les hauts_ OFFICIERS, _Fr._ Commissioned officers.

_Les bas_ OFFICIERS, _Fr._ non-commissioned officers.

OFFICIER _de la garnison_, _Fr._ an officer belonging to the garrison of a town, or fortified place.

OFFICIER _en garnison_, _Fr._ Any officer in garrison.

OFFICIER _au régiment des gardes_, _Fr._ an officer belonging to the guards.

OFFICIERS _à 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.

OFFICIERS _à 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-colonels _à 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 called _officiers 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.

OFFICIER _dans la marine_, _Fr._ an officer in the marine service.

OFFICIER _de marine_, _Fr._ a marine officer.

OFFICIER _marinier_, _Fr._ See OFFICIER _sur mer_.

OFF-_Reckonings_, a specific account so called, which exists between government and the colonels of British regiments for the clothing of the men. This account is divided into two parts, viz. gross-off-reckonings, and net off-reckonings.

_Gross_ OFF-_reckonings_ consist of all the pay of the non-commissioned officers and private men, above the subsistence.

_Net_ OFF-_reckonings_, are the produce of the gross off-reckonings, reserved for the clothing of the men, after the warrant deduction of one shilling in the pound, and one day’s pay of the whole regiment for Chelsea hospital; and also the deduction of 2_d._ in the pound for the agent, are made at the pay-office. The balance of the pay of the officers, over and above their subsistence, after the warrant deductions are made, and the respited pay, if there is any, is charged to the officer, is called _clearings_; which are paid by the paymaster to the agent, who pays them to the officers, and there finds his twopences.

Colonels of regiments either pay the clothier ready money, or allow him interest for forbearance. But no colonel can make a valid assignment of the off-reckonings, till the clothier has exhibited to a board of general officers, appointed by his majesty for that purpose, the patterns of each species of cloathing he is to provide; which patterns are left with the secretary to the clothing board, at the office of the comptrollers of the army, and compared with sealed patterns, already approved by the king; and if found conformable thereto, are sealed by all the general officers, who compose that board, in testimony of their approbation; and when the clothier has completed his clothing, ready to be delivered, the inspector of clothing is directed to view the said clothing, who certifies in writing, that he has found it conformable to his majesty’s instructions in quantity and quality; which certificate, together with the colonel’s assignment of the off-reckonings, is produced by the clothier to the board of general officers, who pass the assignment; but the contract between the colonel and clothier is not laid before any officer whatsoever; nor is any account brought afterwards of the expence of that clothing. Clothiers provide clothing for complete regiments, as upon the establishment.

There are several other articles of expence defrayed out of the clothing fund, as the charge of package, of carriage by land or water, of insurance, when sent abroad, of interest, more or less, as the off-reckonings are paid, of fees of offices, of clothing lost by desertion, of small accoutrements, colors, drums, and other contingent charges. The subsistence of the men, allowed for clothing lost by deserters, is paid to the respective colonels; and the off-reckonings only are included in the assignment. For the latest regulations on this head, see a British work called _Military Finance_, page 196.

OFFUSQUER, _Fr._ literally means to darken; or conceal. _Ce bâtiment est offusque par les maisons voisines._ This building is darkened or concealed from the eye by the neighboring houses. It likewise signifies in a figurative sense, to out-do or out-match. _Il se sent offusqué._ He feels himself out-done.

OGNON, _Fr._ literally means an onion. The word is sometimes used in a familiar manner by the French to express persons standing in a row. _Ils etoient tous en rang d’ognon._ They all stood, like a rope of onions, in a row.

OGEE, OGIVE, in pieces of ordnance, an ornamental moulding, in the shape of an S, taken from architecture, and used in guns, mortars, and howitzers. See CANNON.

OGIVE, (_Ogive_, _Fr._) In Gothic vaults those arches are stiled ogives, or ogees, which cross one another diagonally. The French likewise call them _croisés d’ogives_.

OIL. Every soldier should be supplied with a given quantity of oil and emery, for the purpose of cleaning his arms, accoutrements, &c.

OLYMPIAD, in _chronology_, the space of four years, for on the 5th the Olympic games were celebrated in honor of Jupiter Olympius, near Olympia. The Greeks began to use this epocha a little before the building of Rome.

OLYMPIC _Games_, were instituted by Hercules, A. M. 2856, in honor of Jupiter Olympius, at Olympia, a city of Elis, in Peloponnesus. They were celebrated every four years, about the summer solstice. The design of them was to accustom the young military men to running, leaping, and every other military exercise.

OMBRE, (_sécher à l’ombre_, _Fr._) This term is in use among the French founders of artillery, when they put the clay or putty, which serves to form the cannon moulds, out to dry, without making any fire for the purpose.

OMRA, _or_ OMHRA, _Ind._ plural of _ameer_, a lord. They were persons of considerable consequence in the dominions of the great Mogul. Some of them had command of 1000 horse, others 2000, and so on to 20,000: their pay being regulated according to the number of their horses. The governors and great officers of state were generally chosen out of this body.

ON, a preposition frequently used in military exercise. It precedes those words of command which direct the change or formation of bodies of men upon points that are fixed, viz.

By companies _on_ the left backwards wheel. The left pivot man of each company faces at this cautionary word, and remains a fixed point, _on_ which the rest wheel back when they receive directions so to do. When the column of companies is to be wheeled into line, the word _on_ is equally understood to direct the moveable parts of each company towards the given pivot which faces, and remains a fixed point. In the British drill instructions, they say, _to the left wheel into line_; but in the third part of the regulations _to_ is wholly omitted, and the commanding officer uses the term _left wheel into line_, and vice versa; the preposition _on_ is here understood: for it is evident, that in breaking into column the component parts of a line wheel as much _from_ a given point, as they do _to_ a given one, when the column returns into line. Whereas by using _on_, or understanding it to be used, when, for the sake of abbreviation, it is omitted, we preserve the true meaning of the preposition, keep the men in the recollection of the necessary adhesion, and shew, that whether you wheel backwards or forwards, from line into column, or from column into line, there is one invariable fixed point on which you move. It is more proper to say, _on_ the right or left forwards wheel into line, in lieu of _to_.

ONAGRA, (_Onagre_, _Fr._) a warlike machine, which was used by the ancients to throw stones of different sizes. It is mentioned by Vegetius.

ONDECAGON, a figure of eleven sides and angles.

ONSET, assault, storm, attack.

OPEN, in military movements and dispositions is frequently used, but it is seldom applicable to any operations in face of an enemy; the ranks, &c. on such occasions being generally compact and close. In formation, the word _open_ is opposed to _close_, viz. open column, open distance, open order. It also constitutes part of a word of command; as _rear ranks take open order_; in opposition to _rear ranks take close order_.

OPEN _distances in column_. (_Distances entieres en colonne_, _Fr._) The intervals in these cases are always equal in depth to the extent in front of the different component parts of the column.

OPEN _flank_, in _fortification_, that part of the flank, which is covered by the orillon. See FORTIFICATION.

OPENING _of trenches_, the first breaking of ground by the besiegers, in order to carry on their approaches towards the place.

OPERATIONS _de guerre_, _Fr._ See MILITARY OPERATIONS.

_Military_ OPERATION. Military operations consist in the resolute application of preconcerted measures, in secrecy, dispatch, regular movements, occasional encampments, and desultory combats, or pitched battles.

_Line of_ OPERATION. All the forward movements of an army for the purpose of attacking an enemy, penetrating into a country, &c. may be properly called a line of operation. There is so intimate and so necessary a connection between this line and the line of communication, that no army can be in security, let its temporary successes be what they may, without a strict and unremitting attention being given to their relative points of continuity and correspondence. The line of operation in a siege is partial and extremely limited, so is that of communication; but upon the large scale of war these two lines are of considerable extent and importance. No man, in fact, can be called a good general, or even an officer, who carries his views so far forward as to venture upon a long line of operation, without having previously secured his line of communication, by a perfect knowlege of the countries through which he moves, and having his flanks so thoroughly covered, that he may fall back or retreat according to circumstances. See _Amer. Mil. Lib._

OPINION. In military proceedings that regard the interior government of an army, this word signifies decision, determination, judgment formed upon matters that have been laid before a court-martial, or court of enquiry. Hence, the court-martial having duly weighed the whole matter before them, are of _opinion_, that ---- is not guilty of any part of the charge preferred against him.

OPINION. Officers on courts-martial give their opinion by seniority, beginning with the youngest in rank.

OPINION, abstractedly considered, may be defined an assent of the understanding, with some doubt or distrust of the contrary. In a political sense, it is the acquiescence of the mind to certain principles. In some instances opinion and principle are synonymous terms. Hence French revolutionary opinions, or revolutionary principles.

_A war of_ OPINION, (_Guerre d’opinion_, _Fr._) This expression has grown into familiar use since the commencement of the French revolution, and was never, perhaps, so strongly illustrated as by the perseverance of the French people. Hence also the war commenced against France, as fomented by Burke and the emigrants, was a war against the _opinion_, which overturned the corrupt abuses of the old French monarchy, to color its atrocity it was called a war against jacobinism--a war in support of religion and order--a war in support of regular government--at length a war of extermination; but experience has shewn, that the influence of opinion is paramount to every consideration in life. Friend, parent, and relation, have given way to the superior calls of public duty, growing out of and sanctioned by public opinion.

OPINION, _Fr._ This word is variously used among the French, and as we have already observed, is now generally attached to the contest in which they have been engaged for the maintenance of certain principles that seem to have altered their character. The nation at large, in fact, has taken up an opinion, grounded upon certain principles, which are diametrically opposite to those their forefathers had implicitly followed for 1400 years. When Great Britain formed a part of the well known coalition, the preservation of the balance of Europe was the ostensible cause for entering into hostilities against France; so that the war in 1792, &c. might not improperly be called a war of policy or political necessity, as far as it regarded the coalesced powers; but it has unquestionably been, all along, a war of opinion on the other side. The French familiarly say, _Il faut respecter l’opinion publique; le pouvoir, l’empire, l’influence de l’opinion._ Public opinion must be respected or attended to; the power, the dominion, the influence of opinion. _L’opinion est la reine du monde._ Opinion governs all the world. When the allied armies under the command of the duke of Brunswick, in 1792, were within a few days march of Paris, it was observed by a firm adherent to the royal cause: _Que malgré l’air imposant d’une telle force, ou combinaison, on avoit tout a craindre pendant qu’il existoit un ennemi a combattre, aussi terrible qu’etoit l’opinion._ That notwithstanding so formidable a force or combination, every thing was to be apprehended so long as that terrible enemy, opinion, remained to be combated against.

OPIUM, a juice, partly of the resinous, partly of the gummy kind. It is brought from Natolia, Egypt, and the East Indies, produced from the white garden poppy, with which the fields of Asia are in many places sown. The first effect of opium is making the person who takes it cheerful; it removes melancholy, and dissipates the dread of danger. The Turks always take it when they are going to battle: it afterwards quiets the spirits, eases pain, and disposes to sleep. A remarkable instance of the powerful influence of opium over the natives of the East is related by Mr. Orme, in his history of the Carnatic, page 270. His words are: the enemy remained quietly until noon, when having sufficiently intoxicated themselves with opium, they began to swarm out in great numbers; but the field pieces (which were served by Europeans) kept them for some time at a distance, every shot doing execution. During the cannonade a party of the nabob’s sepoys crossed the river, and taking possession of a small choultry, (an open house for the accommodation of travellers, so called in India) at a little distance to the right of the other, began to fire from this untenable post, upon which a body of 300 marattah horse galloped up to attack them; but before they arrived the sepoys took flight; several of them were cut to pieces, and the rest re-crossing the river ran into the city: the marattahs encouraged by this success, (and still flushed with the opium) now galloped up towards the entrenchment of the great choultry, where they were suffered to come so near, that several of them made use of their sabres across the parapet before the troops within gave fire, which then began, and seconded by that of the four pieces of cannon on the other side of the river, killed and wounded a great number of men and horses, and obliged the enemy to retire in confusion; in this instant an officer unadvisedly took the resolution of quitting his post, and passed the river, in order to give captain Dalton, (who commanded the detachment) some information concerning the artillery; some of the soldiers seeing this, imagined that he went away through fear, and concluding, that things were worse than appeared to them, followed his example and ran out of the entrenchment; which the rest perceiving, a panic seized the whole, and they left the post with the greatest precipitation, notwithstanding they had the minute before given three huzzas, on the retreat of the marattahs: a body of 3000 mysore horse, who were drawn up on the bank, immediately galloped into the bed of the river, and charging the fugitives with fury, cut down the whole party excepting 15 men: flushed with this success, they made a push at captain Dalton’s division on the other side. All these motions succeeded one another so rapidly, that he had hardly time to put his men on their guard; more especially as many of them had caught the panic, from having been spectators of the massacre of their comrades; however, some of the bravest hearkening to his exhortations, stood firm by the artillery: their behaviour encouraged the sepoys, who made a strong fire from behind the low wall in their front, which accompanied by the grape shot of the four field pieces, soon abated the ardor of the enemy, and obliged them to retreat, leaving some horses, whose riders fell within 20 yards of the muzzles of the guns: captain Dalton then advanced a little way into the bed of the river, where he remained until he had collected the dead and the wounded. Not a man who escaped could give any reason why he quitted his post, all of them acknowleging that at the time when they took flight, only one man in the intrenchment was wounded, and that they had nine barrels of ammunition.

OPPORTUNITY. In addition to what has been said respecting occasion, which is nearly similar to opportunity in its import, we shall extract the following account of the latter, which was also honored as a goddess among the pagans. Opportunity was represented by them as a naked woman, with a long lock of hair before, but bald behind, to intimate, that opportunity if not laid hold on when it offers, soon slips away; also standing with one foot on a wheel, and the other in the air, holding a sail in one hand, and a razor in the other; her feet also being winged, and the wheel in continual motion, to intimate that opportunity is always inconstant and in motion.

_To_ OPPOSE, to act as an adversary against another, to resist, &c. It likewise signifies to place as an obstacle.

OPPUGN, To oppugn, is to attack by force of arms.

ORANGE. A term applied to those persons who adhered to the Stadtholder. Hence, orange party. The troops of the prince of orange were taken into British pay in Sept. 1799.

ORANGE MEN. A title assumed by the members of certain clubs instituted by the British government in Ireland; when the Irish or united Irishmen meditated to rescue their country, in 1796, from British dominion, the orange men were sworn to extirpate the catholics wherever found; and their atrocities surpassed the cruelties of the British in India, and the Spanish in South America.

ORB, in _tactics_, is the disposing of a number of soldiers in circular form of defence. The _orb_ has been thought of consequence enough to employ the attention of the famous marshal de Puysegur, in his _Art of war_, who prefers this position, to throw a body of infantry in an open country, to resist cavalry, or even a superior force of infantry; because it is regular, and equally strong, and gives an enemy no reason to expect better success by attacking one place than another. Cæsar drew up his whole army in this form when he fought against Labienus. The whole army of the Gauls were formed into an _orb_, under the command of Sabinus and Cotta, when fighting against the Romans. The _orb_ was generally formed six deep.

ORDER. The arrangement or disposition of things in their proper place; custom or manner, rule or discipline, as order of march, &c.

ORDER _of battle_. The arrangement or disposition of the different component parts of an army in one or more lines, according to the nature of the ground, for the purpose of engaging an enemy, by giving or receiving an attack, or in order to be reviewed, &c.

_Parade_ ORDER. When a regiment of horse or foot, a troop, or company is drawn up with the ranks open and the officers in front, it is said to be in parade order.

_Close_ ORDER. When a battalion or company is commanded to take close order, at the word _march_, the ranks (supposing the men to stand three deep) close within one pace, marching one and two paces and then haulting. So that close order in ranks comprehends an interval of one pace between each.

_Open_ ORDER. When a battalion or company is commanded to take open order, on the word _march_, the dressers front, and the centre and rear ranks fall back one and two paces, each dressing by the right the instant it arrives on the ground. So that _open_ order comprehends an interval of two paces between each rank.

_Extended_ ORDER, is preparatory to rank entire, and is frequently practised in light infantry manœuvres. In order to execute this movement the files of a battalion or company, standing two deep, open from the given point, leaving just space enough for one man. Sometimes, and indeed almost always, when the ground will permit, extended order is taken by facing the battalion or company to the right or left, and by marching to either flank until the whole has gradually doubled its original front. This mode is extremely simple, and consists in nothing more than open order of files from the right or left. The battalion or company after it has obtained all its relative distances, and been halted, is fronted, and each rear rank man springs into the vacancy on the word of command--_Form rank entire_.

_Entire_, when applied to rank, means a straight line composed of half files. See RANK ENTIRE.

_Extended order_ may likewise be taken, without facing to the right or left. This is effected by every file moving sideways a given distance; say one pace, or twenty four inches, which extent of ground a man generally covers, from the centre file. The word of command in this case would be, battalion or company, _mark time_, from the centre by the _side step_ to the right and left. The centre file stands fast--_march_--_halt_.

ORDER _Arms_, a word of command, on which the soldier brings the butt of his musquet to the ground, the barrel being held perpendicular in a line with the right side.