Part 161

VACANT _Companies_, (_Compagnies vacantes_, _Fr._) Companies to the permanent command of which no person is appointed.

_Emplois_-VACANS, _Fr._ During the French monarchy, seniority of rank or standing did not give the right of promotion. It belonged solely to the king to appoint and nominate all persons to vacant commissions or employments. No other rule can be consistent with the efficiency of a military institution; rotation should be considered only as a contingency, which is only admitted, not permanently established; as no institution so much calls for _merit_ and _application_ to study, as the military profession; merit alone should be the foundation of promotion; then all would endeavor to acquire knowlege; where rotation exists there is no incitement. In the American army, no attention is paid to merit; there is, therefore, very little study.

VACCINE _pock_, a disease which has been found to affect the cow on the teat or udder, which arises in pustules resembling small pox; it has been found that this is a perfect preventive of small pox and is now growing into use against prejudice among all civilized nations. All armies should undergo the vaccine inoculation, to prevent the ravages of small pox; one half of the American army that went against Quebec in 1775 was swept off by small pox.

VAGUE-_Mestre_, _Fr._ See WAGGON-MASTER.

VAISSEAU, _Fr._ Ship.

VAISSEAU _du premier rang_, _Fr._ A first rate.

VAISSEAU _du second rang_, _Fr._ A second rate.

VAISSEAU _de guerre_, _Fr._ A man of war.

VAISSEAU _Marchand_, _Fr._ A merchant-man.

VAISSELLE _d’Argent_, _Fr._ Silver utensils; plate. We have already remarked under _Table d’Officiers_, that during the old government of France, it was strictly forbidden to use any other plate than silver goblets, spoons, and forks.

VAIVODE, _Fr._ An old Sclavonian word, which signifies prince or general. This title was formerly given to the sovereign princes of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania.

VAJIB UL ARZEE, _Ind._ A petition, memorial, or proposal to a superior.

VAKEEL, _Ind._ An agent--deputy--attorney--a subordinate envoy or ambassador.

VAKIAS, _Ind._ A weight nearly equal to a pound. It also signifies a measure.

VAKILIT, _Ind._ The first office in the empire.

VALET, _Fr._ An instrument which is used by carpenters to keep boards, that have been glued, close together.

VALETS _de l’Armee_, _Fr._ Officers’ servants; they are likewise called by the French, Tartares. In the American army, _waiters_.

_Valets d’Artillerie_, _Fr._ Men attached to the guns on board ships of war, for the purpose of assisting the regular cannoneers. In the American service they are classed by numbers and called, _first_, _second_, or _third_ AIDS.

_Valet à Patin_, _Fr._ An instrument which is used by surgeons--A small pincer to rake up the arteries when it is found necessary to make a ligature.

VALIANT, VALOROUS, personally brave, fearless of danger in war, &c.

VALLEY, (_Val_, _Fr._) A hollow space of ground, generally between hills.

VALOR, (_Valeur_, _Fr._) Courage, bravery, intrepidity. A generous quality, which, far from assuming brutality and violence, with-holds the fury of the soldier, protects helpless women, innocent infants, and hoary age. Nothing which is incapable of resistance, can ever be the object whereon true valor would exercise its prowess. Courage is that grandeur of soul, which prompts us to sacrifice all personal advantages, and even the preservation of our beings, to a love of our country and its liberty. The exercise of this determined courage in the profession of arms, is called _valor_. It is composed of bravery, reason, and force: by bravery we understand that lively ardor which fires us for the combat; reason points out to us the method of conducting it with justice and prudence; and force is necessary for the execution. It is bravery which animates the heart, reason springs from the soul, and force depends upon the body; without bravery we fear obstacles, danger, and death; without reason, courage would have no legitimate view; and without force it would be useless: these three qualities should concur to form the true military valor.

Dr. Johnson defines valor, bravery, and courage almost as synonymous terms. Mr. Addison distinguishes between that sort of courage which springs, by instinct, from the soul, and from that which originates in a sense of duty, and is strengthened by reflexion. Count Turpin, on the other hand, establishes a wide difference between bravery and courage, which he makes two terms. In page 5, of the preliminary discourse to his Essay on the Art of War, he has the following passage:

“Is the officer--speaking of the requisite qualifications in a general--who loves his duty, and who would make himself master of it, under no obligation to ascertain what qualifications his station requires? That he ought to have such or such a quality, under such or such a circumstance? That here only bravery is necessary, there only courage? And that he is not always obliged to have both at the same time?”

These two qualities, which are often confounded in the same subject, merit a particular distinction; they are not so closely united, but that one may be found without the other. Courage seems fittest for a general, and for all those who command; bravery more necessary for a soldier, and for all those who receive orders; bravery is in the blood; courage in the soul; the first is a kind of instinct, the second a virtue; the one is an impulse almost mechanical, the other a noble and a sublime conception. A man is brave at a particular time, and according to circumstances; but he has a courage at all times, and upon all occasions: bravery is impetuous, in as much as it is less the result of reflexion; courage, on the contrary, in proportion as it grows out of reason, becomes more or less intrepid. Bravery is inspired by the force of example, by insensibility of danger, and by the mingled fury of conflict and action; courage is infused by the love of our duty, the desire of glory, and by the zeal we feel to serve our country: courage depends on reason, but bravery on the constitution. Achilles, such as Horace describes him from Homer, implacable, cruel, despising every law except that of the strongest! presents nothing to the idea, but the hardiness of a gladiator. But the Roman general, whose death would have occasioned the ruin of the army, the great Scipio, when covered by the bucklers of three soldiers, to avoid a shower of arrows, which the enemy directed against him, approaches in safety the walls he besieged, and standing only a spectator of the action, exhibits the picture of true courage, whilst he contents himself with giving the necessary orders. Bravery again, is involuntary, and does not depend wholly upon ourselves; whereas courage (as Seneca observes) may be acquired by education; provided nature has sown the first seeds of it. Cicero, sheltering himself from the hatred of Cataline, undoubtedly wanted bravery; but certainly he possessed an elevated firmness of mind (which is in reality courage) when he disclosed the conspiracy of that traitor to the senate, and pointed out all his accomplices; or when he pleaded for Deiotarus against Cæsar, his friend and his judge.

Coolness is the effect of courage, which knows its danger, but makes no other use of that knowlege, than to give directions with greater certainty; courage is always master of itself, provided against all accidents, and regulated by existing circumstances; never confounded by any danger, so as to lose sight of the motions of the enemy, or of the means by which he may be most effectually opposed:

The chevalier Folard makes the following remarks upon this quality of the mind and heart. He says, in his notes on Polybius, there are various kinds of that species of courage, intrepidity, or strength of soul, which no circumstances can vanquish, and no events can shake. I do not know whether a quality, so diversified in its nature, can be found united in the same person to the full extent of its activity. We generally, discover that some men possess a larger proportion of it than others.

In order to form a correct opinion of its existence in the human character, we should find out some individual who had acted through all the vicissitudes of life, and had uniformly discovered the same firmness of mind and intrepidity of heart. But where shall we pick out a character of this sort? Life is too short for the full exercise of its various powers, and were it of a longer date, the circumscribed faculties of man render the research useless. I do not believe it possible to point out an individual who, free from the natural weaknesses that are attached to our constitution, has in adversity as well as prosperity been equally firm, and equally determined throughout all the changes to which military operations are unavoidably subject.

This intrepidity and strength of mind, have been peculiarly visible on manifold occasions in some extraordinary characters, who have been equally remarkable on others for weakness and pusillanimity. We have seen them bold to the full extent of hardihood during a succession of triumphs; we have then beheld them shamefully agitated under a temporary reverse of fortune, and we have again seen them recover their wonted energy on the first favorable opportunity. These opposite qualities succeed one another; and we see boldness and timidity occupy by turns the same man, so as to produce, according to circumstances, the utmost solicitude and caution in some instances, and the greatest courage, firmness, and decision in others, during the prosecution of a war.

These fluctuations of the human character may be traced, almost every day, in a certain description of generals. When they are reduced to defensive operations, their understanding becomes perplexed; they know not how to act, and not only omit to make use of favorable opportunities themselves, but unwittingly afford them to their enemies; whilst, on the other hand, in offensive war, their genius expands itself into a variety of expedients; they create occasions that did not seem to exist, turn them to account, and finally succeed. Thus we see united in the same men, promptitude, vigor, and enterprize in one species of warfare; and timidity, doubt, and consternation in another.

I have known, says Folard, generals of marked intrepidity, (who in trifling matters have discovered a solicitude that approaches to a want of manliness) conceive projects of vast extent, that were full of intricate developements, and chequered by incertitude; and I have seen them conquer the greatest obstacles by their courage and good conduct.

Human nature is so strangely constituted, that whilst one man will rush into danger, as if attracted by blood and devastation, another will not have firmness enough to stand his ground, and face the coming evil. He, who in the hour of battle would give fresh courage to his troops, by being the foremost to advance, has been known to turn pale in the very trench where a soldier’s boy or woman has sat undisturbed selling spirits and provisions, or has been discovered to tremble when the signal for storming was given. The very man that would courageously lead his troop into action, or would prove the most expert marksman in the world, were he directed to practise in the front of a whole line, has been known to shrink at a single combat, and would rather rush headlong into a guarded breach, than measure swords or point a pistol with an antagonist. Another again, whom no danger could affect in public contests or in private feuds, when visited by sickness is full of apprehension, has recourse to physic, and in proportion as his malady increases, grows timid, scrupulous, and unhappy. It sometimes happens, on the other hand, though rarely, that the rankest coward will he peaceably in bed amidst all the surrounding terrors of dissolution, and will even smile as his agony approaches.

I have seen, continues the same author, (and daily experience confirms his observation) one of the bravest officers in the world, suddenly turn pale in a thunderstorm, and even so far give way to his fears, as to hide himself in a cellar. One man possesses what the French so forcibly stile _une valeur journalière_, a sort of ephemeral courage, or what depends upon the influence of the moment; to-day he is as bold as Achilles; to-morrow he sinks into the degraded character of Thersites.

It is related of general Cadwallader, a man of unconquerable intrepidity in the field, that he trembled at the sight of a cat. The editor of this work had a friend, a lieutenant _Muloch_, in the Bengal army, a man of tried valor whose antipathy was of this singular kind, that he could not eat if there was a shoulder of mutton on the table; at a card party at Lady Oakley’s, at Madras, a shoulder of mutton was, without his knowlege, placed under his chair, the effect was, he fell from his chair in a state of convulsion from which he did not recover for several hours. The great _Condé_ laughed at a man who said he never felt the sensation of fear, by asking him “have you never snuffed a candle _with your naked fingers_?” Going into action one of his friends observed to him, “My prince you tremble.” He replied, “My body trembles for the danger into which my soul will lead me.” The peculiarities of this celebrated hero were, that he was always affected in his nerves by any surprize, but never lost his presence of mind; some of his friends attempted to surprize him in his tent, and in Austrian uniform made their way to his bed side and awoke him with their noise; he turned round and observed, “If you had excited an emotion of fear in me I should instantly put you to death.” Count Turpin, in his Art of War, appears to think that valor which unites deliberation and prudence is preferable to mere muscular bravery. The French pay more attention to the former than the latter, they always reward _bravery_ but prefer _valor_. Mere animal courage is not sufficient for them, and speaking of those who possess bravery without discretion, they treat it as if mere animal bravery was common to all men, but valor or discrimination rare; hence they say of a merely brave man--_Il est brave comme mon épée, mais general ****_--namely a brainless part of the body.

These changes in the character and constitution which are so visible in individuals, may be traced in their influence over whole nations, with little or no deviation. The Persian cavalry still maintains its ancient reputation for valor, and is still dreaded by the Turks. Tacitus relates, that the Sarmatian horse was invincible, but when the men were dismounted, nothing could be more miserably defective in all the requisites of war. Their whole dependence was on their cavalry, and, as far as we are enabled to judge, the same partial quality exists to this day.

The French, until the present revolution, seemed to have preserved the character and disposition of the ancient Gauls. They went with more alacrity into action, and met death, at first sight, with more valor, than they discovered firmness and resolution to wait patiently for its approach. Hurry and agitation appeared more congenial to their minds, than calmness and composure.

In order to conquer, it was found necessary, by their ablest generals, to make them attack and insult their enemy. They grew impatient in slow operations, and gradually became less capable of meeting their antagonists in proportion to the time they were restrained from coming to action. Their whole history, indeed, is a continued proof of the justness of this observation; and although their character seems to have undergone considerable changes since their revolution, they have still retained so much of the original cast, as to shew more promptitude in offensive, than steadiness and perseverance in defensive operations. Not that they are deficient in the latter, but that the former quality has been more brilliantly successful. To the first they owe their stupendous triumphs under Bonaparte; but they have again been rendered almost equally conspicuous by their conduct in the second under general Moreau, in his celebrated retreat from the Black Forest. But, alas! of what avail is the courage of the multitude, if the generality of their leaders are deficient in those indispensible qualities by which French officers have acquired the greatest reputation. It is like a torch in the hands of a fool or madman, who would as soon lead an enthusiast to a precipice, as he would shew him the paths he ought to tread.

VALUE, in a general acceptation of the term, signifies the rate at which any thing is estimated.

VAN. The front of an army, the first line; or leading column.

VAN-_guard_. That part of the army which marches in the front. See GUARD.

VANCOURIER. See AVANT COURIER.

VANNE, _Fr._ A floodgate.

VANTAIL, _Fr._ Leaf of a folding door.

VANT-_bras_. Armor for the arm.

_Droits de_ VARECH, _Fr._ The right to salvage. A term used in Normandy. _Varech_ likewise signifies any vessel under water.

VARLOPE, _Fr._ A carpenter’s large plane.

VARSA, _Ind._ The rainy season.

VASANT, _Ind._ The mild season or spring.

VASSALS. They who in the feudal system were obliged to attend their lord in war, as a tenure by which they held their lands, &c.

VEDETTE, (_Vedette_, _Fr._) in war, a centinel on horseback, with his horse’s head towards the place whence any danger is to be feared, and his carabine advanced, with the butt end against his right thigh. Vedettes are generally posted at the avenues, and on all the rising grounds, to guard the several passages when an enemy is encamped.

The Vedettes to the out-posts should always be double, for the following reasons: first, that whenever they make any discovery, one may be detached to the commanding officer of the out-posts; secondly, that they may keep each other watchful; and thirdly, that the vigilance of both may render it impossible for any thing to come near them without being seen. They should be at no greater distance from their detachments than 80 or 100 paces.

For particular instructions relative to the posting of Vedettes, see a treatise on the duties of an officer in the field, by baron Gross; _Am. Mil. Lib._

VEKILCHARES. A word used among the Turks, which signifies the same as _Fourrier_ in the French, and corresponds with quartermaster.

VELITES. Roman soldiers, who were commonly some of the Tiros, or young soldiers of mean condition, and lightly armed. They had their name, _a volando_, from flying, or _a velocitate_, from swiftness. They seem not to have acted in distinct bodies or companies, but to have hovered in loose order before the army. _Kennett’s R. A._ page 190. Their arms consisted of a sword and javelin, and they had a shield or buckler which was sufficiently large to cover its man, being round and measuring three feet and a half in diameter.

They generally wore wolf’s skins, or some other indifferent ornament upon their heads, to distinguish them during an action. Their javelins were a sort of dart, the wood of which measured three cubits in length, and was about the thickness of a finger. The point was about a hand’s full breadth in length, and was so thin and brittle, that it snapped off the instant it reached or penetrated its object, so that the enemy could not return it. It was distinguished in this particular from other darts and javelins.

VELOCITY. The quickness of motion with which bodies are moved from one place to another.

Initial velocity of military projectiles, as ascertained by the experiments with the Ballistic pendulum at Woolwich, in 1788, 1789, and 1790. These experiments were made with shot of equal diameters, powder of equal strength, and under a mean height of the barometer; and shew,

1. That there is very little difference in the velocities of shot fired from guns of the same length, but of unequal weights; the advantage being sometimes in favor of one and sometimes of the other.

2. That velocities arising from firing with different quantities of powder, are nearly in the proportion of the square roots of the quantities or weights of powder.

3. That the velocities decrease as the distances increase, arising from the resistance of the air, which opposes the progress of the shot, in a proportion somewhat higher than the squares of the velocities throughout; and only to a small variation.

4. That very little advantage is gained in point of range, by increasing the charge more than is necessary to attain the object, the velocities given by large charges being very soon reduced to those by moderate charges: those for instance given by half the shot’s weight are reduced to an equality with those by one third, after passing through a space of only 200 feet.

5. That very little advantage is also gained by increasing the length of guns; the velocity given by long guns of 22 calibres length of bore, being reduced to an equality with those of the short guns of 15¹⁄₂ calibres with similar charges, after passing through the spaces as follows:

With ¹⁄₂ the shot’s weight 285 feet ¹⁄₃ Do. 200 ¹⁄₄ Do. 150 ¹⁄₆ Do. 115

6. That the resistance of the air against balls of different diameters with equal velocities, is very nearly in the proportion of the square of their diameters; or as their surfaces.

7. That the velocity is not affected by compressing the charge more or less; or by heating the piece in different degrees.

8. That a very great increase of velocity arises from a decrease of windage; it appearing, that with the established windage of ¹⁄₂₀ between ¹⁄₃ and ¹⁄₄ of the force is lost.

9. It also appeared, that by firing the charge in different parts; by varying the weight of the gun to lessen the recoil; or even by stopping the recoil entirely, no sensible change is produced in the velocity of the ball.

10. That though the velocity of the shot is increased only to a certain point peculiar to each gun, (a further increase of powder, producing a diminished velocity) yet the recoil of the gun is always increased by the increase of charge.

11. Velocity of a light 6 Pr.--length, 4 feet 8 inches; charge, ¹⁄₃ the weight of the shot; 1558 feet _per_ second.--6 Prs. heavy; 6 feet 8 inches; charge ¹⁄₃ = 1673 feet.

Velocity of a light 3 Pr. length, 3 feet 4 inches, charge ¹⁄₂--1371 feet _per_ second.

Do. Heavy 3 Pr. length, 5 feet 9¹⁄₂ inches, charge ¹⁄₃ the shot--1584 feet.

_Velocity of French Ordnance._

24 Pr. charge 8 lbs. the eprovette mortar giving 125 fathoms, the initial velocity is 1425 feet _per_ second; with the eprovette at 90 = 1209 feet; with a charge of 12 lbs. and the eprovette at 125° the initial velocity will be 1530.

_Charge._ _Eprovette._ _Velocity._ 16 pr. 5 lbs. 125 1415 16 pr. 8 do. 1510 12 pr. 4 do.} { 1520 8 pr. 2¹⁄₂ do.} long { 1418 8 pr. 3 do.} guns { 1460 4 pr. 1 do.} { 1335 4 pr. 1¹⁄₂ do.} { 1508 12 pr. 4 do. }field { 1442 8 pr. 2¹⁄₂ do. }guns { 1422 4 pr. 1¹⁄₂ do. } { 1446 8 inch how’r. 1 do. 390 8 inch how’r. 1 2 oz. do. 516 6 inch how’r. 1 do. 532 6 inch how’r. 1 12 oz. do. 704

VENT, (_Lumière_, _Fr._) in artillery, or, as it is vulgarly called, the touch-hole, is the opening through which the fire is conveyed to the powder that composes the charge.