Part 163

It is acknowleged by all writers, that the Ulans are a militia, and not a particular nation or class of people; their origin, in this particular, resembles that of the Cossacks. When Augustus II. in 1717 altered the military establishment of Poland, he formed two regiments of Ulans; one consisting of six hundred men, which had already existed, and was called the king’s pulk, and the other of four hundred men, which was given to the great general of the republic.

Augustus III. on his accession to the throne, took both these regiments into his own immediate pay, and afterwards augmented the establishment by raising several other pulks or corps of this description. The Ulans are mounted on Polish or Tartar horses, and do the same duty that is allotted to hussars; with this essential difference, that they are better armed and accoutred, and that their horses excel those of the hussars in strength and swiftness, although they are mostly of the same size. The Ulans have frequently distinguished themselves on service, particularly in Bohemia.

Their principal weapon is a lance five feet long, at the end of which hangs a silk streamer, that serves to frighten the horse of the Ulan’s opponent, by its fluttering and noise. The lance is suspended on his right side, by means of a belt that is worn across the Ulan’s shoulders, or by a small leather thong which goes round his right arm, the end of the lance resting in a sort of stay that is attached to the stirrup. Before the Ulan takes his aim, he plants his lance upon his foot and throws it with so much dexterity, that he seldom misses his object.

The dress of the Ulan consists of a short jacket, trowsers or pantaloons made like those of the Turks, which reach to the ancle bone, and button above the hips. He wears a belt across his waist. The upper garment is a sort of Turkish robe with small facings, which reaches to the calf of the leg; his head is covered with a Polish cap. The color of the streamer which is fixed to the end of the lance, as well as that of the facings, varies according to the different pulks or regiments which it is meant to distinguish. The Ulan is likewise armed with a sabre, and a brace of pistols which hang from his waistbelt.

As the Ulans consider themselves in the light of free and independent gentlemen, every individual amongst them has one servant, if not two, called _pocztowy_ or _pacholeks_, whose sole business is to attend to their baggage and horses. When the Ulans take the field, these servants or batmen form a second or detached line, and fight separately from their masters. They are armed with a carbine, which weapon is looked upon with contempt by their masters, and they clothe themselves in the best manner they can.

The Ulans generally engage the enemy in small platoons or squads, after the manner of the hussars; occasionally breaking into the most desultory order. They rally with the greatest skill, and frequently affect to run away for the purpose of inducing their opponents to pursue them loosely: a circumstance which seldom fails to be fatal to the latter, as the instant the pursuers have quitted their main body, the Ulan wheels to the right about, gets the start of him through the activity of his horse, and obtains that advantage, hand to hand, which the other possessed whilst he acted in close order.

The instant the Ulans charge an enemy, their servants or batmen form and stand in squadrons or platoons, in order to afford them, under circumstances of repulse, a temporary shelter behind, and to check the enemy. The batmen belonging to the Ulans are extremely clever in laying ambushes.

The pay of the Ulans in time of peace is very moderate. Poland, before its infamous dismemberment and partition by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, kept a regular establishment of four squadrons and ten companies on foot. These troops were annually supplied with a thousand rations of bread and forage, which quantity was paid them at the rate of 272 florins, Polish money, per ration. The grand duchy of Lithuania subsisted, in the same manner, fifteen other companies of Ulans. The other pulks were paid by the king. The annual pay of the captains was five rations, and that of the subalterns two; that is 1360 florins to the former, and 544 florins to the latter.

In 1743 marshal Saxe, with the approbation and concurrence of the French court, raised a regiment of Ulans, which was attached to the military establishment of that country. This corps consisted of one thousand men, divided into six squadrons, each squadron composed of one hundred and sixty men, eighty of whom were Ulans, and eighty dragoons. So that the regiment consisted of five hundred Ulans, properly so called, armed and accoutred like those in Poland, and the other five hundred were dragoons, without being considered as the servants or batmen of the Ulans; in which instance they differed from the pacholeks of the Polish Ulans. These dragoons were paid by the king; whereas in Poland each Ulan paid his own servant or batman, who looked to him only for clothing, arms, and subsistence. On the death of marshal Saxe, the Ulans in France were reduced; and the dragoons only kept upon the establishment. They were considered as a regiment; being at first given to count de Frise, who was a major-general in the service, and became their colonel, and they remained on that footing until the revolution.

The uniform of the French Ulans consisted of a green coat or cloak, with green breeches, Hungarian half-boots, pinchbeck helmet with a turban twisted round it of Russian leather; the tail or mane of the helmet consisted of horse-hair, which was colored according to the facings of the brigade; their arms were a lance nine feet long, with a floating streamer at the top, a sabre, and a pistol in the waistbelt.

The dragoons were clothed like other regular troops. Their coat was green, with cream-colored facings and scarlet linings; plain brass buttons, and aiguillette or tagged point, made of red worsted; a fawn colored waistcoat, edged round with scarlet; leather breeches; half-boots that were laced up to the calf of the leg; pinchbeck helmet, with a seal skin turban round it, and two rosettes made of pinchbeck; the top was adorned with horse-hair, which hung behind. Their arms consisted of a fusil with a bayonet, which was always fixed; two pistols and a sabre; the horse was covered with a wolf’s skin. The Ulans rode horses which were somewhat lower than those of the dragoons, and were more active.

At the commencement of the French revolution, particularly in 1792 and 1793, the Ulans belonging to the Imperial army that endeavored to penetrate into France, were the terror of the inhabitants all along the frontiers. The excesses which they committed, and the desolation they occasioned, rendered their very name a signal of alarm. They seldom gave quarter, and they never received it.

ULTIMATUM. A term used in negociations to signify the last condition or conditions upon which propositions, that have been mutually exchanged, can be finally ratified.

ULTRAMARINE. From beyond the sea--foreign. It is also the name of a very delicate sky blue powder made from _lapis lazuli_, and used in the _drawing_ of plans, &c.

ULTRAMONTANE. Derived from the Latin _Ultra_, beyond, and _Mons_, mountain. This term is principally used in relation to Italy and France, which are separated by the Alps. According to Bayley, _Ultramontanus_ is a name given by the Italians to all people who live beyond the Alps.

UMBO. The pointed boss or prominent part in the centre of a shield or buckler

UMBRIERE. The visor of a helmet.

UMPIRE. An arbitrator, or a power which interferes for the adjustment of a dispute or contest.

UNARMED. The state of being without armor or weapons.

_To_ UNCASE. In a military sense to display, to exhibit--As to uncase the colors. It is opposed to the word, _To Case_, which signifies to put up--to enclose.

_To_ UNCOVER. When troops deploy, the different leading companies or divisions, &c. successively uncover those in their rear, by marching out from the light or left of the column.

UNCONDITIONAL. At discretion; not limited by any terms or stipulations.

UNCONQUERED. Not subdued or defeated; in opposition to conquered or defeated.

UNDAUNTED. Not appalled by fear; valiant.

UNDECAGON. A regular polygon of eleven sides or angles.

UNDER. This preposition is variously used in military matters, viz.

UNDER _Command_, (_Sous Ordre_, _Fr._) In subjection to; liable to be ordered to do any particular duty.

UNDER _Cover_, (_à couvert_, _à l’abri_, _Fr._) Shielded, protected, &c. See COVER.

UNDER _Arms_, (_Sous Armes_, _Fr._) A battalion, troop, or company is said to be under arms when the men are drawn up regularly armed and accoutred, &c.

_To_ UNDERMINE. To dig cavities under any thing, so that it may fall, or be blown up; to excavate.

_To_ UNDERMINE. In a figurative sense, to injure by clandestine means. The discipline of the army may be _undermined_ by secret practices and cabals; the want of a fit capacity at the head of the war office, will operate like the want of brains in the human head; and the most enterprizing officer may be undermined by the insinuations of a cowardly parasite and reporter.

UNDERMINER. A sapper, one who digs a mine.

UNDER-_officer_. An inferior officer; one in a subordinate situation.

UNDISCIPLINED. Not yet trained to regularity or order; not perfect in exercise or manœuvres.

_To_ UNFIX. In a military sense, to take off, as _Unfix Bayonet_, on which the soldier disengages the bayonet from his piece, and returns it to the scabbard. The word _return_, as we have already observed, is sometimes used instead of unfix.--But it is improperly used, although it more immediately corresponds with the French term _Remettre_.

UNFORTIFIED. Not strengthened or secured by any walls, bulwarks, or fortifications.

UNFURLED. A standard or colors, when expanded and displayed, is said to be unfurled.

UNGENTLEMANLIKE, UNOFFICERLIKE, (_Malhonnête_, _Grossier_, _Fr._) Not like a gentleman or officer. Conduct unbecoming the character of either is so called. This clause which will be always found to depend on the state of _morals_ and _manners_, affords a vast latitude to a military court, which, after all, is not more free from prejudice or influence than any other tribunal, though they are both jurors and judges. Officers convicted thereof are to be discharged from the service. See ARTICLES OF WAR.

UNHARNESSED. Disarmed; divested of armor or weapons of offence.

UNHORSED. Thrown from the saddle; dismounted.

UNHOSTILE. Not inimical, or belonging to an enemy.

UNIFORM, (_Uniforme_, _Fr._) This word, though in a military sense it signifies the same as regimental, which is used both as a substantive and an adjective, may nevertheless be considered in a more extensive light. Uniform is applied to the different sorts of clothing by which whole armies are distinguished from one another; whereas regimental means properly the dress of the component parts of some national force. Thus the national uniform of the American army is blue, as is that of the modern French, white of the Austrian, green of the Russian, and red of the British, &c. But in each of these armies there are particular corps which are clothed in other colors, and whose clothing is made in a shape peculiar to themselves. Though generally speaking each has an uniform within itself, yet this uniform, strictly considered, is a regimental.

With respect to the origin of _military uniforms_, we should make useless enquiries were we to direct our attention to those periods in which the Romans fought covered with metal armor, or with leather which was so dressed and fitted to the body, that the human shape appeared in all its natural formation; nor to those in which the French, almost naked, or at least very lightly clad in thin leather, conquered the ancient Gauls. Better information will be acquired by recurring to the Crusades which were made into Palestine and Constantinople by the Europeans. We shall there find, that the western nations, France, England, &c. first adopted the use of rich garments, which they wore over their armors, and adorned their dresses with furs from Tartary and Russia.

We may then fix the origin of colored dresses to distinguish military corps, &c. in the eleventh century. The Saracens generally wore tunics or close garments under their armor. These garments were made of plain or striped stuffs, and were adopted by the Crusaders under the denomination of coats of arms, _Cottes d’armes_. We refer our readers for further particulars to the author of a French work, entitled, _Traité des marques rationales_, and to page 533, tom. iii. _du Dictionnaire Militaire_; observing, that the uniforms of the French army were not completely settled under the reign of Louis the XIVth, and that the whole has undergone considerable alterations since the present revolution.

UNIFORME _des charretiers des vivres_, _Fr._ Uniform of the old French Waggon Corps. It consisted of white sackcloth edged round with blue worsted, with brass buttons, two in front and three upon each sleeve. They wore a dragoon watering cap, with W upon the front fold, and a tuft at the end. The W and the tuft were made of white worsted.

UNIFORMS.--_Principal color of the military uniforms of the different powers._

+--------+----------+----------+----------------------- NATIONS. |CAVALRY.| INFANTRY.|ARTILLERY.| REMARKS. ---------------+--------+----------+----------+----------------------- America |Blue |Blue |Blue |Black cockades. Ancient Poland |Blue |Blue |Blue | Anspach |Blue |Blue |Blue | Austria |White |White |Grey | Baden |-- |Blue |-- | Bavaria |-- |White |Grey | Berne |Red |Blue |Blue |Black and red cockades. Brunswick |-- |Blue |-- | Denmark |-- |Red |-- |Black cockades. England |Blue |Red |Blue | France |Blue |Blue |Blue |Blue, red, and white. Hanover |Blue |Red |Mixt Blue |Green cockades. Hesse |White |Blue |Blue | Holland |White |Blue |Blue | Mayence |-- |White |Mixt Blue | Mecklenburg |Blue |Blue |Blue | Nassau |-- |Blue |-- | Palatine |Crimson |Clear Blue|-- | Prussia |White |Blue |Blue |Orag. light blue. Russia |Blue |Green |Green |Black cockades. Sardinia |Blue |Blue |Blue | Saxe Cobourg |-- |Blue |-- | Saxe Gotha |Blue |Blue |Blue | Saxe Heidelberg|-- |Blue |-- | Saxe Memingen |-- |Blue |-- | Saxe Weimer |Blue |Blue |Green | Saxony |White |White |Green |Dragoons red; White | | | |cockades. Spain |Grey |White |Blue |Red and yellow. Sweden |-- |Blue |-- |Yellow cockades. Wurtemburg |-- |Blue |Blue | ---------------+--------+----------+----------+-----------------------

UNIFORMITY. Conformity to one pattern; resemblance of one thing to another.

UNION. The national colors are called the union. When there is a blue field with white stripes, quartered in the angle of the American colors, that is of the colors composed of red and white stripes; that blue field is called the Union; and a small colors of blue with white stars is called an _Union_ JACK.

UNIVERSITY. In a general acceptation of the word, any nursery where youth is instructed in languages, arts, and sciences. It likewise means the whole in general, generality.

_To_ UNSPRING. A word of command formerly used in the exercise of cavalry, now obsolete.

_Unspring your carbine._ Quit the reins of your bridle, and take hold of the swivel with the left hand, placing the thumb on the spring, and opening it; at the same time take it out of the ring.

UNTENABLE. Not to be held in possession; incapable of being defended.

UNTRAINED. Not disciplined to exercise or manœuvre.

UNVANQUISHED. Not conquered or defeated.

UNWALLED. Being without walls of defence.

UNWARLIKE. Not fit for or used to war.

UNWEAPONED. Not provided with arms of offence.

VOGUE, _Fr._ The course or way which a galley or ship makes when it is rowed forward.

VOGUER, _Fr._ To make way upon water either by means of sailing or by oars. It also signifies generally to row.

VOIE, _Fr._ Way, means, course of communication.

VOILE, _Fr._ A sail. This word is frequently used by the French to signify the ship itself; as we say, a sail in sight.

VOILE _quarrée ou à trait quarrée_, _Fr._ A square sail, such as the main-sail.

VOILE _Latine_, _Voile à tiers-point, ou a Oreille de Liévre_, _Fr._ A triangular-shaped sail, such as is used in the Mediterranean.

_Jet de_ VOILES, _Fr._ The complete complement of sails for a ship.

_Faire_ VOILE, _Fr._ To go to sea.

VOITURES, _Fr._ Carriages, waggons, &c.

VOL, _Fr._ Theft. The military regulations on this head during the existence of the French monarchy, were extremely rigid and severe.

Whosoever was convicted of having stolen any of the public stores, was sentenced to be strangled; and if any soldier was discovered to have robbed his comrade, either of his necessaries, bread, or subsistence money, he was condemned to death, or to the gallies for life. So nice, indeed, were the French with respect to the honesty of the soldiery in general, that the slightest deviation from it rendered an individual incapable of ever serving again. When the French troops marched through the United States during the revolution so exact was their discipline, that in marching through an orchard loaded with fruit not an apple was touched.

VOLEE, _Fr._ The vacant cylinder of a cannon, which may be considered to reach from the trunnions to the mouth.

VOLEE _et culasse d’une piece_, _Fr._ This term signifies the same as _tête et queue d’une piece_. The mouth or head and breech of a piece of ordnance.

VOLEE, _Fr._ Also signifies a cannon shot, as _Tirer une volee_, to fire a cannon shot.

VOLEE, _Fr._ See SONNETTE.

VOLET, _Fr._ A shutter. It likewise means a small sea compass.

VOLLEY. The discharging of a great number of firearms at the same time.

VOLONTAIRES, _Fr._ See VOLUNTEERS.

VOLONTE, _Fr._ Will, &c. It likewise signifies readiness to do any thing. _Officier, soldat de bonne volonte._ An officer, a soldier that is ready to do any sort of duty.

_Dernieres_ VOLONTES, _Fr._ The last will and testament of a man.

VOLT, (_Volte_, _Fr._) In horsemanship, a bounding turn. It is derived from the Italian word _Volta_; and according to the Farrier’s Dictionary, is a round or a circular tread; a gate of two treads made by a horse going sideways round a centre; so that these two treads make parallel tracks; the one which is made by the fore feet larger, and the other by the hinder feet smaller; the shoulders bearing outwards, and the croupe approaching towards the centre.

_Mettre un cheval sur les_ VOLTES, _Fr._ To make a horse turn round, or perform the volts. They likewise say in the manege, _demi-volte_, half-turn or volt.

VOLTE, _Fr._ In fencing, a sudden movement or leap, which is made to avoid the thrust of an antagonist.

VOLTE-_face_, _Fr._ Right about.

_Faire_ VOLTE-_face_, _Fr._ To come to the right about. It is chiefly applicable to a cavalry movement; and sometimes generally used to express any species of facing about, viz. _Les ennemis fuirent jusqu’à un certain endroit, ou ils firent volte face_; the enemy fled to a certain spot, where they faced about.

VOLTE, is also used as a sea phrase among the French to express the track which a vessel sails; likewise the different movements and tacks that a ship makes in preparing for action.

VOLTER, _Fr._ In fencing, to volt; to change ground in order to avoid the thrust of an antagonist.

VOLTIGER, _Fr._ To float; to stream out; to hover about; _La cavalrie voltige autour du camp_; the cavalry hovers about the camp. It also means, in the manege, to ride a wooden horse for the purpose of acquiring a good seat.

VOLTIGUER, _Fr._ A vaulter; a jumper; a hoverer; the French have trained their light troops to run, vault, and bear fatigues; these troops act as riflemen on foot or horseback; swim rivers with their arms; and vault behind horsemen to be transported rapidly to some point where it is necessary to make an impression. These corps were formed from an observance of the hardiness and intrepidity of American riflemen, by general _Berthier_, who served in America with Rochambeau.

VOLUNTEER. In a general acceptation of the word, any one who enters into the service of his own accord. The signification of it is more or less extensive, according to the conditions on which a man voluntarily engages to bear arms.

VOLUNTEERS are also bodies of men who assemble in time of war to defend their respective districts, and this generally without pay.

_To_ VOLUNTEER. To engage in any affair of one’s own accord. Officers and soldiers often volunteer their services on the most desperate occasions; sometimes specifically, and sometimes generally. Hence to volunteer for any particular enterprize, or to volunteer for general service. In some instances soldiers volunteer for a limited period, and within certain boundaries.

Volunteers approach nearer to the regular establishment than the militia.

VOUGE, _Fr._ A sort of hedging bill. It likewise signifies an axe, which the ancient bowmen of France had fixed to their halberts. It is also called a hunter’s staff.

VOUSSOIR or VOUSSURE, _Fr._ The bending of a vault.

VOUTE, _Fr._ A vault; an arch.

VOYAGE _sur Mer_, _Fr._ A sea voyage. The French call a voyage to the East Indies, _Un voyage de long cours._

UP. An adverb frequently used in military phraseology, viz. _Up in arms_; in a state of insurrection.

_To draw_ UP. To put in regular array, as to draw _up_ a regiment.

VRILLE, _Fr._ A wimble.

VRILLER, _Fr._ Among fireworkers, to rise in a spiral manner, as sky-rockets do.

USAAR, _Ind._ The name of a month, which partly corresponds with June; it follows Jeyt.

_To_ USE. To employ to any particular purpose; to bring into action; as he his choicest troops on that decisive day.

USTENSILES, _Fr._ The necessary articles which a soldier has a right to be supplied with.

USTENSILES _de magazins_, _Fr._ Under this word are comprehended all the various tools, implements, &c. which are required in military magazines and storehouses.

USTENSILES _d’un vaisseau_, _Fr._ Every thing which is necessary in the navigation of a ship.

USTENSILES _de canon_, _Fr._ Every thing which is required to load and unload a piece of ordnance, viz. the rammer, spunge, priming horn, wedges, &c.

UTENSILS. In a military sense, are necessaries due to every soldier.

In the British service it is directed to be provided for the use of regimental hospitals, that each hospital ought to be furnished with a slipper bath, or bathing tub, two water buckets, one dozen of Osnaburgh towels, one dozen of flannel cloths, half a dozen of large sponges, combs, razors, and soap; two large kettles capable of making soup for 30 men, two large tea kettles, two large tea pots, two sauce pans, 40 tin cans of one pint each, 40 spoons, one dozen of knives and forks, two close stools, two bed-pans, and two urinals.