Part 4

ALCANTARA, knights of a Spanish military order, who gained a great name during the wars with the Moors.

ALERT, originally derived from the French word _alerte_, which is formed of _a_ and _airte_. The French formerly said _airte_ for _air_; so that _alerte_ means something continually in the air, and always ready to be put in action. A general is said to be _alert_ when he is particularly vigilant.

_To be kept upon the alert_, is to be in continual apprehension of being surprised. _Alerte_, among the French, is an expression which is used to put soldiers upon their guard. It is likewise used by a post that may be attacked in the night, to give notice to the one that is destined to support it; and by a sentry to give warning when any part of the enemy is approaching. _We have had an alert_, is a military phrase.

ALGEBRA, a peculiar kind of arithmetic, in which every military man ought to be versed, but which is indispensibly necessary for officers in the ordnance department.

ALIEN, in law, implies a person born in a foreign country, in contradistinction to a natural born or naturalized person.

ALIGNEMENT, implies any thing strait--For instance, the _alignement_ of a battalion means the situation of a body of men when drawn up in line. The _alignement_ of a camp signifies the relative position of the tents, &c. so as to form a strait line, from given points.

ALLAY. See ALLOY.

ALLÆ, in the ancient military art, the two wings or extremes of an army ranged in order of battle.

ALLEGIANCE, in law, implies the obedience which is due to the laws.

_Oath of_ ALLEGIANCE, is that taken by an alien, by which he adopts America and renounces the authority of a foreign government. It is also applied to the oath taken by officers and soldiers in pledge of their fidelity to the state.

ALLEGIANT, loyal, faithful to the laws.

ALLEZER, to cleanse the mouth of a cannon or other piece of ordnance, and to increase the bore, so as to produce its determined calibre.

ALLEZOIR, a frame of timber firmly suspended in the air with strong cordage, on which is placed a piece of ordnance with the muzzle downwards. In this situation the bore is rounded and enlarged by means of an instrument which has a very sharp and strong edge made to traverse the bore by the force of machinery or horses, and in an horizontal direction.

ALLEZURES, the metal taken from the cannon by boring.

ALLIAGE, a term used by the French to denote the composition of metals used for the fabrication of cannon and mortars, &c.

ALLIANCE, in a military sense, signifies a treaty entered into by sovereign states, for their mutual safety and defence. In this sense alliances may be divided into such as are offensive, where the contracting parties oblige themselves jointly to attack some other power; and into such as are defensive, whereby the contracting powers bind themselves to stand by, and defend one another, in case of being attacked by any other power.

Alliances are variously distinguished, according to their object, the parties in them, &c. Hence we read of equal, unequal, triple, quadruple, grand, offensive, defensive _alliances_, &c.

ALLODIAL, independent; not feudal. The Allodii of the Romans were bodies of men embodied on any emergency, in a manner similar to our volunteer associations.

ALLOGNE, the cordage used with floating bridges, by which they are guided from one side of a river to the other.

ALLONGE, _Fr._ a pass or thrust with a rapier or small sword; also a long rein used in the exercising of horses.

ALLOY, is the mixture of metals that enter into the composition of the metal proper for cannon and mortars.

ALLY, in a military sense, implies any nation united to another--under a treaty, either offensive or defensive, or both.

ALMADIE, a kind of military canoe, or small vessel, about 24 feet long, made of the bark of a tree, and used by the negroes of Africa.

ALMADIE, is also the name of a long-boat used at Calcutta, often 80 to 100 feet long, and generally six or seven broad, they row from ten to thirty oars.

ALTIMETRY, the taking or measuring altitude, or heights.

ALTITUDE, height, or distance from the ground, measured upwards, and may be both accessible, and inaccessible.

ALTITUDE _of a figure_, is the distance of its vertex from its base, or the length of a perpendicular let fall from the vertex to the base. See _American Mil. Lib._ Art. FIELD FORTIFICATION.

ALTITUDE _of a shot or shell_, is the perpendicular height of the vertex above the horizon. See GUNNERY and PROJECTILES.

ALTITUDE, _in optics_, is usually considered as the angle subtended between a line drawn through the eye, parallel to the horizon, and a visual ray emitted from an object to the eye.

ALTITUDE, _in cosmography_, is the perpendicular height of an object, or its distance from the horizon upwards.

ALTITUDES are divided into _accessible_ and _inaccessible_.

_Accessible_ ALTITUDE _of an object_, is that whose base you can have access to, i. e. measure the nearest distance between your station and the foot of the object on the ground.

_Inaccessible_ ALTITUDE _of an object_, is that when the foot or bottom of it cannot be approached, by reason of some impediment; such as water, or the like. The instruments chiefly used in measuring of _altitudes_, are the quadrant, theodolite, geometric quadrant, cross, or line of shadows, &c.

ALTITUDE _of the eye_, in perspective, is a right line let fall from the eye, perpendicular to the geometrical plane.

ALTITUDE _of motion_, a term used by some writers, to express the measure of any motion, computed according to the line of direction of the moving force.

AMAZON, one of those women who are fabled to have composed a nation of themselves, exclusive of males, and to have derived their name from their cutting off one of their breasts, that it might not hinder or impede the exercise of their arms. This term has often by modern writers been used to signify a bold daring woman, whom the delicacy of her sex does not hinder from engaging in the most hazardous attempts. The recent and former wars with France have furnished several instances of females who have undergone the fatigue of a campaign with alacrity, and run the hazards of a battle with the greatest intrepidity. Several cases occurred also in the American Revolution.

AMBIT, the compass or circuit of any work or place, as of a fortification or encampment, &c.

AMBITION, in a military sense, signifies a desire of greater posts, or honors. Every person in the army or navy, ought to have a spirit of emulation to arrive at the very summit of the profession by his personal merit.

AMBUSCADE, in military affairs, implies a body of men posted in some secret or concealed place, ’till they find an opportunity of falling upon the enemy by surprise; or, it is rather a snare set for the enemy, either to surprise him when marching without precaution; or by posting your force advantageously, and drawing him on by different stratagems, to attack him with superior means. An ambuscade is easily carried into execution in woods, buildings, and hollow places; but requires a more fertile imagination, and greater trouble, in a level country.

AMBUSH, a place of concealment for soldiers to surprise an enemy, by falling suddenly upon him.

AME, a French term, similar in its import to the word _chamber_, as applied to cannon, &c.

AMENDE _honorable_, in the old armies of France, signified an apology for some injury done to another, or satisfaction given for an offence committed against the rules of honor or military etiquette; and was also applied to an infamous kind of punishment inflicted upon traitors, parricides, or sacrilegious persons, in the following manner: the offender being delivered into the hands of the hangman, his shirt stripped off, a rope put about his neck, and a taper in his hand; then he was led into court, where he begged pardon of God, the court, and his country. Sometimes the punishment ended there; but sometimes it was only a prelude to death, or banishment to the gallies. It prevails yet in some parts of Europe.

AMMUNITION, implies all sorts of powder and ball, shells, bullets, cartridges, grape-shot, tin, and case-shot; carcasses, granades, &c.

AMMUNITION, or _gun-powder_, may be prohibited to be exported.

AMMUNITION, _for small arms_, in the British service, is generally packed in half barrels, each containing 1000 musket, or 1500 carbine cartridges. An ammunition waggon will carry 20 of these barrels, and an ammunition cart 12 of them: their weight nearly 1 cwt. each.

The cartouch boxes of the infantry are made of so many different shapes and sizes, that it is impossible to say exactly what ammunition they will contain; but most of them can carry 60 rounds. See the word _Cartridges_; and for artillery ammunition, see the word _Artillery_, for the field, for the siege, and the defence of a fortified place.

The French pack all their ammunition in waggons without either boxes or barrels, by means of partitions of wood. Their 12 Pr. and 8 Pr. waggons will contain each 14,000 musket cartridges, but their 4 Pr. waggons will contain only 12,000 each.

AMMUNITION _bread_, such as is contracted for by government, and served in camp, garrison, and barracks.

AMMUNITION _shoes_, _stockings_, _shirts_, _stacks_, &c. such of those articles as are served out to the private soldiers, by government. See HALF-MOUNTINGS.

AMMUNITION _waggon_, is generally a four-wheel carriage with shafts; the sides are railed in with staves and raves, and lined with wicker-work, so as to carry bread and all sorts of tools. It is drawn by four horses, and loaded with 1200 pound weight. See WAGGON.

AMMUNITION-_cart_, a two-wheel carriage with shafts; the sides of which, as well as the fore and hind parts, are inclosed with boards instead of wicker-work. See CAISSON.

AMMUZETTE. See the word GUNS.

AMNESTY, in a military or political sense, is an act by which two belligerent powers at variance promise to forget and bury in oblivion all that is past.

AMNESTY is either general and unlimited, or particular and restrained, though most commonly universal, without conditions or exceptions: such as that which passed in Germany at the peace of Osnaburg in the year 1648, and between the United States and Great Britain, in 1783.

AMNESTY, in a more limited sense, denotes a pardon to persons rebellious, usually with some exceptions; such as was granted by Charles II. at his restoration.

AMNISTIE, _Fr._ See AMNESTY.

AMORCE, an old military word for fine-grained powder, such as is sometimes used for the priming of great guns, mortars or howitzers; as also for small-arms, on account of its rapid inflammation. A port fire, or quick match.

AMPLITUDE _of the range of a projectile_. See PROJECTILE.

AMPOULETTE, an old military term used by the French to express the stock of a musket, &c.

AMUSETTE, a species of offensive weapon which was invented by the celebrated Marshal Saxe. It is fired off in the same manner as a musquet, but is mounted nearly like a cannon. It has been found of considerable use during the war of the French revolution, especially among the French, who armed some of their horse artillery with it, and found it superior to the one adopted by the Prussians from Marshal Saxe.

ANABASII, in antiquity, were expeditious couriers, who carried dispatches of great importance, in the Roman wars.

ANACLETICUM, in the ancient art of war, a particular blast of the trumpet, whereby the fearful and flying soldiers were rallied and recalled to the combat.

ANCIENT, a term, used formerly to express the grand ensign or standard of an army.

ANCILE, in antiquity, a kind of shield, which fell, as was pretended, from heaven, in the reign of Numa Pompilius; at which time, likewise, a voice was heard, declaring, that Rome would be mistress of the world as long as she should preserve this holy buckler.

Authors are much divided about its shape: however, it was kept with great care in the temple of Mars, under the direction of twelve priests; and lest any should attempt to steal it, eleven others were made so like it, as not to be distinguished from the sacred one. These _Ancilia_ were carried in procession every year round the city of Rome.

ANDABATÆ, in military antiquity, a kind of gladiators, who fought hoodwinked; having a sort of helmet that covered the eyes and face. They fought mounted on horse-back, or on chariots.

_St._ ANDREW, _or the Thistle_, a nominally military order of knighthood in Scotland. The occasion of instituting this order is variously related.

In 819, Achaius, king of Scotland, having formed a league, offensive and defensive, with Charlemagne, against all other princes, found himself thereby so strong, that he took for his device the _Thistle_ and the _Rue_, which he composed into a collar of his order, and for his motto, _Pour ma defense_; intimating thereby, that he feared not the powers of foreign princes, seeing he leaned on the succour and alliance of the French. And though from hence may be inferred, that these two plants, the Thistle and the Rue, were the united symbols of one order of knighthood, yet Menenius divides them into two; making one whose badge was the thistle, whence the knights were so called; and the motto, _Nemo me impune lacessit_; another vulgarly called _Sertum rutæ_, or the garland of rue; the collar of which was composed of two branches or sprigs thereof, or else of several of its leaves: at both these collars hung one and the same jewel, to wit, the figure of St Andrew, bearing before him the cross of his martyrdom.

But though the thistle has been acknowleged for the badge and symbol of the kingdom of Scotland, even from the reign of Achaius, as the rose was of England, and the lily of France, the pomegranate of Spain, &c.; yet there are some who refer the order of the thistle to later times, in the reign of Charles VII. of France; when the league of amity was renewed between that kingdom and Scotland, by which the former received great succour from the latter, at a period of extraordinary distress. Others again place the foundation still later, even as low as the year 1500; but without any degree of certainty.

The chief and principal ensign of this order is a gold collar, composed of thistles, interlinked with annulets of gold, having pendent thereto the image of St Andrew with his cross, and this motto, _Nemo me impune lacessit_.

_Knights of St._ ANDREW, is also a nominal military order instituted by Peter III. of Muscovy, in 1698; the badge of which is a golden medal, on one side whereof is represented St. Andrew’s cross; and on the other are these words, _Czar Pierre monarque de toute la Russie_. This medal, being fastened to a blue ribbon, is suspended from the right shoulder.

ANGARIA, in ancient military writers, means a guard of soldiers posted in any place for the security of it. Vide Vegetius, lib. i. c. 3. lib. ii. c. 19. lib. iii. c. 8.

ANGARIA, in civil law, implies a service by compulsion, as furnishing horses and carriages for conveying corn or other stores for the army.

ANGE, a term used by the French to express chain shot.

ANGEL _Shot_. See CHAIN-SHOT.

ANGLE, in geometry, is the inclination of two lines meeting one another in a point.

Sometimes angles are denoted by a single letter placed at the point of intersection; but when several lines meet at the same point, each particular angle is denoted by three letters, whereof the middle letter shews the angular point, and the other two letters the lines which form that angle.

The measure of an angle is the arch of a circle, described on the angular point, intercepted between the two lines which form the angle, and as many degrees, &c. as are contained in that arch, so many degrees, &c. the angle is said to consist of.

ANGLES are either _right_, _acute_, or _obtuse_.

_A Right_ ANGLE, is that whose two legs are perpendicular to each other; and consequently the arch intercepted between them is exactly 90° or the quarter of a circle.

_An Acute_ ANGLE, is that which is less than a right angle, or 90°.

_An Obtuse_ ANGLE, is that which is greater than a right angle.

_Adjacent_ ANGLES, are such as have the same vertex, and one common side contained beyond the angular point. The sum of the adjacent angles is always equal to two right angles (13. _Eucl._ 1.) and therefore, if one of them be acute, the other will be obtuse; and the contrary: whence, if either of them be given, the other is also given, it being the complement of the former to 180°.

_Homologous_ ANGLES in similar figures are such as retain the same order, reckoning from the first in both figures.

_Vertical_ ANGLES, are the opposite angles made by two lines cutting or crossing each other. When two lines cut or cross each other, the vertical angles are equal (15 _Eucl._ 1.)

_Alternate_ ANGLES, are those cut or obtuse angles made by two lines cutting or crossing each other, and formed by a right line cutting or crossing two parallel lines. Alternate angles are always equal to each other (18. _Eucl._ 1.)

_A rectilineal or right lined_ ANGLE, is made by strait lines, to distinguish it from the spherical or curvilineal angle.

ANGLES _of contact_. Angles of contact may be considered as true angles, and should be compared with one another, though not with right lined angles as being infinitely smaller.

ANGLE _of elevation_, in gunnery, is that which the axis of the hollow cylinder, or barrel of the gun, makes with a horizontal line. See ELEVATION.

ANGLES _oblique_ are those which are greater than right angles.

_Spherical_ ANGLE, is an angle formed by the intersection of two great circles of the sphere. All spherical angles are measured by an arch of a great circle described on the vertex as a pole, and intercepted between the legs which form the angle.

ANGLE _lunular_ is an angle formed by the intersection of two curves, the one concave and the other convex.

_Mixed-line_ ANGLE, is that comprehended between a right line and a curved line.

_Curved-line_ ANGLE, is that intercepted between two curved lines meeting each other in one point, in the same plane.

ANGLE _of a semi-circle_ is that which the diameter of a circle makes with the circumference.

ANGLE _of Incidence_, is that which the line of direction of a ray of light, &c. makes at the point where it first touches the body it strikes against, with a line erected perpendicular to the surface of that body.

ANGLE _of interval_ between two places is that formed by two lines directed from the eye to those places.

ANGLE _of Reflection_, is the angle intercepted between the line of direction of a body rebounding, after it has struck against another body, and a perpendicular erected at the point of contact.

ANGLE _at the centre_, in fortification, is the angle formed at the middle of the polygon, by lines drawn from thence to the points of the two adjacent bastions.

ANGLE _of the curtain_, ANGLE _of the flank_, That which is made by, and contained between the curtain and the flank.

ANGLE _of the polygon_, that which is made by the meeting of the two sides of the polygon, or figure in the centre of the bastion. See FORTIFICATION.

ANGLE _of the triangle_, is half the angle of the polygon.

ANGLE _of the bastion_, or _Flanked_ ANGLE, That which is made by the two faces, being the utmost part of the bastion most exposed to the enemy’s batteries, frequently called the point of the bastion. See FORTIFICATION.

_Diminished_ ANGLE, only used by some engineers, especially the Dutch, is composed of the face of the bastion, and the exterior side of the polygon.

ANGLE _of the shoulder_, or ANGLE _of the épaule_, Is formed by one face, and one flank of the bastion. See FORTIFICATION.

ANGLE _of the tenaille_, ANGLE _rentrant_, Is made by two lines fichant, that is, the faces of the two bastions extended till they meet in an angle towards the curtain, and is that which always carries its point towards the out-works. See FORTIFICATION.

ANGLE _of the flank exterior_, is that which is before the centre of the curtain, formed by the prolongation of the faces of the bastion, or by both the fichant lines of defence, intersecting each other on planning a fortification.

ANGLE _of the flank interior_, is formed by the flanked line of defence and the curtain; being that point where the line of defence falls upon the curtain.

ANGLE _of the line of defence_, is that angle made by the flank, and the line of defence.

ANGLE _of the face_, is formed by the angle of the face and the line of defence produced till they intersect each other.

ANGLE _of the base interior_, is the half of the figure, which the interior polygon makes with the radius, when they join each other in the centre; intersecting the centre of the gorges of each bastion.

ANGLE _of the base exterior_, is an angle formed by lines drawn from the centre of the figure, to the angle of the exterior polygon, cutting the centre of the gorges of each bastion.

ANGLE _of the gorge_, is that angle formed by the prolongation of the curtains, intersecting each other, in the centre of the gorge, through which the capital line passes.

ANGLE _of the ditch_, is formed before the centre of the curtain, by the outward line of the ditch.

ANGLE _of the mole_, is that which is made before the curtain where it is intersected.

_Flanked_ ANGLE. See ANGLE _of the bastion_.

_Saliant_ ANGLE, ANGLE _sortant_, Is that angle which points outwards, or towards the country. Such is the angle of the counterscarp before the point of a bastion.

_Entering_ ANGLE, or ANGLE _rentrant_, An angle pointing inwards, as the saliant angle does outwards. Such is the angle of the counterscarp before the curtain.

ANGLE _of the counterscarp_, made by two sides of the counterscarp, meeting before the centre of the curtain.

ANGLE _at the circumference of a circle_, is an angle formed by two chords in the circumference of a circle.

ANGLE _of the circumference_, is the mixed angle formed by an arch, drawn from one gorge to another.

_Re-entering_ ANGLE. See _Entering_ ANGLE.

ANGLE _of the complement of the line of defence_, is the angle formed by the intersection of the two complements with each other.

ANGLES _of a battalion_, are made by the last men at the extremity of the ranks and files.

_Front_ ANGLES, the two last men of the front rank.

_Rear_ ANGLES, the two last men of the rear rank.

_Dead_ ANGLE, is a re-entering angle, consequently not defended.

ANGULAR, in a general sense, denotes something relating to angles, or that hath angles.

ANGON, in ancient military history, was a kind of dart of a moderate length, having an iron bearded head and cheeks; in use about the fifth century. This sort of javelin was much used by the French. The iron head of it resembles a fleur-de-lis; and it is the opinion of some writers, that the old arms of France were not fleurs-de-lis; but the iron point of the _angon_ or javelin of the ancient French.