Part 65

The first class was composed of officers belonging to the king’s troops, to the body-guards, gens d’armes, light-horsemen, musqueteers, serjeants of companies in the horse grenadiers, after having served five years in that capacity; of serjeants of the French and Swiss guards, after ten years service in that capacity; of officers attached to the constable’s jurisdiction, exempts and maréchaussés, after having been ten years with the rank of officers; and of gens d’armes and light horsemen belonging to established companies; of quarter-masters from cavalry and dragoon corps, and of infantry serjeants, who bore the brevet rank of lieutenant, after having served five years in the last capacity.

The second class was composed of gens d’armes, light horsemen belonging to established companies, quarter-masters belonging to cavalry and dragoon corps, and of serjeants from the infantry, after having served ten years in that capacity; of those likewise who, having left the cavalry to enter into the body-guards, had again returned to the cavalry. Within this class were also comprehended the _gardes magasins_, the captains and conductors of artillery, after thirty years service, ten of which were to be in the last mentioned capacities. All belonging to this class wore an uniform distinguished from the dress of the soldier, and were permitted to wear a sword. They received at the commencement of every month 15 sols, or 7¹⁄₂d. English, for ordinary expences; they were lodged in a particular quarter of the building, which was allotted to their use; they had a separate room to mess in; and they were fed like the common soldier, with this only exception, that each of them was allowed every morning a _demi-septier_, or an English pint, of wine. Those belonging to established garrisons in forts or citadels composed companies which were called _compagnies de bas-officiers_, companies of non-commissioned officers.

The third class was composed of private soldiers, heavy horsemen, and dragoons archers attached to the constable’s jurisdiction and marèchaussées, or patroles belonging to the police, masters or common workmen and artillery drivers.

HOTTE, _Fr._ a sort of hand-basket, which is often made use of in the construction of batteries and other works, and serves to carry earth from one part to another. Hence the word _hod_ a well known machine for carrying bricks.

HOTTENTOTS, the Aborigines, or native inhabitants of our present settlement at the Cape of Good Hope.

HOULLIER, _Fr._ an obsolete French term, which meant what is now expressed by _Picoreur des armées_, or a free-booter.

HOUN, a gold coin of the Mysore country, value about four rupees, or two dollars.

HOURDEYS, _Fr._ an old French term which signified, first, hurdles with which the tops of the walls belonging to a fortified town were covered, in order to shield them against the concussion of warlike machines; and secondly, a machine formerly used, which was called in Latin _hordacium_.

HOUSEHOLD _troops_. The Life-Guards, Royal Regiment of Horse-Guards, and the three regiments of Foot-Guards are so stiled. It is a ridiculous privilege of these regiments, in the British service, that no officer of the line, fencibles or militia, can sit upon a court martial which may be assembled for the trial of any person belonging to them.

HOUSING, or _saddle_-HOUSING, cloth, skin, or other ornaments added to saddles, by way of distinction; frequently embroidered with gold or silver, or edged with gold or silver lace.

HOUSS. See HOUSING.

HOWITZ, a kind of mortar, mounted upon a field-carriage like a gun: the difference between a mortar and a howitz is, that the trunnions of the first are at the end, and of the other in the middle. The invention of howitzes is of much later date than mortars, as from them they had their origin.

The constructions of howitzes are as various and uncertain as those of mortars, excepting the chambers, which are all cylindric. They are distinguished by the diameter of the bore; for instance, a 10 inch howitz is that, the diameter of which is 10 inches; and so of the larger or smaller ones.

Howitz _battery_ is made the same as a gun battery, only the embrasures are made at least a foot wider, on account of the shortness of the howitz. See BATTERY.

_Field_ HOWITZER. The modern French use 6-inch howitzers in the field, which can throw a grenade at 6 degrees elevation, to a distance of 600 toises. The 6-inch howitzer can likewise throw to a smaller distance, a cartridge with 61 balls, of seventeen lines diameter. In both instances the effects are extremely fatal. The cavalry, in particular, can be annoyed by the former, in so galling a manner, as to be rendered almost useless.

These howitz are used very numerously by the light or horse artillery; for which their form and weight admirably fit them.

HOWITZERS.--_Dimensions and weight of brass Howitzers._

+-----------+---------+--------------+-------+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Length| | | | | of | | Kind. | Length. | Weight. | bore. | +-----------+---------+--------------+-------+ |Inch. diam.|Ft. Inch.|cwt. qrs. lbs.|Inches.| |10 | 3 11¹⁄₂| 25 3 14 | 29.9 | | 8 | 3 1 | 12 3 12 | 24.7 | | 5¹⁄₂ Heavy| | 10 0 0 | | | 5¹⁄₂ Light| 2 2³⁄₄| 4 0 2 | 18.47 | | 4²⁄₅ | 1 10 | 3 0 13 | 15.21 | +-----------+---------+--------------+-------+

+-----------+--------------------------------+ | | Chamber. | | +-------+---------------+--------+ | | | | Powder | | | | Diameter. | con- | | | +-------+-------+ tained | | Kind. |Length.|at top.|bottom.| in. | +-----------+-------+-------+-------+--------+ |Inch. diam.|Inches.|Inches.|Inches.|lbs. oz.| |10 | 12.6 | 5.776| 4.12 | 7 0 | | 8 | 8.61 | 4.6 | 3.40 | 3 8 | | 5¹⁄₂ Heavy| | | | 3 0 | | 5¹⁄₂ Light| 6.02 | 3.2 | 2.45 | 1 0 | | 4²⁄₅ | 4.52 | 2.73 | 2.24 | 0 8 | +-----------+-------+-------+-------+--------+

_French Howitzers, in their own old weights and measures._

Ft. In. lbs. lbs. oz. 8 inches}diameter.| }length.|1110}weight.| 1 12}charge. 6 inches} | 2 3} | 670} | 1 12}full.

_Table containing the kinds of Howitzers used by different powers in Europe._

+---------+------------------+-------+ |Nations. | Kinds. |Shells.| +---------+------------------+-------+ | | | Wt. | | {|25 Pr.[11] |62 lbs.| |Prussian{|10 -- |27 | | {| 7 -- |14 | |Danish { |18 -- |36 | | { |10 -- |20 | |Saxon {|16 -- |32 | | {| 8 -- |16 | |Hanover{ |30 -- |61 | | { |16 -- |33 | | {|4²⁄₅ inch or 4 Pr.| 8 lb. | |English {|5¹⁄₂ inch or 8 Pr.|16 | | {|8 inch or 23 Pr. |46 | |French { |6 inch or 12 Pr. |23 | | { |8 inch or 22 Pr. |43 | +---------+------------------+-------+

[11] See the word SHELL for the principle on which the Germans class them in pounders.

_Ranges with a light 5¹⁄₂ inch Howitzer. 1798._

+-----+---------------------+---------------------+ | | 4 Ounces. | 8 Ounces. | | +-------+------+------+-------+------+------+ | | | Range| | |Range | | | Ele-| | to | Ex- | | to | Ex- | | va- | | first| treme| |first | treme| |tion.|Flight.|graze.|range.|Flight.|graze.|range.| +-----+-------+------+------+-------+------+------+ | Deg.| Sec. |Yards.| | Sec. |Yards.| | | P B | | | | 1 | 96 | | | 1 | 1 | 66 | | 1¹⁄₂ | 143 | | | 2 | 1 | 85 | | 1- | 184 | | | 3 | 1¹⁄₂ | 100 | | 2 | 258 | | | 4 | 1- | 110 | From | 2- | 307 | From | | 5 | 2 | 115 | 400 | 2- | 376 | 700 | | 6 | 2 | 168 | to | 3 | 408 | to | | 7 | 2 | 194 | 600 | 3- | 529 | 1000 | | 8 | 2- | 226 |yards.| 4- | 630 |yards.| | 9 | 2- | 282 | | 5 | 645 | | | 10 | 2- | 279 | | 5 | 642 | | | 11 | 2- | 260 | | 5- | 797 | | | 12 | 3 | 315 | | 5- | 715 | | +-----+-------+------+------+-------+------+------+

+-----+---------------------+---------------------+ | | 12 Ounces. | 1 Pound. | | +-------+------+------+-------+------+------+ | | |Range | | |Range | | | Ele-| | to | Ex- | | to | Ex- | | va- | |first | treme| |first | treme| |tion.|Flight.|graze.|range.|Flight.|graze.|range.| +-----+-------+------+------+-------+------+------+ | Deg.| Sec. |Yards.| | Sec. |Yards.| | | P B | 1¹⁄₂ | 140 | | 1¹⁄₂ | 159 | | | 1 | 2 | 334 | | 1 | 325 | | | 2 | 2 | 351 | | 2 | 490 | | | 3 | 2- | 506 | | 3 | 668 | | | 4 | 3 | 500 | From | 4 | 728 | From | | 5 | 3 | 509 | 1000 | 5- | 918 | 1100 | | 6 | 3- | 581 | to | 5 | 823 | to | | 7 | 5 | 872 | 1350 | 6 | 975 | 1400 | | 8 | 6- | 975 |yards.| 7 | 1044 |yards.| | 9 | 7 | 911 | | 8 | 1049 | | | 10 | 7 | 1021 | | 8 | 1104 | | | 11 | 7- | 1177 | | 8 | 1173 | | | 12 | | | | | | | +-----+-------+------+------+-------+------+------+

_Ranges with a heavy 5¹⁄₂ inch Howitzer. 1793._

+-----+---------------------+---------------------+ | | 2 Pounds. | 3 Pounds. | | +-------+------+------+-------+------+------+ | Ele-| | | Ex- | | | Ex- | | va- | | First| treme| | First| treme| |tion.|Flight.|Graze.|range.|Flight.|Graze.|range.| +-----+-------+------+------+-------+------+------+ | Deg.| Sec. | Y’ds.|Yards.| Sec. | Y’ds.|Yards.| | 1 | 2 | 453 | | 3 | 479 | | | 2 | 4 | 595 | | 5 | 722 | | | 3 | 4 | 666 | | 5 | 921 | | | 4 | 5 | 847 | | 5 | 1000 | | | 5 | 5 | 957 | From | 7 | 1325 | From | | 6 | 7 | 1173 | 1400 | 8 | 1530 | 1400 | | 7 | 9 | 1449 | to | 9 | 1577 | to | | 8 | 8 | 1355 | 1900 | 9 | 1721 | 2000 | | 9 | 8 | 1585 | | 9 | 1801 | | | 10 | 10 | 1853 | | 9 | 1791 | | | 11 | 9 | 1793 | | 12 | 1013 | | | 12 | 10 | 1686 | | | | | +-----+-------+------+------+-------+------+------+

HUE AND CRY, an English official Gazette so called, which is published at the expiration of every third week in the year, and serves to advertise deserters. That part which immediately relates to desertions is divided into seventeen columns, viz names, corps, age, size, coat, waistcoat, breeches, hair, complexion, eyes, marks, and remarks, trade, &c., parish born, county born, time, from whence, agent’s names, agent’s abode.

HUGHLY WACCA, _Ind._ a newspaper or chronicle which is kept by the officers of the native governments in India.

HUISSIER _d’armes_, _Fr._ tipstaff; an officer formerly so called in France, who was attached to the royal household. They were at first distinguished by the name of _Sergens d’armes_, or serjeants at arms. Some were directed to bear the mace before the king during the day, and obtained on that account the appellation of _Huissiers d’armes_; in later times while the monarchy subsisted, they were called the _Huissiers_, or tipstaffs of the king’s chamber. Others kept watch in the king’s bed-chamber during the night, and were sworn to expose their lives for the safety of his person, whence they obtained the name of _archers de la garde_, which term was changed into _gardes-du-corps_, or body-guards.

_Death_ HUNTERS, followers of an army, who, after the engagement look for dead bodies, in order to strip them. They generally consist of soldiers’ wives, &c.

HUNGARIAN _battalion_, a body of men belonging to the Austrian army, whose dress consists in a white jacket, the buttons straight down to the waist, with blue colored collar, cuffs and skirts before and behind, like the rest of the Austrian infantry, with this difference, that the latter have white breeches and long black gaiters, and the former wear light blue pantaloons and half-boots.

HUNS, GOTHS, and VANDALS, barbarous tribes that inhabited the various provinces of Germany which had never been subdued by the Romans, or were scattered over those vast countries in the north of Europe, and north west of Asia which are now occupied by the Danes, the Swedes, the Poles, the subjects of the Russian empire, and the Tartars.

HURDLES, in _fortification_, are made of twigs of willows or osiers, interwoven close together, sustained by long stakes. They are made in the figure of a long square; the length being 5 or 6 feet, and breadth 3 or 3¹⁄₂. The closer they are wattled together, the better. They serve to render batteries firm, or to consolidate the passage over muddy ditches; or to cover traverses and lodgments for the defence of the workmen against the fireworks, or the stones, that may be thrown against them.

HURDLE _Battery_. See BATTERY. These are the invention of colonel Congreve of the British Artillery, and are admirably adapted for temporary fortifications. They consist of hurdles fixed in the ground in a triangular form, the intermediate space being filled with sand or earth, &c. are constructed in a few minutes, and in any figure.

HURTER, a flatted iron fixed against the body of an axle-tree, with straps to take off the friction of the naves of wheels against the body.

HURTOIR, a piece of timber about 6 inches square, placed before the wheels of a carriage, against the parapet of a battery, to prevent the wheels from doing damage to the parapet.

HURTLE. See SKIRMISH.

HUSB _ul hookum, or_ HASSAB _ul hookum_, Ind. a patent or order, under the seal of the Vizier, with these initial words, which signify, _always to command_.

HUSSARDS, _Fr._ hussars. They were first introduced into the French service in 1692, and owed their origin to the Hungarian cavalry which was subsidized by France before the reign of Louis XIII.

HUSSARS, are the national cavalry of Hungary and Croatia, they never encamp, consequently are not burthened with any kind of camp equipage, saving a kettle and a hatchet to every six men. They always lie in the woods, out-houses, or villages, in the front of the army. The emperor of Austria and the king of Prussia, had many troops under this name in their service. See CAVALRY.

_Death’s-Head_ HUSSARS, a regiment of Hussars in the Prussian service, so called from the emblems of death being exhibited on their caps. They were dressed in black, faced with yellow, and rode small active horses.

In the seven years war they obtained considerable reputation under the command of the brave and intrepid general Ziethen.

HUT. The ancient mode of encamping was in little huts. In the American war, hutted camps were not uncommon. The French armies have encamped in huts from 1793, as in that years campaign they lost all their tents.

HUTTE, _Fr._ Hut.

HUZZOOR NAVEIS, _Ind._ a secretary who resides at an Indian court, and keeps copies of all firmauns, records, or letters. _Huzzoor_, is the court, _Naveis_, a writer.

HYDER, the Arabic term for lion. This title is often given to men of rank in India.

HYDER ALI, the sultan of Mysore; was known under the name of Hyder Naik; his son Tippoo succeeded him, and was killed at the storming of Seringapatam by the British forces.

HYDER COOLY, a term of subjection used in India, meaning literally the slave; but not so understood; it is a proud assertion of humility, such as the pope used, in calling himself the fisherman.

HYDERABAD, HYDRABAD, a city in Asia, which arose from the desertion of Golconda. This name is often used in Indostan when Hyderabad is meant. Hyderabad became the principal rendezvous of the Mahomedans opposed to the Marattahs whose country lies between Guzzerat and Golconda. See MARATTAHS.

HYDRAULIC, (_Hydraulique_, _Fr._) the name of a particular science, which points out the method of conducting and raising bodies of water.

_Colonnes_ HYDRAULIQUES, _Fr._ columns ornamented by sheets of water or water spouts.

HYDROMETER (_Hydrometre_, _Fr._) the name of an instrument which serves to ascertain the dryness or moisture of the atmosphere.

HYDROSTATIC, (_Hydrostatique_, _Fr._) the name of a science whose principal object is to ascertain the weight of fluids, particularly of water, and of all bodies that are either borne upon the surface or immersed beneath it.

HYPERBOLA, the section of a cone made by a plane, so that the axis of the section shall incline to the opposite leg of the cone.

HYPOTHENUSE, that line which subtends the right angle of a right angled triangle.

J.

JACK. See GIN.

JACK-_boots_. Boots formerly worn by cavalry, made of thick firm leather, hardened in a peculiar manner, that is by a mixture of rosin, pitch, and oil, applied before a fire until they become stiff and impervious to water. They were sometimes lined with plates of iron. The best infantry caps are jacked leather.

JACK _wambasium_, a sort of coat armor, formerly worn by horsemen, not of solid iron but of many plates fastened together, which some persons by tenure were bound to find upon any invasion.

JACKET, a short coat. See CLOTHING.

JACOB’S _staff_, a mathematical instrument for taking heights and distances, called also a _cross staff_.

JACQUE, _ou_ JAQUE, _Fr._ a sort of close jacket, which was formerly worn by the _francs-archers_, or free archers, and reached down to the knee. These jackets were stuffed underneath the linen or cloth with which they were made. They sometimes consisted of leather, lined with 20 or 30 pieces of old cloth, rather loosely put together. The ancient horsemen wore these jackets under their coats of mail, and they were called _gobison_.

JADE, _Fr._ a very hard stone, of an olive color, with which the handles of swords and sabres are made in Poland and Turkey. This stone is said to possess wonderful virtues for the removal of the gravel or nephritic cholic; in these cases it is simply applied to the loins.

JAFFURNAPATAM. The town of Ceylon is so called by the Indians. The port of Jaffur.

JAGURNHAUT, _Ind._ a Hindoo pagoda, on the Balasore coast, bay of Bengal.

JAGHIRDAR, the person in possession of a jaghire.

JAGHIRE, an Indian term, signifying the assignment of the revenues of a district to a servant or dependant of government, who is hence called a _jaghirdar_. Jaghires are either _mushroot_, which means conditional, or _belashurt_, which signifies unconditional. Jaghires are frequently given in India to persons as a reward and compensation for their military services. The British obtained footing in Bengal first as traders by courtesy; they then got a _Jaghire mushroot_.

JAGHIRE ASHAM, _Ind._ land granted for the support of the troops.

JAGHIRE ZAT, _Ind._ lands granted for private maintenance.

JAM, _Fr._ which is sometimes written _jamb_, is a thick bed of stone, by which the operations of the miners are suddenly interrupted when they are pursuing the veins of ore.

JAMBEUX. An obsolete word, which formerly signified boots, covers, or armor for the legs.

JAMBS, sometimes written _jaumbs_, _Fr._ The side posts of a door.

JALET, _Fr._ a name given to certain round stones which are cast out of a bow called _arbalête à jalet_, or cross-bow. These stones are more generally called _galet_.

JALONS, _Fr._ long poles with a wisp of straw at the top. They are fixed at different places and in different roads, to serve as signals of observation to advancing columns, when the country is inclosed, &c. They are likewise used as camp-colors to mark out the ground on days of exercise.

JALONNEMENT _d’une colonné_, _Fr._ is the designation of certain points by which a column is governed on its march.

JALONNEURS, _Fr._ are the men selected from a battalion to mark out the ground, or, to take up relative points towards which the columns may march. We call them _guides_ of _manœuvre_.

_St._ JAMES, _Knights of_, a military order in Spain, first instituted in the year 1170, by Ferdinand II. king of Leon and Galicia. The greatest dignity belonging to this order was that of grand master, which had been united to the crown of Spain. The knights were obliged to make proof of their descent from families that had been noble for four generations on both sides; they must also make it appear that their said ancestors had neither been _Jews_, _Saracens_, nor _heretics_, nor have ever been called in question by the Inquisition! The novices were obliged to serve six months in the gallies, and to live a month in a monastery. They observed the rules of St. Austin, making no vows but of poverty, obedience, and conjugal fidelity.

JANIBAR, _Ind._ an advocate; a defender; it likewise signifies a partial person.

JANISSAIRES, _Fr._ See JANIZARIES.

JANIZARIES. The first establishment of this body of armed men took place when the sultan Amurat obtained such wonderful success in the inroads that were made into Thrace, and a part of Macedonia, by the Bachas Lala, Saim, and Auranos. Nor was the sultan satisfied with this good fortune; he pushed his successes into Europe, and took an immense number of prisoners of all ages, but principally children. These were put under military tuition, with the view of hereafter converting them to some useful purpose for the Ottoman state.

Amurat took advice of one Agis Bictas, who by the dint of hypocrisy had obtained the character and reputation of a very virtuous man. Agis Bictas gave directions in the first instance, that these children should put several christians to death. He did this with the view of accustoming their young minds to scenes of slaughter, and to inure them to cruelty, as they were hereafter to compose the groundwork of the Turkish infantry, under the appellation of _janizaries_, or _new militia_. He next instructed them to observe an austere and barbarous outside appearance, and to become emulous of acquiring peculiar fame whenever they should be engaged in battle. In order to impress them with ideas of grandeur, he took off a part of his muslin sleeve, and twisted it in the shape of a turban, put it round the head of one of the children, when the corps were first established. This turban or cap was the model which the rest were to imitate. The Janizaries wear the same sort to this day, with the addition of some gold lace.

The body of janizaries has been considerably augmented since their first establishment. According to a late account they have been increased to 54,222; these have been divided into three separate corps, viz. into _jajabeys_, _bolykys_, and _selmanys_. These were moreover distinguished among themselves by the following names; _corigys_, _oturakys_, and _fodlahorans_.