Part 83

MAIDEN, an edged instrument used at Edinburgh in former times for the decapitation of criminals. The original invention is by some attributed to an inhabitant of Halifax, in Yorkshire. The guillotine, so called from a French physician of that name, and by which the unfortunate Louis the Sixteenth was executed, January 21st, 1793, owes its origin to the Maiden.

MAIL, primarily denotes the holes or meshes in a net: it likewise signifies a round iron ring. Hence

_Coat of_ MAIL, a coat of armor or steel net-work, anciently worn for defence.

MAILLET, _Fr._ a mallet. The French formerly made use of this instrument as an offensive weapon in their engagements.

In 1351 the mallet was used at the famous battle _des Trente_ (of thirty) which derived its name from the number of combatants that fought on each side.

This extraordinary combat, holds a distinguished place in the history of Britanny, and was entered into by the partisans of Charles of Blois, and the king of France on one side, and by the count Montfort and the king of England on the other.

Under the reign of Charles VI. a Parisian mob forced the arsenal, took out a large quantity of mallets, with which they armed themselves for the purpose of murdering the custom-house officers. The persons who assembled on this occasion were afterwards called Maillotins.

In the days of Louis XII. the English archers carried mallets as offensive weapons.

MAILLOTIN, _Fr._ an old French term; which signified, an ancient weapon that was used to attack men who wore helmets and cuirasses. A faction in France was distinguished by the appellation of Maillotins.

MAIN _Armée_, _Fr._ Armed force.--_Entrer a main armée dans un pays_, is to enter into a country with armed men.

MAIN. _Venir aux mains_, _Fr._ To come to close action.

MAIN-BATTLE. See BATTLE-ARRAY.

MAIN-BODY _of the army_, the body of troops that march between the advance and rear-guards. In a camp, that part of the army encamped between the right and left wings.

MAIN-GUARD, or grand-guard, a body of horse posted before a camp for the security of an army. In garrison, it is a guard generally mounted by a subaltern officer and about 24 men. See GUARD.

MAIN-_Guard_. The French observed the following general maxims, with respect to their _Grandes-Gardes_ or main-guards. In the first place, every main-guard on foot or horseback, must be so posted as to remain secure of not being surprised and carried off, nor easily forced to abandon its position. In order to accomplish these two objects, it must constantly be within the reach of the different piquets; and, if necessary, those piquets should be readily supported by the army itself.

MAINTAIN, when any body of men defend a place or post, against the attacks of an adverse party, they are said to _maintain_ it.

MAJOR. A superior officer in the army, whose functions vary according to the nature of the service on which he is employed.

MAJOR _of a regiment of foot_, the next officer to the lieutenant-colonel, generally promoted from the eldest captain: he is to take care that the regiment be well exercised, to see it march in good order, and to rally it in case of being broke in action: he is the only officer among the infantry that is allowed to be on horseback in time of action, that he may the more readily execute the colonel’s orders.

_The_ MAJOR _of a regiment of horse_ as well as foot, ought to be a man of honor, integrity, understanding, courage, activity, experience, and address: he should be master of arithmetic, and keep a detail of the regiment in every particular: he should be skilled in horsemanship, and ever attentive to his business: one of his principal functions is, to keep an exact roster of the officers for duty; he should have a perfect knowlege in all the military evolutions, as he is obliged by his post to instruct others, &c.

_Town_-MAJOR, the third officer in order in a garrison, and next to the deputy-governor. He should understand fortification, and has a particular charge of the guards, rounds, patroles, and centinels.

_Brigade_-MAJOR, is a particular officer appointed for that purpose, only in camp: or attached to a brigade when an army is brigaded; he goes every day to head quarters to receive orders from the adjutant general: from thence he goes and gives the orders, at the place appointed for that purpose, to the different majors or adjutants of the regiments which compose his brigade, and regulates with them the number of officers and men which each are to furnish for the duty of the army; taking care to keep an exact roster, that one may not give more than another, and that each march in their tour; in short, the major of brigade is charged with the particular detail in his own brigade, in much the same way as the adjutant-general is charged with the general detail of the duty of the army. He sends every morning to the adjutant-general an exact return, by battalion and company, of the men of his brigade missing at the retreat, or a report, expressing that none are absent: he also mentions the officers absent with or without leave.

As all orders pass through the hands of the majors of brigade, they have infinite occasions of making known their talents and exactness.

MAJOR _of Artillery_, is also the next officer to the lieutenant-colonel. His post is very laborious, as the whole detail of the corps particularly rests with him; and for this reason all the non-commissioned officers are subordinate to him, as his title of serjeant-major imports; in this quality they must render him an exact account of every thing which comes to their knowlege, either regarding the duty or wants of the artillery and soldiers. He should possess a perfect knowlege of the power of artillery, together with all its evolutions. In the field he goes daily to receive orders from the brigade-major, and communicates them with the parole to his superiors, and then dictates them to the adjutant. He should be a very good mathematician, and be well acquainted with every thing belonging to the train of artillery, &c.

MAJOR _of engineers_, should be very well skilled in military architecture, fortification, gunnery, and mining. He should know how to fortify in the field, to attack and defend all sorts of posts, and to conduct the works in a siege, &c. See ENGINEER.

_Aid_-MAJOR, is on sundry occasions appointed to act as major, who has a pre-eminence above others of the same denomination. Our horse and foot guards have their guidons, or second and third majors.

_Serjeant_-MAJOR, is a non-commissioned officer, of great merit and capacity, subordinate to the adjutant, as he is to the major. See SERJEANT.

_Drum_-MAJOR, is not only the first drummer in the regiment, but has the same authority over his drummers as the corporal has over his squad. He instructs them in their different beats; is daily at orders with the serjeants, to know the number of drummers for duty. He marches at their head when they beat in a body. In the day of battle, or at exercise, he must be very attentive to the orders given him, that he may regulate his beats according to the movements ordered.

_Fife_-MAJOR, is he that plays the best on that instrument, and has the same authority over the fifers as the drum-major has over the drummers. He teaches them their duty, and appoints them for guards, &c.

MAJOR-_General_. See GENERAL.

MAJOR, _Fr._ The French considered this term, in a military sense, under the following heads:--

MAJOR-_Général d’une Armée_, _Fr._ Major-general generally so called, which see.

MAJOR-_Général de l’Infanterie Francoise_, _Fr._ Major-general of the French infantry. This appointment was made under Francis the 1st in 1515.

MAJOR-_Général des Dragons_, _Fr._ a major-general of dragoons. His functions were similar to those exercised by the _Maréchal-géneral des logis de la Cavalerie_; and nearly the same as those of the major-general of infantry.

MAJOR _de Brigade_, _Fr._ Brigade-major.

MAJOR _d’un Régiment de Cavalerie_, _Fr._ Major in a regiment of cavalry.

MAJOR _d’un Régiment d’Infanterie_, _Fr._ Major of a regiment of infantry. Under the old government of France all majors of infantry regiments, were styled sergent-majors, or serjeant-majors in their commissions. They were not permitted to have any company of their own: because it was reasonably judged, that their own interest might render them more partial to that company, and the service be thereby injured.

MAJOR _d’une Place de Guerre_, _Fr._ Town-major.

MAJOR, _des quatres compagnies des Gardes du corps_, _Fr._ A rank which was exclusively given to an officer belonging to the old French guards. This was an appointment of considerable trust under the old government of France. He was lieutenant in each of the companies; and had the right of seniority over all lieutenants younger than himself in date of commission.

MAJOR _sur un vaisseau de guerre_, _Fr._ An officer on board a ship of war, whose duty it was to see the guard regularly mounted, and the sentries posted.

_Etat_-MAJOR, _Fr._ A comprehensive French term, in which is included every thing that can be conveyed under the word staff, as applicable to the British service. In a very recent publication, intituled, _Manuel des Adjudans-Généraux et leurs Adjoints_, the particular duties of the etat-major are accurately explained, of which an entire translation is incorporated with the _American Military Library_. Another work on the same subject, was published in 1809, by general _Grimoard_, entitled _Traité sur le Service des Armées contenant son organisation, et ses fonctions sous les rapports administratifs et Militaires_, with plates. The author began this work in 1778, and part of it was published in 1797, in the _Encyclopédie Methodique_. This work has superceded the work of Thiebault, only on account of its being more comprehensive; their views and principles are the same.

MAJOR-_Dome_, _Fr._ An officer belonging to the gallies, who has the chief superintendance of provisions.

MAJORITY, the office, charge, or appointment of a regimental major.

MAIRE, _Fr._ Under the old government of France the person so called was invested with the first dignity of the kingdom. Charles Martel, of whom so much is said in the history of the French kings, was _Maire_ of the palace. He was, in fact, grand master of the king’s household, and had an entire control over the officers belonging to that establishment.

The appellation of _Maire du Palais_, or mayor of the palace, was given in lieu of _Maitre du Palais_, or master of the palace. This name was borrowed from the Roman emperors, who had each a grand master of the palace. Du Tillet, a French author, in page 12 of his book, pretends that the word is derived from _Mer_, which signifies _Præfect_. At first he had only the care and superintendance of the king’s household, so that his functions were nearly similar to those that were exercised by the grand master of the king’s household previous to the Revolution. During the reign of Clotaire the Second, the power of the _Maires_ increased very considerably. Their influence grew greater through the weakness and effeminacy of the last kings of the second race; so much so, that they maintained an uncontroled power over the royal expenditure, and had the sole management of the king’s affairs. Pepin added the dignity and functions or Maire to the royal prerogative; but he did not suppress them wholly. He merely limited his functions to what they were originally; which however were soon restored, in consequence of the fall and extinction of the second race. As the Maires possessed an unlimited control over the finances and judicature of the country, and had more over the entire management of the war department, they found little difficulty in assuming a superiority over all the officers belonging to the crown. They took precedence of all dukes and counts who were the governors of provinces. On which account they were called _Ducs des Ducs_, or dukes of France. Hugh Capet was duke of France at the time he proclaimed himself king of the country; but the kings belonging to the third race, being convinced that the authority which was thus vested in one person, must eventually prove extremely dangerous, abolished the office of _Maire du Palais_, or duke of France. They divided the functions, and created the four great officers that were immediately attached to the crown. The command and superintendance of the army, were entrusted to the constable; the administration of civil justice was vested in the chancellor; the management of the finances was given to the grand treasurer, and the care of the king’s household devolved upon the seneschal, who was afterwards styled grand master.

MAISON-_du-Roi_, _Fr._ The king’s household. Certain select bodies of troops were so called during the monarchy of France, and consisted of the _gardes du corps_ or body-guards, the _Gendarmes_, _Chevaux legers_ or light horse, _Mousquetaires_ or musqueteers, _la gendarmerie_, _grenadiers à cheval_ or horse-grenadiers, the regiments belonging to the French and Swiss guards, and the _cent Suisses_ or hundred Swiss guards. The _Maison-du-Roi_ or king’s household, was not considered as a separate establishment from the rest of the army, until the reign of Louis IV. This establishment was successively formed by different kings out of militia companies, which they took into their body guard.

MAISON _Meurtriere_, _Fr._ This term was formerly given to casemates.

MAITRE _des armes_, _Fr._ Master at arms. An officer, during the existence of the Grecian empire, who took precedence of the _Maitre de la milice_, or commander of the militia.

MAITRE _d’armes_, _Fr._ A term in general use among the French, signifying a fencing master. Every regiment has a _maitre d’armes_ attached to it.

MAKE-_Ready_, a word of command in the firing, on which the soldier brings his piece to the _recover_, at the same time cocking it ready for firing.

MAL _d’armée_, _Fr._ A sort of contagious disorder which sometimes rages in an army, and is occasioned by too much fatigue, or by bad food.

MAL-_de-Mer_, _Fr._ Sea-sickness.

MAL-_de-Terre_, _Fr._ The scurvy is so called by the French.

MALABAR GUNS, _Ind._ Heavy pieces of ordnance, which are made in the Malabar country, and are formed by means of iron bars joined together with hoops. They are very long, and extremely unwieldy.

MALADES, _Fr._ The sick.

_Soldats_-MALADES, _Fr._ Soldiers on the sick list.

MALANDRINS, _Fr._ a set of free-booters, who under the reign of Charles V. infested France. During the 14th century, these plunderers made their appearance twice in considerable bodies. They consisted chiefly of discharged soldiers who formed themselves into marauding parties, and pillaged with impunity all the travellers they met. _Abbé de Choisi_, relates that it was extremely hazardous to oppose them in their first onset. These pillagers, whom the inhabitants called _Malandrins_, assembled in different cantons, chose their own leaders, and observed a sort of discipline in their depredations.

They usually contrived to station themselves in such a manner, that it was impossible to attack them.

They plundered or destroyed many places and buildings through which they passed, and paid no regard to church or state. Their principal and most notorious leaders, were the Chevalier de Vert, brother to the count d’Auxerre, Hugues de Caurelée, Mathieu de Gournar, Hugues de Varennes, Gauthier Huet, and Robert Lescot, who all belonged to some order of knighthood. Bertrand du Guesclin cleared the country of these dangerous and unprincipled men, by leading them into Spain under a pretence of fighting the Moors, when in reality his object was to attack Peter the cruel. See French Hist. de Charles V. liv. 1. page 86.

MALINGERER, (from the French) one who feigns illness to avoid his duty.

MALINGRE, _Fr._ peaking, sickly.

MALL. See MAUL.

MALLET, a wooden hammer, to drive the pegs into the ground, by which a tent is fastened; it is likewise used on various other occasions, especially in fortification and artillery.

MALLEABLE, in the art of founding, a property of metals, whereby they are capable of being extended under the hammer.

MALTA. The strongest place in the Mediterranean, taken by the French troops during the present war, from the knights of that order, and since re-taken by the British. The island of Malta may be considered as a key to the Levant. See MILITARY orders.

MAMMILLIARIA, (_Mammellieres_, _Fr._) a word corrupted from the Latin, signifying a sort of armor, or that part of armor which formerly covered the chest and nipples. _Etienne de la fontaine_, who was silver smith to the French court, mentions among other articles two sets of _Mammillieries_, in an account which was delivered in the year 1352.

MAMALUKES, (_Mammelucs_, _Fr._) Some writers assert that they were Turkish and Circassian slaves, originally purchased from the wandering tartars by Meliesaheh, and amounting in number to one thousand men. They were trained and disciplined to war, and some were raised to the first places of trust in the empire. Other writers say that the mamelukes were generally chosen out of christian slaves, and may be considered in the same light as the Turkish janizaries are; others again assert, that they originally came from Circassia, and attracted public notice by their valor, &c. in 869. See _D’Herbelot_, page 545. The mamelukes have made a considerable figure during the present war, especially in their contest against Bonaparte, for the defence of Egypt. They afterwards joined the French, and formed a considerable part of their cavalry.

MAN, to _man the works_, is to post the soldiers on the lines so as to be ready for their defence, &c. In the plural number it means soldiers, as an army consisting of 12,000 men.

_Flank-front-rank_-MAN. Each soldier upon the right and left extremity of the first line or rank of any given body of troops is so called.

_Flank-rear-rank_-MAN. Each soldier upon the right and left extremity of the last line or rank of any given body of troops.

When a company or battalion is drawn up three deep, the two men who stand at the extremities of the centre line may be called _flank-centre-rank-men_.

MANCELLE, _Fr._ a small chain which is fixed to the collars of carriage or dray horses, and which terminates in a large iron ring, that is attached to the shaft. It likewise means the ring itself.

MANCHE _d’un Bataillon_, _Fr._ literally means the sleeve of a battalion.--This word originally signified any small body consisting of 40 or 60 men, which were drawn out of the main-body of a battalion, and were posted by files upon the corners or angles of the same battalion.

At present the word _manches_ means the wings of a battalion, the centre of which was composed of pikemen, whilst pikes were in use. Thus there were right and left wings, which were again divided into half-wings, quarter-wings, and half-quarter-wings.

Any battalion may defile or break off by wings, half-wings, or by the other proportions.

The term _manche_, or wing, was undoubtedly adopted for the express purpose of distinguishing several small corps, which, though at times connected and standing together, could suddenly detach themselves, and act against the enemy without occasioning the most trifling fluctuation or movement in the main body. The Greeks and Romans must have had a term synonimous to _manche_, in order to shew the several little portions into which the phalanx of the former, and the legion of the latter, were at times divided, when there was occasion for either to manœuvre upon the same principles that we do by wings.

_Gardes de la Manche_, _Fr._ Men belonging to the old French body guards, who on particular occasions, as at the Royal Chapel, &c. stood on each side of the king, dressed in hoquetons, and armed with pertuisanes or lances.

_La_ MANCHE, _Fr._ The channel.

_La_ MANCHE _Britannique_, _Fr._ The British channel.

_La_ MANCHE _de Bristol_, _Fr._ The Bristol channel.

MANCHE _d’outil_, _Fr._ The handle of any utensil.

MANDARIN. A name which the Portuguese originally gave to the Chinese nobility. According to a French author, the Mandarins are divided into nine orders, each having a peculiar mark of distinction to ascertain its rank.

_Civil_ MANDARINS. (_Mandarins lettrés_, _Fr._) These were able and scientific men who had the management of the different branches belonging to civil government.

_Military_ MANDARINS. (_Mandarins militaires_, _Fr._) A certain proportion of the body of mandarins is selected by the emperor of China, to superintend and command the militia of the country, these are called military mandarins.

The mandarins are considered as noblemen, but their rank is not hereditary. Every mandarin undergoes a severe and close examination respecting his natural and acquired talents, before he receives a civil or military appointment; and there are public schools or seminaries to which the natives of the empire may repair to obtain the requisite qualifications for such important and honorable stations.

MANDILION, (_Mandille_, _Fr._) the soldier’s coat is so called by the Italians. It does not, however, bear that meaning either amongst us or among the French; _Mandilion_ and _Mandille_ signifying a footman’s great coat.

MANEGE, in horsemanship, the exercise of riding the great horse, or the ground set apart for that purpose; which is sometimes covered, for continuing the exercise in bad weather; and sometimes open, in order to give more liberty and freedom both to the horseman and horse.

MANGAN, _Fr._ This word is sometimes written MANGON, (See GUN). A warlike machine which was formerly used. The term itself, indeed, was generally adopted to signify any species of warlike machine. But it more particularly meant the largest and most powerful machine that could be used for warlike purposes; whether it was practised to throw enormous stones against besieged places, or to cast javelins, &c. It was likewise called _balista_, from the Greek; _tormentum_ from the Latin _à torquendo_; and sometimes _petraria_, because stones weighing upwards of three hundred and sixty pounds, were thrown from it. This machine answered the double purpose of defending or attacking fortified places, and it was sometimes used at sea. According to a French writer, one of these machines may still be seen at Basle.

MANGANELLE, _Fr._ See MANGONNEAU.

MANGONNEAU, _Fr._ A word originally derived from the Greek, which, according to Potter, seems to signify any engine designed to cast missive weapons. With respect to that particular engine, which the French have called _mangan_, _manganelle_, and _mangonneau_, there is not any specific term for that famous engine, out of which, stones of a size not less than mill-stones, were thrown with such violence, as to dash whole houses in pieces at a blow:--it was called indeed by the Romans, _balista_; but this name though of Grecian original, appears not to have been used in Greece; this engine, however, was known there, and was the same with that used by the Romans, the force of which is thus expressed by Lucan:--

_At faxum quoties ingenti verberis ictu Excutitur, qualis rupes, quam vertice montis Abscidit impulsu ventorum adjuta vetustas; Frangit cunctaruens, nec tantum corpora pressa Exanimas, totos cum sanguine dissipat artus._