Part 92

The great service which this useful corps has frequently rendered, entitles it to a fair record in every publication that treats of military matters. In the course of former wars the marines have distinguished themselves by great perseverance, strict attention to duty, and unquestionable valor. At the siege of Belisle they rose into considerable notice, although they had, at that period, been only recently raised, and were scarcely competent to military discipline. When the marines are at sea, they form part of the ship’s crew, and soon acquire a knowlege of nautical tactics. Their officers are directed by the admiralty, (under whose immediate control they serve,) to encourage them in every disposition to become able seamen; but no sea officer has the power of ordering them to go aloft against their inclination. During an engagement at sea, they are of considerable service in scouring the decks of the enemy, by firing musquetry from the poop, round top, &c. and when they have been long enough out to obtain good sea-legs, they are preferable to mere seamen, especially when the enemy attempts to board; in which case the marines can fraise the poop, quarterdeck, forecastle, &c. with their fixed bayonets, and prevent the completion of their design. In making this observation, we are necessarily led to recommend a more frequent use of the pike. Not only the seamen, but the marines, should be well exercised in the management of that weapon. The interior regulations for the several marine corps, have been well digested, and do credit to the establishment. If any fault can be found on that head, it must relate to the slops, which are given in too large a quantity, considering the little room that a marine must occupy on board. No commissions are bought or sold in the marines; every individual rises according to his seniority; but a marine officer never can arrive at the highest rank or pay which exists upon the marine establishment; one general, one lieutenant general, one major general, three colonels, and one lieutenant colonel commandant, being naval officers with those additional distinctions. It is not within our province to enter into the wisdom or the injustice, not to say ignorance of that policy, which with a series of indisputable claims to notice, still keeps the marine establishment upon the lowest footing of military honor and reward.

The marine forces have of late years been considerably augmented; and we make no doubt but they will continue to be so, from the many confessed advantages which are derived from the peculiar nature of their service. They at present consist of 140 companies, which are stationed in the following manner in three principal divisions:

|| _Ports- || _Ply- _Chatham_|| mouth_ || mouth_ companies|| companies|| companies 1st| 71st|| 2d | 72d || 3d | 73d 4th| 74th|| 5th| 75th|| 6th| 76th 7th| 77th|| 8th| 78th|| 9th| 79th 10th| 80th||11th| 81st||12th| 82d 13th| 83d ||14th| 84th||15th| 85th 16th| 86th||17th| 87th||18th| 88th 19th| 89th||20th| 90th||21st| 91st 22d | 92d ||23d | 93d ||24th| 94th 25th| 95th||26th| 96th||27th| 97th 28th| 98th||29th| 99th||30th|100th 31st|101st||32d |102d ||33d |103d 34th|104th||35th|105th||36th|106th 37th|107th||38th|108th||39th|109th 40th|110th||41st|111th||42d |112th 43d |113th||44th|114th||45th|115th 46th|116th||47th|117th||48th|118th 49th|119th||50th|120th||51st|121st 52d |122d ||53d |123d ||54th|124th 65th|125th||55th|126th||57th|127th 68th|128th||56th|129th||58th|130th | ||59th|131st||60th|132d | ||61st|133d ||62d |134th | ||63d |135th||64th|136th | ||66th|137th||67th|138th | ||69th|139th||70th|140th ----+-----++----+-----++----+----- 40 comp. || 50 comp. || 50 comp.

The siege of St. Jean D’Acre, fabulous as the defence of it may hereafter appear from the extraordinary means which were made use of to reduce the place, and the more extraordinary exertions which succeeded in preserving it, will long be remembered, by the two first rival nations in Europe, and will form a brilliant part of the records of the Turkish empire. When posterity shall read the account, it may doubt the relation in its full extent of wonderful hardihood on both sides; but it will rest satisfied, that the garrison of St. Jean D’Acre would not have resisted the first approach of Bonaparte’s army, had not a handful of British marines stood in each breach his soldiers made, and communicated courage and perseverance to the natives of the place.

It has already been remarked, that the marines are nominally under the command of three general officers, who are admirals, or vice-admirals in the navy, and three colonels belonging to the sea service. The marines themselves never rise beyond the rank of colonel commandant in their own corps, but they may be general officers with respect to the army at large. According to the last printed list there is one colonel commandant, properly so called, with the rank of major general in the army, three colonels commandant and captains, two of whom have the rank of major general in the army; three second colonels commandant and captains, two of whom have the rank of major general in the army; nine lieutenant colonels and captains, six of whom have the rank of colonel in the army, and three that of lieutenant colonel; nine majors and captains, one of whom has the rank of major general in the army, and eight that of lieutenant colonel; making together twenty-five field officers, who are marines properly so called; and six superior officers, who belong to the navy.

To these may be added 116 captains of companies, two of whom have the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army, and one is lieutenant colonel by brevet; 24 captain lieutenants, 256 first lieutenants, 276 second lieutenants, six adjutants, and three quarter masters. The list of those field officers who have been permitted to retire upon full pay, contains one colonel, one lieutenant colonel with the rank of major general, one major with the rank of major by brevet, in the army, 15 captains, 10 with the rank of major by brevet, and one with that of lieutenant colonel by brevet; eight first lieutenants, and three second lieutenants. There are four reduced field officers, two of whom have the rank of major general in the army, and one that of lieutenant colonel; 92 captains, one with the rank of captain in the army, one as field officer in the India company’s service, and nine with the rank of major by brevet; six reduced captain lieutenants, 162 reduced first lieutenants, four of whom have civil employments; 136 second lieutenants, one of whom has a civil employment; and one reduced adjutant. There is one paymaster to the marine establishment, who does not hold any military situation.

The American marine corps, like the British, is a separate establishment; the true system for a military establishment, would be to have the whole force consist only of horse and foot; and all instructed alike in the uses of small arms and artillery; then a selection of artillerists and marines could always be made by skill and not as now by chance.

MARK, a note, character, &c. set upon a thing.

MARK also denotes money of account. The English mark is 13_s._ 4_d._; among the Saxons it was equivalent to 7_s._ 6_d._ English money. It is also a money of account in Scotland, and formerly a silver coin, being equal to 13_d._ and one third English.

_Gunpowder_ MARKS. The different sorts of gunpowder are distinguished by the following marks on the heads of the barrels. All gunpowder for service is mixed in proportions according to its strength, so as to bring it as much as possible to a mean and uniform force. This sort of powder is marked with a blue L. G. and the figure ¹⁄₂, or with F. G. and the figure 3, whose mean force is from 150 to 160 of the eprouvette. This is the powder used for practice, for experiments, and for service. The white L. G. or F. G. is a second sort of powder of this quality. It is sometimes stronger, but not so uniform as the blue L. G. It is therefore generally used in filling shells, or such other things as do not require accuracy. The red L. G. F. G. denotes powder entirely made at the king’s mills, with the coal burnt in cylinders, and is used at present only in particular cases, and in comparisons, and to mix with other sorts to bring them to a mean force. The figures 1, 2, or 3, denote that the powder is made from saltpetre obtained from damaged gunpowder; 4, 5, or 6, from saltpetre obtained from the grough. See pages 123, 124, of the Little Bombardier.

MARK _to shoot at_. A round or square piece of wood, which is generally painted in red and white circles, and has a black spot in the centre called the bull’s eye. Soldiers should be frequently practised in shooting at a mark. At the commencement of the French revolution, particularly in 1792, previous to the battle of Jemmappe, the inhabitants of the different towns exercised themselves several times during the course of the day, in firing at a mark. The national guards did the same. By means of this laudable practice several expert marksmen were formed. We need scarcely add, that the advantages which the service in general derived from their skill, has been too manifest to be denied. It must be evident to every military man that corps of light cavalry, mounted light artillery, and numerous small bodies of marksmen, capable of acting together, or on detached and desultory duties, would answer all the purposes of home defence.

MARK _time_.--To mark time is to move each leg alternately in quick or ordinary time, without gaining ground. This is frequently practiced when a front file or column has opened too much, in order to afford the rear an opportunity of getting up; and sometimes to let the head of a column disengage itself, or a body of troops file by, &c.

_Knights of St._ MARK. An order of knighthood which formerly existed in the republic of Venice, under the protection of St. Mark the evangelist.

_To be_ MARKED. Marshal Saxe, in his reveries, proposes that every soldier should be marked in his right hand to prevent desertion. He recommends the composition which is used by the Indians; and grounds the propriety of his plan upon the custom which prevailed among the Romans, who marked their soldiers with a hot iron. We mention this as a suggestion grounded upon good authority: but we by no means recommend it as an adoption which would be palatable.

MARKSMEN, men expert at hitting a mark.

_Light-armed_ MARKSMEN, men that are armed and accoutred for very active and desultory service. See RIFLEMEN.

_Austrian volunteer_ MARKSMEN, a corps which has been formed in the hereditary dominions of the emperor of Germany, and is daily increasing by recruits and volunteers from the Tyrol, &c. The success which has uniformly attended the French _Tirailleurs_ in all their actions, has induced other nations to pay great attention to the formation of similar corps.

MARLINS, in _artillery_, are tarred white skains, or long wreaths or lines of untwisted hemp, dipped in pitch or tar, with which cables and other ropes are wrapped round, to prevent their fretting and rubbing in the blocks or pullies through which they pass. The same serves in artillery upon ropes used for rigging gins, usually put up in small parcels called skains.

MARON, _Fr._ a piece of brass or copper, about the size of a crown, on which the hours for going the rounds were marked, in the old French service. Several of these were put into a small bag, and deposited in the hands of the major of the regiment, out of which they were regularly drawn by the serjeants of companies, for the officers belonging to them. The hours and half hours of the night were engraved upon each _maron_ in the following manner--_Ronde de dix heures, de dix heures et demie._ The ten o’clock rounds, or those of the half hour past ten.

These pieces were numbered 1, 2, &c. to correspond with the several periods of the nights; so that the officers for instance, who was to go the ten o’clock rounds, had as many _marons_ marked 10, as there were posts or guard-houses which he was directed to visit. Thus on reaching the first, after having given the _mot_, or watchword to the corporal, (who, whilst he receives it, must keep the naked point of his sword or bayonet close to the chest of the person who gives it) he delivers into his hands the _maron_ marked 1. These _marons_ being pierced in the middle, are successively strung by the different corporals upon a piece of wire, from which they slide into a box called _boîte aux rondes_, or box belonging to the rounds. This box is carried next morning to the major, who keeps the key: and who on opening it, can easily ascertain whether the rounds have been regularly gone, by counting the different _marons_, and seeing them successively strung. This is certainly a most excellent invention to prevent a neglect of duty in officers, or non-commissioned officers.

MARON _d’artifice_, _Fr._ a species of firework, which is made with a piece of pasteboard in the shape of a parallelogram, one side of which is as five to three, so that fifteen squares equal among themselves may be made, three on one side, and five on the other; these are folded into the form of a die or cube, and filled with gunpowder. The effect produced by this firework is extremely beautiful.

MARQUE, or _Letters of Marque_, in _military affairs_, are letters of reprisal, granting the people of one state liberty to make reprisals on those of another. See LETTERS _of_ MARQUE.

MARQUEE, a word corrupted from the French _marquise_, signifying a tent or cover made of strong canvas or Russia-duck, which is thrown over another tent, and serves to keep out rain. Its primitive etymology may be traced to _marquis_, or _marchio_, whence marchers, and marches.

The complete weight of a marquée is 1 cwt. 17lbs. ridge pole, 7 feet; standard 8 feet.

MARQUER _le pas_, to mark time.

MARQUER _un camp_, _Fr._ to prick out the lines of an encampment.

MARQUIS, _marquess_, _marchio_, _margrave_, a title of honor given by letter patent to a person who holds a middle rank between the dignity of a duke and that of an earl. This word, like margrave, is derived from the high Dutch, or from the French _marche_, a limit, as the guard of the frontiers was entrusted to a marquis. The title itself is originally French, and was first known under Charlemagne. King Richard the second first introduced the dignity of marquis among the British, by creating Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford, marquis of Dublin; but it was a title without any office annexed to it.

MARQUISE, _Fr._ See MARQUEE.

_Tendre une_ MARQUISE, _Fr._ to pitch a marquée.

MARQUISE, _Fr._ This word likewise means a species of _fusée volante_, which see.

MARS. According to the heathen mythology, the god of war was so called. The French frequently use the word in a figurative sense, viz. _Les travaux de Mars_, the labors or exploits of Mars; _le métier de Mars_, the military profession.

MARSAGLIA; near Turin in Italy, at the battle of 24th September, 1693, Catinat defeated prince Eugene and the duke of Savoy; this battle and place are memorable for being the first at which bayonets were used at the ends of musquets, and to this the French owed the victory.

_The_ MARSEILLOIS, or _Marseilles hymn_, a national march adopted by the French during the course of their revolution, and since regularly played in their armies when they go to battle. It is frequently accompanied, or rather succeeded by the _Cá Ira_, a quick lively tune; the former being calculated for slow or ordinary time, and the latter for quick movements.

MARSHAL, _Field_-MARSHAL, in its primitive signification means an officer who has the care and charge of horses; but it is now applied to officers who have very different employments.--In a military sense, it means the commander in chief of all the forces. It is likewise given as an honorary rank to general officers who have no immediate command. See GENERAL.

MARSHAL _of France_, was an officer of the greatest dignity in the French army. It was first established by Philip-August, in the year 1185.

The French military institutions under the empire, has an establishment of marshals, which is a title of military honor given to generals of pre-eminent merit.

PROVOST-MARSHAL, an executive officer, whose duty is to see punishments put in force, when soldiers are condemned to death, or are to be otherwise chastised. Every army is provided with a provost-marshal general, who has several deputies under him. By the last general regulations it has been ordained, that in case the army should take the field in Great Britain, a deputy provost-marshal will be appointed to each district. The provost, under those circumstances, will frequently make the tour of the camp, and its environs, and will have orders to seize such persons as are committing disorders.

The provost-marshal will be particularly directed, in making his rounds, to execute the awful punishment which the military law awards against plundering and marauding.

And in order to assist him in the discovery of such persons as may be guilty of those offences, the regiments encamped nearest villages, will send frequent patroles into them, to apprehend such persons, as may be there without passes, or who having passes, may behave improperly.

If any soldier is base enough to attempt to desert to the enemy, he will suffer immediate death.

Any person forcing a safeguard will suffer death.

These punishments will attach equally to the followers of the camp, as to soldiers, and must be explained to them by the officers commanding the regiments by which such followers are employed.

The articles of war have decreed punishments for the following offences:--

Death is the absolute punishment for cowardice, or misbehaviour before an enemy, or speaking words inducing others to do the like.

For mutiny, or concealing a mutiny, desertion, sleeping on a post, or quitting it before relieved, plundering after victory, quitting a post in battle, compelling an officer to abandon or give up his post, or persuading others to do the like, corresponding with an enemy, and striking or refusing to obey any superior officer in the execution of his duty, a court-martial may inflict death, or any other punishment it may judge adequate to the offence.

The crimes of persuading others to desert, of concealing, assisting, or relieving an enemy; of being absent from the troop or company a soldier belongs to, absence from duty, drunkenness, and false alarms, are punishable at the discretion of a general or regimental court-martial.

All officers in the command of guards or detachments are enjoined to give assistance to the provost-marshal in the execution of his duty; and any officer or soldier impeding him in the same, or offering him any insult, will receive the most exemplary punishment.

MARSHY _ground_, _les marais_, _Fr._ As it may be frequently necessary to convey heavy ordnance, &c. over marshy ground, and sometimes indeed to erect batteries upon it, the following method has been recommended for those purposes:--

In the first place, a firm and solid road must be made, in order to convey, with safety, the different materials which may be wanted for the construction of the battery, and along which the men may securely drag the various pieces of ordnance. This road must be ten feet high at least.

If the marsh or bog should not be very deep, let a bed or platform, consisting of fascines, and disposed according to the direction of the road, be constructed between two rows of thick saucissons, that are secured and fixed in the earth with strong stakes. This platform must be two thirds as thick as the bog is deep, and contain 12 feet in breadth. Spread hurdles over the level surface of this platform, and then make another bed or covering with fascines, ten feet long, and disposed according to the breadth of the road, taking care to bind their ends, &c. well together by means of stakes, which must be driven through the hurdles and the lower bed. Let this second surface be sufficiently covered with earth and straw, to secure the fascines, and to render the road solid and compact.

If the road should appear unsafe after these precautions, it must be made wider and deeper.

If the marsh or bog be very deep, you must construct several beds or surfaces of fascines, in the manner already mentioned, taking care to make the top equal to the breadth of the road, and capable of supporting the weight of a waggon or carriage. The ground for the epaulement belonging to the platforms, their recoil backwards, and the path to the magazines, must be rendered firm and solid after the same manner. On each side of this epaulement you must throw up a berm or path, measuring three feet in front, and as much on the sides.

You will collect the earth, &c. in the usual way for the construction of batteries on rocks, and mask your artificers in like manner.

MARTEAU _d’armes_, _Fr._ an offensive weapon, so called from its resemblance to a hammer.

MARTIAL-_Law_, is the law of war, which entirely depends on the arbitrary power of the commander of the army when martial law is declared; and then the law of war is greatly influenced by the situation where war is carried on; by the conduct of the people in whose country the war exists: there are certain principles of humanity and honor, which all nations observe in time of war, which have the force of law; as the law of truces, the sacred character of ambassadors, &c. The laws that relate to the army are also branches of martial law.

MARTINET. A word frequently used to signify a strict disciplinarian, who sometimes gives officers and soldiers unnecessary trouble. It is supposed to have taken its origin from an adjutant of that name, who was in high repute, as a drill officer, during the reign of Louis the XIVth.

MARTINET, _Fr._ A small discipline, or cat o’ nine tails, fixed to the end of a wooden handle, which schoolmasters use to punish refractory or idle boys. This affords us another path, and perhaps a surer one, than the surname already quoted, to find out the real origin of Martinet in a military sense, more especially as it is particularly indicative of the severity that is sometimes practised by what is, ridiculously enough, called a _tip-top_ adjutant.

MARTINGAL, (_Martingale_, _Fr._) a thong of leather, which is fastened to one end of the girths under the belly of a horse, and at the other end to the mussroll, to keep him from rearing.

MASHKAWAR, _Ind._ Monthly accounts.

_A_ MASK, _Fr._ in field fortification, (_une masque_.) It sometimes happens, that a ditch or fossé must be dug in an exposed situation; in this case it will be absolutely necessary for the artificers and workmen to get under cover by means of masking themselves in such a manner as to answer the double purpose of executing their immediate object, and of deceiving the enemy with respect to the real spot they occupy.

To effect the latter purpose, several masks must be hastily thrown up, whilst the men are employed behind one; by which means the enemy will either mistake the real point, or be induced to pour his fire in several directions, and thus weaken its effect.

A mask is generally six feet high. Bags made of wad or wool are too expensive on these occasions; nor are gabions, stuffed with fascines, seven or eight feet high to be preferred; for if the fascines be tied together they will leave spaces between them in the gabions; and if they are not bound together, they will be so open at top as to admit shot, &c.