L.

LAAK, Ind. One hundred thousand.

LABARUM, a celebrated standard which was used among the Roman emperors, and frequently means any imperial or royal standard. The original one, so called, consisted of a long lance, at the top of which was fixed a stick that crossed it at right angles, and from which hung a piece of rich scarlet cloth, that was sometimes ornamented with precious stones. Until the days of Constantine the great, the figure of an eagle was placed upon the top of the labarum; but that prince substituted in its room, a cross, with a cypher expressing the name of Jesus.

LABORATORY signifies that place where all sorts of fire-works are prepared, both for actual service, and for pleasure, viz. quick matches, fuses, portfires, grape-shot, case-shot, carcasses, hand-grenades, cartridges, shells filled, and fuses fixed, wads, &c. &c.

Aigrettes. See Mortars.

Balls are of various sorts, shapes and forms; as

Chain-shot, are two shot linked together by a strong chain of 8 or 10 inches long; they are more used on board men of war, than in the land service. The famous M. de Witt was the first inventor, about the year 1665.

Light-balls, of which there are several sorts: the best composition is mealed powder 2, sulphur 1, rosin 1, turpentine 2¹⁄₂, and saltpetre 1¹⁄₂. Then take tow, and mix and dip it in this composition, till of a proper size, letting the last coat be of mealed powder. Or take thick strong paper, and make a shell the size of the mortar you intend to throw it out of, and fill it with a composition of an equal quantity of sulphur, pitch, rosin, and mealed powder; which being well mixed, and put in warm, will give a clear fire, and burn a considerable time.

The composition for filling balls that are intended to set fire to magazines is, mealed powder 10, saltpetre 2, sulphur 4, and rosin 1; or mealed powder 4, pounded glass 1, antimony ¹⁄₂, camphor ¹⁄₂, sal-ammoniac 1, common salt ¹⁄₄; or mealed powder 48, saltpetre 32, sulphur 16, rosin 4, steel or iron filings 2, fir tree saw-dust boiled in saltpetre ley 2, and birch wood charcoal 1. With any of these compositions fill the sack, and ram it, if possible, as hard as a stone, putting in the opening, a fuse, and about the same an iron ring ¹⁄₅th of the ball’s diameter wide; and on the opposite end, another ring ¹⁄₆th of the ball’s diameter; then with a strong cord of ¹⁄₄th of an inch diameter, lace round the hoops, or rings, from one end of the ball to the other, as often as is requisite; this is called the ribbed coat; then lace it again the contrary way, which is called the check coat.

Between each square cord, iron barrels are driven in, ¹⁄₃d of which are filled with powder, and a bullet: at the end of each a small vent is made, that the composition may inflame the powder, and drive the balls out on every side, which not only kill numbers of people, but prevent any one from extinguishing the fire-ball. The whole must, when finished, be dipped in melted pitch, rosin and turpentine oil; which composition fastens the whole together.

Smoke-Balls, are made and contrived to give an uncommon smoke, and thereby prevent the enemy from seeing what you are about. They are prepared as above, only the composition must be 5 to 1 of pitch, rosin, and saw-dust: the ingredients are put into iron shells, having 4 holes each to let out the smoke, and are thrown out of mortars.

Stink- - Balls. See Balls.

Poisoned-

Red-hot-

Chain-

Stang-

Anchor-

Message-Balls. See Shells.

Fire-Barrels are at present not much used: they were of different sorts; some mounted on two wheels. The inside of the barrel is loaded with powder, and the outside full of sharp iron points, intermixed with grenades loaded, and fuses fixed. Sometimes they are placed under ground, and made use of to annoy the enemy’s approach.

Carcass, in military affairs, was formerly of an oval form, made of iron bars, and filled with a composition of mealed powder, saltpetre, sulphur, broken glass, shavings of horn, pitch, turpentine, tallow, and linseed oil, covered with a pitched cloth; it is primed with mealed powder and quick match, and fired out of a mortar. Its design is to set houses on fire, &c. See Carcass.

None but round carcasses are used at present, the flight of the oblong ones being so uncertain. The composition is, pitch 2, saltpetre 4, sulphur 1, and corned powder 3. When the pitch is melted, the pot is taken off, and the ingredients (well mixed) put in; then the carcass is filled with as much as can be pressed in.

Cartridges are made of various substances, such as paper, parchment, bladders, and flannel. When they are made of paper the bottoms remain in the piece, and accumulate so much, that the priming cannot reach the powder; besides other inconveniencies. When they are made of parchment or bladders, the fire shrivels them up, so that they enter into the vent, and become so hard, that the priming iron cannot remove them so as to clear the vent. Nothing has been found hitherto to answer better than flannel, which is the only thing used at present for artillery cartridges of all sorts; because it does not keep fire, and is therefore not liable to accidents in the loading: but, as the dust of powder passes through them, a parchment cover is sometimes made to put over them, which is taken off when used.

The best way of making flannel cartridges, is to boil the flannel in size; which will prevent the dust of powder from passing through, and render it stiff, and more manageable; for without this precaution cartridges are so pliable, on account of their size and the quantity of powder they contain, that they are put into the piece with much difficulty.

The loading and firing guns with cartridges is done much sooner than with loose powder, and fewer accidents are likely to occur. The heads of cartridges, especially for musquetry, are sometimes wrapped in coarse cotton.

In quick firing the shot is fixed to the cartridge by means of a wooden bottom, hollowed on one side so as to receive nearly half the shot, which is fastened to it by two small slips of tin crossing over the shot, and nailed to the bottom; and the cartridge is tied to the other end thereof. They are fixed likewise in the same manner to the bottoms of grape shot, which are used in field pieces.

Grape-shot, in artillery, is a combination of small shot, put into a thick canvas bag, and corded strongly together, so as to form a kind of cylinder, whose diameter is equal to that of the ball which is adapted to the cannon.

To make grape shot, a bag of coarse cloth is made just to hold the bottom which is put into it; as many shot are then thrown in as the grape is to contain; and with a strong pack thread the whole is quilted to keep the shot from moving. The bags, when finished, are put into boxes for the purpose of being conveniently carried.

The number of shot in a grape varies according to the service or size of the guns: in sea service 9 is always the number; but by land it is increased to any number or size, from an ounce and a quarter in weight, to four pounds. It has not yet been determined, with any degree of accuracy, what number and size answer best in practice; for it is well known, that they often scatter so much that only a small number takes effect.

Of the three different sorts of cannon which are used for throwing grape-shot, the 3-pounder seems rather the best; especially when two are used, as the effect of two 3-pounders is much greater than that of one 6-pounder. But the 8-inch howitzer, which can be made to throw in from three to five of its charge (from 12 to 20lb. of shot) becomes thereby a very formidable piece, when it can be used for grape-shot; and this is the howitzer used by the French light or horse artillery.

Proper charges for grape-shot have never yet been effectually determined: we can only give our advice from some experiments; that for heavy 6-pounders, ¹⁄₃d of the weight of the shot appears to be the best charge of powder; for the light 6-pounders, ¹⁄₄th of the weight of the shot; and for howitzers, ¹⁄₈th or ¹⁄₁₀th answers very well.

This kind of fire seems not yet to have been enough respected, nor depended on. However, if cannon and howitzers can be made to throw ¹⁄₃d or ¹⁄₄th, and sometimes half their charge of grape shot into a space 39 by 12 feet, at 200 and 300 yards distance, and those fired 7 or 8 times in a minute; it surely forms the thickest fire that can be produced from the same space.

Tin case-shot, in artillery, is formed by putting a great quantity of small iron shot into a cylindrical tin box, called a canister, that just fits the bore of the gun. Leaden bullets are sometimes used in the same manner; and it must be observed, that whatever number or sizes of the shot are used, they must weigh, with their cases, nearly as much as the shot of the piece.

Case shot, formerly, consisted of all kinds of old iron, stones, musquet balls, nails, &c.

Tubes, in artillery are used in quick firing. They are made of tin: their diameter is ²⁄₁₀ths of an inch, being just sufficient to enter into the vent of the piece; about 6 inches long, with a cap above, and cut slanting below, in the form of a pen; the point is strengthened with some solder, that it may pierce the cartridge without bending. Through this tube is drawn a quick-match, the cap being fitted with mealed powder, moistened with spirits of wine. To prevent the mealed powder from falling out by carriage, a cap of paper or flannel, steeped in spirits of wine, is tied over it.

Flambeaux, a kind of lighted torch, used in the artillery upon a march, or the park, &c.

Formers, are cylinders of wood, of different sizes and dimensions, used in the laboratory, to drive the composition of fuzes and rockets.

Funnels, are of various sorts, used to pour the powder into shells, and the composition into fuses, and rocket-cases.

Fire-ship, a vessel filled with combustible materials, and fitted with grappling irons, to hook, and set fire to the enemy’s ships in battle, &c.

From the bulk head at the fore castle to a bulk head to be raised behind the main chains, on each side and across the ship at the bulk heads, is fixed, close to the ship’s sides, a double row of troughs, 2 feet distance from each other, with cross troughs quite round, at about 2¹⁄₂ distance; which are mortised into the others. The cross troughs lead to the sides of the ship, to the barrels and to the port holes, to give fire both to the barrels and to the chambers, to blow open the ports; and the side troughs serve to communicate the fire all along the ship and the cross troughs.

The timbers of which the troughs are made, are about 5 inches square; the depth of the troughs, half their thickness; and they are supported by cross pieces at every 2 or 3 yards, nailed to the timbers of the ship, and to the wood work which incloses the fore and main masts. The decks and troughs are all well paved with melted rosin.

On each side of the ship 6 small port holes are cut, from 15 to 18 inches large, the ports opening downwards, and are close caulked up. Against each port is fixed an iron chamber, which, at the time of firing the ship, blows open the ports, and lets out the fire. At the main and fore chains, on each side, a wooden funnel is fixed over a fire barrel, and comes through a scuttle in the deck, up to the shrouds, to set them on fire. Both funnels and scuttles must be stopped with plugs, and have sail cloth or canvas nailed close over them, to prevent any accident happening that way, by fire, to the combustibles below.

The port holes, funnels, and scuttles, not only serve to give the fire a free passage to the outside and upper parts of the ship, and her rigging, but also for the inward air (otherwise confined) to expand itself, and push through those holes at the time of the combustibles being on fire, and prevent the blowing up of the decks, which otherwise must of course happen, from such a sudden and violent rarefaction of the air as will then be produced.

In the bulk head behind, on each side, is cut a small hole, large enough to receive a trough of the same size of the others; from which, to each side of the ship, lies a leading trough, one end coming through a sally port cut through the ship’s side, and the other fixing into a communicating trough that lies along the bulk-head, from one side of the ship to the other; and being laid with quick match, at the time of firing either of the leading troughs, communicates the fire in an instant to the contrary side of the ship, and both sides burn together.

Fire barrels, for a fire-ship, are cylindric, on account of that shape answering better both for filling them with reeds, and for stowing them between the troughs: their inside diameters are about 21 inches, and their length 33. The bottom parts are first filled with double-dipt reeds set on end, and the remainder with fire-barrel composition, which is, corned powder 30lb. Swedish pitch 12, saltpetre 6, and tallow 3, well mixed and melted, and then poured over them.

There are 5 holes of 3-quarters of an inch diameter, and 3 inches deep, made with a drift of that size in the top of the composition while it is warm: one in the centre, and the other four at equal distances round the sides of the barrel. When the composition is cold and hard, the barrel is primed by well driving those holes full of fuze composition, to within an inch of the top; then fixing in each hole a strand of quick-match twice doubled, and in the centre hole two strands the whole length; all which must be well driven in with mealed powder: then lay the quick-match all within the barrel, and cover the top of it with a dipt curtain, fastened on with a hoop to slip over the head, and nailed on.

Bavins, for a fire-ship, are made of birch, heath, or other sort of brushwood, that is both tough and quickly fired: in length 2.5, or 3 feet; the bush-ends all laid one way, and the other ends tied with two bands each. They are dipped, and sprinkled with sulphur, the same as reeds, with this difference, that the bush ends, only, are dipped, and should be a little closed together by hand, as soon as done, to keep them more compact, in order to give a stronger fire, and to preserve the branches from breaking in shifting and handling them. Their composition is, rosin 120lb., coarse sulphur 90, pitch 60, tallow 6, and mealed powder 12, with some fine sulphur for salting.

Iron-chambers, for a fire-ship, are 10 inches long, and 3.5. in diameter; breeched against a piece of wood fixed across the holes. When loaded, they are almost filled full of corned powder, with a wooden tompion well driven into their muzzles. They are primed with a small piece of quick-match thrust through their vents into the powder, with a part of it hanging out; and when the ship is fired, they blow open the ports, which either fall downwards, or are carried away, and so give vent to the fire out of the sides of the ship.

Curtains, for a fire-ship, are made of barras, about 3-quarters of a yard wide, and 1 yard in length: when they are dipped, 2 men, with each a fork, must run the prongs through the corner of the curtain at the same end; then dip them into a large kettle of composition (which is the same as the composition for bavins) well melted; and when well dipped, and the curtain extended to its full breadth, whip it between 2 sticks of about 5.5 feet long, and 1-5 inches square, held close by 2 other men to take off the superfluous composition hanging to it; then immediately sprinkle saw-dust on both sides to prevent it from sticking, and the curtain is finished.

Reeds, for a fire-ship, are made up in small bundles of about 12 inches in circumference, cut even at both ends, and tied with two bands each: the longest sort are 4 feet, and the shortest 2.5; which are all the lengths that are used. One part of them are single dipped, only at one end; the rest are double-dipped, i. e. at both ends. In dipping, they must be put about 7 or 8 inches deep into a copper kettle of melted composition (the same as that for bavins;) and when they have drained a little over it, to carry off the superfluous composition, sprinkle them over a tanned hide with pulverised sulphur, at some distance from the copper.

Stores for a Fire-Ship of 150 tons.

No.

Fire-barrels 8

Iron chambers 12

Priming composition barrels 3 ¹⁄₂

Quick-match barrels 1

Curtains dipped 30

Long reeds single dipped 150

Short reeds - double dipped 75

single dipped 75

Bavins single dipped 209

Quantity of Composition for preparing the stores of a Fire-Ship.

For 8 barrels, corned powder 960lb. pitch 480lb. tallow 80.

For 3 barrels of priming composition, salt-petre 175lb. sulphur 140lb. corned powder 350lb. rosin 21lb. oil-pots 11.

For curtains, bavins, reeds, and sulphur to salt them, sulphur 200lb. pitch 350lb. rosin 175lb. tallow 50lb. tar 25lb.

Total weight of the composition 3017 pounds, equal to C. 26 : 3 : 21.

Composition allowed for the reeds and barrels, 1-fifth of the whole of the last article, which is equal to 160lb. making in the whole 3177 pounds, or C. 28 : 1 : 13.

Port-fires in artillery, may be made of any length: however, they are seldom made more than 21 inches. The interior diameter of port-fire moulds should be ¹⁰⁄₁₆ of an inch, and the diameter of the whole port-fire about ¹⁄₂ an inch. The paper cases must be rolled wet with paste, and one end folded down. They are used instead of matches to fire artillery. The composition of wet port-fire is, salt-petre 6, sulphur 2, and mealed powder 1; when it is well mixed and sieved, it is to be moistened with a little linseed oil: the composition for dry port-fire is, salt-petre 4, sulphur 1, mealed powder 2, and antimony 1.

Rockets, in pyrotechny, an artificial firework, consisting of a cylindrical case of paper, filled with a composition of certain combustible ingredients; which being tied to a stick, mounts into the air to a considerable height and there bursts: they are frequently used as signals in war time.

Composition for sky-rockets in general is, salt-petre 4lb. brimstone 1lb. and charcoal 1¹⁄₂lb; but for large sky-rockets, salt-petre 4lb. mealed powder 1lb. and brimstone 1lb. for rockets of a middling size, salt-petre 3lb. sulphur 2lb. mealed powder 1lb. and charcoal 1lb.

Quick-match in artillery, is of 2 sorts, cotton and worsted; the first is generally made of such cotton as is put in candles, of several sizes, from 1 to six threads thick, according to the pipes it is designed for. The ingredients are, cotton 1 lb. 12 oz. salt-petre 1 lb. 8 oz. spirits of wine 2 quarts, water 2 quarts, isinglass 3 gills, and mealed powder 10lb. It is then taken out hot, and laid in a trough where some mealed powder, moistened with spirits of wine, is thoroughly wrought into the cotton. This done, they are taken out separately, and drawn through mealed powder, and hung upon a line to dry.—The composition for the second is, worsted 10oz. mealed powder 10lb. spirits of wine 3 pints, and white-wine vinegar 3 pints.

LABORER, Fr. literally, to remove earth with a plough, spade; &c. Figuratively, to belabor, which according to Johnston, is to beat, thump, &c. The French use it, in a military sense, to express any direct and concentrated effort which is made to destroy a fortification.

Laborer un rampart, signifies to bring several pieces of ordnance discharged from two oblique directions to bear upon one centre. Shells and hollow balls are generally used on these occasions, and the chief design is to second the operations of the miner in some particular part from whence the explosion is to take place.

Laborer likewise applies to the working of a bomb or shell, which excavates, ploughs up, and scatters the earth about wherever it bursts.

LACAY or LAQUET, Fr. An old French militia was formerly so called. The name is found among the public documents which were kept by the treasurers belonging to the dukes of Britanny, in the fifteenth century.

LACE, the uniform of regiments is distinguishable often by the lace and button.

LACERNA, Fr. a garment which was worn by the ancients. It was made of woollen stuff, and was only worn by men; originally indeed by those alone that were of a military profession. It was usually thrown over the toga, and sometimes indeed over the tunica. It may not improperly be considered as the surtout or great coat of the ancients, with this difference, that there was a winter lacernum and a summer one.

The lacerna was adopted by the Romans towards the close of their republic. Even as late down as the days of Cicero it was unknown amongst them, or if known, censured as a mark of disgraceful effeminacy. During the civil wars that occurred in the triumvirate of Augustus, Lepidus, and Antony, the lacerna became familiar to the people, and by degrees was adopted as common apparel, by the senators and knights of Rome, until the reigns of Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, who enjoined the senators not to wear it.

The lacerna is the same as the chlamys and the burrbus.

Un LACHE, Fr. A familiar phrase among the french to signify a coward, &c.

LACHER, Fr. to go off. Son pistolet, ou son fusil, vint à lâcher; his pistol, or his musquet, went off of itself.

Lacher pied, Fr. to run away.

Lacher un prisonnier, Fr. to let a prisoner escape, or go away unmolested.

Lacher un coup, in speaking of fire arms, signifies to discharge a pistol or musquet. Il lui lâcha un coup de pistolet dans la tête; he lodged a bullet in his head. Le vaisseau lâcha toute sa bordée à la portée du mousquet; the ship fired a whole broadside within musquet shot.

LACHETE, Fr. An opprobrious term which is frequently used among the French, and is applied in all instances of cowardice, want of spirit, or dishonorable conduct. One of their writers emphatically observes, that in a military sense of the word it cannot be misunderstood, as the least imputation of cowardice or want of spirit, is sufficient to destroy the entire character and fame of every officer and soldier whom it may affect. As it is the direct opposite to courage, the person who enters into the profession of arms, should weigh well within himself whether he possesses that indispensible quality, which is above all the temptations of pleasure or the effeminacy of life, and is only alive to the glorious impulse of military animation. He only, in fact, is fit for arms, whose spirit is superior to every sordid view, who knows no personal fear, and who can encounter the greatest difficulties and dangers with an inward placidity of soul, and an outward indifference to life. In order to illustrate this article, we shall quote some ancient and modern instances of that species of cowardice or lâcheté, which affects the military character.

Euripidas, chief of the Eléans, having imprudently advanced too far into a long and narrow defile, and learning, that Philip of Macedon was on this march to block up the passage through which he had entered, instead of manfully waiting the issue of an engagement, abandoned his army, in the most cowardly manner. It does not appear says the chevalier Folard, that Euripidas possessed those talents which are necessary to form a great general; for instead of meanly stealing off by a bye road and leaving his army to its fate, he would have remained at its head, and either have fought his way through, honorably have capitulated, or have died combating with his men.

Base and inglorious as this conduct of Euripidas most unquestionably was, the behaviour of Perseus king of the Macedonians exceeded it in cowardice and degradation. This infamous prince did not wait to be visited by misfortune or to lose a battle; he had, on the contrary, obtained a signal victory over the Romans, and when Paulus Emilius marched against him, the army he commanded was not inferior to that of his opponent in discipline and valor, and had the advantage in point of numbers. Yet, strange to relate! the engagement was no sooner begun, than he rode off full gallop, and repaired to the town of Pydnus, under the flimsy pretext of sacrificing to the God Hercules; as if Hercules, to use Plutarch’s expression, was the deity to whom the prayers and offerings of Cowards were to be preferred!

The English duke of York on two occasions during his command in the Netherlands, displayed this lâcheté.

Mark Antony on the other hand, after having acquired the reputation of a brave and distinguished general, submitted to the allurements of sensual gratification, and buried all his glory in the meretricious embraces of an Egyptian strumpet. We have had a striking instance, during the present war, of the superiority which a real military thirst for glory will always have over private indulgences. When the French army was very critically situated in Germany, general Hoche who commanded it, became exposed one evening to the allurements of a most beautiful woman, who by design or accident got placed near the general at a public supper. Aware of the weakness of human nature, and full of his own glory, as well as conscious of the critical state of the army entrusted to his care, he suddenly rose, ordered his horses, and left the place at midnight.

We might enumerate a variety of cases in which the greatest heroes have fallen victims to human weakness; and few alas! in which a sense of public duty and a regard for the opinion of posterity have got the ascendancy. History, however, saves us that trouble, and we shall remain satisfied with having explained under the word Lâchete, what we conceive disgraceful in an officer or soldier, who suffers personal fear, passion, or interest to get the better of public character.

La trahison est une lâcheté; treason is infamous in its nature.

LACUNETTE, Fr. a term in fortification. A small fossé or ditch was formerly so called. The word Cunette has since been adopted.

LADAVEE, Ind. A release or acquittance from any demand.

LADLES, in gunnery, are made of copper, to hold the powder for loading guns, with long handles of wood, when cartridges are not used.

Ladles, in laboratory business, are very small, made of copper, with short handles of wood, used in supplying the fuses of shells, or any other composition, to fill the cases of sky-rockets, &c.—There is another kind of ladle which is used to carry red hot shot. It is made of iron, having a ring in the middle to hold the shot, from which 2 handles proceed from opposite sides of the ring.

Scaling-LADDERS (échelles de siege, Fr.) are used in scaling when a place is to be taken by surprise. They are made several ways: sometimes of flat staves, so as to move about their pins and shut like a parallel ruler, for conveniently carrying them: the French make them of several pieces, so as to be joined together, and to be capable of any necessary length: sometimes they are made of single ropes, knotted at proper distances, with iron hook at each end, one to fasten them upon the wall above, and the other in the ground; and sometimes they are made with 2 ropes, and staves between them, to keep the ropes at a proper distance, and to tread upon. When they are used in the action of scaling walls, they ought to be rather too long than too short, and to be given in charge only to the stoutest of the detachment. The soldiers should carry these ladders with the left arm passed through the second step, taking care to hold them upright close to their sides, and very short below, to prevent any accident in leaping into the ditch.

The first rank of each division, provided with ladders, should set out with the rest at the signal, marching resolutely with their firelocks slung, to jump into the ditch: when they are arrived, they should apply their ladders against the parapet, observing to place them towards the salient angles rather than the middle of the curtain, because the enemy has less force there. Care must be taken to place the ladders within a foot of each other, and not to give them too much nor too little slope, so that they may not be overturned, or broken with the weight of the soldiers mounting upon them.

The ladders being applied, they who have carried them, and they who come after should mount up, and rush upon the enemy sword in hand: if he who goes first, happens to be overturned, the next should take care not to be thrown down by his comrade; but on the contrary, immediately mount himself so as not to give the enemy time to load his piece.

As the soldiers who mount first may be easily tumbled over, and their fall may cause the attack to fail, it would perhaps be right to protect their breasts with the fore-parts of cuirasses; because, if they can penetrate, the rest may easily follow.

The success of an attack by scaling is infallible, if they mount the 4 sides at once, and take care to shower a number of grenades among the enemy, especially when supported by some grenadiers and picquets, who divide the attention and share the fire of the enemy.

The ingenious colonel Congreve of the British artillery, has very much improved upon the construction of these ladders. As the height of different works vary, and the ladders, when too long, afford purchase to the besieged, he has contrived a set of ladders having an iron staple at the lower part of each stem, so that if 1, 2, or 3, should be found insufficient to reach the top of the work, another might with facility be joined to the lowest, and that be pushed up until a sufficient length could be obtained.

LAITON, sometimes written LETTON, Fr. a metallic composition which is made of copper and the lapis calaminaris; a soft brass.

LALA, Ind. lord; sir; master; worship.

LAMA, Ind. A chief priest, whose followers suppose him immortal. They imagine, that on the dissolution of his mortal frame, his spirit enters the body of a new born child. He is also monarch of Thibet.

LAMBREQUINS, Fr. small mantles or ribands which were twisted round the hood or top of a helmet at the bottom of the crest, and kept the whole together. These ornaments fell into disuse when the helmet was laid aside. In former times, when the cavaliers or persons who wore them, wished to take breath, and to be relieved from the weight of the helmet, they untied the mantles, and let them float about their shoulders suspended from the hood only. Hence the appellation of valets as hanging behind.

LAMPION à parapet, Fr. a lamp generally used on the parapet or elsewhere in a besieged place. It is a small iron vessel filled with pitch and tar which the garrison lighted as occasions required. The lampion is sometimes confounded with the réchaud de rampart, or chaffing dish, which is used upon the rampart on similar occasions.

LANCE, lance, Fr. This offensive weapon was much used by the French in former times, particularly by that class of military gentlemen called chevaliers, and by the gendarmes. It has also been used by the English and other nations. Lances were made of ash, being a wood of a tough quality and not so liable to break as another species. Before the reign of Philip de Valois, the chevaliers and gens d’armes fought on foot, armed with lances only, both in battles and at sieges. On these occasions they shortened their lances, which were then said to be retaillées or cut again. A sort of bannerol or streamer hung from each lance, and was attached to the bottom of the sharp iron or blade which was fixed to the pole. Lances were used in this manner as far back as during the crusades.

Rompre la Lance, Fr. to break a lance. This was a phrase peculiar to any assault which was given at tilts or tournaments, and signified to engage or come to close combat.

Rompre une Lance, according to the last edition of the Dictionnaire de l’Académie Francoise, likewise means in a familiar and proverbial sense, to defend another against the attacks of an adversary. The French say: rompre des lances pour quelqu’un, to defend another: rompre une lance avec quelqu’un, to enter into any warm dispute or controversy with another.

Main de la Lance, Fr. A figurative expression, to signify the right hand of a cavalier or horseman.

Lance de drapeau, Fr. The staff to which regimental colors are attached.

Lances levées, Fr. uplifted lances, indicated that the enemy was beaten, and that the chevaliers or gendarmes should close the day by giving a final blow to the disordered ranks. The use of the lance was discontinued in France sometime before the compagnies d’ordonnance or independent companies were reduced and formed into the gendarmerie. Little or no use indeed, was made of them, during the reign of Henry IV. But the Spaniards still retained that weapon as low down as the days of Louis XIII. and when arms were too scarce at the opening of the French revolution, the pike or lance was resorted to with great success.

Lance, Fr. means likewise an iron rod which is fixed across the earthen mould of a shell, and which keeps it suspended in the air when it is cast. As soon as the bomb or shell is formed, this rod must be broken, and carefully taken out with instruments made for that purpose. Shells ought to be scrupulously examined with respect to this article, as they could not be charged, were the lance or any part of it to remain within. Lance is also an instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home into the bore. See Rammer of a Gun.

Lance à feu, Fr. a squib. A species of artificial fire work which is made in the shape of a fuse, and is used for various purposes. According to the author of Œuvres Militaires, tom. II. p. 208, the composition of the lance à feu consists of three parts of the best refined salt-petre, two parts of flour of sulphur, and two of antimony; the whole being pounded and mixed together.

The chief use which is made of the lance à feu is to throw occasional light across the platform, whilst artificial fireworks are preparing. They likewise serve to set fire to fuses, as they can be taken hold of without danger.

Lance à feu puant, Fr. Stink-fire lances prepared in the same manner that stink-pots are, and particularly useful to miners. When a miner or sapper has so far penetrated towards the enemy as to hear the voices of persons in any place contiguous to his own excavation, he first of all bores a hole with his probe, then fires off several pistols through the aperture, and lastly forces in a lance à feu puant, taking care to close up the hole on his side to prevent the smoke from returning towards himself. The exhalation and stinking hot vapour which issue from the lance, and remain confined on the side of the enemy, infest the air so much, that it is impossible to approach the quarter for three or four days. Sometimes, indeed, they have had so instantaneous an effect, that in order to save their lives, miners, who would persevere, have been dragged out by the legs in an apparent state of suffocation.

Lance de feu, Fr. a species of squib which is used by the garrison of a besieged town against a scaling party.

Lance-Gaie, Fr. an offensive weapon formerly so called in France.

Lance Spezzate, Fr. a reduced officer. In former times it signified a dismounted gendarme who was appointed to an infantry corps with some emolument attached to his situation. The word anspessade, a non-commissioned officer who acts subordinate to the corporal, is corrupted from this term. Besides the three hundred Swiss guards which were constantly attached to the palace, the Pope maintained twelve lance-spezzates or reduced officers.

LANDING Troops. See Debarkation, and Regulations.

LAND FORCES, troops whose system is calculated for land service only, in contradistinction to seamen and mariners. All the land forces of Great Britain are liable to serve on board the navy. Indeed the marine establishment as a military corps is an anomaly, kept up only for patronage; the proper establishment of soldiers for sea service should be by detachments from the infantry, according to a roster.

LANE, in a military sense, is where men are drawn up in two ranks facing one another, as in a street, for any great person to pass through, or sometimes for a soldier to run the gantelope.

LANGUE, Fr. a term peculiarly connected with the late military order of Malta. The eight nations of which this celebrated order consisted, were distinguished by the appellation of Langue or tongues. There were three of this description in France, viz. la Langue de France, la Langue de Provence, et la Langue d’Auvergne; two in Spain, viz. la Langue d’Arragon, et la Langue de Castile; and three indiscriminate ones, viz. la Langue d’Italia, la Langue d’Allemagne, et la Langue d’Angleterre. The head of each langue was called Grand Prieur, or Grand Prior.

Langue de terre, Fr. a tongue of land.

LANSQUENETS, Fr. the German mercenaries which Charles VII. of France first added to his infantry, were so called. They continued in the French service until the reign of Francis I. who consolidated all the foot establishments into a certain number of legions; they were so called from the lance or pike which was their weapon.

LANS-PESATE, -

LANCE-PESADE,

a soldier that does duty as a corporal, especially on guards and detachments; a lance corporal.

LANTERN, -

LANTHORN,

commonly called Muscovy lanterns, being a kind of dark lantherns, used in the field, when dark, to light the gunners in the camp to prepare the stores, &c.

LANTERNE, Fr. A word used in the French navy to signify any wooden case or box in which cartridges are brought out of the powder magazine for the purpose of serving the guns.

Lanterne, Fr. it is sometimes called cuiller or ladle, and serves to convey gunpowder into a piece of ordnance. It is made of copper, and resembles a round spoon or ladle, which is fixed to a long pole.

Lanterne, a mitrailles, Fr. A round piece of concave wood, something like a box, which is filled with case shot, and is fired from a piece of ordnance when the enemy is near.

LASCARS, or Laskars. The native seamen of India; the native gunners are likewise so called. They are employed to tend and serve the artillery on shore, and are attached to corps as pioneers or tent-pitchers.

LASHING-RINGS, in artillery, with hoops, fixed on the side-pieces of travelling carriages, to lash the tarpauling, as also to tie the spunge, rammer, and ladle. See Carriage.

LATH, in building, a long, thin, and narrow slip of wood, nailed to the rafters of a roof or ceiling, in order to fasten the covering. Laths are distinguished into three kinds, according to the different kinds of wood of which they are made, viz. heart of oak, sap-laths, deal-laths, &c.

LATHE, a machine for turning wood or metal.

LATHE Reeve, an officer during the Saxon government, who held a certain jurisdiction over that part of the country which was called a tithing.

LATTIE, an Indian term for warehouse.

LATITUDE, in geography, the distance of any place from the equator, measured in degrees, minutes, seconds, &c. upon the meridian of that place: and is either north or south according as the place is situated either on the north or south side of the equator.

LATRINES, Fr. privies or holes which are dug at the back of a camp for the convenience of soldiers. The pioneers are generally employed to make them.

LAVER, LAVIS, Fr. a wash, or superficial stain or color; it is particularly made use of in all sketches, plans, and drawings; the different intervals or spaces of which are slightly shaded or colored. This kind of painting is stiled lavis, or water-coloring. The difference between miniature painting and washing or drawing in water colors, consists in this, that the former is dotted and worked up into light and shade; the latter is barely spread with a brush. There are, besides, other marks of distinction; those colors which more immediately resemble nature, are always used in the lavis or water-painting; the spaces that represent a fosse or ditch, which is supposed to be full of water, must be distinguished by a sky blue; brick and tiles by red; roads by a dun color, and trees or turf, &c. by green.

LAVIS, Fr. generally means every sort of simple color which is diluted with water.

LAVURE, Fr. the grains, dust, or detached pieces of metal which fall in casting cannon.

LAUREL, a shrub which is always green.

To be crowned with laurels, a figurative expression, signifying that a man has atchieved glorious actions, and is entitled to marks of public distinction. In ancient times heroes and conquerors had their heads encircled with a wreath of laurels.

LAURES, gold coins which were issued from the English mint in 1619, representing the head of king James I. encircled with laurels.

LAW of arms, certain acknowleged rules, regulations, and precepts, which relate to war, and are observed by all civilized nations.

Laws of arms are likewise certain precepts shewing how to proclaim war, to attack the enemy, and to punish offenders in the camp; also restricting the contending parties from certain cruelties, &c.

Law military. The persons who are subject to military law, and are amenable to trial by court martial, are in the terms of military law, all persons commissioned or in pay, as officers, non-commissioned officers, private soldiers, and all followers of an army. Half pay officers are not subject to military law, whilst civil justice can be resorted to.

Laws relating to martial affairs. The following laws existed during the most flourishing state of the Roman commonwealth. We insert them in this place as by no means being inapplicable to the present times.

Secreta Lex Militaris, which was promulgated about the year 411, ordained, that no soldier’s name which had been entered in the muster roll, should be struck out, unless by the party’s consent; and that no person who had been military tribune should execute the office of ductor ordinum. Sempronia lex, which appeared in the year 630, ordained, that the soldiers should receive their pay gratis at the public charge, without any diminution of their ordinary pay; and that none should be obliged to serve in the army, who was not full seventeen years old. Sulpicia lex, which was made in 665, ordained, that the chief command in the Mithridatic war, which was then enjoyed by L. Sylla, should be taken from him, and conferred on C. Marius.

Gabinia lex appeared in 685, ordaining that a commission should be granted to Cn. Pompey, for the management of the war against the pirates for three years, with this particular clause, that upon all the sea on this side Hercules’s pillars, and in the maritime provinces, as far as 400 stadia from the sea, he should be empowered to command kings, governors, and states to supply him with all the necessaries in his expedition.

Manilia lex, published in 687, ordained, that all the forces of Lucullus, and the province under his government, should be given to Pompey; together with Bithynia, which was under the command of Glabrio, and that he should forthwith make war upon Mithridates, retaining still the same naval forces, and the sovereignty of the seas as before.

Maria Parcia lex appeared in 1691, ordaining that a penalty should be inflicted on such commanders as wrote falsely to the senate, about the number of the slain, on the enemy’s side, and of their own party; and that they should be obliged, when they first entered the city, to take a solemn oath before the quæstors that the number which they returned, was true, according to the best computation. See Kennett’s Ant. of Rome, page 168.

It will be seen by these laws, particularly by the last, that the most minute military operation was subservient to the senate. The French seem, in this respect, to have imitated the Romans very closely, but they do not appear to have adhered, so strictly as they might, to the law which regards the loss of men, nor are their neighbors more correct.

LAWS of Nations, such general rules as regard the embassies, reception and entertainment of strangers, intercourse of merchants, exchange of prisoners, suspension of arms, &c.

Law of marque, or letters of marque, that by which persons take the goods or shipping of the party that has wronged them, as in time of war, whenever they can take them within their precincts.

Laws of the United States, regulating the military establishment; these are of two descriptions, the first relates to the regular force; the second to the militia, the latter of which is mere print and paper, without consistency, efficacy, or force; and calculated rather to discourage than assure military knowlege in the militia. The following are the laws regulating the military establishment.

Sec. I. That from and after the passing of this act, the following shall be the rules and articles by which the armies of the United States shall be governed.

Art. 1. Every officer now in the army of the United States, shall, in six months from the passing of this act, and every officer who shall hereafter be appointed, shall before he enters on the duties of his office, subscribe these rules and regulations.

Art. 2. It is earnestly recommended to all officers and soldiers diligently to attend divine service; and all officers who shall behave indecently or irreverently at any place of divine worship, shall, if commissioned officers, be brought before a general court-martial, there to be publicly and severely reprimanded by the president; if non-commissioned officers or soldiers, every person so offending shall, for his first offence, forfeit one sixth of a dollar, to be deducted out of his next pay; for the second offence, he shall not only forfeit a like sum, but be confined twenty-four hours: and for every like offence shall suffer and pay in like manner; which money, so forfeited, shall be applied by the captain or senior officer of the troop or company, to the use of the sick soldiers of the company or troop to which the offender belongs.

Art. 3. Any non-commissioned officer or soldier who shall use any profane oath or execration shall incur the penalties expressed in the foregoing article, and a commissioned officer shall forfeit and pay for each and every such offence one dollar, to be applied as in the preceding article.

Art. 4. Every chaplain commissioned in the army or armies of the United States, who shall absent himself from the duties assigned him (except in cases of sickness or leave of absence) shall, on conviction thereof before a court-martial, be fined not exceeding one month’s pay, besides the loss of his pay during his absence; or be discharged, as the said court-martial shall judge proper.

Art. 5. Any officer or soldier who shall use contemptuous or disrespectful words against the president of the United States, against the vice president thereof, against the congress of the United States, or against the chief magistrate or legislature of any of the United States in which he may be quartered, if a commissioned officer, shall be cashiered, or otherwise punished as a court-martial shall direct; if a non-commissioned officer or soldier, he shall suffer such punishment as shall be inflicted on him by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 6. Any officer or soldier who shall behave himself with contempt or disrespect towards his commanding officer, shall be punished according to the nature of his offence, by the judgment of a court-martial.

Art. 7. Any officer or soldier who shall begin, exercise, cause, or join in any mutiny or sedition in any troop or company in the service of the United States, or in any party, post, detachment, or guard, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as by a court-martial shall be inflicted.

Art. 8. Any officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, who being present at any mutiny or sedition, does not use his utmost endeavor to suppress the same, or coming to the knowlege of any intended mutiny, does not without delay, give information thereof to his commanding officer, shall be punished by the sentence of a court-martial with death or otherwise, according to the nature of his offence.

Art. 9. Any officer or soldier who shall strike his superior officer, or draw or lift up any weapon, or offer any violence against him, being in the execution of his office, on any pretence whatsoever, or shall disobey any lawful command of his superior officer, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall, according to the nature of his offence, be inflicted upon him by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 10. Every non-commissioned officer, or soldier, who shall inlist himself in the service of the United States, shall, at the time of his so inlisting, or within six days afterwards, have the articles for the government of the armies of the United States, read to him, and shall, by the officer who inlisted him, or by the commanding officer of the troop or company into which he was inlisted, be taken before the next justice of the peace, or chief magistrate of any city or town corporate, not being an officer of the army, or where recourse cannot be had to the civil magistrate, before the judge advocate, and, in his presence, shall take the following oath or affirmation: “I A. B. do solemnly swear, or affirm, (as the case may be) that I will bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies, or opposers, whatsoever, and observe and obey the orders of the president of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States.” Which justice, magistrate, or judge advocate is to give the officer a certificate, signifying that the man inlisted, did take the said oath, or affirmation.

Art. 11. After a non-commissioned officer or soldier, shall have been duly inlisted and sworn, he shall not be dismissed the service without a discharge in writing; and no discharge granted to him shall be sufficient, which is not signed by a field officer of the regiment to which he belongs, or commanding officer, where no field officer of the regiment is present; and no discharge shall be given to a non-commissioned officer or soldier, before his term of service has expired, but by order of the president, the secretary of war, the commanding officer of a department, or the sentence of a general court-martial, nor shall a commissioned officer be discharged the service, but by order of the president of the United States, or by sentence of a general court-martial.

Art. 12. Every colonel, or other officer commanding a regiment, troop, or company, and actually quartered with it, may give furloughs to non-commissioned officers or soldiers, in such numbers, and for so long a time as he shall judge to be most consistent with the good of the service; and a captain or other inferior officer commanding a troop or company, or in any garrison, fort or barrack of the United States, (his field officer being absent), may give furloughs to non-commissioned officers or soldiers, for a time not exceeding twenty days in six months, but not to more than two persons to be absent at the same time, excepting some extraordinary occasion should require it.

Art. 13. At every muster, the commanding officer of each regiment, troop, or company there present, shall give to the commissary of musters, or other officer who musters the said regiment, troop, or company, certificates signed by himself, signifying how long such officers, as shall not appear at the said muster, have been absent, and the reason of their absence. In like manner, the commanding officer of every troop, or company, shall give certificates, signifying the reasons of the absence of the non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, which reasons, and time of absence, shall be inserted in the muster-rolls opposite the name of the respective absent officers and soldiers. The certificates shall, together with the muster-rolls, be remitted by the commissary of musters, or other officer mustering, to the department of war as speedily as the distance of the place will admit.

Art. 14. Every officer who shall be convicted, before a general court-martial, of having signed a false certificate, relating to the absence of either officer or private soldier, or relative to his or their pay, shall be cashiered.

Art. 15. Every officer who shall knowingly make a false muster of man or horse, and every officer or commissary of musters, who shall willingly sign, direct or allow the signing of musters-rolls, wherein such false muster is contained, shall, upon proof made thereof by two witnesses, before a general court-martial, be cashiered, and shall be thereby utterly disabled to have or hold any office or employment in the service of the United States.

Art. 16. Any commissary of musters or other officer, who shall be convicted of having taken money or other thing, by way of gratification, on the mustering any regiment, troop or company, or on the signing muster-rolls, shall be displaced from his office, and shall be thereby utterly disabled to have or hold any office or employment in the service of the United States.

Art. 17. Any officer who shall presume to muster a person as a soldier, who is not a soldier, shall be deemed guilty of having made a false muster, and shall suffer accordingly.

Art. 18. Every officer who shall knowingly make a false return to the department of war, or to any of his superior officers, authorized to call for such returns, of the state of the regiment, troop, or company, or garrison, under his command; or of the arms, ammunition, clothing, or other stores thereunto belonging, shall on conviction thereof before a court-martial, be cashiered.

Art. 19. The commanding officer of every regiment, troop, or independent company, or garrison of the United States, shall in the beginning of every month, remit through the proper channels, to the department of war, an exact return of the regiment, troop, independent company, or garrison, under his command, specifying the names of officers then absent from their posts, and the reasons for, and the time of their absence. And any officer who shall be convicted of having, through neglect or design, omitted sending such returns, shall be punished according to the nature of his crime, by the judgment of a general court-martial.

Art. 20. All officers and soldiers, who have received pay, or have been duly inlisted in the service of the United States, and shall be convicted of having deserted the same, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as by sentence of a court-martial shall be inflicted.

Art. 21. Any non-commissioned officer or soldier, who shall, without leave from his commanding officer, absent himself from his troop, company, or detachment, shall, upon being convicted thereof, be punished according to the nature of his offence at the discretion of a court-martial.

Art. 22. No non-commissioned officer or soldier shall inlist himself in any other regiment, troop, or company, without a regular discharge from the regiment, troop, or company, in which he last served, on the penalty of being reputed a deserter, and suffering accordingly. And in case any officer shall knowingly receive and entertain such non-commissioned officer or soldier, or shall not, after his being discovered to be a deserter, immediately confine him, and give notice thereof to the corps in which he last served, the said officer shall by a court-martial be cashiered.

Art. 23. Any officer or soldier, who shall be convicted of having advised or persuaded any other officer or soldier, to desert the service of the United States, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be inflicted upon him by the sentence of a court martial.

Art. 24. No officer or soldier shall use any reproachful or provoking speeches or gestures to another, upon pain, if an officer, of being put in arrest; if a soldier, confined, and of asking pardon of the party offended, in the presence of his commanding officer.

Art. 25. No officer or soldier shall send a challenge to another officer or soldier, to fight a duel, or accept a challenge, if sent; upon pain, if a commissioned officer of being cashiered; if a non-commissioned officer or soldier, of suffering corporeal punishment at the discretion of a court-martial.

Art. 26. If any commissioned or non-commissioned officer commanding a guard, shall knowingly or willingly suffer any person whatsoever to go forth to fight a duel, he shall be punished as a challenger; and all seconds, promoters, and carriers of challenges, in order to duels, shall be deemed principals, and be punished accordingly. And it shall be the duty of every officer, commanding an army, regiment, company, post, or detachment, who is knowing to a challenge being given, or accepted, by any officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, under his command, or has reason to believe the same to be the case, immediately to arrest and bring to trial such offender.

Art. 27. All officers, of what condition soever, have power to part and quell all quarrels, frays, and disorders, though the persons concerned should belong to another regiment, troop, or company; and either to order officers into arrest, or non-commissioned officers or soldiers into confinement, until their proper superior officers shall be acquainted therewith; and whosoever shall refuse to obey such officer, (though of an inferior rank) or shall draw his sword upon him, shall be punished at the discretion of a general court-martial.

Art. 28. Any officer or soldier, who shall upbraid another for refusing a challenge, shall himself be punished as a challenger, and all officers and soldiers are hereby discharged from any disgrace or opinion of disadvantage, which might arise from their having refused to accept of challenges, as they will only have acted in obedience to the laws, and done their duty as good soldiers, who subject themselves to discipline.

Art. 29. No suttler shall be permitted to sell any kind of liquors or victuals, or to keep their houses or shops open for the entertainment of soldiers, after nine at night, or before the beating of the reveilies, or upon Sundays, during divine service or sermon, on the penalty of being dismissed from all future suttling.

Art. 30. All officers commanding in the field, forts, barracks, or garrisons of the United States, are hereby required to see that the persons permitted to suttle, shall supply the soldiers with good and wholesome provisions, or other articles, at a reasonable price, as they shall be answerable for their neglect.

Art. 31. No officer commanding in any of the garrisons, forts, or barracks of the United States, shall exact exorbitant prices for houses or stalls let out to suttlers, or connive at the like exactions in others; nor by his own authority, and for his private advantage, lay any duty or imposition upon, or be interested in, the sale of any victuals, liquors, or other necessaries of life, brought into the garrison, fort, or barracks, for the use of the soldiers, on the penalty of being discharged from the service.

Art. 32. Every officer commanding in quarters, garrisons, or on the march, shall keep good order, and to the utmost of his power, redress all abuses or disorders, which may be committed by any officer or soldier under his command; if upon complaint made to him of officers or soldiers beating, or otherwise ill treating any person, of disturbing fairs, or markets, or of committing any kind of riots, to the disquieting of the citizens of the United States, he, the said commander, who shall refuse or omit to see justice done to the offender or offenders, and reparation made to the party or parties injured, as far as part of the offender’s pay shall enable him or them, shall, upon proof thereof, be cashiered or otherwise punished as a general court-martial shall direct.

Art. 33. When any commissioned officer or soldier, shall be accused of a capital crime, or of having used violence, or committed any offence against the persons or property of any citizen of any of the United States, such as is punishable by the known laws of the land, the commanding officer, and officers of every regiment, troop, or company, to which the person, or persons, so accused, shall belong, are hereby required, upon application duly made by, or in behalf of the party or parties injured, to use their utmost endeavors to deliver over such accused person, or persons, to the civil magistrate, and likewise to be aiding and assisting to the officers of justice in apprehending and securing the person or persons so accused in order to bring him or them to trial. If any commanding officer, or officers, shall wilfully neglect, or shall refuse, upon the application aforesaid, to deliver over such accused person, or persons, to the civil magistrates, or to be aiding and assisting to the officers of justice in apprehending such person, or persons, the officer, or officers, so offending, shall be cashiered.

Art. 34. If any officer shall think himself wronged by his colonel, or the commanding officer of the regiment, and shall, upon due application being made to him, be refused redress, he may complain to the general, commanding in the state or territory where such regiment shall be stationed, in order to obtain justice; who is hereby required to examine into the said complaint, and take proper measures for redressing the wrong complained of, and transmit as soon as possible, to the department of war, a true state of such complaint, with the proceedings had thereon.

Art. 35. If any inferior officer or soldier, shall think himself wronged by his captain, or other officer, he is to complain thereof to the commanding officer of the regiment, who is hereby required to summon a regimental court-martial, for the doing justice to the complainant; from which regimental court-martial, either party may, if he thinks himself still aggrieved, appeal to a general court-martial. But if, upon a second hearing, the appeal shall appear vexatious and groundless, the person so appealing, shall be punished at the discretion of the said court-martial.

Art. 36. Any commissioned officer, store keeper, or commissary, who shall be convicted at a general court-martial, of having sold, without a proper order for that purpose, embezzled, misapplied, or wilfully, or through neglect, suffered any of the provisions, forage, arms, clothing, ammunition, or other military stores, belonging to the United States, to be spoiled, or damaged, shall, at his own expence, make good the loss, or damage, and shall moreover, forfeit all his pay, and be dismissed from the service.

Art. 37. Any non-commissioned officer, or soldier, who shall be convicted, at a regimental court-martial, of having sold, or designedly, or through neglect, wasted the ammunition delivered out to him, to be employed in the service of the United States, shall be punished at the discretion of such court.

Art. 38. Every non-commissioned officer or soldier, who shall be convicted before a court-martial, of having sold, lost, or spoiled, through neglect, his horse, arms, clothes, or accoutrements, shall undergo such weekly stoppages (not exceeding the half of his pay) as such court martial shall judge sufficient, for repairing the loss or damage; and shall suffer confinement or such other corporeal punishment as his crime shall deserve.

Art. 39. Every officer, who shall be convicted before a court-martial, of having embezzled, or misapplied any money, with which he may have been entrusted for the payment of the men under his command, or for inlisting men into the service, or for other purposes, if a commissioned officer, shall be cashiered, and compelled to refund the money; if a non-commissioned officer, shall be reduced to the ranks, be put under stoppages until the money be made good, and suffer such corporeal punishment as such court-martial shall direct.

Art. 40. Every captain of a troop, or company, is charged with the arms, accoutrements, ammunition, clothing, or other warlike stores belonging to the troop, or company under his command, which he is to be accountable for to his colonel, in case of their being lost, spoiled, or damaged, not by unavoidable accidents, or on actual service.

Art. 41. All non-commissioned officers and soldiers, who shall be found one mile from the camp, without leave, in writing, from their commanding officer, shall suffer such punishment as shall be inflicted upon them by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 42. No officer, or soldier, shall be out of his quarters, garrison, or camp, without leave from his superior officer, upon penalty of being punished according to the nature of his offence, by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 43. Every non-commissioned officer and soldier shall retire to his quarters or tent, at the beating of the retreat; in default of which he shall be punished according to the nature of his offence.

Art. 44. No officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, shall fail in repairing, at the time fixed, to the place of parade, of exercise, or other rendezvous, appointed by his commanding officer, if not prevented by sickness, or some other evident necessity; or shall go from the said place of rendezvous, without leave from his commanding officer, before he shall be regularly dismissed or relieved, on the penalty of being punished according to the nature of his offence, by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 45. Any commissioned officer who shall be found drunk on his guard, party, or other duty, shall be cashiered. Any non-commissioned officer or soldier so offending, shall suffer such corporeal punishment as shall be inflicted by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 46. Any centinel who shall be found sleeping upon his post, or shall leave it before he shall be regularly relieved, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be inflicted by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art 47. No soldier belonging to any regiment, troop, or company, shall hire another to do his duty for him, or be excused from duty, but in cases of sickness, disability, or leave of absence; and every such soldier found guilty of hiring his duty, as also the party so hired to do another’s duty, shall be punished at the discretion of a regimental court-martial.

Art. 48. And every non-commissioned officer conniving at such hiring of duty aforesaid, shall be reduced; and every commissioned officer, knowing and allowing such ill practices in the service, shall be punished by the judgment of a general court-martial.

Art. 49. Any officer belonging to the service of the United States, who, by discharging of fire arms, drawing of swords, beating of drums, or by any other means whatsoever, shall occasion false alarms in camp, garrison, or quarters, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a general court-martial.

Art. 50. Any officer or soldier, who shall, without urgent necessity, or without the leave of his superior officer, quit his guard, platoon, or division, shall be punished according to the nature of his offence, by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 51. No officer or soldier shall do violence to any persons who brings provisions or other necessaries to the camp, garrison, or quarters, of the forces of the United States, employed in any parts out of the said states, upon pain of death, or such other punishment as a court-martial shall direct.

Art. 52. Any officer or soldier, who shall misbehave himself before the enemy, run away, or shamefully abandon any fort, post, or guard, which he or they may be commanded to defend, or speak words inducing others to do the like; or shall cast away his arms and ammunition, or who shall quit his post or colors to plunder and pillage, every such offender being duly convicted thereof, shall suffer death or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a general court-martial.

Art. 53. Any person belonging to the armies of the United States, who shall make known the watch-word to any person who is not entitled to receive it, according to the rules and discipline of war, or shall presume to give a parole or watch-word, different from what he received, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a general court-martial.

Art. 54. All officers and soldiers are to behave themselves orderly in quarters, and on their march; and whosoever shall commit any waste, or spoil, either in walks of trees, parks, warrens, fish ponds, houses, or gardens, corn-fields, enclosures of meadows, or shall maliciously destroy any property whatsoever, belonging to the inhabitants of the United States, unless by order of the then commander in chief of the armies of the said states, shall (besides such penalties as they are liable to by law,) be punished according to the nature and degree of the offence, by the judgment of a regimental or general court-martial.

Art. 55. Whosoever, belonging to the armies of the United States, employed in foreign parts, shall force a safe guard, shall suffer death.

Art. 56. Whosoever shall relieve the enemy with money, victuals, or ammunition, or shall knowingly harbor or protect an enemy, shall suffer death or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 57. Whosoever shall be convicted of holding correspondence with, or giving intelligence to the enemy, either directly or indirectly, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 58. All public stores taken in the enemy’s camp, towns, forts, or magazines, whether of artillery, ammunition, clothing, forage, or provisions, shall be secured for the service of the United States; for the neglect of which the commanding officer is to be answerable.

Art. 59. If any commander of any garrison, fortress, or post, shall be compelled, by the officers and soldiers under his command, to give up to the enemy, or to abandon it: the commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, or soldiers, who shall be convicted of having so offended, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as shall be inflicted upon them by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 60. All suttlers and retainers to the camp, and all persons whatsoever, serving with the armies of the United States, in the field, though not inlisted soldiers, are to be subject to orders, according to the rules and discipline of war.

Art. 61. Officers having brevetts, or commissions, of a prior date to those of the regiment in which they serve, may take place in courts-martial and on detachments, when composed of different corps, according to the ranks given them in their brevetts, or dates of their former commissions; but in the regiment, troop, or company, to which such officers belong, they shall do duty and take rank, both in courts-martial and on detachments, which shall be composed only of their own corps, according to the commissions by which they are mustered in the said corps.

Art. 62. If upon marches, guards, or in quarters, different corps of the army shall happen to join, or do duty together, the officer highest in rank of the line of the army, marine corps, or militia, by commission there, on duty, or in quarters, shall command the whole, and give orders for what is needful to the service, unless otherwise specially directed by the president of the United States, according to the nature of the case.

Art. 63. The functions of the engineers being generally confined to the most elevated branch of military science, they are not to assume, nor are they subject to be ordered on any duty beyond the line of their immediate profession, except by the special order of the president of the United States; but they are to receive every mark of respect, to which their rank in the army may entitle them, respectively, and are liable to be transferred, at the discretion of the president, from one corps to another, regard being paid to rank.

Art. 64. General courts-martial may consist of any number of commissioned officers, from five to thirteen, inclusively, but they shall not consist of less than thirteen, where that number can be convened, without manifest injury to the service.

Art. 65. Any general officer commanding an army, or colonel commanding a separate department, may appoint general courts-martial, whenever necessary. But no sentence of a court-martial shall be carried into execution until after the whole proceedings shall have been laid before the officer ordering the same, or the officer commanding the troops for the time being; neither shall any sentence of a general court-martial, in time of peace, extending to the loss of life, or the dismission of a commissioned officer, or which shall, either in time of peace or war, respect a general officer, be carried into execution, until after the whole proceedings shall have been transmitted to the secretary of war, to be laid before the president of the United States, for his confirmation or disapproval, and orders in the case. All other sentences may be confirmed and executed by the officer ordering the court to assemble, or the commanding officer for the time being, as the case may be.

Art. 66. Every officer commanding a regiment, or corps, may appoint, for his own regiment or corps, courts-martial, to consist of three commissioned officers, for the trial and punishment of offences, not capital, and decide upon their sentences. For the same purpose all officers, commanding any of the garrisons, forts, barracks, or other places where the troops consist of different corps, may assemble courts-martial, to consist of three commissioned officers, and decide upon their sentences.

Art. 67. No garrison, or regimental court-martial shall have the power to try capital cases, or commissioned officers; neither shall they inflict a fine exceeding one month’s pay, nor imprison, nor put to hard labor, any non-commissioned officer or soldier, for a longer time than one month.

Art. 68. Whenever it may be found convenient and necessary to the public service, the officers of the marines shall be associated with the officers of the land forces, for the purpose of holding courts-martial and trying offenders belonging to either; and in such cases the orders of the senior officers of either corps who may be present and duly authorised, shall be received and obeyed.

Art 69. The judge advocate, or some person deputed by him, or by the general, or officer commanding the army, detachment, or garrison, shall prosecute in the name of the United States, but shall so far consider himself as council for the prisoner, after the said prisoner shall have made his plea, as to object to any leading question to any of the witnesses, or any question to the prisoner, the answer to which might tend to criminate himself; and administer to each member of the court before they proceed upon any trial, the following oath, which shall also be taken by all members of the regimental and garrison courts-martial.

“You A. B. do swear that you will well and truly try and determine, according to evidence, the matter now before you, between the United States of America, and the prisoner to be tried, and that you will duly administer justice, according to the provisions of ‘An act establishing rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States,’ without partiality, favor, or affection; and if any doubt shall arise, not explained by said articles, according to your conscience, the best of your understanding, and the custom of war, in like cases; and you do further swear, that you will not divulge the sentence of the court until it shall be published by the proper authority; neither will you disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court-martial, unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness, by a court of justice, in a due course of law. So help you God.”

And as soon as the said oath shall have been administered to the respective members, the president of the court shall administer to the judge advocate, or person officiating as such, an oath in the following words:

“You A. B. do swear, that you will not disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court martial, unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness, by a court of justice in due course of law. Nor divulge the sentence of the court to any but the proper authority, until it shall be duly disclosed by the same. So help you God.”

Art. 70. When any prisoner arraigned before a general court-martial shall, from obstinacy and deliberate design, stand mute or answer foreign to the purpose, the court may proceed to trial and judgment as if the prisoner had regularly pleaded not guilty.

Art. 71. When a member shall be challenged by a prisoner, he must state his cause of challenge, of which the court shall, after due deliberation determine the relevancy or validity, and decide accordingly; and no challenge to more than one member at a time shall be received by the court.

Art. 72. All the members of a court-martial are to behave with decency and calmness; and in giving their votes, are to begin with the youngest in commission.

Art. 73. All persons who give evidence before a court martial, are to be examined on oath or affirmation in the following form:

“You swear or affirm (as the case may be) the evidence you shall give in the cause now in hearing, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help you God.”

Art. 74. On the trials of cases not capital, before courts-martial, the deposition of witnesses not in the line or staff of the army, may be taken before some justice of the peace, and read in evidence; provided the prosecutor and the person accused are present at the taking the same, or are duly notified thereof.

Art. 75. No officer shall be tried but by a general court-martial, nor by officers of inferior rank, if it can be avoided. Nor shall any proceedings or trials be carried on excepting between the hours of eight in the morning, and three in the afternoon, excepting in cases, which, in the opinion of the officers appointing the court-martial, require immediate example.

Art. 76. No person whatsoever shall use any menacing words, signs, or gestures, in presence of a court-martial, or shall cause any disorder or riot, or disturb the proceedings, on the penalty of being punished at the discretion of the said court-martial.

Art. 77. Whenever any officer shall be charged with a crime, he shall be arrested and confined in his barracks, quarters, or tent, and deprived of his sword, by the commanding officer. And any officer who shall leave his confinement before he shall be set at liberty by his commanding officer, or by a superior officer, shall be cashiered.

Art. 78. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers, charged with crimes, shall be confined, until tried by a court-martial, or released by proper authority.

Art. 79. No officer or soldier who shall be put in arrest, shall continue in confinement more than eight days, or until such time as a court-martial can be assembled.

Art 80. No officer commanding a guard, or provost marshal, shall refuse to receive or keep any prisoner committed to his charge, by an officer belonging to the forces of the United States; provided the officer committing, shall, at the same time, deliver an account in writing, signed by himself, of the crime with which the said prisoner is charged.

Art. 81. No officer commanding a guard, or provost marshal, shall presume to release any person committed to his charge, without proper authority for so doing, nor shall he suffer any person to escape, on the penalty of being punished for it by the sentence of a court-martial.

Art. 82. Every officer or provost marshal, to whose charge prisoners shall be committed, shall, within twenty-four hours after such commitment, or as soon as he shall be relieved from his guard, make report in writing, to the commanding officer of their names, their crimes, and the names of the officers who committed them, on the penalty of being punished for disobedience or neglect, at the discretion of a court-martial. Art. 83. Any commissioned officer convicted before a general court-martial of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, shall be dismissed the service.

Art. 84. In cases where a court-martial may think it proper to sentence a commissioned officer to be suspended from command, they shall have power also to suspend his pay and emoluments for the same time, according to the nature and heinousness of the offence.

Art 85. In all cases where a commissioned officer is cashiered for cowardice or fraud, it shall be added in the sentence, that the crime, name, and place of abode and punishment of the delinquent, be published in the newspapers in and about the camp, and of the particular state from which the offender came, or where he usually resides, after which it shall be deemed scandalous for an officer to associate with him.

Art. 86. The commanding officer of any post or detachment, in which there shall not be a number of officers adequate to form a general court-martial, shall, in cases which require the cognizance of such a court, report to the commanding officer of the department, who shall order a court to be assembled at the nearest post or detachment, and the party accused, with necessary witnesses, to be transported to the place where the said court shall be assembled.

Art. 87. No person shall be sentenced to suffer death, but by the concurrence of two thirds of the members of a general court-martial, nor except in the cases herein expressly mentioned; nor shall more than fifty lashes be inflicted on any offender, at the discretion of a court-martial; and no officer, non-commissioned officer, soldier, or follower of the army, shall be tried a second time for the same offence.

Art. 88. No person shall be liable to be tried and punished by a general court-martial for any offence which shall appear to have been committed more than two years before the issuing of the order for such trial, unless the person, by reason of having absented himself or some other manifest impediment, shall not have been amenable to justice within that period.

Art. 89. Every officer authorised to order a general court-martial, shall have power to pardon or mitigate any punishment ordered by such court, except the sentence of death, or of cashiering an officer; which, in the cases where he has authority (by article 65) to carry them into execution, he may suspend, until the pleasure of the president of the United States can be known; which suspension, together with the copies of the proceedings of the court-martial, the said officer shall immediately transmit to the president, for his determination. And the colonel or commanding officer of the regiment or garrison where any regimental or garrison court-martial shall be held, may pardon or mitigate any punishment ordered by such court to be inflicted.

Art 90. Every judge advocate, or person officiating as such, at any general court-martial, shall transmit, with as much expedition as the opportunity of time and distance of place can admit, the original proceedings and sentence of such court-martial, to the secretary of war, which said original proceedings and sentence shall be carefully kept and preserved in the office of said secretary, to the end that the persons entitled thereto may be enabled, upon application to the said office, to obtain copies hereof.

The party tried by any general court-martial, shall, upon demand thereof made by himself or by any person or persons in his behalf, be entitled to a copy of the sentence and proceedings of such court-martial.

Art. 91. In cases where a general or commanding officer may order a court of inquiry to examine into the nature of any transaction, accusation, or imputation against any officer or soldier, the said court shall consist of one or more officers, not exceeding three, and a judge advocate, or other suitable person as a recorder, to reduce the proceedings and evidence to writing, all of whom shall be sworn to the faithful performance of their duty. This court shall have the same power to summon witnesses as a court-martial, and to examine them on oath. But they shall not give their opinion on the merits of the case, excepting they shall be thereto specially required. The parties accused shall also be permitted to cross examine and interrogate the witnesses, so as to investigate fully the circumstances in question.

Art. 92. The proceedings of a court of inquiry must be authenticated by the signature of the recorder and the president, and delivered to the commanding officer: and the said proceedings may be admitted as evidence by a court martial, in cases not capital, or extending to the dismission of an officer, provided that the circumstances are such, that oral testimony cannot be obtained. But as courts of inquiry may be perverted to dishonorable purposes, and may be considered as engines of destruction to military merit, in the hands of weak and envious commandants, they are hereby prohibited, unless directed by the president of the United States, or demanded by the accused.

Art. 93. The judge advocate, or recorder, shall administer to the members the following oath:

“You shall well and truly examine and inquire, according to your evidence, into the matter now before you, without partiality, favor, affection, prejudice, or hope of reward: So help you God.”

After which the president shall administer to the judge advocate, or recorder, the following oath:

“You A. B. do swear that you will, according to your best abilities, accurately and impartially record the proceedings of the court, and the evidence to be given in the case in hearing: So help you God.”

The witnesses shall take the same oath as witnesses sworn before a court-martial.

Art. 94. When any commissioned officer shall die or be killed in the service of the United States, the major of the regiment, or the officer doing the major’s duty in his absence, or in any post or garrison, the second officer in command, or the assistant military agent, shall immediately secure all his effects or equipage, then in camp or quarters, and shall make an inventory thereof, and forthwith transmit the same to the office of the department of war, to the end that his executors or administrators may receive the same.

Art. 95. When any non-commissioned officer, or soldier, shall die, or be killed in the service of the United States, the then commanding officer of the troop, or company, shall, in the presence of two other commissioned officers, take an account of what effects he died possessed of, above his arms and accoutrements, and transmit the same to the office of the department of war; which said effects are to be accounted for, and paid to the representatives of such deceased non-commissioned officer or soldier. And in case any of the officers, so authorised to take care of the effects of deceased officers and soldiers, should, before they have accounted to their representatives for the same, have occasion to leave the regiment, or post, by preferment or otherwise, they shall, before they be permitted to quit the same, deposit in the hands of the commanding officer, or of the assistant military agent, all the effects of such deceased non-commissioned officers and soldiers, in order that the same may be secured for, and paid to, their respective representatives.

Art. 96. All officers, conductors, gunners, matrosses, drivers, or other persons whatsoever, receiving pay or hire in the service of the artillery or corps of engineers of the United States, shall be governed by the aforesaid rules and articles, and shall be subject to be tried by courts-martial, in like manner with the officers and soldiers of the other troops in the service of the United States.

Art. 97. The officers and soldiers of any troops, whether militia or others, being mustered and in pay of the United States, shall, at all times, and in all places, when joined or acting in conjunction with the regular forces of the United States, be governed by these rules and articles of war, and shall be subject to be tried by courts-martial, in like manner with the officers and soldiers in the regular forces, save only that such courts-martial shall be composed entirely of militia officers.

Art. 98. All officers, serving by commission from the authority of any particular state, shall on all detachments, courts-martial, or other duty, wherein they may be employed in conjunction with the regular forces of the United States, take rank, next after all officers of the like grade in said regular forces, notwithstanding the commissions of such militia or state officers may be elder than the commissions of the officers of the regular forces of the United States.

Art. 99. All crimes not capital, and all disorders and neglects which officers and soldiers may be guilty of, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, though not mentioned in the foregoing articles of war, are to be taken cognizance of by a general or regimental court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offence, and be punished at their discretion.

Art. 100. The president of the United States, shall have power to prescribe the uniform of the army.

Art. 101. The foregoing articles are to be read and published once in every six months, to every garrison, regiment, troop or company, mustered or to be mustered in the service of the United States, and are to be duly observed and obeyed, by all officers and soldiers who are or shall be in said service.

Sec. II. That in time of war all persons not citizens of, or owing allegiance to the United States of America, who shall be found lurking as spies, in or about the fortifications or encampments of the armies of the United States, or any of them, shall suffer death, according to the law and usage of nations, by sentence of a general court-martial.

Sec. III. That the rules and regulations, by which the armies of the United States have heretofore been governed, and the resolves of congress thereunto annexed, and respecting the same, shall henceforth be void and of no effect, except so far as may relate to any transactions under them, prior to the promulgation of this act, at the several posts and garrisons respectively, occupied by any part of the army of the United States.

LAY. To lay down, implies to resign, as, the enemy laid down their arms; he means to lay down his commission.—To lay for, is to attempt something by ambuscade.

LAZARET, Fr. those large houses are so called which are built in the neighborhood of some sea-ports belonging to the Levant, for the purpose of lodging the people that are ordered to perform quarantine.

LAZARETTO, the same as lazaret.

LAZARUS, -

LAZARO,

a military order instituted at Jerusalem by the Christians of the west, when they were masters of the Holy-Land, who received pilgrims under their care and guarded them on the roads from the insults of the Mahomedans. This order was instituted in the year 1119, and confirmed by a bull of Pope Alexander IV. in 1255, who gave it the rule of St. Augustine.

LEAD, a metal well known. It is employed for various mechanical uses; as in thin sheets for covering buildings, for pipes, pumps, shot, bullets, windows, for securing iron bars in hard stones, for sundry kinds of large vessels for evaporation, and many other purposes.

LEADER. See Commander.

File Leader, the front man of a battalion or company, standing two or three deep.

LEADING-COLUMN, the first column that advances from the right, left, or centre of an army or battalion.

Leading-File, the first men of a battalion or company, that march from right, left, or centre, in files.

Flank Leading-File, the first man on the right, and the last man on the left of a battalion, company, or section, are so called.

Centre Leading-File, the last man of the right centre company, division, or section; and the first man of the left centre company, division, or section, are so called, when the line files from the centre to the front or rear. At close order, the colors stand between them.

LEAGUE, in military history, a measure of length, containing more or less geometrical paces, according to the different usages and customs of countries. A league at sea, where it is chiefly used by us, being a land measure mostly peculiar to the French and Germans, contains 3000 geometrical paces, or 3 English miles.

The French league sometimes contains the same measure, and, in some parts of France, it consists of 3500 paces: the mean or common league consists of 2400 paces, and the little league of 2000. The Spanish leagues are larger than the French, 17 Spanish leagues making a degree, or 20 French leagues, or 69¹⁄₂ English statute miles. The German and Dutch leagues contain each 4 geographical miles. The Persian leagues are pretty near of the same extent with the Spanish; that is, they are equal to 4 Italian miles, which is pretty near to what Herodotus calls the length of the Persian parasang, which contained 30 stadia, 8 whereof, according to Strabo, make a mile. See Measure.