R.

RABINET, formerly a name given to a small sort of ordnance between a falconet and a base, about one inch and a half diameter in the bore, five feet six inches long, and 300 pounds in weight, loaded with six ounces of powder, and carrying a shot one inch and three-eighths in diameter.

RACHAT du pain, Fr. a certain pecuniary allowance which was made in the old French service to the officers of each company, for the surplus rations of ammunition bread that were left in the purveyor’s hands. The same rule exists in the British service, when troops are in camp or barracks.

RACINE, Fr. See Root.

RACLOIR, Fr. A scraper. It is used in the artillery to cleanse out mortars.

RACOLER, Fr. To entice men to inlist.

RACOLEUR, Fr. a crimp, a bringer of recruits, one who entices others to inlist. Men of this description are to be found in all countries where military establishments prevail.

RACORDEMENT, Fr. This word is derived from racorder, which, in French architecture, signifies to join two pieces of building on one surface, or to unite an old building with a new one.

RADE, Fr. Road for ships to ride in.

RADEAUX, Fr. Rafters. They are frequently used in sieges, for the purpose of crossing ditches, &c. Chevalier Folard enters largely into the nature of these rafters, particularly in his 4th volume, page 67.

RADIOMETER, (Radiomètre, Fr.) This instrument is sometimes called Jacob’s staff, bâton de Jacob. It is used by some to take the sun’s altitude, and by others to ascertain elevations at sea.

RADIUS, the semi-diameter of a circle. In fortification, the radius is distinguished into exterior, interior, oblique, and right radius. The three former are noticed each under its initial letter. The latter is a perpendicular line drawn from the centre of a polygon to the exterior side.

RAFFINAGE, Fr. a term used by the French to express the operation through which saltpetre passes after it has been boiled once. The literal meaning is refining; the act of cleansing any thing from recrementitious matter.

RAFFINER, Fr. To refine.

RAFFINOIR, Fr. a wooden cask, or copper vessel, in which saltpetre is deposited after it has been boiled once. It usually remains thirty minutes, after which it is let out through a cock fixed for that purpose at the bottom of the vessel.

RAFRAICHISSEMENS, Fr. Provisions. See Quartier.

RAFRAICHIR, Fr. To cool; to spunge; as rafraichir le canon; to spunge a cannon.

Rafraichir une place, Fr. to succor a place by sending in fresh troops and provisions.

Rafraichir des troupes, Fr. to allow troops to repose; likewise to supply them with fresh provisions.

RAFTS, a kind of frames or floats made by laying pieces of timber together, or across each other, to serve as bridges for troops to pass over rivers.

RAFTERS, are pieces of timber, which, standing by pairs on the transom, wall plate, or raising piece, meet in an angle at the top, and form the roof of a building.

It is a rule in building, that no rafters should stand farther than 12 inches from one another: and as to their sizes and scantlings, that principal rafters, from 12 feet 6 inches to 14 feet 6 inches long, be 5 inches broad at the top, and 8 at the bottom, and 6 inches thick: those from 14 feet 6 inches, to 18 feet 6 inches long, to be 9 inches broad at the foot, 7 inches at the top, and 7 inches thick: and those from 18 feet 6 inches, to 21 feet 6 inches, to be 10 inches broad at the foot, 8 at the top, and 8 thick. Single rafters, 8 feet in length, must have 4¹⁄₂ inches, and 3³⁄₄ in their square. Those of 9 feet long, must be 5, and 4 inches square.

RAJPUTES, or RAUJPOOTS, Ind. The second tribe of the four great classes of Hindus; the priests or Bramins are the first. Both classes may be soldiers, and none but members of one or other of these classes can be kings or princes. Rauj means great, and poot means arms, that is great in arms; they are the descendants of the military tribe of Hindus.

RAJAH, Ind. This word means an authority equivalent to that of a king. The Rajahs became generally tributary to the Mogul, but were suffered to follow their own modes of government.

RAIE, Fr. properly means a seam, furrow, streak.

RAINURE, Fr. a grove.

RAIS, Fr. a spoke of a wheel.

To RAISE Troops. See Levy.

To Raise a plan of a fortress, is to measure with cords and geometrical instruments, the length of the lines, and the capacity of the angles, that by knowing the length, breadth, and thickness, of all the different parts of a fortification, it may be represented upon paper, so as to find out its advantages and disadvantages.

RAISON, Fr. this word is used by the French, in a mathematical sense, to express the relation which one number has to another, and in general, that which exists between one quantity and another. The term is distinguished into raison arithmétique, or arithmetical reasoning; and raison géométrique, or geometrical reasoning. French carpenters likewise use the term, to shew that pieces of wood, &c. are properly laid, viz. Des pieces de bois en leur raison.

RALLIEMENT, Fr. Rallying point. It is sometimes written raliment.

Mot de Ralliement, Fr. a word or countersign, which is given to out posts, and to sentries that are stationed beyond the lines.

RALLUMER, Fr. To light up again, to rekindle, to renew.

RALLY, one of the bugle horn soundings.

To RALLY, (Rallier, Fr.) To bring troops back to order that have been dispersed.

RALLYING, in war, re-establishing, or forming together again, troops broken and put to flight.

To RAM, to drive with violence, as with a battering ram.

To RAM down, to force anything downwards, or to fill with any thing driven hard together, as in the charge of firearms.

Ram down cartridge, a word of command used in the platoon exercise. See Manual.

Battering RAM, in antiquity, a military engine used to batter and beat down the walls of places besieged.

The battering ram was of two sorts, the one rude and plain, the other compound. The former seems to have been no more than a great beam, which the soldiers bore on their arms and shoulders, and with one end of it, by main force, assailed the walls. The compound ram is thus described by Josephus: it is a vast beam, like the mast of a ship, strengthened at one end with a head of iron, something resembling that of a ram, whence it took its name. This was hung by the middle with ropes to another beam, which lay across two posts, and hanging thus equally balanced, it was by a great number of men drawn backwards and pushed forwards, striking the wall with its iron head.

Plutarch informs us, that Mark Antony, in the Parthian war, made use of a ram 80 feet long: and Vitruvius tells us, that they were sometimes 106, and 120 feet long: to this perhaps the force and strength of the engine was in a great measure owing. The ram at one time was managed by a whole century of soldiers; and they, being exhausted, were seconded by another century; so that it played continually, and without any intermission.

The momentum of a battering ram 28 inches in diameter, 180 feet long, with a head of cast iron of one ton and a half, the whole ram with its iron hoops, &c. weighing 41,112 pounds, and moving by the united strength of 1000 men, will be only equal to that of a ball of 36 pounds, when shot point blank from a cannon.

RAMMER, an instrument used for driving down stones or piles into the ground in military works; or for beating the earth, in order to render it more solid for a foundation.

Rammer, or Ramrod of a gun, the ramrod or gunstick; a rod used in charging a gun, to drive home the powder and shot, as also the wad, which keeps the shot from rolling out. The rammer of a piece of artillery, is a cylinder of wood, whose diameter and length are each equal to the diameter of the shot, with a handle fixed to it, at the end of which is another cylinder, covered with lamb-skin, so as to fit the gun exactly, and called a sponge: it is used to clean the piece before and after it is fired. The ramrod of a musquet is one entire piece of iron.

Return RAMROD. See Platoon Exercise, under Manual.

RAMPART, in fortification, or, as some call it, but improperly, rampire; the great massy bank of earth raised about a place to resist the enemy’s shot, and to cover the buildings, &c. On it is raised a parapet towards the country. It is not above 18 feet high, and about 60 or 70 thick, unless more earth be taken out of the ditch than can be otherwise disposed of. The rampart should be sloped on both sides, and be broad enough to allow the marching of waggons and cannon, besides the parapet which is raised on it. The rampart of the half moons is better for being low, that the small arms of the besieged may the better reach the bottom of the ditch; but it must be so high, as not to be commanded by the covert-way. The rampart is encompassed with a ditch, and is sometimes lined with a fausse-bray and a berme.

RAMPS, (Rampes, Fr.) in fortification, are sloping communications, or ways of very gentle ascent, leading from the inward area, or lower part of a work, to the rampart or higher part of it.

RAMS-horns, in fortification, are a kind of low works made in the ditch, of a circular arc; they were invented by M. Belidor, and serve instead of tenailles.

RAMADAN, Fr. a month so called among the Turks, during which period they observe fast days.

RAMASSE, Fr. a sort of sledge, in which travellers are conveyed from the tops of mountains that are covered with snow.

RAMASSER, Fr. to collect, to get together. On a ramassé tout ce qu’on a pu trouver de soldats. They got as many soldiers together as they could.

RAMASSE, Fr. Gathered together, collected. This word is likewise used to distinguish men that are hastily raised and embodied, from soldiers who have been regularly disciplined, viz. Ce ne son pas des troupes reglées, ce sont des gens ramassés. They are not regular troops, but persons hastily got together.

Ramasse, Fr. strong, vigorous. Un homme ramasse. A strong athletic man. Ramasse, in this sense, agrees with the English word tight-built, thickset, &c.

RAMAZAN. See Ramadan.

RAMBERGE, Fr. an advice boat.

RAME, Fr. an oar. It is likewise called Aviron.

Balle Ramee, Fr. Cross-bar shot.

RAMEAUX de la mine, Fr. Branches belonging to a mine. See Gallery.

RAMPE au Pente extrêment douce qu’ont fait le long des talus des ramparts, Fr. a slope, or declivity which is extremely gradual along the talus of ramparts. These slopes contain two toises in breadth, and are cut upon the interior talus. They are made, according to circumstances and the exigencies of the place, sometimes within the angle of the rampart, opposite to the entrance into the bastion, when the latter is full; sometimes along the flanks, or at the flanked angle when the bastion is empty. Pieces of ordnance, ammunition, &c. are conveyed up these slopes to the embrazures of the ramparts.

RANCHER, Fr. a sort of ladder which is made of wooden pegs, and is used on various occasions.

RANÇON, Fr. Ransom. It was likewise the name of an old French weapon, consisting of a long stake with a sharp iron point at the end, and two blades or wings bent backwards, and extremely keen.

RANCONNER, Fr. to ransom.

RANDOM shot, in artillery, when the piece is elevated at an angle of 45 degrees upon a level plane. See Range.

RANG, Fr. Rank.

Rang d’un escadron ou d’un bataillon, Fr. Rank in a squadron of horse, or battalion of infantry. Any straight line which is formed by soldiers standing by the side of each other, is so called.

Doubler les RANGS, Fr. to form from rank entire, or to throw one rank into two, and thereby encrease the depth of any given number of men, by diminishing their front. Hence to double up, or diminish the front of any leading line.

Rang, Fr. the relative rank which is observed in military corps with regard to precedence, tour of duty, &c. In some instances rang et grade mean the same thing.

De RANG, Fr. abreast, side by side.

Paroitre sur les RANGS, Fr. to enter the list.

Etre sur les RANGS, to be numbered amongst any particular set of men.

Mettre au RANG, Fr., to class with, to associate.

Vaisseau du premier RANG, Fr. a first rate ship of war.

Vaisseau du second, ou troisième RANG, Fr. a second or third rate.

RANGER la côte, Fr. to sail along the coast.

Placer par RANG de taille, Fr. To size.

RANGE, in gunnery, the distance from the battery to the point where the shot or shell touches the ground.

Point blank RANGE, when the piece lies in a horizontal direction, and upon a level plane, without any elevation or depression, the shot is said to take a point blank range. See Point Blank.

RANGEE, Fr. a series of things placed upon the same line.

RANGE, EE, Fr. the participle of Ranger, drawn out or placed in regular order.

Bataille RANGEE, Fr. a pitched or set battle, in which two armies are drawn up opposite to one another.

Ranger, Fr. to place in a certain line or order.

Rangez vous, Fr. a term in general use among the French when any number of persons are ordered to clear the way, by drawing up on one side or the other of a street or road.

RANGING, in war, disposing the troops in proper order for an engagement, manœuvres, or march, &c.

RANK. Range of subordination, degree of authority. The relative situations which officers hold with respect to each other, or to military things in general. Hence regimental rank, local rank, rank in the army, &c.

One of the egregious errors of the British military institutions is, that the officers belonging to the life guards are entitled to the rank of lieutenant colonel, when they obtain, or purchase a majority, provided they have been seven years. Their commissions in this case run major and lieutenant colonel. But if an officer should not have completed either of those periods, he obtains the rank of major only, until its completion. A lieutenant colonel receives the rank of full colonel if he has been seven years major, or twenty one years in the British service. Cornets in the life guards rank as sub-lieutenants in their own corps, and as first lieutenants in the army. The English fuzileers enjoy the same privilege. Sub-lieutenants in the Welsh fuzileers rank only as second lieutenants in the army. Marines do the same.

With respect to rank in general, the following are the rules of the British army, by which the relative rank of the officers of the regulars, militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, is to be determined.

Officers of the regular forces command the officers of equal degree, belonging to the other services; with the exception after mentioned.

Officers of the militia, fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, rank together according to the dates of their respective commissions.

Notwithstanding this regulation, such officers of fencibles as have commissions dated on or before the 25th July, 1798, continue to rank with the officers of the regular forces of equal degree, according to the dates of their respective commissions: unless when acting in conjunction also with officers of the militia; in which case, if the commission of the fencible officer be of a junior date to that of a militia officer, of the same degree, the regular officer of equal rank, although his commission be of a junior date to that of the fencible officer, commands both.

It will further be observed, that all commands in the regular forces fall to the eldest officers in the same circumstances, whether of cavalry or infantry, entire or in parties. In case two commissions of the same date interfere, a retrospect is to be had to former commissions. Should it happen, as it possibly may, that the original commissions interfere, it must be decided by lot.

In page 49 of the Articles of War, it is laid down, that the eldest officer is to command when any troops of the horse guards, and the regiment of horse guards, shall do duty together; or when any of the life guards, horse or foot guards, shall do duty with any other corps. The regiments of life guards, doing duty unmixed, are to be considered as one corps; and the officers are to take rank according to the dates of their commissions. The same holds good with respect to the foot guards. Regular officers with whom militia officers take rank as youngest, command officers of equal degree in the fencibles, yeomanry cavalry, and volunteer corps, who are to rank together according to the dares of commissions.

To RANK with, to hold the same relative situation with regard to others. Thus post captains of three years standing in the royal navy rank with colonels in the army; and lieutenants in the guards rank with captains in the line or regulars. Officers in the militia rank generally with the regular forces as junior of their respective commissions. An ensign in the guards ranks no higher than an ensign in the regulars.

To RANK with, in a figurative sense, to be in equal estimation, to bear the same character for skill and valor, &c. viz. lord Nelson ranks with the bravest seaman that England, or any other country, has ever produced; Bonaparte with the greatest general in ancient or modern history; Washington with Cincinnatus; and Montgomery with Wolfe, Decatur with Desaix, or Lannes.

Brevet-RANK. Rank without pay, nominal distinction, which sometimes entitles the holder of it to command in mixed service.

Brigade majors rank with captains, provided they have that rank in the army, independent of their staff appointment. But aids-de-camp do not possess any rank in that capacity with regard to the army. The latter constitutes a part of the general’s family, and are paid out of his allowance; they are in fact the mere carriers of his orders in the field, and his domestic inmates at home, &c. The former belonging to the brigade, and are a necessary part of its effective force.

There is likewise a sort of brevet rank which exists in the several regiments belonging to the British service, and is confined to the rank and file, or corporals and private soldiers. Thus a lance serjeant is a corporal who does the duty of serjeant without the pay or emoluments of the latter; and a lance corporal is a private soldier who does the duty of corporal. So that lance, which comes from lansquenet, which signifies a private soldier, and is derived from the German, and when put before serjeant or corporal, points out that a private soldier has the brevet rank of one of those situations. Captains of companies appoint or reduce lance serjeants or corporals, according to their judgment.

Rank, and precedence in the army and navy, are as follow:

Engineers RANK. Chief, as colonel; director, as lieutenant colonel; sub-director, as major; engineer in ordinary, as captain; engineer extraordinary, as captain lieutenant; sub-engineer, as lieutenant; practitioner engineer, as ensign.

Navy RANK. Admiral, or commander in chief of the British fleet, has the rank of a field marshal; admirals, with their flags on the main top-mast head, rank with generals of horse and foot; vice-admirals, with lieutenant generals; rear-admirals, as major generals; commodores, with broad pendants, as brigadier generals; captains of post ships, after three years from the date of their first commission, as colonel; other captains, as commanding post ships, as lieutenant colonels; captains not taking post, as majors; lieutenants as captains.

The rank and precedence of sea officers in the classes abovementioned, are to take place according to the seniority of their respective commissions in the sea service. Post captains commanding ships or vessels that do not give post, rank only as majors during the time they command those vessels.

Nothing in this shall give any pretence to land officers to command any of his majesty’s squadrons; nor to any sea officer to command on shore; nor shall either have right to demand the military honors due to their respective ranks, unless upon actual service.

Rank, is a straight line made by the soldiers of a battalion, or squadron, drawn up side by side: this order was established for the marches, and for regulating the different bodies of troops and officers which compose an army.

Doubling of the RANKS, is the changing one rank to two, by telling off the files, one, two, one, two, &c. and by the word, even files to the rear double; this method is frequently used in the manœuvres of a regiment.

Rank and file, men carrying the firelock, and standing in the ranks, are called rank and file. Thus corporals are included in the return which is made under that head.

Ranks and files, are the horizontal and vertical lines of soldiers when drawn up for service, &c.

RAPE, Fr. a rasp, a file.

RAPIDES, Fr. Falls in a river are so called; as the falls in the rivers Ohio and St. Laurence, &c.

RAPIER, (Rapiére, Fr.) formerly signified a long, old fashioned broadsword, such as those worn by the Scotch regiments; but now is understood only to mean a small sword, in contradistinction to a broad sword.

RAPINE, Fr. Rapine, plunder,

RAPPORT, Fr. Report.

Rapport, Fr. in mathematics, a term frequently used among the French. It bears the same import as raison, and signifies the relation which two quantities have one with another. Thus the rapport or relation between twelve and six is the same as between six and three.

RAPPORTEUR, Fr. in geometry, an instrument made in the figure of a half-circle, and divided into one hundred and eighty degrees. We call it a protractor. It is used for the purpose of ascertaining the openings in angles, and to take plans upon paper.

RAREFACTION, the extension of the parts of a body, by which it is made to take up more room than it did before. It is essentially connected with gunnery; for in proportion to the rapid combustion and consequent rarefaction of air, produced by the ignition of gunpowder confined in the chamber of a gun, so will be the force of expulsion with which the charge is propelled.

RAS, Fr. Every barge and vessel, &c. which is without any deck or upward covering, is called by the French batiment ras.

RASANTE, Fr. See Ligne Rasante.

RASANT, -

RAZANT,

in fortification, rasant flank, or line, is that part of the curtain or flank whence the shot projected raze or glance along the surface of the opposite bastion.

RASE, Fr. Pitch and tar mixed with tow for the purpose of caulking a ship.

RASLE, Fr. This word is used in some parts of France to signify rafter, and means the same as chevron.

RASALDAR, Ind. the commander of Rasallah, which is ten thousand horsemen armed.

RASSEMBLER, Fr. to collect together.

Rassembler des troups, Fr. to call troops or forces together.

Rassembler les debris d’une armée, Fr. to collect together the broken parts, or scattered remnants of an army. It is likewise used with the personal pronoun, viz. Tous les soldats dispersés se rassemblerent autour du drapeau. All the soldiers or troops that had been dispersed, gathered together round the standard or colors.

Rassembler les forces d’un cheval, to put a horse well upon his haunches.

RASSIS, Fr. Stale; as pain rassis, stale bread.

RASSURER, Fr. to restore confidence, to encourage, to invigorate. Quelques soldats commencionent à s’ébranler, quand l’exemple de leur capitaine les rassura. Some soldiers began to give way, when the example of their captain inspired them with fresh confidence.

RAT, Fr. literally means rat. It is used in a figurative sense, viz. Une arme à feu a pris un rat. A musquet has missed fire.

Rat. Fr. a sort of floating platform made of planks which are tied together upon two or three masts. It is used in caulking ships, &c.

RATAN, a cane used by serjeants of companies, in the British service in drilling the men, and with which, in other countries, the non-commissioned officers and privates, are beaten for slight offences; the Austrian discipline was thus conducted, till they have been beaten out of their manhood and self-respect. The Prussians abolished this barbarous custom after the battle of Jena.

RATELIER, Fr. a rack used in armories, &c. for the purpose of keeping firearms arranged in proper order.

RATER, Fr. to miss fire. Son pistolet a rate. His pistol has missed fire.

Rater likewise means, figuratively, to be unsuccessful in an application. Il a rate sa charge. He did not get the commission.

RATES of subsistence, See Pay.

RATION, a certain allowance which is given in bread, &c. or forage when troops are on service, for an officer or soldier in the British service.

Complete Ration of the small species.

Flour, or bread 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs.

Beef 1

Or pork ¹⁄₂

Peas ¹⁄₄ pint.

Butter, or cheese 1 oz.

Rice 1 oz.

When the small species are not issued, 1¹⁄₂ lbs. of flour or bread, with 1¹⁄₂ lbs. of beef, or 10 oz. of pork, forms a complete ration: or 3 lbs. of beef; or 2 lbs. of cheese; or half a pound of rice, forms a complete ration.

At sea the ration is different. The following table contains the allowance for six soldiers, or four seamen on board of ship, for each day in the week. Women are provisioned at a half and children at one fourth of a soldier’s allowance, but receive no rum.

Days of the Week. Bread. Beer, gallons, or half pints of spirits, or pints of wine. Beef, pieces of 8 lbs. Pork, pieces 4 lb. Pints of peas. Do. oat- meal. lbs. of butter. lbs. of cheese. Vinegar.

lb.

Sunday, 4 4 — 1 2 — — — 1 quart per week.

Monday, 4 4 — — — 4 ¹⁄₂ 1

Tuesday, 4 4 1 or 6lbs. of flour or ¹⁄₂lb. of suet and 1lb. of raisins. — — — — —

Wednesday, 4 4 — 2 4 ¹⁄₂ 1

Thursday, 4 4 1 2 — — —

Friday, 4 4 — 2 4 ¹⁄₂ 1

Saturday, 4 4 1 or as above. — — — — —

The above are served out by full weights and measures.

When flour, suet and raisins are put on board, they are to be served out in equal proportions with beef, viz. half in beef; the other half in flour, suet, and raisins, on each beef day.

4 lbs. of flour, or 3 lbs. of flour with ¹⁄₂ lb. of raisins, (or ¹⁄₄ lb. of currants) and ¹⁄₄ lb. of suet, are equal to 4 lbs. of beef, or 2 lbs. of pork with peas, but are not to be issued in lieu of the latter, except unavoidable, and then the quantities must be certified.

¹⁄₂ lb. of rice is equal to a pint of oatmeal; ¹⁄₂ lb. of sugar is equal to ¹⁄₂ lb. of butter; and 1 lb. of rice is equal to 1 lb. of cheese; 1 pint of oil is equal to 1 lb. of butter, or 2 lbs. of cheese, that is, a pint of oil for the proportion of butter and cheese.

A pint of wine, or half a pint of brandy, rum, or arrack, is equal to a gallon of beer; 1 lb. of fresh beef is equal to 1 lb. of salt beef; and 1¹⁄₂ lb. of fresh beef is equal to 1 lb. of pork.

No wine or spirits are to be issued to the troops while in port, nor at sea, till after all the beer is expended.

The masters of transports are to produce a certificate from the commanding officer of the troops on board, of the quantity expended. If any doubt be entertained of the provisions being full weight, a cask must be weighed in the presence of the commanding officer, the master, and the mate, and the master may upon the certificate of the commanding officer, and the oath of the mate, issue as much beef and pork as will make up the deficiency.

The weight of each must be as follows: 14 pieces of beef, cut for 8 pound pieces taken out of the cask as they rise, and the salt shaken off, are to weigh 112 lbs. avoirdupois. 28 pieces of pork cut for 4 lb. pieces, are also to weigh, under like circumstances, 112 lbs.

The deductions to be taken for provisions from the pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, or men, are the same for all ranks, and in all corps, under the like circumstances of service, when serving out of Great Britain, on stations where provisions are supplied by the public: also, when embarked in transports or other vessels, (except when serving as marines;) also when prisoners of war, are maintained at the expence of Great Britain; also when in general hospitals, whether at home or abroad, a deduction of sixpence per day.

A deduction of three-pence halfpenny from the pay of every non-commissioned officer and private in Jamaica, in New South Wales, or Gibraltar. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving as marines shall not be liable to any deduction from their full pay on account of provisions.

Ration for a horse on home service in 1796: 14 lbs. of hay, 10 lbs. of oats, 4 lbs. of straw; for which a stoppage is made of sixpence.

The French use the same term, viz. Ration de foin, a ration of hay. Double ration, double ration. Demi-ration, a half ration.

Ration d’un fantassin, Fr. the ration or allowance which is given to a foot soldier. During the French monarchy it consisted of twenty-four ounces of ammunition bread, one pint of wine or beer, Paris measure, one pound of beef, veal, or mutton.

Ration pour les troupes de la maison du roi, Fr. the ration for the household troops, during the French monarchy, consisted of two brown loaves of 22 ounces each, two pints of wine, or two pints of cyder or beer, Paris measure, and two pounds and a half of beef, veal, or mutton.

Ration de cavalrie, Fr. Each man belonging to the old French cavalry, received daily one ration, consisting of thirty-six French ounces of ammunition bread, one pint and a half of wine, cyder, or beer, Paris measure, and two pounds of beef, veal, or mutton.

Ration de dragons, Fr. the ration allowed to each dragoon in the old French service, consisted of twenty-four French ounces of ammunition bread, one pound and a half of meat, one pint of wine, Paris measure, or one pot of cyder or beer, ditto.

Ration de fourrage, Fr. A ration of forage in the old French service, consisted of one pound of hay, and one bushel of oats, Paris measure.

Rations des officiers du regiment des gardes Francoises, Fr. rations allowed in a regiment of French guards during the monarchy. These rations differed very considerably from those already stated. The particulars may be found in the third volume of the Dictionnaire Militaire, page 255.

RATISSOIRS, Fr. Graters used by the men employed in making saltpetre.

RAVAGES of War, the spoil, plunder, or waste, made by contending armies in the theatre of war.

RAVELIN, Fr. See Fortification.

RAVELINS, in fortification, are works raised on the counterscarp before the curtain of the place, and serve to cover the gates of a town, and the bridges. They consist of two faces, forming a saliant angle, and are defended by the faces of the neighboring bastions. They are the most in use of all out-works, and are by the soldiers most commonly called half moons, or demi-lunes. They should be lower than the works of the place, that they may be under the fire of the besieged. Their parapets, as those of all other out-works, should be cannon proof; that is, about 18 feet thick.

RAVINE, in field fortification, a deep hollow, usually formed by a great flood, or long continued running of water; frequently turned to advantage in the field.

RAVITAILLER une place, Fr. To throw stores, ammunition, and provisions into a fortified place.

RAY See Array.

RAYE, Fr. rifled.

Canon RAYE, Fr. rifle barrel.

RAYON, Fr. in geometry, Radius.

RAW, in a military sense, unseasoned, unripe in skill, wanting knowlege in military tactics, &c.

Raw troops, unexperienced soldiers; men who have been little accustomed to the use of arms. This term is generally used in opposition to veteran troops. A cool and wise general will always know how to make the most of that part of his army which is composed of raw troops; and a rash intemperate one will equally miss the proper application of the spirit and manhood, which ignorance of danger, and confidence of success, almost always give. Some of the most brilliant actions, and some of the greatest victories have been achieved and won by means of that daring impetuosity, which hurries raw troops into the thickest of an enemy. A thousand instances might be adduced from ancient and modern history, to prove the correctness of this remark. It may, perhaps, be sufficient for our purpose, to refer the curious reader to the bold and unexampled charge which was made against the French troops in Germany, by Elliot’s new raised light horse in the seven years war. The laurels of Emsdorff, are still the glory of the 15th regiment of dragoons. The battle of Jemappe and Fleurus, were won by raw troops; but they had officers who knew how to lead them. Bunker’s hill battle was fought by raw troops, as was that of Germantown; bad generalship alone lost the advantage to the American troops at Germantown.

RAZED, any works or fortifications when demolished, are said to be razed.

READY, a word of command in platoon firing, being a contraction of make ready. See Manual.

REALE, -

Galére Reale,

Fr. The largest or principal galley used in Catholic countries, is so called. The first galley belonging to the pope is called Réale, because it takes precedence of all vessels, in the service of the different Roman Catholic powers.

REAR, in a general acceptation, any thing situated or placed behind another. The term is variously used in military matters, viz.

Rear of an army, signifies in general the hindermost part of an army, battalion, regiment, squadron, or company, &c. Generally the third component part of a large body of forces, which consists of an advanced guard, a main body, and a rear guard.

Rear guard. A certain proportion of an army or regiment, which acts, in various capacities, according to circumstances, and the extent of military operations. The rear guard of an army is often the reserve, &c. The rear guard of a regiment is usually appointed for the purpose of picking up stragglers, &c. The old grand guards of the camp, always form the rear guard of the army, and are to see that every thing comes safe to the new camp. See Guard.

Forming to the Rear. An alignment may be formed to the rear of any given battalion or platoon; either by posting guides, or moving a battalion to the required position; each battalion or platoon to be then marched to its relative place in the original line. So columns may be formed upon a given section or platoon marched or pivoted in a required position.

Rear line, of an army encamped, is usually 1200 feet at least from the centre line; both of which run parallel to the front line, as also the reserve.

Rear rank. When a regiment, troop, or company is drawn up two or three deep, the last line of men is called the rear rank.

Rear ranks, all the ranks of a line, regiment, troop, or company, which are ranged in order behind the front rank.

Rear rank, take open order. A word of command which is given in the manual and other parade exercises. It is likewise used in marching by the general at a review, or on guard mounting, &c. See Open order.

Rear half files, are the three hindermost ranks of the battalion, when it is drawn up six deep.

Rear front. When a battalion, troop, or company is faced about, and stands in that position, it is then said to be rear front. It sometimes happens, that through oversight, forgetfulness, or ignorance, and confusion, troops are so clubbed, that, on the deployment of a column, the different troops and companies not only lose their stations in the line of original formation, but the rear rank men stand where the front rank men ought to be; in the latter case, they appear rear front. This error might be easily remedied, by counter-marching the several troops or companies.

Rear rank lengthening out a line. Although a single battalion may, by opening its companies and files, from 3 deep form 2 deep, by introducing its rear rank into the other two, yet a considerable line posted, which is to be lengthened out to one or both flanks by its rear rank, must, to greater advantage, perform such operation, by each company quarter wheeling the sub-divisions of its rear rank and facing to the hand they are to march to; the last rank of each company closes up to its first; the sub-divisions, of each battalion, move up to open distances from their respective head ones, and from each other; officers from the rear are appointed to command them; those of each or of every two battalions, being considered as a battalion, they march on in column, and prolong the line. By this mode of lengthening out the line, the two front ranks remain undisturbed, and they protect the movement which is made unseen behind them.

REARWARD, the last troop or company.

RUBEEWAR, Ind. Sunday.

REBEL, any one guilty of rebellion.

REBELLION, a traitorous taking up of arms against the liberties of a people, or the established constitution of government and laws.

REBOUND, the act of flying back in consequence of motion impressed and resisted by a greater power.

To RECEIVE, in a military sense, to wait the approach of a friend or foe.

To RECEIVE an enemy. To make the best disposition possible of your troops, for the purpose of meeting the attack of an enemy that is advancing against you.

To RECEIVE a general or reviewing officer. To be drawn up according to specific regulations which are laid down, for the purpose of paying the compliments that are due to the rank of a superior, or commanding officer.

RECEPTION d’un officier dans un corps, Fr. A ceremony which was performed in the old French service, when an officer first joined. This was done by beat of drum in front of the company. The officer, being dressed, accoutred, and armed according to regulation, faced towards his men, and as soon as the drums had ceased, took off his hat to his commanding officer, who did the same to him, and then addressed the company in the following terms:

De par le roi, soldats, vous reconnoîtrez M. .... pour votre capitaine, ou pour lieutenant, de la campagnie, et vous lui obéirez en tout ce qu’il vous ordonnera pour le service du roi en cette qualité.

From the king! or pursuant to the king’s will. Soldiers, you will acknowlege M. ...... to be captain, or lieutenant, of the company, and you will obey whatever orders or commands he may issue, in that capacity, for the good of the king’s service.

When a colonel or major was received at the head of a corps, the word soldats, soldiers, was altered into messieurs, gentlemen; the latter term including both officers and men. On this occasion, the corps of captains and subalterns formed a circle; round them stood the serjeants drawn up in the same manner, and beyond the serjeants, the drummers, &c. The different circles being concentrical to each other. The field officer, who was to be admitted or to take command, stood in the centre of the whole, surrounded by the principal officers of the regiment.

RECETTE, Fr. a trough, which persons employed in preparing saltpetre, &c. place beneath tubes filled with broken rubbish, ashes, &c., for the purpose of receiving the liquid that is filtered through.

RECHARGE, a renewal of the charge or attack.

RECHAUD, Fr. a chaffing dish, or pan used for various purposes, particularly during a siege. They are filled with burning materials and hung in different parts of the walls, so as to throw light into the ditches, and to prevent surprizes.

RECHUTE, Fr. literally means a second fall; but in fortification it signifies a greater elevation of the rampart in those spots where it is likely to be commanded.

RECIPIANGLE, Fr. recipient angle. A geometrical instrument, which is much used among the French, for taking the quantities of angles, especially in drawing plans of fortification. It consists of two moveable rules, made in the shape of a square rule. The centre of one of its hands is marked by a semi-circle, which is divided into 180 degrees.

RECIPIENDAIRE, Fr. One who offers himself for any office or appointment.

RECOIL, (recul, Fr.) a falling back. The retrograde motion made by any piece of firearms on being discharged, which is a consequence of the rarefied air pressing on all sides, in order to expand itself with freedom. This term is generally applicable to firearms, especially to pieces of ordnance, which are always subject to a recoil, according to the sizes and the charge they contain, &c. Guns whose vents are a little forward in the chase, recoil most. To lessen the recoil of a gun the platforms are generally made sloping towards the embrasures of the battery.

To RECOIL, reculer, Fr. To fall back, to run back in consequence of resistance or repercussion.

Recoil of Field Guns on travelling carriages, upon Elm Planks.

Kind. Charge. 1 shot, at 1° 30′ Elevation. 2 shot, at 1° 30′ Elevation. Case shot, at 3° 45′ Elevation.

lbs. oz. Feet. Feet. Feet.

12 Pr. Medium 4 — 12 25 8 ¹⁄₂

6 Pr. Heavy 2 — 7 11 7 ¹⁄₂

6 Pr. Light 1 8 12 21 10

3 Pr. Heavy 1 — 7 5 3 ¹⁄₂

Recoil of Sea Service, Iron Guns, on Ship Carriages, upon a horizontal platform.

Charges of powder and shot. Eleva- tion. 32 pr. 24 pr. 18 pr.

deg. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in.

¹⁄₃ of powder and 1 shot 2 11 — 11 — 10 6

¹⁄₃ of powder and 2 shot 4 19 6 18 6 18 —

¹⁄₄ of powder and 2 shot 7 11 — 12 6 12 —

Recoil of Land Service, Iron Mortars, on Iron beds.

Ft. In.

13 Inch, with a charge of 6 lbs. —— 4 2 ¹⁄₂

10 Inch, 3 lbs. —— 2 10

8 Inch, 1 lb. 9 oz. 3 10

RECOLLECTION. A mode of thinking, whereby those ideas sought after by the mind, are brought again to view. A retentive memory, and a cool collected presence of mind, are necessary qualities in every good officer; and military men should often exercise the faculty of thinking, in order to become instantly familiar with what they have formerly studied and occasionally practised. For memory, like every thing else, acquires strength, and is increased by cultivation. Memoria, ut in cæteris rebus, colendo augetur.

Necessary RECOLLECTIONS for the exercise of a battalion.

It appears, that the front of any division or body is, in ordinary paces of 24 inches, nearly ³⁄₄ths of the number of files of which it is composed. That the circumference of the quarter circle which it describes, is equal in number of paces to the same as the number of files of which it is composed, counting the paces of the centre man of the front rank at 24 inches, allowing 6 inches in addition to the military pace of 24 inches. That the number of files being once ascertained in each division, the officer commanding it must, on all occasions, recollect the number of paces that are equal to his front, by finding the centre man of the front rank.

The field officers and adjutants must always recollect the number of paces the front of the battalion and its divisions occupy, in order to take up ground exactly in all formations; and this is done by counting the number of men from one flank to the centre, which gives the number of military paces.

To RECOMMEND. When a young gentleman wishes to enter into the army, his first object is to get well recommended for that purpose. There is no regulation to determine fitness, and on this account a great many are appointed who are afterwards found unfit.

RECOMMENDATION, in a military sense, is a letter from some influential character, member of congress, or other citizen, stating an individual to be properly qualified for a situation in the army.

RECOMPENSES militaires, Fr. See Military Rewards.

RECONNOITRE, Fr. To reconnoitre.

Reconnoitre une place, Fr. To reconnoitre a fortified town or place.

RECONNOITRE, in military affairs, implies to view and examine the state of things, in order to make a report thereof.

Parties ordered to reconnoitre, are to observe the country and the enemy; to remark the routes, conveniences, and inconveniences of the first; the position, march, or forces of the second. In either case, they should have an expert topographer, capable of taking plans readily: he should be the best mounted of the whole, that in case the enemy happen to scatter the escort, he may save his works and ideas.

All parties that go for reconnoitring only, should be but few in number. I would never chuse more than twelve or twenty men. An officer, be his rank what it will, cannot decline going with so few under his command: the honor is amply made up by the importance of the expedition, frequently of the most interesting consequence, and the properest to recommend the prudence, bravery, and address of an officer that has the fortune to succeed.

It is previously necessary that the officer ordered on this duty should be well acquainted with the country, the roads, and the distance of the enemy. His party must consist of men of approved fidelity, part of whom should be disguised. This detachment must march off in the night. The men must have strict orders neither to smoke tobacco, make a noise, nor speak. The officer must be provided with two guides, who are to be strictly interrogated, but are to remain ignorant of the route you intend to take. A detachment of this kind should be furnished with subsistence for two or three days. The horses are to be fed every ten or twelve miles, for it is absolutely necessary that they should be always fresh and fit for duty. The officer will take care never to halt, but at a distance from any road, and also take every precaution to prevent his being surprised, whilst his horses are feeding, &c.

Reconnoitring. The following necessary observations to be made in examining a country in a military point of view, are principally translated from the Aide Memoire, but improved by some judicious remarks from Mr. Landman’s introduction to reconnoitring.

Before an officer sets out to reconoitre a country, he should trace out from the best map he can procure, its principal features, which will serve him as a guide in his progress through the principal parts which are to be the subject of his observations, and enable him to connect the whole into one grand plan.

His observations should be expressed by written remarks, and by sketches. For this purpose he must be provided with a sketch book, on the right hand page of which, he may express the appearance of the country by sketches, and on the left the remarks made on particular parts, with the names of the towns, their distances asunder, &c. with proper references to the sketches. The scale most proper for this purpose is 2 inches to a mile; if therefore, the sketch book be made 6 inches wide, and the leaves divided by lines into three equal parts, each division will be one mile, which will be a sufficient scale for the purpose.

1st. Roads. The principal points to be attended to in examining roads for military purposes, are, their direction; the villages, countries, and rivers, which they pass through; the roads which cross them; their names and the seasons in which they are in best condition; and if ever impassable; their breadth, whether variable or constant; their bottoms, of what principally formed; their ascents and descents, whether practicable for all kinds of carriages. The enclosures may be hedges, ditches, walls, or fences. If the roads require repair for the transport of artillery and other heavy carriages, observe if the necessary materials are at hand. If they pass over rivers, remark whether by bridges or fords; if through marshes, whether by causeways or otherwise. If 2 or more roads pursuing the same route, and by which different columns may march, at any part join or cross each other, it will be necessary to observe, whether the march of the columns will be thereby impeded. If they only cross each other, it will be sometimes possible in hollow ways, to throw a temporary bridge across the deepest, by which one column may pass over and the other under the bridge, without interrupting each others march.

2. Fords. A ford for cavalry ought not to be deeper than four feet; for infantry not more than three feet. Observe the banks of the ford at each side; their form, steepness, and height; their situation as to the turnings of the river. Their bottom, whether passable for carriages. Observe marks by which the ford may be readily found; points from which it may be protected. Notice the rapidity of the water; whether its height be variable; its direction, its breadth, and the means by which the ford may be destroyed or rendered impassable.

3. Inundations. Learn the manner of working the sluices; the time in which the inundation may be effected; its extent and depth. Observe how the dam may be protected; its height and solidity; whether it can be easily raised, or easily destroyed; whether it is commanded by distant positions, and whether the inundation can be otherwise drained. Notice the adjacent country.

4. Springs and wells. Attend to the quality and quantity of the water; whether it will serve for the cavalry, as well as infantry, and the manner of its being drawn. Observe the situation of the spring, and of its source, whether it can be protected, and the enemy prevented from cutting it off.

5. Lakes, marshes, and swamps. Learn their cause; if arising from a moist soil, the overflowing of rivers or from springs. Observe their situation, and the appearance of the surrounding country; the best means of crossing them. If they are divided by causeways, notice their breadth and condition; it not, remark if causeways can be easily established, and whether the swamp can be drained, and whether it is passable at any season of the year. Observe the points from which the causeways can be defended against the passage of an enemy’s column. Learn whether or not the swamps are subject to fogs; and at what seasons they are most hurtful.

6. Of woods and forests. Remark their extent; their situation; their thickness; whether the trees are lofty or low: whether there is much underwood. Observe if the different clumps form openings or passes; and their extent; whether their sides are formed of thick wood or brush; whether their breadth is uniform, or widens at particular parts. Remark whether the ground of the forest be level or hilly, swampy or dry. Observe the nature and condition of the roads (for remarks to be made on these, see the article roads;) observe also the means the forest affords of intrenching; of making fascines, abbatis, &c. Attend to the face of the country round the forests, whether cultivated fields or meadows: whether it affords positions; is intersected by rivulets, swamps or ravines.

Remark the castles, villages, towns, &c. in the neighborhood; and their distances from the skirts of the wood.

Go round the wood and examine its principal debouches; observe the ravines, rivulets, roads, &c. issuing from it, and learn their direction.

7. Heaths. Notice for what nature of troops they are best calculated. The nature of hedges and brush wood; some form a good breast work. Observe the directions of the rivulets, roads, and ravines. When the ground of a heath is of the common color, the roads are usually good: but when it is blackish and mixed with white sand, the roads are generally impassable in winter seasons.

8. Canals. For this article see also the observations on rivers. Observe their intention; the nature of the soil in which they are dug, their breadth and depth; their locks; the craft found upon them; the best means of protecting or destroying them: learn the countries they pass through.

9. Rivers. Learn in what country they arise, and where empty themselves; the nature of the countries they run through, and whether they belong to us or the enemy. Learn the extent to which they are navigable; and if they ever freeze over, whether strong enough to bear troops and carriages. Notice the quality of the water, its course, currents, depths, and breadths. The banks and the beds of the rivers. Observe the nature and number of craft that navigate them; and the mills upon their banks, whether of wind or water. Visit the bridges and fords; and make the proper remarks on their nature and situation. Learn whether the rivers ever overflow their banks, and at what seasons; and whether or not this causes inundations. Observe the most favorable points for crossing, and the roads leading to these points. The turnings and windings of the rivers, the form of their peninsulas; and the most favorable situations for throwing over bridges. If there are any wharves on the banks, observe what craft can lie along side of them.

If there are islands in the rivers, note their size, their banks; whether inhabited, cultivated, woody, or barren; and whether they command the channel.

Observe the mountains and high grounds near the rivers; remark their distance from the banks, and the advantages, or disadvantages which they offer. Learn what branches or confluence of other rivers there are either above or below, the best situations for crossing. Examine the positions which the adjoining country affords an army to protect the passage of the river; and whether in a perpendicular or parallel direction; and the routes by which three or four columns may arrive at the place.

10. Passes. Observe their breadth, their length, and their situation; the nature of the adjacent country; the best positions to occupy to cover a retreat; or to dispute the pass. How the troops would be best arranged; and the number that would be required for this purpose.

11. Ravines, vallies. Observe the nature of the soil; whether rocky, or of loose flints. If the sides are rugged and steep, whether they can be easily scarped off. The points that command them: whether storms or floods are to be apprehended; and at what seasons most expected.

12. Cultivated lands. Notice their state of cultivation: their productions; their time of harvest. Learn what quantity of wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize, or other grain they produce, over and above the necessary subsistence of the inhabitants. How much grain or hay they yield per acre.

13. Orchards. Observe whether they are thick planted and afford a good cover; their enclosures, whether wood fences, hedges, ditches, walls, &c.

14. Bridges. Remark their situation; their length and breadth; the materials of which they are built; their strength, whether sufficient to bear artillery; the roads leading to them; their situation, as to the turnings of the river: their purpose; if to connect towns and villages, the nature, direction, and breadth of the streets leading to them. Observe the country around, whether flat or commanding: study the best means of fortifying the bridge head; and observe the best and most expeditious mode by which the bridge may be destroyed, if necessary.

15. Mountains, hills. Amongst high mountains, such as the Alps, roads are very rare; it is seldom more than the vallies that are inhabited and accessible for troops; observe their slopes, if steep or rugged. Examine the positions: means of gaining the summits: and note the state of cultivation and general appearance of the vallies; the pasturage, forage, cottages, villages, castles, roads, paths, and passes. Distinguish the principal chains of hills and their direction. Their relative heights; whether they are sufficiently extensive to form a line of defence; their communications; their strong points; positions proper for batteries, &c. Whether practicable for cavalry and artillery.

16. Coasts. Their nature; whether bordered by sand hills; surrounded by rocks, which render their approach dangerous; or by shoals, which make their access impracticable; note the points and headlands proper for the forts and batteries to defend the anchorage, ports, harbors, or other accessible parts. If there are any adjacent isles, perhaps they will serve for the erection of advanced batteries, to form a barrier to the efforts of an enemy. Observe the nature of the shores, bays, roads for shipping, &c. with the winds required to go in and out the harbors; and whether they are of easy access; their advantages and disadvantages, their size and depth of water. If a river empties itself on the coast, observe the particular channel for shipping, and whether it can be defended by any of the batteries. If the coast is already fortified, observe all the batteries, forts, or intrenchments, established for its defence, and the protection of the anchorage, &c. Examine the camps and other military posts, which cover the principal points, and the interior of the country. Estimate all the dangers to be run, and all the obstacles to be overcome in a descent, and point out the means of augmenting them. Observe the time of the tide most favorable for approaching the coast. Ascertain the number of artillery and other troops constantly on the coast, and the force that can be collected at a short notice; and how soon they can be drawn to any particular point attacked. Examine the system of defence adopted, and endeavor to improve it.

17. Forts, redoubts. Remark their form, whether ancient or modern; whether they are permanent or temporary; elevated or low; revetted or demi-revetted, with stone, brick or turf. Whether the ditch is wet or dry; fraized or palisaded; natural or artificial. Observe their situation; the face of the adjacent country; whether they effectually command the passes, or protect the country intended. The defence they are capable of making in their present state, and the improvements of which they are susceptible.

18. Castles, citadels. Their situation; their form; their extent; their object; the protection they give the city; their connection and communication with it. The present state of their defence, and the improvements of which they are susceptible. Their Souterraines.

19. Villages. Observe their situation: ascertain the number of families they contain; the nature of the land; the quality and quantity of their crops: their markets; the suburbs that supply these markets; their beasts of burthen: their flocks, herds, poultry, &c. The number of their ovens; quality of the water; stile of houses, barns, stables, and sheep walks. The situation of the church; the nature of the church yard, and its inclosures. The wind and water mills. Observe whether the village is surrounded by hedges, ditches, banks, or walls; whether it can be easily intrenched. Its streets; roads leading to it; and the face of the surrounding country.

20. Cities not fortified. Their situation; population; commerce; commodities; manufactures; the succors that may be drawn from them, as to men, horses, &c. Their squares and principal buildings. The defence they are susceptible of; whether they are surrounded by walls, old towers, ditches, &c. Their gates, and the roads leading to them. The face of the surrounding country.

21. Fortified towns. Their situation with respect to their position, and with respect to other towns in the neighborhood, whether in the first or second line; the assistance which they can afford each other. The succors that may be drawn from them, or that may be thrown into them in case of a siege. The direction which such relief, whether of men or provisions, ought to take, according to the side attacked; whether they will serve as depots or hospitals. The state of the fortifications (see the word fortification in the alphabet;) their nature; the strength of each front. The rivers in the neighborhood; the surrounding country within the range of the guns. The form of investment; what lines will be required considering the nature of the country, and the positions; and the means the country affords of executing them. The advantages which the ground would afford between the glacis and the lines, either to the besiegers or besieged; the means of establishing the most certain communications between the different quarters of the army, and the means of cutting them off.

22. Positions. Every military position ought to possess decided advantages of situation, and ought to be commanded in no part of its front, flank, or rear. All commanding grounds ought to be without the range of cannon. There are four principal objects to be attended to in the choice of a position: 1st. The advantages of the ground; 2d. the ground; 3d. the objects to be attained; and, 4th. the communications with the rear. The front of a position should be intersected by rivers, ravines, or broken ground, or any other obstacles which can prevent the enemy advancing in order of battle, and oblige him to pass through defiles; but a position becomes useless when the front is so covered by obstacles that the army cannot advance or move out of its camp when necessary; but no obstacles can be too great on the flanks. All obstacles which cover a position, or passes which lead to it, must be within the range of the artillery, or the enemy will pass them unmolested. In a flat country, where the ground does not afford commanding situations, a position is only more or less eligible, as being covered or protected by obstacles; these are very thick woods, in which there are very few roads; large rivulets which cannot be forded or passed without bridges; narrow roads; deep and broken ravines; ground much intersected with hedges, ditches, &c. but it is essential that all these obstacles should be under the fire of the artillery. It is always dangerous to occupy a position, which has its rear so covered by swamps, crossed by rivers or ravines, &c. as to render the retreat of the army difficult. The number of passes by which an army can retire must be examined and secured, and should never be less than 5 or 6. The rivers, brooks, &c. in front of a position, should never be depended upon for a supply of water, as the enemy may cut them off. The ground for a camp should not be too much intersected by hedges, ditches, or ravines, which occasion great intervals in the line, and obstruct the communications through the camp.

In an offensive position it is absolutely necessary that the army should not be too much confined by obstacles, but be at liberty to act in every direction; but in a defensive position, the fewer accessible points there are the better: and if the natural difficulties in front and flank are not sufficient to render an enemy’s attack dangerous, they must be increased by redoubts, intrenchments, abbatis, inundations, &c. The obstacles on the flanks, should also be of such extent that they cannot be easily turned, without the enemy makes a very great circuit; and consequently expose his own flank, and weakens his line of communication. In case the enemy detaches a body to attack a defensive position in the rear; the front must be sufficiently strong to enable the general to oppose the enemy’s detachment, by a strong body from his own army. In short, the enemy must not be able by any manœuvre to force the army to quit its position. The want of wood or water, or other supplies absolutely necessary for an army, renders every other advantage of a position useless; nor, can a position be long tenable, that is far removed from its depots; and has not its intermediate posts perfectly secure from the attacks of an enemy. These principles like all others in the ordinary affairs of war, are subject to those exceptions which the creative genius of the general may devise. Thus the first campaign of Bonaparte in Italy, was undertaken by an inferior force without magazines; the general determination was to seize those of the enemy; the same took place in the campaign in 1809, the force hastily collected had no magazines, but by the first battle he penetrated the centre, and cut off two of the corps of the Austrians, and took magazines adequate to six months subsistence from the Austrians. The general principles are nevertheless to be constantly regarded. For further remarks upon positions, see Artillery in the Field, and Amer. Mil. Lib. Article Reconnoitring.

To RECOVER arms, a position of the firelock when the piece is held with the lock in front of the left shoulder, and the sling to the front. The steadiness of soldiers is frequently proved by bringing them to the recover, after the word take aim.

To bring to the RECOVER. See Recover Arms.

RECRUITS, (Recrues, Fr.) men raised for military purposes on the first formation of corps, or to supply the places of such as are disabled, or have lost their lives in the service. For particulars respecting the enlistment of recruits, see Regulations.

RECRUITING, a term prefixed to certain corps and districts, which are specifically established for the recruiting service. Hence recruiting districts.

All recruits made for the regular army of the U. States, are inlisted for five years. In almost every service in Europe men are enlisted for a certain number of years, except the British, who inlist for life. Experience has convinced the powers upon the continent of Europe, that the system of binding a man during the whole course of his life to military subjection, is contrary to every sound principle of œconomy, and effective service.

The following are the established forms and instructions for the recruiting service, established by the United States.

Instructions to Recruiting Officers, respecting the rendering and settlement of their accounts of bounties and premiums for recruits.

I. Every recruit shall be inlisted, and receive the first payment of his bounty according to the form marked (A.)

II. Every officer employed in recruiting, shall, at the expiration of each calendar month, make musters according to the form marked (B.) embracing all the recruits inlisted by him; one set of which muster rolls he is regularly to transmit to the office of the paymaster of the army of the United States, at the seat of government.

III. Every officer on quitting the recruiting service, or before, if it is by proper authority required of him, shall state his accounts according to the form marked (C.) (D.) and transmit the same without delay to the office of the paymaster of the army of the United States, at the seat of government, or to the paymaster of the district in which he held his rendezvous; who shall with all possible dispatch examine and adjust them.

(A.)

STATE

I born in aged years, feet inches high, of complexion, eyes, hair, and by profession a do hereby acknowlege to have this day voluntarily inlisted as a soldier in the army of the United States of America, for the period of five years unless sooner discharged by proper authority; do also agree to accept such bounty, pay, rations, and clothing as is, or may be established by law. And I do solemnly swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against their enemies or opposers whomsoever; and that I will 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 of war.

Sworn and subscribed to, at this day of 18 before

Received of of the United States army, this day of 18 dollars, in part of my bounty for inlisting into the army of the United States for five years.

Signed duplicate receipts.

DOLLS. 100

Witness,

(B.)

MUSTER ROLL of a Company of under the command of in the of the United States, commanded by from when last mustered, to

No. NAMES. Rank. Dates of appointment or inlistm’t. To what time engaged or inlisted. NAMES Present. Remarks and alterations since the last Muster.

RECAPITULATION.

Cap- tain. Lieu- tenants. En- signs. Ser- jeants. Corpo- rals. Musi- cians. Pri- vates. TOTAL

Present fit for duty,

Sick present,

Sick absent,

On detachment,

On command,

On extra service,

On furlough,

In confinement,

Missing,

Deserted,

Dead,

[This recapitulation goes on the back of the Return, and should properly appear on the head of the quarter-fold.]

(C.)

RECRUITING ACCOUNT of in the

Number of vouchers. Names of recruits (arranged in alphabetical order.) Dates of inlistment. Periods of inlistment. Bounty allowed. Bounty paid. Balances of bounty. Premium allowed. Bounty paid, and premium allowed. When, and in what company or detachment these recruits were first mustered present after their inlistment.

dolls. dolls. cts. dolls. cts. dolls. dolls. cts. Remarks, &c.

☞ The paper (D.) next page, is usually prepared or printed on the back of (C.)

(D.)

Dr. The United States in Account Current (for bounties and premiums) with Cr.

Date. Dolls. Cts. Date. Dolls. Cts.

For bounties and premiums allowed for recruits, per within account, By

For cash received of him on account of bounties and premiums to recruits,

For advances made to the following officers, on account of bounties and premiums to recruits, for which advances the said officers are accountable, viz.

To per receipt No.

I do hereby certify, upon my word and honor, as an officer and a gentleman, that this recruiting account exhibits a faithful, accurate, and true statement of all monies received and paid away by me, on account of bounties and premiums to recruits, not heretofore accounted for; and that the balance of dollars, cents, stated in the above account current, is due from to

Given at in the state of this day of 18

Recruit-horses, are the horses brought up for completing the regiments of horse, and dragoons, &c.

RECTANGLE, Fr. rectangle.

RECTANGLE, -

RECTANGULAR,

See Angle.

RECTILIGNE, Fr. rectilinear, or right lined.

RECTILINEAR, -

RECTILINEOUS,

after the manner, or consisting of right lines.

RECUIT, Fr. A term used its the French foundaries of artillery, signifying the annealing or hardening of a cannon-mould.

RECUL du canon, Fr. The recoil of a piece of ordnance. See Recoil.

RECULADE, Fr. The act of recoiling or falling back.

RECULER, Fr. To fall back. This expression is used by the French in a figurative sense, viz.

Reculer pour mieux sauter, Fr. To fall back or retreat, in order to return and advance with more energy.

RED hot shot, shot made red hot, and in that state thrown out of cannon, against the vessels or magazines of an enemy.

REDCOAT, a familiar term for a British soldier.

REDANS, in field fortification, are a kind of indented works, lines, or faces, forming sallying and re-entering angles, flanking one another; generally constructed on the sides of a river which runs through a garrison town. They were used before bastions were invented, and are by some thought preferable to them. They are likewise called Ouvrages à scie, from their resemblance to a saw.

REDDITION d’une place, Fr. The surrender of a besieged place.

REDIGER, Fr. To draw out.

Rediger des memoires, Fr. To draw out memorials.

REDINTEGRATION, the act of restoring any single substance, from a damaged mixed body, to its former nature and properties. Thus col. Congreve, of the British artillery, by the redintegration of nitre from damaged gunpowder, has effected a vast saving in that article.

REDOUBT, (Redoute, Fr.) in fortification, a square work raised without the glacis of the place, about musquet shot from the town; having loop-holes for the small arms to fire through, and surrounded by a ditch. Sometimes they are of earth, having only a defence in front, surrounded by a parapet and ditch. Both the one and the other serve for detached guards to interrupt the enemy’s works; and are sometimes made on the angles of the trenches for covering the workmen against the sallies of the garrison. The length of their sides may be about 20 toises; their parapets must have two or three banquettes, and be about nine or ten feet thick. They are sometimes (in a siege) called places of arms.

Redoubt, is also the name of a small work made in a ravelin, of various forms. See Fortification.

Redoubt, castle or donjon, a place more particularly intrenched, and separated from the rest of a ditch. There is generally in each of them a high position, from whence the country round the place may be discovered.

Detached REDOUBT, is a work made at some distance from the covert-way, much in the same manner as a ravelin with flanks. See Arrow.

Redoubts en cremaillere, differ from all the rest, because the inside line of the parapet is broken in such a manner as to resemble steps of stairs, or teeth of a saw; whereby this advantage is gained, that a greater fire can be brought to bear upon the defile, than if only a simple face was opposed to it, and consequently the passage is rendered more difficult.

REDOUTER, Fr. To be alarmed at. Redouter les armes d’un ennemi, to be alarmed at the strength of an enemy.

REDOUTES de terre, Fr. redoubts that are hastily thrown up, and are made with earth, for the purpose of securing entrenchments, circumvallations, passages of rivers, &c.

Redoutes de maconnerie, Fr. redoubts made of mason work. These are generally constructed in places where an enemy might derive advantage from establishing himself; they are likewise built upon the saliant angles of the glacis.

Redoutes casematées, Fr. Casemated redoubts. These are arched over and are bomb proof. Those constructed for the defence of Gibraltar, and for the security of Dover Castle, are of this description.

Redoutes à machicoulis, Fr. redoubts made of stone work, which are several stories high. The highest story juts out about one foot beyond the wall that surrounds or fronts the redoubt.

REDRESSER, Fr. in a military sense, to recover. To make straight again, viz.

Redressez vos armes, recover arms. Redressez la ligne, redress the line.

To REDRILL. To drill again. To put a soldier through the first elements of military training. Every soldier on his return from furlough, should be redrilled before he is permitted to act in the ranks of his company.

To REDUCE a place, is to oblige the governor to surrender it to the besiegers, by capitulation.

To REDUCE the circle. To restore or bring back a battalion or company, which has been formed in circle, to its original position in line.

To REDUCE the square. To restore or bring back a battalion or battalions, which have been formed in a hollow or oblong square, to their original situation in line or column. On the word form close column, the front which the column is to have is noted to stand still by its proper officer, whether it be flank or centre; the other portions of the line are faced towards the point of formation; and then quarter faced or wheeled to front or rear; as the columns is to be formed. The column upon the centre, is the best and most effective of all the formations for columns of attack.

To be REDUCED, in a military sense, to be taken off the establishment, to cease to receive pay as soldiers. When a regiment is reduced, the officers are generally put upon half pay. Sometimes the corps are reduced, and the officers remain upon full pay. This happens at the close of a war, when the standing army of the country is confined to a certain number of battalions. Hence is derived the expression, in and out of the break. In the break, is the liability of being reduced; out of the break, is the certainty of being kept upon the establishment.

To be REDUCED to the ranks. To be taken from a superior appointment in a regiment, and to be ordered to the duty of a common soldier. This sometimes happens, by way of punishment, when a serjeant or corporal misbehaves himself.

REDUCT. See Redoubt.

REDUCTION des troupes, Fr. A reduction of the armed force of a country.

REDUIRE, Fr. in drawing, to copy, to reduce a plan or picture. This operation differs from that of chalking out. The French use the expression in various senses, viz.

Reduire en grand, Fr. To copy an original drawing, by giving it larger dimensions.

Reduire en petit, Fr. To copy an original drawing, by giving it smaller dimensions, which is literally to reduce it.

Reduire un plan au petit pied, Fr. To make a copy of a drawing, in which every part is faithfully represented, though on a small scale.

REDUIT, Fr. literally means a nook, or bye-place; in a military sense, it signifies a sort of citadel, which is extremely inconvenient to the inhabitants of the town, because it takes up more ground than those that are regularly built, and is, at the same time, uncomfortable to the troops, because they must be very much crowded. This word is explained by an English lexicographer, in the following manner:—Reduct or Reduit, an advantageous piece of ground, intrenched and separated from the rest of the place, camp, &c. for an army, garrison, &c. to retire to in case of surprize. Reduits are sometimes made for the purpose of securing different posts in a town independent of its citadel. These have been proposed by the celebrated Vauban.

Reduit, in architecture, a recess.

REED, an arrow.

REEDIFIER, Fr. To rebuild.

RE-ENTERING angle, in fortification, is that which, turns its point towards the centre of the place. See Fortification.

REFAIT, bois refait et remis à l’equerre, Fr. An expression used among French carpenters, and by the artificers belonging to the train, to signify any piece of wood which has been planed and made perfectly square and level.

REFEND, Fr. in architecture, a partition wall, viz. Mur de refend.

To RE-FORM, in a military sense, is after some manœuvre or evolution, to bring a line to its natural order, by aligning it on some given point. This frequently occurs in the passage of lines, &c. viz. When a line or several battalions hath passed another that remains posted, by retreating through by files, it may be reformed in the following manner:

To RE-FORM by a flank battalion, on a central battalion, in an oblique position.

When by a flank battalion, the line that has passed is fronted in column, and the several pivots are dressed correctly before wheeling up into line. To this effect, the commander of the head battalion will instantly place the pivots of his three first platoons in a true direction, and order the officers of his other platoons to line on them; himself remaining with the head platoon at the point d’appui, will see that this is correctly done. The first battalion thus steadied, will become a sufficient direction for the second, and every other one, to prolong it by their adjutants; and this operation, though successive from platoon to platoon, and from battalion to battalion, may be performed quickly and correctly; if the adjutants are timeously detached, and if the head of the column be quickly arranged.

To RE-FORM a first line on a central battalion. In order to give the alignment from a central battalion, after halting and fronting, the platoon pivots of the given battalion are from its head to be accurately lined by its commander, in the true direction. This battalion being placed, from which distances and dressings are taken, the others will instantly proceed to line their pivot flanks upon it: those that are behind it, will readily do this; those that are before it will find more difficulty, as they must take their distances from the rear; to facilitate this necessary object, their platoon officers will face to the directing battalion, and will then successively take their distances and covering from their then front; as soon as each has acquired his true position, he will face about and make his platoon join to and dress to him. The line will then be ready to form, by wheeling up to the pivot flank.

To RE-FORM a first line, that has passed through a second which remains posted, in an oblique position.

When it is found necessary that the passing battalions, which constitute the first line should take a new position not parallel to the second, or to their own original formation, the commander, with his two leading platoons, will first enter it (i. e. the new position) and direct the others to regulate their flanks by them; and if several battalions are passing the second line, the new alignment is thus made easier for them.

It frequently happens, that a height in the rear is to be crowned by a retiring line. In this case, each officer must not dress exactly to the platoon that precedes him, but in joining it he must halt, and arrange his own in such a manner, that the slope of the rising or ascent can be entirely seen and commanded, which is here the great object, and would not be attained, if the troops were to adhere to a straight line.

To Reform, (Reformer, Fr.) is likewise to reduce a corps of men, by either disbanding the whole, or only breaking a part, and retaining the rest; or sometimes by incorporating them with other regiments.

REFORME, Fr. reduced.

Officier REFORME, Fr. An officer put upon half-pay; or seconded according to the regulations of the old French service.

REFORMED officer. One whose troop or company being broke, is continued on whole or half-pay. He preserves the right of seniority, and continues in the way of preferment.

REFOULER, Fr. To ram down.

REFOULOIR, Fr. A cannon rammer.

REFUGEE, (Réfugeé, Fr.) See Emigrant.

To REFUSE. A military phrase, signifying to throw back, or to keep out of that regular alignment which is formed when troops are upon the point of engaging an enemy. This often occurs in order to occupy a particular position, to prevent the enemy’s designs on any particular part of a line, or at least to make him take a greater detour to effect his purpose; or that he may be obliged to align his own on a height which is occupied, and from which he may be flanked. When a first line has passed through a second, and it is found necessary to refuse a wing, the several platoons of that line must pass according to the wing which is to be refused. If the left, for instance, is to be posted, and the right to be refused, the platoons may pass from their left by the facing of the platoon to the left, and marching to the required position in succession; the column will thereby have its left in front, will be more readily directed on the point d’appui, and the preservation of the distances will be facilitated, as they will then be taken from the front. If the right is to be posted, the platoons may pass from their right; but the movement into echellon, and wheeling into line is preferable to any mode, as errors can always be remedied in an instant, and without confusion.

It may happen where the passing line is to post one flank and refuse the other, that the officers will have their distances to take from behind; halt the whole at any time after passing, and countermarch each platoon, which will then cause the future formation to be taken from the front of the column.

A retiring line may also refuse a wing, by forming in line very soon after passing, and then taking up an oblique position to the rear, by the echellon march, or some other of the modes prescribed. See Amer. Mil. Lib.

Frederic, surnamed the great, king of Prussia, who had attentively studied the tactics of the ancients, first adopted the method of refusing a wing in the forming of an attack. This method has been since successfully followed by the best modern generals. It answers to a partial reserve of a force which is always ready at command; and in point of security, it is the reverse of what the French mean in préter un aile, to expose a wing, or post it in a precarious manner. The French during the whole of the action which was fought in Egypt, on the 21st of March, 1801, refused their right wing. Notwithstanding this precaution they were defeated by the British.

As a correct formation of the line by the echellon march, whether it advance or retire in the presence of an enemy, is generally resorted to when it is found necessary to refuse any part of a line, it will not appear superfluous to submit the following mode which is practised by the French.

Formation of the line by the echellon march of divisions, by the covering serjeants or guides running out to mark the point in the new alignment, for their respective divisions.

When the battalion changes position to the front on a fixed flank company, by throwing forward the rest of the battalion, the commander having determined the new line, and wheeled a given company into that line the named number of paces (say 4) the remaining companies wheel two paces on their right forward into echellon. The guide or covering serjeant of the second company instantly moves out, takes about ³⁄₄th distance for his company, faces the point d’appui, and places himself in such a manner, that the outside of his right arm will pass in line with the breast of the men of the company already in the line. He is corrected, if necessary, on the distant point of formation by a proper person placed on the right for that purpose. On the words form line and march being given by the commander, the guide or covering serjeant of the third company runs briskly out, places himself so as to cover the second guide or serjeant, faces the point d’appui, and takes the order ³⁄₄th distance, corrected on the distant point by the person on the right. The officer commanding the second company, marches on till he sees himself clear of the left flank of the right company; he then gives the word quarter face to the right, (his right pivot marking time) and when he observes his company square with the new line, he gives the word forward, runs nimbly out and places himself in front of the third left file of the first formed company, and when the men of his company have their feet off the ground ready to finish the last pace to bring them into line, he gives the word mark time, and dresses his men close to the outside of the right arm of the covering serjeant: and then gives the word halt. Taking care that the outward flank of his company does not shut out the distant point of dressing: he then places himself on the right of his division, covered by his serjeant, who quits his ground and briskly passes through the interval on the right of his division, at the word halt.

In this manner division after division arrives in the new line; and as the covering serjeants of each of the other divisions approach within 15 or 20 paces of the line, they run out to mark the points for their respective companies, face the point d’appui as already directed, and there remain till the word mark time—front—halt, when the guides quit their places in front and take post on the flank or in the rear.

In forming line to the rear by the echellon march, (suppose on a left company) the same operation takes place with regard to the covering serjeants running out, to mark the points of dressing for their respective divisions; but with this difference, that instead of their taking only about ³⁄₄th distance, they are to take about one pace more or less than the proper distance; face the point of appui, and are corrected on the distant point, as before, by a proper person on the left. The commanders of companies will, as soon as they see the proper front rank of their companies touch that part of the line already formed, give the word mark time, front, halt. Each officer dresses the men of his platoon at the marked time, till he brings them in line with the outside of the left arm of his covering serjeant; he then gives the word halt; taking post on the right of his company, covered by his serjeant, who quits his ground as before on the word halt.

It is to be observed, in order to preserve the proper interval, on the covering serjeant quitting his division to mark the point in the true line, the officer’s place is to be immediately filled by a supernumerary or other man from the rear, where he is to remain till replaced by the officer, or covering serjeant.

It is likewise to be observed, that in forming line to the front on a right division, the dressing is close to, and on the outside of the right arm of the covering serjeant; and on forming the line forward on a left company or division, the dressing is close to and on the outside of the left arm. In forming line to the rear on a right division, the dressing is on the right arm: and in forming line to the rear on a left division, the dressing is on the left arm of the covering serjeant.

In forming line to the rear, the officers, or other persons appointed to correct the serjeants on the distant point of formation, move along in the rear and correct the serjeants, as they successively arrive to mark the points for their respective divisions.

By the foregoing method of sending out the covering serjeants or guides to mark the point in the new line for their respective companies, that inaccuracy of dressing, which so often takes place when forming line to the front; and that very great confusion and incorrectness, which too frequently occur when forming to the rear, (particularly so, when the wheel into echellon is in any degree less than the one eighth of the circle or four paces,) are entirely obviated.

REFUSER, Fr. For its application in a military sense, see To Refuse.

Refuser, Fr. This word is used among the French as a sea-phrase, viz. le vaisseau a refusé. The ship has missed the wind.

REGAIN, Fr. in carpentry and masonry, means the surplus of a piece of stone or wood when it proves too broad or too long for any particular use, and must of course be taken off. It likewise means after-grass or math.

REGALER, Fr. to level or make even.

REGIE, Fr. government, administration.

REGIMENT, (Regiment, Fr.) a term applied to any body of troops, which, if cavalry, consists of one or more squadrons, commanded by a colonel; and, if infantry, of one or more battalions, each commanded in the same manner. The squadrons in cavalry regiments are divided, sometimes into six, and sometimes into eight, nine, or ten troops. The battalions of infantry are generally divided into ten companies. There is not, however, any fixed rule on this head; as both cavalry and infantry regiments differ according to the exigencies of service in time of war, or the principles of economy in time of peace. The German regiments frequently consist of 2000 men: and the regiment of Picardy in the old French service had 6000. The French formerly made a distinction between the commanding officer of a regiment of cavalry, and the commanding officer of a regiment of infantry. The former was stiled Mestre de camp, the latter colonel as with us; but according to the establishment of the present French army, the term of regiment is confined to the cavalry and artillery: and the name of half brigade is given to the infantry. So that chiéf de brigade, chief of brigade, corresponds with our colonel of a regiment of infantry. The denomination of colonel is again established in the French cavalry.

With respect to the derivation of the word, it appears, that the best etymology is from the French word Régie, management, which comes from the Latin regere, to govern. Hence a regiment is said to be governed by a colonel. M. Beneton, a celebrated French etymologist, differs from this explanation. He traces it from the French régime, which signifies system, regimen, administration, and which is again derived from the Latin regimen, bearing the same import. In a physical acceptation of the term, regime is used to express any body that is composed of several others. But this is mere conjecture on his part.

Regiments were first formed in France in the year 1558, and in England in the year 1600.

Dromedary REGIMENT, a corps raised by the French during their stay in Egypt. The men were mounted upon dromedaries. To quote the words of Mr. Morier, in his account of a campaign with the Ottoman army in 1800, the dromedaries composing this troop are made to go through a number of evolutions, and when attacked, they are formed into a hollow square: they kneel, and by means of a cord which is thrown round one of the knees, they are prevented from getting up, and thus they afford a breast-work for the soldiers. The same author observes in a note, page 59, that the most convenient and only way of travelling in Egypt is upon dromedaries. The traveller need not encumber himself with food for his animal, as a very scanty allowance of beans suffices for many days journey. Travellers ride upon convenient saddles; and the animal is so docile, that he is guided only by touching him with a small stick on the side that he is to turn. Some have a ring through each nostril, which serves as a bit to a bridle fastened to them. They walk very fast; and their trot is swift, but very inconvenient.

Cape REGIMENT. We have already mentioned under the article Hottentots, (which see) that a proposal had been delivered in to the British government to raise, train, and discipline a certain number of the original inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope. This proposal, after considerable delay, and much deliberation, was finally accepted; and a few days previous to the sudden cessation of arms between England and France. Sir John Dalrymple many years ago proposed to the British government the raising of African corps for the subjection of the West and East Indies, and South America.