Part 200

The dress of a soldier should be plain, and made up so as to facilitate every movement of his person, to guard him against the inclemency of the weather, and to be remarkable for its collective uniformity of appearance. Next to these general requisites, the ease of each individual should be consulted; particularly with regard to the breeches, trowsers, or pantaloons. Regimental surgeons will certainly say, that in some instances men have suffered as much from an inattention to this part of their dress, as from the most harrassing service in the face of an enemy. The loins should invariably be covered, the stride be made easy, and the bend of the knee be left unembarrassed. Under the old French government, the whole infantry was clothed in white, with facings of various colors; but both the officers and the men were extremely plain in every part of their dress. Since the revolution, the national color, which was white, has been changed to blue. Not only the soldiers, but the waggon-drivers, &c. had a particular dress to distinguish them from other people. See UNIFORM.

Un HABIT d’ordonnance, Un HABIT d’uniforme, Fr. regimental coat; or clothing.

HACHE, Fr. a hatchet.

HACHE d’armes, Fr. a hatchet or battle-axe.

In ancient times this weapon was frequently resorted to by whole armies when they engaged. At present it is only used on particular occasions, in sorties, &c. or boarding ships.

HACHE, Fr. A term which was formerly used among the French to express a certain punishment that military delinquents were obliged to undergo. It consisted in being loaded with a pack or saddle, which the guilty person was under the necessity of carrying a specified distance, and which entailed disgrace upon the bearer.

HACHER, Fr. to cut to pieces. This word is very frequently used among the French in a military sense, viz.

Un bataillon, ou un escadron s’est fait HACHER en pièces, a battalion, or a squadron has suffered itself to be cut to pieces.

They likewise make use of the expression in familiar discourse, as speaking of truth, viz

On se feroit HACHER en pièces pour la verite; one would be cut to pieces for the support of truth.

HACHEREAU, Fr. a small hatchet.

HACKERY, an Indian two wheel carriage or cart, drawn by oxen.

HACQUETON. See HATCHET.

HACQUET-WAGEN, a four-wheeled waggon, which is used in the Prussian service to convey pontoons. The under-frame of this carriage is built like that of a chariot, by which means it can turn without difficulty.

HAIL-SHOT. See GRAPE-SHOT.

HAIR-CLOTH, a stuff made of hair. It is laid on the door of powder-magazines and laboratories, to prevent accidents of fire from the shoes of the men treading or rubbing upon nails, sand, or gravel.

HAIR-CLOTH--Weight 30 lbs.--length 15 feet--breadth 11 feet.

HAKIM. A term used in India to signify a master, the governor of a city, a judge, or a king. It sometimes means the government, and power.

HALBERD, HALBERT, a weapon formerly carried by the serjeants of foot and artillery. It is a sort of spear, the shaft of which is about 6 feet long, generally made of ash. Its head is armed with a steel point edged on both sides. Besides this point, which is in a line with the shaft, there is a cross piece of iron, flat and turned down at one end, but not very sharp, so that it serves equally to cut down or thrust with. This weapon has of late been exchanged for the half-pike.

HALBERDIER, a soldier armed with a halbert.

HALEBARDE, Fr. halbert. This weapon, as well as the pike, was first adopted by the French, in imitation of a similar one which was carried by the Swiss troops. It was not known in that country before the reign of Louis XI. and when it fell into disuse among the rank and file, it was confined to the serjeants of infantry. The length of a French halbert was six of their feet from one extremity to the other. The handle or shaft was a long stick, with a strong, sharp, iron ferrel at the end, and the upper part had a flat sharp blade, with a cross bar attached to it.

HALF, is frequently used in military terms. Thus,

HALF-BRIGADE, (demie brigade, Fr.) which signifies half the number of men of which a whole brigade is composed. A brigade of infantry in the French army, consists of six battalions, each of one thousand men, making together six thousand men. Three thousand of course constitutes a demie-brigade, or half-brigade. In the British service, a brigade is various, according to the number of regiments that may be encamped, or lie contiguous to each other. Sometimes two, three, or four regiments form a brigade; so that half the recited number of men which composes a brigade, whether of cavalry or infantry, makes a half-brigade.

HALF-COMPANIES. The same as subdivisions, and equal to a platoon.

HALF DISTANCE, signifies half the regular interval or space between troops drawn up in ranks, or standing in column.

HALF FILES, half the given number of any body of men drawn up two deep.

Half-files are so called in cavalry, when the men rank off singly.

HALF-FILE leader, (Chef de demi-file, Fr.) the foremost man of a rank entire.