Part 212

Whenever the army moves, the majors of brigade are made responsible, that all advanced and detached posts are called in at the proper times to their places in the column of march.

It must be observed that this is the old British system of march; the war of the French revolution has brought this part of the art of war to a degree of perfection, which would have rendered the insertion of this unnecessary if their system were published.

HOMME, Fr. a man.

HOMME de mer, Fr. a seaman.

HOMME d’armes, Fr. a military phrase among the French, signifying a gentleman or cavalier who belonged to one of the old companies, was armed cap-a-pied, and always fought on horseback. In ancient times every man of this description was accompanied by two horsemen independent of his servants. One of the mounted attendants was armed with a cross-bow, and the other with a common bow or battle-axe; so that one hundred hommes d’armes composed a body of three hundred horse. It was a species of cavalry which existed from the reign of Louis XI. until the reign of Henry II. Charles VII. had begun to form the French nobility into regular corps of cavalry, dividing them into different troops. Out of these he established a body of fifteen hundred hommes d’armes or armed bowmen, and he gave the troops or companies according to their sizes, to the princes and most experienced captains in his kingdom. For particulars we refer the curious to Le Gendre and Gaia, Traité des armes, L. 14, and to Fauchet, L. 2. C. 1. de son Traité de la milice et des armes.

Etre HOMME de Cheval, Fr. a term in French equitation, signifying, that a man is completely master of his horse, or knows how to manage him thoroughly and according to prescribed rules and regulations. Thus Il est suffisamment homme de cheval pour d’etre point embarrassé de celui qu’il monte en commandant sa troupe--He is sufficiently master of his horse, or he is horseman enough, not to be in the least embarrassed by the one he rides in exercising his troop.

HONDEAAN or HUNDYVEAAN, an Indian term signifying commission on bills of exchange.

HONEY-Combs, in cannon, flaws in the metal, a fault in casting, which renders it extremely dangerous in firing. The British board of ordnance rejects all guns (on proof) having an honey-comb of ¹⁄₉th of an inch deep, as being unfit for service.

HONI soit qui mal y pense, Fr. evil be to him that evil thinks. The motto of the English order of the Garter.

HONNEUR, Fr. honor.

HONNEURS Militaires, Fr. military honors. It was directed by a general instruction in the French service, that whenever an officer saluted or paid a military honor to a general officer, he should make his troop or company invariably face towards the enemy. The same practice prevails in our service.

HONNEURS funebres. Fr. funeral honors. See BURIALS.

HONOR, in a military sense, is an expression, to which custom has given different meanings. Honor consists in the constant practice of virtue. Aristotle calls it the recompence of virtue; the testimony of the excellence of a man who distinguishes himself by virtue. An Italian writer calls it a state of inviolable dignity, above all calumny, and all suspicion. Honor gives many advantages: it procures us the consideration of the public; it advances our fortunes. The best recompence of a brave action is, undoubtedly, the satisfaction of having done it; but nevertheless the honor resulting to us from it is a real good, which should be dear to us.

HONOR, in a general acceptation may be properly called a consciousness of worth and virtue in the individual, and a lively desire to preserve the reputation of virtue. As a term it is variously used in military life, and frequently misunderstood by young and unexperienced officers in their first outset. As a quality of the mind, it cannot be too much encouraged or too much cultivated among military men of all ranks and descriptions. The possession of it is a guarantee for good conduct, a bond of fidelity, and a certain barrier against military corruption. Men are excited to deeds of valor and enterprize by a sense of honor, who would otherwise remain inactive, or only perform the mere drudgery of service. This species of honor, is in fact, the root of that Esprit de corps which makes the whole body of an army tenacious of reputation, and solicitous to preserve it unsullied from the colonel down to the lowest drum boy.

This term may likewise be considered as esteem, reputation, the glory which is attached by mankind to talents and the virtues.

Affair of HONOR. We have already given a general outline of this term under DUELLING. The propriety or impropriety, as well as the legality or illegality of which mode of terminating human differences is thus explained by the celebrated English lawyer John Selden. His words are under the head Duel; we shall quote them under that of affair of honor.

“A Duel may still be granted in some cases by the law of England, and only there. That the church allowed it anciently appears by this, in their public liturgies there were prayers appointed for the duellists to say, the judge used to bid them go to such a church and pray, &c. But whether this is lawful? If you make any war lawful, I make no doubt but to convince you of it. War is lawful, because God is the only judge between two, that is supreme. Now if a difference happen between two subjects, and it cannot be decided by human testimony, why may not they put it to God to judge between them, by the permission of the prince? Nay, what if we should bring it down for argument’s sake, to the sword men; one gives me the lie: it is a great disgrace to take it the law has made no provision to give remedy for the injury, (if you can suppose any thing an injury for which the law gives no remedy) why am not I in this case supreme, and may therefore right myself.

“A duke ought to fight with a gentleman; the reason is this: the gentleman will say to the duke, it is true you hold a higher place in the state than I; there is a great difference between you and me, but your dignity does not privilege you to do me an injury; as soon as ever you do me an injury, you make yourself my equal; and as you are my equal I challenge you; and in sense the duke is bound to answer him.”

In addition to what Selden has said upon duelling, we shall quote a passage from Dr. Robertson’s History of the reign of Charles the V. which will shew that this mode of determining private disputes is extremely ancient.

“It is evident” observes that author, “from Velleius Paterculus, lib. ii. c. 118, that all questions which were decided among the Romans by legal trial, were terminated among the Germans by arms. The same thing appears in the ancient laws and customs of the Swedes, quoted by Jo. O. Stiernhook de jure Sueonum et Gothorum vetusto, 4to Holmiæ 1682, lib. i. c. 7. It is probable, that when the various tribes which invaded the empire were converted to Christianity, their ancient custom of allowing judicial combats appeared so glaringly repugnant to the precepts of religion, that for some time, it was abolished, and by degrees, several circumstances which I have mentioned led them to resume it.

“It seems likewise to be probable from a law quoted by Stiernhook in the treatise which I have mentioned, that the judicial combat was originally permitted in order to determine points respecting the personal character or reputation of individuals, and was afterwards extended not only to criminal cases, but to questions concerning property. The words of the law are ‘If any man shall say to another these reproachful words ‘You are not a man equal to other men’ or, ‘You have not the heart of a man,’ and the other shall reply ‘I am a man as good as you,’ let them meet on the highway. If he who first give offence appear, and the person offended absent himself, let the latter be deemed a worse man even than he was called; let him not be admitted to give evidence in judgment either on man or woman, and let him not have the privilege of making a testament. If he who gave the offence be absent, and only the person offended appear, let him call upon the other thrice with a loud voice, and make a mark upon the earth, and then let him who absented himself be deemed infamous, because he uttered words which he durst not support. If both shall appear properly armed, and the person offended shall fall in the combat, let a half compensation be paid for his death. But if the person who gave the offence shall fall, let it be imputed to his own rashness. The petulance of his tongue hath been fatal to him. Let him lie in the field, without any compensation being demanded for his death. Lex Uplandica ap. Stiern, p. 76. Martial people were extremely delicate with respect to every thing that affected their reputation as soldiers. By the laws of the Salians, if any man called another a hare, or accused him of having left his shield in the field of battle, he was ordained to pay a large fine. Leg. Sal. tit. xxxii, § 4. 6. By the law of the Lombards, if any one called another arga, i. e. a good-for-nothing fellow, he might immediately challenge him to combat. Leg. Longob. lib. i. tit. v. § i. By the law of the Salians, if one called another cenitus, a term of reproach equivalent to arga, he was bound to pay a very high fine, tit. xxxii. § i. Paulus Diaconus relates the violent impression which this reproachful expression made upon one of his countrymen, and the fatal effects with which it was attended. De Gestis Longobard. lib. vi. c. 24. Thus the ideas concerning the point of honor, which we are apt to consider as a modern refinement, as well as the practice of duelling, to which it gave rise, are derived from the notions of barbarians.” See Robertson’s History of Charles V. pages 271, 272.

We shall not take leave of our learned author without giving two or three instances out of his proofs and illustrations relative to the termination of private feuds by judicial or private combat.

This mode of trial was so acceptable, that ecclesiastics, notwithstanding the prohibitions of the church, were constrained not only to connive at the practice, but to authorize it. A remarkable instance of this is produced by Pasquier, Recherches, lib. iv. ch. i. p. 350. The abbot Wittikindus considered the determination of a point of law by combat as the best and most honorable mode of decision.

In the year 978, a judicial combat was fought in the presence of the emperor. The archbishop Aldebert advised him to terminate a contest which had arisen between two noblemen of his court, by this mode of decision. The vanquished combatant, though a person of high rank, was beheaded on the spot. Chronic. Ditmari. Episc. Mersb. chez Bouquet Recueil des Hist. tom. x. p. 121. Questions concerning the property of churches and monasteries were decided by combat. In the year 961, a controversy concerning the church of St. Medard, whether it belonged to the abbey of Beaulieu or not was terminated by judicial combat. Bouquet Recueil des Hist. tom. ix. p. 729. ibid. p. 612, &c. The emperor Henry I. declares that this law, authorizing the practice of judicial combats, was enacted with consent and the applause of many faithful bishops. Ibid. p. 231. So remarkable did the martial ideas of those ages prevail over the genius and maxims of the canon law, which in other instances was in the highest credit and authority with ecclesiastics. A judicial combat was appointed in Spain by Charles V. A. D. 1522. The combatants fought in the presence of the emperor, and the battle was conducted with all the rites prescribed by the ancient laws of chivalry. The whole transaction is described at great length by Pontus Heuterus Rer. Austrica. lib. viii. C. 17. p. 205.

The last instance which occurs in the history of France, of a judicial combat authorized by the magistrate, was the famous one between M. Jarnac and M. de la Chaistagnerie, A. D. 1547. A trial by combat was appointed in England, A. D. 1571, under the inspection of the judges in the court of Common Pleas; and though it was not carried to the same extremity with the former, queen Elizabeth having interposed her authority, and enjoined the parties to compound the matter, yet in order to preserve their honor, the lists were marked out, and all the forms, previous to the combat, were observed with much ceremony. Spelm. Gloss. Voc. Campus, p. 103. In the year 1631, a judicial combat was appointed between Donald lord Rea, and David Ramsay, Esq. by the authority of the lord high constable and earl marshal of England; but that quarrel likewise terminated without bloodshed, being accommodated by Charles I. Another instance occurs seven years later. Rushworth in Observation on the Statutes, &c. p. 266.

It manifestly appears from these extracts, that in former times not only the property of individuals was considered, but their feelings, as men of honor, were consulted. Law, however, soon obtained the entire ascendancy, and judicial or private combats were not only laid aside, but were moreover strictly forbidden. The military character alone seems to have retained a sort of tacit privilege to make appeals to the sword, in cases where the nice sensibility of the heart breaks through the trammels of legal disquisition, and establishes points of honor which can only be determined by personal exposure. Thus we find that although premeditated duels were severely punished in France, Rencontres or accidental quarrels were always overlooked, whatever their issue might be. Frederic the Great of Prussia seems to have set his face against duelling altogether. Yet it is singular, that notwithstanding his severe prohibition, a Prussian officer was under the necessity either of vindicating his wounded honor by an appeal to the sword or pistol, or was disgraced for having suffered a personal affront. In England the same hardship exists. Lord Kenyon declared from the bench, that he would personally interfere as expounder of the British laws, should any minister recommend mercy to his majesty on the conviction of an individual who had murdered his fellow creature in a duel. See DUEL.

Word of HONOR, (parole d’honneur, Fr.) A promise or engagement that is made or entered into by word of mouth, the breach of which entails disgrace upon the violator.

Point of HONOR, (point d’honneur, Fr.) A delicacy of feeling, which is generally acquired by education, and strengthened by an intercourse with men of strict integrity and good conduct. It is likewise very frequently the offspring of peculiar habits, received notions, and established etiquettes. The French familiarly say, Ils se sont battus pour un point d’honneur, they fought for a point of honor; they likewise say, Il y va de son honneur, his honor is at stake.