Part 216

HORN-work. See FORTIFICATION.

HORS de Combat, a French military phrase, signifying that an individual or body of men, are so completely beat by superior skill, &c. as not to be able to maintain the field of battle; thus a wounded man is hors de combat.

Mettre HORS de Combat, to drive your opponent before you; to press him so closely that he cannot make a stand against you--To put him out of the lists of contest.

HORS de portée, Fr. (in fencing,) out of distance.

HORS de mesure, Fr. (in fencing,) out of measure.

HORSE, in a military sense, a body of horse. See CAVALRY.

ASSOCIATED HORSE--a body of cavalry so called in the days of Cromwell. At the famous battle of Nasbie (fought on the 14th of June, 1645) which decided the fate of Charles the First, the associated horse were posted in the rear of the right wing of the Republican army, and formed part of the reserve--There were troops of the association stationed in the rear of the left. Oliver Cromwell commanded the cavalry on the right of the whole, and the associated horse were under his immediate orders.

HORSE near-side protect, a guard used in the cavalry sword exercise. See SWORD Exercise.

HORSE off-side protect. See SWORD Exercise.

HORSES--An allowance of 3 feet is generally made for the breadth of each horse standing at picket; and about 9 feet for the length of a horse.

A light dragoon horse, mounted and accoutred complete, carries about 2 cwt. 1 qr. and 14 lbs. without forage.

Horses in the service of artillery should not be made to draw above 3 cwt. each, besides the weight of the carriage.

Horses for this service should never be lower than 14³⁄₄ hands. The contractor is obliged to furnish them of this height for government.--A horse is generally supposed equal to five men.

Military horses walk about 400 yards in 4¹⁄₂ minutes.

Trot the same distance in 2 minutes 3 seconds, and gallop it in about 1 minute.

With great burthens, less weight must be allowed for each horse to draw, than with medium burthens; as it cannot be supposed that, of a team of 8 horses, the leaders can draw so much as the horses nearer the carriage; and this disadvantage must increase as the team lengthens. A team of

4 horses may draw 6 cwt. each. Tot. 24 cwt. 6 Do. 5 do. do. 30 do. 8 Do. 4¹⁄₂ do. do. 36 do. 12 Do. 4 do. do. 48 do.

including the carriages. See also the word Load.

It is usual in heavy carriages to reckon all their weight exceeding 12 cwt. as part of the load.

Horses allowed for drawing Field Artillery Carriages.

All the horse artillery carriages are drawn by 4 horses each, except 12 prs. which have 6 each. Park Carriages.--12 pr. medium, and 6 pr. heavy, 6 horses each--6 pr. light, and 5¹⁄₂ howitzer, upon the new construction, are allowed each 4 horses, but upon the old only 3 each.

Ammunition waggon, com. pat. 3 horses. Do. -- Flanders pat. 4 do. Forge cart, 2 horses.--Am. cart, 2 do.

HORSES falsely mustered are by the 27th section of the British mutiny act to be forfeited, if belonging to the person who lent them for that purpose, if not, the person lending them to forfeit 20l. When officers belonging to the cavalry regiments purchase horses for public service, they are to make the best bargain they can for government, and to account for every saving which has been made, within a limited sum.

HORSE, a wooden machine, which soldiers ride by way of punishment. See CHEVAL DE BOIS.

HORSE. See PORTCULLIS.

HORSEMAN. See CAVALRY.

HORSE SHOE. See FORTIFICATION.

HOSE, breeches or stockings. It is generally taken in the latter sense when mentioned as part of a soldier’s necessaries.