Part 262

Faire long-bois signifies to leave a considerable opening between the ranks.

Prendre le plus long, Fr. To go the furthest way about, as L’armée fut obligee de prendre le plus long pour éviter les défilés, the army was under the necessity of going the furthest way about in order to avoid the defiles.

LONGER, Fr. A French military phrase. Longer la riviere. To move up or down the river. It is frequently found necessary to attack an enemy’s post, in order to have a free passage on the river, pour longer la riviere.

Longer le bois, Fr. To march by the side of a wood.

Faire une LONGUE marche, Fr. To make a long march.

Epee de longueur, Fr. A sword of a proper length to serve as a weapon of defence. This term is used to distinguish it from the short swords, which are worn for mere dress or parade.

Longs-costes, Fr. Those sides are so called, which belong to places that are irregularly fortified, and contain indiscriminately eighty toises and upwards. In which cases they are usually strengthened by a flat bastion in the centre, or by several flat bastions, which are constructed, according to the extent of the sides, at intermediate distances.

LONGIMETRY, (Longimetrie, Fr.) The art of measuring lands and distances, whether the extent or space be accessible as in a road, or inaccessible as in a river, or branch of the sea.

LONGITUDE of the earth, denotes its extent from west to east, according to the direction of the equator.

LONGITUDE of a place, in geography, its distance from some first meridian, or an arch of the equator intercepted between the meridian of the place, and the first meridian. See GEOGRAPHY.

LONGITUDE of motion, according to some philosophers, is the distance which the centre of any moving body runs through, as it moves on in a right line. See MOTION.

LONGRINES, Fr. Pieces of wood or branches which are laid along the extent of a sluice, and make part of its grating.

To LOOK, a word frequently used in the British service to express the good or bad appearance of a corps, &c. viz. such a regiment looks well or ill under arms.

To LOOK at. To go down the front of a regiment, &c. without requiring that the troops should be put through the different evolutions. A general officer frequently looks at a regiment in this manner. Sometimes indeed the expression bears a more extensive meaning: it is usual, for instance, to say--It would be ridiculous to think of looking at a strong place for the purpose of attacking it, without having sufficient force to carry its works.

To be LOOKED at, in a military sense to be distantly observed by an enemy who has a design of attacking you; or to be seen by a general officer, whose duty is to enforce any established system. The latter must be considered as a mere cursory inspection. It is common to say--We are to be seen or looked at, but not regularly reviewed.

LOOP, in a ship-carriage, made of iron, fastened one on the front of a fore axle-tree, and two on each side, through which the ropes or tackle pass, whereby the guns are moved backwards and forwards on board of ships.

LOOP, a small iron ring or staple, by which the barrel of a gun is affixed to the stock.

LOOP is likewise used to signify an ornamental part of a regimental hat.--Every officer in the British service, when dressed in his uniform, is directed to wear a hat, the loop of which is made of scaled silver or gold, if in the cavalry; and of gold lace if in the infantry. General officers wear the scaled loop.

LOOP-holes, (Crénaux, Fr.) In fortification, are small holes in the walls of a castle or fort, through which the garrison may fire. In field fortification, loop-holes are frequently resorted to.

To LOOSEN, to separate, to make less coherent. In a military sense it implies to open ranks or files from close order. In marching by files, the officers and non-commissioned officers should be particularly attentive to their men, especially when any particular manœuvre requires a compact and solid movement. To loosen is, in fact, to lose that firm continuity of line or perpendicular adherence, which constitutes the true basis of military operations. The lock step was introduced for the purpose of counteracting the mischievous effects of loose marching, but it produced a greater inconvenience, and has therefore been laid aside; and the equal pace and marked time corrects both.

LOOT. Indian term for plunder or pillage.

LOOTIES or LOOTEES, Ind. A term in India to express a body of irregular horsemen, who plunder and lay waste the country, and harass the enemy in their march. They may be compared to the Hulans of Europe, and other free-booters.

LOOTYWALLOW, Ind. A term Of the same import as Looties.

To LOT for men, a phrase peculiar to military arrangements. When recruits join they should be lotted for with the strictest impartiality. If some troops or companies should be less effective than others, they must be first completed to the strength of other troops or companies, and then the whole must lot equally.

LOUIS, or Knight of St. Louis, the name of a military order in France, instituted by Louis XIV. in 1693. Their collars were of a flame color, and passed from left to right: the king was always grand master.

LOUIS d’OR. A French coin first struck in the reign of Louis XIII. in 1640; but laid aside since the revolution.

LOUP, Fr. literally signifies a wolf.

LOUP des anciens was an iron instrument, made in the shape of a tenaille, by means of which they grappled the battering rams and broke them in the middle. See CROWS-FEET.