Part 28

ASSAILLIR, Fr. to attack; to assail. This old French term applies equally to bodies of men and to individuals.

ASSAULT, a furious effort to carry a fortified post, camp, or fortress, where the assailants do not screen themselves by any works. While an assault during a siege continues, the batteries cease, for fear of killing their own men. An assault is sometimes made by the regiments that guard the trenches of a siege, sustained by detachments from the army.

To give an ASSAULT, is to attack any post, &c.

To repulse an ASSAULT, to cause the assailants to retreat, to beat them back.

To carry by ASSAULT, to gain a post by storm, &c.

ASSAUT, Fr. See ASSAULT.

ASSIEGER, Fr. to besiege.

ASSEMBLEE, Fr. the assembling together of an army. Also a call, or beat of the drum. See ASSEMBLY.

ASSEMBLY, the second beating of the drum before a march; at which the men strike their tents, if encamped, roll them up, and stand to arms. See DRUM.

ASSESSMENT, in a military sense, signifies a certain rate which is paid in England by the county treasurer to the receiver-general of the land-tax, to indemnify any place for not having raised the militia; which sum is to be paid by the receiver-general into the exchequer. The sum to be assessed is five pounds for each man, where no annual certificate of the state of the militia has been transmitted to the clerk of the peace: if not paid before June yearly it may be levied on the parish officers. Such assessment where there is no county rate is to be raised as the poor’s rate.

ASSIETTE, Fr. the immediate scite or position of a camp.

ASSOCIATION, any number of men embodied in arms for mutual defence in their district; and to preserve the public tranquility therein, against foreign or domestic enemies.

ASTRAGAL. See CANNON.

ATTACH. Officers and non-commissioned officers are said to be attached to the respective army, regiment, battalion, troop, or company with which they are appointed to act.

ATTACHE, Fr. the seal and signature of the colonel-general in the old French service, which were affixed to the commissions of officers after they had been duly examined.

ATTACK, any general assault, or onset, that is given to gain a post, or break a body of troops.

ATTACK of a siege, is a furious assault made by the besiegers by means of trenches, galleries, saps, breaches, or mines, &c. by storming any part of the front attack. Sometimes two attacks are carried on at the same time, between which a communication must be made. See SIEGE.

False ATTACKS are never carried on with that vigor and briskness that the others are; the design of them being to favor the true attack, by amusing the enemy and by obliging the garrison to severer duty in dividing their forces, that the true attack may be more successful.

Regular ATTACK, is that which is carried on in form, according to the rules of art. See SIEGE, APPROACHES, &c.

To ATTACK in front or flank, in fortification, means to attack the saliant angle, or both sides of the bastion.

This phrase is familiarly used with respect to bodies of men which attack each other in a military way.

ATTACK and Defence. A part of the drill for recruits learning the sword exercise, which is commenced with the recruit stationary on horseback, the teacher riding round him, striking at different parts as openings appear, and instructing the recruit how to ward his several attacks; it is next executed in a walk, and, as the learner becomes more perfect, in speed; in the latter under the idea of a pursuit. The attack and defence in line and in speed form the concluding part of the sword exercise when practised at a review of cavalry. It is to be observed, that although denominated in speed, yet when practising, or at a review, the pace of the horse ought not to exceed three quarters speed.

ATTENTION, a cautionary word used as a preparative to any particular exercise or manœuvre. Garde-á-vous, which is pronounced Gar-a-vous, has the same signification in the French service.

ATTESTATION, a certificate made by some justice of the peace of the enlistment of a recruit. This certificate is to bear testimony, that the recruit has been brought before him in conformity to law and has declared his assent or dissent to such enlistment; and, if according to the law he shall have been, and is duly enlisted, that the proper oath has been administered to him by the said magistrate.

ATILT, in the attitude of thrusting with a spear, &c. as was formerly the case in tournaments, &c.

AVANT, Fr. foremost, most advanced toward the enemy, as

AVANT-chemin couvert, Fr. The advanced covert-way which is made at the foot of the glacis to oppose the approaches of an enemy.

AVANT-duc, Fr. The pile-work which is formed by a number of young trees on the edge or entrance of a river. They are driven into the ground with battering rams or strong pieces of iron, to form a level floor, by means of strong planks being nailed upon it, which serve for the foundation of a bridge. Boats are placed wherever the avant-duc terminates. The avant-duc is had recourse to when the river is so broad that there are not boats sufficient to make a bridge across. Avant-ducs are made on each side of the river.