Part 287

MARCHER au pas accêléré, Fr. To march in quicker time.

MARCHER le pas en arriére, Fr. To take the back-step.

MARCHER au pas ordinaire, Fr. To march in ordinary time.

MARCHER au pas précipité, Fr. To march in quickest time, or charging time.

MARCHER par le flank, droit, ou gauche, Fr. To march by the right or left flank.

MARCHER en colonne, la droit ou la gauche, en tête, Fr. To march in column, the right or left in front.

MARCHER en colonne, serrée, Fr. To march in close column.

MARCHER en colonne ouverte, Fr. To march in open column.

MARCHER, en terme d’évolutions, Fr. To march in line, &c. which see.

MARCHES. The limits or bounds between England, Wales, and Scotland, have been so called.

MARCHING regiments. A term given to those corps who had not any permanent quarters, but were liable to be sent not only from one end of Great Britain to another, but to the most distant of her possessions abroad. Although the word marching is insensibly confounded with those of line and regulars, it was originally meant to convey something more than a mere liability to be ordered upon any service; for by marching the regular troops from one town to another, the inhabitants, who from time immemorial have been jealous of a standing army, lost their antipathy to real soldiers, by the occasional absence of regular troops. At present, the English guards, militia, and fencibles, may be considered more or less as marching regiments.--The marines and volunteer corps have stationary quarters.

St. MARCOU. Two rocks upon the coast of Normandy, lying in a bite or bay between cape Barfleur and Point Percé, bearing south east from La Hogue nine miles, from the mouth of the river Isigny, north, eight miles, and distant from the body of the French shore about four miles. The surface of each island, which is 18 or 20 feet above the level of the sea at high water, comprises about an acre, and bear from each other W. by N. and E. by S. distant 200 yards. On the abandonment of an expedition to the islands of Chossé, in the year 1795, sir Sidney Smith, whose active and comprehensive mind, justly concluded that the contiguity of these posts to the continent, would materially facilitate communications with the royalists, took possession of them; and having drawn the Badger and Sandfly gun vessels on shore, gave to their respective commanders the direction of the spot upon which he was thus placed. These officers having constructed batteries, mounted in them the guns belonging to their vessels, and in the year 1796 block houses, with detachments of marines, invalids, and 12 artillery men, were ordered out by government.

The extreme annoyance of these rocks to the coasting trade of the enemy, at length determined them to employ a part of the division of the army destined for the conquest of England, in their recovery, and 15,000 troops being assembled at the Hogue, 9000 were embarked on the 6th of May, 1798, on board 52 gun-vessels; when so great was the solicitude to partake in this conceived certain prelude to their glory, that several of the fourth demi-brigade of the army of Italy, whose tour of duty did not entitle them to be thus employed, gave four and five crowns, each, to others to change with them. Perfectly acquainted with the situation of the islands, the French flotilla rowed towards them in the night of the 6th, and at the dawn of the morning of the 7th, the weather being perfectly calm, they were discovered in a body between the islands and the shore. They soon separated into three divisions, one of which, comprising the heavy gun brigs remained in that position, while the other two, consisting of large flat boats, carrying a long 18 pounder in the bow, and a 6 pounder in the stern, took positions to the north and to the south of the islands, with an intention to drop into the passage that separates them. An animated and well directed fire was commenced from the islands, and warmly returned by the enemy. The northern division having been driven by the ebb tide within a short distance of the east island, soon became disabled in their oars, and considerably increased its distance, while the attention of the two islands was principally directed to the southern division, which came with the tide, and with almost unexampled gallantry pushed to the attack; being however by the severity of the fire that was kept up, foiled in its intention of getting between the islands, when each island would be exposed to the fire of the other, it passed quickly to the westward of the west island, and pulling up on the northern side of that island, the defence of which was almost wholly dependent on the flanking fire of the east island, made another determined effort to land. This appears to have been the critical period of the day, and the discharge of grape shot from the islands was proportionate to the danger; the entire side of the commodore of this division’s vessel was battered in, and she sunk; the others of the division beaten and disabled, retreated to their companions, and being reduced to the number of 47, they all retreated to La Hogue, amidst the deriding taunts and huzzas of the English, 400 of whom, with about 50 pieces of cannon, most of which were of a small calibre, and placed in works constructed by themselves, by vanquishing the advanced guard of the army of England, with the loss of 1100 killed, drowned, and wounded, dissipated the terrors of a French invasion. The action lasted two hours and ten minutes, during which time there were upwards of 100 pieces of cannon firing on the islands; notwithstanding which the loss on our side was only one killed and two wounded. English Mil. Dict.

MARDIKERS, or Topasses, a mixed breed of Dutch, Portuguese, Indians, and other nations, incorporated with the Dutch at Batavia, in the East Indies. Mardikers, in all probability, derive their name from some original adventurers, who left a place, called Mardike, about four miles from Dunkirk, and formerly subject to, or forming part of the seventeen United Provinces. When the Dutch took possession of that territory which is named Batavia, these adventurers were perhaps the leading party, and from their being called Mardikers, the natives in those quarters insensibly attached the term to all persons of European descent, or connection. All, in fact, who wear hats are distinguished among turban-nations by the appellation of Topasses, and Mardikers, and from that circumstance are confounded in the term, with respect to Batavia. Eng. Dict.

There is a mistake in this--the word tope signifies a gun, as well as a hat; those who carried guns instead of spears, were called topasses; the topasses of the Malabar coast, where in fact they were first embodied by the Portuguese, wore no hats, but turbans, and carried matchlocks or topes; a house in which guns are kept is called tope kannah.

MARECHAL de camp, Fr. a military rank which existed during the French monarchy. The person invested with it was a general officer, and ranked next to a lieutenant-general. It was his duty to see the army properly disposed of in camp or quarters, to be present at all the movements that were made; to be the first to mount his charger, and the last to quit him. He commanded the left in all attacks. The appointment, under this distinction, was first created by Henry the fourth in 1598.

MARECHAL-general des camps et armées du roi, Fr. A post of high dignity and trust, which, during the French monarchy, was annexed to the rank of Maréchal de France. Military writers differ with respect to the privileges, &c. which belonged to this appointment; it is, however, generally acknowleged, that the general officer who held it, was entrusted with the whole management of a siege, being subordinate only to the constable, or to any other Maréchal de France, who was his senior in appointment.

MARECHAL-géneral des logis de l’armée, Fr. This appointment, which existed during the old French government, and has since been replaced by the chef de l’etat-major, corresponds with that of quarter-master general in the British service.

MARECHAL de bataille, Fr. a military rank, which once existed in France, but was suppressed before the revolution, or rather confined to the body guards. An officer, belonging to that corps, received it as an honorary title. Its original functions, &c. with respect to general service, sunk in the appointments of maréchal de camp, and major-général. It was first created by Louis the XIIIth.

MARECHAL-general des logis de la cavalerie, Fr. This appointment took place under Charles the IXth in 1594. He had the chief direction of every thing which related to the French cavalry.

MARECHAL des logis dans la cavalerie, Fr. The quarter-master of a troop of horse was so called in the French service. In the old system every infantry regiment had one marechal des logis; two were attached to each company of the gendarmes: each troop of light horse had likewise two; and every company of musqueteers had eight.

MARECHAL des logis de l’artillerie, Fr. An appointment which existed in France before the revolution, and which was in the gift of the grand master of the ordnance. This officer always accompanied the army on service, and was under the immediate orders of the commanding officer of the artillery.

MARECHAL des logis pour les vivres, Fr. a person belonging to the quarter-master general’s department, so called in the old French service.

La MARECHALE, Fr. Marshal’s lady i. e. wife, was so called in France. We have already mentioned la colonelle, &c. This practice has indeed, of late, obtained in England, but not in the unlimited manner which prevailed among the French. We use it merely to distinguish two ladies of the same name and family, or neighborhood, viz. Mrs. Johnson, and Mrs. colonel Johnson; meaning thereby that the latter is the wife or widow of colonel Johnson.

MARECHAUSSEES de France, Fr. A species of military police, which has long existed in France. During the French monarchy there were 31 companies of Maréchaussées à cheval, or mounted police-men. After twenty years service the individuals who belonged to this establishment were entitled to the privileges of invalid corps, being considered as a part of the gendarmerie.

These companies were first formed for the purpose of preserving public tranquillity, and were distributed in the different provinces of the kingdom. They consisted of provosts-generals, lieutenants, exempts, brigadiers, sub-brigadiers, and horsemen. This useful body of men was first formed under Philip the first, in 1060: they were afterwards suppressed, and again re-established in 1720, as constituting a part of the gendarmerie of France.

The uniform of the Maréchaussées, or mounted police men, consisted of royal blue cloth for the coat, with red cuffs and linings; the waistcoat of chamoy-color, lined with white serge; a cloak lined with red serge, the buttons of plated silver placed in rows of three each, with intervals between them; horseman’s sleeves, with six silver loops with tassels. The brigadiers and sub-brigadiers, had silver lace one inch broad upon their sleeves; their cloaks were made of blue cloth with red cuffs, and they wore silver laced hats. The private horsemen wore bandeleers.

There were other companies of Maréchaussées, who were particularly distinguished from the thirty-one we have mentioned. Such, for instance, as that of the constable, called the gendarmerie.