Part 288

MARECHAUSSEES de France, camps, et armées du roi, Fr. That which was under the immediate direction of the provost-general of the isle of France, and that which belonged to the mint.

The first of these companies is said to have been formed under the first race of French kings: the second by Francis the first; and the third by Louis XIII. There were, besides, several small bodies of troops, composed of officers, and soldiers who had served, that remained stationary in the principal towns to assist the civil magistrates. Those in Paris consisted of three companies; the company belonging to the lieutenant criminel de Robe-Courte, or to that particular court of judicature which was superintended by the prevost de la Maréchaussée, and which Charles the IXth attached to the gendarmerie: the independent company of mounted police, called Guet à Cheval; and the company of the police or foot patrole, called Guet à Pied, which was again subdivided into two companies, in order that one might do the duty of the quays. These companies were under the immediate direction of the secretary of state for the interior department of Paris. The guet de nuit, or night patrole, seems to have been first established by Clotaire the second. The commanding officer of the patrole, or chevalier duguet, during the reign of St. Louis was called milesgueti.

MARENGO, a plain and village in Italy, about one league distant from Tortona, so called. These spots have been rendered memorable in military history by the obstinate and decisive engagement which took place on the 14th of June, 1800, between the Austrians, commanded by general field marshal Melas; and the republican French army, under the direction and personal guidance of Bonaparte, the first consul. According to a very recent publication, translated from the French of Joseph Petit, horse grenadier in the consular guard, the effective number of each army was nearly as follows: the French army, at the moment the battle commenced, was computed from forty to forty-five thousand men, of which three thousand were cavalry: there were besides, from twenty-five to thirty pieces of cannon, in which were included two companies of light artillery: the Austrian army, according to the accounts of the best informed persons, contained from fifty-five to sixty thousand men, including the reinforcements which had just arrived from Genoa. From 15 to 18,000 of these were cavalry. The cannon amounted to fourscore pieces and upwards, two hundred ammunition waggons, well provided, besides an immense train of army implements, stores, and equipage. The French were extremely deficient in the latter articles, having been obliged for want of caissons, to put their ammunition upon tumbrils drawn by oxen.

The loss on both sides was enormous; that of the French was rendered more serious to the republic, by the death of general Desaix, to whose intrepidity, at a most critical juncture, the success of the day, and even the personal safety of Bonaparte were unquestionably owing. This admirable young officer, (for even his enemies pay homage to his virtues and talents) was called by the French and Austrian soldiers, guerrier sans peur et sans rèproche: an irreproachable and undaunted warrior. Without entering into a minute detail of this memorable action, we shall so far trespass upon the limited arrangements of our work, as to extract a passage from another French publication, which has been written by citizen Foudras, and may be found in the English translation from which we have already quoted:--

“It has already been shewn with what obstinacy both armies fought, (see page 64 of Petit’s narrative) four times were the French driven back, four times did they return to the charge, and advance against the Austrians. At the very instant when the consul, surrounded by hostile shot, was reanimating his almost exhausted troops, general Desaix darted with impetuosity amidst the Austrian battalions, when he received his death wound from a musquet ball. He had only time to utter the following words to the son of the consul Lebrun, in whose arms he expired:--“Go and tell the first consul, that I die with regret in not having done enough to live in the memory of posterity!” See page 192, of Foudras’s Biographical Notice.

CHASSE-Marée, Fr. The term means literally a Ripier, or man who brings fish from the sea-coasts to sell in the inland parts; but it has frequently been used to signify the cart or carriage itself on which he sits. According to the French construction of it, it may serve for several purposes, particularly for the speedy conveyance of small bodies of troops. It consists of a four wheel carriage, of equal height with a common axle-tree, having a platform sufficiently elevated to suffer the fore wheels to pass under it when on the lock. In the centre of this platform is an upright back, with a seat on each side, resembling the seat of an Irish car; so that about six soldiers might sit on each side, back to back. On the platform, and attached to the axle-tree, nearly at each corner, are four stout stumps on knee-hinges, that allow them to turn down flat on the platform, or to be fixed upright when they serve, by a crutch which fits into a hole as a rest for rifles, or for a piece of horse light artillery; on the crutch being taken out it fits into the hole after the manner of a swivel on board ship.

MARGA SEERSHA, Ind. a month which partly agrees with October.

MARRIAGE. It is generally understood in the British service, that no soldier can marry without the previous knowlege and consent of his captain, or commanding officer. There is not, however, any specific regulation on this head. The regulations respecting the marriages of officers and soldiers in the old French service, were extremely rigid.

MARIN, Fr. Any thing appertaining to the sea. Avoir le pied marin, to have sea-legs, or to be able to stand the motion of a vessel in rough water, and to go through the different functions of navigation. Marin is likewise used to distinguish a sea-faring man, (homme de mer) from Marinier, which literally means a sailor.

La MARINE. The French navy is so called.

MARINE, implies, in general, the whole navy of a state or kingdom, comprehending all the dock yards, and the officers, artificers, seamen, soldiers, &c. employed therein, as well as the shipping employed by the merchants for military or commercial purposes; together with whatever relates to navigation, ship-building, sailors, and marines.

The history of the marine affairs of any one state is a very comprehensive subject; much more that of all nations. Not only the preservation of that share of commerce which the British possess, but its future advancement, and even the very being of Britain, as an independent nation, depend on the good condition and wise regulation of the affairs of the marine, than on the superiority of its naval power. The Delphic oracle being consulted by the Athenians, on the formidable armament and innumerable forces of Xerxes, returned for answer, “that they must seek their safety in wooden walls.” To which the British affirm, that whenever their nation in particular has recourse to her floating bulwarks for her security and defence, she will find wealth, strength, and glory, to be the happy and infallible consequence.

MARINES, or MARINE FORCES, a body of soldiers, raised for the sea-service, and trained to fight either in a naval engagement or in an action on shore. Officers of marines may sit on courts-martial with officers of the land forces. See British MUTINY ACT, Sect. 13.

The great service which this useful corps has frequently rendered, entitles it to a fair record in every publication that treats of military matters. In the course of former wars the marines have distinguished themselves by great perseverance, strict attention to duty, and unquestionable valor. At the siege of Belisle they rose into considerable notice, although they had, at that period, been only recently raised, and were scarcely competent to military discipline. When the marines are at sea, they form part of the ship’s crew, and soon acquire a knowlege of nautical tactics. Their officers are directed by the admiralty, (under whose immediate control they serve,) to encourage them in every disposition to become able seamen; but no sea officer has the power of ordering them to go aloft against their inclination. During an engagement at sea, they are of considerable service in scouring the decks of the enemy, by firing musquetry from the poop, round top, &c. and when they have been long enough out to obtain good sea-legs, they are preferable to mere seamen, especially when the enemy attempts to board; in which case the marines can fraise the poop, quarterdeck, forecastle, &c. with their fixed bayonets, and prevent the completion of their design. In making this observation, we are necessarily led to recommend a more frequent use of the pike. Not only the seamen, but the marines, should be well exercised in the management of that weapon. The interior regulations for the several marine corps, have been well digested, and do credit to the establishment. If any fault can be found on that head, it must relate to the slops, which are given in too large a quantity, considering the little room that a marine must occupy on board. No commissions are bought or sold in the marines; every individual rises according to his seniority; but a marine officer never can arrive at the highest rank or pay which exists upon the marine establishment; one general, one lieutenant general, one major general, three colonels, and one lieutenant colonel commandant, being naval officers with those additional distinctions. It is not within our province to enter into the wisdom or the injustice, not to say ignorance of that policy, which with a series of indisputable claims to notice, still keeps the marine establishment upon the lowest footing of military honor and reward.

The marine forces have of late years been considerably augmented; and we make no doubt but they will continue to be so, from the many confessed advantages which are derived from the peculiar nature of their service. They at present consist of 140 companies, which are stationed in the following manner in three principal divisions:

|| Ports- || Ply- Chatham|| mouth || mouth companies|| companies|| companies 1st| 71st|| 2d | 72d || 3d | 73d 4th| 74th|| 5th| 75th|| 6th| 76th 7th| 77th|| 8th| 78th|| 9th| 79th 10th| 80th||11th| 81st||12th| 82d 13th| 83d ||14th| 84th||15th| 85th 16th| 86th||17th| 87th||18th| 88th 19th| 89th||20th| 90th||21st| 91st 22d | 92d ||23d | 93d ||24th| 94th 25th| 95th||26th| 96th||27th| 97th 28th| 98th||29th| 99th||30th|100th 31st|101st||32d |102d ||33d |103d 34th|104th||35th|105th||36th|106th 37th|107th||38th|108th||39th|109th 40th|110th||41st|111th||42d |112th 43d |113th||44th|114th||45th|115th 46th|116th||47th|117th||48th|118th 49th|119th||50th|120th||51st|121st 52d |122d ||53d |123d ||54th|124th 65th|125th||55th|126th||57th|127th 68th|128th||56th|129th||58th|130th | ||59th|131st||60th|132d | ||61st|133d ||62d |134th | ||63d |135th||64th|136th | ||66th|137th||67th|138th | ||69th|139th||70th|140th ----+-----++----+-----++----+----- 40 comp. || 50 comp. || 50 comp.

The siege of St. Jean D’Acre, fabulous as the defence of it may hereafter appear from the extraordinary means which were made use of to reduce the place, and the more extraordinary exertions which succeeded in preserving it, will long be remembered, by the two first rival nations in Europe, and will form a brilliant part of the records of the Turkish empire. When posterity shall read the account, it may doubt the relation in its full extent of wonderful hardihood on both sides; but it will rest satisfied, that the garrison of St. Jean D’Acre would not have resisted the first approach of Bonaparte’s army, had not a handful of British marines stood in each breach his soldiers made, and communicated courage and perseverance to the natives of the place.

It has already been remarked, that the marines are nominally under the command of three general officers, who are admirals, or vice-admirals in the navy, and three colonels belonging to the sea service. The marines themselves never rise beyond the rank of colonel commandant in their own corps, but they may be general officers with respect to the army at large. According to the last printed list there is one colonel commandant, properly so called, with the rank of major general in the army, three colonels commandant and captains, two of whom have the rank of major general in the army; three second colonels commandant and captains, two of whom have the rank of major general in the army; nine lieutenant colonels and captains, six of whom have the rank of colonel in the army, and three that of lieutenant colonel; nine majors and captains, one of whom has the rank of major general in the army, and eight that of lieutenant colonel; making together twenty-five field officers, who are marines properly so called; and six superior officers, who belong to the navy.

To these may be added 116 captains of companies, two of whom have the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army, and one is lieutenant colonel by brevet; 24 captain lieutenants, 256 first lieutenants, 276 second lieutenants, six adjutants, and three quarter masters. The list of those field officers who have been permitted to retire upon full pay, contains one colonel, one lieutenant colonel with the rank of major general, one major with the rank of major by brevet, in the army, 15 captains, 10 with the rank of major by brevet, and one with that of lieutenant colonel by brevet; eight first lieutenants, and three second lieutenants. There are four reduced field officers, two of whom have the rank of major general in the army, and one that of lieutenant colonel; 92 captains, one with the rank of captain in the army, one as field officer in the India company’s service, and nine with the rank of major by brevet; six reduced captain lieutenants, 162 reduced first lieutenants, four of whom have civil employments; 136 second lieutenants, one of whom has a civil employment; and one reduced adjutant. There is one paymaster to the marine establishment, who does not hold any military situation.

The American marine corps, like the British, is a separate establishment; the true system for a military establishment, would be to have the whole force consist only of horse and foot; and all instructed alike in the uses of small arms and artillery; then a selection of artillerists and marines could always be made by skill and not as now by chance.

MARK, a note, character, &c. set upon a thing.

MARK also denotes money of account. The English mark is 13s. 4d.; among the Saxons it was equivalent to 7s. 6d. English money. It is also a money of account in Scotland, and formerly a silver coin, being equal to 13d. and one third English.

Gunpowder MARKS. The different sorts of gunpowder are distinguished by the following marks on the heads of the barrels. All gunpowder for service is mixed in proportions according to its strength, so as to bring it as much as possible to a mean and uniform force. This sort of powder is marked with a blue L. G. and the figure ¹⁄₂, or with F. G. and the figure 3, whose mean force is from 150 to 160 of the eprouvette. This is the powder used for practice, for experiments, and for service. The white L. G. or F. G. is a second sort of powder of this quality. It is sometimes stronger, but not so uniform as the blue L. G. It is therefore generally used in filling shells, or such other things as do not require accuracy. The red L. G. F. G. denotes powder entirely made at the king’s mills, with the coal burnt in cylinders, and is used at present only in particular cases, and in comparisons, and to mix with other sorts to bring them to a mean force. The figures 1, 2, or 3, denote that the powder is made from saltpetre obtained from damaged gunpowder; 4, 5, or 6, from saltpetre obtained from the grough. See pages 123, 124, of the Little Bombardier.

MARK to shoot at. A round or square piece of wood, which is generally painted in red and white circles, and has a black spot in the centre called the bull’s eye. Soldiers should be frequently practised in shooting at a mark. At the commencement of the French revolution, particularly in 1792, previous to the battle of Jemmappe, the inhabitants of the different towns exercised themselves several times during the course of the day, in firing at a mark. The national guards did the same. By means of this laudable practice several expert marksmen were formed. We need scarcely add, that the advantages which the service in general derived from their skill, has been too manifest to be denied. It must be evident to every military man that corps of light cavalry, mounted light artillery, and numerous small bodies of marksmen, capable of acting together, or on detached and desultory duties, would answer all the purposes of home defence.

MARK time.--To mark time is to move each leg alternately in quick or ordinary time, without gaining ground. This is frequently practiced when a front file or column has opened too much, in order to afford the rear an opportunity of getting up; and sometimes to let the head of a column disengage itself, or a body of troops file by, &c.

Knights of St. MARK. An order of knighthood which formerly existed in the republic of Venice, under the protection of St. Mark the evangelist.

To be MARKED. Marshal Saxe, in his reveries, proposes that every soldier should be marked in his right hand to prevent desertion. He recommends the composition which is used by the Indians; and grounds the propriety of his plan upon the custom which prevailed among the Romans, who marked their soldiers with a hot iron. We mention this as a suggestion grounded upon good authority: but we by no means recommend it as an adoption which would be palatable.

MARKSMEN, men expert at hitting a mark.