Part 308

Flat bottomed MOAT, that which hath no sloping, its corners being somewhat rounded.

Lined MOAT, that whose scarp and counterscarp are cased with a wall of mason work made aslope.

MODEL, a mould; also a diminutive representation of any thing. Thus models of warlike instruments, fortifications, &c. &c. are preserved in the British laboratory at Woolwich.

MODERN, something of our own times, in opposition to what is antique or ancient.

MODERN Tactics, and MODERN Art of War, That system of manœuvre and evolution, which has been adopted since the invention of gunpowder, and particularly the system improved by the French within twenty years. See Am. Mil. Lib.

Ancient Tactics, and ancient art of War. The system which was pursued by the Greeks and Romans, &c. before the invention of gunpowder and fire arms.

MOGNIONS, from the French Maignon, signifying the stump of a limb. A sort of armor for the shoulders.

MOGUL, the emperor of India, from whom the nabobs (properly Naib, a deputy,) originally received their appointments, as governors and superintendants of provinces.

MOGUL Tartars, a nation so called that made considerable conquests in India.

MOHUR, Ind. A golden coin, of which there are several values, but generally goes for fifteen or sixteen rupees; a rupee half our dollar.

MOIENNE, Fr. A piece of ordnance, which is now called a four pounder, and which is ten feet long, was formerly so called.

MOINEAU, a French term for a little flat bastion, raised upon a re-entering angle, before a curtain which is too long, between two other bastions. It is commonly joined to the curtain, but sometimes separated by a fosse, and then called a detached bastion. They are not raised so high as the works of the place.

MOIS Romains, Fr. a term used in Germany, to signify a particular tax or contribution, which the emperors had a right to demand on urgent occasions. This tax grew out of an old custom which originally prevailed when the emperors went to Rome to be crowned, and which served to defray their expences thither. Thus when the tax was required, it was called for as a contribution of so many Roman months; implying a certain sum for so many.

MOISSON, Fr. Harvest. This word is used in various senses by the French, particularly in two of a poetical and figurative kind, viz. Il a vu cinquante moissons; he has lived fifty years, literally, has seen fifty harvests.

MOISSON de lauriers, Fr. a succession of victories, &c. literally a harvest of laurels.

MOISSON de gloire, is taken in the same sense.

MOISSONNER des lauriers, Fr. To reap laurels.

MOISSONNER les hommes, Fr. To kill off, &c. To mow down men.

MOLLER, Fr. Literally means to wax soft. It is used figuratively among the French to signify, in a military sense, the yielding or giving way of armed men, viz. les troupes mollisent, the troops gave way.

MOLLESSE, Fr. in a figurative sense, signifies want of firmness or resolution. Je crains la mollesse de vos conseils; I mistrust the pliant tendency of your advice or counsel.

MONDE, Fr. in a military sense, means men or soldiers, viz.

Ce capitaine n’avoit que la moitié de son monde; such a captain had only half his complement of men.

On a perdue beaucoup de monde, Fr. They lost a considerable number of men.

Il a un monde d’ennemis sur les bras, Fr. he is assailed by a multiplicity of foes.

Aller à l’autre monde, Fr. This expression bears the same import in English that it does in French, viz. to die--literally, to go into the other world.

Le Nouveau Monde, Fr. This term is frequently used to denote America. Hence L’Ancien et le Nouveau Monde, means the two continents.

MONEY-matters. An expression in familiar use to express all pecuniary concerns. It cannot be too strongly recommended to every responsible military man to be scrupulously correct on this head. More than half the breaches of friendship and common acquaintance that occur in life, may be traced to irregularity: but in no instance are its effects so fatal, as when the soldier is wronged, or is induced to think so by the omissions, &c. of officers or serjeants.

Of the Monies, Weights, and Measures, of Foreign Nations respectively with those of England.