Part 352

PASS of arms. In ancient chivalry, a bridge, road, &c. which the knights undertook to defend, and which was not to be passed without fighting the person who kept it. He, who was disposed to dispute the pass, touched one of the armories of the other knight who held the pass, that were hung on pales, columns, &c. erected for the purpose; and this was a challenge which the other was obliged to accept. The vanquished gave the conqueror such prize as was agreed on.

PASS-parole, a command or word which is given out at the head of an army, and from thence passed from mouth to mouth, till it reach the rear.

PASS-port, a letter of licence which is given by a government, granting safe conduct to travel, enter, and go out of its territories without molestation; this is properly given to friends and neutral persons; and the safe conduct to enemies.

PASS, All’s Well, a term used by a British sentry after he has challenged a person that comes near his post, and has given him the proper parole, watchword, or countersign. See ROUNDS.

PASSADE, Fr. See PASS.

PASSADE, in the manege, is a horse’s walking or trotting in such a manner, that he raises the outward hind-leg and the inward fore-leg together; and, setting these two on the ground, raises the other two alternately, never gaining above a foot of ground at a time.

Demander la PASSADE, Fr. This term is used among the French to express the act of soliciting charity out of the usual way of persons begging, or who have not been accustomed to ask alms. Donner la passade a un pauvre soldat; to give alms to a poor soldier. Il y avoit sur le chemin beaucoup de soldats qui demandoient la passade; there were many soldiers on the road who asked charity.

PASSAGE, (passage, Fr.) This word, as to its general import, does not require explanation. It is familiar to everybody. In a military sense it may be variously understood for passages made over rivers or through defiles, which should always be secured when an army is on its march. Dragoons or light cavalry are generally employed upon this service, being, by the celerity of their motions, better calculated to get the start of an enemy. Passes through mountainous countries, and passages over rivers, may likewise be secured by means of light field pieces and flying artillery. The latter are particularly calculated for defiles. Intrenching tools, &c. must be carried with them.

If it be found expedient to cross a river, a sufficient number of pontoons, must accompany the detachment. Should the river be fordable, and a body of infantry have been brought up in time to act with the cavalry, the former must instantly make good its footing on the opposite side, carrying intrenching tools, &c. for the purpose of fortifying the tête du pont, and thereby securing the passage of the river. Rivers are crossed either by surprise, or by main force.

When the passage is to be effected by surprise, such movements and feints must be resorted to, as may induce the enemy to direct his means of opposition to a distant quarter from the one you have in contemplation. Every precaution must be taken to prevent him from getting the least intelligence respecting your boats of pontoons; and on this account you must frequently countermarch different bodies of troops to divert his attention. When the passage is to be effected by main force, you must take such a position as will enable you to command the one occupied by the enemy, and you must select that part of the river where there are small islands or creeks, under cover of which the boats and barges may ply.

Those spots upon the banks of a river are best calculated for this enterprise, where the stream forms a rentrant angle, because it is more easy, in cases of that sort, to plant your batteries in such a manner as to afford a cross fire against the opposite bank. The instant you have dislodged the enemy, by means of a superior force of artillery (which you must always provide for the purpose in question) a strong detachment composed of grenadiers, and other chosen troops, must cross in boats or barges, in order to stand the first shock of the enemy, under a well supported fire of artillery.

When this detachment has made good its footing, the boats or barges must instantly row back for fresh troops, whilst the pioneers, artificers, and workmen, who accompanied the grenadiers, throw up temporary redoubts, and are protected by the fire of the troops that have landed. As soon as the works are sufficiently advanced, and an adequate number of men has been distributed in them to secure the post, the bridge must be undertaken. Its head or tete must be made as strong as possible, to keep the enemy in check should he return, and endeavor to dislodge the advanced guard.

The main body must be put in motion shortly after the departure of the first detachment, in order to support the latter, should the enemy succeed in making a bold push to defeat it, and thereby prevent the numberless disadvantages which must ensue, if the army were permitted to cross the river, or to pass the defile without opposition.

When the passage of a large river can be happily effected by means of a bridge, considerable advantages may be derived from it; most especially when the army is thereby enabled to reach a defile or pass, the possession of which enables a general to distribute his troops in desultory quarters. Marshal Turenne, in his famous passage over the Wesel in 1672, has afforded us a strong instance of this advantage. Marshal Saxe has written largely upon this important operation; and every general officer ought to be thoroughly versed in the ways and means of executing it under all the various circumstances that occur in the locality of ground, the peculiar nature of rivers, and the possible resources of an enemy, that is determined to dispute his passage. But the most memorable of all that is recorded in history are the passages of the Danube below Vienna, in 1809, which merit the study of every military man.

Soldiers should be frequently practised in the different evolutions which are required to pass a bridge in a safe and military manner. Bridges, defiles, &c. being obstacles that retard the movements of an army, whose object is to advance, we refer our readers for a full elucidation of the subject, under the article OBSTACLE.

PASSAGE, Fr.. a term which relates to the reception of a knight, in the order of Malta.

PASSAGE of bridges or defiles when a battalion or line stands on narrow ground.

A battalion, standing in narrow ground, may sometimes be ordered to march in file for the purpose of forming open column; and passing a defile, either before or behind that flank, before or behind the other flank, or before or behind any central point of that line.

Received Rules.

1. If before the right flank--The right platoon will move on, the rest of the battalion will face to the right, and march in file, the divisions will successively front and follow the leading one, and each other.

2. If behind the right flank--The whole face to the right and march, the right division instantly countermarches to the rear, fronts, and moves forward, followed in the same manner by every other division, till the whole is in column.

But the following method of passing in open column, would save a great deal of time which is unnecessarily lost by countermarching each division separately, as they successively arrive on the ground where the right division stood before it marched off to the rear.

1st. Countermarch the whole of the divisions at the same time, and on the same ground which they severally occupy in the line.

2d. Face the whole (except the right division) to the left, which moves forward on the word march from the chief. The divisions as they successively arrive on the ground from which the first division marched, will halt and front, follow the leading one and each other, till the whole are in column.

Received Rules.

3. If before any central point, or the left flank--The battalion makes a successive countermarch from the right flank towards the left, and when the right division arrives at the point from whence it is to advance, it again countermarches to its right, a space equal to its front, then faces and moves on, and is thus successively followed by part of the battalion. The other part of the battalion beyond the point of advancing, faces inwards, when necessary, makes a progressive march in file, then fronts, and follows by divisions as it comes to the turn of each, till the whole are in column.

A different Method.

Instead of passing according to the above method, much time may be gained, by the divisions on the right of the defile facing to the left, (commencing with the right division) march in file till opposite, and in full front of the division which is opposite the defile, or where the column is to advance from, then front, march forward, followed by the other divisions; the divisions on the left of the defile will face inwards, and when necessary, make a progressive march in file, followed as before, till the whole are in column.