Part 426

A return of absent officers, on the 14th of each month.

Every officer commanding a regiment, or detachment, on embarking for a foreign station, will transmit an embarkation return to the adjutant-general’s office, and to the war office, a duplicate of which he will deliver to the general or officer commanding at the port from which he embarks.

On a regiment embarking, the commanding officer is to transmit to the adjutant-general’s office, a return of the recanting parties he purposes to leave in Great Britain, or Ireland, specifying their strength, their stations, and the officers by whom they are commanded; a duplicate of this return is to be transmitted to the inspector-general of the recruiting service in the Isle of Wight.

All officers belonging to regiments on foreign stations, not actually employed on the recruiting service, are to report their arrival from abroad, and the cause of their absence, at the adjutant-general’s office, and are to leave their addresses with their respective agents, and in case of their changing their places of residence, are immediately to notice the same to their agent: any officer whose address is not with his agent, will be considered as absent without leave, and guilty of disobedience of orders.

Officers upon half pay are, in like manner, to leave their addresses at the war office; particularly so if they should leave the united kingdoms; and officers belonging to the militia are to leave their names, &c. with the several adjutants of regiments.

Commanding officers of regiments or posts, are to transmit to the adjutant and inspector an half yearly return of quarters, on the 1st of December, and the 1st of May, agreeable to the printed form; like wise a report of any march performed by the corps under their orders.

All returns, reports, and papers, purely of a military and public nature, which are to be sent to the war office of the United States, are to be addressed, “To the adjutant and inspector, Washington.”

All official letters, intended for the secretary at war, should be transmitted, under covers, addressed as above, to the adjutant and inspector.

To prevent an improper expence of postage, all official letters and returns sent to the adjutant and inspector, are to be sent, under covers, addressed “To the officer by name, with the title of adjutant and inspector, at Washington,” and on the outside of the covers is to be written in legible characters, “public service, and then the name and rank of the writer.”

RETURN pistol. See PISTOL.

RETURN bayonet. This term is sometimes used, but it is not technically correct, as the proper word of command is unfix bayonet.

RETURN ramrod. See MANUAL.

RETURN swords. See SWORD.

REVEILLE, is the beat of a drum, about break of day, to advertise the army that it is day light, and that the sentinels forbear challenging.

REVERS, Fr. Behind, in rear, at the back of any thing.

Etre vu de REVERS, Fr. To be overlooked by a reverse commanding ground. When a work, for instance, is commanded by some adjacent eminence, or has been so badly disposed, that the enemy can see its terre-pleine, or rampart, that work may be said to be overlooked, être vu de revérs. The same term is applicable to a trench when the fire of the besieged can reach the troops that are stationed within it.

REVERS de la tranchée, Fr. Literally means the back part of the trench. It is the ground which corresponds with that proportion of the border of the trench that lies directly opposite to the parapet. One or two banquettes are generally thrown up in this quarter, in order that the trench guard may make a stand upon the reverse when it happens to be attacked by a sortie of the enemy.

REVERSE. A contrary; an opposite; as, the reverse, or outward wheeling flank; which is opposite to the one wheeled to or upon. See PIVOT.

REVERSE likewise signifies on the back, or behind: so we say, a reverse commanding ground, a reverse battery, &c.

REVERSED arms. Arms are said to be reversed when the butts of the pieces are slung or held upwards.

REVERSED. Upside down; as arms reversed.

REVETEMENT, (revêtement, Fr.) in fortification, a strong wall, built on the outside of the rampart and parapet, to support the earth, and prevent its rolling into the ditch.

REVETEMENT du rampart, Fr. Revetement belonging to the rampart.

REVETIR, Fr. To line, to cover, to fortify.

REVIEW, (revue, Fr.) In the military acceptation of the term, an inspection of the appearance, and regular disposition of a body of troops, assembled for that purpose, is called a review.

At all reviews, the officers should be properly armed, ready in their exercise, salute well, in good time, and with a good air; their uniform genteel, &c. The men should be clean and well dressed; their accoutrements well put on; very well sized in the ranks; the serjeants expert in their duty, drummers perfect in their beatings, and the fifers play correct. The manual performed in good time, and with life; the men carry their arms well; march, wheel, and form with exactness; manœuvres performed with regularity, both in quick and slow time. The intention of a review is, to know the condition of the troops, to see that they are complete, and perform their exercise and evolutions well. See MOVEMENTS, likewise INSPECTION.

To REVISE, (réviser, Fr.) To review; to re-examine; to re-consider. This term is used in military matters, which relate to the proceedings of a general or regimental court-martial. It sometimes happens that the members are directed to re-assemble for the purpose of revising part of the whole mass of the evidence that has been brought before them, and of maturely weighing afresh the substance of the proofs upon which they have formed their opinion and judgment. Great delicacy and discretion are required in those who have authority to order a revision of this sort. A court-martial ought to be the most independent court on earth. Interest, prejudice, or partiality, has no business within its precincts. An honest regard to truth, a sense of the necessity of good order and discipline, and a stubborn adherence to facts, constitute the code of military laws and statutes. Quirks, quibbles and evasions, are as foreign to the genuine spirit of martial jurisdiction, as candor, manliness, and resolute perseverance in uttering what he knows to be the fact, are familiar to the real soldier.

REVOCABLE, (révocable, Fr.) That may be recalled. Nominations for appointments in the army, are made by the president of the United States, subject to the concurrence of the senate, who, if they disagree, revoke the appointment.