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Part 70

A Military Dictionary · William Duane — chapter 70 of 547 · ~823 words · public domain

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That of a lieutenant, by 1 lieutenant, 1 serjeant, 1 drummer, 1 fifer, and 36 rank and file, with 3 rounds.

That of an ensign, by an ensign, a serjeant, and drummer, and 27 rank and file, with 3 rounds.

That of an adjutant surgeon, and quarter-master, the same party as an ensign.

That of a serjeant, by a serjeant, and 19 rank and file, with 3 rounds of small arms.

That of a corporal, musician, private man, drummer, and fifer, by 1 serjeant and 13 rank and file, with 3 rounds of small arms.

All officers, attending the funerals of even their nearest relations, notwithstanding wear their regimentals, and a black crape round the left arm.

The pall to be supported by officers of the same rank with that of the deceased: if the number cannot be had, officers next in seniority are to supply their place.

The order of march to be observed in military funerals is reversed with respect to rank. For instance, if an officer is buried in a garrison town or from a camp, it is customary for the officers belonging to other corps to pay his remains the compliment of attendance. In which case the youngest ensign marches at the head immediately after the pall, and the general, if there be one, in the rear of the commissioned officers, who take their posts in reversed order according to seniority. The battalion, troop or company follow the same rule.

The expence for a regimental burial is to be charged against the captains of the respective troops or companies.

For further particulars, see Reid’s Military Discipline.

BURR, in gunnery, a round iron ring, which serves to rivet the end of the bolt, so as to form a round head.

BURREL-shot, small bullets, nails, and stones discharged from any piece of ordnance.

BUSKINS, a kind of shoe, or half boot, adapted to either foot; formerly a part of the Roman dress, particularly for tragic actors on the stage. They are now much worn by the army.

BUTIN, Fr.. booty or pillage. At the beginning of the French monarchy, and for a long time after its establishment, a particular spot was marked out by the prince or general, to which all persons belonging to the victorious army were directed to bring every species of booty that might have fallen into their hands. This booty was not divided, or appropriated according to the will and pleasure of the prince or general, but was thrown into different lots, and drawn for in common.

BUTMENTS. See BRIDGES.

BUTT, in gunnery, is a solid earthen parapet, to fire against in the proving of guns, or in practice.

BUTTON, in gunnery, a part of the cascable, in either a gun or howitzer, and is the hind part of the piece, made round in the form of a ball. See CANNON.

BUTTRESS. See COUNTERFORT.

BUZE, a wooden, or leaden pipe, to convey the air out of mines.

CABAS, Fr. a basket made of rushes, used in ancient Languedoc and Roussillon, for the purpose of conveying stores and ammunition. This term is adopted in military inventories.

CABINET COUNCIL, a council held with privacy and unbounded confidence.

CABLE ou CHABLE, Fr. a large rope.

CADENCE, in tactics, implies a very regular and uniform method of marching, by the drum and music, beating time; it may not be improperly called mathematical marching; for after the length of a step is determined, the time and distance may be found. It is by a continual practice and attention to this, that the Prussians arrived at that point of perfection, once so much admired in their evolutions.

CADENCE or Cadency, in cavalry, is an equal measure or proportion, which a horse observes in all his motions.

CADET, among the military, is a young gentleman, who applies himself to the study of fortification and gunnery, &c. and who sometimes serves in the army, with or without pay, ’till a vacancy happens for his promotion. The proper signification of the word is, younger brother. See ACADEMY.

CADET, Fr. differs in its signification from the term as it is used in our language. A cadet in the French service did not receive any pay, but entered as a volunteer in a troop or company, for the specific purpose of becoming master of military tactics.

In the reign of Louis XIV. there were companies of Cadets. The sons of noblemen and gentlemen of fashion were received into these companies, and when reported fit to undertake a military function, were nominated cornets, sub-lieutenants or ensigns. In the reign of Louis XV. a regulation was made, by which no cadet could be admitted unless he had passed his fifteenth year and was under twenty.

He was likewise obliged to prove his nobility by the testimony of four gentlemen. Officers’ sons, however, were admitted on proof being given, that their fathers had actually served, or had died in the service.

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