Haarlem, or Haerlem. A city of the Netherlands, in the province of Northern Holland, on the Spaarne. It is an ancient town, and was once the residence of the counts of Holland; was taken by the Duke of Alva in July, 1573, after a siege of seven months. He violated the capitulation by butchering half the inhabitants.

Habeas Corpus. A writ of habeas corpus is an order in writing, signed by the judge who grants the same, sealed with the seal of the court of which he is a judge, and issued in the name of a sovereign power where it is granted, by such a court or a judge thereof having lawful authority to issue the same, directed to any one having a person in his custody or under his restraint, commanding him to produce such person at a certain time and place, and to state the reason why he is held in custody or under restraint.

Habergeon. A short coat of mail, consisting of a jacket without sleeves. In early times the habergeon was composed of chain-mail; but in the 14th century a habergeon of plate-armor was worn over the hauberk.

Habiliments of War. In ancient statutes signify armor, harness, utensils, etc., without which it is supposed there can be no ability to maintain a war.

Habsburg, or Hapsburg, House of. An ancient sovereign family of Austria, which derives its name from the castle of Habsburg, in Switzerland. The first member of the family who acquired great celebrity was Rudolph of Habsburg, born in 1218, and elected emperor in 1273. He obtained Austria and other provinces by conquest, and founded the dynasty which now reigns over the Austrian empire, and which, since 1736, has been styled the house of Habsburg-Lorraine.

HachÉe (Fr.). Ignominious punishment of carrying a saddle or dog, to which soldiers were formerly subject in France.

Haches d’Armes (Fr.). Pole- or battle-axes. A hache d’arme is an axe with a narrow handle armed with a sharp blade in the form of a crescent very much curved, terminating in two points approaching the handle on one side; the other side terminating in a point or hammer; when both sides were armed with a blade it was called besague.

Hack. To cut irregularly, without skill or definite purpose; to notch; to mangle by repeated strokes of a cutting instrument. “My sword hacked like a handsaw.”

Hack-bush. Formerly a heavy hand-gun.

Hacquet Wagen. A four-wheeled wagon used in the Prussian service to carry pontons. The under-frame of this carriage is built like that of a chariot, by which means it can turn without difficulty.

Hacqueton. A stuffed coat or cloak, generally of leather, mounted with metal, formerly worn in France by certain knights of the king’s guards called “Gardes de la Manche.” It came into use during the reign of Charles V., and was discarded during the revolution of 1789.

Haddington. A royal burgh of Scotland, and county town of Haddingtonshire, or East Lothian. It was burnt in 1216 by an invading army under John, king of England. Having been rebuilt, it was again burnt to the ground in 1244. In 1355 it was reduced to ashes for the third time by Edward III. of England. The year after the battle of Pinkie, 1548, Haddington was seized and strongly fortified by the English. An allied army of Scotch and French laid siege to it, and, after a memorable defense, it was evacuated by the English in October, 1549.

Hadrumetum. See Adrumetum.

Hagbut, or Haguebut (Fr. haquebute). An arquebuse, of which the butt was bent or hooked, in order that it might be held more readily.

Hagbutar. The bearer of a fire-arm formerly used.

Hagg. An arquebuse with a bent butt.

Hague. A little hand-gun of former times.

Haguebut, or Hague-but. The same as hagbut (which see).

Haguenau. A town of France, in the department of Bas-Rhin, formerly a free town of Germany and a strong fortress, situated on the Moder, 18 miles north-northeast of Strasburg. It was founded in 1164 by Frederick Barbarossa. It successfully withstood many sieges, especially during the Thirty Years’ War; but on its occupation in 1675 by the Imperialists, its fortifications were destroyed. On October 17 and December 22, 1793, bloody battles took place here between the French and Austrians, in which the former were the victors.

Haik. A large piece of woolen or cotton cloth worn by the Arabs over the tunic, being itself covered in foul weather by the burnoose. This word is also written hyke.

Hail. To accost; to call; to salute. A sentinel hails any one approaching his post with, “Who comes there?”

Hail-shot. Grape-shot.

Hainburg. A town of Austria, on the Danube, 28 miles southeast from Vienna. The Magyars, or Hungarians, gained a great victory here over the Germans in 907.

Hair. A spring or other contrivance in a rifle or pistol lock, which, being unlocked by a slight pressure on the trigger, strikes the tumbler-catch, and unlocks the tumbler.

Hair-cloth. A species of cloth made of horse-hair, laid upon the floors of magazines and laboratories to prevent accidents. It is usually made up in pieces 14 feet long and 11 feet wide, each weighing 36 pounds.

Hair-line. A line made of hair; a very fine line. This line is used in military engineering.

Hair-trigger. A trigger so constructed as to discharge a fire-arm by a very slight pressure, as by the touch of a hair. It is connected with the tumbler-catch by a device called a hair.

Hajduk, Haiduk, or Hayduk. The Magyar inhabitants of the district of Hajdu Kerulet, in Eastern Hungary. The Hajduk are direct descendants of those warriors, who, during the long and bloody contest between the house of Hapsburg and the Protestant insurgents of Hungary, formed the nucleus of Prince Stephen Bocskay’s valiant armies. They formerly enjoyed the privileges of the nobility, and were free from taxation.

Hake. An old term for a hand-gun.

Halberd, or Halbert. A weapon borne up to the close of the 18th century by all sergeants of foot, artillery, and marines, and by companies of halberdiers in the various regiments of the English army. It consisted of a strong wooden shaft about 6 feet in length, surmounted by an instrument much resembling a bill-hook, constructed alike for cutting and thrusting, with a cross-piece of steel, less sharp, for the purpose of pushing; one end of this cross-piece was turned down as a hook for use in tearing down works against which an attack was made.

Old Halberd is a familiar term formerly used in the British army, to signify a person who had gone through the different gradations, and risen to the rank of a commissioned officer.

Halberdier. One who is armed with a halberd.

Hale’s Rocket. See Rocket.

Half Bastion. A demi-bastion. That half of a bastion cut off by the capital, consisting of one base and one front.

Half Caponniere. A communication in a dry ditch with one side prepared for defense.

Half Merlens. The merlens at the ends of a parapet.

Half-batta. An extra allowance which was granted to the whole of the officers belonging to the British East Indian army, except Bengal, when out of the company’s district in the province of Oude. In the upper provinces double batta was allowed. All above full was paid by the native princes, as the troops stationed in that quarter were considered as auxiliaries. Batta is equal to full pay. See Batta.

Half-brigade. A demi-brigade.

Half-cock. The position of the cock of a gun when retained by the first notch. Also, to set the cock at the first notch.

Half-companies. The same as subdivisions, and equal to a platoon.

Half-distance. Is half the regular interval or space between troops drawn up in ranks or standing column.

Half-face. Is to take half the usual distance between the right or left face, in order to give an oblique direction to the line, or to fill up a gap at the corner of a square.

Half-file Leader (Fr. chef de demi-file). The foremost man of a rank entire.

Half-files. Is half the given number of any body of men drawn up two deep. They are so called in cavalry when the men rank off singly.

Half-full Sap. When the sappers have only a flank fire (coming in a direction nearly perpendicular to that of the sap) to fear, the sap-roller may be dispensed with. The first sapper then covers himself with the last-filled gabion whilst placing and filling the new one. This species of sap is called the half-full sap.

Half-hitch. Pass the end of a rope round its standing part, and bring it up through the bight.

Half-moon (Fr. demi-lune). In fortification, is an outwork that has two faces which form a salient angle, the gorge of which resembles a crescent. It owes its original invention to the Dutch, who used it to cover the points of their bastions. This kind of fortification is, however, defective, because it is weak on its flanks. Half-moons are now called ravelins, which species of work is constructed in front of the curtain.

Half-pay. An allowance given in the British army and navy to commissioned officers not actively employed. It was first granted by William III. in 1698. In the U.S. service officers receive half-pay only when on leave of absence for a longer period than that for which full pay on leave is allowed, namely, thirty days in each year. See Absence, Leave of.

Half-pike. A short pike, which was formerly carried by officers.

Half-sunken Battery. See Battery.

Half-sword. A fight within half the length of a sword; a close fight.

Haliartus (now Mazi). An ancient town in Boetia, on the south of the Lake Copais. It was destroyed by Xerxes in his invasion of Greece, 480 B.C., but was rebuilt, and appears as an important place in the Peloponnesian war. Under its walls Lysander lost his life, 395; it was destroyed by the Romans (171) because it supported Perseus, king of Macedonia, and its territory was given to the Athenians.

Halicarnassus (now Boudroum). A Greek city of Asia Minor, situated on the Ceramian Gulf. It was founded by a colony from Troezene, and was one of the cities of the so-called Doric Hexapolis. During the Persian conquests it readily yielded to the dominion of the conquerors, and remained faithful to Persian interests. Alexander the Great, provoked by the obstinacy with which the city held out against him, commanded that it should be destroyed by fire; but the inhabitants took refuge in the citadel, which successfully resisted his arms.

Halidon Hill. Is situated about a mile to the northwest of the town of Berwick, England, in the fork formed by the Whitadder and the Tweed. It was the scene of a bloody conflict between the English and Scots, July 19, 1333, when the latter were defeated, and lost upwards of 14,000 slain, among whom were the regent Douglas and a large number of the nobility, while a comparatively small number of the English suffered.

Hallecret. See Allecrete.

Halluc. A small river in Northern France, which empties into the Somme above Amiens. Near here, at Pont À Noyelles, a seven hours’ battle took place December 23, 1870, between the German army under Gen. Manteuffel and the French Army of the North under Gen. Faidherbe. Both parties claimed the victory. Next day the French general retreated.

Halt (Fr. halte). The discontinuance of the march of any body of men, armed or unarmed, under military direction. Frequent halts are necessary for the purpose of resting troops during their progress through a country, or to render them fresh and active previous to any warlike undertaking. It is likewise a word of command in familiar use. See March.

Halting Days. Are the days in the week usually allotted for repose, when troops are upon the march, and there is not any particular necessity for exertion or dispatch.

Halyard. The rope for hoisting and lowering a flag. Written also halliard.

Halys. A river in Asia Minor, near which a battle was fought between the Lydians and Medes. It was interrupted by an almost total eclipse of the sun, which led to peace May 28, 585 B.C. Others give the date 584, 603, and 610 B.C. This eclipse is said to have been predicted many years before by Thales of Miletus.

Ham. A town and fortress of France, in the department of Somme, situated on the river of that name, 36 miles east-southeast from Amiens. It is of ancient origin, and was erected in 1407 into a duchy, which was held by the families of Courcy, Orleans, Luxemburg, and VendÔme. Its old fortress was built by Constable de St. Pol in 1470, and is now used as a state prison. Its walls are 39 feet thick, and its principal tower is 108 feet in height, and the same in diameter. Louis Napoleon, late emperor of the French, was confined here from 1840 till 1846.

Hamburg. A famous free city of Germany, and one of the most important commercial ports in Europe, is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, about 70 miles from its mouth. It is said to have been founded in the 8th century by Charlemagne. In the 13th century it joined Lubeck in the formation of the Hanseatic League. It was occupied by the French from 1806 to 1809, and was annexed to France in 1810. The Russians became masters of it in 1813, but the French regained possession of it in the same year, and Marshal Davoust sustained a memorable siege here in 1813-14. In 1871 Hamburg became a member of the German empire.

Hames. The wooden or iron curved pieces fitting the collar of draught harness to which the traces are attached.

Hamlets, Tower. A district in the county of Middlesex, England, under the command of the constable of the Tower, or lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets, for the service and preservation of the Tower of London.

Hammer. An instrument with an iron head, for driving nails, etc. The term is also applicable to that part of a gun-lock which strikes the percussion-cap or firing-pin.

Hammering. A heavy cannonade at close quarters.

Hammer-spring. The spring on which the hammer of a gun-lock works.

Hammer-wrench. A combination hammer and wrench; called also monkey-wrench.

Hampton. A small village on the Chesapeake Bay, in Virginia, giving its name to Hampton Roads, a southerly branch of Chesapeake Bay, and mouth of James River, defended by Forts Monroe and Calhoun. These roads were the scene of important events in the American Revolution, the war of 1812, and the late civil war, especially the first naval battle between ironclad vessels, the “Merrimac” and the “Monitor.”

Hanapier, or Hanepier (Fr.). The front part of a cuirass, or iron breastplate worn by light-armed soldiers.

Hanau. A town of Germany, the capital of a province of the same name, in Hesse-Cassel, on the Kinzig, 12 miles from Frankfort-on-the-Main. In 1792, Hanau was attacked by the French, and occupied by them in 1796, 1797, and 1805.

Hand. A measure 4 inches in length. The height of a horse is computed by so many hands and inches.

Hand-barrow. A frame which is carried around by two men, instead of being rolled forward like a wheel-barrow. Those employed in the ordnance department are very useful in the erection of fortifications, as well as carrying shells and shot along the trenches. They generally weigh about 19 pounds.

Hand-cart. It consists of a light body with shafts, mounted on two wheels. The shafts are joined together at the ends, and supported immediately in front of the body by iron legs. It weighs 181 pounds, and is used for the transportation of light stores in siege and garrison service.

Handcuff. A fastening consisting of an iron ring around the wrist, usually connected by a chain with one on the other wrist; a manacle. Men who have deserted the service are usually manacled in this manner when removed from place to place.

Handful. Used figuratively, in a military sense, to denote a comparatively small number; as, “a handful of men.”

Hand-gallop. A slow and easy gallop, in which the hand presses the bridle to hinder increase of speed.

Hand-grenades. Are small iron shells, from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, filled with powder, which being lighted by means of a fuze, were formerly thrown by the grenadiers among the enemy, in storming a fortress. See Grenades.

Hand-gun. An old term for a small-arm in the times of Henry VII. and VIII.

Handle Arms. Formerly a word of command (when the men were at ordered arms), by which the soldier was directed to bring his right hand briskly up to the muzzle of his firelock, with his finger bent upwards.

Handles. Bronze guns were formerly furnished with handles placed over the centre of gravity; from their shape they were called dolphins.

Hand-mallet. A wooden hammer with a handle, to drive fuzes, or pickets, etc., in making fascines or gabion batteries.

Hand Sling-cart. Is a two-wheeled carriage made entirely of iron, except the pole, which is of oak. The axle-tree is arched to make it stronger, and connected with the pole by strong wrought-iron straps and braces. In the rear of the axle a projection is welded, to receive the end of a strong hook. The end of the pole terminates in a ferule and an eye. The eye is for the purpose of attaching to the cart, when necessary, a limber or a horse. The diameter of the wheel is 6 feet. The hand sling-cart is used in siege and garrison service for transporting artillery short distances. It should not be used habitually for heavier weights than about 4000 pounds, but in case of necessity, a 24- or 32-pounder gun may be transported on it. For heavier guns or material, the large sling-cart drawn by horses or oxen should be used. This cart is wooden throughout, and the diameter of the wheels 8 feet.

Hand-spike. Is a wooden or iron lever, flattened at one end and tapering towards the other, used in raising heavy weights, or in moving guns to their places after being reloaded.

Manoeuvring hand-spike, for garrison and sea-coast carriages and for gins, is 66 inches; for siege and other heavy work, it is made 84 inches long and 12 pounds weight.

Roller hand-spike, for casemate carriages. The latter is made of iron 1 inch round, the point conical; whole length 34 inches.

Shod hand-spike is particularly useful in the service of mortars, and of casemate and barbette carriages.

Trail hand-spike, for field-carriages, is 53 inches in length.

Truck hand-spike, for casemate carriages (wrought iron).

Hand-staff. A javelin.

Hand-to-hand. A close fight; the situation of two persons closely opposed to each other.

Handy-fight. A fight with the hands; boxing.

Hang Fire. Fire-arms and trains are said to hang fire when there is an unwonted pause between the application of fire to the gunpowder and its ignition.

Hang Upon, To. To hover; to impend. Thus, to hang upon the flanks of a retreating enemy, is to follow the movements of any body of men so closely as to be a perpetual annoyance to them; to harass and perplex him in a more desultory manner than what is generally practiced when pressing upon his rear.

Hanged, Drawn and Quartered. In Great Britain, the description of the capital sentence on a traitor, which consisted of drawing him on a hurdle to the place of execution, and after hanging him, dividing the body into quarters. This punishment was substituted by the stat. 54 Geo. III. c. 146, for the ancient and more barbarous sentence of disemboweling alive; but the crown has power to reduce the sentence to simple hanging.

Hanger. That which hangs or is suspended; specifically, a short broadsword, incurvated towards the point.

Hangier. A Turkish poniard, formerly worn by the Janissaries.

Hango Head. A promontory on the north coast of the Gulf of Finland. It was at this place, during the war with Russia, in 1855, that the unarmed crew of an English man-of-war’s boat, with a flag of truce flying, was treacherously fired upon by Russian grenadiers, when all the British sailors in the boat were either killed or wounded.

Hanover. A kingdom in the north of Germany, and since 1866 a province of Prussia. It was originally peopled by the Cherusci, the Chauci, and the Langobardi, afterwards known as Lombards. In the time of Charlemagne it was occupied by Saxon tribes, and continued, even after its conquest by that monarch, to be governed by Saxon dukes. From 1714 till 1837, Hanover was governed by the kings of England, without, however, forming part of that kingdom. The French occupied it in 1803; but, two years afterwards, ceded it to Prussia. In 1807, however, they took possession of it, and held it till 1813.

Hanover Court-house. A town in East Virginia. Here on May 27, 1862, a severe action took place between the armies of the North and South, which resulted in a victory for the former. The loss on the Northern side was 54 killed and 194 wounded and missing; and on the Southern side, between 200 and 300 killed and wounded, and about 500 taken prisoners.

Hanse Towns. The Hanseatic League (from hansa, association), formed by port towns in Germany against the piracies of the Swedes and Danes, began about 1140, and was signed in 1241. At first it consisted only of towns situated on the coasts of the Baltic Sea, but in 1370 it was composed of 66 cities and 44 confederates. They proclaimed war against Waldemar, king of Denmark, about the year 1348, and against Eric in 1428, with 40 ships and 12,000 regular troops, besides seamen. The Thirty Years’ War in Germany (1618-48) broke up the strength of this association. In 1630 the only towns retaining the name were Lubeck, Hamburg, and Bremen.

Hansy. A town of Hindustan, in the British district of Hurreeana, under the jurisdiction of the lieutenant-governor of the northwest provinces. It is a very ancient town; was taken by the Mohammedans early in 1035, and has experienced many revolutions.

Hante (Fr.). An ornamental pike, having a banner attached.

Haquebut. See Hagbut.

Har. A syllable used in composition usually as a prefix, and signifying army;—occurring in various forms, as hare, her, and here; as, harisvalt, leader of an army.

Haranes (Fr.). Hungarian militia are so called.

Harangue. A speech addressed to a large public assembly; a popular oration; aloud address to a multitude; as, a general makes a harangue to his troops on the eve of a battle.

Harass. To annoy; to perplex, and incessantly turmoil any body of men; to hang upon the rear and flunks of a retreating army, or to interrupt operations at a siege by repeated attacks upon the besiegers.

Harboring an Enemy. See Appendix, Articles of War, 45.

Harcarrah. In India, a messenger employed to carry letters, and otherwise intrusted with matters of consequence that require secrecy and punctuality. They are very often Brahmins, well acquainted with the neighboring countries; they are sent to gain intelligence, and are used as guides in the field.

Hard-fought. Vigorously contested; as, a hard-fought battle.

Hardihood. Boldness, united with firmness and constancy of mind; dauntless bravery; intrepidity; audaciousness.

Hardiment. Hardihood; courage; bold or energetic action; contest; struggle.

Hard-labor. A military punishment frequently awarded by courts-martial.

Hard-tack. Sea-bread. Hard-tack is also used by U.S. troops while campaigning; large crackers.

Harfleur. A town of France, in the department of the Lower Seine, situated at the confluence of the Seine and the Lezarde, a mile from the sea, and 3 miles northeast from Havre. Harfleur was formerly fortified, and an important place. It was besieged by the English under Henry V. in 1415, and this monarch succeeded in taking it, after being before it forty days. It was again taken by the English in 1440.

Harlaw. A township of Scotland, in Aberdeenshire, situated 4 miles southwest from old Meldrum, near the confluence of the Ury and Don, memorable for a sanguinary battle fought in 1411 between the Highlanders under Donald, the Lord of the Isles, and the royal forces under the Earl of Mar.

Harmostes. A city governor or prefect appointed by the Spartans in the cities subjugated by them.

Harness. The iron covering or dress which a soldier formerly wore, and which was fastened to the body by straps and buckles; coat of mail; also, the whole accoutrements, offensive and defensive; armor of a knight or soldier; the armor of a horse. Also the equipments of a draught-horse.

Harness. To dress in armor; to equip with armor for war, as a horseman. To equip or furnish for defense.

Harol. An Indian term signifying the officer who commands the van of an army. It sometimes means the van-guard itself.

Harpe. A species of drawbridge used among the ancients, and deriving its name from its resemblance to the musical instrument. This bridge, which consisted of a wooden frame, and hung in a perpendicular direction against the turrets that were used in those times to carry on the siege of a place, had a variety of ropes attached to it, and was let down upon the wall of a town by means of pulleys. The instant it fell, the soldiers left the turret, and rushed across the temporary platform upon the rampart.

Harper’s Ferry. A town of Jefferson Co., W. Va., situated at the junction of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, about 107 miles north from Richmond. In October, 1859, John Brown, the leader of the anti-slavery party, and his followers entered the town, and seized and held for a short time the armory and arsenal located here. In April, 1861, the Federal troops evacuated the public buildings here, and they were immediately taken possession of by the Confederates, who destroyed them and evacuated the place in June, following. The town was again taken by the Confederates in September, 1862, but was soon after recaptured by the Federal forces, who from that time retained possession of it.

Harponully. A district in the south of India. The rajah of this district was tributary to the kings of Benjanagur and Bejapore, to the Moguls, and the Mahrattas; in 1774 he became tributary to Hyder, and in 1786 he was completely subdued by Tippoo, and sent prisoner to Seringapatam. On the capture of that city, Harponully was assigned to the nizam as a portion of his division of Tippoo’s territory, and by him assigned to the British in 1800.

Harpy. A fabulous creature in Greek mythology, considered as a minister of the vengeance of the gods. In heraldry it is represented as a vulture, with the head and breast of a woman.

Harquebuse. See Arquebuse.

Harquebusier. See Arquebusier.

Hartlepool. A seaport of England, in the county Durham, a few miles north of the mouth of the river Tees. It is mentioned as a harbor of some consequence as early as 1171. In the 13th century it belonged to the Bruces of Annandale, in Scotland. Hartlepool suffered severely from the Scots in 1312, and again in 1315, a year after the battle of Bannockburn. It was seized by the insurgents in the northern rebellion under the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, in the time of Elizabeth. During the civil war it was taken by the Scottish army in 1644, and retained by them till 1647.

Hastaire (Fr.). Pikeman; spearman.

Hastati. From the Latin word hasta, a spear, so that they may literally be called spearmen. A body of Roman soldiers who were more advanced in age, and had acquired a greater reputation in arms than the velites possessed, were distinguished by this appellation. They wore a complete set of armor, and always carried a buckler, made convex, measuring 2¹/₂ feet in breadth and 4 feet in length. The longest measured about 4 feet 9 inches, or a Roman palm. The buckler was made of two boards glued together. These were covered in the first instance with a broad piece of linen, which was again covered over with sheep-skin. The edges, both at top and bottom, were fenced with iron, to enable them to meet the broadsword and sabre, and to prevent them from rotting when planted on the ground. The convex part was further covered over with iron plates, to resist the impression of hard blows, and to withstand the violent concussion of stones, etc. The hastati commonly formed the first line in the order of battle; the principes were placed in the second line; whilst the oldest and best legionaries, classed under the name of triarii, constituted a reserve or third line.

Hastings. A town of England, in the county of Surrey, 33 miles northeast from Brighton, and one of the Cinque Ports. Near this place, in 1066, was fought the decisive battle of Hastings, which wrested the crown of England from Harold, and gave it to William the Conqueror.

Hatchet. A small, light sort of axe, with a bazil edge on the left side, and a short handle. It is used by soldiers for cutting wood to make fascines, gabions, pickets, etc. To take up the hatchet, among the Indians, to declare war, to commence hostilities, etc. To bury the hatchet, to make peace.

Hatchment. An ornament on the hilt of a sword. In heraldry, a hatchment is the funeral escutcheon, usually placed in front of the house of a deceased person, setting forth his rank and circumstances. It is in the form of a lozenge, and in its centre are depicted the arms of the deceased, single or quartered.

Hatras. A town of Hindostan, in the northwest provinces, 33 miles to the north of Agra. As a place of some strength, it was at one time prominent in the wars of the Doab; but on falling, in 1817, into the possession of the British, it was immediately dismantled.

Hattrass. A fortress of India, taken by siege and storm by the troops under the Marquis of Hastings during the Mahratta war.

Haubergier (Fr.). An individual who held a tenure by knight’s service, and was subject to the feudal system which formerly existed in France, and by which he was obliged to accompany the lord of the manor in that capacity whenever the latter went to war. He was called fief de haubert, and had the privilege of carrying a halbert. All vassals in ancient times served their lords-paramount as squires, haubergiers, lance-men, bow-men, etc.

Hauberk. A twisted coat of mail, sometimes extending only as high as the neck, but more generally continued so as to form a coif, leaving only the face of the knight who bore it exposed. In early times the sleeve of the hauberk sometimes terminated at the elbow, but in the 13th and 14th centuries it came down to the wrist, and very generally descended over the hand in the form of a glove, either one-fingered or divided. In the 11th century the hauberk was worn under plate-armor.

Haul. To pull or draw with force or violence; to transport by drawing; to drag; to compel to move or go.

Hausse, Pendulum. Is a scale of sheet-brass, the graduations of which are the sines of each quarter of a degree to a radius equal to the distance between the muzzle-sight of the piece, and the axis of vibration of the hausse, which is one inch in rear of the base-ring. At the lower end of the scale is a brass bulb filled with lead. The slider which marks the divisions on the scale is of thin brass, and is clamped at any desired division on the scale by means of a screw. The scale passes through a slit in a piece of steel, with which it is connected by a screw, forming a pivot on which the scale can vibrate laterally. This piece of steel terminates in pivots, by means of which the pendulum is supported on the seat attached to the gun, and is at liberty to vibrate in the direction of the axis of the piece. The seat is of metal, and is fastened to the base of the breech by screws, so that the centres of the steel pivots of vibration shall be at a distance from the axis of the piece equal to the radius of the base-ring.

Hausse-col (Fr.). An ornamental plate similar to the gorget. It was formerly worn by infantry officers.

Hautes-payes (Fr.). Were soldiers selected by the captains of companies to attend them personally, for which service they received something more than the common pay. Haute-paye became afterwards a term to signify the subsistence which any body of men superior to, or distinguished from the private soldier were allowed to receive.

Haut-le-pied (Fr.). A term used to distinguish such persons as were formerly employed in the French armies without having any permanent appointment. Commissaires hauts-le-pied were known in the artillery during the monarchy of France. They were usually under the quartermaster-general.

Havana (Sp. Habana). The capital of the island of Cuba, on its north coast, at the mouth of the river Lagida. The harbor is one of the best in the world, being capable of holding 1000 ships with ease; but it has so narrow a channel that only one vessel can enter at a time. This channel is strongly fortified; the city is also surrounded with defensive works, all furnished with heavy artillery. Havana has been frequently attacked; it was captured in 1536 by a French pirate, and partially destroyed; it was subsequently taken, at different times, by the English, by the French, and by the buccaneers. In 1762 the British took possession of it, but restored it in 1763.

Havelock. A light cloth covering for the head and neck, used by soldiers as a protection from sunstroke. This covering derived its name from Havelock, a distinguished English general.

Haverfordwest (Welsh, Hwlfford). A seaport of Wales, in Pembrokeshire, and the capital of that county. It was at one time strongly fortified, and was possessed of a strong castle, which was built by Gilbert de Clare, first earl of Pembroke. In the insurrection of Owen Glendower, it was successfully defended against the French troops in the Welsh service. In the civil war of the 17th century it was held by the royalists.

Haversack. A strong, coarse, linen bag, in which, on a march, a soldier carries his rations. It is borne on the left side, suspended by a strap passing over the right shoulder. The name is also given to the leather bag used in artillery to carry cartridges from the ammunition-chest to the piece in loading.

Havildar. A non-commissioned officer or sergeant among the Sepoys. He ranks next to the jemadar, or native lieutenant.

Havildar-major. The native sergeant-major in a native infantry regiment.

Havoc. Wide and general destruction; devastation; waste. Also, to waste; to destroy; to lay waste.

Havock. A cry originally used in hunting, but afterward in war as the signal for indiscriminate slaughter.

Havre Le, or Havre de Grace. An important and strongly fortified commercial town of France, in the department of the Lower Seine, at the entrance of the Seine into the English Channel. Havre was taken by the British in 1562, and bombarded by them in 1759, 1794, and 1795.

Hawaii. See Owyhee.

Haxo-casemate. A vault of masonry thrown over a gun, but not over its embrasure. It is open at the rear, and acts as a traverse.

Hayti, Haiti, St. Domingo, or Hispaniola. The largest island in the West Indies, with the exception of Cuba. It was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1495. Until 1665 Spain kept possession of the island; but in that year the French obtained a footing, and retained their position for upwards of a century and a quarter. In 1800 the independence of Hayti was proclaimed by the negro population, and the French finally quitted the island in 1803. Since that time various revolutions have occurred, and a kind of military elective government has prevailed under different leaders. In 1849 the former French portion of the island was proclaimed an empire under its president, Solouque, who took the title of Faustin I. The sable emperor was, however, deposed in 1858, and a republic was again proclaimed.

Hazaree. An Indian term signifying the commander of gun-men. It is derived from hazar, which, in its literal interpretation, signifies a thousand.

Haze, To. To punish a man by making him do unnecessary work.

Head. In gunnery, the fore part of the cheeks of a gun or howitzer carriage. To head, is to lead on, or be the leader of a party. Head of a work, in fortification, is the front next to the enemy, and farthest from the place; as the front of a horn-work is the distance between the flanked angles of the demi-bastions. The head of a double tenaille is the salient angle in the centre and the two other sides which form the re-entering angles. Head of an army, or body of men, is the front, whether drawn up in lines or on a march, in column, etc. Head of a camp, is the ground before which an army is drawn up.

Head, Bridge. Is the end of a bridge,—also the work defending it.

Header. In a revetment, is a brick, stone, or sod laid with its end outwards.

Headless. Destitute of a chief or leader.

Head-man. A chief; a leader.

Head-piece. Armor for the head; a helmet; a morion.

Headquarters. The place where the officer commanding any army or independent body of troops takes up his residence. The quarters or place of residence of the chief officer; hence, the centre of authority or order.

Headstall. That part of a bridle which encompasses the head.

Heaume (Fr.). A word derived from the German, which formerly signified casque, or helmet. The heaume has been sometimes called among the French salade, armet, and celate from the Latin word which means engraved, on account of the different figures which were represented upon it. The heaume covered the whole of the face, except the eyes, which were protected by small iron bars laid crosswise. It serves as an ornament or helmet in coats of arms and armorial bearings; it is still preserved in heraldry, and is a distinguishing mark of nobility.

Heaver. A bar used as a lever.

Heavy. Strong; violent; forcible; as, a heavy cannonade.

Heavy Artillery. Troops who serve heavy guns. The term is specially applied to troops in charge of siege guns or guns of position. Also large guns themselves.

Heavy Cavalry. European cavalry is divided into light and heavy cavalry, according to the size of the men and horses and the character of the equipment.

Heavy Fire. A continuous cannonading; a continuous discharge of musketry.

Heavy Marching Order. An expression applied to troops equipped for permanent field service with arms, accoutrements, knapsacks, canteens, and haversacks.

Heavy Metal. Large guns carrying balls of a large size; also, large balls for such guns.

Heavy Ordnance. Ordnance of great weight and caliber. In the United States the term is restricted in the land service to sea-coast ordnance. See Ordnance.

Hebrides, or Western Islands. A series of islands off the west coast of Scotland, consisting of two principal groups. In ancient times they were subject to the kings of Norway, but were annexed to the crown of Scotland in 1264. From that time they were held by various native chieftains in vassalage to the Scottish monarch, until they came under the sway of one powerful chief, who assumed the title of “Lord of the Isles” in 1346, and effected entire independence of Scotland. In 1748 all hereditary jurisdictions were abolished, and for the first time, under a just and powerful government, the peace of the islands was secured.

Hebron. A place in Palestine, about 20 miles a little west of south from Jerusalem, and one of the oldest existing cities in the world. The Maccabees recovered it from the Edomites, who had taken it after the Captivity. It was burned by an officer of Vespasian just before the destruction of Jerusalem. It was taken by the Arabs in 637, and by the Crusaders about 1100; and ever since 1187 has been in the hands of its present masters, the Mohammedans.

Hedge. To surround for defense; to fortify; to guard; to protect; to hem. To surround so as to prevent escape.

Hedjrah. See Hegira.

Heel. That part of a thing corresponding in position to the human heel; the lower back part, or part on which a thing rests. In a small-arm it is the corner of the butt which is upwards in the firing position.

Heel-piece. Armor for the heels.

Hegemony. Leadership; preponderant influence or authority; usually applied to the relations of a government or state to its neighbors or confederates.

Hegira, or Hedjrah (from the Arabic hajara, to desert). A Mohammedan epoch, dating from the expulsion or flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina, July 16, 622. This flight was fixed as the great Moslem epoch by the caliph Omar, seventeen years later.

Heidelberg. A city of Germany, in Baden, situated on the Neckar, which is possessed of a celebrated university. This town has been besieged several times; it was taken by Tilly in 1622, and by Turenne in 1674.

Helder. A town of Northern Holland, on the North Sea, at the mouth of the Marsdiep, which separates it from the island of Texel. Near this place a naval battle was fought between the English and the Dutch in 1653, in which Van Tromp was killed. It was taken by the English under Sir Ralph Abercrombie in 1799; was afterwards retaken by Brewe, and subsequently rendered a first-class fortress by Napoleon I. It is connected with Amsterdam by the famous Helder Canal.

Helena, Saint. An island in the Atlantic Ocean, which presents to the sea, throughout its whole circuit, an immense wall of perpendicular rock, from 600 to 1200 feet high. This island was discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, and belonged to the Dutch from 1610 to 1650, when it fell into the hands of the British. It is chiefly famous for having been the place in which Napoleon I. was confined by the allied powers after his final overthrow at the battle of Waterloo. Here he lived at Longwood, from November, 1815, till his death in 1821. His remains also lay here till 1840, when, by the permission of the English government, they were conveyed to France.

Helepolis. In the ancient art of war, a machine for battering down the walls of a place besieged. The invention of it is ascribed to Demetrius Poliorcetes. Diodorus Siculus says that each side of the helepolis was 450 cubits broad, and 90 in height; that it had nine stages, or floors, and was carried on four strong solid wheels, 8 cubits in diameter; that it was armed with huge battering-rams, and had two roofs capable of supporting them; that in the lower stages there were different sorts of engines for casting stones, and in the middle they had large catapults for launching arrows.

Heligoland. A small island in the North Sea, situated about 46 miles northwest from the mouths of the Elbe and Weser. It was taken from the Danes by the British in 1807, and became a depot for merchandise intended to be smuggled into the continent during Napoleon’s continental blockade. At the peace of 1814 it was retained by England, and is of importance as an outpost in time of war.

Heliography. See Looking-glass Signaling.

Hellespont. See Dardanelles.

Hellin (anc. Ilunum). A royal town of Spain, in the province of Murcia. This town was sacked by the French under Montbrun, and was the point where Joseph and Soult united with Suchet after Marmont’s rout at Salamanca.

Helmet. A piece of defensive armor or covering for the head. Among the early nations of antiquity the helmet forms a prominent feature in all military costume, and is often of very great utility in distinguishing the age or country of the wearer. The Egyptian kings had them of brass, while the soldiers wore linen ones thickly padded. The crests of the royal Egyptian helmet were the heads of the lion, bull, or dragon. The Milyans had helmets of skins; those of a fox formed the early Thracian helmet; and this ancient fashion of the heroic ages appears in the galerus of the Roman light troops. The Phrygian bonnet was a skull-cap, with a bent peak projecting in front, like the bust of a bird, with an arched neck and head. It is certainly the most ancient form of helmet. Strabo says the ancient Persians, and probably their oriental neighbors, wore modern turbans; in war, a cap cut in the form of a cylinder or tower. This Asiatic fashion extended itself widely. The helmet of the Grecian soldier was usually made of brass, and sometimes of the skins of beasts, with the hair still on; and to render them more terrible, the teeth were often placed in a grinning manner. The crest was made of horse-hair or feathers, and was curiously ornamented. In the early period of the Greeks, helmets had been composed of the skins of quadrupeds, of which none were more common than the dog. After the time of Alexander the Great, common soldiers had only small crests; chieftains, plumes or two crests. The helmet of the Romans was a head-piece of brass or iron, which left the face uncovered, and descended behind as far as the shoulders. Upon the top was the crest, in adorning which the soldiers took great pride. The usual ornament was horse-hair or feathers of divers colors; but the helmets of the officers were sometimes very splendid, and adorned with gold and silver. Helmets occur with cheek-pieces and movable visors. Singular helmets, with aigrettes, plumes, wings, horns, double crests, double-cheek pieces (some of which are seen on the Hamilton vases), and others, with fantastical additions and overloaded crests, are either barbarian, or subsequent to the removal of the seat of empire to Constantinople. The Gauls wore helmets of brass, with monstrous appendages for ostentation, as the shapes of birds, beasts, etc. In the Middle Ages the knights of Europe were distinguished by helmets adorned with the figure of a crown, or of some animal. The king wore a helmet of gold, or gilt; his attendants of silver; the nobility of steel; and the lower orders of iron. In European armies helmets are worn by the horse-guards and heavy cavalry. In the United States, helmets made of felt and adorned with horse-hair plumes are worn by light artillery and cavalry troops.

Helmet-shaped. Shaped like a helmet; galeate.

Helmless. Destitute of a helmet; without a helm.

Helos. In ancient geography, the name of several towns, so called from their position among or near fens. The most important town of this name was in Laconia, at the mouth of the Eurotas, in a plain close to the sea. In the Dorian conquest of the Peloponnesus Helos was taken, and its inhabitants carried off to Sparta and reduced to slavery. Their name is said to have been applied by their masters generally to all the bondsmen or helots that fell into their power.

Helots. The lowest class of the population of ancient Sparta, which was formed of serfs or slaves. They are supposed to have formed the original population of the country, and to have been reduced to bondage by their Dorian conquerors. In war, they served as light troops, each free-born Spartan who bore heavy armor being accompanied to battle by a number of them, sometimes as many as seven. In order to keep their numbers within bounds the Spartans organized secret companies, who went abroad over the country armed with daggers, and both by night and day assassinated the unfortunate Helots, selecting as their special victims the strongest and most vigorous of the oppressed race.

Helsingfors. A fortified town, and seaport in Finland, on a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland. It has a good harbor, and is defended by the almost impregnable citadel and fortifications of Sweaborg, which stand on a number of rocky islands at the entrance of the harbor. This town was burnt in 1741, during the war between Sweden and Russia. In 1855, Sweaborg was bombarded for two days by the allied English and French fleet, when some damage was done to the interior defenses of the place.

Helvetian Republic. Switzerland having been conquered by the French in 1797, a republic was established in 1798 with this title.

Helvetii. A Celtic people inhabiting, according to CÆsar, the region between the mountains of Jura on the west, the Rhone on the south, and the Rhine on the east and north, the region corresponding pretty closely with modern Switzerland. The great and fatal event in their history is their attempted irruption into and conquest of Southern Gaul, in which they were repulsed by CÆsar with frightful slaughter in 58 B.C., and compelled to return to their own country, where they became subjects to the Romans. In the commotions which followed the death of Nero, the Helvetians met with another terrible catastrophe. Remaining faithful to Galba, they were fallen upon by Cacina, a general of Vitellius, who gave them up to the rapacity of his legions, and from this time they scarcely appear in history as a distinct people.

Helvoetsluys. A fortified town of Holland, on the south shore of the island of Voorn, 17 miles southwest from Rotterdam. At this place the Prince of Orange, afterwards William III., embarked for England in 1688. It was taken by the French in 1798, and evacuated by them in 1813.

Hem In. To surround an enemy, whether on land or sea.

Hemerodromi. In Grecian antiquity, were, as the name imports, runners or couriers, who could keep running all day. In a country like Greece, where the roads were few and bad, the hemerodromi were indispensable for the rapid diffusion of important news. Every Greek state made a point of training a number of these men who could travel great distances in an incredibly short space of time, and at every dangerous crisis they were stationed on commanding points to observe and report at headquarters what it was necessary for the authorities to know. In the service of the Persian kings, these men were called angoroi, and the service angereion. Among the Romans these couriers were known as cursores; they traveled sometimes on foot, sometimes on horseback. It is a well-known fact that running footmen attended the Duke of Marlborough in his wars in the Low Countries and in Germany. In the Byzantine empire they were employed as sentinels at the gates of towns. When the gates were opened they were obliged to patrol round the outskirts of the town during the whole day. Frequently, indeed, they advanced considerably into the country, in order to discover whether any hostile body of men was approaching in order to surprise the garrison.

Henery Isle. A small island lying due south from Bombay. In 1790 it belonged to Ragojee Angria, and was a principal rendezvous of pirate vessels, though within sight of Bombay. Near it is another small island named Kenery, which is also fortified, and of considerable strength. It was taken possession of and fortified by Sevajee in 1679. In 1790 it belonged to the Peshwa, and was also the haunt of pirates.

Heneti. An ancient people in Paphlagonia, dwelling on the river Parthenius; fought on the side of Priam against the Greeks, but had disappeared before the historical times. They were regarded by many ancient writers as the ancestors of the Veneti in Italy.

Hengestdown. In Cornwall, England. Here Egbert is said to have defeated the Danes and West Britons in 835.

Hennebon. A town of France, in the department of Morbihan, on the Blavet. It was formerly a very strong place, and was successfully defended by the Countess of Montfort, when it was besieged by Charles de Blois, in 1342.

Henry Rifle. See Magazine Guns.

Hephestion, or HephÆstion. A Macedonian courtier and commander, the son of Amyntor of Pella; became a favorite of Alexander the Great, whom he followed in the invasion of Persia and India. In the return of this expedition, Hephestion and Craterus commanded a separate part of the army. He died in 325 B.C.

Hep-pah, or Hippa. A New Zealand fort, or space surrounded with stout palisades.

Heptarchy. A government of seven; said to have been established by the Anglo-Saxons in England before the reign of Egbert (800-836 A.D.). Under Egbert, Wessex rose to be supreme, and virtually swallowed up the others. The common idea is that these seven kingdoms were contemporaneous; but all that can be safely asserted is, that England in this time was peopled by various tribes, whose leading occupation was war; and that sometimes one was conquered, sometimes another. At no time was there a counterpoise of power among seven of them, so that they could be said to have a separate, much less an independent existence. Still, seven names do survive, so as to use the term Heptarchy.

Heraclea. In ancient geography, a large and important city of Magna GrÆcia. It was situated in Lucania, between the small streams Siris and Aciris, a little way inland from the shore of the Tarentine Gulf. It seems to have been colonized about 432 B.C. In the wars with Pyrrhus it sided with Tarentum against Rome; but it afterwards abandoned its parent state and became an ally of the Roman people. It suffered severely during the Social war, but still retained a considerable measure of importance and prosperity. It afterwards fell into decay.

Heraclea. Surnamed Minoa; in ancient geography, a Greek city of Sicily, at the mouth of the Halycus (now the Platani), 20 miles northwest from Agrigentum. The surname seems to have been originally the name of the town, which is first mentioned in history as a colony of Selinus. About the end of the 6th century it was recolonized by the Spartans, and had attained to great prosperity and power, when it was destroyed by the jealousy of the Carthaginians. After remaining in their power for about 200 years it fell into the hands of Agathocles, and then of Pyrrhus. It was next recovered by the Carthaginians, who retained it to the end of the first Punic war, when the whole of Sicily was made over to the Romans. In the second Punic war it reverted to the Carthaginian sway, but was finally attached to the Roman empire by Marcellus, shortly after the fall of Syracuse. After the servile war, Heraclea was repeopled by the Romans, and continued to flourish till the time of Cicero. It afterwards sunk into decay, and at this day its very ruins can hardly be traced.

HeracleidÆ. This term means, in its widest sense, all the descendants of Heracles (Hercules), of whatever time, and in whatever district of Greece; but is specially applied to those adventurers who, founding their claims on their supposed descent from the great hero (to whom Zeus had promised a portion of the land), joined the Dorians in the conquest of the Peloponnesus. There were five different expeditions, the last and greatest occurring eighty years after the Trojan war. The story of the return of the HeracleidÆ touches on the historical period, and though there is much of fable and tradition, yet there seems to be also a large substratum of truth in the records of the Greek historians.

Heracleum. A place near Gindarus, in the Syrian province of Cyrrhestice, where Ventidius, the legate of M. Antony, gained his great victory over the Parthians under Pacorus in 38 B.C.

Herald. An officer in the European courts, whose duty consists in the regulation of armorial bearings, the marshaling of processions, and the superintendence of pubic ceremonies. In the Middle Ages heralds were highly honored, and enjoyed important privileges; their functions also included the bearing of messages between royal personages, and registering all chivalric exercises; the computation of the slain after battle; and the recording of the valiant acts of the falling or surviving combatants. The office of herald is probably as old as the origin of coat-armor. In England the principal heraldic officers are designated kings-of-arms, or kings-at-arms, and the novitiates or learners are styled pursuivants. There are in England three kings-at-arms, named by their offices Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy; six heralds,—Somerset, Chester, Windsor, Richmond, Lancaster, and York; and four pursuivants, called Rouge Dragon, Portcullis, Blue Mantle, and Rouge Croix. In Scotland the principal heraldic officer is the Lyon king-at-arms; and there are six heralds,—Snowdoun, Albany, Ross, Rothesay, Marchmont, and Ilay; and five pursuivants,—Unicorn, Carrick, Kintyre, Ormond, and Bute. Ireland has one king-at-arms, Ulster; two heralds, Cork and Dublin; and two pursuivants, of whom the senior bears the title of Athlone, and the other is called the pursuivant of St. Patrick.

Heraldry. The science of armorial bearings. The practice of wearing devices on the shields of knights was originated in the middle of the 12th century, and ever since families bear on their shield the arms of their progenitors, which at first had been adopted either arbitrarily or suggested by some striking episode in the life of the bearer.

Herald’s College, or College of Arms. A collegiate body, founded by Richard III. in 1483, consisting of the heraldic officers of England, who were assigned a habitation in the parish of Allhallows-the-Less, in London. Various charters confirmed the privileges of the College of Arms, and it was re-incorporated by Philip and Mary in 1554. The presidency of the college is vested in the earl marshal, an office hereditary in the family of Howard, duke of Norfolk. He nominates the three kings-of-arms, six heralds, and four pursuivants, who are the members of the collegiate chapter. The members of the college have salaries, but derive their principal income from fees charged for assistance in tracing pedigrees and titles, and for the granting and registration of arms. In Scotland the corresponding functions belong to the Lyon court. See Lyon King-at-Arms.

Herat. A city of Afghanistan, the capital of an independent state, situated in a plain near the Hury River, 360 miles west from Cabul. This place has often been ravaged by various conquerors, who have claimed and won the empire of Asia. In 1220 it was taken by Genghis Khan, and in 1398 by Tamerlane. It was subsequently united to Persia; but the Afghans took possession of it in 1715. Nadir Shah retook it in 1737, and Ahmed Khan, an Afghan, and one of Nadir’s generals, added it to Afghanistan, after the assassination of Nadir Shah, in 1747. Mohammed Shah marched against Herat in 1836, and, after a long siege, the Persians were forced to withdraw. In 1855 the Persians again made an attempt to get possession of Herat; but, after a short war with England, desisted.

Hercotectonique (Fr.). A term in fortification signifying that branch of military architecture which specifically points out the best means of defense and the surest method of providing stores. This word is derived from the Greek.

Herculean. Very great, difficult, or dangerous; such as it would require the strength or courage of Hercules to encounter or accomplish.

Hercules, Pillars of. The name given by the ancients to the two rocks forming the entrance to the Mediterranean at the Strait of Gibraltar. Their erection was ascribed by the Greeks to Hercules, on the occasion of his journey to the kingdom of Geryon.

Herefare. An old term from the Saxon, signifying the same as warfare.

Hereford. The chief town of Herefordshire, England, on the Wye. During the Saxon era, the Welsh inflicted considerable damage on this city; it also suffered greatly in the wars of the barons, and under the Plantagenets. During the civil war it held loyally to the cause of the king, and was one of the last places that yielded to the Parliament.

Heregeld. A term derived from the Saxon, signifying a tax which was formerly levied for maintaining an army.

Herera. In Aragon. Here Don Carlos of Spain, in his struggle for his hereditary right to the throne, at the head of 12,000 men, encountered and defeated (August 24, 1837) Gen. Buerens, who had not much above half that number of royal troops.

Hereslita, or Heresilia. A term derived from the Saxon, signifying a soldier who abandons his colors, or deserts the service.

Heretoch, or Heretog. The leader or commander of an army; also, a constable; a marshal.

Heretum. A court in which the guards or military retinue that usually attended the old British nobility and bishops were accustomed to parade or draw up.

Hergate. A term derived from the Saxon, signifying a tribute which was paid in ancient times to the lord of the soil, to enable him to carry on a war.

Herisson. A formidable hedge or chevaux-de-frise; made of one stout beam fenced by a number of iron spikes, and which, being fixed upon a pivot, revolves in every direction upon being touched, always presenting a front of pikes.

Hermandad (Sp.). “Brotherhood.” An association of the principal cities of Castile and Aragon, bound together by a solemn league and covenant for the defense of their liberties in seasons of trouble. The most noteworthy (called Santa Hermandad, or Holy Brotherhood) was established in the middle of the 13th century in Aragon, and in Castile about thirty years later; while in 1295, 35 cities of Castile and Leon formed a joint confederacy, and entered into a compact, by which they pledged themselves to take summary vengeance on every noble who had either robbed or injured a member of their association, and refused to make just atonement for the wrong; or upon any one who should attempt, even by the order of the king, to levy an unjust tax. Isabella of Castile, seeing the beneficial effects which an extension of the institution was capable of producing, obtained the sanction of the Cortes for its thorough reorganization and extension over the whole kingdom in 1496. In 1498, the objects of the Hermandad having been obtained, and public order established on a firm basis, the brotherhood was disorganized and reduced to an ordinary police, such as it has existed, with various modifications of form, to the present century.

Herminia Gens. A very ancient patrician house at Rome, which appears in the first Etruscan war with the republic, 506 B.C.; vanishes from history in 448.

Hermunduri. One of the most powerful nations of Germany; belonged to the Suevic race. They were for a long time the allies of the Romans; but along with the other German tribes they assisted the Marcomanni in the great war against the Romans in the reign of M. Aurelius. After this time they are rarely mentioned as a separate people, but are included under the general name of Suevi.

Hernici. A people in Latium; belonged to the Sabine race. They inhabited the mountains of the Apennines between the Lake Fucinus and the river Trerus. They were a brave and warlike people, and long offered a formidable resistance to the Romans. They were finally subdued by the Romans in 306 B.C.

Hero. A man of distinguished valor, intrepidity, or enterprise in danger; a prominent or central personage in any remarkable action or event; hence, a great, illustrious, or extraordinary person.

Hero. In mythology, an illustrious man, supposed by the populace to partake of immortality, and after his death to be placed among the gods.

Heroic. Pertaining to, or like, a hero or heroes; as, heroic valor. Becoming a hero; bold; daring; illustrious; as, heroic action; heroic enterprises.

Heroic Age. The age when the heroes, or those called the children of the gods, are supposed to have lived.

Heroically. In the manner of a hero; with valor; bravely; courageously; intrepidly; as, the town was heroically defended.

Heroine. A female hero; a woman of a brave spirit. The principal female person who figures in a remarkable action.

Heroism. The qualities of a hero; bravery; courage; intrepidity.

Heroship. The character of a hero.

Herrings, Battle of the. Fought on February 12, 1429, when the English were besieging Orleans. It obtained its name from the Duc de Bourbon attempting to intercept a convoy of salt fish on the road to the English camp before Orleans, and in which he was defeated.

Herse (from the Fr. herise). In fortification, a grated door, formed by strong pieces of wood joined crosswise, and stuck full of iron spikes. It is usually hung by a rope, and fastened to a moulinet, which is cut in case of a surprise, or when the first gate is forced by a petard, so that it may fall like a portcullis and stop the passage of a gate or other entrance of a fortress.

Hersillon. A strong beam, whose sides are stuck full of spikes, which is thrown across the breach made by an enemy to render it impassable.

Hertford. The capital of Hertfordshire, England, on the Lee. It is a very ancient town: the castle was founded in 909. In the reign of John it was seized by the French dauphin, and under Edward III. the kings of France and Scotland were secured in it.

Heruli. An ancient German tribe, first mentioned among the Gothic nations when these latter had established themselves on the north coast of the Euxine, in the reigns of Gallienus and Claudius. In the reign of Valentinian they are mentioned as being in the service of Rome, fighting against the Alemanni. In the 5th century they allied themselves with the other German tribes, and under Odoacer, in 476, they overthrew the Western empire.

Hesse. A territory in Western Germany, the seat of the Catti; formed part of the empire of Charlemagne; from the rulers of it in his time the present are descended. It was joined to Thuringia till about 1263, when Henry I. became landgrave of Hesse. The most remarkable of his successors was Philip, who signed the Augsburg Confession in 1530, and the League of Smalcald in 1531. At his death Hesse was divided in Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Darmstadt, and in 1803 the former became an electorate, and the latter a grand duchy. Hesse-Cassel was incorporated with Prussia in 1866, and Hesse-Darmstadt became a part of the North German Confederation in 1867, and as such it took part in the Franco-Prussian war in 1870.

Hessians. Troops belonging to Hesse-Cassel, Prussia. They have been frequently hired by Great Britain, particularly in the war of American independence, when they were sold at £40 sterling a head, £9 of which was to be repaid if they returned alive.

Hetman, or Ataman. A word derived from the German, which signifies the chief of a troop. The chief general of the old Polish armies was called Hetman Wielki, and the second general Hetman Polny. The chief or general of the Cossacks is likewise invested with this title by the czar of Russia.

Heurtequins (Fr.). Two pieces of iron resembling a knocker, which are placed over the trunnions, or axis of a cannon.

Heuse (Fr.). An iron shoe, sometimes called pedieux, attached to the greaves of ancient armor, having an iron sole, and the upper composed of mail.

Hexagonal Powder. See Gunpowder.

Hexham. A town of England, in Northumberland, situated a little below the confluence of the north and south Tyne, 21 miles west from Newcastle. This town is chiefly remarkable for the antiquities with which it is surrounded, and the historical events connected with it. The neighborhood abounds with ruined castles, monuments of battles and heroes; with Roman relics, altars, inscriptions, etc. The cathedral, or priory church of Hexham, was founded in 674, and was destroyed by the Danes. In 1463, a battle was fought in the neighborhood between the houses of York and Lancaster, in which the Yorkists gained the victory. As an interesting historical event, it may be remarked that it was in flying from this field that Queen Margaret threw herself on the protection of a robber, and the cave in which she concealed herself and the Prince of Wales is still pointed out.

Hibernia, Ibernia, Ivernia, and Ierne. The names by which Ireland is designated in the classical writers. See Ireland.

Hibernian Royal School. A school established in Great Britain for the maintenance of 350 children of military officers who are supported and educated at this school, at an expense of £7000 per annum to the country.

Hierarchy, Military. The essential element for the government and service of an army is a military hierarchy, or the creation of different grades of rank, to which different functions and powers are assigned, the lower in regular subordination to the next higher in the ascending scale. It should be founded on the principle that every one acts in an army under the orders of a superior, who exercises his authority only within the limits established by law. This authority of the superior should be greater or less according to rank and position, and be proportioned to his responsibilities. Orders should be executed without hesitation; but responsibilities should be confined to him who gives orders in virtue of the superior authority with which he is invested; to him who takes the initiative in an order; to him who does not execute an order that he has received; and to him who usurps a command, or continues illegally to exercise its functions. The military hierarchy is determined and consecrated within its sphere of action by grades of rank created by military laws, by other laws regulating the exercise of rank, by military insignia, by military honors, and by the military oath.

High Treason. Treason against the state, being the highest civil offense. See Treason.

Highlanders. Properly speaking, are the Celtic inhabitants of the Highlands of Scotland. In the army of Great Britain, it denotes the eight regiments who are uniformed in the Highland dress, including a distinctive tartan, and are as follows: 42d (see Black Watch), 71st, 72d, 74th, 78th, 79th, 92d, and 93d. These regiments are recruited in the Highlands.

Hilt. The handle of anything, especially of a cutting instrument, as a knife or sword.

Hilted. Having a hilt. Also a term used in heraldry to indicate the tincture of the handle of a sword.

Hilton Head. A village on an island of the same name, forming part of Beaufort District, S. C., at the mouth of Broad River. It was taken from the Confederates by the U.S. forces after a severe naval engagement in November, 1861.

Himera. A celebrated city on the north coast of Sicily. Here the Carthaginians were defeated with great slaughter by the united forces of Theron and Gelon of Syracuse, 480 B.C. It assisted Syracuse against the Athenians in 415 B.C. In 409 B.C. it was taken by Hannibal, the son of Gisco, who, to revenge the great defeat which the Carthaginians had suffered before the town, leveled it to the ground, and destroyed almost all the inhabitants.

Hindostan. See India.

Hircarrah, or Hircarra. An Indian term for a messenger, guide, footman, or spy.

Hiring of Duty. See Appendix, Articles of War, 36, 37.

Hirpini. An inland people of Italy who inhabited the southern portion of Samnium. In the early history of Rome the Hirpini are found identifying themselves with their Samnite neighbors against their common foes. They seem to have been subdued in the early part of the 3d century B.C. They appear as an independent people in the second Punic year. Revolting from their old conquerors, they joined the Carthaginian invaders, and, though they were unable to recapture their stronghold of Beneventum, they remained faithful to Hannibal till the defeat at the Metaurus restored the empire of Italy to his opponents. In the year of that event the Hirpini made their peace with their old masters by betraying into their hands the garrisons of their allies. From this time till the outbreak of the Social war, the Hirpini seem to have continued steadfast in their allegiance. On that occasion, however, they set the example of revolt to the allies, and might have become formidable enemies, had not the rapid successes of Sulla induced them to repair their error by complete submission. After the close of the war the Hirpini do not appear in history as an independent people.

Hispalis. See Seville.

HistiÆa. An ancient city of Euboea. It was taken by the Athenians during the Persian wars, but they revolted from that people, and was again subdued, the old inhabitants of the city were expelled, and 2000 Athenian colonists settled in their stead, and its name changed to Oreus. In the war between Philip and the Greeks, Oreus was frequently contested, and in 200 B.C. it was stormed by the Romans.

History, Military. A narrative of military transactions, campaigns, battles, sieges, marches, etc., of an army. It likewise means a relation of the heroic actions of great generals, etc.

Hit. To reach with a stroke or blow; especially, to reach or touch an object aimed at, as a mark; to strike or touch, usually with force. Also a striking against; the collision of one body against another; the stroke or blow that touches anything.

Hitch. A knot or noose in a rope for fastening it to a ring or other object; as, a clove hitch, a timber hitch.

Hivites. A Canaanitish people, who in the time of Jacob are found occupying the uplands of Ephraim, and later the slopes of Hermon and region westward towards Tyre. They were conquered by the Hebrews, and they became menial subjects of Solomon.

Hobeliers. In the Middle Ages, a species of light horsemen, chiefly intended for reconnoitring, carrying intelligence, harassing troops on a march, intercepting convoys, and pursuing a routed army; the smallness of their horses rendering them unfit to stand the shock of a charge. Spelman derives the name from hobby, a small horse. Camden used the word Hoblers for certain light horsemen, who were bound by the tenure of their lands to maintain a light horse, for giving notice of any invasion made by enemies, or such like peril towards the sea-side.

Hobits. Small mortars of 6 or 8 inches bore mounted on gun-carriages; they were in use before the howitzer.

Hochebos (Fr.). Certain soldiers among the ancients, who were so called from their brandishing the pike. This word has likewise been applied to the pike itself.

Hochkirch. A village of Saxony, 7 miles southeast of Bautzen. Here Frederick the Great was completely defeated by the Austrians under Daun, October 14, 1758. A conflict between the Russians and Prussians and the French, in which the latter were victorious, took place here May 22, 1813.

Hochstadt. A town of Bavaria, situated on the left bank of the Danube. It is noted for a battle, generally known as the battle of Blenheim (which see), in which the French and Bavarians were defeated by the Duke of Marlborough and Prince EugÈne, and which took place between this town and Blenheim in 1704. In 1800, the French under Moreau totally defeated the Austrians near here.

Hohenlinden. A village of Bavaria. It is noted for the defeat of the Austrian army in 1800, by the French under Moreau.

Hohenstaufen. A celebrated family of German princes, which kept possession of the imperial throne from 1138 to 1254, and died out in 1268. The first of the line was Friedrich von BÜren, who received the name on account of having removed his dwelling from a valley auf den Staufen (“up the hill” or “mountain”). His son Friedrich von Staufen, or Hohenstaufen, served under Henry IV., and distinguished himself greatly in the battle of Merseburg, for which the king awarded him the duchy of Swabia. He also fought against the pope in Italy, while holding the position of regent of Germany. Died in 1105.

Hohenzollern. The name of an ancient princely German family, from which the kings of Prussia are descended. The name is derived from the castle of Zollern, in Swabia, which is said to have been built by Tassillon or Thasilio about 800.

Hoist. To raise; to lift, or bear upward by means of tackle, as a flag, etc. The perpendicular height of a flag, as opposed to the fly, or breadth from the staff to the outer edge.

Hold. A place of security; a fortified place; a fort; a castle; often called a stronghold.

Hold. To keep one’s self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed; as, not to move; to halt; to stop. Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken. To hold one’s own, to keep up; not to lose ground or be left behind.

Hold Out, To. To maintain any place, ground, etc., resolutely against an enemy.

Hold-all. A portable case for holding small articles required by soldiers, marines, etc.

Holland. A kingdom in Northwest Europe, the chief part of the Northern Netherlands, composed of land rescued from the sea, and defended by immense dykes. It was inhabited by the Batavi in the time of CÆsar, who made a league with them. It became part of Gallia Belgica, and afterwards of the kingdom of Austria. From the 10th to the 15th century it was governed by counts under the German emperors. It was conquered by the French in 1795, and subsequently brought into the condition of a province of France under Napoleon; the emperor’s brother, Louis, being created king of Holland. It was delivered from the French yoke in 1813. See Netherlands.

Hollow Projectile. Shell, case-shot, etc. See Projectiles, etc.

Hollow Square. The form in which a body of foot is drawn up with an empty space in the middle for the colors, drums, baggage, etc. A body of troops formed into a square to resist the charge of cavalry on critical occasions.

Hollow Tower. A rounding made of the remainder of two brisures, to join the curtain to the orillon, where the small shot are placed, that they may not be so much exposed to the view of the enemy.

Hollow Way. Any pass or road, both sides of which are commanded by heights.

Holstein. An extensive duchy of Germany, formerly a dependency of Denmark. The king of Denmark had originally a seat at the German Diet on account of his Holstein possessions, but in 1806, on the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine, this privilege was lost; but in 1815 he was admitted into the Germanic Confederation. In 1848 this duchy, with Schleswig, attempted to gain its independence; but, after some severe fighting, it was reduced to obedience in 1850. In 1863 the struggle was renewed; and, under the pretext of separating this duchy, together with that of Schleswig, from Denmark, and of annexing it to the Germanic Confederation, an allied Austrian and Prussian army invaded the country and drove out the Danes, after a short but desperate struggle. It was annexed to Prussia after the Prussian-Austrian war (1866), and now forms a part of the North German Confederation.

Holsters. Leathern cases for pistols, affixed to the pommel of the saddle. They are frequently covered with wool or fur, to prevent injury to the rider in the event of his being thrown forward upon them. They are also worn on a belt.

Holstered. Bearing holsters; as, a holstered steed.

Holy Alliance. A league formed after the fall of Napoleon by the sovereigns of Russia, Austria, and Prussia, nominally to regulate the relations of the states of Christendom by the principles of Christian charity, but really to preserve the power and influence of the existing dynasties. Most of the other European rulers acceded to it, and the treaty was made public February 2, 1816. A special article of the treaty excluded forever the members of the Bonaparte family from any European throne. But after the secession of England and France the alliance became practically obsolete.

Holy Ghost, Order of the. A Roman Catholic order consisting of hospital knights, which was founded in the 12th century, and ceased to exist as a knightly order in 1700.

Holy Island, or Lindisfarne. An island off the coast of Northumberland, 8 miles southeast from Berwick-on-Tweed, and is connected with the mainland by a narrow isthmus or neck of sand. On the south of the island lies the town, and near it are the ruins of an old abbey which the Danes destroyed in 900.

Holy League. A name applied to several combinations of sovereigns or princes of Europe for warlike or defensive purposes. The first was organized in 1510 by the pope, Venice and Spain against Louis XII. of France. But the most important of all was the holy league, so called by way of eminence, which was organized at Perrone in 1576, and lasted till 1593, to prevent the accession of Henry IV. of France to the throne.

Holy Sepulchre, Knights of the. An order of knighthood instituted probably by Pope Alexander VI., for the guardianship of the Holy Sepulchre, and the relief and protection of pilgrims. The pope was originally the grand master, but he subsequently ceded his rights to the Guardian Father of the Holy Sepulchre. The knights must, by the rules of the order, be all of noble descent; they were bound to hear mass daily, to fight, to live, and to die for the Christian faith, etc. In return for these duties, the knights had the most unusual and extraordinary privileges conferred on them; they were exempt from taxation, could marry, and yet possess church property, legitimize bastards, cut down and bury the bodies of criminals who had been hanged. On the recapture of Jerusalem by the Turks, the knights retired to Italy, and settled at Perugia. After a temporary union with the Hospitallers, the order was reconstructed in 1814 both in France and in Poland, and is still in existence within a very small circle of knights elected by the Guardian Father from the most respectable pilgrims who come to Jerusalem.

Holy Wars. See Crusade.

Homelden. In Northumberland, England, where the Scots, headed by the Earl of Douglas, were defeated by the Percies (among them Hotspur), September 14, 1402.

Home-service. Consists in military operations and arrangements for the immediate defense of our own country, should it be threatened by invasion, or by domestic broils or insurrections.

Homme d’Armes (Fr.). A military phrase among the French, signifying a gentleman or cavalier who belonged to one of the old companies, was armed cap-a-pie, and always fought on horseback. In ancient times, every man of this description was accompanied by two horsemen independent of his servants. One of the mounted attendants was armed with a cross-bow, and the other with a common bow or battle-axe; so that 100 hommes d’armes composed a body of 300 horse. It was a species of cavalry which existed from the reign of Louis XI. until the reign of Henry II.

Honduras. A republican state of the confederation of Central America; being bounded north by the Caribbean Sea and Bay of Honduras, southeast by the Mosquito Territory and Nicaragua, south by San Salvador and the Bay of Conchagua, on the Pacific, and west by Guatemala.

Honeycomb. A defect in guns resembling the cells of wax in which the bee stores her honey. These flaws in the metal arise either from careless or imperfect casting, or from long disuse of a gun and exposure to damp. A honeycombed gun is liable to burst in firing.

Hong-Kong. An island off the coast of China; was taken by Capt. Elliott, August 23, 1839, and ceded to Great Britain, January 20, 1841.

Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense (Fr.). See Garter, Order of the.

Honor. In a general acceptation may be properly called a consciousness of worth and virtue in the individual, and a lively desire to preserve the reputation of virtue. As a term, it is variously used in military life. As a quality of the mind, it cannot be too much encouraged or too much cultivated among military men of all ranks and descriptions. The possession of it is a guarantee for good conduct, a bond of fidelity, and a certain barrier against military corruption. Men are excited to deeds of valor and enterprise by a sense of honor, who would otherwise remain inactive, or only perform the mere drudgery of service. This term may likewise be considered as esteem, reputation, the glory which is attached by mankind to talents and virtues.

Honor, Affair of. A transaction connected with a duel, or a challenge to fight a duel; a duel itself.

Honor, Court of. Is a species of board of inquiry, which has not only the power of ascertaining the degree of guilt which may be attached to misconduct, but of pronouncing an opinion which may or may not entail ignominy upon the guilty persons. See Court of Honor.

Honor, Debt of. An obligation which among honorable men, especially officers, is more binding than those engagements or contracts that are guaranteed by law. The reason is manifest.

Honor, Point of. A nice discrimination in matters affecting one’s honor. A delicacy of feeling, which is generally acquired by education, and strengthened by intercourse with men of strict integrity and good conduct. It is likewise very frequently the offspring of peculiar habits, received notions, and established etiquettes; also, a minute distinction; a punctilio.

Honor, Signatures upon. Are instruments, such as declarations of officers on vouchers for allowances, pay, etc., that are guaranteed by the names of individuals, without oath.

Honor, Word of. A promise or engagement that is made or entered into by word of mouth, the breach of which entails disgrace upon the violator. To die upon the bed of honor, is a term particularly applied to military men, who die in battle fighting in their country’s cause.

Honors of War. A compliment granted on capitulation to a garrison which has made a gallant defense. The exact nature of the honors accorded have varied in different ages and on different occasions. Ordinarily they are as follows: The garrison marches out through the gap in the breach, if there is one, with arms and personal baggage. The drums beat, the colors fly, officers carry their swords drawn, and the men their bayonets fixed. A certain number of guns—ordinarily two—accompany the force, and formerly the gunners carried lighted matches. On reaching the glacis the garrison—unless it is one of the stipulations that it is to join the main army—forms up and grounds arms, only the officers retaining their swords, and is marched off under escort.

HonvÉd. The name given in Hungary under the earlier kings to the national champions. With the disappearance of these, the word too disappeared; but in the summer of 1848 it was revived, and applied first to those Hungarian volunteers dispatched to the south against the Servians, and subsequently, when the war with Austria really commenced, to the whole patriotic army. Still, in common parlance, the term honvÉd is used only with reference to the Hungarian infantry.

Hood (Sp. tapadera). A leather cover for the stirrup of a saddle.

Hooghly. A town of Bengal, and the capital of a district of the same name, situated on the west hank of the Hooghly River, 27 miles north from Calcutta. This place is supposed to have been founded by the Portuguese about 1538, and after their expulsion in 1632 by the Mogul troops, it became the imperial port of the Mogul empire. In 1757 it was taken by the British; it was retaken shortly after by Surajah Dowlah, but ultimately fell, after a few months, into the hands of the British under Lord Clive.

Hooks. Pieces of bent iron fixed to the transom plates of a field-carriage are so called. They serve to fix the bricoles or ropes for drawing it occasionally backwards or forwards.

Hookum. An Indian word, signifying order or command.

Hookummaumeh. In India, signifies a letter of instructions, or the paper that contains orders.

Hoplital (Fr. hoplites). Foot-soldiers among the Greeks, who bore heavy armor, and engaged with broad shields and long spears. These took precedence of all other foot-soldiers.

Horde. A wandering troop or gang; especially a clan or tribe of a nomadic people possessing no fixed habitations, but migrating from place to place for the sake of pasturage, plunder, or the like cause.

Hordearium. The money which the Romans gave their cavalry for the sustenance of their horses.

Horion (Fr.). A term which formerly signified a helmet, and which in the vulgar acceptation of it now, among the French, means a blow upon the head.

Horizon (Gr. orizo, I bound or terminate). In astronomy and geography, is the plane of the great circle of the sphere, dividing the visible from the invisible hemisphere. The horizon is either sensible or rational. The sensible horizon is a plane which is a tangent to the earth’s surface at the place of the spectator, extended on all sides till it is bounded by the sky; the rational horizon is a plane parallel to the former, but passing through the centre of the earth. Both the sensible and rational horizon are relative terms, and change with every change of the spectator’s position on the surface of the earth; in all cases they are perpendicular to the direction of gravity.

Horizontal Fire. The fire of guns and howitzers under low angles of elevation.

Horizontal Plane. That which is parallel to the horizon; a plane tangent to the surface of the earth, at the place.

Horizontal Range. In gunnery, is the distance to which a piece of ordnance will project a ball on a horizontal plane. Supposing no resistance from the atmosphere, the greatest range would be when the piece is elevated at an angle of 45°; and in all other positions the horizontal range would be as the sine of twice the angle of elevation. In a resisting medium the maximum horizontal range requires the elevation to be less than 45°. It is found by experience that, with the ordinary velocity, a cannon-shot ranges the farthest when the elevation of the piece is about 30°.

Hornwork. A kind of work in advance of a fortification, akin to a crown-work, but consisting of only one curtain and two half-bastions.

Hors de Combat. A French military phrase, signifying that an individual or body of men are so completely beaten as not to be able to maintain the field of battle. Mettre hors de combat, to drive your opponent before you; to press him so closely that he cannot make a stand against you; to put him out of the lists of contests. To be wounded or incapable of individual effort, is also being hors de combat.

Horse. A military term for a body of cavalry.

Horse Artillery. Is that portion of the artillery which usually serves with cavalry, and in which the cannoneers are mounted on horseback, to enable them to conform with the rapid movements of that arm of the service. Possessing, from their lighter construction and mounted detachments, much greater locomotive powers than other field-batteries, they are especially adapted for following the rapid evolutions of cavalry, for sudden attacks upon particular points, and for supporting the advance, or covering the retreat of an army.

Horse, Associated. A body of cavalry so called in the days of Cromwell. At the famous battle of Naseby (June 14, 1645), which decided the fate of Charles I., the Associated Horse were posted in the rear of the right wing of the Republican army, and formed a part of the reserve. Cromwell commanded the cavalry on the right of the whole, and the Associated Horse were under his immediate orders.

Horse, Cavalry and Artillery. Horses generally make in a minute, at ordinary pace, 120 steps, and they cover 110 yards; at a trot, 180 steps, covering 220 yards; and at a gallop, 100 steps or strides, covering 352 yards; from which it would appear that the length of the stride at the ordinary pace is about 0.917 yard, and that the velocity corresponds to about 1.74 yards per second; and at a trot the stride is about 1.28 yards and the speed about 3.68 yards per second; and at a gallop the stride is about 3.52 yards, with a speed of about 5.87 yards per second. A good horse carrying a weight of 225 pounds, can travel, without over-exertion, 25 miles in a day of from seven to eight hours; his speed in this case would be between 1.75 and 1.53 yards per second. The weight of an average-sized horse is about from 900 to 1350 pounds. The age of the horse is determined by the appearance of the teeth, which vary according to the number of years the animal has attained, and may be easily understood by a slight attention to the subject; the number, quality, and size of the teeth indicating the respective ages. The lower front teeth or nippers are those by which the age of a colt is usually determined. At two years old these teeth will be complete; that is to say, the colt will have a full set, six in number, of milch-teeth. Between two and three years old the two centre teeth are displaced, and two permanent teeth succeed them, easily distinguished from colt’s teeth by being broader, larger, and having a dark cavity in the centre of the upper surface. At three years old the colt will have in the lower jaw two permanent and four colt’s teeth; between the third and fourth year the next pair of incisor teeth will be shed, and permanent teeth succeed them. At four years old there will be four permanent teeth in the centre, and two colt’s teeth at each corner of the lower jaw. Between the fourth and fifth year the last remaining colt’s nipper, or corner tooth, will be cast; and, if a horse or gelding, the tushes, four in number, will show themselves, two in the upper and two in the lower jaw. At five years old the horse will have a full or complete set of permanent teeth in the upper and lower jaws; for the same change that takes place in the lower is developed in the upper jaw also. The colt at this age takes the name of horse, and is supposed to be equal to all the laborious duties expected from him. Although we can no longer judge of his age by the shifting or shedding of his teeth, we can form a tolerably correct conclusion from other appearances of them. At six years old the dark oval-shaped mark in the centre of the two front nippers, usually called by horsemen “the bean,” will be nearly or quite worn away; the tushes higher and stronger, and the cavities of the interior part of the tooth more filled; the two corner nippers level with the others, and equally developed. At seven years old the marks in the second pair of nippers are filled up, and the tushes become more round externally and internally. At eight years old the marks in the corner nippers are worn out, and the tushes more round and blunt. From this age the animal is said to be, in horse phraseology, “past knowledge”; and although a tolerably correct opinion may be formed for many years to come by the appearance of the upper jaw and other prognostics, still they cannot be implicitly relied on. It often occurs at a much earlier period that the best judges of age are deceived by the untimely structural alteration of the teeth, produced by mechanical or pathological causes, such as crib-biting, biting the rack or manger, eating hard food, etc. Horses used for cavalry in the United States are selected with regard to climate, the American horse east of the Rocky Mountains, and what is known as the Mexican or bronco, west of the Rocky Mountains; the power of endurance of the latter being much more than that of the former, they are better adapted to the rugged, arid country that an American cavalry soldier has to travel over on the western frontier. For artillery large, strong American horses are used. A horse occupies a space in the ranks of a front of 40 inches, a depth of 10 feet; in a stall, from 3¹/₂ to 4¹/₂ feet front; at picket 3 feet by 9. Cavalry horses usually charge at the rate of 24 miles per hour, or one mile in 2¹/₂ minutes. See Pack and Draught Horses.

Horse Guards. The name was applied to a large public office in Whitehall, London, appropriated to the departments under the general-commanding-in-chief, and guarded by a squadron of Horse Guards. In 1871 the headquarters were removed to Pall Mall.

Horse Guards, Royal (Oxford Blues). Is the third heavy cavalry regiment of the Household Brigade (English). The regiment was raised in 1661 from the remnants of the disbanded army of the late Commonwealth. It took part in Marlborough’s campaigns; served under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, and has always been considered one of the finest heavy cavalry corps in the world.

Horseman. A mounted soldier.

Horsemanship. The act or art of riding, and of training and managing horses; manege.

Horse-power. A measure for the quantity of work of which an engine or motor is capable in a given time. It is 33,000 foot-pounds in one minute.

Horse-shoe. In fortification, is a small round or oval work, with a parapet; generally made in a ditch, or marsh.

Horse-tail. A Turkish standard. Commanders are distinguished by the number of horse-tails carried before them, or planted in front of their tents. Thus, the sultan has seven, the grand vizier five, and the pashas three, two, or one.

Hospital. A place appointed for the sick and wounded men, provided with physicians, surgeons, nurses, servants, medicines, beds, etc.

Hospital, Field. Is the staff and apparatus for the surgical treatment of the wounded in the field, and the locality assigned for the resort of the latter to obtain it. In the United States there is a hospital at every military post, under the superintendence of the army medical department.

Hospital, Regimental. In Great Britain, each regiment has a hospital for the reception of the sick belonging to it. This hospital is under the immediate care of the regimental surgeon, who is subordinate to the general medical board.

Hospital Steward. In the U.S. service, is a non-commissioned officer of the general staff, whose duty consists in making up prescriptions, administering medicines, and in a general supervision of the sick, under the instructions of an army medical officer.

Hospital Tent. A large tent used for hospital purposes. See Tent.

Hospitallers. A celebrated brotherhood founded at various times and in different countries for the care of the sick in hospitals. The vow to devote themselves to this work of mercy is, in all these brotherhoods, superadded to the ordinary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, which are common to all the religious orders in the Roman Catholic Church. One of the earliest recorded instances of a hospital served by such a brotherhood is that of Constance, in the 13th century. See Saint John of Jerusalem and Teutonic Knights.

Hospodar. A title borne by the governors of Wallachia and Moldavia, under the Turks. Although nominated by the porte, they possessed absolute power within their own dominions. By the treaty of Adrianople in 1829, the principalities were placed under Russian protection, and from that time till the treaty of Paris in 1856, the hospodars were virtually the nominees of Russia.

Host. An army; any large body of men assembled together in arms.

Hostages. Are persons given in pledge for the performance of conditions. When a town capitulates, victors and vanquished usually give into the custody, one of the other, several officers, as pledges that each party will duly carry out the terms stipulated. When the terms are fulfilled, the hostages are exchanged; but if the terms be evaded, the opposite side holds the right to put to death, or otherwise punish, the hostages in its possession; of late years the practice is going out of use.

Hostile. Belonging to an enemy; appropriate to an enemy; showing ill-will and malevolence, or a desire to thwart and injure; occupied by an enemy or a hostile people; inimical; unfriendly; as, a hostile force, hostile country, etc.

Hostilities. A rupture between the natives of different countries. The first hostile act that is committed by either party is considered the commencement of hostilities. Between nations, the first act of hostility presupposes a declaration of war.

Hosting. An encounter; a battle. A muster or review. This term is now obsolete.

Hot Shot. Shot made red-hot for the purpose of setting fire to buildings, shipping, etc. The charges for hot shot are from one-fourth to one-sixth the weight of the shot. With small velocities, the shot splits and splinters the wood, so as to render it favorable for burning. With great velocity the ball sinks into the wood, is deprived of air by the closing of the hole, and chars instead of burning the surrounding wood. It should not penetrate deeper than 10 or 12 inches. Red-hot balls do not set fire to the wood until some time after their penetration. They retain sufficient heat to ignite wood after having made several ricochets upon water. The wads for hot shot should be made of clay or hay, the latter to be well soaked in water, and before being used, the water pressed out of it. With proper precautions in loading, the ball may be permitted to cool in the gun without igniting the charge. The piece, however, should be fired with as little delay as possible, as the vapor would diminish the strength of the powder. They are heated by means of furnaces erected for the purpose, which hold sixty or more shot. The shot being placed, and the furnace cold, it requires one hour and fifteen minutes to heat them to a red heat; but after the furnace is once heated, a 24-pounder shot is brought to a red heat in twenty-five minutes. Red-hot shot is not in general use.

Hotchkiss Projectile. See Projectile.

Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon. Consists of five barrels grouped around a common axis; they are revolved in front of a solid breech-block, which has in one part an opening to introduce the cartridges, and another opening through which to extract the empty shells. The cartridges are fired after being revolved and while motionless in front of the solid portion of the breech. In exterior aspect it resembles the Gatling gun, but is entirely different in its interior mechanism. See Machine Guns.

Hotchkiss Rifle. See Magazine Guns.

HÔtel des Invalides (Fr.). A spacious building which was erected by Louis XIV. in Paris, upon the river Seine, as a public monument of his charity and munificence. All disabled, infirm, and wounded officers and soldiers were received, lodged, and subsisted during the remainder of their lives within its walls.

Hotte (Fr.). A sort of hand-basket, which is often made use of in the construction of batteries and other works, and serves to carry earth from one place to another. Hence the word hod, a well-known machine for carrying bricks.

Hougines (Fr.). Parts of ancient armor covering the thighs, legs, and arms.

Hounds. Are pieces of wood used in the construction of limbers for gun-carriages to connect the splinter-bar with the axle.

Hours of Sitting (Courts-martial). See Appendix, Articles of War, 94.

Household Troops. See Guards.

Housing. Cover or cloth over or under a horse’s saddle used for cleanliness, or as an ornamental or military appendage; a saddle-cloth; a horse-cloth.

Howitzer (derived by Grimm and LittrÉ from the Bohemian haufnice, “catapult”). A short, light cannon, having a chamber intended to throw large projectiles with comparatively small charges. A howitzer is of larger caliber than a gun of like weight; is mounted in a similar manner, and is used for shorter ranges. It is said to have been first introduced by the Dutch in the early part of the 17th century, and soon afterward came into almost general use. The Russians in 1777 introduced the licorne, an improved howitzer. Howitzers project larger shells than guns with which they are associated; are well adapted for ricochet fire, the destruction of field-works, breaking down palisades, and setting fire to buildings; and the projectiles used are shells, spherical-case, canister, grape, and carcasses. Howitzers, except for siege and mountain service, are no longer manufactured in the United States, as our present guns are equally suitable for shell-firing in field or garrison service. The ones now in use in the U.S. service are 8-inch and 24-pounder mountain howitzers. The former is used for siege purposes, and for the defense of ditches in fortifications. The 24-pounder flank defense howitzer, now out of use, was formerly employed for this purpose. The 8-inch howitzer has, strictly speaking, no chamber; the bore is, however, terminated by a semi-ellipsoid, the axis being 6 inches in length. This piece weighs 2600 pounds, and the shell (not filled) 45 pounds. The mountain howitzer (12-pounder) is a small, light, bronze piece about 3 feet long, weighing 220 pounds, capable of being easily removed from its carriage, and transported upon the back of a mule. The shell weighs, when strapped and charged, 9.35 pounds, and the maximum range of the piece is about 1000 yards. There are two distinct kinds of carriage used with it, one similar to the carriage of the ordinary field-piece, but smaller and lighter, the other having four wheels and called the prairie carriage. This piece has been extensively employed in our numerous Indian wars upon the plains and mountains of the West, and has done good service.

Hualpais, or Hualapais Indians. A tribe of aborigines who are located on the Colorado River near the Mojaves.

Hub. The hilt of a weapon; as, to drive a dagger into a body up to the hub.

Hubbardton. A village of Rutland Co., Vt., about 46 miles south-southwest of Montpelier. Here an American force of three regiments of Warner, Francis, and Hale, numbering about 1300, were defeated by the British under Col. Fraser, July 7, 1777.

Hubert, St., Order of. The highest Bavarian order of knighthood, founded in 1444.

Hubertsberg. A village of Saxony, 24 miles east from Leipsic. The treaty of peace, by which the Seven Years’ War was ended, was signed in the royal castle of this place in 1763.

Hue and Cry. In Great Britain, an official gazette, which serves to advertise deserters from her majesty’s service.

Huguenots. A term (derived by some from the German Eidgenossen, “confederates,” by others from Hugues, a Genevese Calvinist) applied to the Reformed party in France, followers of Calvin. They took up arms against their persecutors in 1561. After a delusive edict of toleration, a great number were massacred at Vassy, March 1, 1562, when the civil wars began, which lasted with some intermission till the edict of Nantes in 1598 (revoked in 1685). The massacre of St. Bartholomew’s day, August 24, 1572, occurred during a truce.

Huissier d’Armes (Fr.). Tipstaff; an officer formerly so called in France, who was attached to the royal household. They were at first distinguished by the name of sergens d’armes, or sergeants-at-arms. Some were directed to bear the mace before the king during the day, and obtained on that account the appellation of huissiers d’armes; in later times they were called the huissiers, or tipstaffs of the king’s chamber. Others kept watch in the king’s bed-chamber during the night, and were sworn to expose their lives for the safety of his person, whence they obtained the name of archers de la garde, which term was changed to gardes du corps, or body-guards.

Hulan. See Uhlan.

Hull, or Kingston-upon-Hull. A seaport town of England, in Yorkshire, situated on the great inlet of the Humber, at the point where it is entered by the river Hull. It is a very ancient town; during the civil war it declared for the Parliament, and sustained two severe sieges by the royalists.

HumaitÁ. A strong post on the river Paraguay, defended by a battery of 300 cannon, and believed to be impregnable by Lopez, the president of Paraguay; was forced by the Brazilian ironclads February 17, 1868. On the 19th, Caxias, the Brazilian general, stormed a work to the north of HumaitÁ, and captured many stores.

Hungary. A portion of the Austrian empire. It was a part of the ancient Pannonia and Dacia; was subjected to the Romans about 106, and retained by them till the 3d century, when it was seized by the Goths, who were expelled about 376 by the Huns, under Attila. After his death in 453, the GepidÆ, and in 500 the Lombards held the country. It was acquired by the Avars about 568, and retained by them till their destruction by Charlemagne in 799. About 890 the country was settled by a Scythian tribe, named Vingours, or Ungri (whence the German name Ungarn), and the Magyars of Finnish origin. The progress of the Magyars westward was checked by their defeat by the emperor Henry the Fowler, 934. After various changes of rulers it came permanently under the dominion of Austria in 1526. A revolution took place in Hungary in 1848 under the leadership of Kossuth.

Huns. The name of a considerable nation of antiquity, which from time to time made incursions on the Roman dominions, and which eventually, under Attila, the most renowned of its leaders, brought in the 5th century the Eastern and Western empires to the verge of destruction. They were originally of Asiatic origin, and probably akin to the Scythians and Turks. In the latter part of the 4th century they settled along the Danube, in the territory abandoned by the Goths, and subsequently they pressed onward towards further conquests. In the 5th century they had acquired considerable power, but after Attila’s death it was broken. Many of them afterwards took service with the Romans; others joined the invaders from the north and east that were attacking the moribund Roman empire.

Hunters, Death-. Followers of an army, who, after an engagement, look for dead bodies in order to strip them.

Hurdices. Ramparts, scaffolds, fortifications, etc.

Hurdles. In fortification, twigs of willow or osiers, interwoven close together, and sustained by long stakes. They are made in the figure of a parallelogram, in length 5 or 6 feet, in breadth 3 or 3¹/₂. The closer they are wattled together the better. They serve to revet, or render batteries firm, or to consolidate the passage over muddy ditches; or to cover traverses and lodgments for the defense of the workmen against the fireworks. Hurdles are constructed in nearly the same manner as gabions, excepting that the pickets are placed in a straight line instead of a circle.

Hurkaru. A messenger; one who brings intelligence; a scout.

Hurl. To send whirling or whizzing through the air; to throw with violence; to drive with great force; as, to hurl a lance, etc.

Huron Indians (also called Wyandots). A tribe of aborigines now almost extinct, who were settled in Canada and in a part of the United States. They fought against the United States in the war of 1812-15.

Hurst. A charge in heraldry representing a small group of trees, generally borne upon a mount in base.

Hurter, or Heurtoir. A square beam placed at the foot of a parapet where there is an embrasure to prevent the wheels of the gun, when the latter is run up, from injuring the interior slope. A short fascine or military fagot is sometimes substituted for a beam. A hurter is placed on the front part of a siege platform, under the wheels. The motion of gun-carriages is checked, front and rear, by pieces of wood or iron bolted to the top rails called hurters and counter-hurters.

Hussar. A name given to the national cavalry of Hungary and Croatia. They were first raised in 1458, and received their name either from the method in which they were called out, or from the Tartar uswar, which signifies cavalry. In the armies of modern Europe hussars are light horse, and differ from light dragoons only in some peculiarities of dress and equipments.

Hussites. Is the name of the followers of Huss. Immediately after his martyrdom they arose in Bohemia, and took a frightful revenge on the priests, monks, and prelates of the Roman Catholic Church. Wenceslaus succeeded, however, in appeasing the storm by granting them religious freedom. But when the king died in 1419, and the pope issued an order for the conversion of the Hussites by force, a civil war began. They assembled under the leadership of John Ziska, on Mount Tabor, captured Prague, pillaged and burnt the monasteries, and defeated at Deutchbrod in 1422, and in several other minor encounters, the troops of Sigismund, the German emperor and heir of Wenceslaus. Ziska died in 1424, but his successor, Procopius, a former monk, was still more successful. He defeated Sigismund at Miess and Tachau, and carried the war into Austria, Bavaria, Franconia, and Saxony. Meanwhile, the Hussites had separated into two parties, the Taborites and Calixtines. In the beginning they acted in perfect concert with each other. But in 1433 the Council of Basle succeeded in coming to an agreement with the Calixtines and in drawing them out of the contest; the result of which was that the Taborites were totally defeated at Bomishbrod in 1434. Toleration was granted, and Sigismund entered Prague, August 23, 1436. The Hussites opposed his successor, Albert of Austria, and called Casimir of Poland to the throne, but were defeated in 1438. A portion of the Hussites existed in the time of Luther, and were called “Bohemian Brethren.”

Hut. Is a wooden structure, more or less rough in details, for the housing of troops. It is substituted very often for the tent, when the sojourn in a camp or cantonment is likely to be of consideration, as, for instance, through a winter,—a hut, however rude, which is wind- and water-tight, being as superior in comfort to a tent as the latter is to the open air. Huts may be made of almost any size, and are sometimes for one officer; at others for as many as 100 men. The quarters occupied by U.S. troops on the American frontiers are very frequently huts made by the troops.

Huy. A town of Belgium, 18 miles southwest from Liege. This town has withstood several sieges. Its fortifications were dismantled in 1718, but in 1815 its castle was rebuilt.

Hyccara (now Muro di Carini). A town of Sicani, on the north coast of Sicily, west of Panormus. It was taken by the Athenians and plundered, and its inhabitants sold as slaves, 415 B.C.

Hydaspes. A river in India, where Alexander the Great defeated Porus, after a severely contested engagement, in 327 B.C.

Hyder. The Arabic term for lion. This title is frequently given to men of rank in India.

Hydraulic Jack. A powerful portable apparatus for moving heavy weights through short distances, by an application of the principles of the hydrostatic press. There are two forms, the lifting- and pulling-jack. Those used in the American military service are of 80 tons capacity.

Hydraulic Loading Apparatus. The apparatus used in manoeuvring heavy turret-guns in the English navy, invented by Mr. George Rendel (a member of Sir William Armstrong’s firm), and first tested in the working of a 38-ton gun on the “Thunderer.” It was determined to similarly equip the “Inflexible,” with her 80-ton armament. The apparatus was thoroughly tested, in working the 100-ton guns delivered to the Italian government, in experiments at Spezzia, 1876. The working of the gun, including all the operations of loading and sponging, is effected by means of hydraulic pumps, which are all operated by one small steam-engine. The gun is placed with its trunnions resting on two heavy blocks of metal, which, being retained by guides, slide on large beams or girders built in the floor of the turret. In front and rear of the blocks are pistons, working in cylinders in the direction of the floor-beams. These pistons, under the influence of water-pressure, move the gun in and out of battery. The breech is raised and lowered by similar means. When the gun and trunnion-blocks rush back under the impulse of the recoil from firing, the water in the rear cylinders is forced out through escape-valves, which are held down by springs under a tension of 50 atmospheres. The recoil is thus checked in the space of 3 or 4 feet. If a larger charge is used the tension of the springs can be increased. The springs only come into play in resisting the desperate force of recoil. The water pumped into the cylinders (a valve at the rear opening outwards being raised) is sufficient to run the gun forward without displacing the recoil-valves, the working-pressure required being less than 50 atmospheres.

When the gun is to be loaded, it is run forward and the muzzle depressed till it is in front of an armored hood, which shields an iron door in the main deck. The door slides back, a sponge appears on the end of a staff, which enters the bore and lengthens itself like a telescope till the bottom is reached, when, in obedience to the touch of a valve, a flood of water is ejected from the sponge to extinguish fire and wash the bore. The shot and cartridge next appear, lifted from below on a small truck, which is run out on a trap-door. The cartridge is lifted in front of the muzzle, the sponge—now converted into a rammer—pushes it a short distance into the gun, is then withdrawn, and when the shot rises pushes both to the bottom of the bore. The sponge is then withdrawn below deck and the trap closes. Each of these movements is effected entirely by water-pressure, the course of the water and the corresponding operation being determined by manipulating the proper valve. The power is supplied by a small steam-engine specially designed for the purpose. When no manoeuvre is to be performed, the engine occupies itself in pumping water from the tank against the recoil-valves. When the pressure rises above 50 atmospheres these valves allow a small quantity to escape, which runs back into the tank. The engine barely moves in this work. When any manoeuvre is to be performed, such as running the gun forward, a handle is touched, the cylinder-valves open a passage to the water, and, the enormous resistance being removed, the engine rattles with energy, and the gun moves forward as by magic. The valve being closed by the operator, the engine returns to its sisyphean labor of pumping water against the loaded valves till some new outlet gives it a specific task.

Every part of this apparatus, notwithstanding its provisional mounting, worked perfectly in the experiments at Spezzia.

The only defect in the principle was developed by the bursting of one, the 38-ton gun of the “Thunderer” (January 2, 1879), which was worked by this apparatus. The disaster has been generally attributed to the presence in the gun of a double charge of both shot and powder. This could hardly have occurred in hand-loading. Steps have been taken to remedy the apparatus in this regard.

Hygrometer. An instrument for measuring the degree of moisture of the atmosphere.

Hygrometer, Daniell’s. A form of hygrometer consisting of a bent glass tube terminating in two bulbs, the one covered with muslin, the other of black glass, and containing ether and a thermometer. Ether being poured on the muslin, the black ball, cooled by the evaporation of the ether within, is soon covered with dew, at which moment the receding of the inclosed thermometer, compared with that of another in the air, gives the dew point.