disorders). Was the name given to the revolt of the dauphin, afterwards
Louis XI., against his father, Charles VII., aided by Alexander, the
bastard, of Bourbon, and other nobles. It was soon quelled; Louis was
exiled, and Alexander put to death by drowning, July, 1440.
=Prairie Raft.= See PONTONS.
=Prairie-carriage.= See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.
=Prance.= To spring or bound, as a horse in high mettle. To walk or
strut about in a showy manner, or with warlike parade.
=Precedence.= Priority in rank or precedence in military life, is
regulated by the date of an officer’s commission, or the standing in the
corps to which he may belong.
=Precedent.= Any act which can be interpreted into an example for future
times, is called a precedent. Persons in high office are extremely
scrupulous with respect to precedents, especially in military matters.
=Precision.= Exact limitation, scrupulous observance of certain given
rules.
=Predal=, or =Predatory War=. A war carried on by plunder and rapine.
=Prefect= (Lat. _præfectus_). A Roman officer who was over, or who
superintended, a particular command, charge, department, and the like.
Of this class there were several, as the prefect of a camp, of a fleet,
of the city guards, etc.
=Prefect Pretorian.= In Roman antiquity, was the commander of the
pretorian guards.
=Preferment.= The state of being advanced to a higher post.
=Prejudice.= An opinion or decision of mind formed without due
examination; prejudgment; a bias or leaning toward one side or the other
of a question from other considerations than those belonging to it; an
unreasonable predilection or prepossession for or against anything;
especially, an opinion or leaning adverse to anything formed without
proper grounds, or before suitable knowledge.
=Prejudicial to Military Discipline, Conduct.= See APPENDIX, ARTICLES OF
WAR, 62.
=Prenzlow.= A town of Prussia, in the province of Brandenburg, 71 miles
north-northeast from Berlin. Here, in October, 1806, a body of
Prussians, 10,000 strong, under the Prince of Hohenlohe, surrendered,
after the defeat of Jena, to the French under Murat.
=Prepare for Action.= A word of command used in the artillery.
=Preponderance.= In gunnery, is the excess of weight of the part in rear
of the trunnions over that in front; it is measured by the lifting force
in pounds, which must be applied at the rear of the base-ring, at the
base-line, or at the bottom of the ratchet, to balance the piece when
suspended freely on the axis of the trunnions. Preponderance was given
to prevent the sudden dipping of the muzzle, in firing, and violent
concussion on the carriage at the breech. Most of the heavy pieces of
the late models have no preponderance, the axis of the trunnions
intersecting the axis of the piece, at the centre of gravity.
=Presburg.= A town of Hungary, situated on the Danube, 36 miles east
from Vienna. This town was once the capital of Hungary, and the emperors
of Austria are still crowned here as kings of Hungary. It is noted for
the treaty concluded there between France and Austria in 1805, when the
Tyrol was given to Bavaria, and Venice to the French.
=Prescott= (Upper Canada). On November 17, 1838, the Canadian rebels
were attacked by the British under Maj. Young, and (on the 18th) by
Lieut.-Col. Dundas, who dispersed the insurgents, several of whom were
killed, and many taken prisoners, the remainder surrendering. The troops
also suffered considerably.
=Presence of Mind.= Ready conceptions of expedient, producing
promptitude of action under difficult and alarming circumstances. A
quality indispensable in a general.
=Present.= In the British service, means to level; to aim; to bring the
musket to a horizontal position, the butt resting against the right
shoulder for the purpose of discharging its contents at a given object.
=Present.= To offer openly; to exhibit; to give in ceremony; as, to
present the colors.
=Present Arms, To.= In tactics is to bring the musket to a certain
prescribed position, for the purpose of paying a military compliment.
=Preservation of Cannon and Ammunition.= See LACKER.
=President.= The President of the United States is commander-in-chief of
the army, navy, and militia, called into service. His functions as such
are assigned by Congress, but embrace of course whatever authority may
be assigned to any military commander, on the principle that the
authority of the greater includes that of the less. For the command,
government, and regulation of the army, however, Congress has created a
military hierarchy or range of subordination in the army with rights and
duties regulated by Congress, and the commander-in-chief cannot make use
of any other agents in exercising his command; and all orders issued by
him must be according to the rules and articles made by Congress for the
government of the army. In his capacity of chief magistrate of the
Union, Congress has also invested the President with many administrative
functions relating to military affairs; and for the performance of the
latter duties the secretary of the department of war has been made his
minister, upon matters connected with _matériel_, accounts, returns, the
support of troops, and the raising of troops.
=President.= The president of a court-martial is the senior member. He
preserves order in court; administers the oath taken by the
judge-advocate, and the proceedings of the court are authenticated by
his signature and that of the judge-advocate.
=Presidio= (_Sp._). A place of defense; a garrison or guard-house.
=Pressure-gauge.= Called also _pressure-plug_. An apparatus invented by
Gen. Rodman for measuring the pressure exerted by the gases of exploded
powder. It consists essentially of a steel plunger, on the head of which
the pressure is exerted. The other end of the plunger is widened out
into two cutting edges which meet at an obtuse angle. This point rests
on a disk of copper, into which the cutter is driven by the pressure.
The pressure is deduced from the length of the cut. Two forms of the
instrument are used,--one is placed in a hole bored through the side of
the gun. The other is complete in itself and is placed at the bottom of
the cartridge-bag. Lieut. Metcalfe’s (U. S. Ordnance Corps) modification
of the pressure-gauge has a cutter with a helicoidal edge. To measure
the cut he uses a circular scale with a hole in the centre (in which the
inducted copper is placed), and a radial arm to show the extent of the
spiral cut. The English modification of Rodman’s instrument is called
the _crusher-gauge_,--a short cylinder of copper is substituted for the
disk,--the reduction in its length gives a measure of the pressure. The
crusher-gauge is frequently attached to the base of the shot. A similar
modification is used to test the power of the high explosives, such as
dynamite, dualin, etc. A lead cylinder is crushed in this case. A very
small charge is used. The reaction is obtained by placing a heavy
cylindrical shot over the charge, which rests directly in a cavity on
the top of the plunger.
=Preston.= A town of England, in Lancashire, on the north bank of the
Ribble. This town was partially destroyed by Bruce in 1322; and after
declaring for the king, it was taken by the forces of the Parliament
under Gen. Fairfax. Here also ended the ill-fated Jacobite rising of
1715, when, after a brave resistance, the insurgents were compelled to
surrender.
=Prestonpans.= A village of Haddingtonshire, 8 miles east of Edinburgh.
In the vicinity, on September 21, 1745, was fought the famous battle of
Prestonpans, between the royal troops under Sir John Cope and the
Jacobites under Prince Charles, in which the latter, with a loss of only
about 10 officers and 120 men in killed and wounded, routed the royal
forces with great slaughter, and captured their cannon, baggage, and
military chest.
=Pretence, Escutcheon of=, or =Escutcheon Surtout=. In heraldry, a small
shield placed in the centre of the field of another shield. The husband
of an heiress may bear the arms of his wife in an escutcheon of
pretence, instead of impaling them. Feudal arms are also sometimes
placed on an escutcheon of pretence, particularly in the insignia of
elective sovereigns, who have been in use of bearing their own proper
arms in surtout over those of the dominions to which they are entitled.
=Pretorian.= Appertaining to pretor; also the general’s guard among the
ancient Romans.
=Pretorium.= The hall or court where the pretor lived and administered
justice. It also denoted the tent of the Roman general, in which
councils of war were held. The place where the pretorian guards were
quartered or lodged, was likewise called pretorium.
=Prevesa.= A fortified town of European Turkey, in Albania, on the north
shore of the Gulf of Arta, 58 miles south-southwest of Yanina. Prevesa
belonged to the Venetians from 1684 until the fall of that republic in
1797. It was then held by the French for a time, but was afterwards
taken by the Turks.
=Prey.= Anything, as goods, etc., taken by force from an enemy in war;
spoil; booty; plunder.
=Pricker.= A light horseman was formerly so called.
=Pricker.= A priming-wire (which see).
=Pride.= In heraldry, a peacock or other bird, when the tail is spread
out in a circular form, and the wings drooped, is said to be “in his
pride.”
=Priest-cap.= In fortification, a work so named from its shape; called
also _swallow-tail_. See REDAN.
=Prime.= To charge with the powder, percussion-cap, or other device for
communicating fire to the charge, as a fire-arm.
=Primer.= A wafer, cap, tube, or other device for communicating fire to
the charge of powder in a cannon. The cap or tube usually contains a
friction- or percussion-powder. The _friction-primer_ is generally used
in the land service. (See FRICTION-PRIMER.) For service on shipboard, a
quill filled with rifle-powder, having on the top a capsule of fulminate
of mercury, is generally employed. The capsule is exploded by a blow
from the lock-hammer. The _tape-primer_, used sometimes in blasting, is
formed of long, flexible strips of paper or fabric containing fulminate
or other quick-burning substance. The _electric primer_ is used to fire
simultaneous discharges, both in ordnance and blasting. In firing wet
gun-cotton, the small charge of dry gun-cotton used in conjunction with
the _detonating exploder_ is called a _primer_. In _small-arms_ the term
is specially applied, at the present time, to the percussion-caps used
in reloading metallic cartridge-cases. The cap is set in a recess in the
head of the shell. When the firing-pin strikes the outside end of the
cap, the fulminate is exploded by being driven against a perforated cone
called the _anvil_. This _anvil_ is usually a part of the shell. In the
_Winchester primer_, recently invented, the anvil is a part of the
primer itself, being inserted upon the fulminate. A shoulder in the
recess holds the anvil when the cap is struck.
=Priming.= The powder, percussion-cap, or other device used to
communicate fire to the charge in a fire-arm.
=Priming-tubes.= See LABORATORY STORES.
=Priming-wire.= A pointed wire, used to penetrate the vent of a piece,
for examining the powder of the charge, or for piercing the cartridge.
=Primipilarii=, =Primopilarii=, or =Primipilares=. Among the Romans,
were such as had formerly borne the office of primipulus of a legion.
The banner was intrusted to his care. Among other privileges which the
primipilarii enjoyed, they became heirs to what little property was left
by the soldiers who died in the campaign.
=Primipilus.= The centurion belonging to the first cohort of a legion.
He had charge of the Roman eagle.
=Princeton.= A town of Mercer Co., N. J., about 40 miles northeast of
Philadelphia. This place was the scene of an important engagement during
the Revolutionary struggle, although the numbers engaged were
comparatively small. On hearing of the English reverse at Trenton (which
see), Gen. Howe immediately ordered Cornwallis, who was in New York, to
proceed with his forces to Princeton. Leaving a part of his troops at
this place, he proceeded towards Trenton with the intention of giving
battle to the Americans, and arrived with his vanguard on January 1,
1777. Washington, learning that only three regiments were left at
Princeton, by a circuitous night march arrived there by daybreak of
January 3, surprised and completely routed the enemy with a loss of 200
killed and wounded, and as many prisoners. The American loss did not
exceed 30. This event greatly aroused the drooping spirits of the
colonists, who had been previously disheartened by a series of reverses.
=Principes.= In the Roman armies, were the infantry, who formed the
second line in the order of battle. They were armed like the _hastati_,
with this difference, that the former had half-pikes instead of whole
ones.
=Principles, Military.= The basis or ground-work upon which every
military movement is made, and by which every operation is conducted.
=Prismatic Compass.= A surveying instrument, much used on account of its
convenient size and form in military sketching, and for filling up the
details of a map where great accuracy is not required.
=Prismatic Powder.= See GUNPOWDER.
=Prisoners.= Are persons under arrest or in custody, whether in prison
or not. Whenever any officer is charged with a crime, he is to be
arrested and deprived of his sword by the commanding officer; and
soldiers charged with crimes are to be confined until tried by a
court-martial, or released by proper authority. (See APPENDIX, ARTICLES
OF WAR, 65 and 66.) When brought into court, a prisoner should
be without irons, or any manner of shackles or bands, unless
there is danger of an escape, and then he may be secured with
irons.--_Blackstone._
=Prisoners of War.= Are soldiers captured during an engagement, siege,
or continuance of hostilities, who are deprived of their liberty until
regularly exchanged.
=Prisons, Military.= Are buildings constructed for the retention of
prisoners of war, or for the safe-keeping and punishment of offenders
against military law. Sometimes during war forts and other strong
buildings are utilized for these purposes. The following were noted
prisons during the civil war, 1861-65, for the retention of Federal
prisoners of war:
_Andersonville_ (which see).
_Belle Isle._--An island in the James River near the city of Richmond,
Va. The unfortunate prisoners taken were placed on this island without
shelter of any kind to protect them from the scorching rays of the sun
during the day or the chilly cold mists of the night, until death or
exchange released them from their sufferings.
_Castle Thunder._--A fort in Charleston harbor, S. C., which was used
for the same purpose.
_Libby._--An old tobacco warehouse in Richmond, Va., which was
temporarily converted into a military prison; and for cruelty and
torture to the Union prisoners this place was second only to
Andersonville.
_Salisbury._--A town in North Carolina, which had another depot for
prisoners.
There were also prisons established for the retention of Confederate
prisoners at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Camp Chase, Ohio, Elmira, N. Y.,
Point Lookout, Md., and Rock Island, Ill.
At _Fort Leavenworth_, Kansas, a permanent military prison was
established in accordance with an act of Congress passed March 3, 1873,
in which soldiers of the U. S. army are confined for serious offenses
against military law.
At _Dartmoor_, a desolate region in England, a prison was constructed in
1809 for the confinement of French prisoners of war which deserves a
passing notice, inasmuch as Americans were confined there during the war
of 1812. It comprised 30 acres, inclosed with double walls, with seven
distinct prison-houses with inclosures. In 1812 there were 6000 American
prisoners of war within its walls who were treated with much cruelty,
and, in consequence of the appearance of mutinous intentions of some of
the prisoners on account of the tardiness of the English officials in
releasing them after the treaty of peace was ratified, they were fired
upon by the English soldiers, which resulted in the killing of 5 and
wounding of 33 prisoners. This act was regarded in America as a wanton
massacre.
=Privas.= A town of France, capital of the department of Ardèche, 26
miles southwest from Valence. In the civil wars of the 16th and 17th
centuries in France, Privas, which was then a strongly-fortified town,
played a conspicuous part, being always favorable to the Protestant
party. In 1629 it was bravely defended by a small garrison under St.
André de Montbrun against Louis XIII., but after a siege of two months
had to be abandoned. Montbrun being soon afterwards taken was hanged,
and the fortifications of Privas were leveled to the ground.
=Private.= The title applied in the British army to a common soldier of
the cavalry and infantry; the corresponding rank in the artillery being
gunner or driver, and in the engineers, the sapper. A private in the
cavalry is sometimes called a trooper. In the U. S. army all the
soldiers who are below the grade of non-commissioned officers are called
privates.
=Privy-coat.= A light coat or defense of mail, concealed under the
ordinary dress.
=Prize.= That which is taken from another; a thing seized by force,
stratagem, or superior power. Hence, specifically, anything captured by
a belligerent using the right of war.
=Prize.= The application of a lever to move any weighty body, as a cask,
cannon, or the like.
=Prize Agent.= In the British service, a person appointed for the
distribution of such shares of money as may become due to officers and
soldiers after battle, siege, or capture.
=Prize-bolt.= A manœuvring-bolt of a mortar-bed.
=Prize-money.= The proportion which is paid to the troops who are
present at the capture or surrender of a place, etc., which yields
booty.
=Prizing.= The same as _prize_, which see.
=Proclamation.= The act of publishing abroad; conspicuous announcements;
official or general notice; publication; that which is put forth by way
of public notice; an official public announcement or declaration; a
published ordinance; as, the proclamation of a king. A proclamation may
be issued to declare the intention of the head of a government to
exercise some prerogative or enforce some law which has for a long time
been dormant or suspended. In time of war, the head of the government by
a proclamation may lay an embargo on shipping, and order the ports to be
shut. But the most usual class of proclamations are admonitory notices
for the prevention of offenses, consisting of formal declarations of
existing laws and penalties, and of the intention to enforce them.
Proclamations are only binding when they do not contradict existing
laws, or tend to establish new ones, but only enforce the execution of
those which are already in being, in such manner as the head of the
government judges necessary.
=Proconsul.= In Roman antiquity, an officer who discharged the duties of
a consul without being himself consul; a governor of a province, or a
military commander under a governor. He was usually one who had
previously been consul, and his power was nearly equal to that of a
regular consul.
=Prodd.= A cross-bow, used for throwing bullets in ancient times.
=Profile.= A section of a parapet or other work in fortification.
=Projectile.= A body projected or impelled forward by force, especially
through the air. In a limited military sense the term is applied to a
body intended to be projected from a cannon by the force of gunpowder,
or other explosive agent, to reach, strike, pass through, or destroy a
distant object. The materials of which projectiles are usually composed
are lead, wrought or cast iron, each possessing advantages according to
the circumstances under which they are fired. But the material which
combines in a greater degree than any other the essential qualities of
hardness, strength, density, and cheapness, is cast iron, which is
exclusively used in the U. S. service for large projectiles. Compound
projectiles are sometimes made, so as to combine the good and correct
the bad qualities of different metals. To obviate the serious results
that may arise from the wedging of the flanges of a cast-iron projectile
in the grooves of a rifle-cannon, it is frequently covered with a
coating of lead or other soft metal. Cast and wrought iron have also
been combined with success, and also cast iron and soft metal in such a
manner as to attain the strength of one metal and the softness and
expansibility of the other. Other metals, such as brass, are also used
in projectiles of special construction. Projectiles are generally
classified, according to their form, into spherical, or smooth-bore, and
oblong, or rifle projectiles.
_Spherical Projectiles_ are fired mainly from smooth-bore guns. They are
solid shot, shells, spherical case or shrapnel, grape, canister,
carcasses, grenades, light- and fire-balls. The advantages which they
possess over the oblong are their uniformity of resistance to the air,
presenting the least extent of surface for a given weight, the
coincidence of their centres of form and inertia; they are less liable
to wedge in the bore, as they touch the surface at only one point; and
they are best adapted for rolling and ricochet fire on account of the
regularity of their rebounds. Solid shot are usually made of cast iron,
and are designated by the diameter of the bore of the piece in which
they are to be used, or by their weight. Shells are cast with a core of
sand (greater or less according to the thickness required), which is
afterwards removed. The mortar-shell has the thinnest walls, and
contains the greatest bursting charge for the same caliber; the
gun-shell is thicker, and the battering-shell is nearly as strong as the
solid shot. Shells are usually designated by the weight of the solid
shot of the same diameter.
_Oblong Projectiles_ are fired principally from rifled pieces, and have
been adopted on account of the increase of range and accuracy which can
be obtained with them. For this purpose it is necessary that the
projectile should move through the air in the direction of its length.
Though experience would seem to show that the only sure method of
effecting this is to give it a rapid rotary motion round its axis by the
grooves of the rifle, numerous trials have been and are now being made
to produce the same effect with smooth-bored guns. One of the simplest
plans for this purpose is to place the centre of gravity or inertia in
advance of the centre of figure. Another is to make the projectile very
long, with its rear portion of wood, and its point of lead or iron,
somewhat after the manner of an arrow; but these plans do not seem to be
of much practical utility. The system by which the desired result is
obtained with the greatest certainty is the rifle system.
_Rifle System._--Spiral grooves are cut into the bore of the piece, or
it is ribbed with spiral bands, and the projectile is so formed or
prepared as to follow them as it passes along the bore of the piece. The
principal question which now occupies the attention of those engaged in
improving this species of cannon is to obtain the safest and surest
means of effecting this object. Various plans have been tried to obtain
the proposed object; nearly all may be ranged under the following heads: