ABATIS - an entrenchment of felled trees that have had their branches sharpened in order to present a wall of pointed stakes to the enemy to prevent or discourage their violating the defending troops' line.
ACCIDENT - an accident as used during the War Between the States still had as its primary meaning some property or quality which a thing possesses, but which does not essentially belong to it. For instance, the tint of anyone's skin, the height of a person's body, the redness of a brick, or the whiteness of paper are all accidents of that object or item. If any of these were changed, the substance would remain intact.
ACCOUTRE - to outfit or equip for military service.
ACCOUTREMENTS - a soldier's equipment, not including clothing and weapons.
ADJUTANT - a staff officer who transmits orders, details and mounts guards, and such. The Adjutant-General is the principal staff officer of the army;, responsible to supervise the camp; and also serves as the spokesman of the commanding general.
AIDE-DE-CAMP - attendant of a general officer who receives and bears the general officer's orders, among other duties.
ALBERT, AN - referring to a chain from the waistcoat pocket to a button in front of the waistcoat (an Albert), it received the name as a reference to Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria. When Prince Albert went to Birmingham in 1849, he was presented by the jewelers of the town with such a chain. The fashion took the public fancy and the name came into common usage not only in Great Britain but also in America.
ALARM POST - a place of assembly for the troops in the event of an alarm.
ALIGNMENT - to place in line.
AMBUSCADE - to ambush; an ambush.
AMBUSH - an arrangement of men in hiding to make a surprise attack; or it may refer to the men in hiding, or their place of hiding.
AMENITIES - at an event, amenities commonly refer to the event sponsor's provision of sani-johns, firewood, hay, and water. On some occasions, event sponsors provide more than those mentioned, but those already mentioned are often referred to as "the usual amenities".
AMMUNITION - for re-enactment purposes, the common definition of ammunition as anything hurled by a weapon or exploded as a weapon such as bullets, case shot, canister shot, bullets, gunpowder, and so forth, does not pertain. For the purposes of re-enacting, ammunition refers to the powder charge only which is used in a weapon, as no projectiles of any sort are used.
AMMUNITION CHEST - a lockable storage container in which is stored the bulk black powder and the powder charges prepared for use with the cannon. It is placed on the limber.
APPLE LADY - hard cider.
APPROACHES - trenches by which those who would besiege approach a fortified place. Approaches are opposed by counter-approaches.
APRON - another term for the leather vent cover used on the cannon.
ARDENT SPIRITS - a euphemistic term for strong alcoholic beverage.
ARMY - a military unit comprised of two or more Corps.
ARTILLERY - large caliber crew-served mounted firearms; ordnance; or a branch of an army armed with artillery. Troops of the artillery are divided into one of two major groups: Foot Artillery or Field (also known as Light or Harnessed) Artillery. (See also Field Artillery, Foot Artillery, Harnessed Artillery, Horse Artillery, Light Artillery, or Mounted Artillery.)
ASSEMBLY - a signal to the troops, normally communicated by bugle or drum, to form up by company.
ASTRAGAL - moldings which occur to the rear of the fillet.
ATTENTION - either the command to assume an erect, motionless posture, or the posture itself, with the man facing forward.
AXIS (GUN BORE) - an imaginary straight line on which the gun bore may be rotated. This is perpendicular to the bottom of the bore.
AXLE - a rod on which a wheel turns, or one connected to a wheel so that they can turn together.
AXLE BODY - the wooden part in which the iron axle-tree is placed on the limber.
BACHELOR'S WIFE - a slang term for a prostitute.
BALL - a solid missile or projectile for a cannon. It may also refer to a formal social dance.
BALLISTICS - the science which deals with the motion of projectiles.
BANQUETTE - an elevation of earth within a fort, roughly three to four feet wide and less than five feet from the top of the parapet, to enable shorter men to fire their weapons with some measure of protection.
BARK JUICE - a slang term for liquor or strong adult beverage.
BARRICADE - to obstruct or block.
BASTION - a work at one of the angles of a fortification that consists of two faces and two flanks.
BATTALION - a tactical unit comprised of three or more regiments (although regiments of artillery were extremely rarely, if ever, employed during the War), companies, batteries, or analogous units. It is normally commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, and is the basic building unit of a division. When applied to artillery units, it commonly applies to no more than five companies, and only within the Confederate command structure, as the Federal artillery did not recognize such an artillery conglomeration.
BATTERY - the basic unit of artillery, equivalent to an infantry company. An artillery battery was standardly comprised of four pieces for the Confederates and six pieces for the Federals (until Grant reduced the standard to four pieces in 1864). This may also refer to an emplacement for heavy guns, or a fortification equipped for such guns. The term "battery" was used unofficially until 1866, and derives from the French "a battre", a term for beating or battering. It has reference to the first days of artillery when artillery was used to batter down the walls of a fortress or castle. It should be noted that some Confederate units used the term "battery" from the beginning of the War, although the Federal War-use of the term was more prevalent.
BATTERY OF MANEUVER - comprised of all cannons belonging to the field battery matched with an equal number of caissons, each caisson attached to a piece, and all of which would be manned, and fully equipped with materials and horses for the purpose of maneuvering together.
BATTERY WAGON - a wagon for stores, materials, and the tools of the carriage-maker, saddler and harness-maker, and wheelwright.
BATTLE FLAG - a flag (Company colors) that display battle honors, carried by one man in each Company and used for identifying the location of a Company, or the direction in which a Company was to proceed. For the Confederate Army, it was a regimental flag that was less formal than the National colors, and is popularly believed to have been the "stars and bars". However, numerous other patterns of Confederate battle flags were used, including the Hardee pattern. On July 23, 1862, battle honors were finally authorized to be inscribed on Confederate battle flags.
BAYONET - a detachable, dagger-like blade put on the end of a musket or rifle.
BEARDSLEE TELEGRAPH - a type of telegraph used by the US Army that used a dial for pointing to the appropriate letter rather than a key which required knowledge of Morse code. Other differences included a lighter cable and a hand-cranked magneto instead of a battery.
BEDROLL - blankets rolled and carried by soldiers, most often below or above their knapsacks. Bedrolls often contained a variety of personal belongings.
BERM - a narrow space between the parapet and a ditch.
BIVOUAC - an encampment where the men camp around fires without the shelter of tents; open-air camping.
BLACK FLAG - a flag used to signal that no prisoners were to be taken, no quarter to be given; all enemy soldiers were to be killed. A black flag was cited as captured from a Confederate camp in the regimental memoirs and history of the 30th Illinois Veteran Volunteer Regiment of Infantry as recorded by G.B. McDonald of that regiment, published in 1916 in the Sparta, Illinois "Sparta News".
BLACKJACK - a tankard for beer or ale.
BLACK POWDER - gunpowder of the type used during the War Between the States. It differs from modern gunpowder in a number of significant characteristics, not the least of which is the rate at which the powder discharges. It is preferred for use in re-enacting not only for its historicity, but also because it tends to explode in a linear fashion, continuing to explode as it travels the length of the tube, where modern gunpowder tends to explode in a single, concentrated blast. (See also GUNPOWDER)
BLOWHARD - a slang term for someone who has an inflated sense of themselves and their value; someone who tends to brag or boast.
BLUE COAT - a slang expression used among Confederate troops for a Union soldier.
BLUE MASS - (See CALOMEL)
BLUE PILL - (See CALOMEL)
BOGUS - a slang term dating to at least 1827 meaning false, or counterfeit; a stamp or mill for counterfeiting coins.
BOLT - a solid, bullet shaped projectile used by rifled artillery.
BOMB - (See PROJECTILE)
BOMBARD - to attack with artillery.
BOMBSHELL - (See PROJECTILE)
BOOTEE - also known as the "Jefferson Boot" in US Army regulations, a bootee is an ankle-high, laced shoe or boot. It is sometimes inappropriately referred to as a "brogan". The term "brogan" was generally reserved for footwear purchased for issue to freemen and perhaps to United States Colored Troops. For further information on brogans, refer to BROGAN.
BORE (See GUN BORE)
BORE WORM (See WORM)
BOTTOM OF THE BORE - a plane surface within the bore which is perpendicular to the axis of the tube.
BOUNTY - an amount of money paid as essentially a signing bonus. Bounties paid could be as high as $500 for a short term enlistment, and $1500 for a three year enlistment. The purpose is to provide large numbers of men for the army, and this principle of paying bounties was used in both the North and the South. The bounty system had serious flaws, however. Little prevented men from enlisting in one unit and collecting their bounty; and then deserting that unit with the expectation of joining another unit which would also pay a bounty. Federal and local governments paid some $600 million in bounties during the war.
BRASS - an alloy consisting primarily of copper and zinc, it was used for uniform buttons, belt buckles, and various types of fasteners because it would not create a spark when brushed or rubbed against iron or steel components. Soldiers handling black powder had to be extremely careful not to create conditions which might result in the ignition of the powder, and using brass rather than iron or steel eliminated a source of potential danger. Other metals or alloys could have been used in place of brass, but it was also desired for its faux gold appearance. Contrary to popular misconception, it was not suitable for artillery. Many bronze guns of the War Between the States were mistakenly called brass, but were, in fact, made of bronze.
BRASS HAT - a slang term for a high military or naval officer. Contrary to popular opinion, the reference is not to the braid (or, as the slang term refers to it, the "scrambled eggs") worn on the hat, but to the cocked hats worn by Napoleon and his officers. When officers went indoors, they carried chapeaux a bras; that is, hats under the arm. The French term "bras" was then Anglicized to "brass".
BREECH - the part of a gun behind the barrel. It is comprised of the mass of solid metal between the bottom of the bore and the cascable.
BREECH BLOCK - a movable piece which closes the breech of the cannon.
BREVET RANK - a temporary and often honorary commission which enabled the person so promoted to wear the uniform appropriate to the rank, while remaining listed in official lists with the lower rank held prior to being brevetted. Pay increases did not always attend the brevetted rank. We borrowed the term from the British in the Revolutionary War. It differs from a commission. Officers may be awarded a higher, temporary rank due to meritorious service in combat, or to allow them to serve on staff positions. Many West Pointers received brevet rank because there were not enough vacancies in the regular army. The rank also allowed volunteers to be promoted. It has not been used in the military since 1918.
BRIGADE - a unit comprised of two or more Battalions. Two or more Brigades comprise a Division.
BROGAN - an ankle-high bootee, laced in the front; known commonly as bootees, or "Jefferson Boots" or "shoes". The term "brogans" is listed separately from bootees on the Quartermaster records and contracts, and typically listed as "negro brogans". They were intended for issue to freemen employed by the Army, and perhaps to United States Colored Troops. Brogans may or may not include metal eyelets. Many in re-enacting contend that these were not known then, or not in common use. However, documentary evidence indicates that the eyelet was created and in circulation by 1838, and in common use shortly thereafter. In the Federal OR's for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1865, approximately 8.3 million pairs of bootees (2.2 million were pegged, 6.1 million sewn) were purchased; 2.6 million pairs of boots (1.1 million pegged, 1.5 million sewn) were purchased, and approximately 155,000 pairs of brogans were purchased.
BRONZE - an alloy of 90% copper and 10% tin, more or less, commonly used in 19th century artillery. It is often - but mistakenly - called "brass". More fusible than copper, less so than tin, it is more sonorous, harder, less susceptible to oxidation, and much less ductile than either of its components.
BROWN BESS - a slang term for a prostitute.
BUB - a slang term for a fellow or guy; the term dates to the mid-1800's. It is believed to have derived from the German word "bube", the German diminutive term for "boy", and was likely introduced by German immigrants. The term "bub" is also believed to be the likely derivation for the ubiquitous "bubba".
BUCK AND GAG - corporal punishment was used during war, and the buck and gag was part of that system of corrective discipline. This was commonly used with drunkards, stragglers and shirkers. In full view of the command, a soldier would sit on the ground with hands and feet bound. His knees were then drawn up between his arms, and a rod would be inserted under the knees and over the arms. A stick was placed in his mouth sideways. The punishment was usually administered for a period of hours.
BUFF LEATHER - a heavyweight but flexible leather of a natural buff color, dyed on one side. Its most common use was for belts in the military, whether in local or state militias or the Regular Army. It is lighter in weight (and therefore durability) than harness leather.
BUDGE BARREL - measuring 20" in height and 13" in diameter, and having a leather hood over the top, the budge barrel is used in forts for carrying ammunition.
BULLY - a slang term which, when used as an expletive (Bully!), was an expression of approbation or strong encouragement; a hurrah of sorts.
BULWARK - an earthwork or defensive wall; a fortified rampart. It may also refer to a person or object that serves as a strong point protection or defense.
BUMMER - applied to the "forage cap" used throughout the Union army, it originated from a German term which meant a loafer or a habitually tardy person. It came to have the American slang meaning of one who was a hobo, tramp, vagrant, or beggar, a person who lived by sponging off of other people. The "bummer cap" had somewhat the appearance of a top hat of the antebellum period that had its sides broken down from use and age, a hat that came to be identified with beggars since such a hat would have been discarded by any with pride and money to replace it. For a beggar, though, it was a great hat to carry because it was free and it had a large capacity. During the war, the term "bummer" would be applied to soldiers foraging.
BUNG - the stopper in the bunghole of a cask or keg.
BUNGHOLE - a hole for emptying or filling a keg or cask.
BURNSIDE CAP - a regular US Army officer's dress felt hat made with a lower crown.
BUST HEAD - a slang term for home-brewed or camp-brewed beer or other alcoholic beverages.
BY DETAIL - the exercise is to be conducted by the instructor or Gunner giving all of the commands; those commands being "Load By Detail: Load"; "Two, Three, Four: Sponge": "Two, Three, Four: Ram": "Two, Three: Ready": "Fire"; "Cease Firing".
BY DETAIL : LOAD (See BY DETAIL)
CABBAGING - a slang term for stealing.
CADENCE - the uniform time and step to be maintained in marching.
CAISSON - a two-wheeled wagon used in transporting ammunition. One caisson is permanently attached to one cannon.
CALIBER - the diameter of the bore of the tube; it may also express the length of the bore, as the caliber of the piece may reflect the multiple of the bore diameter in reference to the bore length; i.e., a .30 caliber gun's bore length would be thirty times the bore's diameter.
CALOMEL - a medical remedy of the day, once thought to be a cure-all for, among many other diseases, constipation, dysentery, gonorrhea, malaria, and syphilis. Its primary - and extremely deadly - ingredient was mercury. Combined with sulfuric acid and heated and combined with other ingredients, calomel was often used not only as a treatment impacting those diseases, but as an ipecac when it was considered necessary to induce vomiting. In order to get it into a person's system by defeating their gag reflex and gastrointestinal tract, calomel had a buffering agent added to it, much as is does with harsh medications today. The buffering agent of the day was chalk.
Blue chalk was evidently either commonly available or desirable a color for medicine. Whatever the reason for its choice, the blue color of calomel led to its becoming known also as "Blue Mass" or "Blue Pill".
In the pre-War period, the American Know-Nothing Party had many adherents, and even fielded then then-former President of the United States Millard Fillmore as their candidate. Anti-foreigner sentiment and anti-Catholic sentiment provided much of the impetus behind the Know-Nothing Party. Soldiers who sympathized with that movement coined the phrase "going to blue Mass", which identified the act of running off with all dispatch and clearly under some high degree of painful urgency to the latrine or whatever served as the latrine.
CAMP COLORS - flags, typically 18 inches square for infantry and 38 inches square for cavalry and artillery, used to mark the color line, points of wheeling, and other points of troop movement. The Federal Army used white to designate infantry and red to designate artillery; the regimental number noted on the flag which was mounted on an eight-foot pole to increase the probability that it would be seen by the members of the unit.
CAMP FOLLOWER - a term for all who follow armies for profit and employment. It applies equally to sutlers, prostitutes, laundresses, barbers, embalmers and others of their ilk.
CANISTER SHOT - lead or iron shot contained in a canister which scatters its contents when fired.
CANNON - a large, mounted piece of artillery.
CANNON FODDER - men considered to be expendable in war.
CANNONADE - an attack with artillery, it often refers to a continuous firing of artillery.
CANNONEER - a member of an artillery crew.
CANNONRY - cannons collectively; artillery. It may also refer to cannon fire.
CANT - a tilt, turn, or slant.
CANTEEN - a container of it or wood, used to carry liquids for a soldier. It was a standard-issue accoutrement.
CANTONMENT - a soldiers' quarters in a town or village. A cantonment was not always secured with the permission of the owner of the place.
CAP - a small device used with a percussion weapon which, when impacted with the hammer of the gun, produces a spark that ignites the black powder charge in the chamber or barrel of the pistol, musket, or rifle.
CAP BOX - a small leather box attached to the belt of a soldier, used to store and carry caps used to fire a percussion pistol, musket, or rifle.
CAP SQUARE - pieces of iron placed over the trunnions to keep them in their plates, held in place by chains, pins, and keys.
CAPITULATE - to surrender conditionally; surrender with or under conditions.
CAPTAIN - a commissioned officer ranking above a First Lieutenant and below a Major. Once upon a time, "Captain" was equal to "Colonel" within European armies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A Captain headed a body, or a column, of troops on the march. The Latin word "caput" from which "Captain" is derived means "head" (as in "head of a body"), while the Latin word "columna" means a "column" (as in "a column of troops"). It's from the word "columna" that our word "Colonel" is derived.
It wasn't until the eighteenth century that a sharp distinction came to exist between the terms "Captain" and "Colonel". By that time, two essential organizational units of troops came into being: a Company, or Company-sized unit headed by a Captain, and a Regiment (a group of Companies) which was headed by a Colonel. When Regiments later expanded to ten Companies, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel evolved to fill the need for additional leadership of a segment of the regimental line.
CARRIAGE - the portion of a cannon used to support and transport the tube. Commonly made of white oak.
CARRYING A BRICK - to be under the influence of alcohol.
CARTEL - an agreement for an exchange of prisoners.
CARTRIDGE - a cylindrical case containing the charge and projectile for a firearm.
CARTRIDGE BOX - a leather box used by a soldier to store and carry cartridges.
CASCABLE - a projecting part behind the breech of muzzle-loading cannons which terminates the piece. It is comprised of the knob, neck, and the fillet.
CASCABLE NECK - a thin projection of the cascable.
CASE SHELL (See CASE SHOT)
CASE SHOT - a quantity of small projectiles enclosed in a single case, as a Shrapnel shell, for firing from a gun. Also known as Spherical Case Shot, it is a cannon round invented in 1784 by Henry Shrapnel, an English artilleryman. The round is an antipersonnel round, fired at close range. The load breaks apart shortly after firing and smaller balls devastate close-by combatants.
CASEMATE - a fortified position or chamber, or an armored enclosure on a warship from which guns are fired through embrasures.
CASHIER - a summary dismissal or discharge; to dismiss ignominiously.
CAST IRON - a material smelted from ore, with charcoal. According to The Field Manual For the USe Of Officers On Ordnance Duty, prepared by the Ordnance Bureau and printed by Ritchie & Dunnavant in Richmond in 1862,
"The most important quality of gun-iron, after a medium strength of 25,000 to 30,000 pounds per square inch, is uniformity, without which no two guns can be made alike, or any idea formed of what kind of guns are being made. The essential qualities of good gun-iron are tenacity, elasticity, extensibility and incompressibility: that iron will be the best that has them all in the greatest degree, and the absence of any one of them will render the rion unfit for guns."
CATTYCORNER - a slang term meaning "diagonally across a square" that dates to the 1700's, it originated in the British slang term "cater", a term used in dice games which means that someone has thrown a four on a die, the four dots forming a square.
CEASE FIRING - a command to stop discharging the cannons.
CHAMBER - the part of the gun which holds the charge; specific mention of the chamber is commonly made when the part of the bore holding the charge is a different diameter from the rest of the bore, typically smaller than the rest of the bore. This also was used as a euphemistic term for sexual intercourse, commonly referred to as "chambering".
CHANGE POSTS - a command given to cause the rotation of the Numbers from their present post to another post at the cannon in order to instruct all of the men at all of the positions. This command is almost exclusively to be heard while instructing the men, not in a battle context. Refer to the Artillery Drill section "Changing Posts" for specific rotation information.
CHARGE - the amount of gunpowder needed to discharge a firearm or set off an explosive device. This may also refer to a cartridge or shell.
CHASE - the conical part of the gun, located in front of the reinforce; also defined as the length of a gun from the trunnions to the muzzle.
CHASSEUR CAP - a kepi, which is a cap with a flat, round top and a stiff visor. A chasseur is the French term for a soldier, especially one of certain French light infantry or cavalry troops trained for rapid action.
CHEAPJACK - a seller of cheap goods. The term was in use by 1855.
CHEEK - one of two pieces of wood between which the gun rests.
CHEVAUX-DE-FRISE - this defensive weapon was designed to protect fortifications or positions, like the abatis. It was comprised of angles of six to nine feet of long pointed stakes. The cheavaux-de-frise was effective in impeding or stopping an advancing infantry charge.
CHIEF OF CAISSON - a position occupied by a man with the rank of Corporal who is responsible for the caisson.
CHIEF OF THE PIECE - this position is occupied by a man with the rank of Sergeant. He has responsibility for the platoon, consisting of seven to ten cannoneers, six to nine drivers, and two Corporals (Gunner and Chief of Caisson). (See "Duties of the Chief of the Piece" in the Artillery Drill Manual for further explanation of the responsibilities of this position.)
CHIEF OF SECTION - a position occupied by a Captain or First Lieutenant.
CHIN MUSIC - slang term for conversation.
CIRCUMVALLATE - to surround with, or as with, a wall or trench; as in "a line of circumvallation", being a circular wall or trench around an area to be secured, or which is expected to be besieged.
CLINK, THE - a slang term for jail or prison, the term's origin came from the name of a prison of the same name which was on Clink Street in the Southwark area of London.
COEHORN MORTAR - a type of mortar. (See MORTAR)
COLONEL - the commissioned rank above a Lieutenant Colonel and below a General. Once upon a time, "Colonel" was equal to "Captain" within European armies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A Captain headed a body, or a column, of troops on the march. The Latin word "caput" from which "Captain" is derived means "head" (as in "head of a body"), while the Latin word "columna" means a "column" (as in "a column of troops"). It's from the word "columna" that our word "Colonel" is derived.
It wasn't until the eighteenth century that a sharp distinction came to exist between the terms "Captain" and "Colonel". By that time, two essential organizational units of troops came into being: a Company, or Company-sized unit headed by a Captain, and a Regiment (a group of Companies) which was headed by a Colonel. When Regiments later expanded to ten Companies, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel evolved to fill the need for additional leadership of a segment of the regimental line.
COLOR - the flag carried by a dismounted unit.
COMFORT STATION - an outhouse or the sinks.
COMMAND - a military force under a specified authority; an order which implies the formal exercise of authority; to give an order or directive ; the order or directive itself.
COMMENCE FIRING - a command given by the Captain, typically, to indicate to the Chiefs of Sections to discharge their pieces.
COMMISSARY - the branch of the service that provides food and supplies to the army; a provisions purchaser.
COMMUTATION - the system of conscription, or the draft, provided a legal method or form for evading the draft. The commutation fee, which was generally around $500, allowed a man to avoid military service altogether. This was different from the practice of hiring substitutes to take one's place in the army. According to military records, 86,724 draftees bought their way out of the military through the commutation system.
COMPANY - during the War, a company was also informally referred to as a battery. The use of the term "battery" for "company" was officially recognized in 1866. An artillery company was comprised of four pieces standardly for the Confederates and six pieces for the Federals (until Grant reduced the standard to four pieces in 1864).
COMPANY FLAG - a flag by which the Company is distinguished from other companies in the field; sometimes used for signaling, but always for identification. The company flag was often a national flag with the name of the company and engagements for which it had received official recognition embroidered upon it. Because of its importance in the field for the command staff to identify the companies from a distance, and more because of its importance to the company because it served as a rallying point and embodied the history and pride of the company, taking the enemy's company flag was considered quite a feat, and the flag quite a prize.
COMPANY FUND - required by the armies of both sides with rules governing the fund, it was created from funds or tax assessed to the sutlers, or taken from savings from the post bakery and stores. Company fund money was used to supplement food or minor items for distribution to the entire company.
CONNIPTION FIT - dating to the early 1800's, this slang term refers to a violent fit of emotion; a temper tantrum or an outburst of anger or rage.
CONSCRIPTION - the draft system to compel men to serve in the army, which was instituted first by the Confederacy and promptly instituted by the Union. Draftees were generally disliked y those who voluntarily enlisted, contending that the conscripts undercut morale and compromised volunteers. The draft system was despised enough to result in draft riots in New York. In the South, conscripts would come to comprise a significant portion of the army. Conscripts totaled between 25% and 35% of the army between April 1864 and 1865.
CONSOLIDATED BATTERY - (See CONSOLIDATED COMPANY)
CONSOLIDATED COMPANY - under circumstances in which either men or guns or both have been lost, two or more companies of artillery might be merged to form one company. This was almost always a temporary arrangement, and rarely involved the consolidation of more than two companies to form one.
CONTRABAND - usually a reference to confiscated goods from an enemy force or government, or proscribed materials, during the war the term was applied by the Union army to fugitive or freed slaves. First applied in that manner by Union political general and abolitionist Benjamin F. "Beast" (or "Spoons") Butler, it soon came into general use.
CONVOY - a guard detached to accompany supplies.
COOSH - a slang term used to describe hard tack or hard crackers (military-issue food made of flour and salt and water, baked in squares much like modern-day saltine crackers, and carried dry) when the hard tack was soaked in water and fried in bacon grease to render it soft and reasonably edible.
CORPORAL - the lowest non-commissioned rank, ranked below a Sergeant and above a Private. The rank is distinguished by two chevrons worn inverted on the sleeve (with the exception of the Marines, in which case the point of the chevron is worn pointing upward). In an artillery battery, a Corporal normally serves as Gunner on a piece.
CORPS - derived from the French term "corps d'armee," it is a tactical subdivision, normally composed of two or more Divisions, plus auxiliary service troops; two or more Corps comprise an Army. The name is often applied to a branch of the army having a specialized function, such as the Signal Corps.
COUNTER-APPROACH - (See APPROACH)
COUNTERSCARP - an outer wall of a fortification, or the slope of an exterior ditch of a fortification.
COUP DE MAIN - a French term meaning a quick, aggressive attack to surprise the enemy.
CRUMMY - adj., slang for "attractive" that was in use by 1730 and still in use in that way in 1860, though the original meaning has been changed in the modern day.
DARK HORSE - a slang term for an obscure political candidate who comes seemingly from nowhere to win a race, usually when the front-runners are deadlocked. In America, the term was used in the 1844 Democratic convention which saw James K. Polk win the nomination over front-runners Martin (Old Kinderhook, or O.K.) Van Buren, Lewis Cass, and James Buchanan (it was Buchanan's election that set the stage for the Mexican-American War of 1846-48). It was also a term used in an 1831 novel by Englishman (and later, Prime Minister) Benjamin Disraeli called The Young Duke.
DEFLECTION - the horizontal aspect, or left-to-right orientation, in aiming a piece. (See ELEVATION)
DEPLOY - to maneuver troops from column into line of battle.
DETACHMENT - a group of cannoneers who function as the servicing crew on a cannon, commanded by the Gunner. Under optimum conditions, this would be comprised of eight men commanded by the Gunner, but may be composed of a lesser number of men.
DETAIL - a person or body of persons selected or appointed to a task; for example, cannoneers assigned to the same piece would constitute a detail.
DIGGINGS - a slang term for the soldiers' camp.
DISCHARGE - to release the charge of a gun; to fire a gun.
DIVISION - a major tactical or administrative unit that can act independently and is under one command. A Division is larger than a brigade and smaller than a Corps, and various numbers and types of battalions may be attached to it as required. Two or more Divisions comprise a Corps, and two or more Brigades comprise a Division.
DONE TO A TURN - a slang term meaning that something had been completed or accomplished satisfactorily, the term came from the kitchen. Meat was roasted until cooked on an upright spit which had to be turned by hand, and when it was ready to be removed from the spit, the meat was said to be "done to a turn", requiring no more turning or cooking.
DOPE - a fool or an idiot. The term was in use by 1855.
DOUBLE-RAMMING - to ram a charge into the cannon twice.
DRAGOON - originally a term applied to blunderbusses in the 17th century, it came to be applied to the cavalry since they were, with the addition of firearms, doubly able to "set upon their foes" with great force; or "to dragoon".
DRESS - to arrange in a straight line or lines.
DRESS RIGHT - when composing a rank of men, in order to assure that the each man in the rank is the proper distance from the man next to him, the men (with the exception of the man on the far right of the line, who remains at attention and facing forward) place their right hands on their right hips and move close enough to the man to his right that his elbow touches the arm of the man next to him, still facing to their right; eyes are to remain faced right until the order "Front" is given. This should be largely unnecessary after marching if the men march the proper eighteen-inch distance behind the man each one follows.
DRILL - military exercises or training, as in marching or executing the Manual of Arms; it may also be a single exercise in such training.
DRIVER - a position in the Mounted Artillery responsible for driving the horses which pull the piece and limber. An artillery platoon consists of six to nine Drivers.
DUTCH WIDOW - a slang term for a prostitute.
ECHELON - an arrangement of troops in which front and flanks are all protected.
EFFECTIVE RANGE - the distance at which a target may be hit reliably and consistently with round after round.
ELEVATING SCREW - a mechanism with a handle for ease of turning which enables the Gunner to site a target and lower or raise the cannon barrel in order to accurately fire at the objective. It has a handle with four prongs.
ELEVATION - the angular distance of the muzzle of the axis of a gun above the horizontal plane, used in ranging, and expressed in degrees above the horizontal plane. Also referred to as deflection.
EMBALMED BEEF - slang used by soldiers for army-issued canned beef.
EMBRASURE - an opening with sides flaring outward in a wall or a parapet of a fortification to allow the firing of a cannon.
ENFILADE - gunfire directed from either flank along the length of a column or line of troops, or a disposition or placement of troops that makes them vulnerable to such fire.
ENGAGEMENT - may refer to combat on different orders of magnitude or scales. For instance, a full scale battle or limited action in advance of a full scale battle. The types of engagements, in descending order from largest to smallest, would be designated as battle, engagement, skirmish, action and affairs.
ENVELOPMENT - to pour fire along the enemy's line. A double envelopment is to attack both flanks of an enemy. A variation on this theme is strategic envelopment, which is not directed against the flanks, but is rather a turning movement designed to a point in the rear, forcing the enemy to vacate his position in order to defend it.
EPROUVETTE - a small mortar used to test gunpowder.
ESCALADE - an assault on a fortification with scaling ladders.
EXECUTIVE COMMAND(S) - a command or commands received from the Chief of the Piece by the Gunner which the Gunner, in turn, repeats to the gun crew. The Gunner is responsible to give all executive commands for the gun in action.
FACE - the front portion, or the front plane terminating the piece; or a command to pivot in a direction specified (such as "left face" or "face front").
FACE FRONT - a command to turn in the direction of the non-commissioned or commissioned officer giving the order to do so.
FASCINE - a bundle of sticks used to reinforce earthworks. A field substitute for a sandbag or cotton bale, it could, at times, give the appearance of being an abatis.
FACING - a distinctive-colored collar and matching cuffs, commonly used to designate branch of service (red for artillery, blue for infantry, and yellow for cavalry).
FANCY GIRL - a euphemistic term for a prostitute.
FARB - this contemporary term is believed to have been derived from a German word "farben", which the apocryphal story claims means "to make or manufacture or fabricate". Others have suggested that it is an acronym for "Fantastic And Ridiculous Behavior". Still others have suggested that it originated as a comment which began something like, "Far be it from me to criticize, but...". Whatever its origins, the term is one of derision. It is a term of derision applied to so-called re-enactors who dress out in sunglasses, wrist watches, and clothing which is not authentic. A farb is held in low esteem by most re-enactors because they have "made themselves" and distorted history by their inattention, and perhaps their indifference, to detail.
The term, if you elect to believe that it came from a German word, should not be construed in such a way as to allow you to believe the old mythology that nothing in the War Between the States was not fabricated or manufactured, however. Most uniforms and shoes and weapons were not made at home by firelight, needles and tools guided by the loving hands of dear wives and sweethearts as their eyes failed them from the long, tedious hours of fine work in near darkness. Most items of apparel and weaponry were manufactured goods, made in factories and workshops which boomed as a result of the commerce of war.
FAST TRICK - a slang term for a woman reputed to be morally loose.
FELT - a firm woven cloth made primarily of wool or cotton, heavily napped and shrunk.
FELTING - a process in which wool alone or with fur, and natural or synthetic fibers together make a fabric through the action of heat, moisture, pressure, and chemicals.
FERRULE - a metal ring or cap put around the end of an object to prevent splitting or to give added strength; or a short tube or bushing for tightening a joint.
FIELD ARTILLERY - movable artillery capable of accompanying an army (either infantry or cavalry, or both) into battle. Field Artillery is the official designation. One of two groupings of artillery troops also known commonly, but incorrectly, as Light Artillery (which is actually another name for Horse Artillery; the second category being Foot Artillery), the Field Artillery serves as batteries which maneuver with the troops on the battle field, as contrasted with the Foot Artillery which is involved in the service of siege, seacoast, garrison, and mountain artillery or rocket batteries. Guns commonly found with Field Artillery companies include 3-inch Ordnance Rifles, Napoleons, Model 1841 6-pounders and 12-pounders, Model 1857 light 12-pounders, and 10-pounder Parrott Rifles. Note that Field Artillery batteries are not attached to either cavalry or infantry units, however, as those constitute the two other subgroups of Field Artillery. There are two subgroups of Field Artillery: Horse (or Light) Artillery and Mounted Artillery. See those listings for further information.
FIELD BATTERY - a number of field artillery pieces, usually four, employed as a unit.
FIELD MUSIC - military musicians, usually drummers and buglers. It may also refer to the music of military musicians.
FIELD OFFICER - a Major, Lieutenant Colonel, or Colonel.
FIELD PIECE - a mobile artillery piece.
FILE - men placed one behind the other in a row. This is opposed to a rank, which is composed of men standing side-by-side in a row. To determine the proper distance between men when composing a file, there should be approximately eighteen inches between each man.
FILLET - a part of the cascable.
FINAGEL - a slang term meaning to manage by trickery or sharp practice; often applied to a card-sharp. Cited in the 1850 English Dialect Dictionary, it was probably derived as a reference to the mesmerist Feinagel.
FIRE - a command given to indicate that the cannon is to be discharged.
FIRE AND FALL BACK - a slang term meaning "to vomit".
FIRE BY BATTERY - a command for an artillery unit, equivalent to a company of infantry troops, to fire all pieces in unison.
FIRE BY HALF BATTERY - a command for an artillery unit, equivalent to half an infantry company, to fire in unison. The command is commonly qualified by "Left Battery" or "Right Battery" so that all cannoneers will know which half is to fire.
FIRE BY PIECE - a command for a single cannon to fire.
FIRE BY SECTION - a command for a section to fire in unison.
FIRST SERGEANT - a non-commissioned officer rank which is above Sergeant and below Sergeant Major. The rank is indicated with three chevrons with a diamond above them.
FIRE WATER - a slang term for cheap whiskey or moonshine.
FLANK - a side, usually of a body of troops.
FLANKING POSITION - arrange a defensive battle lines with one or more lines thrust forward at an angle from the main line. When infantry troops in flanking positions have sufficient strength and are anchored tightly, they may be wheeled to trap or squeeze the enemy between themselves and main line defenders.
FLANKING THE SENTINEL - desertion. Also known as RUNNING THE GUARD.
FLYING ARTILLERY - a nickname rather than an official designation, this term was applied to Horse or Light Artillery companies as an expression of wonder and admiration at the ability of such companies to move along with great speed.
FLYING TELEGRAPH TRAIN - a mobile communications post that was comprised of two wagons equipped with two Beardslee telegraphs, two hand-cranked magnetos, five miles of wire (the maximum effective range), one-hundred-and-fifty fifteen-foot poles, fifty eighteen-foot poles, and five wire hand reels.
FOOT ARTILLERY - one of two groupings of artillery troops (the second grouping being Field or Light Artillery), the Foot Artillery serves siege, seacoast, garrison, and mountain artillery. By and large, foot artillery employed the larger Parrott Rifles and Rodmans. However, some of the intermediate-size pieces such as the 30-pounder Parrott rifles - guns mounted on heavy, relatively mobile siege carriages, and commonly referred to as "siege guns" - were deployed by foot artillerymen when a temporary position would be established for a protracted period by the infantry.
FORAGE - to secure food or other provisions and supplies by taking them from the countryside, and perhaps the civilian populace. Receipts were often given to those from whom materials were taken, to be paid by the quartermaster (or at least owed by the quartermaster). Often, though, foraging was a euphemism for raiding and plundering; and no receipts were given.
FORK - on a limber, the fork is a piece of wood located between the hounds and forms the opening through which the pole is placed.
FORLORN HOPE - a slang term for a party selected to begin an attack.
FORTY-ROD - a slang term for cheap whiskey that is so powerful (high in alcohol content) that it can "kill at forty rods".
FOULING - to clog, choke, or become dirty. This has particular reference to the residue left by exploded black powder, which is said to "foul" a barrel or a vent.
FRESH FISH - a slang term for a new recruit.
FRICTION POWDER - a fine powder capable of producing a spark when a rough metal wire is drawn across it, and used in friction primers. (See PRIMER)
FRICTION PRIMER (See PRIMER)
FRONT (See FACE FRONT)
FRONT OF THE PIECE - when limbered, or prepared for moving, this refers to the direction in which the pole points. When unlimbered or prepared for action, however, it refers to the direction in which the muzzle points. The directions "right" and "left" are determined from the perspective of what happens to be the front of the piece, whether unlimbered or limbered, at the time the cannon is referred to.
FURL - to wrap or roll a flag close to or around a flag staff or pole.
FURLOUGH - any leave granted to a soldier by a superior. Soldiers on furlough left their arms and accoutrements behind. The soldier would carry his furlough papers which detailed his physical description in order to identify the carrier as the furloughed soldier. Other relevant information included the leave dates, the soldier's assignment, and the return to duty date.
FUSE - a narrow tube filled with combustible material, or a wick saturated with such material, for setting off an explosive charge.
FUSILLADE - a simultaneous or rapid and constant discharge of many firearms.
FUZE - a device used to ignite the charge of a projectile, as in a bombshell.
FUZE AUGER - used to bore out the composition to any required depth, it has a bit that is 0.2" in diameter that slides in a brass socket that is graduated in tenths of an inch, and held by a thumbscrew in the side. The handle is made of hardwood.
FUZE EXTRACTOR - used to extract fuzes, the inner screw and its stem are made of steel, and riveted into the iron handle.
FUZE GIMLET - a common gimlet (0.2) that is used for boring across the composition isntead of sawing off the fuze.
FUZE MALLET - made in one piece of dogwood or oak, the fuze mallet has a head that is 5.5" long and 4" in diameter, the handle is 7.5" long and 1.25" in diameter.
FUZE PLUG REAMER - a conical steel reamer used for reaming holes for paper fuzes in the wooden fuze plugs.
FUZE RASP - a 12" long wood rasp.
FUZE SAW - a tenon saw that has a 10" blade.
FUZE SETTER - made of brass, the handle has the upper end slightly rounded, with the cup being 2.1" in diameter and with a depth of 0.3"; the overall length is between 5" and 6".
GABION - a method of fortification, gabions are cylindrical wicker baskets filled with dirt and stones, often used to reinforce temporary positions such as field works.
GAITERS - a lower leg covering made of cotton or leather, and usually supplied in white or black. Gaiters were similar in appearance, although not in materials and function, to the leg irons or leg covers of Drivers, Teamsters, and Wagoneers.
GAL-BOY - a slang term for an effeminate, or homosexual, man.
GENERAL - the highest commissioned officer level, ranking above a Colonel. The grades of General, in ascending order, are Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and Full General. "General" stems from the Latin "genus", meaning "kind, origin, birth, or whole". Early on, it came to hold a class distinction that denoted a patrician of high birth. By medieval times, the adjective "General" was widely used in conjunction with legal, religious, military, or political terminology. "Attorney-general," for example, implied that the official so named was of superior rank and had wider and greater sphere of authority in his field than any other attorney. The "General Officer" in the military was superior in authority to other military officers. By 1700, "General Officer" as a title became "General" without losing its meaning of "final or full" authority.
With the word "General" introduced, it becomes easier to understand why a Lieutenant General came to outrank a Major (Sergeant) General at a time when organizations of greater size came into being. The concept of a Lieutenant General is one who acts in the absence of a "full" General; and the Major General is the principal servant to the "full" General. Eventually, "Brigadier General" (yet another general officer rank) was created for the man who would command a brigade when that size of unit was necessary to control the march or camp of several Regiments.
The advent of the nineteenth century's combined infantry, cavalry, and artillery arms, along with supporting technical services and administrative units, and the subsequent emergence of Divisions, Corps, and Field Armies brought about the rank of "General" with its various and several meanings, and the various uses in combination with other ranks that became strongly associated with those higher commands.
GIMLET - a small boring tool with a handle at right angles to the shaft which has, at the other end, a spiral, pointed cutting edge, similar in appearance to a drill bit on a tee-handle. The purpose of the gimlet is to remove debris which may block the vent to the tube by means of boring the auger through the impacted debris in order to loosen it or force it out. It is much like the priming wire, terminating in a gimlet point.
GIVE THE COLD SHOULDER - a slang term meaning to snub another person. It came from times when a guests would overstay their welcome as house guests. To communicate that to their now-unwelcome guests, the host would not feed their guests a good, hot meal. Instead, they would serve their guests the least appetizing part of the animal - the shoulder - and serve it cold; hence, the "cold shoulder".
GLOVE(S) - Protective leather covering for the hands worn by No.'s 1, 2, and 3. In order to prevent the Numbers from gripping the shafts of the Rammer or the Worm, the thumb is typically sewn to the first finger of the glove as a safety measure.
GOING DOWN THE LINE - a slang term meaning to pay a visit to a brothel.
GOOBER PEAS - peanuts.
GRADUATION MARK - a series of measured lines or notches on an instrument indicating degrees or quantity.
GRAPE SHOT - a cluster of small iron balls which scatter in a broad pattern when fired.
GRENADE - a shell thrown by a man's hand.
GREY BACK - a slang term used among the Federal troops to denote either a Confederate soldier or a louse.
GROMMET - a ring of rope used to hold a cannonball in place within the tube.
GROOVE - a spiral cut placed into a smoothbore gun that produces a spin on the projectile. (See LAND, RIFLE, RIFLING)
GUDGEON - a metal pin or shaft at the end of an axle on which the wheel turns. It may also refer to the part of a shaft that revolves in a bearing.
GUIDON - a small flag, usually one borne by a military unit as a marker for the unit; often referred to as a "Company flag".
GUN BORE - the hollow part inside a gun tube or cylinder; may also refer to caliber or gauge, determined by the inside diameter of the hollow tube or barrel.
GUNNER - a position held by a Corporal who is responsible to give all executive commands for the gun in action. He reports directly to the Chief of the Piece. (See "Duties of the Gunner" in the Artillery Drill Manual for a further delineation of the responsibilities of this position.)
GUNNER'S CALIPERS - made of sheet rbass with steel points, the graduations on the calipers show the diameters of guns and of shot; linear inches; degrees of the circle; and other information pertinent to the Gunner.
GUNNER'S GIMLET (See GIMLET)
GUNNER'S HAVERSACK (See HAVERSACK)
GUNNER'S LEVEL - (See LEVEL)
GUNNER'S PINCERS - made of iron, with steel jaws that are 1" wide, they have an overall length of 10.5".
GUNNER'S PLIERS (See PLIERS)
GUNNER'S QUADRANT - made of wood, it is a graduated quadrant of 6" radius that is attached to a ruler that is 23.5" long. It has a plumb line and bob which are carried, when not in use, in a hole in the end of the rule, covered by a brass plate. The quandrant measures altitudes.
GUNPOWDER - an explosive mixture of sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal, used as a charge to fire projectiles from firearms. Black powder and gunpowder are synonymous terms, and different from Pyrodex . Unlike modern gunpowder, the gunpowder used for re-enacting is not smokeless. Smokeless powder only came into popular military use after the War Between the States.
GUY - a slang term with extremely limited use during the period of the War Between the States, the word "guy" had a special, restricted meaning, implying that someone looked like a ragged beggar. In Little Women, one of the girls comments of another girl who has just run a foot race and is disheveled and sweaty that she "looks like a regular guy".
