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the following particulars respecting it.His words are—
“ I have seen one of these jinglingspurs which was found in the Star Park,on the famous White Mountain, nearPrague , where the battle was fought be-tween the Imperialists and troops of theunion; by the event of which the ElectorPalatine lost the crown of Bohemia .The spur was large and strong; it wasmade of brass, and had a short curvedneck. The box (from whose center therowels came) was as broad as an halfcrown piece; hollow, and somethingmore than a quarter of an inch. It wasof bell metal gilt, aud contained three orfour metal balls, about the size of a smallfield pea. The rowels, which were ge-nerally four or six, passed through thesides of the box, and measured nearthree inches, from opposite pointto point.”In the text it is observed, see Essay ,Vol. i. page 43, that it is thought, thesespurs were made to jingle, in order toanimate the horses, and keep them up totheir duty, without goring their Hanksunmercifully.
SPURS, in old fortifications, are wallsthat cross a part of the rampart, andjoin to the town wall.
Spurs, instruments fixed to the heel ofhorsemen, with which they can, at plea-sure, goad the horse to action.
Spurs, in the construction of a woodenbridge, are braces which prop the twopillars that support it. The Trench usethe word eperon.
SQUAD, (escouade, I’r.) a diminutiveof squadron. It is used in military mat-ters to express any small number of men,horse, or foot, that are collected togetherfor the purposes of drill, &c.
To Squad, to divide a troop or com-pany, into certain parts, in order to drillthe men separately, or in small bodies,or to put them under the direction andcare of some steady corporal, or lancecorporal. In every well regulated troop,or company, the men are squadded insuch a maimer, that the most minuteconcern with respect to the interior eco-nomy can be instantly accounted for.
Aukwurd Squad. The aukward squadconsists not only of recruits at drill, butof formed soldiers that are ordered toexercise with them, in consequence ofsome irregularity under arms. This termhas likewise been used, partly in ridicule,and partly in reproach, to mark outthose officers who are negligent of their
duty. A well known industrious Tacti-cian in the British army, frequently usesthe expression, in the latter sense.
SQUADRON, (escadron, Fr.) a bodyof cavalry, composed of two troops. Thenumber is not fixed, but is generally from80 to 120 men. The oldest troop alwaystakes the right of the squadron, the se-cond the left.
The most scientific and the most ex-perienced officers, have always held thecavalry in high estimation. The serviceswhich have been rendered by this bodyof men, their innumerable successes, ofwhich so many records are preservedboth in ancient and modern history, to-gether with the unanimous approbationof those authors, who are considered asmasters in the art of war; all these cir-cumstances sufficiently evince, that ca-valry is not only useful, but indispensablynecessary in war. Marshal Turenne wasknown to say —Avec une bonne cavulerie,on travaille Vurm'te de son ennemi par de-tail, with a body of good cavalry, oneworks, or harasses the army of one’senemy by detail; meaning thereby, thatthe desultory and rapid movements ofdragoons, if properly managed, are of anature to destroy the best concerted plansof an adversary, by hanging upon hisflanks, driving in his outposts, intercept-ing his convoys, and by taking advantageof every opening during the heat of en-gagement. The Austrians had a me-morable instance of the latter, when theFrench General Desaix , at the head ofa body of horse, decided the fate ofthe battle of Marengo. In pursuits thesuperiority of the cavalry is unques-tionable.
SQUARE, (carrte, Fr.) a figure withangles and equal sides.
The Square, a particular formationinto which troops are thrown on criticaloccasions; particularly to resist the chargeof cavalry.
Solid Square, a body of foot, whereboth ranks and files are equal. It wasformerly held in great esteem ; but whenthe prince of Nassau introduced the hol-low square, this was soon neglected.
Hollow Square is a body of foot drawnup, with an empty space, in the center,for the colours, drums, and baggage,facing every way to resist the charge ofthe horse.
Oblong Square, a square which is notat right angles, but represents the figureof an oblong, whose sides are unequal.5Q