HALT - a command to stop. When marching, at the command "Halt" the men take two steps immediately after the command and then come to a complete stop.

HANDLE - on heavy field guns, handles are used in the mechanical maneuvers of the piece; placed with their centers over the center of gravity of the piece, they lend a mechanical advantage in maneuvering the piece.

HANDSPIKE - a heavy bar used as a lever to shift a cannon; inserted into a large pointing ring and then a small pointing ring on the cannon’s carriage, the handspike is lifted by the No. 3 position at the direction of the Gunner to aim the cannon. When the Gunner taps the left cheek of the carriage, No. 3 is to lift the trail by the handspike and move it to the right, and when the Gunner taps the right cheek of the carriage, No. 3 is to lift the trail by the handspike and move the piece to the left. There are two handspikes located on a cannon, one to be used as a spare.  The trail handspike, used with field carraiges, is to be made of hickory or young oak.

HARD CASE - a slang term for someone who is rough or tough.

HARD CRACKERS - (See HARDTACK)

HARDTACK - a traditional military ration issued by the armies of both Northern and Southern troops, it is a leather-tough cracker or bread made of flour, salt, and water. A small piece of hardtack, blackened with age and from the minerals in the soil, was recovered from the ground at the site of the Port Hudson, Louisiana battlefield in 1996, a testimony to the lasting character of the foodstuff. Many mistakenly believe that hardtack was intended to be eaten in the manner of a cracker. This is incorrect, however, as it was meant to be cooked in a soup or some other liquid foodstuff so that it would add seasoning and substance and finally be reduced to a chewable substance. It was also referred to as "sheet iron crackers", teeth dullers", and "worm castles".

HARNESSED ARTILLERY - (See MOUNTED ARTILLERY)

HAUSSE (See PENDULUM-HAUSSE)

HAUSSE SEAT - located behind the base of the breech, an iron piece fastened to the base of the breech by three screws in such a manner that the axis of the pair of journal notches are distant from the axis a length equal to the base ring radius..

HAUSSE SLIT - a slit in a piece of steel through which the scale of the pendulum-hausse passes.

HAVERSACK - a canvas bag for carrying rations or other items, generally worn over one shoulder. The term comes from a German word, "habersack", meaning "oat sack". In the context of artillery, it is called a Gunner's haversack, and is a large leather bag used to carry rounds to the guns while protecting the charge’s gunpowder from sparks.  The leather haversack has two sides, and is 13" high and 13" wide.

HEAVY ARTILLERY - commonly refers to siege, seacoast, garrison, or mountain artillery.

HELL-FIRE  -  a slang term for moonshine or cheap whiskey; named and noted for its high alcohol content.

HOME - the place where something must go, as in "to ram home a charge".

HOOF IT - a slang term meaning "to march", or to be herded in the manner of cattle.

HOOKER  -  the popular wisdom is that the name "hooker", used as a euphemism for a prostitute, resulted from the association of large groups of prostitutes who were camp followers of Federal General Joseph Hooker's army.  As interesting a story as it makes, it's not entirely true.  However, that's not necessarily a tribute to the fine moral character of Joe Hooker.

Before the War, Hooker went into the firewood business, selling to and collecting from Government forts and subcontracting the real work to others.  As admirable as the idea of subcontracting the work is, Hooker somehow forgot to pay the men who did the actual work; he had to be sued to see any part of their money.  Hooker also incurred gambling debts that he refused to pay, including one for almost $500 that his creditor sued him to collect; Hooker's legal defense was that, gambling being illegal, the debt was therefore not collectable - legally right, but morally wrong in ducking his debts.

The term seems to have originated with the slang language of thieves and pickpockets in England.  To snag something from another's house through a window or from their yard with a stick, or to purloin anything from another's pockets (also known as "dipping" among pickpockets), came to be called "hooking". It is often theorized that the association of the lower classes of people - thieves, pickpockets, muggers, and prostitutes - resulted in the interchangeable use of terms from one "trade" to another.

The association with Joe Hooker's name would seem to be more legitimately placed in the difficulties of dealing with the huge initial influxes of troops who had to be housed, fed, and clothed.  In seeking housing in Washington, D.C. for the masses of men who flooded into the Federal army, it became necessary to find housing where they could.  That included the area of Washington, D.C. that was then known as "Murder Bay" - the red light, high crime district of the city. 

Joe Hooker was in charge of that part of the city, responsible both for soldiers and civilians.  The area became (somewhat predictably) known as "Hooker's Division".  Further securing the association with General Hooker's name, it was no secret that Joe Hooker was a frequent visitor to "Murder Bay" on his own time for recreational purposes.  His affection for the services of prostitutes was well-known even then, and his headquarters for the Army of the Potomac achieved the dubious distinction of being referred to as "...a place no self-respecting man wanted to go, and no decent woman could go....It was a combination barroom and brothel".

HORIZONTAL REFRESHMENTS - a slang term meaning to have sexual relations; normally used in the context of sexual relations with a prostitute.

HORNETS - a slang term for bullets, particularly with reference to bullets fired, given the name because of the angry, buzzing sound they make as they speed past or around the person at whom they are fired.

While Joe Hooker is not the direct, imminent causative factor in having the name associated with loose women who crossed the border from hobby to vocation, the circumstances of his being stationed in Washington, D.C.; his quartering soldiers in any available area that could accommodate them - including the red light district; the term already existing with its association with prostitutes; and his own well-known habit of visiting ladies of the evening resulted in a confluence of factors that led to his name becoming the popular term for prostitutes.

HORNSWOGGLE  -  a slang term meaning to be cheated, outdone, or made a fool of. Dating back to at least 1829, it is generally believed to derive from the practice of combining horns and waggle; that is to say, to place one's hands on either side of the head, stick out one's fingers like horns, and waggle them in a derisive manner.

HORS DE COMBAT - a French term common in the Victorian era, it means literally "out of combat"; disabled. The term may be applied to men and cannons alike.

HORSE ARTILLERY - a subgroup of Field Artillery (also known as Light Artillery), Horse Artillery is commonly attached to and maneuvers with a cavalry contingent, the cannoneers being mounted on horseback just as the cavalrymen are, a practice instituted in the Mexican War. Because they were cavalrymen almost as much as they were artillerymen, the Horse Artillery carried sidearms and sabers as a matter of course. Horse Artillery is historically correctly identified as being synonymous with Light Artillery. This is not identical to, nor to be confused with, Mounted Artillery. (See Mounted Artillery for further distinctions between the two)

HORSE COLLAR - slang term for a soldier’s blanket roll.

HOT TUBE - a condition in which the cannon has been prevented from firing, either by order or by misfire; it may also refer to the signal to be given by No. 1 in which No. 1 is to place the rammer head on the outside of the wheels hub and stand the staff vertically as a cautionary signal that the gun is loaded.

HOUNDS - on a limber, pieces of wood which connect the body of the axle itself to the splinter bar. The limber chest or ammunition chest rests upon the hounds.

HOUSEWIFE - a small sewing kit for a soldier’s use.

HOW COME YOU SO - a slang term for home-brewed or camp-brewed beer or other alcoholic beverages.

HOWITZER - a short cannon with a low muzzle velocity formed with chambers for the reception of the cartridge, and which is designed to fire shells in a relatively high trajectory. Considered a medium-range weapon.

HUB - the center part of a wheel, either fastened to or turning on the axle.

HUNKEY DOREY - a slang term meaning "great" or "terrific".

HURRAH  -  a cheer.  When a cheer woiuld be called for as "Three cheers for (wahtever the object of their godd wishes might be)", they would give the "Hurrah!" three times.  When "Three cheers and a tiger" was called for, there is division as to what that represented.  There is no apparent dispute that the "Three cheers" portion represented three "Hurrahs!".  The "tiger" portion of that is argued as either a growl from the crowd, slowly rising in volume and pitch until it became a roar of approbation; while others contend that it the addition of  the chant "Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!" at the end of the third "Hurrah!", the series of "Hi!"'s also rising in both volume and pitch.

HUZZA  -  a foreign word that came to represent, in English and American literature, a "Hoorah!".  It was not to be pronounced, but only to represent a cheer. 

IN PLACE: REST - a command to soldiers to assume a posture in which the right foot steps back one pace while the left foot remains in place so that the bulk of the man’s weight rests on the right leg, the hands crossed in front with the left hand overlapping the right. This is the War Between the States position which is now called "at ease."

INTERVAL - the distance between platoons, companies, regiments, and other troop formations; or the distance of time between firings of weapons.

IRON FOUNDRY - a slang term for the artillery.

JAMES RIFLE - a rifled gun similar in appearance to the ordnance rifle, the term James Rifle technically applies only to the 14-pounder bronze rifled gun, although the term is often misapplied to a rifled 6-pounder (for which the preferred term is rifled 6-pounder).

JONAH - a slang term for a person who is perceived to be a jinx, or who brings bad luck with him.

JOURNAL - the part of a rotatory axle or shaft which turns in a bearing.

KANGAROO COURT  -  a slang term referring to a mock court, or being tried on trivial or fanciful charges, it was first used in America in 1849 by California gold rush miners to refer to a vigilante court.  There is some reason to believe that Australian immigrants brought the term from the old penal colony - where it had real meaning to them - to the gold fields.

KEPI - a cap with a flat, round top and a stiff visor; also known as a chasseur cap. A chasseur is the French term for a soldier, especially one of certain French light infantry or cavalry troops trained for rapid action.

KNAPSACK - a canvas container designed to be strapped to a soldier’s back to allow him to carry personal belongings.

KNOB - the ball-like protrusion at the very rear of the cascable.

LAND - the interior wall portion of the original smoothbore tube remaining after the grooves that produce a rifle are cut.

LANYARD - a cord with an attached hook used to fire a cannon.

LANYARD HOOK - a hook placed at one end of a lanyard which is then inserted into a primer fuse and used to discharge a cannon.

LAY - the act of aiming a cannon.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL - a commissioned officer ranking above a Major and below a Colonel. 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.

Somewhat as a Lieutenant "holds in the place of" a Captain, so, too, does the Lieutenant Colonel serve in the stead of the Colonel. However, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel came into being to fill the need for a man to command the left of the regimental line of a ten-Company front. The Colonel’s span of command required a Lieutenant Colonel since a ten-Company front would often extend beyond the men’s hearing of bugle calls and the visibility of flag signals, both of which were regulated by the Colonel.

LIGHT ARTILLERY - a subgroup of one of two major groups of artillery (Field Artillery, as contrasted with Foot Artillery), troops of this group serve batteries which maneuver with the troops in battle, and historically are to be considered synonymous with Horse Artillery rather than Field Artillery. As such, they customarily not only rode horses, but also carried sidearms and sabers when functioning as cavalrymen. They may be independent of or attached to cavalry or infantry companies, depending upon the subgroup to which they belong and their assigned duties. Although many Confederate and Federal artillery companies used "Light Artillery" as part of their name, that is a misnomer unless they met the essential criteria for Light Artillery as noted here. "Light" was not a designation of the relative weight of the cannons they fired, but an acknowledgment of the speed with which the company could travel, all members being on horseback. At the same time, it would be disingenuous to overlook the fact that often such companies were outfitted with the lightest pieces and fewer rounds than Mounted Artillery normally had in order to permit their rapid deployment. (See also Field Artillery, Horse Artillery, and Mounted Artillery for further information.)

LIMBER - the two-wheeled, detachable cart to which a gun carriage is attached for transport which supports an ammunition chest. It may also be a command to attach the limber to a gun carriage, as when preparing to move up; the command is sometimes given as "Limber up".

LIMBER-CHEST (See AMMUNITION CHEST)

LIMBER UP (See LIMBER)

LINKS - leather thongs used to enchain cavalry horses together.

LOAD - a command to insert a charge into the tube.

MAGAZINE - a chamber for arms, ammunition, or provisions.

MANDREL - a metal bar which is used as a core around which heated metal may be forged or shaped.

MAJOR - a commissioned officer, ranking above a Captain and below a Lieutenant Colonel. The rank of Major is of mixed Latin and French origin (from the Latin "magnus", meaning "something greater" - in this case, something "greater than" a Captain), and indicates a higher degree of authority in rank than Captain. degree of authority than the rank of captain.

During the War Between the States, and until about 1900, the role of a Major was one primarily of a staff officer with the responsibilities for being a tactical expert and a troop trainer. The position during that period rarely involved his exercise of authority over troops on the march or in the field. Once battalion structures were superimposed on the later twelve-Company Regiments, a Major was commonly placed in charge of that unit.

MARCH - to walk with regular, steady steps of equal length, usually in formation with a group. Marching commonly begins with the left foot taking the first step.

MAUL  -  used to drive pickets, the head of the maul is made of elm or hickory that is 6" in diameter and 8" long.   The handle, made of ash, is 1 1/2" in diameter, 24" long, with an iron band on each end that is 1" wide and 1/4: thick.

MAXIMUM RANGE - the greatest distance which a cannon is capable of hurling a projectile, without reference to the ability to effectively and consistently strike a target.

MEN'S HARNESS  -  a 4" rope that is 18' long, with thimbles and a hook.  Instead of handles, loops made of leather are used, and fastened to the rope in pairs so that men may be used to pull the piece in place of horses when necessary.

MIND YOUR BEESWAX - a slang term that directs one to pay attention to his or her own affairs, it came from a time when smallpox pock marks were a common disfigurement. Ladies found that they could fill in the pock marks with beeswax. However, a lady who filled in her pock marks with beeswax would find that her beeswax would melt if she stayed too close to the fire (the reason that fire screens were made) or her beeswax would melt when the weather was too hot and she was in the sun too long. Since makeup was frowned upon in the Victorian era, and since no real lady would call attention to another lady to go fix that which she was not supposed to be wearing in the first place, the admonition to "mind your own beeswax" came into general use.

MISFIRE - a failure of a charge to detonate.

MORTAR - a very short cannon used for high- or curved-trajectory firing.

MOUNTED ARTILLERY - a subgroup of Field or Light Artillery (or, less often, Harnessed), the Mounted Artillery is generally attached to and maneuvers with infantry units. This official term was confusing because the Mounted Artillery is not mounted at all; commonly, the cannoneers march at the sides of their pieces or, when opportunity provides or requires, ride "mounted" on the ammunition chests. Also, unlike members of the Horse Artillery who are actually adjunct cavalrymen, members of the Mounted Artillery did not customarily carry either sidearms or sabers. Drivers rode while the cannoneers walked, resulting in the Mounted Artillery sometimes being referred to inaccurately as "foot artillery". Prior to 1838, teamsters and cannoneers comprised two different groups within the army, their distinctions noted by their uniforms, pay rates, and absence of cross-training within the company. In fact, teamsters were considered to be mounted troops and sometimes did service as cavalry troops while cannoneers sometimes doubles as infantrymen. These distinctions were eliminated in 1838 and the positions became interchangeable within an artillery company after that time, although even into the War Between the States some military commanders, still unable to grasp the importance of artillery to their overall effectiveness, tried to convert artillerymen into infantrymen. See also Horse Artillery.

MUNGO - reclaimed wool of poor quality and short staple.

MUSKET - a smooth-bore, long-barreled firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder by infantrymen.

MUSKETOON - a short-barreled musket, often employed by cavalrymen and, to a lesser degree, artillerymen.

MUSKETRY - muskets or musketeers collectively; the skill of firing muskets or other small arms.

MUSTER - a gathering or parade of troops for inspection.

MUZZLE - the front end of the barrel of a firearm. It constitutes the entrance of the bore.

MUZZLE BAND - the large part of a piece in front of the neck.

MUZZLE BLAST ZONE - the range of blast dispersion for a muzzle. When firing blank rounds from a cannon, the muzzle blast zone is considered to be a minimum of fifty yards to the front of the cannon. Firing a cannon when a person is within the muzzle blast zone is strictly forbidden; the concussion may injure or kill a person, depending on their proximity to the piece, the size of the charge, and the directness of the concussion.

MUZZLELOADER - any firearm which is loaded through the muzzle, rather than through the breech. Many distinguish between the two by saying that a muzzle loader is loaded from the front, and a breechloader is loaded from the rear.

MUZZLE SIGHT - an iron instrument screwed into the swell of the cannon muzzle (or in the middle of the muzzle ring of a howitzer) used to aim the cannon at a target.  The height of the sight is equal to the dispart of the piece, so that a line from the top of the muzzle sight to the pivot of the tangent scale is parallel to the axis of the piece.  Consequently, the vertical plane of sight passing through the center line of the scale and the top of the muzzle sight will be also parallel to the axis, in any position of the piece; the tangent scale will, therefore, always indicate correctly the angle which the pklane of sight makes with the axis.

NAPOLEON - named after its creator, Napoleon III, the Napoleon cannon was a bronze 12-pounder smoothbore muzzleloader which enjoyed great popularity among cannoneers throughout the War. Accurate up to a thousand yards, it was said of the 12-pounder Napoleon by a cannoneer of the 5th Company - Washington Artillery that "in the hands of Corporal Alex Allain, Charlie Fox, Oscar Legare, or other gunners, we faced many a Parrott rifle in artillery duels with confidence."

NAVE - the hub of a wheel.

NECK - the smallest part of the piece in front of the astragal (moldings) and serves as the terminus point of the chase.

NITRE - a compound of nitric acid and potash used in the manufacture of gunpowder.

NO. 1 - the position on a cannon, stationed to the right of the right wheel of the cannon (when viewing the cannon from behind) responsible for sponging and ramming. This is considered a "power" position, requiring a significant amount of strength and being the most physically active position on a piece. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 1", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed. It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NO. 2 - the position on a cannon, stationed to the left of the left wheel of the cannon (when viewing the cannon from behind) responsible for worming the tube and loading the charge into the muzzle. This is regarded as a "finesse" position, for the importance of ensuring that all debris from an exploded charge has been removed from the tube requires a feel for the piece and a sensitivity to determine that all materials have been removed. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 2", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed. It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NO. 3 - the position on a cannon, stationed behind and in line with No. 1, responsible for stopping the vent and pricking the charge. This position is tiring because of the often awkward angle at which the left arm must be held while the cannon is being wormed and sponged, and the high degree of pressure which must be exerted by the left thumb alone to keep the vent stopped. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 3", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed. It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NO. 4 - the position on a cannon, stationed behind and in line with No. 2, responsible for setting the primer tube in the vent and pulling the lanyard on signal to fire the cannon. The position requires responsibility to visually examine the other men on the piece at their posts, make sure that they are in proper position before firing, and to include in that visual inspection that no one walks into the muzzle blast zone. Causing the primer to ignite requires anywhere from 12 to 40 pounds of force. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 4", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed. It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NO. 5 - the position on a cannon, located in line with and five yards behind No.’s 2 and 4, responsible for delivering the charge to No. 2. The position requires ensuring that the charge is placed properly in the gunner’s haversack so that when it is handed to No. 2, the charge is facing the correct direction. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 5", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed. It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NO. 6 - the position on a cannon, located in the rear of the limber chest, responsible for dispensing the charges to No. 5. Securing the ammunition chest, or limber chest, is a primary duty of this position, taking care that no open flames of potential sources of ignition are in the immediate vicinity at the time the limber chest is to be opened. Additionally, handing the charge to No. 5 in order that the charge will be facing the proper direction when it, in turn, is handed to No. 2 is of great importance. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 6", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed. It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NO. 7 - the position on a cannon, located in the rear of and near the left limber wheel, responsible for delivering charges to No. 2 under rapid firing conditions. The responsibilities are identical with those of No. 5. It was common for cannon crews to refer to each other by their number ("No. 7", etc.) because of their close association with the function they performed It also simplified matters for the Gunner, particularly in the event that one Gunner had to take the place of another, for there would be no confusion in battle as to whom the Gunner addressed.

NOB - a person who is superior, or superior-acting. The term is believed to derive from the term used to describe the jack of the same suit as the starter in cribbage that scores one point for the holder.

NOKUM STIFF - a slang term for liquor or strong adult beverage.

NOMENCLATURE - the set of names used in a specific activity, such as artillery; terms or names peculiar to that discipline or activity.

OBLIQUE(LY) - neither perpendicular nor parallel, but inclined or at an angle. This may commonly be construed to mean to move oneself or an object at a 45° angle in relation to its present position.

OFFICER - one who holds a position of command or authority in the armed forces. A commissioned officer differs in rank from a non-commissioned officer. The commissioned officer positions include, in ascending order, Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and Full General.

OH-BE-JOYFUL - a slang term for home-brewed or camp-brewed beer or other alcoholic beverages.

OIL OF GLADNESS - a slang term for home-brewed or camp brewed beer or other alcoholic beverages.

OK  - a slang term which is used as a generalized expression of affirmation, approval, or assent. Martin Van Buren, who died in 1862, was from Kinderhook, NY. During his presidency (1837-1841) he was known as "O.K.", which stood for "Old Kinderhook". During the presidential campaign of 1840, Van Buren supporters used the "O.K." slogan widely at rallies and on placards; consequently, it came into popular usage. After his defeat by Harrison, the locofocos (Democrats) said "O.K." stood for "Orful Kalamity" or "Orrible Katastrophe". The term actually dates from about 1825 as the name of a game, Orl Korreck but was in disuse by the time of the 1840 election when it was revived and popularized.

OLD SCRATCH - a slang term for the devil.

OPEN THE BALL - a slang term meaning to begin a battle.

ORDNANCE - cannon or artillery. This term may also be applied to all military weapons, together with ammunition and the equipment used in supplying these; or it may refer to the branch of the service that orders, stores, and supplies these.

ORDNANCE CORPS - a corps comprised of officers in charge of arms and ammunition.

ORDNANCE RIFLE - produced by the Phoenix Iron Company of Phoenixville, PA, the ordnance rifle differed from the construction of the Parrott Rifle in that the ordnance rifle was welded up from wrought iron sheets or rods. The rods or sheets, when welded together, formed a mandrel with successive layers applied over the base form, each layer spiraling opposite the direction of the last, until finally a thin layer of staves were applied to the outside and a plug driven to form the breech. At that point, welding heat was applied and the mass was rolled out to a length of seven feet.

OUTPOST - troops posted beyond the regular lines, typically in a fringe area in respect to relative safety or traffic.

PALISADE - a fence of strong stakes.

PARAPET - a barrier of earth intended to intercept the fire of an enemy.

PARK - an assembly of military equipment, often used in reference to a number of cannon in close order.

PARLEY - a slang term for a conference; the word deriving from the French "parler", meaning "to speak".

PARLOR SOLDIER - a derisive slang term intended to suggest that the soldier to whom the term referred was no true soldier, but an imitation, dressed more for show than for practical use. There was also the suggestion that such a one was also effeminate.

PAROLE - a release given to a prisoner-of war in exchange for their word of honor that the prisoners will not take up arms again against their captors. During the War Between the States, it was expected that men would keep their word.

PARROTT RIFLE - a cast iron cannon with a rifled barrel whose barrel strength was improved when Robert Parrott of the West Point Foundry took the relatively brittle cast iron gun tubes and wrapped a red-hot band of iron around its breech. As the band cooled, it contracted, thus forging itself to the tube and adding tremendous support, thus extending the life of the tube. Parrott manufactured up to 255 Parrott Rifles in a 2.9 inch bore, ten-pounder; 279 in a full 3 inch bore, ten-pounders also; and almost 300 3.67 inch twenty-pounders; as well as some 300-pounder rifles used for seacoast fortifications.

PARROT SHELL - the projectile fired by a Parrott Rifle.

PATROL - a small guard assigned by non-commissioned officer to preserve order in the encampment.

PENDULUM-HAUSSE - an instrument used to aim field artillery pieces at their target; a sight. The pendulum-hausse is comprised of three primary components: scale, slider, and seat. The scale is made from sheet brass, at the lower end of which is a brass bulb that is filled with lead. The slider is made of thin brass, and is held in any desired position on the scale by means of a brass set-screw with a milled head. The scale is passed through a slit in a piece of steel to which it is connected with a brass screw, and that forms a pivot on which the scale is able to vibrate laterally; the slit being long enough to take a vertical position when the ground on which the cannon’s wheels must stand is exceptionally off level. The ends of the piece of steel form two journals, and are the mechanism by which the scale is supported on the seat-attached piece. The seat is made of iron, fastened to the base of the breech by three screws, and the center of the two journal-notches are at a distance from the axis equal to the radius of the base ring. The pendulum-hausse is normally carried by the Gunner in a leather pouch on a shoulder strap when it is not in use. It is commonly held that the pendulum hausse was used on all ordnance rifles.

PEWTER - a metal alloy with tin as its chief component, and lead as a major component (especially in the period of the War Between the States). It was often used for plates and cups in the antebellum period, and during the War found use frequently as buttons for pants and suspenders.

PICK - (See PRICK)

PICK AXE  -  made of iron, the digging implement is pointed at both ends with steel.

PICKET - a small outpost guard or sentry.

PIECE - a firearm, such as a cannon. This may refer to the cannon with or without the limber attached.

PINE TOP  -  a slang term for a cheap whiskey that, according to fans and detractors alike, was made - in desperation - from pine needles.

PINTLE HOOK - a keyed component on the hind part of the limber axle-tree which secures the limber to the carriage.

PITCHED BATTLE - a battle in which the placement of troops and the line of combat are relatively fixed before the battle begins. It came to have the additional meaning of a closely fought battle of great intensity, some theorizing that the "pitched" portion of the phrase had to do with adding lumps of pitch and pine knots to the great steam engines of a paddlewheeler to intensify the heat and consequently create more steam, and therefore greater speed.

PLATOON - two or more squads or sections, normally under the command of a lieutenant. It is a subdivision of a company.

PLIERS - small pincers used to grip small objects, most often in the mid-fire drill.

POINT BLANK - common meaning immediately proximous to another object, in the context of artillery it refers to the point where the projectile fired from a cannon whose bore is level will first strike the ground. It also is a slang term meaning straightforward or blunt.

POINTING RING - designated as LARGE or SMALL, the pointing rings are connected to the carriage and it is through these that the handspike is inserted in order to move the gun in aiming it under the direction of the Gunner.

POLE - a shaft which extends from the front or only axle of a wagon or limber between wheel horses and by which the wagon or limber is drawn. Also known as a tongue.

POLE STRAPS - on a limber, leather straps attached to the harness of the wheel horses which pass through sliding loops on the breast straps and help to guide the pole.

POSSUM - a slang term for a buddy.

POWDER - (See BLACK POWDER and GUNPOWDER)

POWDER MONKEY - a boy who carries powder from the limber-chest to the No. 2 position cannoneer. A powder monkey serves the No. 5 position. On page 209 of Fighting For the Confederacy, Confederate General E. Porter Alexander used the term when he noted:

"But the two prisoners, scared almost to death, jumped like lightning to get behind the nearest trees on the roadside. At the same instant there came running up one of Parker's littlest boys, a regular little powder monkey, bringing ammunition from the limber in the rear to the gun in front, and he also shrieked out in a jeering treble at the terrified prisoners, ‘What in hell are you running from your own shells for?’ "

PRETTY RAPID LITTLE CASE - a slang term for a woman with a reputation for being morally loose.

PRICK - also known as a VENT PRICK, a long thin rod with a loop at one end which is dropped into the vent of a cannon and used to perforate the container which holds the gunpowder of the charge. The prick is made of brass rather than iron or steel so that friction caused by the contact of the vent prick against the cannon’s vent will not create a spark which would result in the premature firing of the piece.

PRICKING - the perforation of a charge to expose gunpowder to the primer-fuse in order to discharge a piece. This is accomplished with a vent prick which is dropped into the vent by No. 4 who then strikes the vent prick twice with a glancing blow by the back of the hand to pierce the container which holds the powder, exposing the powder to the primer.

PRIME - to prepare a gun for firing or a charge for exploding by providing with priming or a primer.

PRIMER - a small cap or tube, containing an explosive, used to set off a main charge (the charge contained within the tube of the cannon).

The friction primer is a small diameter brass tube, with roughly a 1/8" inner diameter, that is open at one end. At the closed end, a small hole roughly the same diameter as the inner diameter of the tube is drilled on one side and filled with a short length of brass tubing that is soldered into place.

Opposite the short length of tubing is a hole that receives the priming wire, a piece of brass wire with a flattened and a serrated end.  The short tube is lined with a friction powder that is similar in composition to the head of a friction match.  The priming wire is inserted through the head of the primer and into the short tube; the short tube is then crimped to hold the end of the serrated wire in place, while the longer end of the priming wire is twisted into a loop.

Shellac is then used to seal the head of the friction primer.  When it dries, the main body of the friction primer is filled with FF or FFF powder, and the open end of the tube is sealed with wax to retain the powder.  Effectively airtight and waterproof, the friction primer is consequently more reliable than the linstock.

On the cannon, the primer is inserted into the vent hole of the piece, and the lanyard is hooked to the loop of wireat the top of the friction primer tube by a small hook.   Once the lanyard is pulled, the serrated end of the priming wire scrapes the friction composition, igniting; and, in turn, the ignited friction composition sets off the black powder in the main tube of the primer.  When the powder in the main tube of the friction primer ignites, it sends a flash of flame down the vent and into the opening in the charge created when the vent prick was driven into the charge, exposing the powder of tha charge.  The delay from the friction primer igniting the friction composition until the charge in the cannon's tube explodes is almost nonexistent.

The amount of pull required to detonate today's friction primer may vary between 20 and 60 pounds, approximately, but most commonly will be in the range of 35 to 40 pounds.

PRIMING WIRE - a long, thin wire with a hoop or ring at one end which is used to drop into the vent of a cannon, to either determine that the tube is clear of a charge or debris from a charge, or to prick a charge preparatory to discharging the piece.  The priming wire is iron wire that is 0.75" in diameter, the stem length being 8 inches for field guns, formed with a ring that is 2: in diameter at the head, and pointed.

PRIMING WIRE HOOP - the circular part of a priming wire, which edge is used to grasp the priming wire between the thumb and forefinger in order to prick the charge for firing. The thumb or finger is never to be inserted in this hoop, nor is the hand ever to pass over the top of this hoop in order to drive the priming wire into the charge; this prohibition is a safety precaution in the event of a premature discharge of the piece.

PRIMING WIRE RING (See PRIMING WIRE HOOP)

PRIMING WIRE SHAFT - the length of the priming wire below the ring which is inserted into the vent in order to prick the charge.

PRIVATE - an enlisted man of the lowest rank in the army. Also referred to as a soldier.

PROJECTILE - an object designed to be shot or hurled forward, as a cannon shell. A shell with a fuze may be referred to as a bombshell or bomb. Projectiles may include canister or case shot, grape shot, shell, or shot.

PROLONGE - a rope, usually coiled on the carriage of the cannon and secured by coiling around a pair of prolonge hooks. The prolonge is used to help haul or tow the cannon.

PROLONGE HOOK - two hooks which are placed on the upper part of the stock which secure the prolonge when coiled.

PROVOST-MARSHALL - the Army equivalent of a Sheriff.

PYRODEXã - a brand of powder used in muzzleloading weapons which discharges at a far more rapid rate than traditional Black Powder.

QUARTERMASTER - the officer responsible for providing and distributing or assigning quarters and clothing.

QUICK STEP - a slang term meaning that one has diarrhea.