FORTRESS SECURITY AND MILITARY JUSTICE AT LOUISBOURG, 1720-45

BY

MARGARET FORTIER

1980

Report H E 14

Fortress of Louisbourg

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GLOSSARY

AIGUILLE. Spike on which officers' tokens were placed when they made their evening rounds
BANQUETTE. Firing step located behind the parapet upon which officers were to walk while making their evening rounds
BARBETTE. Raised platform for artillery whose security was especially maintained
BARRIÈRE. Barrier or gate restricting access to fortifications or town
BILLET. Authorization granted at gates to a visitor to town
BOITE AUX RONDES. Box in which aiguille holding officers' tokens was placed to be carried to major in the morning
CACHOT. Dungeon
CAPITAINE DES PORTES. Officer charged with the security of the gates of a Place de Guerre
CAPORAL DE CONSIGNE. Ranking corporal of the guard, having immediate charge of the guardhouse and its property
CAPORAL DE GARDE. Corporeal of the guard having charge of prisoners' detention
CAPORAL DE POSE. Corporal of the guard who posted and relieved the sentries and instructed them in their duty
CARTOUQHES. Cartridges; sometimes the case in which cartridges were kept (the modern word for the latter is cartouchière)
CASSER LA TÊTE. Death by firing squad
CERCLE GÉNÉRALE. Circle formed nightly be sergeants of each company and guardhouse to receive the orders and password from the major
CERCLE PARTICULIÈRE. Circle formed by sergeants of a particular regiment or battalion immediately after cercle génrnale to receive orders which applied to their unit only
CHEVAL DE BOIS. Instrument of punishment having four legs and â pointed seat on which a guilty soldier was made to sit for a period of time to make amends for his offense
CHEVET. Bolster of bed; keys for gates of a Place de Guerre were kept behind the chevet of the governor or commandant's bed.
CONCLUSION. Decision reached by a Conseil de Guerre as to guilt or innocence of an accused soldier
CONFRONTATION. Face to face meeting between an accused and witnesses against him
CONSEIL DE GUERRE. Court martial or its tribunal
CONSIGNES. Instructions to be followed at a particular guard or sentry post
CORPS DE GARDE. Guardhouse
DEML-LUNE. Defensive work resembling a detached bastion located in the ditch in front of the main defenses
DEMI-TOUR À DROITE. About face
ÉCRITEAUX. Sign boards used to indicate the points of assembly for the various guard posts prior to the changing of the guard of a Place de Guerre
ÉCROUE. Register kept of prison inmates
EN BATAILLE. In battle order; in line
EN DERNIER RESSORT. Without appeal
EN HAIE. Lane formed by-two ranks of soldiers facing each other
ETAT MAJOR. Staff officers of a Place de Guerre
GOUVERNEUR GÉNÉRAL. A governor-general having authority over several jurisdictions
GOUVERNEUR PARTICULIÈRE. Governor of a particular territory or Place de Guerre, commanding under the authority of a gouverneur général
GUÉRITE. Sentry box
GUETTEUR. Lookout stationed in town belfry
GUICHET. Small door in town gate through which to observe area beyond without jeopardizing the gate's security
INSTRUCTION. preliminary hearing conducted to determine if their is sufficient evidence for a Conseil de Guerre
INTERROGATOIRE. Questioning of witnesses during a Conseil de Guerre
JUGEMENT. Sentencing of an accused at a Conseil de Guerre
JUGES ORDINAIRES. Civil judges
LETTRE DE GRÂCE. Official pardon
MARRON. Token left by officers at each guardhouse during nightly rounds
MOT DE GUET. Password
MOT DE L'ORDRE. Usually the name of a saint, this was the word given by the major in the cercle générale by which officers on rounds would be recognized during the night
MOT DE RALLIEMENT. Usually the name of a city, this word was given by the major to those stationed at defences located outside of the main walls of a Place de Guerre. When a sign-countersign system was used, the mot de ralliement was answered by the mot de l'ordre. This system was not used in the first half of the 18th century in France.
OFFICIERS MAJORS. Senior military officers (governor, lieutenant de roi and major) of a Place de Guerre
PASSER PAR LES ARMES. Death by firing squad
PASSER PAR LES BAGUETTES. Punishment inflicted by having the accused run the gauntlet between two rows of comrades who would strike him with sticks or the straps from their muskets. Though baguette means ramrod, these do not appear to have been used.
PLACE D'ARMES. Place of assembly incorporated into the outer defences of a Place de Guerre or fort. The outer defences of the fort created by the closing of the Bastion Du Roi with the barracks at Louisbourg included a place d'armes which faced the town.
PLACE DE GUERRE. Military establishment containing a civilian population within its walls; a fortress.
PLAINTE. Complaint initiated against one accused of crime or infraction of the regulations
PLUMATIF. Minutes on record of proceedings
PROCUREUR GENERAL. Attorney-general
QUART DE CONVERSION. Wheel 90^o
RÉCOLEMFNT. The reading of witnesses' testimony back to them during a Conseil de Guerre. Testimony could be amended following this reading but at no future time.
REGISTRE DE LA GARDE DES RONDES. Register in which the major recorded the names of the officers to make rounds each night. The register was held by a corporal each night in the cercle général.
RETRAITE GÉNÉRALE. The sounding of La Retraite through town by the garrison's drummers after which the soldiers had one hour to report to their barracks, no one was permitted on the street without a light, cabaretiers were forbidden to serve drinks to soldiers, and all sentries would cause anyone passing their posts to be recognized.
RONDE MAJOR. First round made each evening. Made by major to ensure that the password had been correctly conveyed to the officers of the guard by their sergeants.
RONDES. Rounds made each evening by officers of the garrison to ensure that all was secure along the defenses
SANS REMISSION. Without possibility of commutation
SELLETTE. Penitence stool on which an accused was made to sit when questioned for the final time
SENTINELLES DE NUIT. Sentries posted at particularly vulnerable spots dining nighttime hours

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