GUARD, in a general sense, signifies the defence or preservation of any thing; the act of observing what passes, in order to prevent surprise; or the care, precaution, and attention employed to prevent any thing from happening contrary to our intentions or inclinations.

Guard, in fencing, implies a proper posture to defend the body from the sword of the antagonist.

Guard, in the military art, is a duty performed by a body of men, to secure an army, place, or post, from being surprised by an enemy.

Advanced Guard is a party of either horse or foot, or both, which marches before a more considerable body, to give notice of any approaching danger. These guards are made stronger or weaker, according to the situation, the danger to be apprehended from the enemy, or the nature of the country.

Artillery Guard is a detachment from the army, to secure the artillery when in the field. This corps de garde is usually placed in the front of the artillery park, and the sentries are dispersed round it.

Artillery Quarter Guard is a non-commissioned officer’s guard from the royal regiment of artillery, whose corps de garde is always in front of their encampment.

Artillery Pear Guard consists of a corporal and six men posted in the rear of the park.

Corps de Garde are soldiers intrusted with the guard of a post, under the command of one or more officers. This word also signifies the place where the guard mounts.

Grand Guard, three or four squadrons of horse, commanded by a field-officer, posted at about a mile or a mile and a half from the camp, on the right and left wings, towards the enemy, for the better security of the camp.

Forage Guard, a detachment sent out to secure the foragers, and which is posted at all places, where either the enemy’s party may come to disturb the foragers, or where they may be spread too near the enemy, so as to be in danger of being taken. This guard consists both ol horse and foot, and must remain at their posts until the foragers have all come off the ground.

Main Guard is that from which all other guards are detached.

Piquet Guard, a number of horse and foot, kept in readiness in case of an alarm.
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Baggage Guard is always an officer’s guard, and has the charge of the baggage on a march.

Quarter Guard is a small guard commanded by a subaltern officer, posted in the front of each battalion.

Rear Guard, that part of the army which brings up the rear on a march, and which is generally composed of all the old grand guards of the camp.

Rear Guard is also a corporal’s guard, placed in the rear of a regiment, to keep good order in that part of the camp.

Standard Guard, a small guard under a corporal: it is drawn from each regiment of horse, and mounts on foot in the front of each regiment.

Trench Guard only mounts in the time of a siege, and sometimes consists of three, four, or six battalions, according to the importance of the siege.

Provost Guard is always an officer’s guard, and attends the provost in his rounds, to prevent desertion, marauding, rioting, and other crimes or offences. See Provost. Ordinary Guards, such as are fixed during the campaign, and relieved daily.

Extraordinary Guards, or detachments, which are only commanded on particular occasions, either for the further security of the camp, to cover the foragers, or for convoys, escorts, or expeditions.

Guards also imply the troops kept to guard the king’s person, and consist both of horse and foot.

Horse Guards, in England, were originally gentlemen chosen, for their bravery, to be intrusted with the guard of the king’s person; and they were divided into four troops, called the first, second, third, and fourth troop of Horse Guards. The first troop was raised in the year 1660, and the command given to Lord Gerard; the second in 1661, and the command given to Sir Philip Howard; the third in 1693, and the command given to Earl Feversham; the fourth in 1702, and the command given to Earl Newburgh. Each troop had one colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, one cornet and major, one guidon and major, four exempts and captains, four brigadiers and lieutenants, one adjutant, four sub-brigadiers and cornets, and sixty private men. But the four troops were afterwards turned into two regiments of Life Guards.

The Horse Grenadier Guards were divided into two troops, called the first and second troops of Horse Grenadier Guards. The first troop was raised in 1693, and the command given to Lieutenant-general Cholmondeley; the second in 1702, and the command given to Lord Forbes. Each troop had a colonel, a lieutenant-colonel, a guidon or major, three exempts and captains, three lieutenants, one adjutant, three cornets, and sixty private men.

The Yeomen of the Guard were first raised by Henry VII. in the year 1485. They are a superior kind of foot guards to the king’s person, and are generally called by the nickname of the Beef-Eaters. They were anciently two hundred and fifty men of the first rank under gentry, and of larger stature than ordinary, each being required to be six feet in height. Of this body there are about a hundred on duty, and seventy more not on duty; and when any one of the hundred dies, his place is supplied out of the seventy in non-activity. Their first commander or captain was the Earl of Oxford.

The Foot Guards are regiments of foot appointed for the guard of his majesty and his palace. They were raised in the year 1660, when the command of the first regiment was given to Thomas Lord Wentworth; that of the second to General Monk, then Duke of Albemarle; and that of the third to the Earl of Linlithgow. The second regiment is always called the Coldstream Guards, from a market-town in Berwickshire, where it was first embodied. This regiment is older than the first, having been raised sooner, and commanded by General Monk, from whom it derived its name of Monk’s regiment or corps, and in compliment to whom it was made one of the three royal regiments by Charles II.

Scotch Guards, a celebrated band, which formed the first company of the ancient gardes du corps of France. From the ancient intercourse between the two countries, the natives of Scotland had often distinguished themselves in the service of France. On this foundation the company of Scotch Guards, and the company of Scotch Gendarmes, were instituted; both of them owed their institution to Charles VII. of France, by whom the first standing army in Europe was formed, in the year 1454.

The ancient rights and privileges of the Scottish Life Guards were most honourable. The author of the Ancient Alliance between France and Britain says, “On high holidays, at the ceremony of the royal touch, the erection of knights of the king’s order, the reception of extraordinary ambassadors, and the public entries of cities, there must be six of their number next to the king’s person, three on each side; and the body of the king must be carried by these only, wheresoever ceremony requires. They have the keeping of the keys of the king’s lodging at night, the keeping of the choir of the chapel, the keeping the boats where the king passes the rivers; and they have the honour of bearing the white silk fringe in their arms, which in France is the coronne coleur. The keys of all the cities where the king makes his entry are given to their captain in waiting or out of waiting. He has the privilege, in waiting or out of waiting, at ceremonies, such as coronations, marriages, and funerals of the kings, and at the baptism and marriage of their children, to take duty upon him. The coronation robe belongs to him; and this company, by the death or change of a captain, never changes its rank, as do the three others.”

This company’s first commander, who is recorded as a person of great valour and military accomplishments, was Robert Patillock, or Patullo, a native of Dundee; and the corps, ever ardent to distinguish itself, continued in great reputation until the year 1578. From that period, the Scotch Guards were less attended to, and their privileges came to be invaded. In the year 1612, they presented a remonstrance to Louis XIII. on the injustice they had suffered, and placed before him the services they had rendered to the crown of France. Attempts were then made to re-establish them on their ancient foundation; but the negotiation for this purpose proved ineffectual. The troops of France became jealous of the honours paid to them; the death of Francis II., and the return of Mary to Scotland, at a time when they had much to hope, were unfortunate circumstances; the change of religion in Scotland proved an additional blow; and the accession of James VI. to the throne of England altogether disunited the interests of France and Scotland. The Scotch Guards of France had therefore latterly no connection with Scotland except in the name.

Gυard-Boat, a boat appointed to row amongst the ships of war which are laid up in any harbour, or in ordinary, and to observe that their officers keep a good look out, calling to the guard-boat as she passes, and not suffering her crew to come on board, without having previously communicated the watch-word of the night.

Guard-Ship, a vessel of war appointed to superintend maritime affairs in a harbour or river, and to see that the ships which are not commissioned have their proper watchword kept duly, by sending guard-boats round them every night. They are also destined to receive seamen who are impressed in the time of war.