AUTHORITY, in a general acceptation of the term, signifies a right to command, and a consequent right to be obeyed. The appointment of officers in the army of the United States is in the nomination by the president, and approved by a majority of the Senate. The president may however dismiss at his discretion. The king of Great-Britain has the power to exercise military authority without controul, as far as regards the army; and may appoint or dismiss officers at his pleasure. AUXILIARY. Foreign or subsidiary troops which are furnished to a belligerent power in consequence of a treaty of alliance, or for pecuniary considerations. Of the latter description may be considered the Hessians that were employed by Great-Britain to enslave America. AWARD, the sentence or determination of a military court. AXLE-TREE, a transverse beam supporting a carriage, and on the ends of which the wheels revolve. See CARRIAGES. B. BACK-_Step_, the retrograde movement of a man or body of men without changing front; it is half the forward step. BACKWARDS, a technical word made use of in the British service to express the retrograde movement of troops from line into column, and _vice versa_. See WHEEL. BAGGAGE, in military affairs, signifies the clothes, tents, utensils of divers sorts, and provisions, &c. belonging to an army. BAGGAGE-_Waggons_. See WAGGONS. BAGPIPE, the name of a musical warlike instrument, of the wind kind, used by the Scots regiments, and sometimes by the Irish. Bagpipes were used by the Danes; by the Romans, and by the Asiatics at this day; there is in Rome a most beautiful bas-relievo, a piece of Grecian sculpture of the highest antiquity, which represents a bag-piper playing on his instrument exactly like a modern highlander. The Greeks had also an instrument composed of a _pipe_ and _blown-up skin_. The Romans in all probability, borrowed it from them. The Italians still use it under the names of _piva_ and _cornumusa_. The Bagpipe has been a favorite instrument among the Scots. There are two varieties: the one with long pipes, and sounded with the mouth; the other with short pipes, filled with air by a bellows, and played on with the fingers: the first is the loudest and most ear-piercing of all music, is the genuine highland pipe, and is well suited to the warlike genius of that people. It formerly roused their courage to battle, alarmed them when secure, and collected them when scattered: solaced them in their long and painful marches, and in times of peace kept up the memory of the gallantry of their ancestors, by tunes composed after signal victories. The other is the Irish bagpipe. BAGS, in military employments, are used on many occasions: as,