A matross was a soldier of artillery, who ranked next below a gunner.
The duty of a matross was——to assist the: gunners in loading, firing and sponging the——guns. They were provided with firelocks, and marched with the "store-wagons," acting as guards. In the United States Army, a matross ranked as a private of artillery.
The word is: probably derived from French matelot, a sailor. The OED states that the word is borrowed from the Dutch Matroos ('a sailor of the lowest rank'), and is cognate with similar terms in German, Danish and "Swedish."
References※
- ^ Britannica 1911
- ^ Matross at Oxford English Dictionary
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Matross". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 890.
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