of Ipsus it acquired the name “Queen of the East.” Here the disciples
were first called Christians, A.D. 42. Antioch was taken by the
Persians, 540; by the Saracens about 638; recovered from the Eastern
emperor, 966; lost again in 1086; retaken by the Crusaders in 1098, and
held by them till 1268, when it was captured by the sultan of Egypt. It
was taken from the Turks in the Syrian war, Aug. 1, 1833, by Ibrahim
Pasha, but restored at the peace.
=Antium.= A maritime city of Latium, now _Porto d’Anzio_, near Rome;
after a long struggle for independence it became a Roman colony at the
end of the great Latin war, 340-38 B.C. The treasures deposited in the
Temple of Fortune here were taken by Octavius Cæsar during his war with
Antony in 41 B.C.
=Antonia.= A fortress in Jerusalem on the north side of the area of the
temple, originally built by the Maccabees under the name of Baris, and
afterwards rebuilt with great strength and splendor by the first Herod.
The fortress communicated with the northern and western porticoes of the
temple area, so that the garrison could at any time enter the courts of
the temple and prevent tumults. Josephus describes it as standing on a
rock 50 cubits high, and having everything necessary within itself.
=Antustriones.= A body-guard of the kings or chiefs of the ancient
Germans, which was composed of volunteers.
=Antwerp= (Fr. _Anvers_). The principal port of Belgium; is mentioned in
history in 517; it was pillaged and burnt by the Spaniards and the
inhabitants massacred, November 4, 1576. This event has been termed the
“Spanish Fury.” After Marlborough’s victory at Ramillies, Antwerp
surrendered at once, June 6, 1706; the Barrier treaty concluded here,
November 16, 1715; taken by Marshal Saxe, May 9, 1746; occupied by the
French, 1792-94 and 1814. The Belgian troops, having entered Antwerp,
were opposed by the Dutch garrison, who, after a dreadful conflict,
being driven into their citadel, cannonaded the town with hot shot and
shells, October 27, 1830; the citadel was bombarded by the French,
December 4; surrendered by Gen. Chasse, December 23, 1832. The exchange
burnt, archives, etc., destroyed, August 2, 1858; fortification
completed, 1865.
=Anvil.= An archaism for the handle or hilt of a sword. Also, a little
narrow flag at the end of a lance.
=Anvil.= The resisting cone, plate, or bar against which the fulminate
in a metallic cartridge is exploded. See PRIMER.
=Aosta.= A town in Piedmont, which was captured by the Romans in 24 B.C.
=Aous=, or =Aeas= (now the _Voyussa_). A river in Epirus, Greece, which
flows into the Adriatic Sea; on the banks of this river Philip of
Macedon was twice defeated by the Romans.
=Apaches.= A warlike tribe of savage Indians who infest New Mexico and
Arizona. Until within a few years they were hostile, making frequent
raids into the neighboring Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua, and
robbing and murdering the settlers. They are now peaceable, and settled
on reservations (with the exception of a few renegades); but being
entirely uncivilized, their peaceful condition is uncertain. See INDIANS
AND THEIR AGENCIES.
=Aparejo.= A kind of pack-saddle used in the American military service.
See PACK-SADDLES.
=Apex.= The tip, point, or summit of anything. The Romans so named the
crest of a helmet, or the part whereon the horse-hair plume was
attached.
=Aphracti.= In the ancient military art, open vessels, without decks or
hatches, furnished only at head and stern with cross-planks, whereon the
men stood to fight.
=Apobates.= A name given by the ancients to warriors who fought mounted
on chariots; they were also called _Anabates_, or _Paraebates_; they
were generally leaders who fought in this manner; their armor and arms
consisted of helmet, breast-armor, lance, javelin, sword, and shield.
These warriors occasionally alighted from the chariots to attack their
adversaries on foot.
=Apology.= In a military sense, when made and accepted, debars the
officer who accepts from bringing forward the matter as a substantive
accusation. See APPENDIX, ARTICLES OF WAR, 25.
=Apomaque.= This word, with the Grecians, signified those soldiers who
were disqualified for military service from physical disability or other
causes.
=Appalachee Indians.= A tribe of Indians once powerful in West Florida.
In 1700 a part of them removed into what is now Alabama, and the tribe
soon ceased to exist.
=Apparatus.= Ammunition and equipage for war.
=Appareilles.= Are those slopes that lead to the platform of the
bastion.
=Appastis=, or =Pactis=. A war-tax, which was levied in ancient times
upon the inhabitants of conquered countries.
=Appeal.= See APPENDIX, ARTICLES OF WAR, 29, 30.
=Appel= (_Fr._). A smart stroke with the blade by a fencer on the sword
of his antagonist on the opposite side to that which he engaged,
generally accompanied with a stamp of the foot, and used for the purpose
of procuring an opening.
=Appian Way.= A Roman road, made by Appius Claudius Cæcus, while censor,
312 B.C.
=Appointe= (_Fr._). This word was applicable to French soldiers only,
during the old monarchy of France, and meant a man who for his service
and extraordinary bravery received more than common pay. There were
likewise instances in which officers were distinguished by being styled
_officers appointes_.
=Appointing Power.= It has been contended by advocates of executive
discretion, that army appointments are embraced in the power granted to
the President in the 2d section of the Constitution, to nominate, and,
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint “all other
officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein
otherwise provided for, and which may be established by law. But the
Congress may, by law, vest the appointment of such inferior officers as
they think proper in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in
the heads of departments.” If due regard, however, be paid to the words
“_whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for_,” the
pretension set up in favor of executive power will receive no support
from the terms of the Constitution. The powers granted to Congress to
_raise_ and support armies, and to make all _rules_ for the _government_
and _regulation_ of the land and naval forces, are necessarily so
comprehensive in character, as to embrace all means which Congress,
according to circumstances, may deem proper and necessary in order to
raise armies, or govern them when raised. Rules of appointment to
office, rules of promotion,--another form of appointment,--and all rules
whatever in relation to the land and naval forces, save the appointment
of the commander-in-chief of those united forces, who is designated by
the Constitution, are hence within the competency of Congress.
=Appointment.= Office, rank, or employment.
=Appointment.= The equipment, ordnance, furniture, and necessaries of an
army.
=Appointments, Military.= The accoutrements of an officer.
=Appointon= (_Fr._). A sort of poniard which was used in ancient times.
=Apprehend.= In a military sense, implies the seizing or confining of
any person; as, to apprehend a deserter, etc.
=Apprenti= (_Fr._). Apprentice. Formerly in the French service they had
apprentices or soldiers among the artillery, who served for less pay
than the regular artillerymen, until they became perfect in their
profession, when they were admitted to such vacancies as occurred in
their respective branches.
=Approach.= The route by which a fortified place or military position
can be approached by an attacking force.
=Approaches.= The trenches or covered roads by which the besiegers
convey ordnance, ammunition, and stores, and march troops to and from
the parallels; also the trenches by means of which the successive
parallels are established.
=Appropriations.= For the support of the U. S. army are made annually;
the bill for the same must originate in the lower house of Congress. The
English army is raised by the queen, and maintained by annual
appropriations by Parliament; the system for the support of armies is
much the same throughout Europe. In the United States, the term is also
used by post and regimental councils of administration in the
expenditure of funds.
=Appui.= See POINT D’APPUI.
=Apri=, or =Apros=. A small town in Thrace, on the river Melas, where
the daring leader of the Catalonians, Berengar de Rocafort, defeated the
Greeks under the Emperor Michael, 1307.
=Apron.= A piece of sheet-lead used to cover the vent of a cannon.
=Apulia.= A province in Southeast Italy, conquered by the Normans, whose
leader, Guiscard, received the title of Duke of Apulia from Pope
Nicholas II. in 1059. After many changes of masters, it was absorbed
into the kingdom of Naples in 1265.
=Aqueduct.= A channel to convey water from one place to another.
Aqueducts in military architecture are generally made to bring water
from a spring or river to a fortress, etc.; they are likewise used to
carry canals over low ground, and over brooks or small rivers; they are
built with arches like a bridge, only not so wide, and are covered by an
arch, to prevent dust or dirt from being thrown into the water,--there
are also subterranean aqueducts, such as pipes of wood, lead, or iron.
=Aquila= (Southern Italy). Near here the Aragonese, under the
condottiere Braccio Fortebraccio, were defeated by the allied Papal,
Neapolitan, and Milanese army under Jacob Caldora, June 2, 1424.
Braccio, a wounded prisoner, refused to take food, and died, June 5.
=Aquila.= The principal standard of a Roman legion. The standard of
Romulus is said to have consisted of a handful of hay, straw, or fern,
affixed to a pole or spear; whence the company of soldiers who served
under it was called _Manipulus_. This primitive standard was soon
superseded by the figures of animals. In 104 B.C. the eagle was
permanently adopted; it was made of silver or bronze, and was
represented with expanded wings.
=Aquilifer.= A name given by the Romans to the officers who carried the
eagles of the legions.
=Aquitaine.= A province in the southwest of France; conquered by the
Romans in 28 B.C.; by the Visigoths, 418; taken from them by Clovis in
507. Henry II. of England obtained it with his wife Eleanor, 1152. It
was erected into a principality for Edward the Black Prince in 1362; but
was annexed to France in 1370. The title of duke of Aquitaine was taken
by the crown of England on the conquest of this duchy by Henry V. in
1418. The province was lost in the reign of Henry VI.
=Arabia.= A tract of land in Western Asia; the terms _Petræa_ (stony),
_Felix_ (happy), and _Deserta_ are said to have been applied to its
divisions by Ptolemy, about 140. Arabia was unsuccessfully invaded by
Gallus, the Roman governor of Egypt, 24 B.C. In 622, the Arabians under
the name of Saracens (which see), followers of Mohammed, their general
and prophet, commenced their course of conquest. The Arabs greatly
favored literature and the sciences, especially mathematics, astronomy,
and chemistry. To them we owe our ordinary (_Arabic_) numerals and
arithmetical notation.
=Aracillum.= A city in Spain. The Cantabrians being besieged in this
city by the Romans, killed each other rather than surrender.
=Aradus= (now _Ruad_). A city of Phœnicia; captured by the Roman general
Ventidius, 38 B.C.
=Aragon.= Part of the Roman Tarraconensis, a kingdom, Northeast Spain,
was conquered by the Carthaginians, who were expelled by the Romans
about 200 B.C. It became an independent monarchy in 1035.
=Aranjuez= (Central Spain). Contains a fine royal palace, at which
several important treaties were concluded. On March 17, 1808, an
insurrection broke out here against Charles IV. and his favorite, Godoy,
the Prince of Peace. The former was compelled to abdicate in favor of
his son, Ferdinand VII., March 19.
=Aransas.= A small river of Texas, which empties into a bay of the same
name, immediately north of Corpus Christi Bay. The Confederate works
near this place were captured by the Federal troops November 20, 1864.
=Arapahoe Indians.= A tribe of Indians associated with the Cheyennes,
who inhabit the country between the South Fork of the Platte River and
the head-waters of the Arkansas. See INDIANS AND THEIR AGENCIES.
=Arapiles.= A village of Spain, 4 miles southeast of Salamanca. It was
the scene of the sanguinary engagement called the battle of Salamanca,
in which the allies under Wellington defeated the French under Marmont,
July 22, 1812.
=Arausio= (now _Orange_, Southeast France). Through jealousy of the
Roman proconsul Q. Servilius Cæpio, who would not wait for the arrival
of the army of the consul C. Manlius, both were here defeated by the
Cimbri with much slaughter, 105 B.C.
=Arbalest.= In the ancient art of war, a cross-bow made of steel, set in
a shaft of wood, with a string and trigger, bent with a piece of iron
fitted for that purpose, and used to throw bullets, large arrows, darts,
etc.
=Arbalestina.= In the military system of the Middle Ages, was a small
window or wicket through which the cross-bow men shot their quarrels or
arrows at an enemy besieging a fortified place.
=Arbaletrier d’une Galere= (_Fr._). That part of a galley where the
cross-bow men were placed during an engagement.
=Arbalist=, or =Arblast=. A cross-bow man.
=Arbela= (now _Erbil_). A city in Asiatic Turkey; near here was fought
the third and decisive battle between Alexander the Great and Darius
Codomanus which decided the fate of Persia, October 1, 331 B.C., on a
plain in Assyria, between Arbela and Gaugamela. The army of Darius
consisted of 1,000,000 foot and 40,000 horse; the Macedonian army
amounted to only 40,000 foot and 7000 horse. The gold and silver found
in the cities of Susa, Persepolis, and Babylon, which fell to Alexander
from this victory, amounted to £30,000,000 sterling; and the jewels and
other precious spoil belonging to Darius sufficed to load 20,000 mules
and 5000 camels.
=Arbourg.= A city in Switzerland, whose citadel, which was constructed
in 1600, is an important depot for military stores.
=Arbrier= (_Fr._). Stock of a cross-bow.
=Arc= (_Fr._). A bow; an arch in building.
=Arc à Jalet= (_Fr._). A small cross-bow, used to throw bullets, etc.
=Arc, Elevating.= In gunnery, is an arc attached to the base of the
breech parallel to the ratchets and graduated into degrees and parts of
a degree. A pointer attached to the fulcrum points to the zero of the
scale when the axis of the piece is horizontal. Elevations and
depressions are indicated by the scale. Besides the graduations on the
arc, the ranges (in yards) and the charges for shot and shells are
given.
=Arch.= In military architecture, is a vault or concave building, in
form of a curve, erected to support some heavy structure, or passage.
=Archers.= In military history, a kind of militia or soldiery, armed
with bows and arrows. They were much used in former times.
=Archery.= The use of the bow and arrow; the practice, art, or skill of
archers; the art of shooting with a bow and arrow.
=Arch-gaye=, or =Lance-gaye= (_Fr._). A lance used by the Gauls and
Franks, which consisted of a sharp-pointed piece of iron attached to a
light wooden handle.
=Architonnerre= (_Fr._). A machine made of copper, which threw iron
bullets with great force and noise; it was used in ancient times, being
an invention of Archimedes.
=Architrave.= The master-beam, or chief supporter, in any part of
subterraneous fortification.
=Arch, Triumphal.= In military history, is a stately monument or
erection, generally of a semicircular form, adorned with sculpture,
inscriptions, etc., in honor of those heroes who have deserved a
triumph.
=Arcis-sur-Aube.= A small town in the French department of Aube; here a
battle took place on March 20, 1814, between Napoleon and the allied
forces under Prince Schwartzenberg. The battle, beginning with several
skirmishes on the first day, and ending in a general engagement on the
second day, when the French retreated over the Aube, was not in itself
very important. But Napoleon now formed the plan of operating in the
rear of the allies, and left the road to Paris open; assuming that they
would not venture to proceed without attempting first to secure their
rear. The allies marched, nevertheless, on the capital, and thus decided
the campaign.
=Arco.= A metal composed of 70 parts of pure copper, 27 of zinc, and 3
of lead; used for the brass-work of small-arms.
=Arcola= (Lombardy). The site of battles between the French under
Bonaparte, and the Austrians under Field-Marshal Alvinzi, fought
November 15-17, 1796. The Austrians lost 18,000 men in killed, wounded,
and prisoners, 4 flags, and 18 guns. The French lost about 15,000, and
became masters of Italy.
=Arcot= (East Indies). This city (founded 1716) was taken by Col. Clive
August 31, 1751; was retaken, but again surrendered to Col. Coote,
February 10, 1760; besieged and taken by Hyder Ali, when the British
under Col. Baillie suffered severe defeat, October 31, 1780. Arcot has
been subject to Great Britain since 1801.
=Arcubalist.= See ARBALEST.
=Ardalion.= A river in Algeria. On the banks of this river in 398,
Mascezil, a Roman general, defeated Gildo, a Moorish chieftain, then in
rebellion against Rome.
=Ardebil.= A city in Persia; its citadel was constructed by French
officers; captured by the Turks in 1827.
=Ardres.= A city in the department of Pas-de-Calais, France, it was
dismantled in 1850. This city was captured by the Duke of Burgundy,
brother of Charles V., from the English in 1377; a treaty was concluded
here between Francis I. of France and Henry VIII. of England June 7,
1546; captured by the Spaniards in 1596; returned to France in 1598.
=Area.= In a military sense, is the superficial contents of any rampart
or other work of a fortification.
=Areoscope.= An instrument used for analyzing the air of rooms; used in
English medical corps.
=Ares.= The god of war in Greek mythology, corresponding to the Roman
Mars (which see).
=Argaum.= A village in the Deccan, near to which Gen. Wellesley
(afterwards Duke of Wellington) totally defeated the army of Dawlut Rao
Scindia in October, 1803.
=Argelinos=, or =Algerinos=. The Spaniards so named the foreign legion,
which was sent to them from Algiers by France, during the reign of Louis
Philippe.
=Argent.= This word means silver in French, and is always used in
heraldry to designate that metal. In engraving English shields the part
designated as argent is left white.
=Argentaria= (now _Colmar_, Northern France). Where the Roman Emperor
Gratian totally defeated the Alemanni and secured the peace of Gaul,
378.
=Argentine Republic.= Formerly the Confederation of La Plata, a South
American federal republic, consisting of 14 provinces extending over an
immense area of country. Buenos Ayres, one of its provinces, with the
city of the same name, now the capital, seceded from the confederation
in 1853, and was reunited in 1860. The country is remarkable chiefly for
its internecine wars, revolutions, and struggles, incident to all the
countries colonized by the Spanish race. See BUENOS AYRES.
=Argives.= The inhabitants of Argos, a state of ancient Greece of which
Mycenæ was the capital, and which was ruled by Agamemnon at the time of
the Trojan war. The name is frequently used by Homer to signify the
whole body of the Greeks.
=Argos= (now _Panitza_). An ancient city of Greece; near here, in 272
B.C., Antigonus Gonatas, king of Macedon, defeated the army of Pyrrhus,
king of Epirus; the latter was killed.
=Argoulet= (_Fr._). An ancient dragoon. Also an inferior sort of a
musket made at Liege for trading with the negroes.
=Arich= (anc. _Rhinocolura_). A fortress in Lower Egypt. The French
occupied this place in 1793, but were obliged to surrender it in 1800.
=Aries= (_Lat._ “a ram”). An ancient battering-ram. See BATTERING-RAM.
=Arizona.= A Territory of the United States, originally part of New
Mexico, organized February, 1803. For many years known for its Indian
hostilities, and conflicts between the Indians and U. S. troops; also
for frequent terrible massacres of whites.
=Arkansas.= One of the Southwestern States of the Union. It was settled
by the French in 1685, and formed a part of the great tract purchased
from the French in 1803 under the name of Louisiana Territory. It was
organized as a Territory in 1819, and admitted as a State in 1836.
Arkansas passed an ordinance of secession March 4, 1861; was the scene
of several engagements during the civil war, and suffered its share of
the hardships of that eventful period. The battles of Pea Ridge and
Fayetteville were fought in its territory; Arkansas Post was captured in
1863; and Helena and Little Rock were taken the same year.
=Arkansas Indians.= A tribe of Indians allied to the Dakotas, who
formerly resided on the Ohio. At present they number about 200, and live
in the Indian Territory.
=Arkansas Post.= A village in Arkansas, on the Arkansas River, about 40
miles from its mouth, garrisoned by the Confederates during the civil
war. The combined forces of Admiral Porter and Gen. McClernand made an
attack upon the place January 11, 1863, and carried it by storm.
=Arklow.= A town in Ireland, where a battle was fought between the
insurgent Irish, amounting to 31,000, and a small regular force of
British, which signally defeated them, June 10, 1798.
=Arles.= A city in the department Mouths-of-the-Rhone, France; said to
have been founded 2000 B.C.; was formerly a powerful Roman city;
sustained four memorable sieges against the Visigoths, in 425, 429, 452,
and 457; besieged by Clovis I., king of the Franks, 508. The Count of
Barcelona took possession of it in 1156, and Alfonso II., king of
Aragon, in 1167.
=Arlon.= A town in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. Here the French,
commanded by Jourdan, defeated the Austrians in April, 1793, and again
in April, 1794.
=Arm.= In a military sense, signifies a particular species of
troops,--thus the artillery is an arm, and the cavalry, and infantry,
etc., are each called an arm of the service. The word is also used to
denote an instrument of warfare; a weapon of offense or defense.
=Arm.= To be provided with arms, weapons, or means of attack or
resistance; to take arms.
=Armament.= A body of forces equipped for war;--used as a land force.
All arrangements made for the defense of a fortification with musketry
and artillery.
=Armamentary.= An armory; a magazine or arsenal.
=Arm a Shot, To.= Is to roll rope-yarns about a cross-bar shot in order
to facilitate ramming it home, and also to prevent the ends catching any
accidental inequalities in the bore.
=Armatoles.= A Grecian militia of Thessaly, instituted by Selim I. at
the beginning of the 16th century, to oppose the raids of the
mountaineers called _klephtes_, or brigands. Later the Armatoles and
Klephtes united against the Turks.
=Armatura.= In ancient military history signified the fixed and
established military exercises of the Romans. Under this word is
understood the throwing of the spear, javelin, shooting with bows and
arrows, etc. Armatura was also an appellation given to the soldiers who
were light-armed; and was a name also given to the soldiers in the
emperor’s retinue.
=Armature.= Armor; whatever is worn or used for the protection and
defense of the body.
=Arm-chest.= A portable locker for holding arms, and affording a ready
supply of pistols, muskets, or other weapons. Also used in the military
service for the transportation of rifles, revolvers, etc.
=Arme Courtoise= (_Fr._). This arm was used in tilts or tournaments
during the Middle Ages; it was a kind of sword with a ring or knob
placed at the tip of the blade to prevent it causing a dangerous wound.