Mexico. It is the largest of the West Indian group, belongs to Spain,
and is the most important of the Spanish colonial possessions. It was
discovered by Columbus, October 28, 1492, and the Spaniards formed their
first settlement on it in 1511, and have remained in possession ever
since. Havana, a city of Cuba, was taken by the British in 1762, but was
restored to Spain the following year. In May, 1850, and August, 1851,
unsuccessful attempts to revolutionize the island were made by bands of
adventurers under a Spaniard named Narcisso Lopez. In the latter
expedition, the whole 450 who landed were either slain in fight or taken
prisoners. In 1868 the inhabitants revolted against Spain, and declared
a republic. Spain at once proceeded to crush them into submission, but
the patriots held out until, in 1878, abandoning all hope of assistance
or recognition from abroad, they were obliged to succumb, and the
Spaniards resumed full control of the country.
=Cubical Powder.= See GUNPOWDER.
=Cuddalore= (India). On the coast of the Carnatic, was acquired by the
English in 1681. It was reduced by the French in 1758, but recaptured in
1760 by Sir Eyre Coote. Again lost in 1781, it underwent a destructive
siege by the British under Gen. Stuart, in 1783, which was continued
until peace was signed, when it reverted to them, 1784.
=Cuenca.= A city of Spain, in New Castile, about 84 miles from Madrid.
It was captured from the Moors by the kings of Castile and Aragon in
1176.
=Cuirass= (Fr. _cuir_, leather). Originally a jerkin, or garment of
leather for soldiers, so thick and strong as to be pistol-proof, and
even musket-proof. The name was afterwards applied to a portion of armor
made of metal, consisting of a back-plate and breastplate hooked or
buckled together. The cuirass is worn in the British army by the Life
Guards and the Horse Guards.
=Cuish.= Defensive armor for the thighs, written also _cuisse_.
=Cul-de-sac= (_Fr._). The “bottom of a bag.” A passage with only one
outlet; a position in which an army finds itself, with no way of exit
but to the front.
=Cullen Rifle.= See MAGAZINE GUNS.
=Cullen’s-wood.= In Ireland. A horrible slaughter of the English by the
Irish took place at a village near Dublin on Easter or _Black_ Monday,
so called from this massacre, March 30, 1209. The English were a colony
from Bristol inhabiting Dublin, whence they went to divert themselves at
Cullen’s-wood, when the O’Byrnes and O’Tooles fell upon them, and
destroyed 500 men, besides women and children.
=Culloden=, or =Drummossie Moor=. A wide heath in Scotland, 3 miles east
of Inverness, on which the Duke of Cumberland gained a decisive victory
over the Highland army in their attempt to restore the Stuart dynasty to
the throne, in 1746.
=Culpeper Court-house.= See FAIRFAX.
=Culverin.= A long cannon used from the 14th to the 16th century;
generally carried a shot of 18 pounds. The gun at Dover Castle, called
Queen Elizabeth’s pocket-pistol, is a specimen of a large culverin. A
_demi-culverin_ was a similar piece, carrying a 9-pound shot.
=Cumæ.= An ancient and celebrated Greek city on the coast of Campania,
about 6 miles north of Cape Misenum. The Tyrrhenians and Carthaginians
attacked it by sea, and were defeated by Hieron, 474 B.C. In 420 the
Samnites laid siege to the city, and after repeated attacks succeeded in
carrying it by assault. It was given up to pillage and its inhabitants
put to the sword. In the second Punic war Hannibal made an attempt upon
the city, but was repulsed by Sempronius Gracchus. It was chosen by the
Gothic kings as the depository of their regalia and valuables, and was
the last place in Italy that held out against Narses.
=Cumberland Gap.= Is a natural gap in the Cumberland Mountains, about 80
miles in length, and about 150 miles south by east from Lexington, Ky.
During the civil war it was an important strategic point, and was held
at different times by each of the contending forces. It was held by the
Confederates without any serious interference until Chattanooga was
occupied by the forces of Gen. Mitchell, when it was evacuated about
June 18, 1862, and occupied on the same day by the Union general Geo. W.
Morgan. It was held by him until September 17, when he was compelled to
evacuate it. It was again occupied by the Confederates, who to the
number of 2000 under Gen. Frazer surrendered to Gen. Burnside, September
9, 1863. A large quantity of stores and 10 pieces of artillery were
captured.
=Cunaxa.= In Mesopotamia, near the Euphrates, where Cyrus the Younger
was defeated and slain by his brother Artaxerxes II., against whom he
had conspired, 401 B.C.
=Cunette=, or =Cuvette=. A trench in the bottom of a dry ditch; an
obstacle in the passage of an enemy (especially if filled with water),
and also acting as a drain.
=Cunnersdorf=, or =Kunnersdorf=. A village in Bohemia, 12 miles
north-northwest of Buntzlau. On August 12, 1759, Frederick the Great
with 50,000 men attacked the Austrian and Russian army of 90,000 in
their camp near this place, and at first gained considerable advantages;
but pursuing them too far, the Austrians and Russians rallied, and
gained a complete victory. The Prussians lost 200 pieces of cannon and
30,000 men in killed and wounded.
=Curaçoa.= An island in the Caribbean Sea, settled by the Spaniards
about 1527, was seized by the Dutch in 1634. In 1800 the French settled
on part of this island, quarreled with the Dutch, who surrendered it to
a British frigate. It was restored to the Dutch in 1802; taken from them
by the British in 1807, and again restored in 1814.
=Curiet.= A breastplate made of leather.
=Current Series.= In military administration, orders issued from
established commands, such as divisions, departments, etc., being
numbered in regular order for each year; this term is frequently used
when referring to orders issued in the year passing or current, when the
expression is employed.
=Currier.= A small musketoon with a swivel mounting.
=Currytown.= A village in Montgomery Co., N. Y., noted for the attack on
and murder of its settlers by nearly 500 Indians and a few loyalists,
commanded by a Tory named Doxstader, July 9, 1781. The settlers were
unsuspicious of danger, and were generally at work in the fields when
the enemy fell upon them. After killing and capturing all they could,
the Indians set fire to the buildings, and drove away most of the cattle
and horses in the neighborhood. Next day Col. Willett, who was at Fort
Plain when the attack was made, pursued the enemy with about 150 men,
attacked and killed about 40 of them, and recovered all their plunder.
=Curtain.= In fortification, is that part of the rampart or wall between
two bastions or two gates.
=Curtail=, or =Curtald=. An ancient piece of ordnance, apparently a
short one.
=Curtatone.= Near Mantua, Northern Italy. Here the Austrians under
Radetzky crossed the Minco, and defeated the Italians after a severe
conflict, May 29, 1848.
=Customs of the Service.= Sometimes called common law of the army.
Signifies generally a right or law not written, but established by long
usage. To render a custom valid it has been said that the following
qualities are requisite: 1, habitual or long established practice; 2,
continuance without interruption; 3, without dispute; 4, it must be
reasonable; 5, certain; 6, compulsory; 7, customs must be consistent
with each other. It may be said that the common law of the army derives
its force from the tacit consent of those in the service. Gen. Kautz
states that officers of the army have certain duties to perform that are
governed by certain laws, rules, and regulations, which are interpreted
and executed in a certain way, called “Customs of the Service.” A
knowledge of these rules of the service, and their application,
constitutes the military profession, and is the true art of war. To this
extent it is an exact science, and may be acquired by application and
experience.
=Custozza.= Near Verona, Northern Italy. Here the Italians were
defeated by Marshal Radetzky, July 23, 1848; and here they were again
defeated June 24, 1866, after a series of desperate attacks on the
Austrian army. The Italians were commanded by their king, Victor
Emmanuel, and the Austrians by the Archduke Albrecht.
=Cut Off, To.= To intercept, to hinder from union or return. In a
military sense this phrase is variously applicable, and extremely
familiar.
TO CUT OFF AN ENEMY’S RETREAT is to manœuvre in such a manner as to
prevent an opposing army or body of men from retiring, when closely
pressed, either to their intrenchments or into a fortified town from
which they had marched or sallied.
=Cut up, To.= To destroy promiscuously. When the cavalry are sent in
pursuit of a flying enemy, the latter are generally cut up.
=Cuttack= (anc. _Catac_). A province in the East Indies, ceded to the
East India Company in 1803. Cuttack, the capital, was taken by Col.
Harcourt, October 14, 1803. This province was captured by the Mahrattas
in 1750.
=Cuzco.= A city of Peru, capital of a department, and the ancient
capital of the Peruvian empire, in South America. This city was entered
by Pizarro in November, 1533, and taken by him in August, 1536, after a
five months’ siege.
=Cylinder-gauge.= See INSPECTION OF CANNON.
=Cylinder-staff.= See INSPECTION OF CANNON.
=Cyprus.= The most eastern island in the Mediterranean, near the mouth
of the Gulf of Iskanderoon. It was divided among several petty kings
till the time of Cyrus of Persia, who subdued them. It was taken by the
Greeks in 477 B.C., and ranked among the proconsular provinces in the
reign of Augustus. It was conquered by the Saracens, 648 A.D., but
recovered by the Greeks in 957. It was reduced by Richard I. of England
in 1191, and given by him to Guy de Lusignan, who became king in 1192,
and whose descendants governed it until 1489, when it was sold to the
Venetians. It was taken by the Turks in August, 1571, and held by them
until June, 1878, when it was awarded to England by the “Peace Congress
of Berlin.”
=Czaslau.= A town of Bohemia, 45 miles east-southeast of Prague. Here
Frederick the Great gained a victory over the Austrians, May 17, 1742.
D.
=Dacia.= The land of the Daci or Getæ. It comprised the various
countries now known as Eastern Hungary, Transylvania, Wallachia, and
Moldavia. The Getæ came originally from Thrace, and were divided into
various tribes, and seem to have been the most valiant of the Thracian
barbarians. Curio, the first Roman general who ever penetrated as far
north as the Danube, did not venture to assail them. Julius Cæsar,
however, is said to have intended their subjugation. In 10 B.C.,
Augustus sent an army up the valley of the Maros. From this time a
continual war was waged by the Dacians against the Romans, who actually
compelled the latter, in the reign of Domitian, to pay a tribute. In 101
A.D. the Emperor Trajan crossed the Theiss, and marched into
Transylvania, where he fought a great battle near Thorda. The Daci, who
were commanded by their famous chief Decebalus, were defeated. A second
expedition of the emperor’s (104 A.D.) resulted in the destruction of
their capital, the death of Decebalus, and the loss of their freedom. In
270 and 275 A.D. the Romans abandoned the country to the Goths, and the
colonists were transferred to Mœsia. After a series of vicissitudes,
Dacia fell into the possession of the Magyars in the 9th century.
=Dacota.= See DAKOTA.
=Dadur.= A town of Beloochistan, 5 miles to the east of the Bolan Pass.
It is said to be one of the hottest places in the world, and is
celebrated as the place where, in November, 1840, the British troops
routed a Kelat force.
=Dag.= A thick, clumsy pistol, used in the 15th and 16th centuries.
=Dagen.= A peculiar kind of poniard.
=Dagger.= A weapon resembling a sword, but considerably smaller, being
used for stabbing at close quarters. Daggers are generally two-edged,
and very sharp towards the point.
=Daghestan.= A province of Russia, on the west coast of the Caspian Sea.
It was conquered by the czar Peter in 1723; restored to Persia, 1735;
but re-annexed to Russia by Alexander I. in 1813.
=Dague= (_Fr._). Dagger, a short thick poniard which was formerly used
when individuals engaged in single combat.
=Dahlgren Gun.= So named from Admiral Dahlgren, its inventor. An
improved form of ordnance used for howitzers, heavy artillery, and
especially in naval gunnery. It having been demonstrated that in
ordinary cast guns the weight of the metal forward is greater than is
needed, and that by far the greatest strain in firing is at the breech,
Dahlgren greatly increased the relative size and weight of the breech,
with the best results. These guns are chiefly used by the U. S. forces.
See ORDNANCE, CONSTRUCTION OF.
=Dahme.= A town of Prussia, on the river of the same name. It is
defended by a strong citadel, and inclosed by walls. Here, in 1713, the
French were defeated by the Prussians.
=Dahomey.= An independent state of Guinea, Western Africa, extending
along the coast from Fort Badagry on the east, to the river Volta, which
separates it from Ashantee on the west. The Dahomans, who came into
possession of this tract of country about the beginning of the 18th
century, are for the most part tall, well formed, and intelligent, and,
for an African race, singularly honest and far advanced in agriculture.
With the exception of a few Mohammedans, whose religious belief is in no
way interfered with, they are all pagans, and practice fetish-worship.
The king is the most absolute of despots, having entire control over the
lives and property of his subjects. Wholesale murder is one of the chief
features in religious and state ceremonies, and the most valued
ornaments of the royal residence are human skulls. As many as 2000 human
victims are sometimes sacrificed at one “grand custom.” Of the regular
army of 12,000, about one-half are Amazons (devoted to celibacy), who
are described as much more effective soldiers than their male companions
in arms; but at the same time as blood-thirsty and ferocious as
tigresses.
=Dahra.= In Algeria; on June 18, 1845, above 500 Kabyles at war with the
French, were suffocated in a cave by smoke, the fire having been kindled
by order of Gen. Pelissier, afterwards Duke of Malakoff. They had fired
on a messenger bearing an offer of truce. The massacre was condemned by
Soult, the minister of war, but justified by Marshal Bugeaud.
=Dakota.= A Territory in the north central part of the United States. It
was organized under a territorial form of government March 2, 1861, but
very extensive alterations have since been made in its boundaries. The
Territory has been greatly disturbed by marauding bands of Sioux
Indians, or Dakotas, who were in 1862 and 1863 especially daring and
aggressive, and though they have frequently been defeated by U. S.
troops, notably under Gens. Sully and Sibley in 1863, they are still
very troublesome, necessitating the frequent intervention of troops for
the protection of the settlers.
=Dakota Indians.= A numerous and powerful tribe or collection of tribes
of Indians of common stock, often called Sioux, who formerly roamed over
the territory between the Missouri and Mississippi, but have moved
farther west since 1851, and are settled on agencies in Dakota, Montana,
Nebraska, etc. A great proportion of them still preserve their nomadic
habits and are still frequently troublesome. See INDIANS AND THEIR
AGENCIES.
=Dalecarlians.= Natives of Dalecarlia, Sweden, who revolted against
Christian of Denmark, 1521, and placed Gustavus Vasa on the throne of
Sweden.
=Dalmatia.= A narrow strip of territory extending along the Adriatic
Sea; bounded north by Istria and Croatia, and east by Bosnia and
Herzegovina. In ancient times Dalmatia was a considerable kingdom, and,
after many unsuccessful attempts, was first subjugated by the Romans in
the time of Augustus. After the fall of the Western empire, Dalmatia,
which had formed the most southern part of the province of Illyricum,
was captured by the Goths, from whom it was taken by the Avari (490),
who in their turn yielded it to the Slavonians about 620. It continued
under the rule of the Slavonians until the beginning of the 11th
century, when King Ladislaus of Hungary incorporated a part of it with
Croatia, while the other part, with the title of duchy, placed itself
under the protection of the Venetian republic. The Turks afterwards made
themselves masters of a small portion, and by the peace of Campo-Formio
(1797), the Venetian part, with Venice itself, became subject to
Austrian rule, and when Austria, in 1805, had ceded this part to
Napoleon, it was annexed to the kingdom of Italy; afterwards (1810) to
Illyria. Since 1814, excepting the Turkish portion, it has been reunited
with Austria.
=Damages, Barrack.= In the British service, is the term applied to the
injuries done to barracks, barrack furniture, etc., by soldiers, when
the actual perpetrator cannot be discovered. The term is also applied to
the sum levied from the company or regiment generally, to make good the
injury. Damages to arms, clothing, etc. See APPENDIX, ARTICLES OF WAR,
17.
=Damascus.= A city of Syria, in Asiatic Turkey. During the time of the
Hebrew monarchy, it was the capital of Syria, but afterwards passed
successively under the rule of the Assyrians, Persians, Macedonians,
Romans, and Saracens; and finally, in 1516, it was captured by the Turks
(under Sultan Selim I.), in whose hands it has remained ever since.
Damascus was at one time celebrated for the manufacture of sword-blades
of the finest temper and most exquisite workmanship, but the process by
which such unequaled specimens of art were perfected appears no longer
to exist.
=Damaskin.= A certain kind of sabre; so called from the manufacture of
Damascus.
=Dame= (_Fr._). Among miners any portion of earth which may remain after
the explosion of a mine has taken place. It likewise means a piece of
wood with two handles used to press down turf or dirt in a mortar.
=Damietta.= A city of Lower Egypt, on the east branch of the Nile. It
was taken by the Crusaders, 1219; lost, 1229; retaken by Louis IX., June
5, 1249; surrendered as his ransom when a prisoner, May 6, 1250.
=Damnonii=, =Dumnonii=, or =Dumnunii=. A powerful people who inhabited
the southwest of Britain, comprising Cornwall, Devonshire, and the
western part of Somersetshire, from whom was called the promontory
Damnonium (now Cape Lizard), in Cornwall.
=Danai.= An ancient name of the Greeks, derived from Danaus, king of
Argos, 1474 B.C.
=Danala.= A city in the territory of the Trocmi, in the northeast of
Galatia, notable in the history of the Mithridatic war as the place
where Lucullus resigned the command to Pompey.
=Dancetté.= One of the lines of partition in heraldry, differing from
indented only in the greater size of the notches. See INDENTED.
=Danes=, or =Northmen=. Natives of Denmark; during their attacks upon
Britain and Ireland they made a descent on France, where, in 895, under
Rollo, they received presents under the walls of Paris. They returned
and ravaged the French territories as far as Ostend in 896. They
attacked Italy in 903. Neustria was granted by the king of France to
Rollo and his Normans (Northmen), hence Normandy, in 911. The Danes
invaded England, Scotland, and Ireland with varying successes from 783
to 1084.
=Dangerous Space.= That zone, partly before and partly beyond the object
fired at (the sights having been correctly elevated), which is _covered_
by the trajectory; the object may be displaced to the front or rear of
its correct range-point, a distance equal, in the aggregate, to the
depth of this zone, and still be struck by the projectile. “Dangerous
space” is calculated under the assumption that the gun when fired is 56
inches from the ground, that it is aimed at a point 34 inches from the
ground, and that the stature of a man is 68 inches; and that the head of
a man on horseback is 8 feet above the ground. The “dangerous space”
will, of course, be increased by the firer lying down and aiming at his
adversary’s feet. A part of the “dangerous space” is near the muzzle of
the gun in the rising branch of the trajectory; the rest of it is in the
falling branch; these two parts being continuous up to and including the
“battle-range” (which see). The “dangerous space” varies with the weapon
used and the object fired at; and for the same arm diminishes as the
range increases beyond “battle-range”; up to this point it increases
with the range. A perfect understanding of this subject is essential to
effective infantry fire upon the field of battle. Valuable tables will
be found upon it in Laidley’s “Rifle Firing.”
=Dannebrog.= The ancient battle-standard of Denmark, bearing the figures
of a cross and crown. It was fabled to have fallen from heaven at the
battle of Volmar, in Esthonia (1219), during a crusade against the
heathens. It was twice taken in battle and twice recaptured. In 1500 a
mere fragment remained.
=Dannebrog, Order of the.= Is the second of the Danish orders of
knighthood. It is said to have been founded in 1219, but fell into
decay, and was restored in 1671.
=Dannevirke=, or =Dannewerke=. A series of earthworks considered almost
impregnable, stretching across the long narrow peninsula of Sleswick,
Holstein, and Jutland,--said to have been built during the “stone age.”
It was rebuilt in 937 by Thyra, queen of Gormo the Old, for which she
was named _Dannabod_, “the pride of the Danes.” It was again repaired
between 995 and 1000. Near here the Prussians, aiding the duchies,
defeated the Danes, April 23, 1848.
=Dantzic=, or =Danzig=. A city of Prussia; is surrounded with ramparts,
mounted with cannon, and the town may be considered as being one of the
strongest fortresses in Prussia. In the 10th century it was known as the
capital of Pomerali; it passed with that province, in 1295, under the
authority of Poland; but in 1308, Ladislaus IV. ceded the whole to the
Teutonic knights, who held it till 1454. In that year it was again
seized by the Poles; and in 1575, having refused to acknowledge Stephen
Bathory, it had to sustain a siege by that monarch, and was taken in
1577. From 1360 to 1641 it was one of the principal towns in the
Hanseatic League. When this league was dissolved, Dantzic joined Lubeck,
Hamburg, and Bremen; and these four cities, down to a very late period,
retained their name of Hanse Towns. In 1734 it was forced to surrender
to the Russians and Saxons, who were then besieging Stanislaus of
Poland. In 1793 it was occupied by the Prussians. It was taken by the
French in May, 1807, after a long siege, by Marshal Lefevre, who thence
acquired his title of duke of Dantzic. After Bonaparte’s disastrous
campaign in Russia, it was blockaded and obliged to surrender, after a
long and able defense by Gen. Rapp. At the peace of Paris, in 1814, it
reverted to Prussia.
=Dardanelles=, or =Hellespont= (anc. _Hellespontus_). A narrow strait
between Europe and Asiatic Turkey, connecting the Sea of Marmora and the
Ægean Sea. As it is the key to Constantinople, there are on both shores
of this narrow channel numerous forts and batteries, there being 8 on
the European and 7 on the Asiatic side. It was here the invading armies
of Xerxes crossed on a bridge of boats to enter Europe. The passage of
the strait was achieved by the British under Sir John Duckworth,
February 9, 1807; but he repassed with great loss, March 2, two castles
occupying the sites of the ancient Sestos and Abydos, hurling down
stones of many tons weight upon the British. The allied English and
French passed the Dardanelles at the sultan’s request, October, 1853.
=Dart.= A pointed, missile weapon, intended to be thrown by the hand; a
short lance; a javelin; hence, any missile weapon.
=Dartmouth.= A seaport town of England, in Devonshire; it was burnt by
the French in the reigns of Richard I. and Henry IV. In a third attempt
(1404) the invaders were defeated by the inhabitants, assisted by the
valor of the women. In the war of the Parliament, Dartmouth was taken,
after a siege of four weeks, by Prince Maurice, who garrisoned the place
for the king (1643); but it was retaken by Gen. Fairfax by storm in
1646.
=Dauphin= (_Dolphin_), _Fr._ An ornamental handle on brass guns over the
trunnions, so called from its resemblance to that fish.
=Dauphiné.= An old province of Southeast France, successively held by
the Allobroges, Burgundians, and Lombards; was, about 723-24, delivered
from the invading Saracens by Charles Martel. Its counts were called
dauphins; and when it was ceded to Philip of Valois, in 1349, the title
of dauphin was given to the eldest son of the king of France, to whom it
continued to be applied till the revolution of 1830.