length is 36 miles; its breadth from 1 to 3 miles. Lake George was the
scene of important military operations during the French and Indian war
of 1755-59. Here stood Fort George, Fort William Henry, and other works.
=George, St.= Patron of England and Russia, is reputed to have been born
in Palestine in the 3d century. According to the legend, he became a
prince in Cappadocia, and was distinguished for his exploit of rescuing
a king’s daughter from a dragon. He was a Christian, and suffered
martyrdom at Nicomedia, April 23, 303, for having torn down the edict of
Diocletian against Christians, the emperor himself being then in the
city.
=George, St., Banner of.= Is white with red cross. According to Sir N.
H. Nicolas, the cross of St. George was worn as a badge over the armor
of every English soldier “in the 14th and subsequent centuries, even if
the custom did not prevail at a much earlier period,” to indicate that
he was in the service of the crown. On the invasion of Scotland by
Richard II. in 1386, it was ordained that every man of the English party
should wear a sign of the arms of St. George both before and behind. A
similar ordinance was adopted by Henry V. for the government of his army
in France. The cross of St. George forms a part of the British standard.
=George, St., Knights of.= See GARTER, ORDER OF THE.
=George, The.= The badge of the order of the Garter exhibiting the
figure of St. George on horseback piercing the falling dragon, which
lies on a mount. See GARTER.
=Georges Conspiracy.= Took place in France; Gens. Moreau and Pichegru,
and Georges Cadoudal, who was commonly known by the name of Georges, and
others were arrested at Paris, charged with a conspiracy against the
life of Bonaparte, and for the restoration of Louis XVIII., February,
1804. Pichegru was found strangled in prison, April 6, and 12 of the
conspirators, including Georges, were executed, and others imprisoned,
June 22. Moreau was exiled and went to America; in 1813 he was killed
before Dresden.
=Georgia.= Called by the Russians Grusia, a considerable country of
Asia, situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian, to the north of
Armenia, and forming a government of Russia. The Georgians are skilled
in the bow, and are thought to be the best soldiers in Asia. Georgia was
formerly one kingdom, the inhabitants of which were Christians; but, in
1639, when it was conquered by the Persians, the country was divided
between two native princes, by themselves called kings, but by the
Sophia styled governors. Each of these had a guard of Mohammedan horse
in their pay. In 1802 it was annexed to Russia.
=Georgia.= One of the original States of the United States, bounded on
the north by Tennessee and North Carolina, on the east by South Carolina
and the Atlantic Ocean, south by Florida, and west by Florida and
Alabama. It was named in honor of King George II., who granted a charter
for establishing a colony there in 1732; but a permanent settlement was
not made till the following year, when Oglethorpe established himself at
what is now Savannah. The colony soon became involved in several
contests with the Spaniards of Florida, who claimed the territory. In
1739 Oglethorpe invaded Florida, but without much success. In 1742 the
Spaniards retaliated by invading Georgia; but they also effected
nothing. The next noteworthy event in the history of the colony was a
war with the Cherokees in 1761, which was terminated by their suing for
peace, after their country had been laid waste. They were afterwards
peaceable, and were removed to the Indian Territory in 1838. In the war
of the Revolution Georgia warmly sided with the colonies, and, in
consequence, suffered severely at the hands of the British, who overran
the country, and captured Savannah, December 29, 1778. In the following
year (October, 1779) the Americans and French attempted to retake it,
but were repulsed with severe loss. In the civil war (1861-65), Georgia
took an active part against the Union, and suffered severely in
consequence. Atlanta was captured September 2, 1864, after which Gen.
Sherman marched with his army through the State to the sea over an area
extending from 20 to 60 miles in width, destroying railroad
communication, etc., and ending with the capture of Savannah, December
20, 1864. This magnificent military movement effectually humbled the
State, and in 1866 the President issued a proclamation declaring it no
longer in a state of insurrection.
=Gerasa=, or =Jerash=. An ancient city of Syria, whose site is now
marked by very extensive and magnificent ruins, situated about 35 miles
east of the Jordan, at the eastern extremity of the land of Bashan, and
on the borders of the great desert of Hauran. But little of its early
history is known. In the time of the Antonines it had arrived at the
height of its splendor and prosperity. It was taken by Alexander Jannæus
in 85 B.C.; the Jews burned it at the commencement of their last war
with the Romans; it was taken and plundered by Annius, the general of
Vespasian, and in 1122 its castle was destroyed by Baldwin II. of
Jerusalem.
=Gerbe.= An ornamental firework. See PYROTECHNY.
=Gerberoi.= In Normandy, north of France. Here William the Conqueror was
wounded in battle by his son Robert, who had joined the French king,
Philip I., 1078.
=Gerit= (_Fr._). A Turkish dart 2¹⁄₂ feet long.
=Germany= (Lat. _Germania_). The name given to a large portion of
Central Europe, composed of a number of independent states united
together, and forming the German empire. In the time of Julius Cæsar the
Germans were the most formidable and warlike of all the European
barbarians. They long withstood the attempts of the Romans to subdue
them; and, although that people conquered some parts of the country,
they were expelled before the close of the 3d century. In the 5th
century the Huns and other tribes prevailed over the greater portion of
Germany. In the latter part of the 8th century Charlemagne subdued the
Saxons and other tribes, and was crowned emperor at Rome, December 25,
800. At the extinction of his family the empire became elective, 911,
and was generally obtained by a member of the house of Hapsburg from
1437 to 1806, when the emperor Francis Joseph II. formally renounced the
title of emperor of Germany, having assumed that of emperor of Austria
two years previously. The Confederation of the Rhine was formed July 12,
1806; the Germanic Confederation, June 8, 1815; and the North German
Confederation, August 18, 1866. In consequence of the success of the
Prussian arms in the war with France (1870-71) the new empire of Germany
was founded, and the king of Prussia declared emperor, January 18, 1871.
=Germinal Insurrection.= That of the faubourgs of Paris, suppressed on
12th Germinal, year III. (April 1, 1795).
=Gerona.= A strong town of Spain, in Catalonia, at the confluence of the
Oña and Ter, the latter of which flows through the town. It is built in
the form of a triangle, at the foot of a steep mountain, and is
surrounded by walls flanked with fortifications, and covered by a fort
erected on a hill to the north of the town. It was besieged 28 times,
and taken 5 times. In June, 1808, it successfully resisted the French,
but after suffering much famine surrendered December 12, 1809.
=Gesate=, or =Gessate= (_Fr._). Formerly a Gallic mercenary soldier, who
volunteered his services beyond his native country. These adventurers,
or knights-errant, were called _gesates_, either on account of the gese,
or large dart, which they carried, or, as Polybius imagines, on account
of the subsistence they received, which was called by that name.
=Geserne.= The Anglo-Norman term for battle-axe.
=Geses and Materes.= Were weapons adopted by the Allobroges (a body of
ancient Gauls so called), independently of the broad cut-and-thrust
sword which the Swiss still wear. These instruments were only one cubit
long; half the blade was nearly square; but it terminated in a round
point that was exceedingly sharp. Not only the Romans, but the Greeks
received it into their armies. The former retained the full appellation
and called it _gese_, but the latter corrupted it into _ysse_. This is
the only weapon with which those soldiers were armed that escorted
malefactors, who were condemned to death, to the place of execution. The
term _gese_ was also applied to a sort of a javelin.
=Gestic.= Pertaining to deeds or feats of arms; legendary.
=Gettysburg.= Capital of Adams Co., Pa., situated near the southern
border of the State, 8 miles from “Mason and Dixon’s line.” Here three
days’ severe fighting took place on July 1-3, 1863, between the invading
Confederate army under Gens. Lee, Longstreet, and Ewell, and the
Federals under Gen. George G. Meade.
On the morning of July 1, Maj-Gen. Reynolds, in command of the 1st
Corps, advanced on the Emmittsburg road from Marsh Creek to Gettysburg,
arriving about 10 o’clock A.M., and marched directly through the town,
and soon after encountered a body of the enemy, which were driven back
by Gen. Buford’s cavalry, which allowed the 1st Corps to form up in
order of battle on a ridge northwest of the town, which sloped to the
west into a little open valley. Beyond this valley was a ridge of higher
land thickly wooded. Across this valley the line of Gen. Reynolds
advanced somewhat hastily, almost before it was well formed, and soon
encountered a heavy force of the enemy’s infantry, and was compelled to
fall back, which it did in good order, and by a movement of its left
centre against the enemy while falling back secured a large number of
prisoners. The Confederate line being broken soon after, Gen. Reynolds
again prepared to go forward. His line advanced as before, and drove the
enemy from the valley and over the ridge at the farthest side, with a
severe loss by the heavy fire of the foe. While reconnoitring on this
ridge Gen. Reynolds was killed by a shot from the enemy. The 11th Corps
now arrived and Gen. Howard took command of the whole field, Gen. Schurz
commanding the 11th Corps. At about half-past 2 P.M. the enemy again
advanced in force against the 1st Corps, which slowly fell back to its
original position northwest of the town. The Confederate force advanced
across the open space in line of battle, whilst their batteries shelled
the position of the 1st Corps to cover the advance, but it met a fire so
sharp and well served that it caused it to reel and fall back; the line
was again formed and reinforced and once more advanced, but with no
better success. By this time the line was increased by three more of the
enemy’s divisions, and another charge was made by the whole force of the
enemy. Their superior numbers enabled them to threaten both flanks of
the Federal force, and notwithstanding a brave resistance the 1st Corps
was compelled to fall back to the town. By this movement the 11th Corps
was uncovered, and a heavy advance completely on its right flank
compelled it to retire. The enemy advanced and took possession of the
town, while the two corps of the Union troops fell back and occupied the
west slope of the hill south of the town, held by Gen. Steinwehr. At
dusk the 3d and 12th Corps arrived and next morning the 5th, making in
all six corps, which were placed in position by Gen. Meade, the line
stretching in a semicircle, having its convex centre toward Gettysburg,
with the extreme toward the south and west. The heights on which they
were posted sloped gently down from their front. The key of Gen. Meade’s
position was Cemetery Hill, a little distance south of the town, and on
the northern slope of which the town itself is situated. The enemy
having been largely reinforced during the night were prepared to give
battle on the morning of the 2d, having formed line on a ridge which ran
nearly parallel to the extreme of that on which the Federal forces were
formed, and separated from them by a valley varying in width from 1 to 2
miles.
On the ridge occupied by Gen. Meade 100 guns were in position facing the
enemy, with reserve artillery in the rear about equidistant from the
flanks. The enemy had nearly 150 guns in position. During the forenoon
of the 2d no movement of importance took place, but about noon Gen. Lee
ordered a general attack on the Federal centre and left. His movement
being discovered by the Union commanders they were prepared, and the 3d
Corps, commanded by Gen. Sickles, was advanced more to the left and
front in order to be in a more commanding position to repel the
Confederate attack. He had hardly got into position when the enemy
attacked. Having bravely resisted their furious onslaught for about two
hours, and not receiving the expected reinforcements, the 3d Corps was
compelled to fall back to its previous position, when a most desperate
assault was made upon it by Longstreet’s troops; but this part of the
line being promptly strengthened it repulsed all the efforts of
Longstreet, with great loss, however, on both sides. With the advance of
Longstreet a part of the enemy advanced on the centre of the Union line,
and meeting with stubborn resistance the battle grew fearful. The enemy
pressed forward unrestrained. Gens. Sickles, Hancock, and Gibbon were
wounded. The 1st and 2d Corps wavered and the enemy pressed up to the
very guns of the batteries, which were exposed to capture; but the 6th
Corps, although wearied with marching, hurried up with shouts to the
support, and the enemy staggered and drifted slowly back, and being
pushed on their left flank by a strong force of the Federals, they
retired. At this time a desperate dash was made by the Confederates on
the extreme right, which had been weakened to support the centre and
left. For a short time the attack was furious, but the Federals being
speedily supported the enemy were kept in check, and finally retired
about 9 o’clock P.M., having lost the day in every quarter.
The battle commenced again on the morning of the 3d by an artillery fire
from the Confederate lines, and an aggressive movement of the right of
the Federal forces under Gen. Slocum to drive Gen. Ewell farther back.
This attack met with a prompt response from the latter, but Gen. Slocum
having been reinforced by part of the 3d and 5th Corps, the struggle was
evenly contested for some time, when additional reinforcements having
arrived, the tide of battle was turned in favor of the Union troops,
causing the enemy to retire, and at 11 o’clock A.M. a general quiet
prevailed. The movements of the morning against Gen. Meade thus far had
been made to cover up the designs of the Confederates. The battle of the
previous day had demonstrated that the issue of the struggle turned on
the occupation of Cemetery Hill, the key of Gen. Meade’s position. To
get possession of this spot was therefore the object of the enemy.
Therefore Lee massed about 115 guns so as to subject the artillery on
Cemetery Hill to more than a half circle of cross-fires. At about 1
o’clock P.M. the signal-gun was fired and the cannonading commenced. The
fire of the enemy was concentrated on the position held by the 2d and
11th Corps. It drew a most terrific response from the Federal batteries,
and as has been described by a spectator in the Confederate army, the
almost simultaneous discharge of over 200 guns “made the air hideous
with most discordant noise. The very earth shook, and the hills and
rocks seemed to reel like a drunken man. For one hour and a half this
most terrific fire was continued, during which time the shrieking of
shell, the crash of fallen timbers, the fragments of rocks flying
through the air, shattered from the cliffs by solid shot, the heavy
muttering from the valley between the opposing armies, the splash of
bursting shrapnel, and the fierce neighing of wounded artillery horses,
made a picture terribly grand and sublime.” At the termination of the
firing, the left of the Union line was assaulted twice, which were
handsomely repulsed with severe loss to the Confederates. And thus ended
the memorable battle of Gettysburg. The forenoon of the 4th was devoted
to the burial of the dead, and in the afternoon the Confederate forces
commenced to retreat, leaving the Federal forces in possession of the
hard-fought field, which covered the Union troops with the highest
honor and glory, but at a terrible sacrifice. During the three days the
Confederate losses were 18,000 killed and wounded, and 13,000 missing, a
large part of the latter prisoners; making a total of 31,000. The Union
losses were 16,500 killed and wounded, and 6600 missing, chiefly
prisoners captured on the first and second days, making a total loss of
not less than 23,000--_Extracts from D. Appleton’s “History of the
Rebellion,” by Tenney, “Lippincott’s Gazetteer,” and “Haydn’s Dates_.”
=Ghaut=, or =Ghât=. A term in India signifying a pass through a range of
hills; also a flight of stairs descending to the rivers for the
accommodation of bathers, and as landing-places for boats.
=Ghent= (Fr. _Gand_). An ancient fortified city of Belgium, capital of
East Flanders, situated at the confluence of the Lys and Scheldt. It
commenced to acquire importance in the 12th century, when its
fortifications were completed. In the 14th century, having revolted
against the Duke of Burgundy, it was subdued after seven defeats, in
some of which it suffered a fearful slaughter of its citizens. It again
revolted against Charles V. in the 16th century, was again subdued, made
to pay a heavy fine, and forced to pay for the erection of a citadel to
keep it in subjection. The French became masters of Ghent in 1678, 1708,
1745, 1792, and again in 1795. The city was united to the kingdom of the
Netherlands after the peace of Paris (1814), and is now a rich and
populous city of Belgium. In this city on December 24, 1814, the terms
of the treaty were agreed on, between the United States and British
envoys, which put an end to the war of 1812-15.
=Gheriah.= A town of British India, in the presidency of Bombay. It was
the principal post of Angria, a famous piratical prince, whose fort here
was taken, and his whole fleet destroyed, by Admiral Watson and Col.
Clive, in conjunction with the Mahrattas in 1756.
=Ghizni=, or =Ghuznee=. A fortified city of Afghanistan, built on a hill
7720 feet above the level of the sea, 90 miles from Cabul. It was the
capital of a powerful empire of the same name, and is sometimes called
the second Medina, from the great number of illustrious persons who have
been interred there. The old town of Ghuznee was destroyed in the 12th
century, and the modern one stands on a site about 3 miles from the
ruins of the other. It was stormed and taken by Lord Keane in 1839. In
1842 the garrison surrendered to the Afghans, from whom, however, it was
again taken in the same year by the British forces under Gen. Nott.
=Ghoor=, =Ghore=, or =Ghour=. A large district of Afghanistan. This was
formerly one of the Persian governments; but in the 12th century its
chiefs became independent, overturned the Ghiznian empire, and carried
their arms as far as Benares. One of their slaves founded the
Mohammedan kingdom of Delhi about 1206. This country was overrun in the
13th and 14th centuries by the armies of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. Its
capital is Ghoor, which was taken by the king of Kharezim, and was
subsequently sacked by the armies of Genghis and Tamerlane, from which
it has never recovered, and is now scarcely known.
=Ghorchana.= The irregular Sikh yeomanry who served in the wars in the
Punjab between the Sikhs and the English.
=Ghyretty.= Cantonments 14 miles from Calcutta. It is a palace built by
Mr. Dupleix, which the British took by force in 1797, and imprisoned the
principal French colonists of Chandernagore there.
=Giambeux.= Greaves; armor for the legs, in ancient times. See JAMBEUX.
=Giant Powder=, or =Dynamite=. See DYNAMITE.
=Giants, Battle of the.= See BATTLE OF THE GIANTS.
=Giberne= (_Fr._). A sort of bag in which the grenadiers held their
hand-grenades. It was worn like a powder-flask.
=Gibraltar.= A fortified seaport town and garrison, occupying a
promontory in the south of Spain, at the entrance from the Atlantic into
the Mediterranean, 60 miles southeast from Cadiz. It consists of a high
and rocky mountain running from north to south, about 3 miles in length,
and three-fourths in width, its highest point being 1439 feet above the
level of the sea. The “rock” was first fortified in the modern style in
the reign of Charles V. It was surprised by the English under Sir George
Booke in 1704, soon after the commencement of the War of the Spanish
Succession, and it has been a British dependency ever since. It has been
repeatedly besieged, and always without success,--first in 1720, next in
1727, and lastly in 1779, when it stood a siege of upwards of three
years and a half, the French and Spaniards using their utmost endeavors
to capture it; but every effort was bravely repulsed by the governor,
Gen. Elliott.
=Gibraltar of America.= See QUEBEC.
=Gib-staff.= In England, a staff to gauge water, or to push a boat.
=Gin.= In military mechanics, is a machine for raising great weights: it
is composed of three long legs, one of them being longer than the rest,
and called the _pry-pole_. The other two are kept at a proper distance
by means of two iron bars fixed on one of the legs by a staple passing
through a hole at one end; the other end has a hook which enters into a
staple fixed into the other leg so as to be taken off or put on at
pleasure. At about 3 feet from the bottom is a windlass, upon which the
cable is wound; and the three legs are joined together at the top by an
iron bolt, about which they move; to this bolt is also fixed an iron
clevis to which is hooked the blocks and fall. When the gin stands
upright with legs at a proper distance, one end of the cable is
fastened to a gun, mortar, or other weight; and the other passes through
the pulleys and about the roller, which is turned round by means of
hand-spikes passing through the holes in the end of the roller; whilst a
man holds the cable tight, the gun is raised to the height required, so
that the carriage may be put under it. The modern gin has a windlass
with pawl and ratchet attachments. There are three different kinds of
gins,--the _field and siege_, the _garrison_, and the _casemate_ gins;
and they only differ in their size and weight.
=Gindi.= Turkish horsemen, who perform extraordinary feats.
=Gingals=, =Ginjauls=, or =Gingauls=. Large muskets used in India by the
natives, with a rest, somewhat similar to those invented by Marshal
Vauban for the defense of forts.
=Gingee.= A strong town on the coast of Coromandel, once the capital of
a kingdom of the same name, 85 miles from Madras. Towards the end of the
18th century, the Great Mogul unsuccessfully besieged this place for a
period of three years. In 1750 it was taken by the French, who, in 1761,
ceded it to the British.
=Gionules= (_Fr._). Turkish volunteer cavalry, renowned for their
bravery.
=Girandole= (_Fr._). Any firework turning upon a wheel; a wheel whose
circumference is studded with rockets.
=Girandole= (_Fr._). In fortification, several chambers in mines
connected for the defense of the place of arms of the covered way.
=Girondists.= An important party during the French revolution,
principally composed of deputies from the Gironde. At first they were
ardent republicans, but after the cruelties of August and September,
1792, they labored to restrain the cruelties of the Mountain party, to
which they succumbed. Their leaders, Brissot, Vergniaud, and many others
were guillotined October 31, 1793, at the instigation of Robespierre.
=Gironné=, or =Gyronné=. A term used in heraldry to indicate that the
field is divided into six, eight, or more triangular portions of
different trenches, the points of the triangles all meeting in the
centre of the shield.
=Gisarm.= A scythe-shaped weapon, with a pike projecting from one side,
formerly borne by foot-soldiers on the end of a long staff. It was used
as late as the battle of Flodden. See GUISARME.