has been applied to that portion of the light-armed infantry in the
Austrian service which is raised in the Slavonian districts on the
Turkish frontier. The Pandours originally fought under the orders of
their own proper chief, who was called Harun-Basha, and rendered
essential service to the Austrians during the Spanish War of Succession,
and afterwards in the Seven Years’ War. They originally fought after the
fashion of the “free lances,” and were a terror to the enemy, whom they
annoyed incessantly. Their appearance was exceedingly picturesque, being
somewhat oriental in character, and their arms consisted of a musket,
pistol, a Hungarian sabre, and two Turkish poniards. Their habits of
brigandage and cruelty rendered them, however, as much a terror to the
people they defended as to the enemy. Since 1750 they have been
gradually put under a stricter discipline, and are now incorporated with
the Austrian frontier regiments.
=Panic.= A sudden fright; especially, a sudden fright without real
cause, or terror inspired by a trifling cause, or misapprehension of
danger; as, the troops were seized with a panic; they fled in a panic.
These terrors are attributed to Pan, as some say, because when Osiris
was bound by Typho, Pan and the satyrs appearing, cast him into a
fright; or because he frightened all the giants that waged war against
Jupiter; or, as others say, that when Pan was Bacchus’s
lieutenant-general in his Indian expedition, being encompassed in a
valley by an army of enemies far superior to them in number, he advised
the god to order his men to give a general shout, which so surprised the
enemy that they immediately fled from their camp. And hence it came to
pass that all sudden fears impressed upon men’s spirits without any just
reason were, by the Greeks and Romans, called _panic_ terrors.
=Panic-stricken.= Struck with a panic or sudden fear; as, the troops
were panic-stricken.
=Paniput=, or =Paneeput=. A town of British India, capital of a district
of the same name in the territorial division of Delhi, Northwest
Provinces, 78 miles north of Delhi, and 965 miles northwest of Calcutta.
The neighborhood of Paniput, lying in the great military highway between
Eastern India and Afghanistan, has been at various times the field of
great battles. The _first_ great battle of Paniput was fought in 1526,
and gained by Mirza Baber, the ex-ruler of Ferghana, at the head of
12,000 Mongols, over Ibrahim, the emperor of Delhi, whose unwarlike
array numbered 100,000 men, with 1000 elephants. This victory seated
Baber on the throne of Hindostan as the first of the “Great Mogul”
dynasty. The _second_ great battle was fought in 1556 by the Mongols
under Akbar, grandson of Baber, and third of the Mogul emperors, against
Hemu, an Indian prince, who had usurped the throne of Delhi. Hemu’s army
was defeated with great slaughter, and himself slain. The _third_
battle was fought on January 14, 1761, between Ahmed Abdalli, ruler of
Afghanistan, and the till then invincible Mahrattas. The Jats, who had
been forced to join the Mahrattas, deserted to the Afghans at a time
when victory seemed to be declaring for the former; and this act of
treachery, together with the loss of their leaders, threw the Mahrattas
into confusion, and in spite of their most resolute valor they suffered
a total defeat. They left 50,000 slain on the field of battle, including
all their leaders except Holkar, and 30,000 men were killed in the
pursuit, which was continued for four days. It was at Kurnaul, a town a
little to the north of Paniput, that Nadir Shah of Persia, in 1739, won
the celebrated battle over the Mogul emperor, which placed Northwestern
India at his feet.
=Pannels.= Are the carriages upon which mortars and their beds are
conveyed upon a march.
=Pannier.= A shield of basket-work formerly used by archers, who set
them up in their front. Also a basket, usually slung in pairs over the
back of a beast of burden to carry a load. The term is also applied to
leather bags to be used in the same way, and especially to cases for
carrying medicines.
=Pannonia.= A province of the ancient Roman empire, bounded on the north
and east by the Danube, on the west by the mountains of Noricum, and on
the south reaching a little way across the Save; and thus including part
of modern Hungary, Slavonia, parts of Bosnia, of Croatia, and of
Carniola, Styria, and Lower Austria. The Pannonians (Pannonii) were a
brave, warlike people. They maintained their independence of Rome till
Augustus, after his conquest of the Illyrians (35 B.C.), turned his arms
against them; they were shortly afterwards subdued by his general
Vibius. In 7, the Pannonians joined the Dalmatians and the other
Illyrian tribes in their revolt from Rome, and were with difficulty
conquered by Tiberius, after a desperate struggle, which lasted three
years (7-9). The dangerous mutiny (14) of the Roman troops which were
garrisoned in Pannonia was with difficulty quelled by Drusus. Fifteen
legions had to be assembled against the Pannonians, who mustered 200,000
warriors. Great numbers of the Pannonian youth were drafted into the
Roman legions, and proved, when disciplined, among the bravest and most
effective soldiers in the imperial army. Pannonia was subsequently
divided into Upper and Lower Pannonia. Upper Pannonia was the scene of
the Marcomannic war in the 2d century. In the 5th century it was
transferred from the Western to the Eastern empire, and afterwards given
up to the Huns. After Attila’s death, in 453, the Ostrogoths obtained
possession of it. The Longobards under Alboin made themselves masters of
it in 527, and relinquished it to the Avari upon commencing their
expedition to Italy. The Magyars, or Hungarians, took it in the end of
the 9th century.
=Panonceau= (_Fr._). An ancient name for an ensign or banner.
=Panoply.= Complete armor, or harness.
=Papagos.= A tribe of Indians closely allied to the Pimas, who reside on
a reservation on the Santa Cruz River, in Arizona. They were converted
to Christianity by Spanish missionaries at an early date, and are a
peaceable and industrious race.
=Papal States=, or =States of the Church=. A territory, or rather group
of states in Central Italy, formerly united into one sovereignty, with
the pope for its head. The Papal States were bounded on the north by the
Po, on the south by Naples, on the east by the Gulf of Venice and
Naples, and on the west by Modena, Tuscany, and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Detached portions, as Benevento and Pontecorvo, lay within the
Neapolitan territory. About 720, Gregory III. having quarreled with the
emperor Leo the Isaurian, declared the independence of Rome. In 726,
Pepin le Bref compelled the Lombard king to hand over Ravenna, Rimini,
Pesaro, Fano, Cesena, Urbino, Forli, Comacchio, and fifteen other towns
to the pope, who now assumed the state of a temporal sovereign. Pepin’s
example was followed by his son Charlemagne. In the 11th century the
Normans greatly aided to increase the papal temporal authority, and in
1053 the duchy of Benevento was annexed. In 1278 the emperor Rodolf I.
confirmed the popes in the acquisitions thus obtained, defined the
boundaries of the Papal States, and absolved their inhabitants from
their oath of allegiance to the empire. Sixtus IV. in the end of the
15th century annexed the Romagna to his dominions. By the victory of the
French at Marignan (1515), the very existence of the papal power was
threatened. In 1598 the possessions of the house of Este, viz.: Ferrara,
Comacchio, and a part of the Romagna, were seized by Pope Clement VIII.;
and the Papal States received their final additions in Urbino (1623),
Ronciglione, and the duchy of Castro (1650). The Romagna was seized by
Napoleon in 1797, and incorporated in the Cisalpine Republic; and in the
following year Rome was taken by the French, and the Papal States
erected into the _Roman Republic_. Pius VII., in 1800, obtained
possession of his states, but they were almost immediately retaken by
the French. In 1814, the pope returned to his dominions, and was
formally reinstated by the treaty of Vienna. In 1830, the people of
Ancona and Bologna rose in rebellion; they were put down by the aid of
an Austrian army. The Bolognese again rebelled; and this revolt supplied
Austria with a pretext for occupying the northern Legations, and the
French at the same time garrisoned Ancona. Occasional risings took place
from time to time up to 1846. In 1848, the people rose, and Pius IX.
fled to Gaeta, whilst Rome was proclaimed a republic. He was restored
and his subjects reduced to submission by the arms of France, Austria,
Naples, and Spain. The Austrians held the Legations in subjection to the
pope’s authority till 1859; the French occupied Rome in his behalf till
1870. In July, 1859, the four northern Legations (the Romagna) taking
advantage of the withdrawal of the Austrian troops, threw off the papal
authority, and proclaimed their annexation to Sardinia, which was
formally acknowledged by Victor Emmanuel in March, 1860. The pope now
raised a large body of troops, appointing Lamoricière, an eminent French
general, to command them, for the purpose of resisting any further
encroachments on his dominions; but the news of Garibaldi’s success in
Sicily and Naples produced revolt in the Legation of Urbino and in the
Marches, the people proclaiming Victor Emmanuel. The Sardinians
accordingly marched into the Papal States, defeated Lamoricière, who
retired into Ancona, where he was compelled to surrender with his whole
army. The revolted provinces of Umbria, Urbino, and the Marches, and
part of Frosinone were annexed to Sardinia. In September, 1870, the
remaining states were occupied by the Italian troops, and the pope was
removed from temporal power. On October 2, 1870, the people pronounced
their annexation to the kingdom of Italy, with which the territory of
the States of the Church was incorporated by decree of October 9, and
Gen. Marmora appointed governor of the new provinces.
=Papegai= (_Fr._). A popinjay; a bird made of wood or pasteboard, stuck
upon a lance, and used as a mark when practicing with the bow,
cross-bow, musket, etc.
=Paper Shell.= See PYROTECHNY.
=Paper Time-fuze.= See LABORATORY STORES.
=Paphlagonia.= Was a country of Asia Minor, separated from Pontus on the
east by the river Halys (_Kizil Ermak_), and from Bithynia on the west
by the river Parthenius (_Bartan-Su_), and bounded on the north by the
Euxine, and on the south by Galatia. Its limits, however, were somewhat
different at different times. The Paphlagonians are supposed to have
been of Syrian, or at least of Semitic origin, and were a wild and
warlike people. Crœsus made Paphlagonia a part of the kingdom of Lydia,
and Cyrus united it to Persia; it subsequently became part of the empire
of Alexander the Great, and afterwards of the kingdom of Pontus, was
included in the Roman province of Galatia, and in the 4th century of the
Christian era was made a separate province by Constantine.
=Papilio= (_Fr._). A square Roman tent for eight men.
=Parachute Light Ball.= A thin shell, the upper half of which is blown
off by the charge at a certain height. The lower half filled with
composition, which is kindled by the explosion, is kept floating in the
air by means of a small parachute, which is set free when the upper
half of the shell flies off.
=Parade.= Signifies in its original sense a prepared ground, and was
applied to the court-yard of a castle, or to any inclosed and level
plain. From the practice of reviewing troops at such a spot, the review
itself has acquired the name of parade.
=Parade.= To assemble troops in a uniform manner for the purpose of
regular muster, exercise, and inspection. The parades are general,
regimental, or private (troop, battery, or company), according to the
strength of the force assembled.
=Parade.= In camp, is that spot of ground in the front of each
encampment, between the camp colors, on the right and left wings.
=Parade, Dress.= A parade which takes place in the U. S. army at the
troop or retreat on each evening, when the soldiers appear in full
uniform and under arms.
=Parade, Evening.= The hour generally fixed for the evening parade is at
sunset. When troops are encamped, the signal for evening parade is given
from the park of artillery, by the discharge of a piece of ordnance
called the evening gun.
=Parade Guard Mounting.= The parading of the soldiers who are to go on
guard.
=Parade, Morning.= In every garrison town, fortified place, and camp, as
well as in every town through which soldiers pass, or occasionally halt,
a certain hour in the morning is fixed for the assembling of the
different corps, troops, or companies, in regular order.
=Parade Officer.= An officer who attends to the minutiæ of regimental
duty, but who is not remarkable for military science.
=Parade Rest.= A position of rest for soldiers, in which, however, they
are required to be silent and motionless, used specially at parade;
also, the command for the position.
=Parade, Troop.= Morning parade (which see).
=Parade-ground.= The piece of ground on which soldiers are paraded.
=Parados.= An elevation of earth which is effected behind fortified
places, to secure them from any sudden attack that may be made in
reverse.
=Parætonium=, or =Ammonia=. Formerly an important city on the northeast
coast of Africa. It was a strong fortress; restored by Justinian, and
continued a place of some consequence till its complete destruction by
Mehemet Ali in 1820.
=Paraguay.= A republic in South America, discovered by Sebastian Cabot
in 1526; conquered by Alvarez Nuñez in 1535, and civilized by the
Jesuits, who in 1608 commenced their missions there, and established an
exclusive government, which they held until their expulsion in 1768.
Paraguay rose against the Spanish yoke in 1811, and achieved its
independence. Paraguay was recognized as an independent state by the
Argentine Confederation in 1852, and by Great Britain in 1853. On
November 11, 1864, hostilities between Paraguay and Brazil began, when a
Brazilian steamer was captured as an intruder on Paraguayan waters; in
the same year Brazil was invaded by the Paraguayans, and on April 14,
1865, Lopez (president of the republic) invaded the territories of the
Argentine Republic, which immediately made alliance with Brazil. In
September, 1865, the army of Lopez was defeated. The war continued
almost without intermission until 1870, when Lopez was killed. Since
that time Paraguay, though nominally independent, has been almost
completely under control of Brazil.
=Parallels.= Are trenches cut in the ground before a fortress, roughly
parallel to its defenses, for the purpose of giving cover to the
besiegers from the guns of the place. The parallels are usually three,
with zigzag trenches leading from one to another. The old rule used to
be to dig the first at 600 yards’ distance; but the improvements in
artillery have rendered a greater distance necessary, and at Sebastopol
the allies made their first trench 2000 yards from the walls. The third
trench is very near to the besieged works, and from it saps and zigzag
approaches are directed to the covert way. See SIEGE.
=Paramount.= The highest in rank or order; the chief.
=Parapets= (Ital. _parapetto_, “breastguard”). In fortifications, are
breastworks, walls, or bulwarks of earth, brick, wood, iron, stone, or
other material. The battlement around a flat roof, or the railing of a
bridge is also called a parapet. The parapets of field-works are always
made of earth, which is also largely used in permanent fortifications.
Earth has great advantages for this purpose, being readily obtained,
easily handled, and affords good cover on account of the absence of
splinters and flying fragments when struck by a shot. The presence of
rock or large gravel in the earth is objectionable for this reason. Of
the different earths, sand, hard clay, tufa, etc., resist penetration
better than rich soils. The profile of the parapet is determined by its
location and purpose. The earth to form it is taken from the ditch,
which is sometimes in front and sometimes in rear. In inclosed works, or
works built at leisure, the ditch is always on the outside, leaving the
natural surface for the parade. Works built hastily, or under fire, have
the ditch on the inside. In this way cover is more rapidly obtained.
This form of parapet is used in all the trenches in siege operations and
the temporary lines thrown up on the field of battle. The _command of a
parapet_ is the height of the interior crest above the site. For
isolated works the command should be at least 8 feet, as the chances of
a successful resistance increase with the command. The profile of a
parapet is a section taken at right angles to its length. In infantry
parapets the _banquette_ is the bank of earth in rear of the parapet,
on which the troops stand to deliver their fire. This is usually about 4
feet wide, and about 4 feet 3 inches below the interior crest. The
height of the banquette depends upon the command of the parapet. The
_interior slope_ of the parapet, against which the soldier leans in
firing, has a slope of 3 on 1. To support the earth at this inclination
a revetment of sand-bags, fascines, gabions, sod, pisa, or plank, is
used. The _superior slope_ of the parapet is usually 1 on 6. It should
be steep enough to give a fire just above the farther edge of the ditch,
but not so steep as to weaken the parapet. The _exterior slope_ is 1 on
1, or the natural slope of the earth. If it is made steeper than this it
will be beaten down by the projectiles of the enemy; if less steep, it
will offer a less obstacle to open assault. The _berme_, or space
between the foot of the exterior slope and the edge of the ditch, is
objectionable, in offering a breathing-place to the enemy in the
assault, but it is usually necessary to prevent the weight of the
parapet from crushing in the scarp. The dimensions of the ditch are
regulated by the amount of earth necessary to form the parapet. The
scarp and counterscarp are made as steep as the stiffness of the soil
will allow. As a general rule, the depth of the ditch should not be less
than 6 feet, and its width should not be less than 12. The greatest
width is regulated by the superior scope of the parapet, the line of
which produced should not pass below the crest of the counterscarp. In
excavating near a salient it will be found that more earth is furnished
than in re-enterings. On this account the width of the ditch is usually
made variable, being less at the salients than elsewhere.
The thickness of a parapet is the horizontal distance between the
interior and exterior crests. This thickness should be one-half greater
than the penetration of the projectiles it is designed to resist. As the
rifled guns now in use have much greater penetration than the
smooth-bores of former times, a proportionate increase in the dimensions
of parapets has become necessary. The parapets of semi-permanent
field-works are usually calculated to resist the fire of siege-guns;
those of permanent works to resist the most powerful ordnance in use.
The trenches so much used in modern times to cover operations of armies
in the field are shallow ditches, with the earth thrown outwards.
=Parasang.= A Persian military measure, sometimes assumed as a league,
but equal to about 4 English miles.
=Parbuckle.= To hoist or lower by means of a parbuckle.
=Parbuckles.= Are 4-inch ropes, 12 feet long, with a hook at one end and
a loop at the other. To parbuckle a gun, is to roll it in either
direction from the spot in which it rests. To do this, place the gun on
skids, and if it is to be moved up or down a slope, two 4¹⁄₂-inch ropes
are made fast to some place on the upper part of the slope, the ends
are carried under the chase and breech of the gun respectively, round it
and up the slope. If the running ends of these ropes are hauled upon,
the gun ascends; if eased off, it descends. If the ground is horizontal,
handspikes only are necessary to move the gun.
=Parcourir= (_Fr._). In a military sense, to run over the ground during
an action. This word is particularly applicable to those movements which
are made by general officers, officers commanding brigades, etc., for
the purpose of encouraging their soldiers in the heat of an engagement.
=Pardon and Mitigation of Sentences.= See APPENDIX, ARTICLES OF WAR,
112.
=Parga.= A town of European Turkey, eyalet of Yanina, stands on a rocky
peninsula on the shore of the Mediterranean, and is defended by a
citadel which is nearly impregnable. It has played a part of some
importance in history since the beginning of the 15th century. It
maintained its independence, under the protection of Venice, from this
period till the fall of the Venetian power in 1797, when it was for a
short time garrisoned by the French. Ali Pasha, the governor of Yanina,
obtained command of it in 1800, and in 1814 besieged it, on account of
the inhabitants refusing to submit to his rule; and as the French would
not defend them, the inhabitants applied for aid to the British, who
took possession of the citadel. Parga was finally given up to Turkey by
the treaty of 1819; but the inhabitants, not wishing to come under the
Ottoman sway, migrated to the Ionian Islands, and the town was then
occupied by the Turks.