deficiency in transports found himself at the head of about 15,000
troops in Abasia, a good many of these being his own trustworthy
veterans. He had gradually edged them down towards redoubt Kaleh,
which he fixed on as his basis of operations. On the 30th Shemserai
was secured, and, having driven in the Russian outposts from
Sogdidi and endeavoured to open relations with Schamyl, while
conciliating the Princess Dalian and the Christian population
in his own neighbourhood, he moved inland in a south-eastern
direction. But, owing to the difficulties of the country, which
is an entanglement of woods interspersed with very rich but
neglected farm lands, and owing still more to the precariousness
and uncertainty of any supplies from the inhabitants, his progress
was extremely slow. He did all that lay in his power, purchasing
provisions in every direction, and organizing, as his principal
resource, a regular commissariat at Redoubt Kaleh. The river
Phasis, which flows from the Caucasus to the Euxine, is navigable
for nearly a hundred miles from the sea; and he had hoped to have
availed himself of this channel for important manœuvres. His plan
was this:--The first strong Russian post was at Kutais, where the
great high road--by Gori, into Georgia, and down to Tiflis--would
take his advancing columns over the celebrated Soorem Pass. Once
master of Kutais, and with his communications well secured upon
the Black Sea along his rear line, he hoped either to be able to
defeat all the local Russian garrisons and posts between Soorem
and the capital of the fertile province lying beyond and below
it, or else to recall by the terror of his progress the army of
General Mouravieff, then menacing Armenia, and beleaguering Kars.
In either case a great blow would be struck, and the hard-pressed
troops of General Williams relieved. Then, should it even prove too
late to advance permanently that year beyond Mingrelia, he could
at least strengthen himself in Kutais, make it his new centre for
future operations, and call up, meantime, additional forces for
the campaign of spring. General Mouravieff would then be pressed
from the side of Armenia, where he was now acting offensively, and
from the side of Imeretia, on which he would be thrown also upon
the defensive. But it was already too late; and the Russian chief
knew it. Well informed of the true state of the Kars garrison, he
never disquieted himself, or in the slightest altered his plans, in
consequence of Omer Pacha’s diversion. Should the Muchir even beat
the militia which now guarded the northern gorges of Georgia, he
felt sure that it would all come to the same result. The season,
the floods, scarcity, would compel the victor to retreat; much more
would such become his necessity if, in the interim, he, General
Mouravieff, should succeed in reducing Kars, and, while thus
liberating his own army for an encounter with the Ottoman, should
rob the latter of the chief motive which prompted this venturous
advance by depriving it of its character _as a diversion_. Indeed,
in such a contingency, the further Omer might have penetrated, the
worse, perhaps, would be his situation; since General Mouravieff,
by not returning directly towards Tiflis (which would be rather
better able than Kars had been to stand a siege in its turn and to
hold any assailant in play), but by moving diagonally, north-east
by north, along the excellent Russian line from Alexandropol to
Akhazik, would himself take Omer Pacha in flank and rear, shatter
his line of communication, overwhelm his detached supports, and cut
him off from the sea.
For these reasons, General Mouravieff tranquilly and steadily
persisted in the blockade of Kars; and never for a moment showed
any inclination to turn aside to face the Turkish invader. A
month and seven days had now elapsed since the assault on Kars
was repulsed so gloriously, when Omer Pacha at length brought
his labouring columns through the miry woodlands as far as the
Ingour. There he saw, for the first time, a regular stand prepared
by the enemy, about 12,000 strong, intrenched on the opposite
bank, and commanding the passage by batteries. They were chiefly
the Russian militia of Georgia and were under the command of
General Bragation-Makrausky. The Turks had some 20,000 men. The
stream was barely fordable in half-a-dozen places, by which the
enemy’s intrenchments could be turned. The Turks passed it, up
to their armpits in water, holding their muskets aloft; our
countrymen--Colonel Ballard, Captain Dymsck, and others--showing
a splendid example worthy of English officers. The engagement
lasted five hours, when the Russians fled, leaving behind them 60
prisoners, five gun-carriages and ammunition carts, and 400 killed.
They appear to have carried off their wounded. Omer Pacha had 220
wounded and 68 killed. Pressing on the track of the fugitives
he came up with them before the end of November, within sight
of Kutais, and obtained another advantage. But the floods had
come; the Phasis had assumed the dimensions of a torrent; great
forest trees were swept down the stream as if they were reeds--now
engulfed out of sight in the eddies, now reappearing on the surface
for a moment as they were borne away; the roads were impassable
to artillery, and almost to infantry; the whole country was
transformed into an alternation of morass and lagoon; a day’s march
was the work of a week; the troops were broken up and islanded,
as it were, into helpless detachments; the commissariat could not
act; the supplies arrived with greater irregularity, incertitude,
and insufficiency from day to day; the whole army was suffering
incredible hardships and privations; it was threatened with
annihilation unless a retrograde movement were promptly made; and,
finally, came the news Kars had succumbed at last. The conquerors,
therefore, retired, unpursued, and gradually straggled back to
Redoubt Kaleh, where Omer Pacha soon succeeded in restoring their
tone and refreshing their energies.
So ended the war of 1855 with Russia; for this was really its
last incident, General Mouravieff having already dismantled the
fortifications of Kars, and withdrawn the bulk of his forces to
Gumri. It was on the 28th of November that General Williams at
last surrendered to him the stubborn Armenian fortress. The heroic
garrison had long been macerated by the failure of rations and by
disease. Even their ammunition was expended. In another assault on
the day of their surrender they would have had no means of firing
half-a-dozen rounds from their guns, and they were completely past
the power of personal resistance as a body, being unable to wield
their weapons, and hardly able to stand erect. They had borne
literally the fiercest extremities of famine. They were now a corps
of spectres, with scarcely the strength to speak. Yet these men
had furnished indiscriminately the sentinels who had mounted guard
over the little pile of half-rotten farina which was to be doled
out in a biscuit a day for each; and the trusty sentries never
touched the food which was the sole remaining common stock. Under
such circumstances it was that General Williams rode out with a
flag of truce, and told Prince Mouravieff that he would surrender
Kars provided all the courtesies and honours of war were conceded
to the garrison. General Kmety and some few attendants had tried a
different expedient--they stole out and cut their way through the
leaguer on the only serviceable horses left.
Mouravieff listened with attention to General Williams, who
threatened, if his various stipulations were not granted, to burst
every gun and destroy every military trophy still extant in Kars.
The Russian chief replied with chivalrous warmth and visible
emotion as he looked at the emaciated hero, that all was granted,
and that he was proud as an enemy to testify that General Williams
and those under him had immortalised themselves. Nothing, in short,
could surpass the nobility of sentiment displayed (both then and in
the subsequent treatment of the prisoners) by Prince Mouravieff and
the Russian army.”
KERTCH.--An expedition undertaken against this place during the
late Russian war was completely successful. “Notwithstanding the
recall of the expedition to Kertch in the early part of the month,
the Allied Generals were resolved to carry out the project of a
descent upon that part of the coast; and, on the 22nd of May,
another expedition departed: the English force under Sir George
Brown, and the French under General D’Autemarre. The two Admirals,
Sir Edmund Lyons and Bruat, accompanied the land forces. The troops
engaged numbered 15,000, with five batteries of artillery. It
was apprehended that a serious resistance would probably be made
at Kertch, and that the fleets would have difficulty in forcing
the straits into the Sea of Azov, if they were exposed to the
fire of the powerful batteries of Kertch and Yenikale. In order,
then, that the town might be attacked from the land side, Sir
George Brown landed his force at Kamiesch Bournu, a few miles to
the south of Kertch, and advanced overland. The enemy, however,
had no intention of risking a contest, and evacuated the town,
destroying the magazines, and blowing up the fortifications. When
the troops entered Kertch, they found it deserted by nearly all the
inhabitants; and the ships in the straits hurredly endeavouring to
escape into the Sea of Azov. In this attempt they were frustrated
by the activity of the allied fleets; and the Admirals, finding
the depth of water more than they had anticipated, started in full
pursuit, capturing and burning every vessel they could approach.
Yenikale was, like Kertch, deserted by its garrison; and in a few
hours the Allies were in undisturbed and bloodless possession of
the two towns commanding the outlet of the Sea of Azov, and the
fleets were in full chase of the Russian navy in those waters.”
KIEL, TREATY OF.--Between Great Britain, Sweden and Denmark, signed
January 14th, 1814.
KILCULLEN, BATTLE OF.--Fought May 23rd, 1798, between a vast
body of insurgent Irish and the British forces, commanded by
General Dundas. The latter were defeated. General Dundas, however,
subsequently beat the rebels near Kilcullen bridge, when 3000 were
slain, and hundreds wounded and taken prisoners.
KILDARE.--The great rebellion commenced here in May 23rd, 1798. On
that night Lieutenant Gifford, of Dublin, and a number of gentlemen
were murdered. Quelled in the following year.
KILLALA.--A French force landed here, August 22nd, 1798. They were
joined by the Irish insurgents, and the actions of Castlebar,
Colooney and Ballyhannack followed. At the battle of Killala the
insurgents were defeated with great slaughter, by the Royalist
forces, September 23rd, 1798.
KILLIECRANKIE, BATTLE OF.--Fought July 17th, 1689, between the
forces of William III and the adherents of James II. “General
Mackay, the officer sent against Claverhouse, had about 3000 foot
and some companies of horse under his command. But they were mostly
all raw recruits, and entire strangers to the Highland way of
fighting. At the head of the wild and gloomy pass of Killiecrankie,
Mackay found himself in front of the rebels. He drew up his men,
three deep, along the side of the narrow valley into which the
pass opens. The Highlanders occupied the hill on the north side
of the valley. At this time, the bayonet screwed into the muzzle
of the musket, so that troops could not fire with bayonets fixed.
The Highlanders, in dense masses broke down from the hill. Firing
their guns once, they dropped them, and then with target on the
left arm, and flashing broadsword they rushed, wildly yelling, on
the enemy. Mackay’s troops fired a volley, which did little harm to
the loose array of their leaping, bounding foes, and before they
could screw in their bayonets, the Highlanders were among them. An
empty musket without a bayonet could do little against the sweeping
broadsword. A panic seized Mackay’s raw levies, and they broke and
fled, pursued and cut down by the savage Highlanders.
Claverhouse never knew that he had won a victory. He fell at the
beginning of the action, pierced by a musket ball which entered
beneath his arm. When one in a pack of hungry wolves is killed, the
rest turn upon him and eat him up. Claverhouse’s own men, true to
their savage instinct of plunder, stripped his body, and left it
naked upon the field, where it was with difficulty distinguished
from the other bodies of the fallen!”
KOLIN, OR KOLLIN, BATTLE OF.--In this engagement the famous
Austrian General Daun, gained a celebrated victory over Frederick
the Great of Prussia, June 18th, 1757. Next year he obliged the
Prussians to raise the siege of Olmutz and to retreat to Moravia.
KONIAH, BATTLE OF.--Fought on the Plains of Koniah, formerly
Jornium, between the army of the Sultan of Turkey and the Pacha of
Egypt, in which, after a most bloody action which continued all the
day, the Turkish army was defeated, and the Grand Vizier himself
wounded and taken prisoner, December 31st, 1833.
KOWNO, BATTLE OF.--Fought between the French and Russian armies, in
which the French were defeated with great slaughter, and the loss
of upwards of 6000 prisoners, 21 pieces of cannon; many thousands
on both sides were slain. Fought, December 14th, 1812.
KRASNOI, BATTLE OF.--Fought between the French under Davoust, and
the Russian army commanded by Kutusoff. In this bloody battle
Davoust was entirely overthrown, and his army dispersed, thousands
upon thousands being left dead on the field, November 16th, 1812.
KUNNERSDORF, BATTLE OF.--One of the most bloody battles on record,
and fought between the Prussian and Russian armies. The King of
Prussia, after a great slaughter of the enemy for upwards of six
hours, had gained many advantages and had nearly accomplished
victory; but too eager in pursuing the retreating enemy, the latter
rallied, and in the end the Prussians were defeated with the loss
of 20,000 men and 200 pieces of cannon, August 12th, 1759.
L.
LACOLLE MILL, BATTLE OF.--Operations were commenced early in the
spring of 1814. An American army, commanded by General Wilkinson,
and amounting to upwards of 3000 men, entered Lower Canada on the
western shore of Lake Champlain. They attacked and completely
invested Lacolle Mill, which was defended by Major Handcock, of the
13th regiment, and about 180 men. They were vigorously repulsed
from this little fortress and driven back to the United States.
LA HOGUE, BATTLE OF.--Between the English and Dutch combined fleets
under Admirals Russel and Rooke, and the French under Tourville.
The Allies gained a complete victory, burning thirteen ships of the
French, and destroying eight more, and forcing the rest to fly, and
so preventing the threatened invasion of England, May 19th, 1692.
LA ROTHIÈRE, BATTLE OF.--Between the French, commanded by Napoleon,
and the Prussian and Russian armies, which were defeated after a
desperate engagement with the loss of some thousands slain, and
3000 prisoners and 30 pieces of cannon, February 1st, 1814. This
was about one of the last victories of Napoleon.
LA VENDÉE, WAR OF.--Many battles in this war were fought between
the French Royalists of La Vendée and the Republican armies in
1793-4. The war terminated January 10th, 1800.
LAKES CHAMPLAIN, ERIE, AND ONTARIO.--These lakes were the scene of
many engagements between the English and American colonists in the
War of Independence, and also in the war of 1812-15, the chief of
which was the capture of the British fleet by the Americans after
a severe action, September 11th, 1813.
LANDEN, BATTLE OF.--Between the Allies and French, in which William
III of England commanded. Owing chiefly to the cowardice of the
Dutch horse, this sanguinary engagement ended in the defeat of
the Allies, July 19, 1693. The Duke of Berwick, illegitimate son
of James II, who was fighting on the side of France, was taken
prisoner in this battle by Brigadier Churchill, afterwards the
great Duke of Marlborough.
LANGSIDE, BATTLE OF.--Fought, May 13th, 1568, between the forces of
Queen Mary of Scotland and the Regent. “Many powerful Barons called
their vassals to their banners, and hastened to support the Queen.
In a few days her camp at Hamilton contained 6000 men. The Regent
had with difficulty mustered 4000, but he determined to bring the
Queen’s army to battle at once. She broke up her camp at Hamilton,
and marched towards Dumbarton. The village of Langside lay on her
line of march, and her troops must pass through a narrow lane
leading up the face of the hill on which the village stood. Moray
posted his hag-butters, or matchlock-men, among the cottages, and
lined with them the garden-hedges on both sides of the lane. The
Queen took her station on an eminence half a mile distant, from
which she had the battle full in sight. She saw her troops press
up the hill, and endeavour to force the passage of the lane. She
saw them reel under the close and deadly fire of the hagbut-men who
lined the hedges. She saw them come on again stoutly, and meet the
shock of Moray’s spearmen. She saw the mass of combatants swaying
to and fro in doubtful conflict. And then she saw her troops swept
down the hill, broken and scattered, the Regent’s men fiercely
pursuing and spearing the wretched fugitives.”
LAON, BATTLE OF.--_In France._--Between the Allies, chiefly the
Prussian army, and the French. This battle or rather succession of
actions, was fought under the walls of the town, and ended, after a
sanguinary and obstinate contest in the defeat of the latter with
great loss, March 9th, 1814.
LARGS, BATTLE OF.--Fought between the ancient inhabitants of
Scotland and the Northmen. A bloody battle, fought 30th September,
1263. The following description is from the pen of an eminent
Scottish modern writer:
“It was about the middle of August when the fleet of Haco, which
counted 160 ships, rounded the Mull of Cantyre and entered the
Frith of Clyde. Time is everything in war. Haco should have
landed immediately. Every day was bringing the storms of Autumn
nearer, and every day was giving time to the King of Scotland to
increase his forces. Haco was a veteran who had been King of Norway
forty-six winters. Alexander was a young man who had lived fewer
than half the years that Haco had reigned. But the youth fairly
outwitted the veteran. He sent an embassy of barefooted friars on
board of Haco’s ship to propose terms of peace. The barefooted
envoys came and went between the two kings, and the time was spun
out in negociations till the weather began to break; the fleet was
running short of provisions, and the Scots in formidable numbers
were assembling on the shore.
“It was now the last day of September. At night there came on a
storm so sudden and so wild that the Norwegians believed it to have
been raised by the spells of the Scotch witches. The ships were
torn from their anchors and ran ashore, or dashed against each
other in the pitchy darkness. Haco ordered the attendance of his
priests, took to his boat, and landed on the island of Cumbrae,
where, amid the howling of the storm, he had mass performed. In
stranger circumstances, surely, mass was never said or sung.
Unluckily for Haco, the strong-winged tempest heeded it not. It
continued with unabated fury all night and all the next day. The
fleet drove up the channel, scattering the sea with wreck, and
the shore with stranded vessels. The heights above the coast
were covered by a multitude of armed peasants, who watched their
opportunity and rushed down to attack the stranded ships.
“When the second morning broke, and the violence of the tempest had
somewhat abated, Haco, by means of his boats, landed with a large
force to protect his stranded vessels from the armed peasantry, and
if possible to tow them off. While the Norwegians were engaged in
the operation of floating off their ships, the sun rose, and his
level rays caught the surrounding hills. Through the grey sheet of
morning mist which covered the landscape, flashes as of fire were
seen. It was the sun’s rays glancing upon the polished armour of
the Scottish army. They advanced rapidly, and the Norwegians could
soon discern their pennons and banners waving above their wood of
spears, and the knights and leaders, blazing in complete steel,
marshalling the line. They were commanded by King Alexander in
person.
“They attacked with fury, and drove back the advanced body of the
Norwegians. It seemed as if the whole force of the enemy was about
to be swept into the sea before the fierce onset of the Scots. But
the Norsemen, who fought entirely on foot, threw themselves into
a circle with their long spears pointing out to the foe, like a
huge hedgehog with prickles of steel. All day long the battle raged
around this ring of spears. The storm had renewed its violence,
so that it was impossible to send help on shore. Again and again
the Scottish horse repeated their furious charge. The circle of
steel was slowly forced back along the shore, but it could not
be broken. A Scottish knight, Sir Piers de Curry, rode round and
round it brandishing his spear and challenging any Norse captain
to single combat. He wore a helmet inlaid with gold and set with
precious stones; his mail was gold-embossed; his sword-belt studded
with jewels. A leader of the Northmen accepted his challenge,
and stepped out from the circle of spears. The Scottish knight
spurred his horse and rushed down upon him with levelled lance. The
Norseman with his great sword parried the spear-thrust, and as the
knight passed him in his career, smote him with his whole strength
upon the thigh. The sword cut sheer into the saddle through steel
and bone, so that the limb was separated from the body, and the
proud knight fell dead beneath his horse.
“A re-inforcement from the ships at length succeeded in landing
through the surf; and with the aid of these fresh troops the
Norwegians bore back the Scots from the shore. Night fell upon the
weary combatants, and under cover of the darkness the Norwegians
got on board their ships.”
LAYBACH, CONGRESS OF.--Attended by the Sovereigns of Russia,
Prussia, and Austria, and resulting in two circulars, stating that
Naples should be occupied with the Austrian troops, May 6th, 1821.
LEGHORN.--Entered by the French revolutionary army, July 27th,
1796, but the immense amount of British property in the city had
been previously removed. Evacuated by the French in 1799, and
retaken the next year. The Austrian took the city May 12th, 1849.
LEGION.--A Roman body of soldiers, about 6000 men. The 10th legion
was a favourite one with Cæsar. Ancient Britain was generally
protected by three legions.
LEIPSIC, BATTLE OF.--This battle fought, October 16th, 17th,
and 18th, 1813, between the allied army of Russia, Prussia, and
Austria on the one side, and Napoleon on the other, was one of
the greatest, bloodiest, and most decisive of modern times. The
French numbered 160,000 men, and the Allies 260,000 strong. This
great battle was lost by the French, chiefly owing to the seventeen
German battalions, then Saxon allies, turning upon them in the heat
of the action; 80,000 perished on the field, of whom more than
40,000 were French, who also lost sixty-five pieces of cannon and
many standards. This victory of the allied army was followed by
that of the capture of Leipsic, and the rear guard of the French
army next day. The King of Saxony and his family were also made
prisoners.
LEPANTO, BATTLE OF.--The great naval battle between the combined
fleets of Spain, Venice, and Pius V, and the whole maritime force
of the Turks. Don John of Austria commanded the allied fleet, which
consisted of 206 galleys and 30,000 men. The Turks had 200 galleys.
After a dreadful engagement they lost 150 galleys, and 30,000 men
in killed and prisoners. Fought, October 7th, 1571.
LEUCTRA, BATTLE OF.--One of the most famous in ancient history,
fought July 8th, 371 B.C. In this battle 4000 Spartans, with their
King, were slain, and not more than 300 Thebans. After this battle
the Spartans lost their position in Greece, which they had held for
500 years.
LEWES, BATTLE OF.--Between Henry III of England and Montfort,
Earl of Leicester. Fought, May 14th, 1264. The Royal army was
overthrown, and the King, his brother and son Prince Edward, were
taken prisoners.
LEXINGTON, BATTLE OF.--The first battle fought between Great
Britain and her revolted colonies of America; gained by the
British, who destroyed the stores of the colonists, but they lost
in battle 273 men killed and wounded. Fought, April 19th, 1775.
LEYDEN, SIEGE OF.--A memorable siege sustained against the armies
of Spain; 6000 of the inhabitants died during the siege, of famine
and pestilence, A.D. 1574. A University was afterwards founded in
commemoration of this event.
LIEUTENANT.--An officer who supplies the place of a superior in
his absence. In military affairs the second commissioned officer
in a company of infantry, cavalry or artillery. In ships of war, a
lieutenant is next in rank to the captain.
LIGNY, BATTLE OF.--Fought, June 16th, 1815, just before the
celebrated battle of Waterloo, between the Prussians under Blucher,
and the French commanded by Napoleon. The French gained the victory.
LINCELLES, BATTLE OF.--Between the allied English and Dutch armies
and the French, in which the French were defeated August 18th,
1793. In this battle, General Lake commanded the 3rd battalion
of Foot Guards, who so much distinguished themselves. Colonel
Bosville, of the Coldstreams, was killed; the French lost 11 cannon.
LINCOLN, BATTLE OF.--A battle was fought at Lincoln between the
armies of the Princess Maud and King Stephen of England. Stephen
was defeated and captured, February 2nd, 1141. Another battle was
fought here between the Dauphin of France and Henry III of England.
This was a bloody engagement, in which the French and their
English adherents were completely defeated, and Louis withdrew his
pretensions to the English crown, May 19th, 1217.