B.

BACK-Step, the retrograde movement of a man or body of men without changing front; it is half the forward step.

BACKWARDS, a technical word made use of in the British service to express the retrograde movement of troops from line into column, and vice versa. See [Wheel].

BAGGAGE, in military affairs, signifies the clothes, tents, utensils of divers sorts, and provisions, &c. belonging to an army.

Baggage-Waggons. See [Waggons].

BAGPIPE, the name of a musical warlike instrument, of the wind kind, used by the Scots regiments, and sometimes by the Irish. Bagpipes were used by the Danes; by the Romans, and by the Asiatics at this day; there is in Rome a most beautiful bas-relievo, a piece of Grecian sculpture of the highest antiquity, which represents a bag-piper playing on his instrument exactly like a modern highlander. The Greeks had also an instrument composed of a pipe and blown-up skin. The Romans in all probability, borrowed it from them. The Italians still use it under the names of piva and cornumusa. The Bagpipe has been a favorite instrument among the Scots. There are two varieties: the one with long pipes, and sounded with the mouth; the other with short pipes, filled with air by a bellows, and played on with the fingers: the first is the loudest and most ear-piercing of all music, is the genuine highland pipe, and is well suited to the warlike genius of that people. It formerly roused their courage to battle, alarmed them when secure, and collected them when scattered: solaced them in their long and painful marches, and in times of peace kept up the memory of the gallantry of their ancestors, by tunes composed after signal victories. The other is the Irish bagpipe.

BAGS, in military employments, are used on many occasions: as,

Sand Bags, generally 16 inches diameter, and 30 high, filled with earth or sand to repair breaches, and the embrasures of batteries, when damaged by the enemies fire, or by the blast of the guns. Sometimes they are made less, and placed three together, upon the parapets, for the men to fire through.

Earth-Bags, containing about a cubical foot of earth, are used to raise a parapet in haste, or to repair one that is beaten down. They are only used when the ground is rocky, and does not afford earth enough to carry on the approaches.

BALANCE, Fr. a term used in the French artillery to express a machine in which stores and ammunition are weighed.

BALL, in the military art, comprehends all sorts of balls and bullets for fire-arms, from the cannon to the pistol.

Balls of Lead, of different kinds.

KINDS.Number
to one
Pound.		Diameter
in
Inches.		No. made
from one
ton of
Lead.
Wall pieces6³⁄₄.89 14,760
Musquets14¹⁄₂.68 32,480
Carabine20 .60 44,800
Pistol34 .51 78,048
7 Brl. guns46¹⁄₂.46104,160

Lead balls are packed in boxes containing each 1 cwt. About 4 pounds of lead in the cwt. are generally lost in casting. See [Shot].

Cannon-Balls are of iron; and musket and pistol-balls are of lead. Cannon-balls are always distinguished by their respective calibres, thus,

A42 -pound ball, the diameter of which is- 6,684inches.
326,105
245,547
185,040
124,403
94,000
63,498
32,775
22,423
11,923
Fire-Balls, -
Light-Balls,

of which there are various sorts, used for various purposes. Their composition is mealed powder 2, saltpetre 1¹⁄₂, sulphur 1, rosin 1, turpentine 2¹⁄₂. Sometimes they are made of an iron shell, sometimes a stone, filled and covered with various coats of the above composition, until it conglomerates to a proper size; the last coat being of grained powder. But the best sort in our opinion, is to take thick brown paper, and make a shell the size of the mortar, and fill it with a composition of an equal quantity of sulphur, pitch, rosin, and mealed powder; which being well mixed, and put in warm, will give a clear fire, and burn a considerable time.

When they are intended to set fire to magazines, buildings, &c. the composition must be mealed powder 10, saltpetre 2, sulphur 4, and rosin 1; or rather mealed powder 48, saltpetre 32, sulphur 16, rosin 4, steel or iron filings 2, fir-tree saw-dust boiled in saltpetre ley 2, birch-wood charcoal 1, well rammed into a shell for that purpose, having various holes filled with small barrels, loaded with musket-balls; and lastly the whole immerged in melted pitch, rosin and turpentine oil.

Smoke-Balls are prepared as above, with this difference, that they contain 5 to 1 of pitch, rosin and saw-dust. This composition is put into shells made for that purpose, having 4 holes to let out the smoke. Smoke-balls are thrown out of mortars, and continue to smoke from 25 to 30 minutes.

Stink-Balls are prepared by a composition of mealed powder, rosin, saltpetre, pitch, sulphur, rasped horses and asses hoofs, burnt in the fire, assa-fœtida, seraphim gum or ferula, and bug or stinking herbs, made up into balls, as mentioned in [Light-Balls], agreeably to the size of the mortar out of which you intend to throw them.

Poisoned Balls. We are not sure that they have ever been used in Europe; but the Indians and Africans have always been very ingenious at poisoning several sorts of warlike stores and instruments. Their composition is mealed powder 4, pitch 6, rosin 3, sulphur 5, assa-fœtida 8, extract of toad’s poison 12, other poisonous substances 12, made into balls as above directed. At the commencement of the French Revolution poisoned balls were exhibited to the people said to have been fired by the Austrians, particularly at the siege of Lisle. We have seen some of this sort. They contained glass, small pieces of iron, &c. and were said to be concocted together by means of a greasy composition which was impregnated with poisonous matter. In 1792, they were deposited in the Archives of Paris.

Red-hot Balls are fired out of mortars, howitzers, or cannon. Use which you will, the ball must be made red-hot, which is done upon a large coal fire in a square hole made in the ground, 6 feet every way, and 4 or 5 feet deep. Some make the fire under an iron grate, on which the shell or ball is laid; but the best way is to put the ball into the middle of a clear burning fire, and when red-hot, all the fiery particles must be swept off. Whatever machine you use to throw the red-hot ball out of, it must be elevated according to the distance you intend it shall range, and the charge of powder must be put into a flannel cartridge, and a good wad upon that; then a piece of wood of the exact diameter of the piece, and about 3¹⁄₂ inches thick, to prevent the ball from setting fire to the powder; then place the ball on the edge of the mortar, &c. with an instrument for that purpose, and let it roll of itself against the wood, and instantly fire it off. Should there be a ditch or parallel before such a battery, with soldiers, the wood must not be used, as the blast of powder will break it to pieces, and its own elasticity prevent it from flying far; it would in that case either kill or wound your own people. For this deficiency the wad must be double. See American Mil. Lib. article Artillery.

Chain-Balls are two balls linked together by a chain of 8 or 10 inches long, and some have been made with a chain of 3 or 4 feet long; they are used to destroy the pallisadoes, wooden bridges, and chevaux-de-friezes of a fortification. They are also very destructive to the rigging of a ship.

Stang-Balls are by some called balls of two heads; they are sometimes made of two half-balls joined together by a bar of iron from 8 to 14 inches long; they are likewise made of two entire balls; they are for the same purpose as the before-mentioned.

Anchor-Balls are made in the same way as the light-balls, and filled with the same composition, only with this addition, that these are made with an iron bar two-thirds of the ball’s diameter in length, and 3 or 4 inches square. One half is fixed within the ball, and the other half remains without; the exterior end is made with a grapple-hook. Very useful to set fire to wooden bridges, or any thing made of wood, or even the rigging of ships, &c. for the pile end being the heaviest, flies foremost, and wherever it touches, fastens, and sets all on fire about it.

Message-Balls. See [Shells].

BALLIUM, a term used in ancient military history. In towns the appellation of ballium was given to a work fenced with pallisades, and sometimes to masonry, covering the suburbs; but in castles it was the space immediately within the outer wall.

BALLOON, a hollow vessel of silk, varnished over and filled with inflammable air, by which means it ascends in the atmosphere. It has during the war been used by the French in reconnoitering, and with great success at Fleurus.

BALOTS, Fr.. sacks or bales of wool, made use of in cases of great emergency, to form parapets or places of arms. They are likewise adapted for the defence of trenches, to cover the workmen in saps, and in all instances where promptitude is required.

BAN, or Bann, a sort of proclamation made at the head of a body of troops, or in the several quarters or cantonments of an army, by sound of trumpet, or beat of drum; either for observing martial discipline, or for declaring a new officer, or punishing a soldier, or the like. At present such kind of proclamations are given out in the written orders of the day.

BAN and Arriere Ban, a French military phrase signifying the convocation of vassals under the feudal system. Ménage, a French writer, derives the term from the German word ban, which means publication; Nicod derives it from another German term which signifies field. Borel from the Greek pan which means all, because the convocation was general. In the reign of Charles VII. the ban and arriere ban had different significations. Formerly it meant the assembling of the ordinary militia. After the days of Charles VII. it was called the extraordinary militia. The first served more than the latter; and each was distinguished according to the nature of its particular service. The persons belonging to the arriere-ban were at one period accoutred and mounted like light-horse; but there were occasions on which they served like the infantry. Once under Francis I. in 1545, and again under Lewis XIII. who issued out an order in 1637, that the Arriere-Ban should serve on foot.

Ban likewise signified during the ancient monarchy of France, a proclamation made by the sound of drums, trumpets, and tamborines, either at the head of a body of troops, or in quarters. Sometimes to prevent the men from quitting camp, at others to enforce the rigor of military discipline; sometimes for the purpose of receiving a new commanding officer, and at others to degrade a military character.

BANDER, Fr. to unite, to intrigue together for the purposes of insurrection.

BANDERET, in military history, implies the commander in chief of the troops of the canton of Berne, in Switzerland.

BANDES, Fr. bands, bodies of infantry.

Bandes Francoises. The French infantry was anciently so called. The term, however, become less general and was confined to the Prévôt des Bandes, or the Judge or Prevost marshal that tried the men belonging to the French guards.

BANDIERES, Fr. Une Armée rangée en front de bandieres, signifies an army in battle array. This disposition of the army is opposed to that in which it is cantoned and divided into several bodies.

BANDOLEER, in ancient military history, a large leathern belt worn over the right shoulder, and hanging under the left arm, to carry some kind of warlike weapon.

Bandoliers were likewise little wooden cases covered with leather, of which every musqueteer used to wear 12 hanging on a shoulder-belt; each of them contained the charge of powder for a musquet.

BANDROLS. -
BANNEROLS.

See [Camp Colors].

BANDS, properly bodies of foot, though almost out of date.

Train-Bands. In England the militia of the City of London were generally so called. The third regiment of Foot or the Old Bulls were originally recruited from the Train bands, which circumstance gave that corps the exclusive privilege of marching through London with drums beating and colors flying. They lost their colors in America, which are now in the war-office at Washington.

Band of Music. The term band is applied to the body of musicians attached to any regiment or battalion, with wind instruments.

Band is also the denomination of a military order in Spain, instituted by Alphonsus XI. king of Castile, for the younger sons of the nobility, who, before their admission, must serve 10 years, at least, either in the army or during a war; and are bound to take up arms in defence of the Catholic faith, against the infidels.

BANERET, Fr. a term derived from Baniere. This appellation was attached to any lord of a fief who had vassals sufficient to unite them under one banier or banner, and to become chief of the troops or company.

Un Chevalier Baneret, or a Knight Baneret gave precedence to the troop or company which he commanded over that of a baneret who was not a knight or chevalier; the latter obeyed the former, and the banner of the first was cut into fewer vanes than that of the second.

BANNERET, Knights-bannerets, according to the English acceptation of the term, are persons who for any particular act of valor were formerly knighted on the field of battle.

BANQUET. See [Bridges].

BANQUETTE. See [Fortification].

BAR, a long piece of wood or iron. Bars have various denominations in the construction of artillery carriages, as sweep and cross bars for tumbrils: fore, hind and under cross bars, for powder carts; shaft bars for waggons, and dowel bars used in mortar beds.

BAR Shot, two half bullets joined together by an union bar, forming a kind of double headed shot.

BARB, the reflected points of the head of an arrow. The armor for horses was so called. See [Caparison].

BARBACAN, or Barbican, a watch-tower, for the purpose of descrying an enemy at a great distance: it also implies an outer defence, or sort of ancient fortification to a city or castle, used especially as a fence to the city or walls; also an aperture made in the walls of a fortress to fire through upon the enemy. It is sometimes used to denote a fort at the entrance of a bridge, or the outlet of a city, having a double wall with towers.

BARBETS were peasants of Piedmont, who abandoned their dwellings when an enemy has taken possession of them. They formed into bodies and defended the Alps.

Barbet-Battery, in gunnery, is when the breast-work of a battery is only so high, that the guns may fire over it without being obliged to make embrasures: in such cases, it is said the guns fire en barbette. See [Battery].

BARDEES d’eau, Fr. a measure used in the making of saltpetre, containing three half-hogsheads of water, which are poured into tubs for the purpose of refining it. Four half-hogsheads are sometimes thrown in.

BARILLER, Fr. an officer employed among the gallies, whose chief duty was to superintend the distribution of bread and water.

BARRACKS, or Baracks, are places erected for both officers and men to lodge in; they are built different ways, according to their different situations. When there is sufficient room to make a large square, surrounded with buildings, they are very convenient, because the soldiers are easily contained in their quarters; and the rooms being contiguous, orders are executed with privacy and expedition; and the soldiers have no connection but with those who instruct them in their duty.

Barrack-Allowance, a specific allowance of bread, beer, wood, coals, &c. to the regiments stationed in barracks. See [Ration].

Barrack-Guard, when a regiment is in barracks, the principal guard is the barrack-guard; the officer being responsible for the regularity of the men in barracks, and for all prisoners duly committed to his charge while on that duty.

Barrack-Master General, a staff officer at the head of the barrack department; he has a number of barrack-masters and deputies under him, who are stationed at the different barracks; he has an office and clerks for the dispatch of business; to this office all reports, &c. respecting the barrack department are made. This is a British sinecure office.

Barrack-Office: the office at which all business relating to the Barrack department is transacted.

BARRELS, in military affairs, are of various kinds.

Fire-Barrels are of different sorts: some are mounted on wheels, filled with composition and intermixed with loaded grenades, and the outside full of sharp spikes: some are placed under ground, which have the effect of small mines: others are used to roll down a breach, to prevent the enemy’s entrance.—Composition, corned powder 30lb. Swedish pitch 12, saltpetre 6, and tallow 3. Not used now.

Thundering-Barrels are for the same purpose, filled with various kinds of combustibles, intermixed with small shells, grenades, and other fire-works. Not used now.

Powder-Barrels are about 16 inches diameter, and 30 or 32 inches long, holding 100 pounds of powder.

Barrels for powder—Their dimensions.

Whole
Barrels.		Half
Barrels.		Quarter
Barrels.
Ft.In.Ft.In.Ft.In.
Depth19.6115.1312.25
Diameter at top13.6110.37 9.35
Diameter at bulge15.3612.  10.71
Diameter at bot’m13.5110.319.41

The whole barrels are made to contain 100 pounds, and the half barrels 50 pounds of powder; but of late only 90 pounds have been put into the barrels, and 45 into the half barrels; which, by leaving the powder room to be shifted, preserves it the better.

Budge Barrels, hold from 40 to 60 pounds of powder; at one end is fixed a leather bag with brass nails: they are used in actual service on the batteries, to keep the powder from firing by accident, for loading the guns and mortars.

Budge-Barrels contain 38 lbs.

Weight of barrel—copper hooped—10 lbs.

Weight of barrel—hazle hooped—6lbs.

Length of barrel—hazle hooped—10¹⁄₂ inches.

Diameter of barrel—hazle hooped—1 foot 1 inch.

BARRICADE. To barricade is to fortify with trees, or branches of trees, cut down for that purpose, the brushy ends towards the enemy. Carts, waggons, &c. are sometimes made use of for the same purpose, viz. to keep back both horse and foot for some time. [Abatis].

BARRIER, in a general sense means any fortification, or strong place on the frontiers of a country. It is likewise a kind of fence composed of stakes, and transums, as overthwart rafters, erected to defend the entrance of a passage, retrenchment, or the like. In the middle of the barrier is a moveable bar of wood, which is opened and shut at pleasure. It also implies a gate made of wooden bars, about 5 feet long, perpendicular to the horizon, and kept together by two long bars going across, and another crossing diagonally: Barriers are used to stop the cut made through the esplanade before the gate of a town.

Barrier-Towns, in military history, were Menin, Dendermond, Ypres, Tournay, Mons, Namur, and Maestricht. These towns were formerly garrisoned half by French or Imperial, and half by Dutch troops.

BARM, or Berm. See [Berm].

BASCULE, Fr. a counterpoise which serves to lift up the draw bridge of a town. Likewise a term used in fortification to express a door that shuts and opens like a trap door.

BASE, or Basis, in fortification, the exterior part or side of a polygon, or that imaginary line which is drawn from the flanked angle of a bastion to the angle opposite to it.

Base signifies also the level line on which any work stands that is even with the ground, or other work on which it is erected. Hence the base of a parapet is the rampart.

Base, an ancient word for the smallest cannon. See [Cannon].

Base-line, the line on which troops in column move, the first division that marches into the alignement forms the base line, or appui which each successive division prolongs.

Base-ring. See [Cannon].

BASILISK, an ancient name given to a 48 pounder. See [Cannon].

BASIS, the same as [Base].

BASKET-Hilt, the hilt of a sword, so made as to contain, and guard the whole hand.

BASKETS, in military affairs, are simple baskets, frequently used in sieges. They are filled with earth, and placed on the parapet of the trench, or any other part. They are generally about a foot and a half in diameter at the top, and eight inches at the bottom, and a foot and a half in height; so that, being placed on the parapet, a kind of embrasure is formed at the bottom, through which the soldiers fire, without being exposed to the shot of the enemy. See [Gabion].

Baskets.—Ballast, ¹⁄₂ bushel—weight 5 lbs.

Diameter, 1 foot 6 inches—length 1 foot.

BASTILLE, Fr. any place fortified with towers.

Bastille, a state prison which stood near the Temple in Paris, and was deservedly destroyed by the inhabitants of that capital on the 14th of July, 1789.

BASTINADO, a punishment among the Turkish soldiers, which is performed by beating them with a cane or flat of a sword on the soles of their feet.

BASTION. See [Fortification].

BASSE-Enceinte. See [Fausse-Braye].

BASSINET, Fr. the pan of a musquet.

BASSON or BASSOON, a wind instrument blown with a reed, performing the base to all martial music, one or two of which are attached to each regimental band.

BAT de Mulet, a pack-saddle used on service when mules are employed to carry stores, &c.

BATAGE, Fr. the time employed in reducing gun-powder to its proper consistency. The French usually consumed 24 hours in pounding the materials to make good gun-powder; supposing the mortar to contain 16 pounds of composition, it would require the application of the pestle 3500 times each hour. The labour required in this process is less in summer than in winter, because the water is softer.

BATAILLE, Fr. a battle.

Cheval de Bataille, Fr. a war horse, or charger. This expression is used figuratively as a sheet anchor or last resource.

BATAILLER, Fr. to struggle hard.

BATARDE, French 8 pounders were so called.

BATARDEAU, in fortification, is a massive perpendicular pile of masonry, whose length is equal to the breadth of the ditch, inundation, or any part of a fortification where the water cannot be kept in without the raising of these sorts of works, which are described either on the capitals prolonged of the bastions or half-moons, or upon their faces. In thickness it is from 15 to 18 feet, that it may be able to withstand the violence of the enemy’s batteries. Its height depends upon the depth of the ditch, and upon the height of the water that is necessary to be kept up for an inundation; but the top of the building must always be under the cover of the parapet of the covert way, so as not to be exposed to the enemy’s view. In the middle of its length is raised a massive cylindrical turret, whose height exceeds the batardeau 6 feet.

BATESME du Tropique, Fr. a christening under the line. This is a ridiculous ceremony which every person is obliged to go through the first time he crosses the Line on his passage to the East-Indies. Different methods of performing it are observed by different nations. Englishmen frequently buy themselves off. Among the French, the individual who was to be baptized or christened, swore that he would individually assist in forcing every person hereafter, who should be similarly situated, to go through the same ceremony. A barbarous usage.

BAT-Horses, -
BAW-Horses,

are baggage horses belonging to the officers when on actual duty.

Bat-Men, -
Baw-Men,

were originally servants hired in war time, to take care of the horses belonging to the train of artillery, bakery, baggage, &c. Men who are excused regimental duty, for the specific purpose of attending to the horses belonging to their officers, are called bat-men.

Knights of the BATH, an English military order of uncertain original. After long decay, this order was revived under George I. by a creation of a considerable number of knights. They wear a red riband, and their motto is, Tria juncta in uno, alluding to the three cardinal virtues which every knight ought to possess!

BATON, Fr. a staff. See [Staff].

Baton a deux bouts, Fr. a quarter-staff.

Baton de commandement, Fr. an instrument of particular distinction which was formerly given to generals in the French army. Henry III. before his accession to the throne was made generalissimo of all the armies belonging to his brother Charles the IX. and publicly received the Baton, as a mark of high command.

Baton ferrat et non ferrat, Fr. all sorts of weapons.

Obténir son object par le tour du Baton, Fr. to accomplish one’s ends by equivocal means.

Etre bien assuré de son Baton, Fr. to be morally certain of a thing.

Etre reduit au Baton blanc, to be reduced to your last stake.

A Batons rompus, Fr. to do any thing by fits and starts, to be undecided in your plans of attack, &c.

BATOON, a truncheon, or marshal’s staff.

BATTAILOUS, a warlike or military appearance.

BATTALIA, Johnson adopts the word from Battaglia, Ital. and calls it the main body of an army, distinguished from its wings. It also implies an army or considerable detachment of troops drawn up in order of battle, or in any other proper form to attack the enemy. See [Battle].

BATTALION, an undetermined body of infantry in regard to number, generally from 500 to 1000 men. In the United States the usage is various, as it is in all other countries. The United Stares regiment of artillery consists of 20 companies, which form five battalions; the other regiments infantry and artillery, consist of ten companies of each, so that each regiment must form two battalions of five companies each. The militia regiments in most of the states consist of 1000 men, composing two battalions of 500 men each, being perhaps the most perfect organization for a battalion.

The French call their military corps which answer to our regiments, demi brigades, these usually consist or three battalions of 1000 men each; when two of the battalions of a demi brigade are in the field the other is in quarters or recruiting and disciplining the young soldiers, who are thus drafted from their regimental depots.

On the British establishment the companies of grenadiers and light infantry-men having been detached from their several corps and formed into separate battalions; the British guards at present consist of 9 battalions. The different companies are likewise considerably augmented; so that it is impossible to affix any specific standard to their complement of men. The English royal regiment of artillery consists of 4 battalions. Sometimes regiments consist each of 1 battalion only; but if more numerous, are divided into several battalions, according to their strength; so that every one may come within the numbers mentioned. A battalion in one of the English marching regiments consists of 1000, and sometimes of 1200 men, officers and non-commissioned included. When there are companies of several regiments in a garrison to form a battalion, those of the eldest regiment post themselves on the right, those of the second on the left, and so on until the youngest fall into the centre. The officers take their posts before their companies, from the right and left, according to seniority. Each battalion is divided into 4 divisions, and each division into two sub-divisions, which are again divided into sections. The companies of grenadiers being unequal in all battalions, their post must be regulated by the commanding officer. See [Regiment].

Triangular Battalion, in ancient military history, a body of troops ranged in the form of a triangle, in which the ranks exceed each other by an equal number of men: if the first rank consists of one man only, and the difference between the ranks is only one, then its form is that of an equilateral triangle; and when the difference between the ranks is more than one, its form may then be an isoscele; having two sides equal, or scalene triangle. This method is now laid aside.

BATTER, a cannonade of heavy ordnance, from the 1st or 2d parallel of entrenchment, against any fortress or works.

To Batter in breach, implies a heavy cannonade of many pieces directed to one part of the revetement from the third parallel.

BATTERING, in military affairs, implies the firing with heavy artillery on some fortification or strong post possessed by an enemy, in order to demolish the works.

Battering-Pieces, are large pieces of cannon, used in battering a fortified town or post.

It is judged by all nations, that no less than 24 or 18 pounders are proper for that use. Formerly much larger calibres were used, but, as they were so long and heavy, and very troublesome to transport and manage, were for a long time rejected, till adopted among the French, who during the present war have brought 36 and 42 pounders into the field.

Battering-Train, a train of artillery used solely for besieging a strong place, inclusive of mortars and howitzers: all heavy 24, 18, and 12 pounders, come under this denomination; as likewise the 13, 10, and 8 inch mortars and howitzers.

Battering-Ram. See the article [Ram].

BATTERIE de Tambour, a French beat of the drum similar to the general in the British service.

Batterie en roüage, Fr. is used to dismount the enemy’s cannon.

Batterie par camarades, Fr. the discharge of several pieces of ordnance together, directed at one object or place.

BATTERY, in military affairs, implies any place where cannon or mortars are mounted, either to attack the forces of the enemy, or to batter a fortification: hence batteries have various names, agreeably to the purposes they are designed for.

Gun-Battery, is a defence made of earth faced with green sods or fascines, and sometimes made of gabions filled with earth: it consists of a breast-work parapet, or epaulement, of 18 or 20 feet thick at top, and of 22 or 24 at the foundation; of a ditch 12 feet broad at the bottom, and 18 at the top, and 7 feet deep. They must be 7¹⁄₂ feet high. The embrasures are 2 feet wide within, and 9 without, sloping a little downwards, to depress the metal on occasion. The distance from the centre of one embrasure to that of the other is 18 feet; that is, the guns are placed at 18 feet distance from each other; consequently the merlons (or that part of solid earth between the embrasures) at 16 feet within, and 7 without. The genouilliers (or part of the parapet which covers the carriage of the gun) are generally made 2¹⁄₂ feet high from the platform to the opening of the embrasures; though this height ought to be regulated according to the semi-diameter of the wheels of the carriage, or the calibre of the gun. The platforms are a kind of wooden floors, made to prevent the cannon from sinking into the ground, and to render the working of the guns more easy; and are, strictly speaking, a part of the battery. They are composed of 5 sleepers, or joists of wood, laid lengthways, the whole length of the intended platform; and to keep them firm in their places, stakes must be driven into the ground on each side: these sleepers are then covered with sound thick planks, laid parallel to the parapet; and at the lower end of the platform, next to the parapet, a piece of timber 6 inches square, called a hurter, is placed, to prevent the wheels from damaging the parapet. Platforms are generally made 18 feet long, 15 feet broad behind, and 9 before, with a slope of about 9 or 10 inches, to prevent the guns from recoiling too much, and for bringing them more easily forward when loaded. The dimensions of the platforms, sleepers, planks, hurters, and nails, ought to be regulated according to the nature of the pieces that are to be mounted.

The powder magazines to serve the batteries ought to be at a convenient distance from the same, as also from each other; the large one, at least 55 feet in the rear of the battery, and the small ones about 25. Sometimes the large magazines are made either to the right or left of the battery, in order to deceive the enemy; they are generally built 5 feet under ground; the sides and roof must be well secured with boards, and covered with earth, clay, or something of a similar substance, to prevent the powder from being fired: they are guarded by centinels. The balls are piled in readiness beside the merlins between the embrasures.

The officers of the artillery ought always to construct their own batteries and platforms, and not the engineers, as is practised in the English service; for certainly none can be so good judges of those things as the artillery officers, whose daily practice it is; consequently they are the properest people to direct the situation and to superintend the making of batteries on all occasions.

Mortar-Battery. This kind of battery differs from a gun-battery, only in having no embrasures. It consists of a parapet of 18 or 20 feet thick, 7¹⁄₂ high in front, and 6 in the rear; of a berm 2¹⁄₂ or 3 feet broad, according to the quality of the earth; of a ditch 24 feet broad at the top, and 20 at the bottom. The beds must be 9 feet long, 6 broad, 8 from each other, and 5 feet from the parapet: they are not to be sloping like the gun platforms, but exactly horizontal. The insides of such batteries are sometimes sunk 2 or 3 feet into the ground, by which they are much sooner made than those of cannon. The powder magazines and piles of shells are placed as is mentioned in the article [Gun-Battery].

Ricochet-Battery, so called by its inventor M. Vauban, and first used at the siege of Aeth in 1697. It is a method of firing with a very small quantity of powder, and a little elevation of the gun, so as just to fire over the parapet, and then the shot will roll along the opposite rampart, dismounting the cannon, and driving or destroying the troops. In a siege they are generally placed at about 300 feet before the first parallel, perpendicular to the faces produced, which they are to enfilade. Ricochet practice is not confined to cannon alone; small mortars and howitzers may effectually be used for the same purpose. They are of singular use in action to enfilade an enemy’s ranks; for when the men perceive the shells rolling and bouncing about with their fuzes burning, expecting them to burst every moment, the bravest among them will hardly have courage to await their approach and face the havoc of their explosion.

Horizontal Batteries are such as have only a parapet and ditch; the platform being only the surface of the horizon made level.

Breach or Sunk Batteries are such as are sunk upon the glacis, with a design to make an accessible breach in the faces or saliant angles of the bastion and ravelin.

Cross Batteries are such as play athwart each other against the same object, forming an angle at the point of contact; whence greater destruction follows, because what one shot shakes, the other beats down.

Oblique Batteries or Batteries en Echarpe, are those which play on any work obliquely, making an obtuse angle with the line of range, after striking the object.

Enfilading Batteries are those that sweep or scour the whole length of a strait line, or the face or flank of any work.

Sweeping Batteries. See [Enfilading-Batteries].

Redan Batteries are such as flank each other at the saliant and rentrant angles of a fortification.

Direct Batteries are those situated opposite to the place intended to be battered, so that the balls strike the works nearly at right angles.

Reverse Batteries are those which play on the rear of the troops appointed to defend the place.

Glancing Batteries are such whose shot strike the object at an angle of about 20°, after which the ball glances from the object, and recoils to some adjacent parts.

Joint Batteries, -
Camarade Batteries,

when several guns fire on the same object at the same time. When 10 guns are fired at once, their effect will be much greater than when fired separately.

Sunk Batteries are those whose platforms are sunk beneath the level of the field; the ground serving for the parapet; and in it the embrasures are made. This often happens in mortar, but seldom in gun-batteries. Battery sometimes signifies the guns themselves placed in a battery.

Fascine Batteries, -
Gabion Batteries,

are batteries made of those machines, where sods are scarce, and the earth very loose or sandy. For a particular detail of all kinds of batteries, see Toussard’s Artillerist, No. I. c. 1.

Battery.—Dimensions of Batteries.

1. Gun Batteries.—Gun Batteries are usually 18 feet per gun. Their principal dimensions are as follow:

Ditch—Breadth12feet.
Depth8

Note.—These dimensions give for a battery of two guns 3456 cubic feet of earth; and must be varied according to the quantity required for the epaulment.

Epaulement—Breadth at bottom23feet.
Breadth at top18
Height within7
Height without6ft. 4 in.
Slope, interior²⁄₇of h’gt.
Slope, exterior¹⁄₂of h’gt.

Note.—The above breadths at top and bottom are for the worst soil; good earth will not require a base of more than 20 feet wide, which will reduce the breadth at top to 15 feet; an epaulement of these dimensions for two guns will require about 4200 cubic feet of earth, and deducting 300 cubic feet for each embrazure, leaves 3600 required for the epaulement. In confined situations the breadth of the epaulement may be only 12 feet.

Embrazures—Distance between their centers18feet
Openings, interior20inc.
Openings, exterior9feet
Height of the sole above the platform32inc.

Note.—Where the epaulement is made of a reduced breadth, the openings of the embrazures are made with the usual breadth within, but the exterior openings proportionably less. The embrazures are sometimes only 12 feet asunder, or even less when the ground is very confined. The superior slope of the epaulement need be very little, where it is not to be defended by small arms. The slope of the side of the embrasures must depend upon the height of the object to be fired at. The Berm is usually made 3 feet wide, and where the soil is loose, this breadth is increased to 4 feet.

2. Howitzer Batteries.—The dimensions of howitzer batteries are the same as those for guns, except that the interior openings of the embrazures are 2 feet 6 inches, and the soles of the embrazures have a slope inwards of about 10 degrees.

3. Mortar Batteries.—Are also made of the same dimensions as gun batteries, but an exact adherence to those dimensions is not so necessary. They have no embrazures. The mortars are commonly placed 15 feet from each other, and about 12 feet from the epaulement.

Note.—Though it has been generally customary to fix mortars at 45°, and to place them at the distance of 12 feet from the epaulement, yet many advantages would often arise from firing them at lower angles, and which may be done by removing them to a greater distance from the epaulement, but where they would be in equal security. If the mortars were placed at the undermentioned distances from the epaulement, they might be fired at the angles corresponding:

At13feet distance for firing at30degrees.
2120
3015
4010

over an epaulment of 8 feet high.

A French author asserts, that all ricochet batteries, whether for howitzers or guns, might be made after this principle, without the inconvenience of embrazures; and the superior slope of the epaulement being inwards instead of outwards, would greatly facilitate this mode of firing.

If the situation will admit of the battery being sunk, even as low as the soles of the embrazures, a great deal of labour may be saved. In batteries without embrazures, this method may almost always be adopted; and it becomes in some situations absolutely necessary in order to obtain earth for the epaulement; for when a battery is to be formed on the crest of the glacis, or on the edge of the counterscarp of the ditch, there can be no excavation but in the rear of the battery.

4. Batteries on a coast—generally consist of only an epaulement, without much attention being paid to the ditch; they are, however, sometimes made with embrazures, like a common gun battery; but the guns are more generally mounted on traversing platforms, and fire over the epaulement. When this is the case, the guns can seldom be placed nearer than 3¹⁄₂ fathoms from each other. The generality of military writers prefer low situations for coast batteries; but M. Gribauvale lays down some rules for the heights of coast batteries, which place them in such security, as to enable them to produce their greatest effect. He says the height of a battery of this kind, above the level of the sea, must depend upon the distance of the principal objects it has to protect or annoy. The shot from a battery to ricochet with effect, should strike the water at an angle of about 4 or 5 degrees at the distance of 200 yards. Therefore the distance of the object must be the radius, and the height of the battery the tangent to this angle of 4 or 5°; which will be, at the above distance of 200 yards, about 14 yards. At this height, he says, a battery may ricochet vessels in perfect security; for their ricochet being only from a height of 4 or 5 yards, can have no effect against the battery. The ground in front of a battery should be cut in steps, the more effectually to destroy the ricochet of the enemy. In case a ship can approach the battery so as to fire musquetry from her tops, a few light pieces placed higher up on the bank, will soon dislodge the men from that position, by a few discharges of case shot. It is also easy to keep vessels at a distance by carcasses, or other fire balls, which they are always in dread of.

Durtubie estimates, that a battery of 4 or 5 guns, well posted, will be a match for a first rate man of war.

To estimate the materials for a battery.

Fascines of 9 feet long are the most convenient for forming a battery, because they are easily carried, and they answer to most parts of the battery without cutting. The embrazures are however better lined with fascines of 18 feet. The following will be nearly the number required for a fascine battery of two guns or howitzers:

90 fascines of 9 feet long.

20 fascines of 18 feet—for the embrazures.

This number will face the outside as well as the inside of the epaulement, which if the earth be stiff, will not always be necessary; at least not higher than the soles of the embrazures on the outside. This will require five of 9 feet for each merlon less than the above.

A mortar battery will not require any long fascines for the lining of the embrazures. The simplest method of ascertaining the number of fascines for a mortar battery, or for any other plain breast work, is to divide the length of work to be fascined in feet, by the length of each fascine in feet, for the number required for one layer, which being multiplied by the number of layers required, will of course give the number of fascines for facing the whole surface. If a battery be so exposed as to require a shoulder to cover it in flank, about 50 fascines of 9 feet each will be required for each shoulder.

Each fascine of 18 feet will require 7 pickets.

Each fascine of 9 feet will require 4 pickets.

12 workmen of the line, and 8 of the artillery, are generally allotted to each gun.

If to the above proportion of materials, &c. for a battery of two guns, there be added for each additional gun, 30 fascines of 9 feet, and 10 of 18 feet, with 12 workmen, the quantity may easily be found for a battery of any number of pieces.

The workmen are generally thus disposed: one half the men of the line in the ditch at 3 feet asunder, who throw the earth upon the berm: one fourth upon the berm at 6 feet asunder, to throw the earth upon the epaulement, and the other quarter on the epaulement, to level the earth, and beat it down. The artillery men carry on the fascine work, and level the interior for the platforms. This number of workmen may complete a battery in 36 hours, allowing 216 cubic feet to be dug and thrown up, by each man in the ditch in 24 hours.

Tools for the construction of the battery.

Intrenching—1¹⁄₂ times the number of workmen required; half to be pick axes, and half shovels or spades, according to the soil.

Mallets—3 per gun.

Earth Rammers—3 per gun.

Crosscut Saws—1 to every two guns.

Axes or Hatchets—2 per gun.

This estimate of tools and workmen, does not include what may be required for making up the fascines, or preparing the other materials, but supposes them ready prepared. For these articles, see the words [Fascine], [Gabion], [Platform], &c. and for the construction of field magazines for batteries, see the word [Magazine].

Note. The following estimate of the quantity of earth which may be removed by a certain number of workmen in a given time, may serve to give some idea of the time required to raise any kind of works. 500 common wheel barrows will contain 2 cubic toises of earth, and may be wheeled by one man, in summer, to the distance of 20 yards up a ramp, and 30 on a horizontal plain, in one day. In doing which he will pass over, going and returning, about 4 leagues in the first case, and 6 in the last. Most men, however, will not wheel more than 1³⁄₄ toise per day. Four men will remove the same quantity to four times the distance.

In a soil easy to be dug, one man can fill the 500 barrows in a day; but if the ground be hard, the number of fillers must be augmented, so as to keep pace with the wheel barrow man.

Battery-Planks are those planks or boards used in making platforms.

Battery-Boxes are square chests or boxes, filled with earth or dung; used in making batteries, where gabions and earth are not to be had. They must not be too large, but of a size that is governable.

Battery-Nails are wooden pins made of the toughest wood, with which the planks that cover the platforms are nailed. Iron nails might strike fire against the iron-work of the wheels, in recoiling, &c. and be dangerous.

Battery-Master, whose duty formerly it was to raise the batteries. This officer is now out of use.

BATTEURS d’Estrade. See [Scouts].

BATTLE, implies an action, where the forces of two armies are engaged; and is of two kinds, general and particular, general where the whole army is engaged, and particular where only a part is in action; but as they only differ in numbers, the methods are nearly alike.

There is no action in war more brilliant than that of pitched battles. Their success sometimes decides the fate of nations. It is by this action a general acquires reputation. It is in battle that his valour, his force of genius, and his prudence, appear in their full extent; and where especially he has occasion for that firmness of mind, without which the most able general will hardly succeed.

Battles have ever been the last resource of good generals. A situation where chance and accident often baffle and overcome the most prudential and most able arrangements, and where superiority in numbers by no means ensures success, is such as is never entered into without a clear necessity for so doing. The fighting a battle only because the enemy is near, or from having no other formed plan of offence, is not the way of making war. Darius lost his crown and life by it: Harold, of England, did the same; and Francis I. at Pavia, lost the battle and his liberty. King John, of France, fought the battle of Poictiers, though ruin attended his enemy if he had not fought. The king of Prussia lost his country, and the reputation which Prussia acquired from Frederick II. by the battle of Jena.

A skilful general will give battle when his army’s situation cannot be worse, if defeated, than if it does not fight at all; and when the advantage may be great, and the loss little. Such was the duke of Cumberland’s at Hastenbeck, in 1757, and prince Ferdinand’s at Vellinghausen, in 1761. The reasons and situations for giving battle are so numerous, that to treat of them all would fill a large volume; the following are a few exigencies of state that require an army to attack the enemy at all events. Such were the causes of the battle of Blenheim, in 1704, of Zorndorff, in 1758, of Cunnersdorff, in 1759, and of Rosbach, in 1757, of Austerlitz, in 1805. An army is also obliged to engage when shut up in a post. An army may give battle to effect its junction with another army, &c.

The preparations for battle admit of infinite variety. By a knowlege of the detail of battles, the precept will accompany the example. The main general preparations are, to profit by any advantage of ground; that the tactical form of the army be in some measure adapted to it; and that such form be, if possible, a form tactically better than the enemy’s; and, in forming the army, to have a most careful attention to multiply resources, so that the fate of the army may not hang on one or two efforts; to give any particular part of the army, whose quality is superior to such part in the enemy’s army, a position that ensures action; and finally, to have a rear by nature, or if possible, by art, capable of checking the enemy in case of disaster.

The dispositions of battles admit likewise of an infinite variety of cases; for even the difference of ground which happens at almost every step, gives occasion to change the disposition or plan; and a general’s expedience will teach him to profit by this, and take the advantage the ground offers him. It is an instant, a coup d’œil which decides this: for it is to be feared the enemy may deprive you of those advantages or turn them to his own profit; and for that reason this admits of no precise rule, the whole depending on the time and the occasion.

With regard to battles, there are three things to be considered; what precedes, what accompanies, and what follows the action. As to what precedes the action, you should unite all your force, examine the advantage of the ground, the wind, and the sun, (things not to be neglected) and chuse, if possible, a field of battle proportioned to the number of your troops.

You must post the different kinds of troops advantageously for each: they must be so disposed as to be able to return often to the charge; for he who can charge often with fresh troops, is commonly victorious. Your wings must be covered so as not to be surrounded, and you must observe, that your troops can assist each other without any confusion, the intervals being proportioned to the battalions and squadrons.

Great care must be taken about the regulation of the artillery, which should be disposed so as to be able to act in every place to the greatest advantage; for nothing is more certain than that, if the artillery be well commanded, properly distributed, and manfully served, it will greatly contribute to gaining the battle; being looked upon as the general instrument of the army, and the most essential part of military force. The artillery must be well supplied with ammunition, and each soldier have a sufficient number of cartridges. The baggage, provisions, and treasure of the army, should, on the day of battle, be sent to a place of safety.

In battle, where the attacks are, there is also the principal defence. If an army attacks, it forms at pleasure; it makes its points at will: if it defends, it will be sometimes difficult to penetrate into the designs of the enemy, but when once found, succour succeeds to the discovery. Ground and numbers must ever lead in the arrangement of battles; impression and resource will ever bid fairest for winning them.

The most remarkable on record are

B. C.
1225.The Theban war of the Seven Heroes against Eteocles.
1184.Troy taken after ten years siege.
1048.Jerusalem taken by David from the Jebusites.
750.War of the Romans against the Sabines.
743.The first Messinian war begins and continues 19 years, to the taking of Ithome.
721.Samaria taken.
685.The second Messinian war begins, continues 14 years to the taking of Ira, after 11 years siege.
624.Scythians make war in Asia Minor.
612.Nineveh destroyed by the Medes.
596.The war of the Persians against the Scythians, who are expelled by Cyaxeres.
587.Jerusalem taken by Nebuchadnezzar after a siege of 18 months.
548.War of Cyrus against Crœsus.
509.Civil war at Rome, the Tarquins expelled, monarchy abolished, and consuls chosen.
504.The Athenians take and burn Sardis.
490.Battle of Marathon.
480.Battle of Thermopylæ.
Battle of Salamis.
479.Platea -Same day Persians defeated at both places.
Mycale
470.Cyprus, Persians defeated.
Eurymedon, Persians defeated.
465.Third Messinian war begins, continues ten years.
448.First sacred war concerning the temple of Apollo at Delphi.
439.War between Corinth and Corcyra.
431.The Peloponnesian war begins the 7th of May, lasts 27 years.
409.Carthage makes war on Sicily.
405.Battle of Egospotamos—the usurpation of Dyonisius.
404.Lysander takes Athens—end of the Peloponnesian war—30 tyrants reign.
401.Battle of Cunaxa—the younger Cyrus killed—the glorious retreat of the 10,000, and expulsion of the 30 tyrants.
396.Agesilaus carries the war into Persia.
395.The Corinthian war—Athens, Corinth, Thebes, Argos, against Lacedæmon.
394.Battle of Cnidus—Lacedæmonians under Pisander defeated by Conon.
A few days after Agesilaus defeats the allies at Choronea.
390.Battle of Attia—Rome taken by the Gauls.
387.War against Cyprus—ends in two years.
371.Leuctra, battle of—Epaminondas, general of Thebes, defeats the Lacedæmonians.
363.Mantinea battle gained by Epaminondas.
360.Methone, the first victory of Philip of Macedon over the Athenians.
357.Second sacred war, on the temple being attacked by the Phoceans, ends in 9 years.
340.Battle of Agrigentum—Timoleon defeats the Carthaginians.
338.Battle of Cheronea.
335.Thebes destroyed by Alexander the Great, when he left only Pindar the poet’s house standing.
334.Battle of Granicus—Alexander.
333.Battle of Issus.
331.Battle of Arbella.
301.Battle of Ipous—Antigonus defeated.
312.Tuscan war commenced.
278.Battle at Delphi. Gauls under Brennus cut to pieces.
264.First Punic war lasts 23 years.
262.Sardis, Antiochus Soter defeated there by Eumenes.
256.Regulus defeated by Xanthippus.
234.Sardinian war continues 3 years.
222.Battle of Sellafia.
218.Second Punic war begins, lasts 17 years.
217.Battle of Thrasymene.
216.Battle of Cannæ.
208.Battle of Mantinea.
202.Battle of Zama.
197.Battle of Cynocephale—Philip defeated.
168.Battle of Pydna. This battle closed the Macedonian empire.
149.Third Punic war.
146.Carthage destroyed by the Romans.
111.Jugurthine war begins, continues 5 years.
105.Battle on the Rhine, the Tuetones defeat 80,000 Romans.
102.Tuetones defeated by C. Marius at Aquæ Sextia.
91.Social war begins, continues three years, finished by Sylla.
89.Mithridatic war begins, continues 26 years.
88.Wars of Marius and Sylla, last six years.
73.War of the Slaves under Spartacus, lasts two years, ended by Pompey and Crassus.
54.England invaded by Julius Cæsar.
48.Battle of Pharsalia.
45.Battle of Munda.
43.Battle of Mutina.
42.Battle of Philippi. Death of Brutus.
31.Battle of Actium. Death of the Republic; beginning of the Empire.
A. D.
10.Varus the Roman general, defeated in Germany.
70.Jerusalem destroyed by Titus, August 31.
73.Byzantium taken by the Romans.
196.Byzantium destroyed by Severus.
269.The Goths conquered by Claudius, who massacres 300,000 of them.
340.Battle of Aquileia, Constantine the younger defeated and killed by Constans.
405.Battle of Fesulæ, Stilicho defeats 200,000 Goths.
410.Rome taken and plundered by the Goths.
440.England ravaged by the Picts and Scots.
455.Rome taken and plundered by the Vandals.
547.Rome re-taken by the Goths.
553.Rome re-conquered by the Emperor.
613.Jerusalem pillaged by the Persians, and 90,000 inhabitants killed.
622.Carthage destroyed by the Saracens.
637.Jerusalem taken by the Saracens.
640.Egypt conquered by the Saracens.
787.Danes, their first descent upon England, at Portland.
895.The Danes under Rollo, make their first descent on France.
1016.Battle of Ashdown, between Canute and Edmund.
1017.Danes under Canute conquer England.
1041.Danes expelled from England.
1066.England invaded by the Normans.
1066.Battle of Hastings, where Harold was slain, and William the Norman became king of England.
1074.The last Danish invasion of England, when they were bribed to depart.
1095.First Crusade—Jerusalem taken and re-taken.
1100.Jerusalem taken by Robert, duke of Normandy.
1147.Second Crusade.
1187.Jerusalem finally conquered by Saladin.
1189.Third Crusade—Siege of Acre.
1192.Battle of Ascalon, in Palestine.
1203.Fourth Crusade.
1204.Constantinople taken by the Latins.
1205.Zenghis Khan, till his death in 1227, gains various battles in Asia.
1215.Prussia subdued by the Mercian Knights.
1214.Battle of Bovines, 25 July.
1217.Battle of Lincoln, 19 May.
1218.The Fifth Crusade.
1219.Prussia revolted to Poland.
1261.Constantinople recovered by the Greeks.
1064.Battle of Lewis, 14 May.
1265.Battle of Evesham, 4 Aug.
1314.Battle of Bannockburn, 25 June.
1333.Battle of Halydown-Hill, 19 July.
1346.Battle of Cressy, 26 Aug.
Battle of Durham, when David, king of Scots, was taken prisoner, 17 Oct.
1347.Calais taken by the English, August 4.
1356.Battle of Poictiers, when the Fr. king and his son were taken prisoners, 19 Sept.
1357.John, king of France, taken prisoner by Edward the Black Prince, brought to England, and ransomed for 3,000,000crowns, but being unable to pay this sum, he returned to England, and died in prison 1364.
1370.Timour (vulgarly called Tamerlane) appears a warrior, and conquers Asia, reigns 35 years.
1388.Battle of Otterburn, between Hotspur and earl Douglas, 31 July.
1403.Battle of Shrewsbury, 12 July.
1415.Battle of Agincourt, 25 Oct.
1421.Battle of Beauge, 3 April.
1423.Battle of Crevaut, June.
1424.Battle of Ferneuil, 27 Aug.
1429.Battle of Herrings, 12 Feb.
1453.Mahomed II. takes Constantinople, and begins the Turkish Empire in Europe, which put an end to the eastern empire.
Same year, the wars of the two Roses in England commence.
1455.Battle of St. Alban’s, 22 May.
1459.Battle of Blackheath, 23 Sept.
1460.Battle of Northampton, 10 July.
Battle of Wakefield, 24 Dec.
1461.Battle of Tourton, 29 March.
1464.Battle of Hexham, 15 May.
1469.Battle of Banbury, 26 July.
1470.Battle of Stamford, March.
1471.Battle of Barnet, 14 April.
Battle of Tewkesbury, 4 May.
1485.Battle of Bosworth, 22 Aug.
1487.Battle of Stoke, 6 June.
1494.Battle of Formonte, 6 July.
1497.Battle of Blackheath, 22 June.
1513.Battle of Flouden, 9 Sept. when James IV. king of Scots, was killed.
1515.Battle of Marignano, Francis I. gains victory, 14-15-25 Sept.
1516.Egypt conquered by the Turks.
1525.Battle of Pavia, Francis I. loses all but honor, 24 Feb.
1542.Battle of Solway, 24 Nov.
1547.Battle of Pinkey, 20 Sept.
1557.Battle of St. Quintin, 10 Aug.
1558.Calais retaken by the French, January 10.
1596.Cadiz, in Spain, taken by the English.
1632.Battle of Lutzen, Gustavus Adolphus, killed.
1641.Battle of Naseby, June.
1642.Battle of Edgehill, 24 Oct.
1643.Battle of Shatton, 16 May.
Battle of Lansdown, 5 July.
Battle of Roundawaydown, 13th July.
Battle of Newbury, 20 Sept.
1644.Indians, in New England, at war amongst themselves.
1644.Battle of Marston-moor, 2 July.
1650.Battle of Dunbar, 3 Sept.
1651.Battle of Worcester, 3 Sept.
1658.Ostend attempted to be taken by the French, but they were defeated with great loss.
1658.Dunkirk taken by the English, June 24.
1662.Battle of Steinkirk.
1675.Providence, the town of, in Rhode Island, almost destroyed by Indians.
1675.Medfield, town of, in Massachusetts, about half-burnt by the Indians, Feb.
1676.Northampton, and several other towns in Massachusetts, burnt and plundered by the Indians, March.
1679.Battle of Bothwell-bridge, 22 June.
1686.Buda taken from the Turks by the Imperialists.
1690.Battle of Staffarda, Catenat defeats the duke of Savoy.
Port Royal, in Nova Scotia, taken by the Massachusetts forces.
Battle of Boyne, Ireland, 1 July.
Casco fort, New Hampshire, taken by the French and Indians.
1691.York-town, in the province of Maine, burnt and plundered by the Indians, Jan. 25.
Battle of Aughrim, Ireland, 22d July.
1700.Port Royal, in Nova Scotia, retaken by the French.
1703.Deerfield in Massachusetts, burnt, and the inhabitants carried off by the French and Indians, as prisoners, February.
1704.Battle of Blenheim, 13 Aug.
1705.Battle of Cassano, passage of the Adda, by prince Eugene.
1706.Battle of Turin, prince Eugene defeats the French.
Battle of Ramillies, on Whitsunday.
Charleston, South Carolina, invaded by the French, who were repulsed with loss.
1708.Battle of Oudenard, 30 June.
Battle of Wynendale, 28 Sept.
1709.Battle of Malplaquet, Eugene defeats Villeroy.
Battle of Blarignies, 14 Sept.
Battle of Pultowa, Charles XII. defeated.
Canada unsuccessfully attacked by the New-Yorkers.
1710.Port Royal, in Nova Scotia, re-taken by the English, when it received the name of Annapolis.
1711.Canada attacked by the British troops and those of New England.
1712.Indian war in North Carolina.
1715.Battle of Dumblain, 12 Nov.
1717.Indians instigated by a Jesuit to make incursions upon the colony of Massachusetts.
1734.Dantzic taken by the Swedes.
1743.Dettingen, the battle of, won by the English and allies, in favour of the queen of Hungary, 26th June.
1744.Battle of Fontenoy, 30 Apr.
1745.Louisburgh taken by the Massachusetts forces, June 17.
Battle of Preston-pans, 21 Sept.
1746.Battle of Falkirk, 17 Jan.
Battle of Culloden, 16 Apr.
Madras taken from the English.
1747.Battle of Laffeldt, 20 July.
1749.Louisburg given up to the French.
1755.Fort Du Quesne, (now Pittsburgh) battle of, July 9.
1756.Oswego taken by the English.
Grenada, the island of, taken by Admiral Rodney, Feb.
Battle of Lobositz, 1 Oct.
1757.Battle of Rosbach, 5 Nov.
Battle of Reichenberg, 21 April.
Battle of Gros Jegerndorff, 30 Aug.
Battle of Breslau, 22 Nov.
Battle of Lissa, 5 Dec.
Battle of Hastenbeck, 26 July.
Battle of Kolin, 13 June.
Battle of Prague, 6 May.
1758.Fort Du Quesne (Pittsburg) taken by General Forbes.
Hanover desolated by the French.
Louisburgh re-taken, July 22.
Dresden taken by the Prussians.
Battle of Sandershausen, 23 July.
Battle of Crevelt, 23 June.
Battle of Meer, 5 Aug.
Battle of Zorndorff, 25 Aug.
Battle of Sandershagen, 10 Oct.
Battle of Munden, 11 Oct.
Battle of Hochkirken, 14 Oct.
1759.Battle of Kunersdorf, 12 Aug.
Niagara taken by the English, July 24.
Ticonderoga taken by the English.
Quebec taken by the English, September 13.
Canada taken by the English, September 13.
Arcot, Carnatic, taken by the English from the Hindoos.
Frankfort upon the Oder, the Prussians and Russians, 20,000 men on field of battle.
Dresden taken by the Imperialists.
Crown Point taken from the English.
Battle of Bergen, 13 April.
Battle of Zullichau, 23 July.
Battle of Coefeld, 1 Aug.
Battle of Minden, 1 Aug.
Battle of Torgau, 8 Sept.
Battle of Pretsch, 29 Oct.
Battle of Plains of Abraham, 13 Sept. Wolf killed.
Battle of Maxen, 20 and 21 Nov.
1760.Montreal taken by the English.
Battle of Cosdorff, 20 Feb.
Battle of Quebec, 28 April.
Battle of Grabensteyn, 4 June.
Battle of Corbach, 24 June.
Battle of Emsdorff, 9 July.
Battle of Warburg, 31 July.
Battle of Strehlen, 2 Aug.
Battle of Leignitz, 15 Aug.
Battle of Torgau, 2 Nov.
Dresden taken by the Prussians again.
Chamblee taken from the French by the British, Sept. 7.
1761.Cherokee Indians in Carolina, defeated by the Americans under Col. Grant.
Dominica taken by the English.
Battle of Langensaltz, 15 Feb.
Battle of Grümberg, 21 March.
Battle of Vellinghausen, 16 July.
Battle of Kirkdenckern, 15 July.
Battle of Einbeck, 24 Aug.
1762.Battle of Dobeln, 12 May.
Battle of Wilhelmstahl, 24 June.
Battle of Fulda, 23 July.
Battle of Friedberg, 30 Aug.
Battle of Freyberg, 10 and 29 Oct.
1773.Dantzic taken by the Prussians.
1774.Fort William and Mary, in New-Hampshire, seized by the inhabitants, who possessed themselves of a quantity of powderand military stores, Dec. 14.
1775.Cedars, fort at the, given up to the British by Major Rutherfield, March 15.
Engagement at Concord and Lexington. The grenadiers and light infantry of the British army at Boston, under colonelSmith, 10th foot, and Major Pitcairn, detached to destroy the magazines at Concord, 20 miles from Boston, 18-19 April.
Another detachment march under earl Percy, of 16 companies of infantry and a corps of marines, 19 April.
At Lexington, 15 miles from Boston, fell in with the continentals about five in the morning. The British fire on themand a skirmish is continued to Concord; the British are forced to retreat to Boston, driven before the Americans like sheep; the British lost 114 killed,and 127 wounded, beside 52 missing: the Americans had 62 men killed and wounded; about the third recovered of their wounds.
Ticonderoga taken by Ethan Allen, “in the name of Great Jehovah and the continental Congress,” containing 120 piecesof iron ordnance, between 6 and 24 pounders, 50 swivels, 2 ten inch mortars, 1 howitzer, 1 cohorn, 10 tons of leaden ball, 3 carts laden with flints, 30 new field carriages, a quantity of shells, 100 stand of small arms, 10 casks gun-powder, 2 pieces of brass artillery, 3 May.
Crown Point taken by the Americans, May 14.
Bunker’s-hill, the British began the attack about noon; the British lost 1440 men killed, 857wounded; among the killed were 26 commissioned officers, and 81 among the wounded. The Americans had 452 men killed,301 wounded and missing; among the killed was the gallant Dr. Warren, who commanded the American forces. The American fire was conducted with great judgment;and the British were blockaded in Boston, 17 June.
Charlestown, Massachusetts, burnt by the British, June 17.
Stonington, Connecticut, set on fire by the British, Sept. 3.
Canada invaded by the American forces, October.
Chamblee taken by the Americans commanded by Col. Brown and Major Livingston, October 18.
Falmouth, New England, destroyed by the British forces, October 18.
Chamblee fort, in Canada, attacked by the Americans, Oct. 20.
Chamblee taken by Montgomery, 124 barrels gun-powder, 6564 musket cartridges, 150 stand French made arms, 3 mortars, 61 shells,83 stand English arms; and other valuable military and naval stores, 3 Nov.
Montreal taken by the Americans, Nov. 12.
St. John’s taken by Montgomery, 17 brass ordnance, 2 eight inch howitzers, 22 iron ordnance, shot, shells, powder, 800 standsmall arms, and naval stores, 13 Nov.
Storm of Quebec, Montgomery falls, Arnold wounded, the Americans obliged to retreat, but encamp on the Plains of Abraham, 31 Dec.
Great Bridge in Virginia, battle of, in which the British were defeated, Dec.
1776.Norfolk, in Virginia, burnt by order of Lord Dunmore the British governor, and great damage sustained, Jan. 1.
Chamblee fort retaken by the British, Jan 18.
Highlanders, and regulators of N. Carolina, defeated with great loss near Moore’s Creek bridge, by Gen. Moore, Feb. 27.
Dorchester Point fortified in the night, so as to render Boston no longer tenable by the British, March 4.
Boston evacuated precipitately, the British leaving behind their arms, military stores and provisions; sir Archibald Campbell,with 1700 men, enters the harbor, and are made prisoners by general Washington, 18 March.
Crown Point re-taken by the British.
British attack on the Cedars, Arnold capitulates; Americans treated with barbarity; congress annuls the capitulation inconsequence, 26 May.
British tories defeated at Moore’s creek, in North Carolina, by colonel Caswell, and the tory leader Macleod killed.
Portsmouth, Virginia, destroyed by the British, June 1.
General sir H. Clinton attacks Sullivan’s island, in concert with Sir P. Parker, and is defeated by general Lee, 15 June.
Montreal retaken by the British, June 15.
Charleston, S. C. attacked by a squadron of ships under Sir Peter Parker, and a body of troops under Generals Clinton andCornwallis, who were defeated with great slaughter, June 25.
Battle of Long Island, or Flat bush; the American lines attacked by sir William Howe, with 20,000 men, and the American army suffersgreat loss from an injudicious disposition of the forces; the retreat however was conducted with admirable skill, in thirteen hours 9000 men with artillery, andall their equipage, crossed an arm of the sea a mile wide, in the face of a superior and victorious army. In this action the Americans had 2000 men killed andwounded, and 1000 taken prisoners. 26 Aug.
Fort on Sullivan’s Island, unsuccessfully attacked by the British, June 28.
New-York surrendered to the British forces, Sept. 15.
General Arnold opposes the force sent by Carleton from Canada against Ticonderoga, but is defeated on Lake Champlain; he makes anadmirable retreat to Crown point, 11 Oct.
Battle of White Plains; generals Knyphausen, Cornwallis, and Percy, commanded columns; Howe commander in chief of the British,with 15,000 effectives; general Washington commander in chief of the American army, consisting of 5000 regulars, and 11,000 militia; the British attack theAmerican entrenchments but are defeated, 28 Oct.
Fort Washington, near King’s Bridge, taken by the British, with a loss of 1000 men! 15 Nov.
Fort Lee, near New-York, taken by the British, Nov. 18.
Newport, R. Island, taken by the British, Dec. 7.
General Washington surprises the Hessians at Trenton; general William Irvine commanding the advance; general Cadwallader, the secondcolumn, and general Washington the principal division, general Greene and general Sullivan formed his suite; the enemy and their artillery were captured, 26 Dec.
Strength of British and American armies in 1776.
British.Americans.
Aug.2400016000
Nov.26900 4500
Dec.27000 3300
1777.Princetown, battle of, when the Americans under General Washington, defeated the British with great loss, Jan. 2.
Providence, the island of, taken by Commodore Hopkins, March.
Danbury, town of, in Connecticut, burnt by the British, and large quantities of continental stores destroyed, April 26.
Ticonderoga taken by the British, 5 July.
Action at Hubberton, the British general Frazer attacks the retreating Americans under colonel Francis, and defeats them, 6 July.
Fairfield, in Connecticut, burnt by the British, July 7.
Bennington battle, 16 Aug.
General Stark defeats the Hessian general Baum, and colonel Breyman, on Walloon Creek, 16 Aug.
Fort Stanwix, alias Fort Schuyler, the siege of, raised by Sir John Johnson and Lieut. Col. St. Leger, Aug. 22.
Eutaw Springs, the battle of, in which General Green defeats the British, Sept. 8.
Battle of Brandywine; the dispositions of the British were masterly in this action; the American army discomfittedand make a precipitate but circuitous retreat, 11 Sept.
Massacre at the Paoli, by sir Charles Grey, 20 Sept.
Philadelphia taken by the British under General Howe, Sept. 26.
Battle of Germantown; 800 English, 900 Americans killed and wounded; the British lost general Agnew and colonel Bird;the Americans, colonel Haslet, of Delaware state, a gallant officer, 4 Oct.
Battle of Stillwater, about 600 men killed on each side; no victory; the action as intrepid as any known for the numbers;Burgoyne retreats and entrenches himself at Saratoga, 17 September.
British entrenchments near Lake George attacked by general Gates, and the British completely beaten; the British generalFrazer, and the Hessian colonel Breyman killed; Arnold who commanded on the right, was wounded in the tendon Achilles; Gates took 200 prisoners and 9 brass field pieces. Burgoyne makes a precipitate retreat to Saratoga, where he capitulates on the 17th of October, surrendering 5790 men, and 35 pieces of field artillery, &c. 17 Oct.
Esopus, in New-York, was totally destroyed by the British, with great quantities of stores, October 15.
Kingston, in Ulster county, New-York, burnt by the British, October 15.
Action at Red Bank, the Hessian general Donop killed, and the British attack frustrated, and the ship of war Augusta blown up, 22 Oct.
Forts Montgomery and Clinton taken by the British, October.
Martha’s Island, pillaged by the British, who carried off 300 oxen, and 2000 sheep.
Attack of Mud Fort, (now Fort Mifflin) by Cornwallis; gallantly defended by Col. Samuel Smith, 15 Nov.
Strength of British and American armies in 1777.
British.Americans.
March,270004500
June,300008000
1778.Battle of Savannah, 15 Jan.
Battle of Monmouth, the British retreat by forced marches to New York, 28 June.
Wyoming, out of 417 Americans stationed there, 360 were inhumanly butchered by a party of Tories and Indians,commanded by Col. John Butler, July 1.
Dominica taken by the French under the Marquis de Bouille, when 164 pieces of cannon and 24 brass mortars werefound therein, Sept. 7.
Attack of Savannah, 28 Dec.
1779.Sunbury taken by Gen. Provost, Jan. 9.
Briars creek, American general Ashe defeated, 3 March.
Portsmouth, in Virginia, invaded again by the British, under Sir George Collier and General Matthews, who burntvast quantities of property there, May 10.
Stoney Point and Verplanks taken by the British under general Vaughan, 30 May.
Stonoferry, in Carolina, the battle of, June 20.
Grenada taken by the French, July 6.
Norwalk, in Connecticut, burnt by the British, July 7.
General Wayne storms and takes Stony Point, 16 July.
Pawlus-hook taken by the Americans under General Lee, when 30 of the British were killed, and 160 made prisoners, July 19.
A conflagrating war carried into Connecticut, by governor Tryon and general Garth, New Haven taken; Fairfield,Norwalk, and Greenfield burnt to the ground, July.
Newhaven, town of, ravaged by the British, July.
General Lincoln attacks the British under colonel Maitland, 27 June.
Attack of the British lines at Savannah, by Lincoln and D’Estaign, who are repulsed and raise the siege, 9 Oct.
Fort of Omoa, key to the Bay of Honduras, taken by the British from the Spaniards, Oct. 20.
1780.Fort on Sullivan’s Island taken by the British, May 6.
Wachaws, North Carolina, where Colonel Tarleton surprised 300 Americans, of whom he killed by far the greatest number, May.
Charleston, South Carolina, taken by the British, after a siege of several weeks, by Gen. Clinton, 12 May.
Elizabethtown, New-Jersey, taken by the British, June 7.
Springfield attacked and burnt by the British from New York; the British severely handled and forced to retire, 23 June.
General Sumpter, after three repulses storms and takes the British post at Rocky Mount, on the Catawba river; butabandons it and attacks the post at Hanging Rock, 30 July.
Battle of Camden, Gates against Cornwallis, both armies set out at midnight, and their advanced guards began theaction at 2 o’clock in the morning, 16 Aug.
Tarleton attacks Sumpter on the Wateree, a skirmish without any other effect than the display of enterprise andintrepidity on both sides, 18 Aug.
Augusta, Georgia, attacked by American general Clark, without success, 14 Sept.
Tarleton attacks Sumpter at Black Rock, on the Tyger river, and is defeated; both commanders severely wounded, Oct.
Battle of King’s Mountain, in which a party of American mounted riflemen collected from Kentucky, Georgia, and theCarolinas, attack and kill the tory leader Ferguson, and take 800 of his party prisoners, 7 Oct.
Clermont, S. C. taken by Colonel Washington, Dec. 4.
1781.Richmond, in Virginia, destroyed by the British under General Arnold, Jan. 5.
Hillsborough, in Carolina, the royal standard erected there by Lord Cornwallis, Feb. 20.
Colonel Henry Lee, with his legion, attacks a body of tories upon the Haw river, within a mile of Tarleton’s encampment,and cuts them to pieces, 25 Feb.
Battle of Guilford court house; general Greene commanded the Americans; general Cornwallis the British; a hardfought battle, the Americans defeated, but the victory was fatal to the victors, 15 March.
Fort Watson, South Carolina, taken by the Americans, April 15.
Camden, battle at, in South Carolina, between General Green and Lord Rawdon, when the Americans retreated, April 25.
Petersburgh, in Virginia, the shipping and stores destroyed at, by Phillips and Arnold, April 26.
Fort Motte, in South Carolina, taken by the Americans, May 12.
Camden, S. C. burnt by the British, May 13.
Fort Granby, in South Carolina, taken by the Americans, May 15.
Fort Cornwallis, at Augusta, taken by the Americans under Gen. Marion and Col. Lee, June 5.
Augusta, Georgia, taken by Col. Pickens and Lee, 5 June.
Battle of the Cowpens, general Morgan defeats Tarleton, whose whole force is cut to pieces; the British had 600 menkilled on the field; the Americans 12 killed and 60 wounded, 7 June.
Battle of Ninety-six. 19 June.
Grotton, in Connecticut, burnt by Gen. Arnold, Sept. 6.
Battle or Hobkirks hill, general Greene and lord Rawdon, 8 Sept.
Eutaw Springs, the British under general Stewart, defeated by general Greene; the standard of the 3d British regiment,or old Bulfs, taken by the Americans; the American colonel Washington wounded and taken by the British, 8 Sept.
New London, Connecticut, burnt by Benedict Arnold, Sept. 13.
Battles of Porto Novo and Mooteapollam, E. Indies.
1782.Floating batteries, the, destroyed before Gibraltar, Sept. 13.
Surrender of Yorktown, by Cornwallis, with his whole army, consisting of 7000 men, to the united armies of America andFrance, under the command of general Washington, which closed the battles of the American revolution, 17 Oct.
Mohawk river, battle at, when Colonel Willet defeated the British, Oct. 24.
1790.The Miami Indians defeat General Harmar with great loss, September 30.
1791.The Indians defeat Gen. St. Clair with great loss, Nov. 4.
Bangalore, battle of, Cornwallis captures the place.
1792.Ostend taken possession of by the French under Dumourier, Dec.
Nice taken by the French under General Anselm, Sept. 29.
Savoy, part of the king of Sardinia’s dominions, taken by the French under General Montesquieu, Oct.
Battle of Jemappe, Dumourier, French 40,000, Clairfayt, Austrians 28,000, Nov. 5.
Frankfort treacherously given up to the Austrians, when 1300 Frenchmen were massacred by the Hessians, and severalwhose lives were spared had their hands cut off, Dec. 2.
1793.Neuingen, the battle of, between the combined armies and General Dumourier, when the French were defeated with great loss, March 20.
Battle of Tirlemont, Clairfayt defeats Dumourier, March 18.
Battle of St. Amand, in which Dampierre the French commander was killed by a cannon ball, in an engagement near the woodsof Rhemes and Vicoigne, when the allies were defeated with great loss; General Clairfayt and Duke of York commanded the coalesced army, May 8.
Famars, battle of, between the French and combined powers, when the former were defeated, by Cobourg and Duke of York, May 23.
Carlberg, the battle of, when the French under Custine, defeated the Prussians, May 18.
Arlon, French and Austrians, latter defeated, 9 June.
Valenciennes, taken by the combined powers, and soon after retaken, June.
Marseilles, which had revolted against the convention, subdued Aug. 24.
Verdun, the French garrison, taken by the Prussians, and retaken soon after, Sept. 2.
Battle of Weissemberg, (or attack and repulse of,) Aug. 27.
Battle of Hondschoote, French under Houchard commander, Marshal Freytag taken, duke of York escapes, Sept. 6.
Dunkirk besieged by the combined army under the Duke of York, August 25, who were repulsed with great slaughter, Sept. 7, following.
Battle of Dunkirk, Duke of York and Marshal Freytag defeated by the French under Houchard and Jourdan, 32 24-pounders, and68 other pieces of cannon taken by the French, Sept. 8.
Battle of Pirmasens, on the Rhine, Duke of Brunswick victorious over the French.
Battle of Saorgia, King of Sardinia beaten, Sept. 20.
Spaniards defeated at Perpignan under Ricardos.
Boufflers, from 8 in the morning to 7 at night, Austrians retreat under cover of night.
Battle of Maubeuge, Cobourg Austrian, Jourdan French, lasted two days, from day light ’till night.
Jeremie fort, St. Domingo, taken by the British, Oct.
Limbach, battle of, when the French were victorious, Sept. 14.
Maubeuge, the battle of, between the Austrians and the French, when the former were defeated with great loss, Oct. 15 & 16.
Toulon surrendered to the English Admiral Lord Hood, who took possession of the town and shipping in the name of Louis XVII.when the tree of liberty, which had been erected there, was converted into a gibbet for the republicans. On December 19, following, the republicans attackedthe town in a most vigorous manner; when the combined forces, finding that all future resistance was useless, after having set fire to the shipping, arsenals,&c. made a precipitate retreat.
Tirlemont, battle of, when after a contest of several days, the French under Dumourier were defeated.
Battle of Deuxponts, Hoche and Wurmser, Hoche victorious at 4 o’clock, afternoon, loss of Austrians 6000, French 2000, 21 Nov.
Hagenau, Hoche gains a victory, 8-9 Dec.
Action five days at Weissemberg, and Austrians driven from Balberotte, 31 Dec.
1794.Noimoutier, the island of, taken from the Insurgents of La Vendee, by the arms of the French Republic, Jan 3.
Battle between Russians and Poles, former defeated, 4 Jan.
Fort Vauban taken by the French, Jan. 7.
Battle of Villers en Couchée, 24 April.
Battle of Cateau.
Moucron, battle of, when the allied forces under Clairfayt were totally defeated by the French under Pichegru, April 26.
Courtray, the same, 11 May.
Tournay, battle of, between the French and English, when the former were defeated, May 10; again between the French and combinedpowers, when the latter were defeated with great loss, May 17 & 18 following.
Lannoy, Pichegru defeats duke of York, 18 May, takes 60 pieces; here the duke won the race, but lost the battle.
Turcoing, Pichegru and Clairfayt, a victory on neither side, though a desperate battle, 22 May.
Coilloure, the Spanish garrison of, also Port Vendre, Fort St. Elmo, &c. with 8000 prisoners, taken by the French under Gen.Dugoumier, May.
Battle of Espierres, 25 May.
Hoogleden, Macdonald defeats Clairfayt, 13 June.
Charleroy, a garrison consisting of 3000 Austrians, surrendered to the French under Gen. Jourdan, June 25.
Battle of Fleurus, Jourdan victorious over Cobourg, began at 3 o’clock in the morning; the French three times fell back from thepowerful artillery of the Austrians, and returned fresh to the fight. The French word of battle was, no retreat to day, for 9 hours victory indecisive;when Jourdan collecting his corps de reserve, Lefebvre leading the cavalry, the Austrians were put to the route. In this action reconnoitering with balloons waspractised with the greatest effect, the combined forces lost about 8000 men killed and 15000 prisoners, June 28. In consequence of this victory, Le Chateau deNamur soon after submitted to the French republic.
Battle of Bellgarde, in the Eastern Pyrennees, Spaniards defeated, French general Mirabel, killed, 13 July.
Fontarabia, the key of Spain, was taken by the French, July.
Chandernagore taken from the French by the British, July.
Indians defeated by Gen. Wayne, Aug. 20.
Juliers, the fortress of, submitted to the French, when all the provinces west of the Rhine fell into their hands.
Boxtel, Moreau pursues duke of York, 14, 15, 16, Sept.
Bellegarde taken after an action, the last place possessed by the coalesced powers in France, 18 Sept.
Battle of Warsaw, between the Russians and Poles, in which Kosciusko was taken prisoner covered with wounds, 10 Oct.
Battle of Rerzese, in Poland, in which Suwarrow annihilated the Poles, took all their artillery, 19 Oct.
Berterzel, Moreau, beats the Duke of York; general Fox wins a race here, 19 Oct.
Praga, the suburb of, near Warsaw in Poland, taken by the Russian General Suwarrow, who gave the barbarous orders to his army togive quarters to no one, in consequence of which, upwards of 30,000 Poles, men, women and children, were massacred, Nov. 4.
Nimeguen, port of, evacuated by the British, Nov. 7.
Warsaw, the capital of Poland, taken by the Russians under Suwarrow, Nov. 9.
Maestrecht, the garrison of, consisting of 8000 Austrians, surrendered to the French, Nov. 9.
Battle of the Black Mountain, Eastern Pyrennees, in which Dugomier, commander of the French, gained a complete victory, but fellin the battle; took 50 pieces of cannon and the Spanish founderies of Egui and Orbaycette, 17 Nov.
Another battle, French took tents for 50,000 men, at Figueras, 20 Nov.
Graves, the fortress of, taken by the French, Dec. 30.
1795.Battle of Bommel, in Holland, French under Moreau, took 120 pieces of cannon, 7 Jan.
Grenada, bloody battle fought between the French and English in that island, in which the latter were defeated, March 3.
Battle of Quiberoon, Puissaye defeated by Hoche, 3 Aug.
1796.Battle of Kreutsnach, in which the French general Moreau, defeats the Austrian generals Kray and Wurmser, 4 Jan.
Bonaparte’s first campaign in Italy.
Montenotte, Bonaparte with 56,000 men, defeats Boileau with 84,000, took from theAustrians 40 pieces of cannon, 11 April.
Battle of Fonubio, 7 May.
Battle of Pavia, 17 May.
Milessimo, 11 May.
Dego, the same, 14 April.
Battle of Mondovi, in which the French general Stengel was killed, 22 April.
Battle of Lodi, over Boileau, 11 May.
Passage of the Mincio and battle of Borghetta, 4 June.
Battle of Renchen, Moreau victorious over the Austrians, 28 June.
Battle of Etingen, the corps of Condé cut to pieces, 1 July.
Battle of Neukirchen, Lefebvre defeats the Austrians, 6 July.
Battle of Castiglione lasted five days, Wurmser defeated, 70 field pieces, 15,000 prisoners, and Killed 6000, 2 Aug.
Battle of Peschiera, 6 Aug.
Battle of Roveredo, 6 Sept.
Battle of Bassano, 8 Sept.
Battle of Castellaro, 14 Sept.
Battle of Legonaro, 11 Oct.
Battle of Caldiero, 12 Oct.
Battle of Arcole, 15 Oct.
Battle of Altenkirken, Jourdan defeats Wurmser, 1 June.
Moreau attacks Wurmser and defeats him at Frankenthal, 15 June.
Moreau defeats the Austrians at Nordlingen, 10 Aug.
Jourdan defeated and retreats from Frankfort towards the Rhine, 30 Aug. to 3 Sept.
Desaix defeats the Austrians at Marienburg and covers Moreau’s retreat, 7 Sept.
1797.Battle near Laforma on the Adige, 13 Jan.
Provera beaten and made prisoner at La Favorita, 15 Jan.
Passage of Tagliamento and defeat of the Archduke near Gradisca; who narrowly escapes, 16 Feb.
Battle of Tagliamento, Austrians under arch duke Charles, defeated by Massena, 16 March.
Battle of Neuwied, Hoche defeats the Austrians under Kray, and takes 4000 prisoners, 18 March.
Battle of Tarvis in the Noric Alps, Massena defeats the Austrians, 20 March.
Battle of Lavis, Joubert defeats the Austrians, 22 March.
Battle of Pufero, Austrians defeated by general Guyeux, 23 March.
Battle of Tarvis, fought above the clouds, Austrians defeated by Massena, the imperial cuirassiers annihilated, 25 March.
Battle of the defiles of Neumark, Massena defeats the Austrians, 2 April.
1798.General Berthier, enters and occupies the city of Rome, in consequence of the assassination of general Duphot, and an attemptto assassinate Joseph Bonaparte the French ambassador, 10 Feb.
General Brune takes possession of Fribourg in Switzerland, after a severe action, 3 March.
A revolt in Ireland, several actions between the Irish and British troops with various success, during this month, April.
Action at Killalla, 19 April.
Action at Hacketstown, between the Irish insurgents and British troops; same day actions in Clare, Lucan, Lusk, and Kilcullen, 25 May.
Action at Tarragh, very desperate and bloody; same day the insurgents in Wexford, capture a British detachment, 27 May.
Battle at Enniscorthy, Ireland; same day a desperate action near Limerick, 28 May.
Battle of Arklow, the Irish insurgents defeat the British regulars, 29 May.
Battle of Vinegar Hill, the British under general Fawcett, defeated, 30 May.
Action at Newtownbarry, the British compelled to retreat before the insurgents; the pike the chief weapon of the Irish, 1 June.
The insurgents from Wexford, defeat the British under colonel Walpole, the colonel is killed, and the cannon are taken bythe insurgents, 4 June.
Desperate action at New Ross, county Wexford; the British army under general Johnson, severely cut up, their cannon taken,and lord Mountjoy killed. Several actions during this month in which the British are defeated, 5 June.
Battle of Antrim, lord O’Neil killed, with a pike, 7 June.
Battle of Ballinahinch, the British army severely handled by the insurgent general Munroe, who was wounded and taken prisonerand afterwards executed; the British in vengeance burned the town of Saintfield, 12 June.
Insurgents camp at Vinegar hill, stormed by general Lake, and carried with great slaughter, 21 June.
Sir Charles Asgill, defeated by a body of insurgents, under the command of Murphy, an Irishpriest, 23 June.
Sir Charles Asgill, attacks the Irish insurgents on Kilconnel Hill, and defeats them, but with the loss of 1000 men;the insurgents lose as many with all their cannon, and their leader Murphy falls in battle, 26 June.
Several actions in this month between the revolted Irish and British troops, July.
A French army under general Humbert, lands in Ireland, and takes possession of Kilalla, 22 Aug.
Humbert attacks Lake at Castlebar, and defeats him, taking six pieces of British artillery, 27 Aug.
Battle of Underwalden in Swisserland, between the adherents of the aristocracy of Berne and the French, underSchauenburg; the town of Stantz was burnt to the ground, 9 Sept.
The Irish insurgents defeat a British force at Rathfarnham, 18 Oct.
Desperate action at Kilcock, the British troops suffer from the pike, 28 Oct.
General Mack commences hostilities in Italy against the French, by an attack on five different points of the French lines,in the Roman territory, 22 Nov.
Battle of Porto Fermo, on the Adriatic, the French defeat the Neapolitans and take their cannon and baggage, 28 Nov.
Macdonald defeats the Neapolitans at Civita Castellano, 5 Dec.
Again defeats Mack at Calvi, 8 Dec.
Championnet defeats Mack in a general action, 11 Dec.
Macdonald defeats the Neapolitans under Dumas. The fruit of these battles, was 12,000 prisoners, 99 pieces of cannon,21 standards, 3000 horses, and all the baggage of the Neapolitan armies.
Egypt conquered by the French.
1799.Battle of el Arish, Bonaparte defeats the Mamalukes, 9 Feb.
Jaffa taken by storm, by generals Lasnes and Bonaparte, 5 March.
Battle of Sadaseer, near Periptnam, first action on the invasion of Mysore, 5 March.
Battle of Luciensteig, Massena forces that place with dreadful slaughter; and thus gains the key of Tyrol and the Grisons, 7 March.
Battle at Loubi, on the river Jordan, near Nazareth; Bonaparte, Murat, and Junot commanded, 8 March.
Kleber defeats the Syrians at Led-Jarra, 10 March.
Battle of Esdrelon, near Mount Tabor, 17 March.
General Desolles scales the Julian Alps, takes the intrenched defiles of Tauffers in the rear, and gains a completevictory over Laudohn, 17 March.
Ostrach, Jourdan with 40,000 men, is attacked by the archduke with 80,000, and is forced to retreat, 21 March.
Samanhout, a new and elegant disposition, infantry squares formed the two flanks, cavalry in a square the centre; the troopsto oppose were Mamalukes and horsemen. Davoust commanded the French horse, Friant and Belliard the two squares of infantry, 22 March. Several battles atBiramba, Bardis, Girgé, gained by Desaix in this month.
Stockach, Jourdan attacks Archduke, but is defeated and forced to retreat; Jourdan’s force under 40,000 men, the Archduke’sabove 80,000; the battle was principally fought by infantry and was terrible; 10,000 men lay on the field of battle, 25 March.
Scherer and Moreau attack the Austrians between the Garda and Adige, gain a hard earned victory, fought from day break to 11 atnight, 26 March.
Scherer and Moreau attack general Kray before Verona, and are defeated, 30 March.
Battle of Magnan, the French are defeated, 5 April.
Battle Malanelly, E. Indies, 5 April.
Lacourbe defeats Bellegarde in the Engadine, 1 May.
Seringapatam taken by storm, Tippoo put to death, partition of Mysore followed, 4 May.
Attack of St. Jean d’Acre, and Bonaparte forced to raise the siege, 7 May.
Moreau defeats the Russians on the Po, 12 May.
Lecourbe defeats the Austrians on the Reuss, 2 June.
Battle of Zurich, the Austrian Generals Hotze, and Wallis, Kerpen and Hillier wounded; and Judinot and Humbert of the French, 5 June.
Battle of Modena, Macdonald defeats Hohenzollern, 10 June.
Battle of the Trebia, at St. Juliano, Moreau and Suwarrow; the French defeated, 18 June.
Battle of Chebrisa, Bonaparte against the Mamelukes; a new disposition, echellons of squares with artillery and baggageof each square in its centre—and giving a front and flank fire.
Turks land and take Aboukir after a battle very desperate, the Turks defeated,Bonaparte embarks for France, 15 July.
Battle of the Pyramids, the same order of battle—very decided victory over Murad Bey, 21 July.
Second battle of Zurich, most terrible and brilliant, Massena attacks the Archduke; indecisive, 14 Aug.
Suwarrow attacks Joubert at Novi, who is killed, Moreau takes the command but is forced to retreat, a bloody battle, 15 Aug.
Helder, 27 Aug.
Battle of Bergen, in Holland, general Brune attacks Abercrombie, 10 Sept.
Second battle, the British and Russians under the Duke of York, defeated by Brune, and forced to retire within intrenchments, 19 Sept.
Third battle of Zurich, terrible and decisive, one of the most brilliant in history; Massena commanded, the Austrian generalHotze killed, the French triumph, 7 to 24 Sept.
Battle of Fossano, 14 Sept.
Gaeta, Aquila taken by storm, Mack defeated, and the Neapolitans capitulate to Championnet, 1 Oct.
Battle of Bergen, 1 Oct.
Battle of Sand hills near Bergen, 2 Oct.
Battle of Egmont, duke of York again defeated and capitulates, 6 Oct.
Battle of Fossano, French defeated by Melas, 4 Nov.
1800.Egypt conquered by the English.
Moreau crosses the Rhine, and defeats the Austrians at Engen, 2 May.
Battle of Gremback, same, 3 May.
Biberach, same effect, 9 May.
Severe action at Memmingen, Kray forced to retreat, 11 May.
Signal defeat of five Austrian columns, by two French on the Iller, 5 June.
Battle of Hochstedt, the Austrians defeated by Moreau, 18 June.
Action at Ungerhausen, 26 June.
Celebrated battle at Hohenlinden, gained by Moreau, takes 80 pieces of cannon and 10,000 prisoners; action began at day breakand ended at 4 o’clock.
Battle of Casteggio, Austrians defeated by Berthier, 8 June.
Battle of Marengo, one of the most brilliant in history, and important in its consequences; it lasted 11 hours; decided thefate of Italy, and placed the iron crown on the head of the Bonaparte Dynasty, 14 June.
Battle at Muhldorf, 1 Dec.
1801.Alexandria, Egypt, Abercrombie fell, French defeated by Hutchinson, 21 March.
1805.Battle of Wertingen in Bavaria, the first of the coalition of Austria and Russia; Austrians defeated and alltheir cannon taken, Oct. 8.
Battle of Guntzburg, marshal Ney defeats the Austrians, 9 Oct.
Battle on the Adige, Massena forces a passage at Verona, and defeats the archduke Charles, Oct. 18.
Surrender of Ulm by Mack, October 20.
Murat defeats prince Ferdinand at Nuremburg, Oct. 21.
Battle of Caldiero, Massena attacks the whole Austrian line, defeats them; captures one of their divisions; the arch dukeescapes at night, Oct. 30.
Battle of Amstetten, the Russians defeated by Murat, 4 Nov.
Battle of Marienzel, Davoust defeats the Austrian General Meerfeldt, 8 Nov.
Mortier defeats the Russians under Kutasoff at Diernstein, Nov. 11.
Murat and Lasnes defeat the Russians under Kutasoff at Holabrunn, 15 Nov.
Soult again at Guntersdorff, 16 Nov.
Battle of Austerlitz or of the three emperors, 500 pieces of cannon and 150,000 men were engaged in this battle, which was oneof the most profound in the history of tactics, and the most brilliant in the annals of victory; 150 pieces of artillery were taken by the victors; this battledeprived the house of Austria of the title of Emperor of Germany, 2 Dec.
1806.Battle of Jena, Oct. 14.
Prussia subdued by Bonaparte.
1807.Dantzick taken, May 20.
Battle of Spaudau, June 5.
Battle of Lonutten, same day.
Deppen, battle of, Marshal Ney makes a fictious retreat, and cuts a body of Russians to pieces, June 6.
Eylau, battle of, very bloody and desperate, Russians lost 30,000 men killed, June 6-12.
Friedland, battle of, this action decided the fate of the Coalition, and produced the peace of Tilsit on the 7th July succeeding.This battle stands in the same rank with Jemappe, Fleurus, Nordlingen, Zurich, Marengo, Jena and Austerlitz.
Battle-Array, -
Line of Battle,

the method and order of arranging the troops in order or line of battle; the form of drawing up the army for an engagement. This method generally consists of three lines, viz. the front line, the rear line, and the reserve.

The second line should be about 300 paces behind the first, and the reserve at about 5 or 600 paces behind the second. The artillery is likewise divided along the front of the first line. The front line should be stronger than the rear line, that its shock may be more violent, and that, by having a greater front, it may more easily close on the enemy’s flanks. If the first line has the advantage, it should continue to act, and attack the enemy’s second line, terrified by the defeat of their first. The artillery must always accompany the line of battle in the order it was at first distributed, if the ground permit it; and the rest of the army should follow the motions of the first line, when it continues to march on after its first success.

Battle-Ax, an offensive weapon, formerly much used by the Danes, and other northern infantry. It was a kind of halbert, and did great execution when wielded by a strong arm.

Main-Battle. See [Battle-Array].

BATTLEMENTS, in military affairs, are the indentures in the tops of old castles or fortified walls, or other buildings, in the form of embrasures, for the greater conveniency of firing or looking through.

BATTRE l’estrade, Fr. to send out scouts.

Battre la campagne, Fr. to scour the country or make incursions against an enemy.

Battre, Fr. to direct one or more pieces of ordnance in such a manner, that any given object may be destroyed or broken into by the continued discharge of cannon ball, or of other warlike materials; it likewise means to silence an enemy’s fire.

Battre de front, Fr. to throw cannon-shot in a perpendicular or almost perpendicular direction against any body or place which becomes an object of attack. This mode of attack is less effectual than any other unless you [batter in breach].

Battre d’écharpe, Fr. to direct shot, so that the lines of fire make a manifest acute angle with respect to the line of any particular object against which cannon is discharged.

Battre en flanc, Fr. is when the shot from a battery runs along the length of the front of any object or place against which it is directed.

Battre a dos, Fr. to direct the shot from one or several pieces of cannon so as to batter, almost perpendicularly, from behind any body of troops, part of a rampart or intrenchment.

Battre de revers, Fr. to direct shot, in such a manner as to run between the two last mentioned lines of fire. When you batter from behind, the shot fall almost perpendicularly upon the reverse of the parapet. When you batter from the reverse side, the trajectories or lines of fire describe acute angles of forty five degrees or under, with the prolongation of that reverse.

Battre de bricole, Fr. This method can only be put in practice at sieges, and against works which have been constructed in front of others that are invested. A good billiard player will readily comprehend what is meant by the bricole or back stroke; it means simply the firing of shot against a wall so that the balls may rebound and in the rebound strike men or objects, that could not be struck directly.

Battre la Caisse, Fr. to beat a drum.

Mener battant, to overcome.

Mener quelqu’un au Tambour battant. To overcome by strokes of the drum. To disconcert, to confound, puzzle and perplex any body.

BAVINS, in military affairs, implies small faggots, made of brush-wood, of a considerable length, no part of the brush being taken off. See [Fascines].

BAYARD, Fr. a provincial term used in ancient Languedoc and Roussillon to signify a wheel-barrow.

BAYONET, a kind of triangular dagger, made with a hollow handle, and a shoulder, to fix on the muzzle of a firelock or musket, so that neither the charging nor firing is prevented by its being fixed on the piece. It is of infinite service against horse. At first the bayonet was screwed into the muzzle of the barrel, consequently could not be used during the fire. It is said by some to have been invented by the people of Malacca, and first made use of on quitting the pikes. According to others, it was first used by the fusileers in France, and invented or used at Bayonne. At present it is given to all infantry.

BEACON, a signal for securing and guarding against dangers.

On certain eminent places of the country are placed long poles erect, whereon are fastened pitch-barrels to be fired by night, and smoke made by day, to give notice, in a few hours of an approaching invasion; the Irish are reported to have risen upon and extirpated the Danes by beacons or fires lighted on their hills.

BEAR, in gunnery. A piece of ordnance is said to bear, or come to bear, or brought to bear when pointed directly against the object; that is, pointed to hit the object.

BEARD, the reflected points of the head of an ancient arrow, particularly of such as were jagged.

BEAT, in a military sense, signifies to gain the day, to win the battle, &c.

To Beat a parley. See [Chamade].

BEAVER, that part of the ancient helmet which covered the face, and which was moveable so as to expose the face without removing the beaver from the helmet.

BECHE, Fr. a spade used by pioneers.

BEDS, in the military language, are of various sorts, viz.

Mortar-Beds serve for the same purpose as a carriage does to a cannon: they are made of solid timber, consisting generally of 2 pieces fastened together with strong iron bolts and bars. Their sizes are according to the kind of mortar they carry.

Beds for Mortars.

KINDS.Weight.Tonnage.Len.Br.Ht.
cwt.qr.lb.ts.cwt.qr.ft.in.ft.in.ft.in.
Sea383133 32
13- Land Wood212 71 6070 2623
Do. Iron500 0210063 3 116
Sea322142 22
10- Land Wood10020014266 1 8110
Do. Iron230 01 3048 2 411¹⁄₂
8- Land Wood 60200 7242 1 717¹⁄₂
Do. Iron120 0012040 111011
5¹⁄₂Wood 10220 2029 1 4010
4²⁄₅Wood 03110 1224¹⁄₂1 209

Stool-Beds for guns.

Inch.In.
42Prs.0120010 21011 to8³⁄₄3³⁄₄
32——0114010 21010 5¹⁄₂3¹⁄₄
24——0114010 2 910¹⁄₄6¹⁄₂4
18——0112010 2 89¹⁄₂6¹⁄₂3³⁄₄
12——0110002²⁄₃2 810 6¹⁄₂4
 9——01 4002 2 79¹⁄₂5³⁄₄3¹⁄₂
 6——01 0001³⁄₄2 69 4³⁄₄3¹⁄₂
 4——01 0001 2 68¹⁄₄5¹⁄₄

Sea-Mortar-Beds, are made of solid timber, having a hole in the centre to receive the pintle or strong iron bolt, about which the bed turns. Sea-mortars are mounted on these beds, on board of the bomb-ketches.

These beds are placed upon very strong timber frames, fixed into the bomb-ketch, in which the pintle is fixed, so as the bed may turn about it, to fire any way. The fore part of these beds is an arc of a circle described from the same centre as the pintle-hole.

Stool-Bed, is a piece of wood on which the breech of a gun rests upon a truck-carriage, with another piece fixed to it at the hind end, that rests upon the body of the hind axle-tree; and the fore part is supported by an iron bolt. See [Carriage].

BEEF-Eaters, the yeomen of the guard to the king of Great Britain are so called, being kept up rather for pageantry, than for any military service. Their arms are a sabre and lance; and the dress of the 13th century.

BEETLES, in a military sense, are large wooden hammers for driving down pallisades, and for other uses, &c.

BEETLESTOCK, the stock or handle of a beetle.

BELLIGERENT, in a state of warfare. Hence any two or more nations at war are called belligerent powers.

BELTS, in the army are of different sorts, and for various purposes, viz.

Sword-Belt, a leathern strap in which a sword hangs.

Shoulder-Belt, a leathern belt, which goes over the shoulder, and to which the pouch is fixed. It is made of stout leather. See [Pouch].

Shoulder-Belts for the light cavalry and dragoons, 2¹⁄₂ inches broad. Regiments that have buff waistcoats, usually have buff-coloured accoutrements, and those which have white waistcoats, wear white.

Waist-Belts, are 1³⁄₄ inches; to have buckles or clasps.

Belts are known among the ancient and middle-age writers by divers names, as zona, cingulum, reminiculum, ringa, and baldrellus. The belt was an essential piece of the ancient armor, insomuch that we sometimes find it used to denote the whole armor. In latter ages the belt was given to a person when he was raised to knighthood: whence it has also been used us a badge or mark of the knightly order.

Belts among the aborigines of America, are the symbols of peace or war; they are made in a rude fanciful taste, of colored beads, and are usually presented at all conferences or talks.

BENDINGS, in military and sea matters, are ropes, wood, &c. bent for several purposes. M. Amontons gives several experiments concerning the bending of ropes. The friction of a rope bent, or wound round an immovable cylinder, is sufficient, with a very small power, to sustain very great weights. Divers methods have been contrived for bending timber, in order to supply crooked planks and pieces for building ships; such as by sand, boiling water, steam of boiling water, and by fire. See M. Du Hamel, in his book called Du Transport, de la Conservation, & de la Force des Bois. M. Delesme ingeniously enough proposed to have the young trees bent, while growing in the forest. The method of bending planks by sand-heat, now used in the British navy yards, was invented by captain Cumberland.

A method has been lately invented and practised for bending pieces of timber, so as to make the wheels of carriages without joints. The bending of boards, and other pieces of timber for curved works in joinery, is effected by holding them to the fire, then giving them the figure required, and keeping them in this figure by tools for the purpose.

BENEFICIARII, in ancient military history, denotes soldiers who attend the chief officers of the army, being exempted from all other duty. In the American service called waiters; each commissioned officer being allowed one.

Beneficiarii were also soldiers discharged from the military service or duty, and provided with beneficia to subsist on.

BERM, in fortification, is a little space or path, of about 3, 4, 6, or 8 feet broad, according to the height and breadth of the works, between the ditch and the parapet, when made of turf, to prevent the earth from rolling into the ditch; and serves likewise to pass and repass.

To BESIEGE, to lay siege to or invest any place with armed forces.

BESIEGERS, the army that lays siege to a fortified place.

BESIEGED, the garrison that defends the place against the army that lays siege to it. See [Siege].

To BETRAY, to deliver perfidiously any place or body of troops into the hands of the enemy. To discover that which has been entrusted to secrecy.

BETTY, a machine used for forcing open gates or doors. See [Petard].

BICOQUE, Fr. a term used in France to signify a place ill-fortified and incapable of much defence. It is derived from a place on the road between Lodi and Milan, which was originally a gentleman’s country house surrounded by ditches. In the year 1522, a body of Imperial troops were stationed in it, and stood the attack of the whole French army, during the reign of Francis I. This engagement was called the battle of Bicoque.

BILBO, a rapier, or small sword, was formerly so called: from Bilboa in Spain, where excellent swords are made.

BILL or Bill-Hook, a small hatchet used for cutting wood for fascines, gabions, bavins, &c.

BILLET, in England is a ticket for quartering soldiers, which intitles each soldier, by act of parliament, to candles, vinegar, and salt, with the use of fire, and the necessary utensils for dressing and eating their meat. The allowance of small beer has been added by a late regulation.

BILLET de logement, Fr. a billet for quarters. This billet or ticket was formerly delivered out to the French troops upon the same general principles that it is issued in England.

Billeting, in the army, implies the quartering soldiers in the houses of any town or village.

BINACLE, a telescope with 2 tubes, so constructed, that a distant object might be seen with both eyes, now rarely used.

BIVOUAC, Biouac, Biouvac, or Biovac, Fr. [from the German weywacht, a double watch or guard.] A night-guard, or a detachment of the whole army, which during a siege, or in the presence of an enemy, marches out every night in squadrons or battalions to line the circumvallations, or to take post in front of the camp, for the purpose of securing their quarters, preventing surprises, and of obstructing supplies. When an army does not encamp, but lies under arms all night, it is said to bivoac. Thus before the battle of Austerlitz, Bonaparte was all night in bivoac, or with the advanced guard.

BIT, the bridle of a horse, which acts by the assistance of a curb. See Curb and [Bridon].

BLACK-HOLE, a place of confinement for soldiers, in the English discipline, who may be confined therein by the commanding officer, but not by any inferior officer. In this place they are generally restricted to bread and water.

BLANKETS, are made of coarse paper steeped in a solution of saltpetre, and when dry are again dipt in a composition of tallow, resin, and sulphur. They are used only in fire-ships.

BLAST, and BLASTING. See [Mine] and [Mining].

BLINDS, in military affairs, are wooden frames, composed of 4 pieces, either flat or round, two of which are 6 feet long, and the others 3 or 4 feet, which serve as spars to fasten the two first together: the longest are pointed at both ends, and the two others are fastened towards the extremities of the former, at about 10 or 12 inches from their points, the whole forming a rectangular parallelogram, the long sides of which project beyond the other about 10 or 12 inches. Their use is to fix them either upright, or in a vertical position, against the sides of the trenches or saps, to sustain the earth. Their points at the bottom serve to fix them in the earth, and those at top to hold the fascines that are placed upon them; so that the sap or trench is formed into a kind of covered gallery, to secure the troops from stones and grenades.

The term Blind is also used to express a kind of hurdle, made of the branches of trees, behind which the soldiers, miners, or labourers, may carry on their work without being seen. See [Hurdle].

Blinds are sometimes only canvas stretched to obstruct the sight of the enemy. Sometimes they are planks set up, for which see [Mantlet]. Sometimes they are made of a kind of coarse basket-work; see [Gabions]. Sometimes of barrels, or sacks filled with earth. In short, they signify any thing that covers the labourers from the enemy.

Blind See [Orillon] and [Fortification].

BLOCKADE, -
BLOCKADING,

in military affairs, implies the surrounding a place with different bodies of troops, who shut up all the avenues on every side, and prevent every thing from going in or out of the place; this is usually effected by means of the cavalry. The design of the blockade is to oblige those who are shut up in the town, to consume all their provisions, and by that means to compel them to surrender for want of subsistence.

Hence it appears that a blockade must last a long time, when a place is well provided with necessaries; for which reason this method of reducing a town is seldom taken, but when there is reason to believe the magazines are unprovided, or sometimes when the nature or situation of the place permits not the approaches to be made, which are necessary to attack it in the usual way.

Maritime towns, which have a port, are in much the same case as other towns, when their port can be blocked up, and the besiegers are masters of the sea, and can prevent succours from being conveyed that way into the place.

To Blockade, or to block up a place, is to shut up all the avenues, so that it cannot receive any relief either of men or provisions, &c.

To raise a Blockade, is to march from before a place, and leave it free and open as before.

To turn a siege into a Blockade, is to desist from a regular method of besieging, and to surround the place with those troops who had formed the siege.

To form a Blockade, is to surround the place with troops, and hinder any thing from going in or coming out.

A new species of Blockade has been discovered during the French Revolution, a blockade by [proclamation].

BLOCUS, Fr. See [Blockade].

BLOCK battery, in gunnery, a wooden battery for two or more small pieces, mounted on wheels, and moveable from place to place: very ready to fire [en barbet], in the galleries and casemates, &c. where room is wanted.

Block-house, in the military art, a kind of wooden fort or fortification, sometimes mounted on rollers, or on a flat-bottomed vessel, serving either on the lakes or rivers, or in counter-scarps and counter-approaches. This name is sometimes given to a brick or stone building on a bridge, or the brink of a river, serving not only for its defence, but for the command of the river, both above and below.

BLUNDERBUSS, a well known fire-arm, consisting of a wide, short, but very large bore, capable of holding a number of musquet or pistol balls, very fit for doing great execution in a croud, making good a narrow passage, defending the door of a house, stair-case, &c. or repelling an attempt to board a ship.

BOARD of Ordnance. See [Ordnance].

Board, also implies an office under the government, where the affairs of some departments are transacted; of which there are several sorts in England.

BOAT. See [Advice-Boat], [Pontoon-Boat], &c.

BODY, in the art of war, is a number of forces, horse or foot, united and marching under one commander.

Main Body of an army, sometimes means the troops encamped in the center between the two wings, and generally consists of infantry. The main body on a march, signifies the whole of the army, exclusive of the van and rear-guard.

Body of a Reserve. See [Reserve].

Body of a place, is, generally speaking, the buildings in a fortified town; yet the inclosure round them is generally understood by it.

BOIS de remontage, Fr. every species of timber which is used to new mount cannon, or refit ammunition waggons, &c.

Bois de chauffage, Fr. the fuel which is distributed among French troops.

BOLT, an iron pin used for strengthening a piece of timber, or for fastening two or more articles together. Bolts in gunnery, being of several sorts, admit of various denominations, which arise from the specific application of them, as

1.Eye -Bolts.
2.Joint
3.Transom
4.Bed
5.Breeching
6.Bracket
7.Stool-bed
8.Garnish
9.Axle-tree
10.Bolster
BOMB- See [Shell].
Chest. See [Caisson].
Vessels, -
Ketches,

small vessels, made very strong with large beams, particularly calculated for throwing shells into a town, castle, or fortification, from 13 and 10-inch mortars; two of which are placed on board of each ship. They are said to have been invented by M. Reyneau, a Frenchman, and to have been first put in action at the bombardment of Algiers in 1681: till then it had been judged impracticable to bombard a place from the sea.

Bomb Ketch. The old bomb-ketches carried one 13-inch and 1 10-inch mortar, with 8 six-pounders, besides swivels, for their own immediate defence. The modern bomb-vessels carry 2 10-inch mortars 4 68-pounders, and 6 18-pounders carronades; and the mortars may be fired at as low an angle as 20 degrees; though these mortars are not intended to be used at sea but on very particular occasions; their principal intention, at these low angles, being to cover the landing of troops, and protect coasts and harbours. A bomb-ketch is generally from 60 to 70 feet long from stem to stern, and draws 8 or 9 feet water. The tender is generally a brig, on board of which the party or artillery remain, till their services are required on board the bomb-vessel.

Instructions for their Management and Security in Action.

1. A Dutch pump, filled with water, must be placed in each round-top, one upon the forecastle, one on the main-deck, and one on the quarter-deck; and furnished with leather buckets, for a fresh supply of water.

2. The booms must be wetted by the pumps before the tarpaulins and mortar-hatches are taken off; and a wooden skreen, 5 feet square, is to be hung under the booms, over each mortar, to receive the fire from the vents.

3. The embrasures being fixed and properly secured, the port must be let down low enough to be covered by the sole of the embrasure. Previous to its being let down, a spar must be lashed across it, to which the tackles for raising it again must be fixed; this spar serves to project the tackles clear of the explosion.

4. The mortars must not be fired through the embrasures at a lower angle than 20 degrees, nor with a greater charge than 5 lbs. of powder.

5. Previous to firing, the doors of the bulkhead, under the quarter-deck, must be shut, to prevent the cabin being injured by the explosion.

6. The bed must be wedged in the circular curb, as soon as the mortar is pointed, to prevent re-action; the first wedge being driven tight, before the rear ones are fixed, in order to give the full bearing on the table, as well as the rear of the bed. The holes for dog-bolts must be corked up, to prevent the sparks falling into them.

7. When any shells are to be used on board the bomb, they must be fixed on board the tender, and brought from thence in boxes in her long-boat; and kept along side the bomb-ship till wanted, carefully covered up.

8. In the old constructed bomb-vessels it was necessary to hoist out the booms, and raft them along side previous to firing; but in these new ones, with embrasures, only the boats need be hoisted out; after which the mortars may be prepared for action in 10 minutes.

Proportion of Ordnance and Ammunition for a Bomb Ship, carrying two 10 inch Mortars, to fire at low angles, and at 45 degrees, four 68 Prs. and six 18 Prs. Carronades.

KINDS.In the
Bomb
Ship.		Tender.Total.
Mortars, sea service, with Beds, &c. 10 inch2— 2
Quoins for do.—2 for 45°—2 for 20° elevation4—4
Capsquares, with keys, &c. spare2—2
Handspikes, large4—4
Spunges, with ram.heads4—4
Handscrews, small2—2
Handcrow levers—6 feet4—4
Handspikes, common6—6
Linstocks, with cocks4—4
Powder horns, new pat.4—4
Matchcwts.1—1
Marlineskeins—1212
Budge bar. cop hooped112
Lanthorns, Muscovy224
Lanthorns, dark224
Carronades, 68 Prs.4—4
Carronades, 18 Prs.6—6
having sliding carriages, elevating screws, spunges, rammers &c. complete
Gun tackles, complete for traversing mortars, 12 Prs.4—4
Wads, 68 Prs.270270540
Wads, 18 Prs.480180660
Musquets- Bright32—32
Black8—8
Pistols, pairs15—15
Swords40—40
Pole axes6—6
Pikes40—40
Musquetoons2—2
Flints, musquet900—900
Flints, pistol150—150
Ball cartridges, musq.2000—2000
Ball cartridges, pistol2000—2000
Shot, musq. cwt. qr. lb.1.0.0—1.0.0
Shot, pistol1.0.0—1.0.0
Round car. fixed, 10 in.48152200
Empty shells, 10 inch.48352400
Iron shot, 1 lb.100040005000
Fixed shells, 10 inch48—48
Case shot, 68 Prs. car.202040
Emp. sh. 8 in for car.52100152
Shot, round, 68 Prs.5050100
Carcasses do. 68 Prs.96104200
Shot, round,18 Prs.300—300
Case shot,18 Prs.303060
Carcas. do. fix.18 Prs.150150300
Hand shells, fixed, sea service—150150
Fuzes for do. spare—1515
Pap. cov. for cart, 10 in.106609715
Pap. cov. for cart, 68 Pr.293301594
Pap. cov. for cart, 18 Pr.258198456
Flan. cartridg. emp. for 10 in. mor. -to hold 5 lb.106—106
do. 10.lb.—609609
Flan. cartridg. emp. for 68 Prs. car. -to hold 5 lb.293151 -594
do. 4 lb.—150
Flannel cartridges, emp. for 18 Prs. to hold 1¹⁄₂ lbs.528148 676
Paper cartridges for bursting, 10 inches, empty,—352352
Paper cartridges, for bursting, 8 inches, empty—100100
Paper cartridges filled with 2 lb. 10 oz for 10 inch.48—48
Do. filled with 1 lb. 14 oz. for 8 inch52—52
Fuzes, drove, 10 inch.52388440
Fuzes, drove, 8 inch.57110166
Valenciennes composition- 200 for 10 inch. shells at 14 oz. each, lbs. -—175175
768 for 10 inch. shells, at 9 oz. each, lbs. -—4242
Tube boxes, tin12—12
Fuze composition, for priming carcasses, lbs.—1010
Powder bags—66
Portfires—200200
Quick match, cotton, lbs.—2020
Spirits of wine, gals.—44
Kitt lbs.—8080
Bottoms of wood, 10 in.104050
Signal rockets, 1 lb. doz.—22
Blue lights, do.—33
Gunpowder for the mortars and carronades, half barrels72150222
Powder for priming, do.—11
Powder for bursting, do.—2828
with all the small articles which usually attend mortars on every service,and the articles necessary for the service of carronades at sea.
Laboratory chests, 4 ft.—22
Laboratory chests, 3 ft.—22
Handpumps for wetting the rigging, &c.6—6
Leather buckets24—24

Bomb Tender, a small vessel of war laden with ammunition for the bomb-ketch, and from which the latter is constantly supplied.

BOMBARD, an ancient piece of ordnance, so called, very short, and very thick, with an uncommon large bore. There have been bombards which have thrown a ball or shell of 300 weight: they made use of cranes to load them. The Turks use some of them at present.

To BOMBARD, -
BOMBARDING,
BOMBARDMENT,

the act of assaulting a city or fortress, by throwing shells into it in order to set fire to and ruin the houses, churches, magazines, &c. and to do other mischief. As one of the effects of the shell results from its weight, it is never discharged as a ball from a cannon, that is, by pointing it at a certain object: but the mortars are fixed at an elevation of or about 45 degrees; that is, inclined so many degrees from the horizon, that the shell describes a curve, called the military projectile: hence a mortar, whose trunnions are placed at the breech, can have no point-blank range. Mortars should be so contrived, that they may be elevated to any degree required, as much preferable to those fixed at an angle of 45°; because shells should never be thrown at that angle but in one single case only, which seldom happens; that is, when the battery is so far off, that they cannot otherwise reach the works: for when shells are thrown from the trenches into the works of a fortification, or from the town into the trenches, they should have as little elevation as possible, in order to roll along, and not bury themselves; whereby the damage they do, and the terror they cause to the troops, is much greater than if they sink into the ground. On the contrary, when shells are thrown upon magazines, or any other buildings, with an intention to destroy them, the mortar should be elevated as high as possible, that the shells may acquire a greater force in their fall.

Shells should be loaded with no more powder than is requisite to burst them into the greatest number of pieces, and the length of the fuzes should be exactly calculated according to the required ranges; for, should the fuze set fire to the powder in the shell, before it falls on the place intended, the shell will burst in the air, and probably do more mischief to those who fired the mortar, than to those against whom it was discharged. To prevent this, the fuzes are divided into as many seconds as the greatest range requires, consequently may be cut to any distance, at an elevation of 45 degrees.

Mortars are not to be fired with two fires; for when the fuze is properly fixed, and both fuze and shell dredged with mealed powder, the blast of the powder in the chamber of the mortar, when inflamed by the tube, will likewise set fire to the fuze fixed in the shell.

BOMBARDIERS, artillery soldiers, who are employed in mortar and howitzer duty. They are to load them on all occasions; and in most services they load the shells and grenades, fix the fuzes, prepare the composition both for fuzes and tubes, and fire both mortars and howitzers on every occasion. In the English service, shells and grenades, composition for the same, fuzes, &c. are prepared in the laboratory by people well-skilled in that business.

In most other armies both officers and soldiers belonging to the companies of bombardiers, have an extraordinary pay, as it requires more mathematical learning to throw shells with some degree of exactness, than is requisite for the rest of the artillery. In the British service a specific number is attached to each company of artillery, and do not form a separate corps as in other countries.

BONAVOGLIE, Fr. a man that for a certain consideration voluntarily engages to row.

BONNET, in fortification, implies a small but useful work, that greatly annoys the enemy in their lodgments. This work consists of two faces, which make a salient angle in the nature of a ravelin, without any ditch, having only a parapet 3 feet high, and 10 or 12 feet broad. They are made at the salient angles of the glacis, outworks, and body of the place, beyond the counterscarp, and in the faussebray. See [Fortification].

Bonnet à Prêtre, or Priest’s Cap, in fortification, is an outwork, having three salient and two inward angles, and differs from the double tenaille only in having its sides incline inwards towards the gorge, and those of a double tenaille are parallel to each other. See [Fortification].

BORDER, in military drawings, implies single or double lines, or any other ornament, round a drawing, &c.

BOOKS. There are different books made use of in the army, for the specific purposes of general and regimental economy.

The general orderly Book is kept by the brigade major, from which the leading orders of regiments, conveying the parole and countersign, are always taken.

The regimental orderly Book contains the peculiar instructions of corps which are given by a colonel or commanding officer to the adjutant—hence adjutant’s orderly Book—and from him to the serjeant-major, who delivers the same to the different serjeants of companies assembled in the orderly room for that purpose—hence the company’s orderly Book.

The regimental Book is kept by the clerk of the regiment, and contains all the records, &c. belonging to the corps.

The Company Book, is kept by the commanding officer of every company; and contains returns of all incidents and payments.

The black Book is a sort of memorandum which is kept in every regiment, to describe the character and conduct of non-commissioned officers and soldiers; when and how often they have been reduced or punished, &c.

Every quarter-master belonging to the cavalry and infantry, has likewise a book which may not improperly be called a book or inventory of regimental stores, &c.

Practice Book. Every officer of the artillery ought to have a book in which he should note every useful fact that occurs in practice.

BOOM, in marine fortification, is a long piece of timber, with which rivers or harbors are stopped, to prevent the enemy’s coming in: it is sometimes done by a cable or chain, and floated with yards, topmasts, or spars of wood lashed to it.

BORE, in gunnery, implies the cavity of the barrel of a gun, mortar, howitzer, or any other piece of ordnance.

BOSSE, Fr. a term used in the French artillery, to express a glass bottle which is very thin, contains four or five pounds of powder, and round the neck of which four or five matches are hung under, after it has been well-corked. A cord, two or three feet in length, is tied to the bottle, which serves to throw it. The instant the bottle breaks, the powder catches fire, and every thing within the immediate effects of the explosion is destroyed.

BOTTES, Fr. boots.

Grosses Bottes, Fr. jack-boots.

BOTTINE, Fr. half-boots worn by the hussars and dragoons in foreign armies.

BOUCHE, Fr. means the aperture or mouth of a piece of ordnance, that of a mortar, of the barrel of a musket, and of every species of fire-arms from which a ball or bullet is discharged.

BOUCHES à feu, Fr. is generally used to signify pieces of ordnance.

BOULER la Matiere, Fr. to stir up the different metals which are used in casting cannon.

BOULETS à deux têtes, chain-shot.

BOULEVART, Fr. formerly meant a bastion. It is no longer used as a military phrase, although it sometimes occurs in the description of works or lines which cover a whole country, and protect it from the incursions of an enemy. Thus Strasburgh and Landau may be called two principal boulevarts or bulwarks, by which France is protected on this side of the Rhine.

The elevated line or rampart which reaches from the Champs Elysées in Paris beyond the spot where the bastille was destroyed in 1789, is stiled the Boulevart.

In ancient times, when the Romans attacked any place, they raised boulevarts near the circumference of the walls. These boulevarts were 80 feet high, 300 feet broad, upon which wooden towers commanding the ramparts were erected covered on all sides with iron-work, and from which the besiegers threw upon the besieged stones, darts, fire-works, &c. to facilitate the approaches of the archers and battering rams.

BOULINER, Fr. a French military phrase. Bouliner dans un camp, means to steal or pilfer in a camp. Un soldat boulineur, signifies a thief.

BOURGUIGNOTE, Fr. Is a helmet or morion which is usually worn with a breast-plate. It is proof against pikes and swords.

BOURRELET, Fr. the extremity of a piece of ordnance towards its mouth. It is usually cast in the shape of a tulip on account of its aptitude to fit the construction of embrasures. Bourrelet means likewise a pad or collar.

BOURRER, Fr. to ram the wad or any other materials into the barrel of a fire-arm.

BOURRIQUET, Fr. a basket made use of in mining, to draw up the earth, and to let down whatever may be necessary for the miner.

BOUSSOLE, Fr. a compass which every miner must be in possession of to direct him in his work.

BOUTE-SELLE, Fr. the signal or word which is given to the cavalry to saddle their horses.

BOUTON, Fr. the sight of a musquet.

BOW, an ancient weapon of offence, made of steel, wood, or other elastic matter; which, after being bent by means of a string fastened to its two ends, in returning to its natural state, throws out an arrow with prodigious force.

The use of the bow is, without all doubt, of the earliest antiquity. It has likewise been the most universal of all weapons, having obtained amongst the most barbarous and remote people, who had the least communication with the rest of mankind.

The bow is a weapon of offence amongst the inhabitants of Asia, Africa, and America, at this day; and in Europe, before the invention of fire-arms, a part of the infantry was armed with bows. Lewis XII. first abolished the use of them in France, introducing, in their stead, the halbert, pike, and broadsword. The long-bow was formerly in great use in England, and many laws were made to encourage the use of it. The parliament under Henry VII. complained of the disuse of long bows, theretofore the safeguard and defence of that kingdom, and the dread and terror of its enemies.

Cross-Bow, is likewise an ancient weapon of offence, of the eleventh century. Philip II. surnamed the Conqueror, introduced cross-bows into France. In this reign Richard I. of England, was killed by a cross-bow at the siege of Chalus.

BOWMAN. See [Archer].

BOWYER. The man who made or repaired the military bows was so called.

BOXES, in military affairs, are of several sorts, and for various purposes.

Battery-Boxes. See [Battery].

Cartouch-Boxes. See [Cartouch].

Nave Boxes, are made of iron or brass, and fastened one at each end of the nave, to prevent the arms of the axle-tree, about which the boxes turn, from causing too much friction.

Tin-Boxes, such as are filled with small shot for grape, according to the size of the gun they are to be fired out of.

Wood-Boxes, with lids, for holding grape-shot, &c. each calibre has its own, distinguished by marks of the calibre on the lid.

Boxes for Ammunition. The dimensions of the common ammunition boxes vary according to the ammunition they are made to contain, in order that it may pack tight: this variation, however, is confined to a few inches, and does not exceed the following numbers.

Table of general dimensions of Ammunition Boxes.

Exterior.Weight
when
empty.
Len.Bre.Depth.
ft.in.ft.in.ft.in.lbs.
From2201008¹⁄₂20
To291 616 30

Weight when filled, and number contained in each.

Kinds of
Ammunition.		Weight of
Boxes
when filled
with Ammunition.		No. of
Rounds
contained
in each Box.
cwt.qrs.lbs.No.
Boxes for shot fixed with powder.- 12 Prs.- Round1110 8
Case.0315 6
6 Prs.- Round12 712
Case.101512
3 Prs.- Round022516
Case.022314
Box. for shot fixed to wood bottoms without powder.- 24 Prs.- Round1126 6
Case.20 0 6
12 Prs.- Round122012
Case.1222 8
6 Prs.- Round122024
Case.111218
3 Prs.- Round11 030
Case.11 030
How’r Case.- 812 2 3
5¹⁄₂121210
4¹⁄₂122220
Boxes for Shells.- How’r Shells.- 8 -fixed.12 2 3
5¹⁄₂121210
4¹⁄₂[7]122220

[7] Shells called four and an half, are really four and two-fifths.

The common ammunition waggon will hold from 9 to 13 of these boxes in one tier.

The tonnage of ammunition in boxes is equal to its weight: about 12 boxes make one ton.

BOYAU, in fortification, is a particular trench separated from the others, which, in winding about, incloses different spaces of ground, and runs parallel with the works of the place, that it may not be enfiladed. When two attacks are made at once, one near to the other, the boyau makes a communication between the trenches, and serves as a line of contravallation, not only to hinder the sallies of the besieged, but likewise to secure the miners.

BRACES, in a military sense, are a kind of armor for the arm: they were formerly a part of a coat of mail.

BRACKETS, in gunnery, are the cheeks of the travelling carriage of a mortar; they are made of strong wooden planks. This name is also given to that part of a large mortar-bed, where the trunnions are placed, for the elevation of the mortar: they are sometimes made of wood, and more frequently of iron, of almost a semicircular figure, well fastened with nails and strong plates.

BRANCH. See [Mine] and [Gallery].

BRAND, an ancient term for a sword; so called by the Saxons.

BRAQUER, Fr. is improperly used to express the movement of a cannon to any particular side. The correct expression is, to point the cannon, pointer le canon.

BRASSARTS, Fr. thin plates of beaten iron which were anciently used to cover the arms above the coat of mail.

Brassarts and cuirasses were worn in the days of St. Louis.

BRASSER la Matiere, Fr. to mix the different ingredients which are required for the making of gunpowder or other combustible matter.

BREACH, in fortification, a gap, or opening, in any part of the works of a fortified place, made by the artillery or mines of the besiegers, preparatory to the making an assault.

The batteries to make a breach, should commence by marking out as near as possible, the extent of the breach intended to be made; first, by a horizontal line within a fathom of the bottom of the revetement in a dry ditch, and close to the water’s edge in a wet one; and then by lines perpendicular to this line, at short distances from each other, as high as the cordon; then, by continuing to deepen all these cuts, the wall will give way in a body. The guns to produce the greatest effect should be fired as near as possible in salvos or vollies. The breach should be one third the length of the face, from the centre towards the flanked angle. When the wall has given way, the firing must be continued to make the slope of the breach practicable.

Four 24 pounders from the lodgement in the covert way will effect a breach in 4 or 5 days, which may be made practicable in 3 days more.

Another way of making a breach is by piercing the wall sufficiently to admit two or three miners, who cross the ditch, and make their entry during the night into the wall, where they establish two or three small mines, sufficient to make a breach. See [Artillery at Siege]; see also [Battery].

To repair a Breach, is to stop or fill up the gap with gabions, fascines, &c. and prevent the assault.

To fortify a Breach, is to render it inaccessible by means of chevaux-de-frize, crow’s-feet, &c.

To make a lodgment in the Breach. After the besieged are driven away, the besiegers secure themselves against any future attack in the breach.

To clear the Breach, that is, to remove the ruins, that it may be the better defended.

BREAK off, a term used when cavalry or infantry are ordered to diminish its front. It is also used to signify wheeling from line; as BREAKING-off to the left, for wheeling to the left.

BREAK-Ground, the first opening of the earth to form entrenchments, as at the commencement of a siege. It applies also to the striking of tents and quitting the ground on which any troops had been encamped.

To Break ground, to begin, to open and work at the trenches in a siege, &c.

BREAST PLATE, in military antiquity, a piece of defensive armor worn on the breast of both men and horses. They are but seldom used now.

Breast-work See [Parapet].

BREECH of a gun, the end near the vent. See [Cannon].

BREVET rank, is a rank in the army higher than that for which you receive pay; and gives a precedence (when corps are brigaded) to the date of the brevet commission.

Brevet, Fr. commission, appointment. Under the old government of France it consisted in letters or appointments signed by the king, by virtue of which every officer was authorised to discharge his particular duty. All officers in the old French service, from a cornet or sub-lieutenant up to a marshal of France were stiled Officiers à Brévet.

Brevet d’Assurance ou de Retenue d’Argent, Fr. certain military and civil appointments granted by the old kings of France, which were distinguished from other places of trust, in as much as every successor was obliged to pay a certain sum of money to the heirs of the deceased, or for the discharge of his debts. Hence the term brevet d’Assurance ou de retenue.

BRICKS, in military architecture, supply the place of stone in common buildings, and are composed of an earthy matter, hardened by art, to a resemblance of that kind: they may be very well considered as artificial stone. The Greeks and Romans, &c. generally used bricks in their buildings, witness the Pantheon, &c. In the east they baked their bricks in the sun. The Romans used them unburnt, having first left them to dry in the air for 3, 4, or 5 years.

The best bricks must not be made of any earth that abounds with sand or gravel, not of such as is gritty or stony; but of a greyish marle, or yellow clay, or at least of reddish earth. But if there is a necessity to use that which is sandy, choice should be made of that which is tough and strong.

The best season for making bricks is the spring; because they are subject to crack, when made in the summer: the loam should be well steeped or soaked, and wrought with water. They are shaped in a mould, and, after some drying in the sun or air, are burnt to a hardness. This is our manner of making bricks; but whether they were always made in this manner admits a doubt. We are not clear what was the use of straw in the bricks for building in Egypt, or why in some part of Germany they mix saw-dust in their clay for bricks.

We are in general tied down by custom to one form, and one size; which is truly ridiculous: 8 or 9 inches in length, and 4 in breadth, is the general measure: but beyond doubt there might be other forms, and other sizes, introduced very advantageously.

Compass Bricks, are of a circular form; their use is for steening of walls; we have also concave, and semi-cylindrical, used for different purposes.

Grey-Stocks, are made of the purest earth, and better wrought: they are used in front in building, being the strongest and handsomest of this kind.

Place-Bricks, are made of the same earth, or worse, and being carelessly put out of hand, are therefore weaker and more brittle, and are only used out of sight, and where little stress is laid on them.

Red Stocks, are made of a particular earth, well wrought, and little injured by mixtures: they are used in fine work, and ornaments.

Hedgerly Bricks, are made of a yellowish colored loam, very hard to the touch, containing a great quantity of sand: their particular excellence is, that they will bear the greatest violence of fire without hurt.

BRICOLE, an improved kind of traces used by the French in drawing and manœuvring artillery; analogous to the old drag rope, but having the addition of a leather strap or girdle with a buckle, to which the drag is affixed; and an iron ring and hook at the end to drag by.

BRIDGES. Manner of laying a pontoon bridge across a river.

The bank on each side, where the ends of the bridge are to be, must be made solid and firm, by means of fascines, or otherwise. One end of the cable must be carried across the river; and being fixed to a picket, or any thing firm, must be drawn tight by means of a capstan, across where the heads of the boats are to be ranged. The boats are then launched, having on board each two men, and the necessary ropes, &c. and are floated down the stream, under the cable, to which they are lashed endwise, by the rings and small ropes, at equal distances, and about their own breadth asunder; more or less, according to the strength required. If the river be very rapid, a second cable must be stretched across it, parallel to the first, and at the distance of the length of the boats; and to which the other ends of the boats must be lashed. The spring lines are then lashed diagonally from one boat to the other, to brace them tight; and the anchors, if necessary, carried out, up the stream, and fixed to the cable or sheer line across the river. One of the chesses is then laid on the edge of the bank, at each end of the bridge, bottom up; these serve to lay the ends of the baulks upon, and as a direction for placing them at the proper distances, to fit the chesses that cover the bridge. The baulks should then be laid across the boats, and keyed together: their numbers proportioned to the strength required in the bridge. If the gangboards are laid across the heads and sterns of the boats from one side of the river to the other, they will give the men a footing for doing the rest of the work. Across the baulks are laid the chesses, one after another, the edges to meet; and the baulks running between the cross pieces on the under side of the chesses. The gangboards are then laid across the ends of the chesses on each edge of the bridge.

Precautions for passing a bridge of boats.

Whatever size the bridge may be, infantry should never be allowed to pass at the same time with carriages or cavalry. The carriages should always move at a certain distance behind each other, that the bridge may not be shook, by being overloaded. The horses should not be allowed to trot over the bridge; and the cavalry should dismount and lead their horses over. Large flocks of cattle must not be allowed to cross at once.

For the dimensions, weight, and equipage of a pontoon, see the word [Pontoon].

When bridges are made to facilitate the communication between different parts of the approaches at a siege, they should, if possible, be placed above the town; or the besieged will take advantage of the current to float down large trees, or other bodies, in order to destroy the bridge. Two of such bridges should always be placed close to each other, in order to prevent the confusion of crossing and recrossing on the same bridge; the one being intended to pass over one way, and the other to return. Pontoon bridges will generally not support a greater weight than 4 or 5,000 pounds. Pontoons, when united as a bridge, will no doubt bear more in proportion, than when acted upon separately: but the weight which a pontoon will bear may be easily ascertained, by loading it with water till it sinks to any required depth, and then by calculating the number of cubic feet of water it contains, ascertain the number of pounds required to sink it to that particular depth.

Bridges, in military affairs, are of several sorts and denominations, viz.

Rush-Bridges, are made of large bundles of rushes, bound fast together, over which planks are laid, and fastened: these are put in marshy places, for an army to pass over on any emergency.

Pendant or hanging Bridges, are those not supported by posts, pillars, or butments, but hung at large in the air, sustained only at the two ends; as the new bridge at the Falls of Schuylkill, five miles from Philadelphia, 1809.

Draw-Bridge, that which is fastened with hinges at one end only, so that the other may be drawn up (in which case the bridge is almost perpendicular) to hinder the passage of a ditch, &c. There are others made to draw back and hinder the passage; and some that open in the middle; one half of which turns away to one side, and the other half to the other, and both again join at pleasure.

Flying-Bridge, is generally made of two small bridges, laid one over the other, in such a manner that the uppermost stretches, and runs out by the help of certain cords running through pullies placed along the sides of the upper bridge, which push it forwards, till the end of it joins the place it is intended to be fixed on. They are frequently used to surprise works, or out-posts that have but narrow ditches. There is a curious bridge of this kind on the Ohio, worthy of attention.

Bridge of boats, is a number of common boats joined parallel to each other, at the distance of 6 feet, till they reach across the river; which being covered with strong planks, and fastened with anchors and ropes, the troops march over.

Bridge of communication, is that made over a river, by which two armies, or forts, which are separated by that river, have a free communication with one another.

Floating-Bridge, a bridge made use of in form of a work in fortification called a redoubt; consisting of two boats, covered with planks, which are solidly framed, so as to bear either horse or artillery. Bridges of this kind are frequently used.

Floating bridges made of large logs of light timber bound together with a floor along them are common in the United States.

Ponton-Bridge, a number of tin or copper boats placed at the distance of 7 or 8 feet asunder, each fastened with an anchor, or a strong rope that goes across the river, running through the rings of the pontons. They are covered with baulks, and then with chests or planks, for the army to march over. See [Ponton].

Cask, or Barrel Bridge, a number of empty casks that support baulks and planks, made as above into a bridge, where pontons, &c. are wanting. Experience has taught us that 5 ton of empty casks will support above water 9000 pounds: hence any calculation may be made.

Bridges are made of carpentry or masonry. The number of arches of a bridge is generally made odd; either that the middle of the stream or chief current may flow freely without interruption of a pier; or that the two halves of the bridge, by gradually rising from the ends to the middle, may there meet in the highest and largest arch; or else, for the sake of grace, that by being open in the middle, the eye in viewing it may look directly through there as we always expect to do in looking at it, and without which opening we generally feel a disappointment in viewing it.

If the bridge be equally high throughout, the arches, being all of a height, are made all of a size, which causes a great saving of centering. If the bridge be higher in the middle than at the ends, let the arches decrease from the middle towards each end, but so that each half have the arches exactly alike, and that they decrease in span proportionally to their height, so as to be always the same kind of figure. Bridges should rather be of few and large arches, than of many and small ones, if the height and situation will allow of it.

Names of all the terms, peculiar to Bridges, &c.

Abutment. See [Butments].

Arch, an opening of a bridge, through or under which the water, &c. passes, and which is supported by piers or butments. Arches are denominated circular, elliptical, cycloidal, caternarian, equilibrial, gothic, &c. according to their figure or curve.

Archivolt, the curve or line formed by the upper sides of the voussoirs or arch-stones. It is parallel to the intrados or under side of the arch when the voussoirs are all of the same length; otherwise not.

By the archivolt is also sometimes understood the whole set of voussoirs.

Banquet, the raised foot-path at the sides of the bridge next the parapet: it is generally raised about a foot above the middle or horse-passage, and 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, &c. feet broad, according to the size of the bridge, and paved with large stones, whose length is equal to the breadth of the walk.

Battardeau, or -
Coffer-dam,

a case of piling, &c. without a bottom, fixed in the river, water-tight or nearly so, by which to lay the bottom dry for a space large enough to build the pier on. When it is fixed, its sides reaching above the level of the water, the water is pumped out of it, or drawn off by engines, &c. till the space be dry; and it is kept so by the same means, until the pier is built up in it, and then the materials of it are drawn up again. Battardeaux are made in various manners, either by a single inclosure, or by a double one, with clay or chalk rammed in between the two, to prevent the water from coming through the sides: and these inclosures are also made either with piles only, driven close by one another, and sometimes notched or dove-tailed into each other, or with piles grooved in the sides, driven in at a distance from one another, and boards let down between them in the grooves.

Butments, are the extremities of a bridge, by which it joins to, or abuts upon, the land, or sides of the river, &c.

These must be made very secure, quite immoveable, and more than barely sufficient to resist the drift of its adjacent arch, so that, if there are not rocks or very solid banks to raise them against, they must be well re-inforced with proper walls or returns, &c.

Caisson, a kind of chest, or flat-bottomed boat, in which a pier is built, then sunk to the bed of the river, and the sides loosened and taken off from the bottom, by a contrivance for that purpose; the bottom of it being left under the pier as a foundation. It is evident, therefore, that the bottoms of the caissons must be made very strong and fit for the foundations of the piers. The caisson is kept afloat till the pier be built to the height of low water mark; and for that purpose, its sides must either be made of more than that height at first, or else gradually raised to it, as it sinks by the weight of the work, so as always to keep its top above water: and therefore the sides must be made very strong, and kept asunder by cross-timbers within, lest the great pressure of the ambient water crush the sides in, and so not only endanger the work, but also drown the workmen within it. The caisson is made of the shape of the pier, but some feet wider on every side to make room for the men to work; the whole of the sides are of two pieces, both joined to the bottom quite round, and to each other at the salient angle, so as to be disengaged from the bottom, and from each other, when the pier is raised to the desired height, and sunk. It is also convenient to have a little sluice made in the bottom, occasionally to open and shut, to sink the caisson and pier sometimes by, before it be finished, to try if it bottom level and rightly; for by opening the sluice, the water will rush in and fill it to the height of the exterior water, and the weight of the work already built will sink it: then by shutting the sluice again, and pumping out the water, it will be made to float again, and the rest of the work may be completed. It must not however be sunk except when the sides are high enough to reach above the surface of the water, otherwise it cannot be raised and laid dry again. Mr. Labelye states, that the caissons in which he built Westminster bridge, London, contained above 150 load of fir timber, of 40 cubic feet each, and were of more tonnage or capacity than a 40 gun ship of war.

Centres, are the timber frames erected in the spaces of the arches to turn them on, by building on them the voussoirs of the arch. As the centre serves as a foundation for the arch to be built on, when the arch is completed, that foundation is struck from under it, to make way for the water and navigation, and then the arch will stand of itself from its curved figure. The centre must be constructed of the exact figure of the intended arch, convex, as the arch is concave, to receive it on as a mould. If the form be circular, the curve is struck from a central point by a radius; if it be elliptical, it should be struck with a double cord, passing over two pins fixed in the focusses, as the mathematicians describe their ellipses; and not by striking different pieces or arcs of circles from several centres; for these will form no ellipsis at all, but an irregular misshapen curve made up of broken pieces of different circular arches; but if the arch be of any other form, the several abscissas and ordinates should be calculated; then their corresponding lengths, transferred to the centering, will give so many points of the curve; by bending a bow of pliable matter, according to those points, the curve may be drawn.

The centres are constructed of beams of timber, firmly pinned and bound together, into one entire compact frame, covered smooth at top with planks or boards to place the voussoirs on; the whole supported by off-sets in the sides of the piers, and by piles driven into the bed of the river, and capable of being raised and depressed by wedges contrived for that purpose, and for taking them down when the arch is completed. They should also be constructed of a strength more than sufficient to bear the weight of the arch.

In taking the centre down, first let it down a little, all in a piece, by easing some of the wedges; then let it rest a few days to try if the arch makes any efforts to fall, or any joints open, or any stones crush or crack, &c. that the damage may be repaired before the centre is entirely removed, which is not to be done till the arch ceases to make any visible efforts.

Chest. See [Caisson].

Coffer-dam. See [Battardeau].

Drift, -
Shoot, or
Thrust,

of an arch, is the push or force which it exerts in the direction of the length of the bridge. This force arises from the perpendicular gravitation of the stones of the arch, which being kept from descending by the form of the arch, and the resistance of the pier, exert their force in a lateral or horizontal direction. This force is computed in Prop. 10, of Mr. Hutton’s Principles of Bridges, where the thickness of the pier is determined that is necessary to resist it, and is greater the lower the arch is, cæteris paribus.

Elevation, the orthographic projection of the front of a bridge, on the vertical plane, parallel to its length. This is necessary to shew the form and dimensions of the arches and other parts, as to height and breadth, and therefore has a plain scale annexed to it, to measure the parts by. It also shews the manner of working up and decorating the fronts of the bridge.

Extrados, the exterior curvature or line of an arch. In the propositions of the second section in Professor Hutton’s Principles of Bridges, it is the outer or upper line of the wall above the arch; but it often means only the upper or exterior curve of the voussoirs.

Foundations, the bottoms of the piers, &c. or the bases on which they are built. These bottoms are always to be made with projections, greater or less, according to the spaces on which they are built: and according to the nature of the ground, depth and velocity of water, &c. the foundations are laid and the piers built after different manners, either in [caissons], in [battardeaux], on [stilts with sterlings], &c. for the particular method of doing which, see each under its respective term.

The most obvious and simple method of laying the foundations and raising the piers up to the water-mark, is to turn the river out of its course above the place or the bridge, into a new channel cut for it near the place where it makes an elbow or turn; then the piers are built on dry ground, and the water turned into its old course again; the new one being securely banked up. This is certainly the best method, when the new channel can be easily and conveniently made. This, however, is seldom or never the case.

Another method is, to lay only the space of each pier dry till it be built, by surrounding it with piles and planks driven down into the bed of the river, so close together as to exclude the water from coming in; then the water is pumped out of the inclosed space, the pier built in it, and lastly the piles and planks drawn up. This is coffer-dam work, but evidently cannot be practised if the bottom be of a loose consistence, admitting the water to ooze and spring up through it.

When neither the whole nor part of the river can be easily laid dry as above, other methods are to be used; such as to build either in [caissons] or on [stilts], both which methods are described under their proper words; or yet by another method, which hath, though seldom, been sometimes used, without laying the bottom dry, and which is thus: the pier is built upon strong rafts or gratings of timber, well bound together, and buoyed up on the surface of the water by strong cables, fixed to the other floats or machines, till the pier is built; the whole is then gently let down to the bottom, which must be made level for the purpose; but of these methods, that of building in caissons is best.

But before the pier can be built in any manner, the ground at the bottom must be well secured, and made quite good and safe, if it be not so naturally. The space must be bored into, to try the consistence of the ground; and if a good bottom of stone, or firm gravel, clay, &c. be met with, within a moderate depth below the bed of the river, the loose sand, &c. must be removed and digged out to it, and the foundation laid on the firm bottom on a strong grating or base of timber made much broader every way than the pier, that there may be the greater base to press on, to prevent its being sunk; but if a solid bottom cannot be found at a convenient depth to dig to, the space must then be driven full of strong piles, whose tops must be sawed off level some feet below the bed of the water, the sand having been previously dug out for that purpose; and then the foundation on a grating of timber laid on their tops as before: or, when the bottom is not good, if it be made level, and a strong grating of timber, 2, 3, or 4 times as large as the base of the pier be made, it will form a good base to build on, its great size preventing it from sinking. In driving the piles, begin at the middle, and proceed outwards all the way to the borders or margin; the reason of which is, that if the outer ones were driven first, the earth of the inner space would be thereby so jammed together, as not to allow the inner piles to be driven; and besides the piles immediately under the piers, it is also very prudent to drive in a single, double, or triple row of them round, and close to the frame of the foundation, cutting them off a little above it, to secure it from slipping aside out of its place, and to bind the ground under the pier firmer: for, as the safety of the whole bridge depends on the foundation, too much care cannot be used to have the bottom made quite secure.

Jettée, the border made round the stilts under a pier. See [Sterling].

Impost, is the part of the pier on which the feet of the arches stand, or from which they spring.

Key-stone, the middle voussoir, or the arch-stone in the top or immediately over the centre of the arch. The length of the key-stone, or thickness of the archivolt at top, is allowed to be about ¹⁄₁₅th or ¹⁄₁₆th of the span, by the best architects.

Orthography, the elevation of a bridge, or front view, as seen at an infinite distance.

Parapet, the breast-wall made on the top of a bridge to prevent passengers from falling over. In good bridges, to build the parapet but a little part of its height close or solid, and upon that a balustrade to above a man’s height, has an elegant effect.

Piers, the walls built for the support of the arches, and from which they spring as their bases. They should be built of large blocks of stone, solid throughout, and cramped together with iron, which will make the whole as one solid stone. Their faces or ends, from the base up to high-water-mark, should project sharp out with a salient angle, to divide the stream: or, perhaps the bottom of the pier should be built flat or square up to about half the height of low-water-mark, to allow a lodgement against it for the sand and mud, to go over the foundation; lest, by being kept bare, the water should in time undermine, and so ruin or injure it. The best form of the projection for dividing the stream, is the triangle; and the longer it is, or the more acute the salient angle, the better it will divide it, and the less will the force of the water be against the pier; but it may be sufficient to make that angle a right one, as it will make the work stronger; and in that case the perpendicular projection will be equal to half the breadth or thickness of the pier. In rivers, on which large heavy craft navigate and pass the arches, it may, perhaps, be better to make the ends semicircular: for, although it does not divide the water so well as the triangle, it will both better turn off and bear the shock of the craft.

The thickness of the piers should be such as will make them of weight or strength sufficient to support their interjacent arch independent of any other arches; and then, if the middle of the pier be run up to its full height, the centering may be struck to be used in another arch before the hanches are filled up. The whole theory of the piers may be seen in the third section of Professor Hutton’s Principles of Bridges.

They should be made with a broad bottom on the foundation, and gradually diminishing in thickness by off-sets up to low-water-mark.

Piles, are timbers driven into the bed of the river for various purposes, and are either round, square, or flat like planks. They may be of any wood which will not rot under water; but oak and fir are mostly used, especially the latter, on account of its length, straightness, and cheapness. They are shod with a pointed iron at the bottom, the better to penetrate into the ground, and are bound with a strong iron band or ring at top, to prevent them from being split by the violent strokes of the ram by which they are driven down.

Piles are either used to build the foundations on, or they are driven about the pier as a border of defence, or to support the centres on; and in this case, when the centreing is removed, they must either be drawn up, or sawed off very low under water; but it is better to saw them off and leave them sticking in the bottom, lest the drawing of them out should loosen the ground about the foundation of the pier. Those to build on, are either such as are cut off by the bottom of the water, or rather a few feet within the bed of the river; or else such as are cut off at low-water mark, and then they are called stilts. Those to form borders of defence, are rows driven in close by the frame of a foundation, to keep it firm, or else they are to form a case or jettée about the stilts, to keep the stones within it, that are thrown in to fill it up: in this case, the piles are grooved, driven at a little distance from each other, and plank-piles let into the grooves between them, and driven down also, till the whole space is surrounded. Besides using this for stilts, it is sometimes necessary to surround a stone pier with a sterling, or jettée, and fill it up with stones to secure an injured pier from being still more damaged, and the whole bridge ruined. The piles to support the centres may also serve as a border of piling to secure the foundation, cutting them off low enough after the centre is removed.

Pile-driver, an engine for driving down the piles. It consists of a large ram or iron sliding perpendicularly down between two guide posts; which being lifted up to the top of them, and there let fall from a great height, comes down upon the top of the pile with a violent blow. It is worked either with men or horses, and either with or without wheel-work. The bridge on Schuylkill, Philadelphia, is a master-piece of workmanship; and the new bridge at Trenton, over the Delaware, is equally bold and ingenious in its plan—in the latter the floor is suspended from the voussoirs of the arches, by stirrups of iron.

Pitch, of an arch, the perpendicular height from the spring or impost to the key stone.

Plan, of any part, as of the foundations, or piers, or superstructure, is the orthographic projection of it on a plane parallel to the horizon.

Push, of an arch. See [Drift].

Salient angle, of a pier, the projection of the end against the stream, to divide itself. The right-lined angle best divides the stream, and the more acute, the better for that purpose; but the right angle is generally used, as making the best masonry. A semicircular end, though it does not divide the stream so well, is sometimes better in large navigable rivers, as it carries the craft the better off, or bears their shocks the better.

Shoot, of an arch. See [Drift].

Springers, are the first or lowest stones of an arch, being those at its feet, and bearing immediately on the impost.

Sterlings, or Jettées, a kind of case made about a pier of stilts, &c. to secure it, and is particularly described under the next word, [Stilts].

Stilts, a set of piles driven into the space intended for the pier, whose tops being sawed level off, above low-water mark, the pier is then raised on them. This method was formerly used when the bottom of the river could not be laid dry; and these stilts were surrounded, at a few feet distance, by a row of piles and planks, &c. close to them like a coffer-dam, and called a sterling, or jettée; after which loose stones, &c. are thrown or poured down into the space, till it is filled up to the top, by that means forming a kind of pier of rubble of loose work, and which is kept together by the sides or sterlings: this is then paved level at the top, and the arches turned upon it. This method was formerly much used, most of the large old bridges in England being erected that way, such as London bridge, Newcastle bridge, Rochester bridge, &c. But the inconveniences attending it are so great, that it is now quite disused; for, because of the loose composition of the piers, they must be made very large or broad, or else the arch must push them over, and rush down as soon as the centre was drawn; which great breadth of piers and sterlings so much contracts the passage of the water, as not only very much to incommode the navigation through the arch, from the fall and quick motion of the water; but likewise to put the bridge itself in much danger, especially in time of floods, when the water is too much for the passage. Add to this, that besides the danger there is of the pier bursting out the sterlings, they are also subject to much decay and damage by the velocity of the water and the craft passing through the arches.

Thrust. See [Drift].

Voussoirs, the stones which immediately form the arch, their undersides constituting the intrados. The middle one, or key-stone, should be about ¹⁄₁₅th or ¹⁄₁₆th of the span, as has been observed; and the rest should increase in size all the way down to the impost: the more they increase the better, as they will the better bear the great weight which rests upon them without being crushed; and also will bind the firmer together. Their joints should also be cut perpendicular to the curve of the intrados. For more information, see Professor Hutton’s Principles of Bridges, in 8vo.

Bridge, in gunnery, the two pieces of timber which go between the two transoms of a gun-carriage, on which the coins are placed, for elevating the piece. See [Carriage].

BRIDLE-Arm Protect, a guard used by the cavalry, which consists in having the sword-hilt above the helmet; the blade crossing the back of the head, the point of the left shoulder, and the bridle-arm; its edge directed to the left, and turned a little upwards, in order to bring the mounting in a proper direction to protect the hand.

BRIDON, or Bridoon, the snaffle and rein of a military bridle, which acts independent of the bit and curb at the pleasure of the rider.

BRIGADE, in military affairs, implies a party or division of a body of soldiers, whether horse, foot, or artillery, under the command of a brigadier. There are, properly speaking, three sorts of brigades, viz. the brigade of an army, the brigade of a troop of horse, and the brigade of artillery. A brigade of the army is either foot or dragoons, whose exact number is not fixed, but generally consists of 3, 4, 5 or 6 regiments, or battalions: a brigade of horse may consist of 8, 10 or 12 squadrons; and that of artillery, of 6, 8 or 10 pieces of cannon, with all their appurtenances. The eldest brigade takes the right of the first line, the second of the second line, and the rest in order, the youngest always possessing the centre, unless the commander deems a different arrangement expedient; and in such case mere etiquette always bends to orders. The cavalry and artillery observe the same order.

The Horse Artillery in the British service are called the horse Brigade; and consist of 6 troops, with their guns and stores. Their head-quarters are at Woolwich, where handsome barracks, detached from those of the royal artillery, have been erected for their accommodation.

A Brigade, in the French ordination, is the same as our Regiment; but it consists of 3 battalions, each of which is equal to one of our regiments or 1000 men; a demi brigade is half a regiment, or a French battalion.

Brigade-Major, an officer appointed by the brigadier, to assist him in the management of his brigade. The most experienced captains are generally nominated to this post; who act in the brigade as major-generals do in the armies, receiving their orders from their commanders.

Brigade-Major-General. The military commands in Great Britain being divided into districts, an office has been established for the sole transaction of brigade duties. Through this office all orders from the commander-in-chief to the generals of districts relative to corps of officers, &c. must pass. For further information on this head, see James’s Regimental Companion, 2d edition, vol. i. page 25.

Brigade de Boulangers, Fr. It was usual in the old French service, to brigade the bakers belonging to the army. Each brigade consisted of one master baker and three boys; the system is continued in the modern French army.

BRIGADIER, a military officer, whose rank is next above that of a colonel; appointed to command a corps, consisting of several battalions or regiments, called a brigade. This title in England is suppressed in time of peace, but revived in actual service in the field. Every brigadier marches at the head of his brigade upon duty. On the United States establishment, there is only one brigadier-general, who is chief in actual command; provision has been lately made by law for two more in case of war.

BRIGANDINE, or Brigantine, in ancient military history, a coat of mail, or kind of defensive armor, consisting of tin.

BRINGERS-up, an antiquated military expression, to signify the whole rear rank of a battalion drawn up, as being the hindmost men of every file.

BRINS-d’Est, Fr. large sticks or poles resembling small pickets, with iron at each end. They are used to cross ditches, particularly in Flanders.

BRISURE, in fortification, is a line of four or five fathom, which is allowed to the curtain and orillon, to make the hollow tower, or to cover the concealed flank.

BROADSIDE, in a sea fight, implies the discharge of all the artillery on one side of a ship of war.

BROAD-SWORD, a sword with a broad blade, chiefly designed for cutting; not at present much used in the British service, except by some few regiments of cavalry and Highland infantry. Among the cavalry, this weapon has in general given place to the sabre.

The principal guards with the broad-sword are:

The inside guard, (similar to carte in fencing,) which is formed by directing your point in a line about six inches higher than your antagonist’s left eye, the hilt opposite your own breast, the finger-nails turned upwards, and the edge of the sword to the left.

The outside guard, (resembling tierce,) in which, by a turn of the wrist from the former position, the point of the sword is directed above your antagonist’s right eye, the edge of the weapon turned to the right, and the finger-nails downward; the arm sufficiently straightened to the right to protect the outside of your body from the attack.

The medium guard, which is a position between the inside and outside guard, seldom used, as it affords very little protection.

The hanging guard, (similar to prime and seconde) in which the hilt of your sword is raised high enough to view your opponent under the shell, and the point directed towards his body.

The St. George’s guard, which protects the head, and differs from the last-described only in raising the hand somewhat higher, and bringing the point nearer to yourself.

The swords worn by officers of the infantry being constructed either for cutting or thrusting, it is necessary for gentlemen to be acquainted both with the method of attacking and defending with the broad sword and with the rapier. Those who have not opportunity of regular lessons from a professed teacher, may obtain much useful information from a work entitled the Art of Defence on Foot, with the Broad Sword, &c. in which the spadroon or cut and thrust sword play is reduced into a regular system.

BROND. See [Brand].

BROWNBILL, the ancient weapon of the English foot, resembling a battle-ax.

BRUNT. The troops who sustain the principal shock of the enemy in action, are said to bear the brunt of the battle.

BRUSQUER une attaque, Fr. is to open the trenches in the nearest approaches to a place, completing the works from the front towards the rear. This undertaking is extremely hazardous, unless the object invested, or attacked, be ill-garrisoned, have a narrow front to besiege, the ditches be dry, &c.

Brusquer l’affaire, Fr. to attack suddenly, and without attending to any regular rule of military manœuvre.

BUCCANEERS, in military history, a name frequently applied to those famous adventurers, consisting of pirates, &c. from all the maritime nations of Europe, who formerly joined together, and made war upon the Spaniards in America.

BUCKETS. Water-buckets are necessary appendages to field-pieces, to cool the gun when hotly engaged; otherwise it might fire itself, or run at the muzzle.

BUCKLER, a piece of defensive armor used by the ancients. It was always worn on the left arm, and composed of wicker-work, of the lightest sort, but most commonly of hides, fortified with plates of brass or other metals. The shape of it varied considerably, being sometimes round, sometimes oval, and often nearly square. The shield of Achilles in the Illiad, as well as the book itself merits the attention of the military student.

BUDGE-Barrels. See [Barrel].

BUFF-Leather, in military accoutrements, is a sort of leather prepared from the buffalo, which, dressed with oil, after the manner of shamoy, makes what is generally called buff-skin. Sword-belts were made of this leather.

BUGLE-HORN, the old Saxon horn; it is now used by the light infantry, and particularly by riflemen. By its soundings, their manœuvres are directed, either in advancing, skirmishing, or retreating. It is also used by the horse artillery, and some regiments of light cavalry.

BUILDING, in a general sense, a fabric erected by art, either for devotion, magnificence, conveniency, or defence.

Military Buildings, are of various sorts, viz. powder-magazines, bridges, gates, barracks, hospitals, store-houses, guard-rooms, &c.

Regular Building, is that whose plan is square, the opposite sides equal, and all the parts disposed with symmetry.

Irregular Building, that whose plan is not contained within equal or parallel lines, either by the accident of situation, or the design of the builder, and whose parts are not relative to one another in the elevation.

Insulated Building, that which is not contiguous to any other, but is encompassed with streets, open squares, &c. or any building which stands in a river, on a rock surrounded by the sea, marsh, &c.

Engaged Building, one surrounded with other buildings, having no front to any street or public place, nor any communication without, but by a common passage.

Interred or sunk Building, one whose area is below the surface of the place where it stands, and of which the lowest courses of stone are concealed.

In building there are three things to be considered, viz. commodity or conveniency; secondly, firmness or stability; thirdly, delight.

To accomplish which ends, Wotton considers the whole subject under two heads, namely, the seat or situation, and the work.

1. As for the seat, either that of the whole is to be considered, or that of its parts.

2. As to the situation, regard is to be had to the quality, temperature, and salubrity or healthiness of the air; that it be a good healthy air, not subject to foggy noisomeness from adjacent fens or marshes; also free from noxious mineral exhalations; nor should the place want the sweet influence of the sun-beams, nor be wholly destitute of the breezes of wind, that will fan and purge the air; the want of which would render it like a stagnated pool, and would be very unhealthy.

In the foundations of buildings, Vitruvius orders the ground to be dug up, to examine its firmness; that an apparent solidity is not to be trusted, unless the whole mould cut through be sound and solid: ’tis true, he does not say to what depth it should be dug: but Palladio determines it to be a sixth part of the height of the building.

The great laws of walling are:—1. That the walls stand perpendicular on the ground-work, the right angle being the foundation of all stability. 2. That the largest and heaviest materials be the lowest, as more proper to sustain others than be sustained themselves. 3. That the work diminish in thickness, as it rises, both for the ease of weight and to lessen the expence. 4. That certain courses, or lodges, of more strength than the rest, be interlaid, like bones, to sustain the wall from total ruin, if some of the under parts chance to decay. 5. Lastly, that the angles be firmly bound, they being the nerves of the whole fabric. These are sometimes fortified on each side the corners, even in brick buildings, with square stones; which add both beauty and strength to the edifice. See [Stone], [Bricks], [Lime], [Sand].

BULLETIN, Fr. any official account which is given of public transactions. See [Gazette].

BULLETS, are leaden balls, wherewith all kinds of small fire-arms are loaded. The diameter of any bullet is found, by dividing 1.6706 by the cube root of the number, which shews how many of them make a pound; or it may be done in a shorter way. From the logarithm .2228756 of 1.6706 subtract continually the third part of the logarithm of the number of bullets in the pound, and the difference will be the logarithm of the diameter required.

Thus the diameter of a bullet, whereof 12 weigh a pound, is found by subtracting .3597270, a third part of the logarithm of 12, from the given logarithm .2228756, or, when the logarithm is less than the former, an unit must be added, so as to have 1.2228756, and the difference .8631486 will be the logarithm of the diameter sought, which is .7297 inches; observing that the number found will always be a decimal, when the logarithm, which is to be subtracted, is greater than that of one pound; because the divisor is greater than the dividend in this case.

Hence, from the specific gravity of lead, the diameter of any bullet may be found from its given weight: for, since a cube foot weighs 11325 ounces, and 678 is to 355 as the cube 1728 of a foot, or 12 inches, is the content of the sphere, which therefore is 5929.7 ounces: and since spheres are as the cubes of their diameters; the weight 5929.7 is to 16 ounces, or 1 pound, as the cube 1728 is to the cube of the diameter of a sphere which weighs a pound; which cube therefore is 4.66263, and its root 1.6706 inches, the diameter sought.

The diameter of musket bullets differs but ¹⁄₅₀th part from that of the musket bore; for if the shot but just rolls into the barrel, it is sufficient. The English allow 11 bullets in the pound for the proof of muskets, and 14 in the pound, or 29 in two pounds, for service; 17 for the proof of carbines, and 20 for service; and 28 in the pound for the proof of pistols, and 34 for service. The proof bullet of the U. S. musket made at Harper’s ferry in Virginia, the barrel of which is 3 feet 8³⁄₄ inches, is one fifteenth of a pound; the service ball one nineteenth. The Rifle of Harper’s ferry, the barrel of which is 2 feet 10 inches; the proof ball is one twenty-eighth of a pound; the service ball is one thirty-secondth part of a pound. See [Gun] and [Rifle].

Hollow Bullets, or shells, of a cylindrical shape. These have an opening and a fuze at the end, by which fire is communicated to the combustibles within, and an explosion takes place, similar to that occasioned by the blowing up of a mine.

Chain Bullets, are two balls which are joined together by a chain, at any given distance from each other.

Branch Bullets, two balls joined together by an iron bar.

Two-headed Bullets, sometimes called angles, are two halves of a bullet which are kept together by means of a bar or chain.

BULWARK, the ancient name for [bastion] or [rampart], which words see.

BURDEN, -
BURTHEN,

in a general sense, implies a load or weight, supposed to be as much as a man, horse, &c. can well carry. A sound healthful man can raise a weight equal to his own, can also draw and carry 50lb. a moderate distance. An able horse can draw 350lb. though in length of time 300 is sufficient. Hence all artillery calculations are made. One horse will draw as much as 7 men, and 7 oxen will draw as much as 11 or 12 horses. Burthen likewise in a figurative sense means impost, tax, &c.

BURGANET, or Burgonet, Fr. a kind of helmet used by the French.

BURIALS, as practised by the military, are as follows, in the British service, viz. The funeral of a field-marshal shall be saluted with 3 rounds of 15 pieces of cannon, attended by 6 battalions, and 8 squadrons.

That of a general, with 3 rounds of 11 pieces of cannon, 4 battalions, and 6 squadrons.

That of a lieutenant-general, with 3 rounds of 9 pieces of cannon, 3 battalions, and 4 squadrons.

That of a major-general, with 3 rounds of 7 pieces of cannon, 2 battalions, and 3 squadrons.

That of a brigadier-general, 3 rounds of 5 pieces of cannon, 1 battalion, and 2 squadrons.

That of a colonel, by his own battalion, or an equal number by detachment, with 3 rounds of small arms.

That of a lieutenant-colonel, by 300 men and officers, with 3 rounds of small arms.

That of a major, by 200 men and officers, with 3 rounds of small arms.

That of a captain, by his own company, or 70 rank and file, with 3 rounds of small arms.

That of a lieutenant, by 1 lieutenant, 1 serjeant, 1 drummer, 1 fifer, and 36 rank and file, with 3 rounds.

That of an ensign, by an ensign, a serjeant, and drummer, and 27 rank and file, with 3 rounds.

That of an adjutant surgeon, and quarter-master, the same party as an ensign.

That of a serjeant, by a serjeant, and 19 rank and file, with 3 rounds of small arms.

That of a corporal, musician, private man, drummer, and fifer, by 1 serjeant and 13 rank and file, with 3 rounds of small arms.

All officers, attending the funerals of even their nearest relations, notwithstanding wear their regimentals, and a black crape round the left arm.

The pall to be supported by officers of the same rank with that of the deceased: if the number cannot be had, officers next in seniority are to supply their place.

The order of march to be observed in military funerals is reversed with respect to rank. For instance, if an officer is buried in a garrison town or from a camp, it is customary for the officers belonging to other corps to pay his remains the compliment of attendance. In which case the youngest ensign marches at the head immediately after the pall, and the general, if there be one, in the rear of the commissioned officers, who take their posts in reversed order according to seniority. The battalion, troop or company follow the same rule.

The expence for a regimental burial is to be charged against the captains of the respective troops or companies.

For further particulars, see Reid’s Military Discipline.

BURR, in gunnery, a round iron ring, which serves to rivet the end of the bolt, so as to form a round head.

BURREL-shot, small bullets, nails, and stones discharged from any piece of ordnance.

BUSKINS, a kind of shoe, or half boot, adapted to either foot; formerly a part of the Roman dress, particularly for tragic actors on the stage. They are now much worn by the army.

BUTIN, Fr.. booty or pillage. At the beginning of the French monarchy, and for a long time after its establishment, a particular spot was marked out by the prince or general, to which all persons belonging to the victorious army were directed to bring every species of booty that might have fallen into their hands. This booty was not divided, or appropriated according to the will and pleasure of the prince or general, but was thrown into different lots, and drawn for in common.

BUTMENTS. See [Bridges].

BUTT, in gunnery, is a solid earthen parapet, to fire against in the proving of guns, or in practice.

BUTTON, in gunnery, a part of the cascable, in either a gun or howitzer, and is the hind part of the piece, made round in the form of a ball. See [Cannon].

BUTTRESS. See [Counterfort].

BUZE, a wooden, or leaden pipe, to convey the air out of mines.