[X AND ]Y.
XIMERA, BATTLE OF.—Between the Spanish army, under the command of General Ballasteros, and the French corps, commanded by General Regnier. The Spaniards were defeated with great loss; the French also lost very much. Fought, September 10th, 1811.
XERXES’ BRIDGE. See Bridge of Xerxes.
YEAVERNY, BATTLE OF.—Between the Scots and the Earl of Westmoreland. Fought, 1415. In this memorable engagement, 430 English discomfited 4000 Scots, and took 160 prisoners; also called the battle of Geteringe.
YPRES, BATTLE OF.—Between Henry IV of France, and the Generals of the Roman Catholic League, over whom he obtained a complete victory.
Z.
ZAMA, BATTLE OF.—Between the two greatest Generals of the age, Hannibal and Scipio Africanus. The Romans lost 2000 in killed and wounded, whilst the Carthaginians lost, in killed and prisoners, more than 40,000. Fought B.C. 202.
“These two generals, who were not only the most illustrious of their own age, but worthy of being ranked with the most renowned princes and warriors that had ever lived, meeting at the place appointed, continued for some time in a deep silence, as though they were astonished, and struck with a mutual admiration at the sight of each other. At last Hannibal spoke; and, after having praised Scipio in the most artful and delicate manner, he gave a very lively description of the ravages of the war, and the calamities in which it had involved both the victors and the vanquished. He conjured him not to suffer himself to be dazzled by the splendor of his victories. He represented to him, that how successful soever he might have hitherto been, he ought, however, to tremble at the inconstancy of fortune: that without going far back for examples, he himself who was then speaking to him, was a glaring proof of this: that Scipio was at that time what himself, Hannibal, had been at Thrasymene and Cannæ: that he ought to make a better use of opportunity than himself had done, and consent to peace, now it was in his power to propose the conditions of it. He concluded with declaring, that the Carthaginians would willingly resign Sicily, Sardinia, Spain, and all the islands between Africa and Italy to the Romans. That they must be forced, since such was the will of the gods, to confine themselves to Africa; whilst they should see the Romans extending their conquests to the most remote regions, and obliging all nations to pay obedience to their laws.
Scipio answered in few words, but not with less dignity. He reproached the Carthaginians for their perfidy, in plundering the Roman galleys before the truce was expired. He imputed to them only, and to their injustice, all the calamities with which the two wars had been attended. After thanking Hannibal for the admonition he gave him, with regard to the uncertainty of human events, he concluded with desiring him to prepare for battle, unless he chose rather to accept of the conditions that had been already proposed; to which he observed some others would be added, in order to punish the Carthaginians for their having violated the truce.
Hannibal could not prevail with himself to accept these conditions and the generals left one another, with the resolution to decide the fate of Carthage by a general battle. Each commander exhorted his troops to fight valiantly. Hannibal enumerated the victories he had gained over the Romans, the generals he had slain, the armies he had cut to pieces. Scipio represented to his soldiers, the conquests of both the Spains, his successes in Africa, and the tacit confession their enemies themselves made of their weakness, by thus coming to sue for peace. All this he spoke with the tone and air of a conqueror. Never were motives more prevalent to prompt troops to behave gallantly. This day was to complete the glory of the one or the other of the generals; and to decide whether Rome or Carthage was to prescribe laws to all other nations.