The scene of a naval battle, B.C. 257, in which the Roman fleet, under the Consul, C. Attilius, completely defeated the Carthaginians.
Lippe (Germanic Wars).
Fought B.C. 11 between the Romans, under Drusus, and the Sicambri, Suevi and Cherusii. The Romans were largely outnumbered and surrounded, and so certain were the Germans of victory, that they had already apportioned the spoil among the various tribes. Drusus, however, attacked the barbarians vigorously, and totally routed them with very heavy loss.
Lissa (Seven Weeks' War).
The only naval action between ironclads in European waters, fought July 20, 1866, between the Austrian fleet of 7 armoured ships and some obsolete wooden vessels, under Admiral Tegethoff, and the Italian fleet of 10 armour-clads, under Admiral Persano. Tegethoff attacked in wedge formation, with his flagship as the apex, and broke the line of the Italian fleet, which was steaming, line ahead, across his bows. He rammed and sank the Italian flagship, and the rest of the action was a melée in which the Italians were defeated and driven off, with a loss of 3 ships and over 1,000 men. This defeat forced the Italians to raise the siege of Lissa.
Little Big Horn (Sioux Rising).
On June 25, 1876, General Custer, with the 7th United States Cavalry, 700 strong, attacked the village of the Sioux chief, Sitting Bull. He divided his force into three columns, one of which, led by himself, marched into an ambush, and was massacred to a man. The other two columns were vigourously attacked by the Sioux, and forced to retire. The cavalry lost on this occasion 265 killed.
Lodi, Bridge of (Napoleon's Italian Campaigns).
Fought May 10, 1796, during Napoleon's pursuit of the retiring Austro-Sardinian army, under Beaulieu. The bridge over the Adda was defended by the Austrian rear-guard, with some 20 guns, commanding passage. Napoleon sent a force of cavalry round by a ford to take the defenders in rear, and then rushed the bridge, the stormers being led by Berthier and Masséna, while Napoleon himself was in the thick of the fighting. The French loss is said not to have exceeded 400, while the Austrians lost in the action and subsequent pursuit, 2,000 killed and wounded, 1,000 prisoners, and 20 guns.