Mortmant (Allied Invasion of France).
Fought February 17, 1814, between the Russian advance-guard, under the Count de Pahlen, and the French rear-guard, under Victor. The Russians were repulsed with a loss of 3,000 killed and wounded, and 11 guns.
Möskirch (Wars of the French Revolution).
Fought May 5, 1800, between 50,000 French, under Moreau, and 60,000 Austrians, under de Kray. The French advance-guard, under Lecourbe, approaching Möskirch found the heights strongly held by the Austrians, and attempted to carry them, but without success. The arrival of the main body, however, turned the scale, and the Austrians were obliged to abandon all their positions, with a loss of about 5,000 men. The French lost about 3,500.
Moskowa.
See Borodino.
Motya.
This city, the chief stronghold of the Carthaginians in Sicily, was besieged by Dionysius of Syracuse, with 83,000 men, B.C. 398. Having built a mole to connect the mainland and the island on which Motya stood, he erected thereon his new engines of war, the catapults, used for the first time in this siege. He also built large moving towers to enable him to cope with the lofty defences of the place, and by these devices succeeded in effecting an entrance. Every house, however, was in itself a small fortress, and after days of street fighting, which cost the assailants a heavy price, the city was still unsubdued. At last by a night surprise he mastered the quarter which still held out, and the inhabitants were massacred or sold as slaves.
Mount Gaurus (First Samnite War).
Fought B.C. 342, between the Romans, under Valerius Corvus, and the Samnites. The Romans won a signal victory.