Vincennes. A town of France, department of Seine, 5 miles east-southeast from the Louvre in Paris. In reality, the town is merely a great fortress and barracks, and is famous for its arsenal, and for its school for the practice of shooting. At the latter the Chasseurs de Vincennes, and all the best marksmen of the army, are trained. Among the famous men who have been confined in this fortress may be mentioned Henry IV., the Prince of Condé, Cardinal de Retz, Mirabeau, and the Duc d’Enghein, who was shot in the moat of the castle by order of Bonaparte.
Vincent, St. An island in the West Indies; it was long neutral, but at the peace of 1703 the French agreed that the right to it should be vested in the English. The latter soon after engaged in a war against the Caribs, on the windward side of the island, who were obliged to consent to a peace. In 1779 the Caribs greatly contributed to the reduction of this island by the French, who, however, restored it in 1783. In 1795 the French landed some troops, and again instigated the Caribs to insurrection, which was not subdued for several months.
Vincible. Capable of being overcome or subdued; conquerable.
Vindelicia. A Roman province south of the Danube, bounded on the north by the Danube which separated it from Germany, on the west by the territory of the Helveti in Gaul, on the south by Rhætia, and on the east by the river Œnus (now Inn). It was originally part of the province of Rhætia, and was conquered by Tiberius in the reign of Augustus. The southern portion of this province was inhabited by the Vindelici, a warlike people. The other tribes in Vindelicia were the Brigantii, the Licatii, and the Brunii. Vindelicia fell into the hands of the Alemanni in the 4th century, and from this time the population of the country appears to have been entirely Germanized.
Vinegar. In transportation by water vinegar is essential to the comfort of horses, and should be freely used by sponging their mouths and noses repeatedly, and also their mangers. A small portion of vinegar drank with water supplies the waste of perspiration of men in the field. It is better than rum or whisky; it allays thirst, and men who use it avoid the danger of drinking cold water when heated, and are not fevered as they are too apt to be by the use of spirituous liquors.
Vinegar-Hill. Near Enniscorthy, in Wexford, Southeast Ireland. Here the Irish rebels encamped and committed many outrages in the surrounding country. They were gradually surrounded by the British troops, commanded by Lake, June 21, 1798, and after a fierce struggle, with much slaughter, totally dispersed.
Violence. See Appendix, [Articles of War], [21] and [56].
Vireton (Fr.). An arrow formerly made very long, light, and so feathered as to revolve round its own axis; also called vire.
Virginia. One of the thirteen original United States of America, and is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia, east by Maryland and the Atlantic Ocean, south by North Carolina and Tennessee, and west by Kentucky and West Virginia. The shores of Virginia were first explored by Sebastian Cabot, 1498, and again under the auspices of Sir Walter Raleigh in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in whose honor it was named; was first settled by an English colony, on the James River, May 13, 1607, which consisted mostly of gentlemen of fortune, and persons of no occupation. The friendly Indians sold them land and provisions; but the diseases of a damp climate swept off half the settlers the first autumn. The energy of Capt. John Smith saved the colony from destruction; and in 1609 it was reinforced by 500 persons, who were reduced by sickness and starvation to 60. They had embarked to abandon the settlement, when Lord Delaware came with emigrants and supplies. In 1622 the colony was reduced by wars and massacres from 4000 to 2500; but in 1624 it became a crown colony, and increased, so that in 1649 there were 15,000 English and 300 negroes in it. In 1754, the colonial militia took part in the French war; and Maj. George Washington took part in Gen. Braddock’s campaign. In 1769, Thomas Jefferson, a member of the House of Burgesses, asserted for the colony the right of self-taxation, denying the right of Parliament to tax the colonies. In 1773, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and Richard Henry Lee were appointed a committee to confer with the other colonies, and urged upon their delegates the Declaration of Independence. Virginia, the earliest settled, largest, and most populous of the thirteen original States, called the Old Dominion, was the first to propose the confederacy and the Constitution. On April 17, 1861, this State passed the ordinance of secession. The Confederate government was invited to Richmond, which became the centre of military operations. Virginia was occupied by the Federal troops during the whole of the civil war, and a great many hotly-contested battles were fought on her soil. The State was restored to the Union, January 26, 1870.
Virginia, West. A new State of the American Union, and separated from the above, because antagonistic in political interests; it was organized in August, 1861, and admitted into the Union by act of Congress, December 31, 1862, taking effect June 20, 1863. The State comprises 52 counties, lying west of the Alleghanies.