Xeres de la Frontera. A town in the southwest of Spain, in the province of Cadiz, 14 miles northeast from Cadiz. At the battle of Xeres, July 19-26, 711, Roderic, the last Gothic sovereign of Spain, was defeated and slain by the Saracens, commanded by Tarik and Muza.
Ximena (Southern Spain). The site of a battle between the Spanish army under the command of Gen. Ballasteros, and the French corps commanded by Gen. Regnier, September 10, 1811. The Spaniards defeated their adversaries; the loss was great on both sides.
Y.
Yager. One belonging to a body of light infantry armed with rifles. Written also jager.
Yankton Indians. See [Dakota Indians].
Yataghan. A Turkish poniard having a Damascus blade, straight or crooked. It has a double edge, and sharp point, with a ridge in the middle of its whole length; the handle and scabbard are generally highly ornamented and costly.
Yeomanry. A volunteer force of cavalry in Great Britain, numbering about 14,000 men, and costing the country annually about £85,000. It was originally formed during the wars of the French revolution, and then comprised infantry as well as cavalry; but the whole of the infantry corps, and many of the cavalry, were disbanded after the peace of 1814. The organization of the corps is by counties, under the lords-lieutenant. The men provide their own horses and uniform, in consideration of which they receive annually a clothing and contingent allowance of £2 a man, are exempt from taxation in respect to the horses employed on yeomanry duty, and draw during the annual training 2s. a day for forage, besides a subsistence allowance of 7s. a day. If called out for permanent duty they receive cavalry pay, with forage allowance. The yeomanry are available in aid of the civil power; and in time of invasion, or apprehended invasion, the sovereign may embody them for service in any part of Great Britain, under the provisions of the Mutiny Act and Articles of War.
Yeomen of the Guard. A veteran company, consisting of 100 old soldiers of stately presence, employed on grand occasions, in conjunction with the gentlemen-at-arms, as the body-guard of the sovereign. These yeomen were constituted a corps, in 1485, by King Henry VII., and they still wear the costume of that period. Armed with partisans, and in the quaint uniform, the men present a curious sight in the 19th century. The officers of the corps are a captain (ordinarily a peer), a lieutenant, and an ensign. There is also a “Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant.” All these appointments are held by old officers, and are considered as important prizes. The whole charge is borne by the sovereign’s civil list. The headquarters of the corps is at the Tower of London, where the men are popularly known as “Beef-eaters.”
Yermuk (Syria). Near here the emperor Heraclius was totally defeated by the Saracens, after a fierce engagement, November, 636. Damascus was taken, and his army was expelled from Syria.