Casse-tête (Fr.). A mace or war-club, made of very hard wood, used formerly in savage warfare.
Cassine. A small house, especially in the open country; applied also to a house standing alone, where soldiers may lie hid, or may take a position.
Cas, St. A village on the coast of France, in the department Côte du Nord. Here, in 1758, a landing of the British under Lord Cavendish was repulsed, and 100 years afterwards a column was inaugurated to commemorate the event.
Castalla. A town of Spain, 24 miles northwest of Alicante. The Spaniards under O’Donnell were here defeated by the French under Delort, August 21, 1812.
Casteggio. A town of Northern Italy, in the division of Alessandria. On June 9, 1800, the battle of Montebello was gained by the French under Lannes over the Austrians in the neighborhood of this place. On May 20, 1859, another engagement was fought here between the Austrians under Count Stadion and the French and Sardinian troops, in which the latter were victorious.
Castel-a-Mare. A seaport town of Sicily. Richelieu defeated the Spanish fleet here in 1648; and in 1799 a battle was fought between the French under Marshal Macdonald and the allied English and Neapolitans.
Castel Fidardo. Near Ancona, Central Italy. Near here Gen. Lamoricière and the papal army of 11,000 men were totally defeated by the Sardinian general Cialdini, September 18, 1860. Lamoricière with a few horsemen fled to Ancona, then besieged; on September 29 he and the garrison surrendered.
Castellan. A governor or constable of a castle.
Castellated. Adorned with turrets and battlements, like a castle.
Castellation. The act of fortifying a house and rendering it a castle. Now obsolete.