Eckmühl, or Eggmühl. A small village of Bavaria, on the Great Laber. This place is celebrated for the important victory gained by the French over the Austrians on April 22, 1809, and which obtained for Davoust the title of Prince of Eckmühl.
Eclaireurs (Fr.). A corps of grenadiers raised by Bonaparte in France, who from their celerity of movements were compared to lightning.
Eclopes (Fr.). A military term to express those soldiers who, though invalids, are well enough to follow the army. Among these may be classed dragoons or horsemen whose horses become lame and cannot keep up with the troop or squadron. They always march in the rear of a column.
Ecole Polytechnique. A celebrated military school in Paris, established in 1794, chiefly for the artillery service. The examinations for the schools are public to all France. It not only furnishes officers of artillery, but also civil and military engineers of every description. The pupils of this school defended Paris in 1814 and 1830.
Economy. In a military sense, implies the minutiæ or interior regulations of a regiment, troop, or company. Hence regimental economy.
Ecorcheurs (Flayers). A name given to bands of armed adventurers who desolated France and Belgium during the 15th century, beginning about 1435, and they at one time numbered 100,000. They are said to have stripped their victims to their shirts, and flayed the cattle. They were favored by the English invasion and the civil wars.
Ecoutes. Small galleries made at equal distances in front of the glacis of the fortifications of a place. They serve to annoy the enemy’s miners, and to interrupt them in their work.
Ecreter (Fr.). To batter or fire at the top of a wall, redoubt, epaulement, etc., so as to dislodge or drive away the men that may be stationed behind it, in order to render the approach more easy. Ecreter les pointes des palissades is to blunt the sharp ends of the palisades. This ought always to be done before you attack the covert way, which is generally fenced by them.
Ecu (Fr.). A large shield which was used by the ancients, and carried on their left arm, to ward off the blows of sword or sabre. This instrument of defense was originally invented by the Samnites. The Moors had ecus, or shields, sufficiently large to cover the whole of their bodies. The [clipei] of the Romans only differed from the ecu in shape; the former being entirely round, and the latter oval.
Ecuador, or Equator. A South American republic, founded in 1831, when the Colombian republic was divided into three; the other two being Venezuela and New Granada. Gen. Franco was here defeated in battle by Gen. Flores, August, 1860. Several insurrections have taken place in Ecuador since 1860.