A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer / Comprising ancient and modern military technical terms, historical accounts of all North American Indians, as well as ancient warlike tribes; also notices of battles from the earliest period to the present time, with a concise explanation of terms used in heraldry and the offices thereof. The work also gives valuable geographical information. Compiled from the best authorities of all nations. With an appendix containing the Articles of war, etc.

by Thomas Wilhelm

Liziere. The berme of a parapet. See [Berme].

Llandeweyer. In Caermarthenshire, Wales. Here Llewellyn, prince of Wales, having descended into the plains, was surprised, defeated, and slain by the lords-marchers, December 11, 1282. This disaster led to the subjugation of Wales in 1283.

Llerena. An ancient town of Spain, in the province of Estremadura, 59 miles north from Seville. Near this place, the English under Combermere defeated the French under Drouet in 1812.

Load. The charge of a fire-arm; as, a load of powder.

Load. To place a charge in; to charge, as a gun, with powder, or with powder and shot, or ball.

Load. A word of command given when men are to charge their guns or rifles.

Loading. The process of loading field-shells is as follows: They are set up on their sabots, the charges measured out in the proper powder-measure, and poured in through a copper funnel. The fuze-plugs are then driven in with a mallet, allowing the tops to project about 0.1 inch, care being taken not to split them. The holes in the plugs are then carefully reamed out, and stopped with tow wads, which are pressed in firmly with a round stick.

Process of loading spherical case-shot: The shot having been cleaned, the balls are put in. A stick with a less diameter than the fuze-hole, and having a groove on each side of it, is inserted and pushed to the bottom of the cavity by working the balls aside. The shot is then placed in a sand-bath or oven, and brought to a proper temperature to receive the sulphur, which, in a melted state, is poured in to fill up the interstices between the balls; the shot is allowed to cool and the sulphur to harden, when the stick is withdrawn, and the sulphur adhering to the sides of the eye and the surface of the shot is removed. If a fuze-plug and paper fuze are to be used, the charge is poured in, and the plug inserted exactly as in case of a shell; but, if the Bormann-fuze is to be used, the charge is inserted, and the stopper and fuze screwed into their places, care being taken before placing the fuze in position to puncture the covering of the magazine, so that the fire can communicate with the charge. Spherical-case are now usually loaded by putting in the bullets and pouring melted sulphur or rosin in until the case is full. After the sulphur has cooled, the space for the powder is bored out by a cutter, which removes both the sulphur and portions of the bullets from the space. This is a quicker method, and gives a more compact projectile. Case-shot for rifle guns are filled in a similar manner. The object of the sulphur or rosin is to solidify the mass of bullets, and preventing them from striking by their inertia against the sides of the case, and cracking it, when the piece is fired. Coal-dust is sometimes used instead of sulphur or rosin. Round, leaden balls, seventeen to the pound, are used.

Process of filling mortar-shells: Having been inspected to see that they are clean, dry, and in good order, place them on a block made for the purpose, or on rings of rope, or in indentations in the floor of the magazine, or on the ground with the fuze-holes up. The charge measured out in a powder-measure is poured in through a funnel, and any incendiary composition, such as pieces of port-fire, rock-fire, etc., is inserted. In the mean time the fuze is cut to the proper length according to the range, by resting it in a groove made in the block, or inserting it in a hole made in a block or in a post, and sawing it across with the fuze-saw; or the fuze may be bored through with a gimlet perpendicularly to the axis at the proper point. The fuze is then tried in the fuze-hole, and should enter three-fourths of its length. If it does not, it may be reduced by rasping. The head of it is covered with tow to prevent the breaking of the composition, the fuze-setter placed on, and the fuze driven with the mallet until the head projects not more than 0.2 inch to 0.4 inch above the surface of the shell. These shells are generally filled and the fuzes driven in the battery magazines, as they are required. Shells for heavy guns are loaded in the same way as mortar-shells; but as paper fuzes inserted in wooden or bronze fuze-plugs are used instead of wooden fuzes, the plug only is driven into its place, and stopped with tow after the bursting charge has been poured through it into the shell.

Loading-bar. A bar used to carry shot. It is passed through the ring of the shell-hooks; also called carrying-bar.