Mongolia. A vast district in Asia. Its present boundaries east and north are Manchuria and Siberia, respectively, and on the south and west Thibet and Turkestan; but these boundaries have varied greatly at different periods of history. The whole of what is now usually recognized as Mongolia is considered to belong to the Chinese empire. See [Tartary].
Mongols. See [Tartary].
Monmouth, Battle of. Was fought June 28, 1778, between the Revolutionary forces under Gen. Washington and the British under Sir Henry Clinton. Gen. Washington, whose army of about 12,000 men was encamped at Valley Forge, being informed of the intention of the enemy to evacuate Philadelphia and proceed to New York, placed his forces in a condition to march immediately in pursuit. Accordingly, when intelligence of the evacuation reached him, he broke up his encampment, and detaching a small force under Gen. Arnold to take possession of Philadelphia, marched rapidly with his whole army toward the Delaware. On the morning of June 28 the advance of the Colonial army, under Gen. Lee, became engaged with the enemy’s rear on the plain near Monmouth Court-house, in New Jersey; but the English line being soon reinforced, the Americans were compelled to give way, upon which Lee ordered a retreat. Gen. Washington, who was riding ahead of the main body of his army, met the retreating force, and peremptorily ordered Lee to reform his troops and hold his position. This he for a time partially effected, but was being again driven back, when the main body of the army arrived to his assistance. The battle now became general, and under the inspiring influence of their commander-in-chief the Americans fought with such desperate resolution that the British were at length obliged to give way. Washington made preparations to follow up his advantage, but owing to the broken character of the ground, and twilight coming on before a proper disposition of his troops could be made, the attack was postponed until next morning. When morning dawned, however, it was found that Sir Henry Clinton with his whole force had retreated during the darkness of the night toward Sandy Hook, and Washington, on account of the heat of the weather and the fatigue of his men, did not pursue them. This was one of the most severely contested battles of the war. The American loss was 227 killed and wounded, the English was a little greater.
Monomachy (Fr. monomachie). A single combat, or the fighting of two, hand to hand. It is derived from the Greek. A duel may properly be called a monomachy.
Mons (Flemish, Berghen). A strongly-fortified town of Belgium, in the province of Hainault, on the Trouille, 33 miles southwest from Brussels. It has been frequently besieged and taken; in 1709 it was taken by the allies under Marlborough and Eugène; in 1746 by Marshal Saxe; and in the wars of the French revolution in 1792-94 it was taken alternately by the French and the allies, the former of whom held the town from 1784 to 1814.
Monsoon. A wind blowing half the year in one direction, and the other half in the opposite;—a term applied particularly to certain winds of the Indian Ocean, which blow from the southwest from April to October, and from the northeast the rest of the year. The term is sometimes used to designate similar winds in other parts of the globe.
Mont St. Jean. A village of Belgium; it is near the scene of the battle of Waterloo, called by the French the battle of Mont St. Jean.
Montana Territory. A Territory of the United States, which is bounded on the north by the British possessions, east by Dakota, south by Wyoming and Idaho, and west by Idaho. This Territory has been overrun by hostile Indians, who, under the management of the military, are being rapidly subjugated. It was formed into a separate Territory in May, 1864, before which time it formed part of Idaho.
Montauban. A town of France, capital of the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, 342 miles south by west from Paris. At the Reformation the people embraced the Protestant cause; and the town was ineffectually besieged by the adverse party in 1580. It afterwards, in 1621, resisted for three months the assaults of Louis XIII., and did not yield till after the fall of Rochelle in 1629. The fortifications were soon after destroyed.
Montbéliard, or Montbélliard. A town of France, in the department of Doubs, 48 miles northeast from Besançon. It was in former times a place of some strength, and the capital of a county that originally formed part of the kingdom of Burgundy, but was transferred to the Würtemberg family in 1395. Although twice taken by the French in the 17th century, it was not finally ceded to them till 1796.