Parcourir (Fr.). In a military sense, to run over the ground during an action. This word is particularly applicable to those movements which are made by general officers, officers commanding brigades, etc., for the purpose of encouraging their soldiers in the heat of an engagement.
Pardon and Mitigation of Sentences. See Appendix, [Articles of War], [112].
Parga. A town of European Turkey, eyalet of Yanina, stands on a rocky peninsula on the shore of the Mediterranean, and is defended by a citadel which is nearly impregnable. It has played a part of some importance in history since the beginning of the 15th century. It maintained its independence, under the protection of Venice, from this period till the fall of the Venetian power in 1797, when it was for a short time garrisoned by the French. Ali Pasha, the governor of Yanina, obtained command of it in 1800, and in 1814 besieged it, on account of the inhabitants refusing to submit to his rule; and as the French would not defend them, the inhabitants applied for aid to the British, who took possession of the citadel. Parga was finally given up to Turkey by the treaty of 1819; but the inhabitants, not wishing to come under the Ottoman sway, migrated to the Ionian Islands, and the town was then occupied by the Turks.
Paris (anc. Lutetia Parisiorum). The metropolis of France, and after London, the most populous city in Christendom, is situated on both sides of the Seine, and is surrounded by walls and a strong line of fortifications. When Cæsar conquered Gaul, he rebuilt Lutetia, which had been nearly destroyed through the obstinacy of the Celtic tribe who here had their stronghold, and it rose to be a place of considerable importance during the 500 years of Roman dominion. In the beginning of the 5th century it suffered much from the northern hordes, and ultimately fell into the hands of the Franks, headed by Clovis, who, having embraced Christianity, made it his residence in 508. In 845 the city was ravaged by the Normans, and in 845 and 920 suffered from famine; in 885 it was gallantly defended by the Count Eudes and the Bishop Goslin against the Danes; in 1231 it was rebuilt; and in 1411-18 suffered by the factions of the Armagnacs and Burgundians; taken by the English in 1420, and retaken by the French in 1436; on August 24, 1572, the massacre of St. Bartholomew occurred; in 1589-90 Henry IV. vainly besieged it, and he entered it in March, 1594; surrendered to the allies on March 30, 1814. Paris was the scene of many revolutions from July, 1830, to February 22, 1848. The following are the great treaties of Paris: Between England, France, Spain, and Portugal, cession of Canada to Great Britain by France, and Florida by Spain, on February 10, 1763; between France and Sardinia; the latter ceding Savoy, May 15, 1796; France and Sweden, whereby Swedish Pomerania and the island of Rugen were given up to the Swedes, who agreed to adopt the French prohibitory system against Great Britain, January 6, 1810; on April 11, 1814, Paris capitulated, and Napoleon renounced the sovereignty of France; the convention of Paris, between France and the allied powers, the boundaries of France to be the same as on the first day of January, 1792; peace of Paris ratified by France and all the allies on May 14, 1814; convention of St. Cloud, between Marshal Davoust, Wellington, and Blücher, for the surrender of Paris, July 3, 1815, and the allies entered it on July 6; treaty of Paris, between Great Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia, styling Napoleon the prisoner of those powers, and confiding his safeguard to England on August 2, 1815; establishing the boundaries of France, and stipulating for the occupation of certain fortresses by foreign troops for three years, on November 20, same year, and the treaty of Paris, confirming the treaties of Chaumont and Vienna, same day; treaty between Russia and Turkey, England, France, and Sardinia, March 30, 1856; another between England and Persia, March 4, 1857; the treaty between the European powers, Prussia, and Switzerland, respecting Neufchâtel, May 26, 1857; and the convention between France and Italy for withdrawal of French troops from Rome, September 15, 1864. In the late war with Prussia the armies of France having been defeated by the Germans, on August 7, 1870, Paris was declared in a state of siege. On September 4, a republic was proclaimed and a “provisional government of national defense” instituted under the presidency of Gen. Trochu. On September 20, Paris was invested by the Germans, and communication was kept up with the outer world by means of pigeons and balloon mails. On October 30, riot reigned in Paris, and the members of the provisional government were arrested and held prisoners for several hours. On November 28, 300,000 troops supported by 700 field-pieces, divided into three corps, were concentrated at points around the city under Gen. Trochu as commander-in-chief. Early in January the bombardment was begun, and continued most of the month without serious injury. The city, nearly reduced to starvation and threatened with intestine commotion, surrendered on January 28, with 1900 pieces of artillery, 180,000 prisoners, a forced contribution of 200,000,000 francs having been levied by the enemy. The National Assembly having ratified the preliminaries of peace on February 28, the German troops, who, to the number of 30,000, had occupied a quarter of Paris, quietly withdrew. The terms of peace proving distasteful to the populace, Paris was soon plunged into political chaos, and sanguinary conflicts followed between the government of the Commune, or Red Republicans, and the Versailles government under the presidency of Thiers.
Park. The space occupied by the animals, wagons, pontons, and materials of all kinds, whether of powder, ordnance stores, hospital stores, provisions, etc., of an army when brought together; as, a park of wagons; a park of artillery; a park of provisions; engineer park, and the like.
Park. To bring together in a park, or compact body; as, to park the artillery, etc.
Parley. An oral conference with an enemy. It takes place under a flag of truce, and usually at some spot—for the time neutral—between the two armies. To beat a parley, is to give a signal for such a conference by beat of drum or sound of trumpet.
Parma. A kind of round buckler used by the velites in the Roman army. It was 3 feet in diameter, made of wood and covered with leather. Its form was round, and its substance strong; but Servius on the Æneid, and even Virgil, say that it was a light piece of armor in comparison with the clypeus, though larger than the pelta.
Parma. A city of Italy, situated on a river of the same name, about 72 miles southeast of Milan. It is supposed to be of Etruscan origin, but is first mentioned as a Roman colony, having become of considerable importance in the time of the republic. It took a prominent part against Antony in 43 B.C., and was in consequence taken by that general and plundered by his troops. Under Augustus it received a fresh colony, and it again rose to be one of the principal towns of this populous and flourishing part of Italy. In 377 a colony of Goths was settled in the territory of Parma by order of Gratian; Attila devastated and plundered it; and it was taken by Narses in his wars against the Goths and their allies. In 1247, Frederick II. besieged it without success. It subsequently became a prey to feudal lords, and afterwards fell into the hands of the popes. Parma is now part of the province of Æmilia, in the kingdom of Italy, to which it was annexed March 18, 1860.
Parma, Battles of. An indecisive engagement took place at Parma, June 29, 1734, between the confederated armies of England, France, and Spain and the Austrians; and on June 19, 1799, the French under Macdonald were routed by the Russians under Suwarrow, with a loss of 4 generals and 10,000 men.