Raise a Siege, To. To relinquish an attempt to take a place by besieging it, or to cause the attempt to be relinquished.
Rajah, or Raja. A hereditary prince among the Hindus belonging to the warrior caste, or the Kshattriya. In later times it became a title given by the British government to Hindus of rank, and is now not uncommonly assumed by the zemindars, or land-holders; the title of Maharajah, or “great Rajah,” being in these days generally reserved to the more or less independent native princes.
Rajpoots, or Rajputs. Is the name of various tribes in India which are of Aryan origin, and either descended from the old royal races of the Hindus, or from their Kshattriya, or warrior caste. They attained a high degree of power and renown just before the Mohammedan conquests in the 12th century. In 1193 and 1194 the Rajpoot chiefs sustained more than one defeat at the hands of the Mohammedans, and were deprived of all their possessions except the regions they now occupy. They came under the protection of the English, from about the beginning of this century, when the Rajpoots proved unable to defend their country against the Mahrattas.
Rake. To enfilade; to fire in a direction with the length of; as, to rake the enemy’s ranks.
Rally. To bring back to order troops that may have been dispersed, or have retreated in a panic.
Rally. To come into orderly arrangement; to renew order, as troops scattered or put to flight; to assemble; to unite.
Ram. To push home the charge of a gun; also, the corresponding word of command.
Ram, Battering-. See [Battering-ram].
Ram Home, To. To drive home the ammunition in a gun.
Ramillies. A village of Brabant, Belgium, 28 miles southeast of Brussels, is memorable as the place near which one of the most important battles of the War of the Spanish Succession was fought, May 23, 1706. In this conflict the French forces were under the command of Marshal de Villeroy and the elector of Bavaria, while the Duke of Marlborough led the troops of the allies. Villeroy, after a battle of three hours and a half, was defeated, with the loss of all his cannon, the whole of his baggage, and 13,000 men in killed and wounded. The great result of this victory was that the French were compelled to give up the whole of the Spanish Netherlands. About 4000 of the allies were slain in the engagement.