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

Talus. The old word in fortification for a slope.

Tambour. In fortification, is a small work, usually a timber stockade, about 6 feet high, and loop-holed. Its object is to defend a gateway, the road into a village, or to afford flanking fire on a bridge, etc. The tambour on the covered way is the traverse which closes an entrance from the glacis.

Tampion, or Tompion. The wooden plug placed in the mouth of a piece of ordnance to preserve it from dust and damp. In naval gunnery, the tampion is the wooden bottom for a charge of grape-shot.

Tam-tam (Hind. tom-tom). A drum used by the Hindoos, made of an alloy of copper and tin, and very sonorous.

Tanagra (now Grimadha, or Grimada). A celebrated town of Bœotia, on the left bank of the Asopus, 200 stadia from Platææ, in the district Tanagræa. Being near the frontiers of Attica, it was frequently exposed to the attacks of the Athenians; near it the Spartans defeated the Athenians, 457 B.C., but were defeated by them in 426, when Agis II. headed the Spartans, and Nicias the Athenians.

Tang. The tang of the breech of a musket, is the projecting part by which the barrel is secured to the stock. Also, that part of a sword-blade to which the hilt is riveted.

Tangent Scale. In gunnery, a brass plate, the lower edge of which is cut to fit the base-ring or base-line of the piece, and the upper edge cut into notches for each one-fourth degree elevation. It is used in pointing, by placing the lower edge on the base-ring, or base-line, with the radius of the notch corresponding with the highest point of the base-ring or line; and sighting over the centre of the notch; and the highest point of the muzzle, or top of the muzzle-sight.

Tangier. A seaport of Morocco, on a small bay or inlet of the Strait of Gibraltar. Tangier was taken by the Portuguese in 1471, and ceded to the English in 1662, and held by them for twenty-two years. It was bombarded by the French in 1844.

Tanjore. A town of British India, capital of a district of the same name, in the presidency of Madras. In 1678 Tanjore was conquered by the Mahratta chief, Vencajeo, brother of Sevajee. In the reign of the rajah Tooljajee, the nabob of Arcot, supported by the Madras government, laid claim to tribute from Tanjore, and the rajah was deposed, but was subsequently restored.

Tannadar. In the East Indies, a commander of a small fort or custom-house.