CHEVISANCE, Fr. enterprize, feat, or atchievement.
CHEVRE, Fr. a crab or gin. See [Chevrette].
CHEVRETTE, a kind of gin. Among the many inventions for raising guns or mortars into their carriages this engine is very useful; it is made of two pieces of wood about four feet long, standing upright upon a third, which is square: they are about a foot asunder, and parallel; pierced with holes opposite one another, to hold a strong bolt of iron, which may be raised higher or lower at pleasure: it may be used with a hand-spike, which takes its poise over this bolt, to raise any thing by force.
CHEVROTINES, Fr. leaden bullets of small calibre; there are generally sixty to a pound weight.
CHIEF or Chieftain, the head leader, or commander of any clan in time of war, was so called, especially among the Scotch.
CHIORME, Fr. the crew of galley slaves and bonavogliers or volunteers.
CIMIER, Fr. a heavy ornament, which the ancient knights or chevaliers in France and in other countries were accustomed to wear upon their helmets; small figures were afterwards substituted in their stead.
CHOROGRAPHY, in engineering, is the art of making a drawing or map of a country, province or district.
CIMETAR, See [Scimitar].
CINQUAIN, in ancient military history, was an order of battle, to draw up 5 battalions, so that they might make 3 lines; that is, a van, main-body, and reserve. Supposing the 5 battalions, to be in a line, the 2d and 4th advance and form the van, the 3d falls back and forms the rear, the 1st and 5th form the main body upon the same ground. Lastly, every battalion ought to have a squadron of horse on both the right and left wings. Any number of regiments, produced by multiplying by 5, may be drawn up in the same manner.