This is the only order which could be properly and strictly called military. There were several others during the old French government, which we judge superfluous to the present work.
CROSS, the ensign or grand standard borne by the crusaders in the holy-war.
CROSS-fire, in the art of war, is when the lines of fire of two or more adjoining sides of a field-redoubt, &c. cross one another; it is frequently used to prevent an enemy’s passing a defile. It may be two ways obtained: first, by constructing the redoubt with the face opposite the defile, tenailled; that is, forming a re-entering angle. The other way is, to defend the defile by 2 redoubts, whose faces command the passage, flanking each other at the same time.
Cross-bar shot, shot with iron bars crossing through them, sometimes standing 6 or 8 inches out at both sides: they are used at sea, for destroying the enemy’s rigging. At a siege they are of great service in demolishing the enemy’s palisading, &c.
Cross-bars. See [Carriages].
Cross-bow, a missive weapon used to propel arrows, &c. previous to the use of gunpowder.
CROTCHET, of cavalry. See [Cross].
CROW, an iron bar used as a lever, in moving heavy ordnance, or carriages, &c.
CROWS-feet, or Caltrops, in the art of war, are 4 pointed irons, so made that what way soever they fall, one point is always uppermost. The short ones are about 4 inches in length, and the long ones 6 or 7. The short ones are thrown on bridges, &c. and the long ones on the earth, both to incommode the cavalry, that they may not approach without great difficulty.
CROWN-work, in fortification, an out work that takes up more ground than any other. It consists of a large gorge, and two sides terminating towards the country in two demi-bastions, each of which is joined by a particular curtain, forming two half bastions and one whole one: they are made before the curtain, or the bastion, and generally serve to inclose some buildings which cannot be brought within the body of the place, or to cover the town gates, or else to occupy a spot of ground which might be advantageous to the enemy. See [Fortification].