Part 20

=Carmel, Knights of the Order of Our Lady of Mount.= A semi-religious order of knighthood instituted by Henry IV. of France, and incorporated with the order of the Knights of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. The order consisted of 100 gentlemen, all French, who were to attend the king in his wars, and had considerable revenues assigned them.

=Carnatic.= A district of Southern Hindostan, extending along the whole coast of Coromandel. Hyder Ali entered the Carnatic with 80,000 troops in 1780, and was defeated by the British under Sir Eyre Coote, July 1 and August 27, 1781, and decisively overthrown, June 2, 1782. The Carnatic was overrun by Tippoo in 1790. The British have possessed entire authority over the Carnatic since 1801.

=Carnifex Ferry.= Over the Gauley River, West Virginia. A force of about 5000 Confederates under Gen. Floyd, who occupied a strong position here, became engaged with a Federal brigade of the troops under Gen. Rosecrans on the afternoon of September 10, 1861, when some severe fighting occurred until night put an end to the contest. The Federals intended to renew the attack in the morning with a stronger force, but during the night Gen. Floyd withdrew his troops across the river, burned the ferry-boats and the bridge which he had constructed, thus cutting off pursuit, but leaving his camp, baggage, small-arms, and munitions of war in the hands of the Federals.

=Carolina, North.= See NORTH CAROLINA.

=Carolina, South.= See SOUTH CAROLINA.

=Caroling.= A custom of the ancients before going to war, which consisted of singing, etc.

=Carpet Knight.= A man who obtains knighthood on a pretense for services in which he never participated.

=Carpi.= In Northern Italy; here Prince Eugène and the Imperialists defeated the French, July 9, 1701.

=Carquois= (_Fr._). A quiver of iron, wood, leather, etc., which was worn slung over the right shoulder.

=Carrago.= A kind of fortification, consisting of a great number of wagons placed round an army. It was employed by barbarous nations, as, for instance, the Scythians and Goths.

=Carreau=, =Quarreau=, or =Carre= (_Fr._). A bolt or dart, with a large steel head, for a cross-bow.

=Carriage.= A gun-carriage is designed to support its piece when fired, and also to transport cannon from one point to another. It consists of two cheeks, connected together and with a stock by assembling bolts. The front part supports the piece, and rests upon an axle-tree furnished with wheels, the rear end of the stock or trail resting on the ground. See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.

=Carriage, Casemate.= See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR, SEA-COAST CARRIAGES.

=Carriage, Field-.= See FIELD-CARRIAGE.

=Carriage, Mountain.= See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.

=Carriage, Prairie.= See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.

=Carriage, Sea-coast.= See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.

=Carriage, Siege.= See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.

=Carrical=, or =Karical=. A seaport town of Hindostan, on the coast of Coromandel. It was formerly strongly fortified, but is now thoroughly dismantled. It came into possession of the French in 1759; was taken by the English in 1803; and restored to the French in 1814.

=Carrick.= An old Gaelic term for a castle or fortress, as well as for a rock in the sea.

=Carrickfergus.= A seaport town in the county of Antrim, Ireland. Its castle is supposed to have been built by Hugh de Lacy in 1178. The town surrendered to the Duke of Schömberg, August 28, 1689. The castle surrendered to Thurot, a French naval officer, in 1760.

=Carrick’s Ford.= Over the Cheat River, Virginia. On July 13, 1861, a force of Confederates under Gen. Garnett, retreating from Laurel Hill, were pursued and here attacked by Union troops under Gen. Morris, and after a few attempts to make a stand, were completely routed, and Gen. Garnett killed.

=Carroccio= (_Ital._). A very large four-wheeled carriage, which was used by the Crusaders during the Middle Ages. On its platform, which was large enough to hold 50 persons, was erected a tower surmounted with a cross and a standard, and to it was attached a bell, which indicated the passing of the carroccio. Before engaging in battle, an effigy of Christ of life size was placed on the platform and at its feet an altar; then a mass was held. A number of knights guarded it, and it was drawn by oxen richly caparisoned. Its invention is attributed to the people of Lombardy.

=Carron.= A village in Stirlingshire, Scotland, on a stream of the same name, falling into the river Forth. It is noted for its extensive iron-works. The carronade, a peculiar kind of gun, derives its name from this place.

=Carrousel.= A species of knightly exercise in imitation of the tournament, common in the courts of Europe till the beginning of the 18th century. It usually consisted in tests of skill in horsemanship, and in the use of the lance, sword, and pistol, the competitors being mostly dressed as were the knights of former times.

=Cart.= In a military sense, is a vehicle mounted on two wheels, and drawn by hand or by horses or oxen. See HAND-CART, HAND SLING-CART.

=Cartagena.= A city and fortified seaport of Spain, is in the province of Murcia, and on a bay of the Mediterranean. It was built by Hasdrubal, the Carthaginian general, 242 B.C.; taken by Scipio, 210. It was subsequently taken by the Goths, and did not begin to rise into importance again till the time of Philip II. It was taken by a British force under Sir John Leake in 1706; retaken by the Duke of Berwick, 1707.

=Cartagena=, or =Carthagena=. A fortified city of New Granada, South America. It was taken by the French in 1544, and subsequently by the English under Sir Francis Drake, in 1585, who plundered it and set it on fire; pillaged by the French in 1697; bombarded by Admiral Vernon in March, 1740; and unsuccessfully besieged by the English in 1741. In the contest with the mother-country, Cartagena was first besieged by Bolivar, and afterwards by Morillo, to whom it surrendered. It was subsequently reduced by the independent troops.

=Carte=, or =Quarte=. A movement of the sword in fencing, as tierce and carte. Also a movement of the rifle bayonet drill.

=Carte-blanche.= In a military sense, means a full and absolute power which is lodged in the hands of a general of an army, to act according to the best of his judgment, without waiting for superior instructions or orders. It likewise strictly means a blank paper, to be filled up with such conditions as the person to whom it is sent thinks proper.

=Cartel.= As a military term it is used to denote an agreement between two belligerents for the exchange of prisoners.

=Cartel-ship.= A vessel used in exchanging prisoners or carrying proposals to an enemy.

=Carthage.= An ancient and celebrated city in Africa, the renowned rival of Rome. It was founded by the Phœnicians, and was one of the latest settlements made by them on the African coast of the Mediterranean, about the middle of the 9th century B.C. No record of the early history of Carthage has been preserved. First alliance of Carthaginians and Romans, 509 B.C.; the Carthaginians in Sicily were defeated at Himera by Gelo, 480 B.C.; they took Agrigentum, 406 B.C., and were defeated by Agathocles, 310 B.C. The first Punic war began (which lasted twenty-three years) in 264 B.C., and ended in 241 B.C. Hamilcar Barcas was sent into Spain, and took with him his son, the famous Hannibal, 237 B.C. Hannibal conquered Spain as far as the Iberus, 219 B.C. The second Punic war began (which lasted seventeen years) in 218 B.C., and ended in 201 B.C. The third Punic war commenced 149 or 150 B.C.; Carthage taken and burned by order of the senate, 146 B.C. A colony settled at Carthage by C. Gracchus, 122 B.C.; its rebuilding planned by Julius Cæsar, 46 B.C., and executed by his successors; it was taken by Genseric the Vandal in 439; retaken by Belisarius, 533; taken and destroyed by Hassan, the Saracenic governor of Egypt, 698.

=Carthage.= The capital of Jasper Co., Mo., on Spring River. Near here, on July 5, 1861, an engagement took place between some of Gen. Lyon’s troops under Col. Sigel, and a superior force of Confederates under Gen. Rains and Col Parsons. The Union loss was 13 killed and 21 wounded.

=Carthoun.= The ancient cannon royal, carrying a 66-pound ball, with a point-blank range of 185 paces, and an extreme one of about 2000. It was 12 feet long and of 8¹⁄₂ inches diameter of bore.

=Cartouch.= A roll or case of paper, etc., holding a charge for a fire-arm.

=Cartouch.= In gunnery, a case of wood, about 3 inches thick at the bottom, bound about with marline, holding about 400 musket-balls, besides 8 or 10 iron balls of a pound each, to be discharged from a howitzer, for the defense of a pass, etc. It also implies an article made of leather, to sling over the shoulder of the gunner, who therein carries the ammunition from the tumbril for the service of the artillery, when at exercise in the field.

=Cart-piece.= An early battering cannon mounted on a peculiar cart.

=Cartridge.= _For cannon_, is the powder charge and its case. The case is a cylindrical bag of flannel, wildbore, or serge, in which the charge is placed. The mouth is closed by tying with twine, forming the _choke_, which is always turned towards the muzzle when the gun is charged. For chambered pieces the mouth of the cartridge-bag is closed with a _cartridge-block_ to give it a proper form. For some services the cartridge is attached to the projectile, in others it is carried separately. See ORDNANCE, AMMUNITION FOR.

For _small-arms_, is the complete charge when the powder and lead are in the same case; if separate, it applies only to the powder and its case. A case containing powder only is called a _blank cartridge_. Cartridge-cases for military small-arms were formerly made of paper. In loading the gun the case was torn and the powder and ball put in separately. By using an inflammable paper the cartridge was afterwards used entire, especially in pistols and breech-loaders. Paper cases made very strong and reinforced by metallic heads are still much used in breech-loading shot-guns. Linen or cloth cases were also used at one period.

The introduction of breech-loaders into the military service has led to the universal adoption of _metallic cartridges_. The cases are cylinders of copper or brass, closed at the breech end, and holding both powder and bullet, the latter being retained in the case by a slight crimp. A small quantity of fulminate in the base inflames the powder upon being struck by the firing-pin. England is behind all other nations in the use of the _Boxer cartridge_, the case of which is made by a _wrapping_ of thin sheet-brass. In the manufacture of metallic cartridges the United States leads the world. Millions were supplied the Turks in their late war with Russia by the Winchester Arms Company, of New Haven, Conn. Metallic cartridge are _reloading_ and _single fire_. _Reloading_ cartridges have an external primer, which can be renewed for successive loadings. The _single fire_ have the fulminate inside the base, and cannot readily be reloaded. The copper cartridges for the U. S. service rifle, made at Frankford Arsenal, Pa., are of this latter class.

=Cartridge-bag.= See CARTRIDGE.

=Cartridge-bags.= See ORDNANCE, AMMUNITION FOR, AMMUNITION FOR FIELD SERVICE.

=Cartridge-belt.= A belt for carrying small-arm cartridges. A form extensively used in the Western United States, called the _prairie-belt_, has a number of leather or canvas loops sewed on the outside in which the cartridges are stuck.

=Cartridge-block.= See ORDNANCE, AMMUNITION FOR, STRAPPED AMMUNITION.

=Cartridge, Bottle.= A metallic cartridge, so called from its shape. It contains a larger charge than the ordinary cylindrical cartridge for the same caliber. The cartridge used in the Martini-Henry is of this shape.

=Cartridge-box.= A leathern case, with cells for cartridges, which are protected by a flap of leather. This box is suspended by a leathern strap, which passes over the left shoulder and under the right arm of the wearer, or is suspended from the waist-belt, as in the U. S. service.

=Cartridge, Buck-and-ball.= A cartridge containing a round musket-ball and 3 buckshot, formerly much used in smooth-bore muskets.

=Cartridge, Buckshot.= Containing a charge of buckshot. Formerly used in muskets, but now obsolete for military purposes.

=Cartridge, Centre Primed.= A metallic cartridge in which the fulminate is placed in the centre of the cartridge head or base.

=Cartridge, Multi-ball.= A metallic cartridge recently proposed by Capt. E. M. Wright, U. S. Ordnance Corps, in which two or more bullets or pieces of lead are substituted for the ordinary bullet, with the idea of doing more execution at short ranges.

=Cartridge-paper.= A stout paper formerly used in making military cartridges.

=Cartridge, Reloading.= See CARTRIDGE.

=Cartridge, Rim-fire.= A metallic cartridge in which the fulminate is placed in the rim surrounding the head. This rim being struck at any point, explodes the powder. Formerly much used in pistols and magazine guns. These cartridges are not _reloading_.

=Cartridge, Single-fire.= See CARTRIDGE.

=Casale=, or =Casal=. A town of Piedmont, the capital of a province of the same name, on the river Po. Here the French defeated the Spaniards in 1640. In May, 1859, an Austrian reconnoitring party, who had advanced from Vercelli, were here repulsed by the Sardinian Bersaglieri (riflemen).

=Casal Nova.= A village in Spain, where a corps of Lord Wellington’s army had an affair with the French troops under Marshal Masséna, during their retreat from Portugal on March 14, 1811.

=Cascabel.= In gunnery, is the projection in rear of the breech, and is composed of the _knob_, the _neck_, and the _fillet_. It is used to facilitate the handling of the piece in mounting and dismounting it, and moving it when off its carriage.

=Cascans.= In fortification, are holes in the form of wells, serving as entrances to galleries, or giving vent to the enemy’s mines.

=Case-hardening.= The process of converting the surface of iron into steel. Formerly much used in making small-arms. The parts to be hardened, such as the _hammer_, _tumbler_, etc., were inclosed in an airtight iron box, filled with charcoal, bones, particles of horn, or other carbonizing substance. The box and its contents were then submitted to prolonged heat. The process is that of incomplete cementation (which see).

=Casemate.= Was originally a loop-holed gallery excavated in a bastion, from which the garrison could fire on an enemy who had obtained possession of the ditch without risk of loss to themselves. The term was afterwards applied to a bomb-proof vault in a fortress, which is designed for the protection of the garrison, without direct reference to the annoyance of the enemy. A casemated battery consists of such a vault or vaults, with openings for the guns.

=Casemate Carriage.= A gun-carriage used in casemates. See ORDNANCE, CARRIAGES FOR.

=Casemate Gun.= A gun mounted in a casemate.

=Casemates Nouvelles= (_Fr._). Arched batteries which are constructed under all the openings of revetments or ramparts. The different forts of Cherbourg are defended by these casemates; the works erected around Dover Castle come likewise under this description; the works at Fort Columbus, N. Y., are erected on the same principle.

=Casemate Truck.= Consists of a stout frame of wood mounted upon three barbette traverse wheels. The front wheel is pivoted so as to change direction. It is used to move cannon and heavy weights through posterns and along casemate galleries.

=Casernes.= In fortification, are buildings for the soldiers of the garrison to live in; generally erected between the houses of fortified towns and the rampart. In a general acceptation, casernes signify barracks.

=Case-shot.= In the U. S. service, a case-shot is a hollow cast-iron projectile filled with musket-balls. The projectile has thinner walls than the ordinary shell. To fill it a tube is inserted in the fuze-hole, the balls are introduced, and melted sulphur or rosin is poured in to fill up the interstices and keep the balls in position. When this has solidified the tube is withdrawn, leaving a vacant space for a small bursting charge. This description answers for the two kinds used,--the spherical case for the 12-pounder smooth-bore and the oblong case for rifle guns. Case-shot should be burst in the air a short distance in front of the troops fired upon. Time-fuzes are, therefore, used with both; the Bormann-fuze for the former, and the paper fuze for the latter. In Europe this ammunition is called _shrapnel_, from the inventor. There the term case-shot is applied to what is called in the United States _canister_,--that is, a thin case filled with bullets, used for short range without fuzes, the case being disrupted in the gun.

=Cashier.= To dismiss from the service with ignominy. An officer thus dismissed is understood to be excluded from the service thereafter. A dismissed officer may be restored; a cashiered officer is deemed unworthy of the indulgence.

=Cashmere.= A province of Northern India; was subdued by the Mohammedans in the 16th century; by the Afghans in 1752; by the Sikhs in 1819; and ceded to the British in 1846, who gave it to the Maharajah Gholab-Singh, with a nominal sovereignty.

=Casing.= The cast-iron case of converted guns (which see).

=Casks, Raft of.= See RAFT OF CASKS.

=Casque=, or =Cask=. A piece of defensive armor, to cover and protect the head and neck in battle; a helmet.

=Cassano.= A town of Lombardy, 16 miles from Milan, on the river Adda. In 1259, Eccelino Romana, chief of the Ghibelines, was here defeated and killed. In 1705 the French under the Duke of Vendôme gained a victory over the Imperialists, commanded by Prince Eugène; and in 1799, Suwarrow inflicted a defeat on the French under Moreau.

=Cassel.= A city of Germany, 90 miles northeast from Frankfort-on-the-Main. It was the capital of Westphalia under Napoleon I.; besieged by the allies in 1761; taken by the allies November 1, 1762; captured by the Russians in September, 1813.

=Cassel.= A town of France, department of the North. On April 11, 1677, the Marshal de Luxemburg near here defeated the Prince of Orange, who lost 4000 dead and 3000 prisoners. The French occupied Cassel, June 19, 1707.

=Casse-tête= (_Fr._). A mace or war-club, made of very hard wood, used formerly in savage warfare.

=Cassine.= A small house, especially in the open country; applied also to a house standing alone, where soldiers may lie hid, or may take a position.

=Cas, St.= A village on the coast of France, in the department Côte du Nord. Here, in 1758, a landing of the British under Lord Cavendish was repulsed, and 100 years afterwards a column was inaugurated to commemorate the event.

=Castalla.= A town of Spain, 24 miles northwest of Alicante. The Spaniards under O’Donnell were here defeated by the French under Delort, August 21, 1812.

=Casteggio.= A town of Northern Italy, in the division of Alessandria. On June 9, 1800, the battle of Montebello was gained by the French under Lannes over the Austrians in the neighborhood of this place. On May 20, 1859, another engagement was fought here between the Austrians under Count Stadion and the French and Sardinian troops, in which the latter were victorious.

=Castel-a-Mare.= A seaport town of Sicily. Richelieu defeated the Spanish fleet here in 1648; and in 1799 a battle was fought between the French under Marshal Macdonald and the allied English and Neapolitans.

=Castel Fidardo.= Near Ancona, Central Italy. Near here Gen. Lamoricière and the papal army of 11,000 men were totally defeated by the Sardinian general Cialdini, September 18, 1860. Lamoricière with a few horsemen fled to Ancona, then besieged; on September 29 he and the garrison surrendered.

=Castellan.= A governor or constable of a castle.

=Castellated.= Adorned with turrets and battlements, like a castle.

=Castellation.= The act of fortifying a house and rendering it a castle. Now obsolete.

=Castelnaudary.= A town of France, department of Aude. It suffered greatly in the wars of the Middle Ages, and under its walls the Duke of Montmorency was made prisoner by the royal troops in 1632.

=Castiglione.= A fortified town of Lombardy, 22 miles northwest from Mantua. Here, in 1796, the French under Augereau gained a decisive victory over the Austrians. The French commander was afterwards made, on account of this battle, Duc de Castiglione. In 1859 the battle of Solferino also occurred in its neighborhood.

=Castillejos.= In Northern Africa; here, in January, 1860, was fought the first decisive action of the war between Spain and Morocco. Gen. Prim, after a vigorous resistance, repulsed the Moors under Muley Abbas, and advanced towards Tetuan.

=Castillon.= A town of France, in the department of Gironde. It is celebrated as the scene of the battle between the forces of Henry VI. of England and Charles VII. of France, in July, 1453, in which the English met with a signal defeat, their leader, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and his son being slain.

=Casting.= The rejection of horses deemed unfit for further cavalry use.

=Casting Cannon.= See ORDNANCE, CONSTRUCTION OF.

=Cast Iron.= See ORDNANCE, METALS FOR.

=Castle.= A name given to a building constructed as a dwelling, as well as for the purpose of repelling attack. The name is especially given to buildings of this kind constructed in Europe in the Middle Ages, and which were generally surrounded by a moat, foss, or ditch.

=Castlebar.= A town of Ireland. French troops under Humbert landed at Killala, and, assisted by Irish insurgents here, compelled the king’s troops under Lake to retreat, August 27, 1798; but were compelled to surrender at Ballinamuck.

=Castlecomer.= A town of Ireland; in the rebellion of 1798 this town was attacked by the rebels, and nearly destroyed by fire.

=Castle-guard.= The guard which defends a castle.

=Castles.= In heraldry, castles are often given as charges in the shields of persons who have reduced them, or been the first to mount their walls in an assault.

=Cast-metal Gun.= See ORDNANCE, CAST-METAL CANNON.

=Castrametation.= Is the art of laying out camps, and of placing the troops so that the different arms of the service shall afford support to each other in the best manner.

=Cast Steel.= See ORDNANCE, METALS FOR.

=Casualties.= In the military service, is a word which includes all losses in numerical strength of officers by death, dismissal, or resignation, and of enlisted men by death, desertion, or discharge; also all losses in fighting strength caused by wounds.

=Casus Belli.= A Latin phrase used with reference to any event, or complication between sovereign powers, which gives rise to a declaration of war.

=Catafalco.= In ancient military architecture, a scaffold of timber, decorated with sculpture, paintings, etc., for supporting the coffin of a deceased hero during the funeral solemnity.

=Catalans.= The inhabitants of Catalonia, Spain. Their language, costume, and habits are quite distinct from those of the rest of their countrymen. In energy, industry, and intelligence they greatly surpass the rest of the Spaniards. They were considered brave warriors.

=Catalaunian Plain.= The ancient name of the wide plain surrounding Châlons-sur-Marne, in the old province of Campagne, France, celebrated as the field of battle where the West Goths, and the forces under the Roman general Aetius, gained a great victory over Attila in 451. A wild tradition tells that three days after the great fight, the ghosts of the fallen myriads appeared on the plain, and renewed the conflict.