Part 1

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have been placed at the end of the alphabetical ‘CYCLOPÆDIA’ section, and the ‘APPENDIX’ section.

Minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.

THE

BATTLES OF THE WORLD;

OR, CYCLOPÆDIA OF

BATTLES, SIEGES, AND IMPORTANT MILITARY EVENTS,

The Origin and Institution of Military Titles, &c. &c.,

ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED,

WITH AN APPENDIX,

CONTAINING

A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE,

FROM THE CREATION TO THE PRESENT DAY.

DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO GENERAL SIR JOHN MICHEL.

BY

REV. J. DOUGLAS BORTHWICK,

AUTHOR OF “CYCLOPÆDIA OF HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY,” “THE BRITISH AMERICAN READER,” AND “THE HARP OF CANAAN.”

Montreal: PUBLISHED BY JOHN MUIR; AND PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1866.

Entered, according to Act of Provincial Parliament, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, by JOHN MUIR, in the Office of the Registrar of the Province of Canada.

To

General Sir John Michel, K. C. B.,

Commanding the Forces

in

British North America,

As a small mark of respect to the highest Military Authority in these Provinces, and a token of esteem for one of the Generals of that glorious army which has fought and conquered in every age of its country’s history, and in almost every clime,--

Whose flag has braved a thousand years The battle and the breeze;

And whose actions constitute NOT a small portion of the “Battles of the World,”

This work is dedicated

BY

THE AUTHOR.

MONTREAL, August 1866.

PREFACE.

Within the last decade of the history of Great Britain, some very important books have been added to her literature, and especially to that particular division which treats of her wars and splendid victories, during the same period. “The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World,” by Sir E. S. Creasy, Chief Justice of Ceylon; “The Twelve Great Battles of England,” inscribed to the British Volunteers of 1860; “England’s Battles by Sea and Land,” “Russell’s Crimea and India,” “Emerson’s Sebastopol,” &c., are valuable in themselves, as describing those victories which have raised “Dear Old England” to the _very first_ rank among the nations. But the object of the present publication embraces a larger and more extended field of research. It embraces the whole of the principal battles, by land and sea, that have EVER taken place, from the earliest recorded action of which we have in history any distinct and reliable information, to the very last event of military importance which has transpired previous to going to press.

I need scarcely say here that that event is the unprecedented and unheard of invasion of our country, by a band of lawless brigands and filibusters, from the neighbouring Republic, ycleped Fenians, who have shed blood, and wantonly invaded the territory of a friendly power. It gives me much pleasure to insert in the “Cyclopædia of Battles” some account of how they were met by our brave Volunteers, at Ridgeway and Pigeon Hill; for it proves that the Volunteers of Canada will compare favorably with those of the Mother Country: and let it be borne in mind that one-half of the men who greatly contributed to the Victory of Waterloo were recruits--raw troops--drafts from the militia--soldiers who had never been engaged before; and the same indomitable pluck--the same unconquered spirit--the same manly virtue of England’s offshoot sons, was seen in the attack at Ridgeway.

In the first general engagement in the Great Rebellion of the United States--which was fought at Bull Run--American Volunteers _were also for the first time under fire_, but what was the result? A total pell-mell rout--a scattered army hurrying on--cavalry, artillery, and infantry--in one mighty, confused mass--treading down and overthrowing each other, in their eagerness to escape from the manly chivalry of the South. OUR brave Volunteers charged with the “Spirit of their fathers,” and gained the day.

It has been said that Canada was neither a military nor a literary colony. The events of the last few weeks fully proves to the contrary, regarding her military ardor. Her sons nobly responded to the government call; and had necessity required, as fair and fully equipped an army would have trod the battle-field as ever stood arrayed before an enemy;--and these sons of hers were scions of all stocks--from the son of the learnèd divine or lawyer, to the peasant’s only boy. As regards her literary fame she has produced works which will compare favorably with sister colonies, and may rank side by side with the Mother Country. To refute the assertion, too, may be here remarked, what an agent for some of the largest publishers both of England and the United States said not long ago; “In the last three months he had sold twenty complete copies of one of the largest and best Encyclopædias, and nearly double that number in parts,” added to the hundreds of other publications which are being scattered broadcast over the country, prove that the Canadians are cultivating their minds as well as their “broad acres.” For my own individual part, I can bear ample testimony to the generous patronage given to my publications. The first, published some years ago was rapidly sold. The second issued, was accepted by the _unanimous_ voice and vote of the Council of Public Instruction as the standard School Reader for Lower Canada, and received the approval of the Government. The whole edition of the third, issued last Christmas, was sold in two weeks. The present work bids fair to receive as large if not a larger circulation.

To the people of Canada who have advanced and are advancing literature, by subscribing to and supporting literary institutions and productions, I tender my sincere thanks for all the patronage hitherto bestowed upon my humble endeavours to elevate the literature of this, my adopted country, and to perpetuate, in book form, among the “Battles of the World,” CANADA’S ENGAGEMENTS with foreign foes--HER BATTLES BY LAND AND SEA.

J. DOUGLAS BORTHWICK.

MONTREAL, 24th July 1866.

POSTSCRIPT.--Since the above Preface has been in type events which were looked for, have transpired in Europe and by the accounts received some battles have already been fought on Continental soil. As far as practicable, insertion will be given to those of which we have received reliable information as regarding statistics, &c.

J. D. B.

CYCLOPÆDIA

OF THE

BATTLES OF THE WORLD.

A.

ABDICATION OF KINGS.--Numerous in ancient history. The following are those of the most remarkable character and greatest political importance:

Henry IV. of Germany A.D. 1080 Baliol of Scotland “ 1306 Charles V. of Germany “ 1556 James II. of England “ 1688 Philip V. of Spain “ 1724 Napoleon April 5, 1814 Charles X. of France Aug. 2, 1830 Louis Philippe “ Feb. 24, 1848 Ferdinand of Austria. Dec. 2, 1848

ABOUKIR.--Commonly called the Battle of the Nile. Fought between the French and English fleets August 1st, 1798. (See NILE.)

ABRAHAM, HEIGHTS OF.--Commonly called the Taking of Quebec, or the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Fought September 13th, 1759. (See QUEBEC.)

ACAPULCO SHIP.--This was the celebrated prize. A Spanish galleon, from Acapulco, laden with gold and precious wares, and estimated by some annalists at £1,000,000 sterling and upwards, taken by Lord Anson, who had previously acquired in his memorable voyage booty amounting to £600,000. Admiral Anson arrived at Spithead, in the _Centurion_, with his immense gains, after having circumnavigated the globe, June 15th, 1744.

ACRE, ST. JEAN D’--anciently _Ptolemais_. This city was taken by Richard I and other Crusaders in 1192, after a siege of two years, with the loss of 6 archbishops, 12 bishops, 40 earls, 500 barons, and 300,000 soldiers. It was retaken by the Saracens, when 60,000 Christians perished, A.D. 1291. Acre was attacked by Bonaparte, in July, A.D. 1798, and was relieved by Sir Sidney Smith, who gallantly resisted twelve attempts during the memorable siege of the French, between March 1st, and May 27th, 1799, when, baffled by the British squadron on the water, and the Turks on shore, Bonaparte relinquished his object and retreated. St. Jean d’Acre is a pachalic, subject to the Porte, seized upon by Ibrahim Pacha, who had revolted, July 2nd, 1832. It became a point in the Syrian war in 1840. It was stormed by the British fleet under Sir Robert Stopford, and taken after a bombardment of a few hours--the Egyptians losing upwards of 2,000 in killed and wounded, and 3,000 prisoners; while the British had but 12 killed, and 42 wounded, November 3, 1840.

ACTIUM.--This battle was fought September 2nd, B.C. 31, between the fleets of Octavianus Cæsar on the one side, and of Marc Antony and Cleopatra on the other. The victory of Octavianus which followed, procured him the name of Augustus, the Venerable, bestowed on him by the Senate, and the commencement of the Roman Empire is commonly dated from this year.

ADRIANOPLE.--This battle, by which Constantine the Great procured the Roman Empire, was fought July 3rd, A.D. 323. Adrianople was afterwards taken by the Ottomans from the Greeks, in 1360, and continued to be the seat of the Turkish Empire till the capture of Constantinople in 1453. Mahomet II, one of the most distinguished of the Sultans, and the one who took Constantinople, was born here in 1430. Adrianople was taken by the Russians, who entered it, August 20th, 1829, but was restored to the Sultan at the close of the war, September 14th, the same year.

ADJUTANT.--This name is given to the officer, generally a lieutenant, whose business it is to assist the superior officers, by receiving and communicating orders.

ADMIRAL.--This, the highest title in the navy, does not appear to have been adopted till about 1300. This title was first given in England to William de Leybourne, by Edward I, in 1297. The first Lord High Admiral of England was created by Richard II in 1388. It is an office which has seldom been trusted to single hands. Prince George of Denmark, consort to Queen Anne, was Lord High Admiral in her reign. Since that time (1708) the duties were uninterruptedly executed by Lords Commissioners until 1827, when the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV, was appointed. He resigned August 12th, 1828, and the office has ever since been vested in the Lords of the Admiralty.

AEGOS POTAMOS.--This place is famous for the victory of Lysander over the Athenian fleet, on the 13th December, B.C. 405, in the last year of the Peloponnesian war. All the triremes of the Athenians, 180 in number, were either lost or captured, without the loss of a single ship on the side of Lysander.

AFGHAN WAR.--A fierce rebellion broke out on November 2nd, 1842, at Cabul; Burnes and Macnaughten, the British ministers, with other civil and military officers, were successively murdered, and the whole country rose in arms under the treacherous Akbar Khan, the son of the deposed king, Dost Mohammed, who determined on the massacre of the whole British force. Pusillanimity and indecision in the councils of the general-in-chief, led to an immediate evacuation of the country. 4,500 fighting men, together with about 12,000 camp followers, besides women and children, set forward, through ice and snow, on their lamentable retreat; and no sooner had they cleared out of their cantonments, than the blood-thirsty Afghans began to plunder the baggage, and fire upon the soldiery; they continued without ceasing their revengeful assaults upon the bewildered and desponding multitude, till there was nothing left to plunder, and none left to kill. Out of a host of about 26,000 human beings, only a few hundreds were rescued from death by captivity. The ladies and the wounded had been given up to the enemy early in the march, and Dr. Brydon was the only officer who made good his retreat. In the following year, however, on the appointment of Lord Ellenborough to the governor-generalship of India in the place of Lord Auckland, the British national character was repaired, the honour of their arms retrieved, and the unfortunate prisoners rescued. General Pollock was despatched into Afghanistan with an invading army; he advanced on Cabul with all possible rapidity; while, on the other side, General Nott, who had held out at Candahar during the recent difficulties, brought his forces also to bear on the capital. Victory everywhere attended the British arms; and the British officers and ladies, who had been taken prisoners, were also rescued, at Bameean, on the road to Turkistan. These disgraces having been so gloriously redeemed, it was determined to evacuate a country which ought never to have been entered; the fortifications and other works of Cabul having been destroyed, the British troops set forward, on their return home, and, after a march of about ten weeks, arrived safely on the banks of the Sutlej, December 17th, 1842.

AGINCOURT.--Fought on the 25th of October, 1415, between the English and French. When all his preparations were completed, King Henry V embarked at Southampton with a gallant army of 30,000 men, and landing at the mouth of the river Seine, invested the town of Harfleur. After a brave resistance of five months’ duration, the town surrendered; the inhabitants were expelled like those of Calais, and an English garrison occupied it. To his mortification, Henry, at the end of the siege, found his army no longer in a condition for active operations; for it had suffered so severely from dysentery, that when the sick and wounded had been sent home, it did not count more than one half of its original number. In spite however, of the remonstrances of his council, Henry resolved to march with his diminished force to Calais. He reached unopposed the ford by which Edward III had crossed the Somme, but found it secured by lines of palisades, behind which troops were posted. All the other fords were secured in like manner, and the bridges were broken. At length finding a ford unguarded, the English passed over. The constable of France, who commanded the French army, fell back towards Calais, and having received orders from his court to fight without delay, he sent heralds to King Henry to ask which way he intended to march. Henry replied, by that which led straight to Calais, and dismissed the heralds with a present of 100 crowns.

As the English were advancing, the Duke of York, having ascended an eminence, descried the masses of the enemy. The troops were instantly formed in line of battle, but the French would not advance to attack them, the experience of Cressy and Poitiers having inspired them with a dread of the cloth-yard arrows of the English. But as their army presented an array of 50,000 horsemen, they had no doubt whatever of the victory; and though the night was dark and rainy, they assembled round their banners revelling and discussing the events of the coming day; and such was their confidence that they even fixed the ransoms of King Henry and his barons. English, on the contrary, made their wills, and passed the night in devotion. Sickness, famine, and the smallness of their numbers, depressed their spirits; but their courage rose when they thought on Cressy and other victories, and on the gallant spirit of their king. Henry himself visited all their quarters, and he ordered bands of music to play all through the night to cheer their drooping spirits.

Before sunrise, on the 25th of October, 1415, being St. Crispin’s day, the English army, having heard mass, stood in order of battle. The king, wearing a helmet of polished steel, wreathed with a crown of sparkling stones, rode on a grey pony from rank to rank, inspecting and encouraging them. Hearing an officer say to another that he wished a miracle would transfer thither some of the good knights who were sitting idle at home, he declared aloud that “he would not have a single man more, as if God gave them the victory, it would be plainly due to His goodness; if he did not, the fewer that fell, the less the loss to their country.” Three French knights now came, summoning them to surrender. The king ordered them off and cried out, “Banners, advance.” The archers fell on their knees on the ground, then rose and ran on with a shout. They halted, and poured their hail of arrows on the first division of the French; and when they had thrown it into some confusion, they slung their bows behind their backs, and grasping their swords and battle-axes, killed the constable and his principal officers, and routed the whole division. They then advanced to attack the second division, led by the Duke of Alençon. Here the resistance was obstinate. Alençon forced his way to the royal standard, killed the Duke of York, and cleft the crown in the helmet of the king; but he was slain, and the division turned and fled. Henry was advancing to attack the third division, when word came that a large force was falling on the rear. The king gave hasty orders to put the prisoners to death, and numbers had perished before it was discovered that it was a false alarm, caused by an attempt of some peasantry to plunder the baggage. The slaughter was then stopped, but this cruel act tarnished the victory which was already won, for the third division offered but a slight resistance.

When Montjoy, the French king-at-arms, appeared, “To whom,” said Henry, “doth the victory belong?” “To you, sir.” “And what castle is that I see at a distance?” “It is called the castle of Agincourt.” “Then,” said the king, “be this battle known to posterity by the name of the battle of Agincourt.” The prime nobility of France were taken or slain, and 8000 knights and gentlemen lay dead on the field. The loss of the English was only the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk, and about 600 men.

AGRA.--This celebrated city is called the Key of Hindostan. It was surrendered, in the war of the Mahrattas, to the British forces, October 17th, 1803. The great Mogul frequently, before its surrender, resided here. It now exhibits the most magnificent ruins.

AIDE-DE-CAMP.--(_From the French_.) An officer whose duty is to receive and communicate the orders of a general or superior officer.

AIX-LA-CHAPELLE, PEACE OF.--The first treaty signed here was between France and Spain, May 2nd, 1668. The second, or the _celebrated_ treaty, was between Great Britain, France, Holland, Hungary, Spain and Geneva, October 7th, 1748. A congress of the sovereigns of Austria, Prussia and Russia, assisted by ministers from England and France, met here, October 9th, 1818, and signed a convention. The sum settled by this convention as due by France to the Allies, was 265,000,000 francs.

ALBUERA OR ALBUHERA.--This battle was fought May 16th, 1811, between the English and French. The English and Anglo-Spanish army was commanded by Marshal, now Lord Beresford, and the French by Marshal Soult. After an obstinate and sanguinary engagement, the allies obtained the victory, one of the most brilliant achievements of the Peninsular War. The French loss exceeded 7000 men, previously to their retreat; but the allies lost an equal number. On the side of the allies the chief brunt of the battle fell on the British. “Colonel Inglis, 22 officers, and more than 400 men, out of 570, who had mounted a hill, fell in the 57th regiment alone; the other regiments were scarcely better off, not one-third being left standing; 1800 unwounded men, the remnant of 6000 unconquerable British soldiers, stood triumphant on this fatal hill.”

ALDERNEY, RACE OF.--Through this strait the French made their escape after their defeat at the battle of La Hogue, by Admiral Rooke, in 1692. It is celebrated for two memorable and melancholy events: 1st. Here the only son of Henry I of England was shipwrecked and drowned, with 140 youths of the highest families in England and France in 1119. 2nd. The British man-of-war Victory, of 110 guns and 1100 men, was also wrecked here October 8th, 1744, when the Admiral, Sir John Balchan, and his crew, perished on the rocks.

ALEMANNI OR ALL MEN (_i.e._ Men of all Nations).--A body of Suevi, who were defeated by Caracalla, A.D. 214. On one occasion 300,000 of this warlike people are said to have been vanquished in a battle, near Milan, by Gallienus, at the head of 10,000 Romans.

ALESSANDRIA.--This battle was fought, May 17th, 1799, between the Austro-Russian army, under Suwarrow, and the French under Moreau, when the latter were defeated with the loss of 4000 men. The French had possessed themselves of Alessandria the year before, but they were now driven out. It was again delivered up to them after the battle of Marengo in 1800. The village and battlefield of Marengo lie east of this town.

ALEXANDRIA.--The battle of Alexandria was fought, March 21st, 1801, between the English and the French, the latter being commanded by Menou, and the former by Sir Ralph Abercrombie. It resulted in the defeat of the French, but the British general was mortally wounded, and after the retreat of Menou, he was carried to the admiral’s ship, and died on the 28th. The command devolved on Major-General Hutchinson, who baffled all the schemes of Menou, and obliged him to surrender, September 2nd, following, the victor guaranteeing the conveyance of the French, exceeding 10,000, to a French port in the Mediterranean.

ALFORD.--This battle was fought, July 2nd, 1645, between a large body of Covenanters, under General Bailie, and the troops under the Marquis of Montrose. There was discovered some years since, in one of the mosses near this place, a man in armour, on horseback, supposed to have been drowned in attempting to escape from this battle.

ALGESIRAS, OR OLD GIBRALTAR.--By this city the Moors entered Spain A.D. 713, and it was not recovered from them till 1344. An engagement was fought here between a British squadron, under Sir James Saumurez, and several French and Spanish ships of war, which closed in the destruction of two Spanish ships, each of 112 guns, and the capture of the _St. Antonio_, of 74 guns, July 12th, 1801.

ALGIERS.--The British fleet, under Lord Exmouth, anchoring off Algiers, bombarded the town, which returned the fire; but all the fortifications and houses towards the sea were soon reduced to ashes, and the fleet in the harbour entirely destroyed, August 27th, 1816. The Dey was compelled to conclude a treaty by which he set the Christian captives free, and engaged to cease, in future, from reducing Christians to slaves--a stipulation which, however, he did not afterwards strictly observe; so that the French took possession of the country and made it a colony with a governor, bearing the title of Regent of Algeria. This country is famous for the celebrated French soldiers, the Zouaves, of the late wars.

ALIWAL, _India_.--This battle was fought, January 28th, 1846, between the British under Sir H. Smith, with 1200 men and 32 guns, and the Sikh army, under Sirdar Runjoor Singh Majeethea, 26,000 strong, supported by 68 pieces of cannon. The contest was obstinate, but ended in the defeat of the Sikhs, who lost nearly 6000 killed, or drowned, in attempting to recross the Sutlej. This battle was named after the village of Aliwal, in the Indian language, _Ulleewal_, near which it was fought.

ALLIA.--This memorable battle, in the history of Rome, was fought on the 18th July, B.C. 390, between the Romans and the celebrated Brennus, king of the Gauls; 40,000 of the Romans fell, and Brennus took and burnt the city of Rome. This day was always marked unlucky in the Roman calendar, and called Alliensis.

ALLIANCE, TREATIES OF.--Between the greatest European powers, which are most commonly referred to: