Yalu (Chino-Japanese War).

Fought September 17, 1894, between the Chinese fleet of 2 battleships and 8 cruisers, under Admiral Ting, and the Japanese fleet of 10 cruisers, and 2 gunboats, under Admiral Ito. The two fleets met at the mouth of the Yalu, the Chinese steaming out in line abreast. Ito attacked in line ahead, using his superior speed to circle round the enemy's ships. Two of the Chinese vessels hauled out of the line and fled without coming into action, while two more were set on fire, and made for the shore. The remaining 6 ships fought well, and a little before sundown Ito retired, leaving the crippled Chinese fleet to make its way to Port Arthur. The Japanese lost 294 killed and wounded, of whom 107 fell on the flagship, the Matsushima, while the Chiyada, which was the next ship in the line, had not a man touched. The Chinese losses are unknown.

Yalu.

See Kiu-lien-cheng.

Yamazaki.

Fought 1582, between the adherents of the Ota family, then predominant in Japan, and the followers of the rebel Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide sustained a crushing defeat.

Yashima (Taira War).

Fought 1184, between the adherents of the Taira family, and the rebels, under Yoshitsune. The Taira forces were defeated.

Yawata (War of the Northern and Southern Empires).

Fought January, 1353, between the armies of the Northern and Southern Emperors of Japan. The army of the latter, led by Moroushi, gained a signal victory.

Yenikale, Gulf of (Ottoman Wars).

Fought July, 1790, between the Turkish fleet, and the Russians, under Admiral Onschakoff. The battle was fiercely contested, but eventually both fleets drew off without any decisive result.

Yermuk (Moslem Invasion of Syria).

Fought November, 636, between 140,000 Imperial troops, under Manuel, the General of Heraclius, and 50,000 Moslems, under Khaled. The Moslem attack was thrice repulsed, but they returned to the charge, and after a long and sanguinary engagement, drove their opponents from the field with enormous loss. The Moslems lost 4,030 killed.

Yorktown (American War of Independence).

The entrenched position of Lord Cornwallis, with 6,000 British troops at this place, was invested by Washington, with 7,000 French and 12,000 Americans, in September, 1781. The British held out until October 19, when, surrounded and outnumbered, Cornwallis surrendered, having lost during the operations, 12 officers and 469 rank and file, killed and wounded.

Yorktown (American Civil War).

This small village gives its name to the entrenched position occupied by General Magruder with 11,000 Confederates, which was invested by 105,000 Federal troops, with 103 siege guns, April 5, 1862. On the 16th, an unsuccessful attack was made upon Magruder's lines, and both sides having been reinforced, M’Clellan set about the erection of batteries. On May 4, the Federals were about to open fire, when it was found that the Confederates had abandoned the position and retired.

Youghiogany (Seven Years' War).

A skirmish of no importance in itself, but notable as being "the shot fired in America which gave the signal that set Europe in a blaze" (Voltaire, Louis XV), and was in a sense the cause of the Seven Years' War. On May 27, 1754, Washington, with 40 Virginians, surprised a small French detachment, under Coulon de Jumonville, despatched probably as a reconnaissance by Contrecoeur from Fort Duquesne. The detachment, with one exception, was killed or captured.

Z

Zab, The (Bahram's Revolt).

Fought 590, between the troops of the Persian usurper Bahram, and the army of the Emperor Maurice, under Narses. The usurper's forces were totally routed, and Chosroes II restored to the throne of Persia.

Fought October 26, 1086, between 40,000 Moors, under Almoravid, and 300,000 Christians, under Alfonso VI of Castile. The Spaniards were utterly routed, with enormous loss. Alfonso, at the head of 500 horse, cut his way out, and with difficulty escaped.

Zama (Second Punic War).

Fought B.C. 202, between the Carthaginians, under Hannibal, and the Romans, under Scipio Africanus. The Carthaginians began to attack with their elephants, 80 in number, but some of these became unmanageable, and fell back upon the cavalry, throwing them into disorder, while the legionaries opened out and allowed the others to pass down the lanes between their ranks. The infantry then closed, and after severe fighting, the Romans gained a complete victory, 20,000 Carthaginians falling, while as many more were made prisoners. Hannibal escaped from the field at the end of the day.

Zamora (Moorish Empire in Spain).

Fought 901, between the Spaniards, under Alfonso the Great, King of the Asturias, and the Moors, under Abdallah, King of Cordova. The Moors were utterly routed, with heavy loss, Alfonso thereby extending his dominions as far as the Guadiana.

Zeim (Russo-Turkish War).

Fought April 20, 1877, between the Russians, under Loris Melikoff, and the Turks, under Mukhtar Pasha. Melikoff attacked the Turks in a strongly entrenched position, but was repulsed with considerable loss.

Zendecan (Turkish Invasion of Afghanistan).

Fought 1039, between the Seljuks, under MoghrulMoghrul Beg, and the Afghans, under Musrud, Sultan of Ghuzni. The Afghans were defeated, and Musrud compelled to retire on his capital.

Zeugminum (Hungarian War).

Fought 1168, between the Greeks, under Manuel I, Emperor of Constantinople, and the Hungarian invaders. The Hungarians were signally defeated, and the war, which had lasted for five years, came to an end.

Zeuta (Ottoman Wars).

Fought September 11, 1679, between the Austrians, under Prince Eugene, and the Turks, under Elwas Mohammed, the Grand Vizier. Eugene attacked the Turkish army as it was crossing a temporary bridge over the Theiss, and the cavalry being already across, cut it in two, and completely routed the infantry, driving them into the river. The Turks lost 29,000 men. The Austrians 500 only.

Ziela (Third Mithridatic War).

Fought B.C. 67, between the Romans, under Triarius, and the Pontic army, under Mithridates. The King attacked the Roman camp, and practically annihilated them, though himself dangerously wounded in the assault.

Ziela.

Fought August 2, B.C. 47, between 7 Roman legions, with some Asiatic auxiliaries, under Julius CÆsar, and the Bosporans, under Pharnaces. Pharnaces attacked the Romans while they were pitching camp, but the legionaries quickly formed up, and utterly routed their assailants. This is the occasion of CÆsar's famous despatch, "Veni, vidi, vici."

Ziezicksee (Flemish War).

Fought 1302, when the Genoese galleys, in the service of Philip IV of France, under Grimaldi and Filipo di Rieti, utterly destroyed the Flemish fleet.

Zlotsow (Ottoman Wars).

Fought 1676, between the Poles, under John Sobieski, and 20,000 Turks and Tartars, under Mohammed IV. The Turks were signally defeated.

Znaim (Campaign of Wagram).

Fought July 14, 1809, when MassÉna, with 8,000 French, attacked 30,000 Austrians, under the Prince of Reuss, and drove them into Znaim with considerable loss, including 800 prisoners.

Zorndorf (Seven Years' War).

Fought August 25, 1758, between the Prussians, 25,000 strong, under Frederick the Great, and a Russian army, under Fermor, which was besieging Custria. Frederick attacked the Russian entrenchments, and drove them out, with a loss of 19,000 forcing them to relinquish the siege. The Prussians lost about 11,000.

Zummerhausen (Thirty Years' War).

Fought 1647, when the French and Swedes, under Turenne and Wrangel, inflicted a decisive defeat upon the Imperialists.

Zurakow (Ottoman War).

In 1676, John Sobieski, with 10,000 Poles, was besieged by 200,000 Turks and Tartars, under Ibrahim Pasha (Shaitan). Having 63 guns, Sobieski made a sturdy defence, and by constant sorties inflicted enormous loss on the besiegers. At last, being unable to make any impression on the defence, and finding his army wasting away, Ibrahim consented to treat, and withdrew his forces from Polish territory. The Turks lost enormous numbers during the siege; the Poles lost 3,000.

Zutphen (Netherlands War of Independence).

Fought September 22, 1586, between the Spaniards, under Prince Alexander of Parma, and the English, under the Earl of Leicester. The Spaniards endeavoured to throw a convoy of provisions into Zutphen, which Leicester was besieging. He attempted to intercept it, but without success, and was forced to retire after suffering considerableconsiderable loss. Among those who fell on the English side was Sir Philip Sydney.

Zuyder Zee (Netherlands War of Independence).

Fought October 11, 1573, between 30 Spanish ships, under Bossu, and 25 Dutch ships, under Admiral Dirkzoon. The Spanish fleet fled, after losing 5 ships, only Bossu standing his ground. His ship, however, was eventually captured, after losing three-fourths of her crew.