A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer / Comprising ancient and modern military technical terms, historical accounts of all North American Indians, as well as ancient warlike tribes; also notices of battles from the earliest period to the present time, with a concise explanation of terms used in heraldry and the offices thereof. The work also gives valuable geographical information. Compiled from the best authorities of all nations. With an appendix containing the Articles of war, etc.

Labarum. A military standard of the Roman empire. It consisted of a long lance crossed at right angles near the top by a staff, from which hung a small flag or streamer of purple cloth inwrought with gold and precious stones, and bearing the effigy of the emperor. Constantine the Great, when he embraced Christianity, substituted for that device a crown, a cross, and the initial letters of the name of Christ, and made it the imperial standard.

Labeates. A warlike people in Dalmatia, whose chief town was Scodra, and in whose territory was the Labeatis Palus (now Lake of Scutari), through which the river Barbana (now Bogana) runs.

Label, Lambel, or File. In heraldry, is the mark of cadency which distinguishes the eldest son in his father’s lifetime. It consists of a horizontal stripe or fillet, with three points depending from it. When the mark of cadency itself is designated a file, its points are called labels.

Labicum, Labici, Lavicum, Lavici (now Colonna). An ancient town in Latium, on one of the hills of the Alban Mountain, 15 miles southeast from Rome. It was an ally of the Æqui; taken and colonized by the Romans, 418 B.C.

Laboratory. A department which is intrusted with the manufacture of combustible and other substances for military purposes, such as blank and ball cartridges for small-arms, cartridges for every description of ordnance, rockets, and all stores of similar character. This department is likewise intrusted with the conservation, packing, restoring, and supply of all gunpowder to the several military and naval departments, and in the British service is under the management of officers of the royal artillery especially appointed to that duty; in the U.S. service it is under the officers of the ordnance department. In the latter service officers of artillery, as well as non-commissioned officers and privates, are instructed at the artillery school, Fort Monroe, Va., in laboratory duties, and carefully taught the manipulation and manufacture of laboratory stores. At the West Point Military Academy, the cadets are thoroughly instructed in the above duties, as are also the naval cadets at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. In the British service officers of artillery, as well as non-commissioned officers and gunners, are instructed in laboratory duties. Officers and non-commissioned officers of artillery in Germany, France, and Austria are required to possess a knowledge of the manufacture and care of laboratory stores.

Laboratory, Royal. An extensive military manufacturing department in Woolwich Arsenal, England. Although it has existed for many years, it was only in 1855 that the present very large establishment was organized. Here are foundries for the casting of shot, shell, grape, etc.; apparatus for the manufacture of percussion-caps, which are formed—hundreds at a time—out of the copper sheet; presses where rifle-bullets are squeezed into shape; fuzes in all stages of manufacture; and a thousand other instances of combined ingenuity and power. The British government grants permission to inspect the factory. There are also laboratories—though on a comparatively small scale—at Portsmouth and Davenport, England.

Laboratory Stores. The following are among the laboratory stores used in service:

The wooden fuze consists of a conical plug of wood of the proper size for the fuze-hole of the shell with which it is to be fired. The axis of this plug is bored out cylindrically from the large, down to within a short distance of the small end, which is left solid. At the large end a cup is hollowed out, and the outside of the plug is divided into inches and parts, generally tenths, commencing at the bottom of the cup. The cylindrical space is filled with composition, pounded hard, and as regularly as possible, and the cup filled with meal powder moistened with whisky or alcohol. The rate of burning is determined by experiment, and marked on a waterproof cap, which is tied over the cup. Knowing the time any shell is to occupy in its flight, the fuze is cut off with a saw at the proper division, and firmly set in the fuze-hole with a fuze-set and mallet. The disadvantage of this fuze is its irregularity, it being very difficult to pound the composition so that equal lengths will burn equal times. The shell may either burst too soon, and a great part of its effect lost, or it may burst after burying itself in the ground, or it may burst after passing the proper point. This irregularity of burning is common to all fuzes where the composition is driven in successive layers in a column which burns in the same direction. This fuze is used with mortar shells. The composition of mortar-fuzes is, nitre 2 parts, sulphur 1 part, and meal powder 3 parts; the quantities of meal powder vary in fuzes for mortars of different calibers. Generally these fuzes are cut before being inserted in the shell; but they are sometimes bored through at the proper positions instead of being sawed. They are also cut obliquely, when the fuze is so long as to render it likely that it will reach the bottom of the shell; for by cutting it perpendicular to the axis, the whole base of the wood might be driven in contact with the bottom of the shell, and prevent the lighted composition from setting fire to the bursting charge.

The paper time-fuze consists of a cylindrical column of burning composition packed in a paper case, gradually increasing in thickness from its lower to its upper or outer extremity; to insure ignition, it is primed with rifle-powder at the larger end. It is inserted at the time of loading the piece into a brass or wooden plug previously driven into the fuze-hole of the shell. The composition has the same ingredients as gunpowder, the proportions being varied to suit the required rate of combustion; pure meal powder gives the quickest composition; by adding certain proportions of sulphur and nitre, the composition burns more slowly. The rate of burning also depends upon the density of the composition and the purity and thorough mixture of the ingredients. These fuzes vary in length, burning from 4 to 40 seconds; they are graduated in seconds on the outside of the case, and can be cut to a length corresponding to any intermediate time of flight.

The Wright-fuze, a modification of the Bormann-fuze, extends the time of burning to 12 or 14 seconds.

United States sea-coast fuze. The paper case fits in a fuze-plug of bronze instead of wood. It fits the fuze-hole of the shell in the same way as the wooden plug, and is retained by the force of friction. A safety-cap and primer combined have been adopted to prevent ricochets, especially over water, from extinguishing the fuze. A recess in the top, filled with priming composition, is covered until the fuze is required for use, with a disk of lead or paper fitting accurately the opening. The fire is conveyed to the fuze composition through a crooked passage which is filled with priming, and prevents water from entering in sufficient quantity to extinguish the fuze. For security a small leaden plug is placed in the inner end of the fuze-plug, where it remains until it is driven out by the shock of the explosion. When the shell is placed in the piece, nothing more is necessary than to remove the disk which covers the recess in the top. Paper-fuzes are inserted at the moment of loading the gun, and into wooden or brass fuze-plugs previously driven into the shell.

Port-fire consists of a small paper case, filled with a highly inflammable but slow-burning composition, the flame of which is very intense and penetrating, and cannot be extinguished by water, it is principally used as an incendiary material in loading shells, and for communicating fire to the priming of guns when proving them.

Port-fire composition consists of nitre, sulphur, and meal powder, in different proportions. One kind is composed of nitre, 65 parts; sulphur, 22.5 parts; and meal-powder, 12.5 parts. A port-fire case, 18 inches in length, filled with this composition, burns 10 minutes.

Priming-tubes are small pipes having a cup on one end, and filled with a composition for firing cannon. The tube in general use in the U.S. service is the friction-primer (which see).

Slow-match is a slow-burning match prepared from hemp or flax slightly twisted, soaked in strong lye, or in water holding in solution sugar of lead. Cotton rope well twisted forms a good match without any preparation. Slow-match prepared from hemp or flax burns 4 to 5 inches to the hour; it is used principally for the purpose of retaining fire in the shape of a hard-pointed coal, to be used in firing cannon, fireworks, etc. It was formerly used in field-batteries for lighting the port-fires with which the pieces were discharged; but both are now entirely superseded by the friction-primer.

Quick-match is a match made of threads of cotton, or cotton-wick, steeped in gummed brandy or whisky, then soaked in a paste of meal powder and gummed spirits, and afterwards strewed over with meal powder; one yard of it burns in the open air 13 seconds. The quick-match is used to fire mortars, and sometimes in proving pieces. It is extensively used in priming all kinds of fireworks, such as fire and light balls, carcasses, rockets, priming-tubes, etc., and in conveying fire very rapidly from one portion of a piece of firework to another. When used for discharging cannon, the quick-match is set fire to by a slow-match, port-fire, or any other convenient material. When used to prime carcasses, etc., it is set on fire by the flame from the piece.

The Valenciennes composition is a compound of 50 parts of nitre, 28 of sulphur, 18 of antimony, and 6 of rosin; it is used as an incendiary composition, in charging shells for the purpose of increasing their destructive property, by setting fire to buildings, shipping, etc. For manufacture of ammunition for small-arms, see “U.S. Ordnance Memorandum,” No. 21, 1878.

Laborer (Fr.). In a military sense, expresses any direct and concentrated effort which is made to destroy a fortification. It likewise applies to the working of a bomb or shell, which excavates, plows up, and scatters the earth about wherever it bursts. Laborer un rampart, signifies to bring several pieces of ordnance discharged from two oblique directions to bear upon one centre. Shells are generally used on these occasions, and the chief design is to second the operations of the miner in some particular part from which the explosion is to take place.

Labuan Pulo. An island of the Malay Archipelago, lying off the northwest coast of Borneo. The British took possession of this island in 1846, and it was formally ceded to the British crown by the sultan of Borneo in 1848.

Lacandones. A tribe of Indians in Central America, who for more than three centuries maintained a hostile attitude to the Spaniards. They are nominally subject to Guatemala, but are in reality quite independent.

Lacay, or Laquet (Fr.). An old French militia was formerly so called. The name is found among the public documents which were kept by the treasurers belonging to the dukes of Brittany in the 15th century.

Lacerne (Fr.). The short woolen military cloak of the Romans.

LachetÉ (Fr.). An opprobrious term which is frequently used among the French, and is applied in all instances of cowardice, want of spirit, or dishonorable conduct. La trahison est une lachetÉ; treason is infamous in its nature.

Lachish. A city of Southern Palestine. It was taken after a two days’ siege by Joshua, and, in later times, is repeatedly mentioned as a place strongly fortified. After a siege, conducted by Sennacherib in person, it was taken and plundered, with the customary massacre of its inhabitants. It was taken by Nebuchadnezzar at the downfall of the kingdom of JudÆa, and was reoccupied by the Jews after the Return.

Lacker. A composition made use of for preserving iron cannon, carriages, shot, etc. The following are the proportional parts of compositions made use of for preserving iron cannon: (1) Pulverized black lead, 12; red lead, 12; litharge, 5; lampblack, 5; linseed oil, 66. This composition is to be boiled gently about twenty minutes, during which time it must be constantly stirred. (2) Ground umber, 3.75; pulverized gum shellac, 3.75; ivory-black, 3.75; litharge, 3.75; linseed oil, 78; spirits of turpentine, 7.25. The oil must be first boiled half an hour; the mixture is then boiled twenty-four hours, poured off from the sediment, and put in jugs, corked. (3) Coal-tar (of good quality), 2 gallons, and spirits of turpentine, 1 pint. In applying lacker, the surface of the iron must be first cleaned with a scraper and a wire brush, if necessary, and the lacker applied hot, in two thin coats, with a paint-brush. It is better to do it in summer. Old lacker should be removed with a scraper, or by scouring, and not by heating the guns or balls, by which the metal is injured. About 5 gallons of lacker are required for 100 field-guns and 1000 shot; about one quart for a sea-coast gun. Before the lacker is applied every particle of rust is removed from the gun, and the vent cleaned out.

Lacs d’Amour. In heraldry, a cord of running knots used as an external decoration to surround the arms of widows and unmarried women; the cordÉlier, which differs but slightly from it, being used similarly with the shields of married women.

Lacunette (Fr.). A term in fortification. A small fosse or ditch was formerly so called. The word cunette (which see) has since been adopted.

Ladder Bridge. Used for crossing streams, etc. It is formed by running a cart or gun-limber into the stream and securing it there, with the shafts in a vertical position, by ropes from both sides of the river; one end of a ladder from each bank resting upon it, and covering the steps or rungs with planks.

Ladders, Scaling (Fr. eschelles de siege). Are used in scaling when a place is to be taken by surprise. They are made several ways; sometimes of flat staves, so as to move about their pins and shut like a parallel ruler, for conveniently carrying them. The French make them of several pieces, so as to be joined together, and to be capable of any necessary length. Sometimes they are made of single ropes, knotted at proper distances, with iron hooks at each end, one to fasten them upon the wall above, and the other in the ground; and sometimes they are made of two ropes, with staves between them to keep the ropes at a proper distance, and to tread upon. When they are used in the action of scaling walls, they ought to be rather too long than too short, and to be given in charge only to the stoutest of the detachment. The soldiers should carry these ladders with the left arm passed through the second step, taking care to hold them upright close to their sides, and very short below, to prevent any accident in leaping into the ditch.

Ladle. See Implements.

Lady of Mercy, Our. A Spanish order of knighthood, founded in 1218 by James I. of Aragon, in fulfillment of a vow made to the Virgin during his captivity in France. The object for which the order was instituted was the redemption of Christian captives from among the Moors, each knight at his inauguration vowing that if necessary for their ransom he would remain himself a captive in their stead. Within the first six years of the existence of the order no fewer than 400 captives are said to have been ransomed by its means. On the expulsion of the Moors from Spain, the labors of the knights were transferred to Africa. The order was extended to ladies in 1261. Their badge is a shield party per fess gules and or, in chief a cross pattÉe argent, in base four pellets gules for Aragon, the shield crowned with a ducal coronet.

Lady of Montesa, Our. An order of knighthood, founded in 1317 by King James II. of Aragon, who, on the abrogation of the order of Templars, urged Pope Clement V. to allow him to employ all their estates within his territory in founding a new knightly order for the protection of the Christians against the Moors. His request was acceded to by the following pope, John XXII., who granted him for this purpose all the estates of the Templars and of the knights of St. John situated in Valencia. The order is now conferred merely as a mark of royal favor. The badge is a red cross edged with gold, the costume a long white woolen mantle, decorated with a cross on the left breast, and tied with very long white cords.

Lagos. A city and seaport of Portugal, in the province of Algarve, about 23 miles east-northeast from the extremity of Cape St. Vincent. In the Bay of Lagos, Admiral Boscawen obtained a signal victory over the French Toulon fleet, August 18, 1759.

Lagos. In the Bight of Benin, Africa; this place was assaulted and taken by the boats of a British squadron, under Commodore Bruce, December 26-27, 1851. In 1862 the place was ceded to the British government, and created a settlement.

Lahore. The capital of the Punjab, in British India, standing on the Ravee, 270 miles northwest from Delhi. It was taken by Baber about 1520, and was long the capital of the Mongol empire. It fell into the power of the Sikhs in 1798; was occupied by Sir Hugh Gough, February 22, 1846, who in March concluded a treaty of peace.

Laibach, or Laybach. A town of Austria, capital of the duchy of Carniola, 44 miles northeast from Trieste. This place was taken in 1799 by Bernadotte, and in 1809 by Macdonald. It is well known from the congress which was held in it in 1821, the object of which was the extinction of constitutional government, as established in Naples after the insurrection in 1820.

Laidley’s Practice Musket. This gun is made out of an old smooth-bore musket, reamed out for a length of 11 inches, for the reception of a coil ribbon spring, on one end of which a closely-fitting piston is placed, having a stem of about 5 inches attached to its centre; a hole is bored through the breech-screw and a cut made on its under side to receive a spring; a circular disk with a flaring hole through its centre is secured in the barrel just in front of the end of the breech-screw; a short lever crosses the end of the barrel just in front of this disk, and is held in position by the spring already referred to; the hole in the cone is enlarged and receives a small spindle with a collar at its middle, which prevents it from coming out. About 12 inches from the breech a horizontal cut is made through the top of the barrel, leaving an opening of 2 inches in length; a cylindrical plug having a hole through its axis is inserted in the barrel at this place, and a handle screwed in. An inner barrel, having a bore of .22 inch and a length of 17 inches, its upper end counter-bored, is inserted in the barrel and secured by a screw; the length of the block is such as to close the space between the chambered recess and the end of the inner barrel. A hole is bored through the side of the stock to communicate with the hole through the breech-screw. A dart is fired from this musket, which when fired into the target is extracted with a claw-tool. The men in firing stand at a distance of 15 paces from the target; and two men use the gun, firing alternately. This is a very useful musket to practice the soldier in rifle-firing. The soldier can also be practiced at long ranges with this gun in the following manner: Place a target at 500 or 600 yards distant, or as far off as convenient, so that it can be seen through the open window; place a target (16 inches square, with a bull’s-eye of .75 inch) 15 paces from the firing-stand, at such a height that the distant target may be seen 4 or 5 inches below the middle of its lower edge; mark on the floor the position for the feet of the man when firing, raise the longer leaf of the sight, aim at the distant bull’s-eye, and fire; the shots will strike the near target if correctly placed, and the accuracy of aim will be shown by the score thus made. The height of the target may have to be adjusted after the first few shots.

Laird. A leader or captain.

Laisches (Fr.). Were thin metal plates which the ancient Gauls placed upon the buff-coats of infantry, between the buff and the lining.

Lake Champlain. See Champlain, Lake.

Lake Ontario. See Ontario, Lake.

Lake Regillus. In Italy, where tradition states the Romans defeated the Latin auxiliaries of the expelled Tarquins about 499 B.C.

Lama. See Pack and Draught Animals.

Lambrequin. Leathern strap or flap hanging from a cuirass, often highly ornamented. Also ribbon of different colors for fastening a helmet, twisted round its crest, the knot forming an ornament.

Lamia (now Zeitun, or Zetuni). A town in Phthiotis, in Thessaly, situated on the small river Achelous. It has given its name to the war which was carried on by the confederate Greeks against Antipater, after the death of Alexander, 323 B.C. The confederates under the command of Leosthenes, the Athenian, defeated Antipater, who took refuge in Lamia, where he was besieged for some months. Leosthenes was killed during the siege; and the confederates were obliged to raise it in the following year (322), in consequence of the approach of Leomatus. The confederates under the command of Antiphilus defeated Leomatus, who was slain in the action. Soon afterwards Antipater was joined by Craterus; and thus strengthened, he gained a decisive victory over the confederates at the battle of Cranon (322), which put an end to the Lamian war.

Lamian War. See Lamia.

Lampion de Parapet (Fr.). A lamp generally used on a parapet or elsewhere in a besieged place. It was a small iron vessel filled with pitch and tar, which was lighted by the troops as occasion required.

Lancaster. The chief town of Lancashire, England, situated on the river Lune. It is supposed to have been the Ad Alaunam of the Romans. It was granted by William I. or II. to Roger de Poitou, who erected a castle upon its hill. It was taken by the Jacobites, November, 1715, and November, 1745.

Lancaster Gun. See Ordnance, Construction of.

Lancaster Herald. One of the six heralds of England, ranking second in seniority. His office is said to have been instituted by Edward III., when he created his son, John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster. Henry IV. raised Lancaster to the dignity of king-at-arms. Edward IV., after reducing him back to the status of a herald, abolished his office, which was revived by Henry VII.

Lancaster Rifle. See Small-arms.

Lancastrians. See Roses, Wars of the.

Lance. A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle, and metal point, now usually adorned with a small flag, and generally used by horsemen to transfix an enemy, but formerly used sometimes as a javelin. This offensive weapon was much used by the French in former times, particularly by that class of military gentlemen called chevaliers, and by the gendarmes. Before the reign of Philip de Valois, the chevaliers and gendarmes fought on foot, armed with lances only, both in battles and at sieges. On these occasions they shortened their lances, which were then said to be retaillees, or cut again.

Lance (Fr.). Means likewise an iron rod which is fixed across the earthen mold of a shell, and which keeps it suspended in the air when it is cast. As soon as the shell is formed, this rod must be broken, and carefully taken out with instruments made for that purpose. Shells ought to be scrupulously examined with respect to this article, as they could not be charged were the lance or any part of it to remain within. This is also the name of an instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home to the bore.

Lance. A soldier armed with a spear; a lancer.

Lance. To pierce with a lance, or any similar weapon; to throw in the manner of a lance. See Lanch.

Lance a Feu (Fr.). A squib. A species of artificial firework which is made in the shape of a fuze, and is used for various purposes. The composition of the lance a feu consists of 3 parts of the best refined saltpetre, 2 parts of flour of sulphur, and 2 of antimony; the whole being pounded and mixed together. The chief use of the lance a feu is to throw occasional light across the platform, whilst artificial fireworks are preparing. They likewise serve to set fire to fuzes, as they can be taken hold of without danger.

Lance a Feu Puant (Fr.). Stink-fire lances prepared in the same manner that stink-pots are, and particularly useful to miners. When a sapper or miner has so far penetrated towards the enemy as to hear the voices of persons in any places contiguous to his own excavation, he first of all bores a hole with his probe, then fires off several pistols through the aperture, and lastly forces in a lance a feu puant, taking care to close up the hole on his side to prevent the smoke from returning towards himself. The exhalation and stinking hot vapor which issue from the lance, and remain confined on the side of the enemy, infest the air so much, that it is impossible to approach the quarter for three or four days. Sometimes, indeed, they have had so instantaneous an effect, that in order to save their lives, miners, who would persevere, have been dragged out by the legs in an apparent state of suffocation.

Lance de Feu (Fr.). A species of squib, which is used by the garrison of a besieged town against a scaling party.

Lance, Free. See Free Lance.

Lance Socket. A leather socket which supports the butt of the lance when carried on horseback; called also lance bucket.

Lance-Corporal. An assistant to a corporal; a private performing the duties of a corporal; a lance-pesade. See Corporal, Lance-.

Lance-gaye (Fr.). See Arch-gaye.

Lance-head. The head of a lance.

Lance-knight. A common or foot-soldier; a lansquenet. See Lansquenet.

Lance-pesade. See Anspessade.

Lance-rest. A projection like a bracket, on the right side of a breastplate in armor, to aid in bearing a lance.

Lancers. A description of cavalry soldiers in different armies of Europe, who are armed with lances. The type and perfection of lancers are the Russian Cossacks, whose long lances enable them to combat with enemies at a distance from which they themselves take little harm. The lancers were brought into European notice by Napoleon, who greatly relied upon some Polish regiments. After the peace of 1815, the arm was adopted in the English service, but it is thought by many that the British lancer has a weapon too short to enable him to charge an infantry square with any chance of success.

Lances LevÉes (Fr.). Uplifted lances, indicating that the enemy was beaten, and that the chevaliers or gendarmes should close the day by giving a final blow to the disordered ranks.

Lanch. To throw, as a lance; to dart; to let fly. To pierce with a lance, or as with a lance; to wound. Written also launch.

Land Batteries. Batteries used on land, as distinguished from floating batteries, etc., employed in the defense of harbors.

Landau. A strong town of Bavaria, in the Palatinate of the Rhine, situated on the Queich, 18 miles from Carlsruhe. This place was held alternately by the French and Austrians from 1680 to 1815, when it was assigned to the Germanic Confederation, under the protection of Bavaria.

Landen. See Neerwinden.

Land-force. A military force, army, or body of troops serving on land, as distinguished from a naval force.

Landgrave. A German nobleman of a rank corresponding to an English earl.

Landgravine. The wife of a landgrave.

Landing. In fortification, is the portion of the floor of the gallery between the frames that bound the entrance to a return. The landing is in all cases horizontal.

Landing of Troops. See Disembarkation.

Landshut. A town of Prussian Silesia. In June, 1760, the Austrians gained a decisive victory over the Prussians in this place.

Landsturm. A local militia of Prussia, formed of men above forty years of age, which never leaves its own district, and is only called out in case of actual invasion.

Landwehr. The militia of a country. Austria has a landwehr—bei den Oestreichern; and Prussia—bei den Preussen. The former are a sort of a reserve to each regiment of the line; they are under the same colonel, and are drilled once a year with the line regiment. The Prussian landwehr is more completely national. Every Prussian subject commences military service in the standing army, a force composed of the youth of the nation from twenty to twenty-five years old. After two or three years of service, the soldier proceeds to his home, but is liable to be called upon to join his regiment. During this period he is called a reservist. At the expiration of five years from the date of enlistment, the men are transferred into the first class or levy of the landwehr, remaining in it until their thirty-second year. In time of war they are liable to be called upon to serve with the regiment of the line of a corresponding number,—in fact, they form the reserve of that regiment whence reinforcements are drawn. From their thirty-second to their thirty-ninth year the men belong to the second levy, and are only called out occasionally in time of peace, but in war they garrison fortresses.

Lane. The term applied to a body of soldiers in two ranks standing face to face, forming, in fact, a street, passage, or lane. The French call this formation haie, or hedge. It is used when troops form a guard of honor for persons of rank to pass through.

Langensalza. A town of Prussian Saxony, on the Salza, 20 miles northwest of Erfurt. The French and Saxons were here defeated by the Prussians in 1750; in 1761 the Prussians and English defeated the German imperial army; in 1813 the Prussians were defeated by the Bavarians; and in 1866, a bloody contest took place between the Prussians and Hanoverians, resulting in the capture of the Hanoverian army as prisoners of war.

Langrel, or Langrage. A villainous kind of shot, consisting of various fragments of iron bound together, so as to fit the bore of the cannon from which it is to be discharged. It is seldom used but by privateers.

Languedoc (anc. Narbonensis Prima). An old province of the south of France, bounded east by the river Rhone, and south by the Mediterranean. As a Roman province it enjoyed the freedom of Italy. It formed part of Gallia Narbonensis, but, in the Middle Ages, was known as Septimania, from the seven cathedral churches which it contained. From the hands of the Romans it passed into the possession of the Goths; and being wrested from them, it was occupied by the Saracens till 725, when they were expelled by Charles Martel. It afterwards came under the sway of Philip the Bold, and became a part of the French Kingdom in 1361.

Languet. A small slip of metal on the hilt of a sword, which overhangs the scabbard; the ear of a sword.

Lansdown. In Somersetshire, England. The Parliamentary army under Sir William Waller was defeated here July 5, 1643.

Lansquenet. A German foot-soldier; originally one of the serfs who followed the camp in the service of the common soldiers; afterward one of the independent troops who hired themselves to those willing to pay highest for their services.

Lanterne (Fr.). Sometimes called cuiller, or ladle, serves to convey gunpowder into a piece of ordnance. It is made of copper, and resembles a round spoon or ladle, which is fixed to a long pole.

Lanuvium (now Civita Lavinia). An old and important city of Latium, on the Appian Way, 20 miles south of Rome. Tradition describes it as a colony from Alba; but it first rose to importance in the 5th century B.C., when it took part against Rome as one of the thirty cities of the Latin League. Its name again appears in the long wars between Rome and the Æqui and Volsci, siding with the former; it changed sides in 383 B.C., but was leniently treated by its old ally at the end of the war. In the great Latin war, 340 B.C., it again took part against Rome, and in the general settlement at the close of hostilities, it obtained the Roman civitas.

Lanyards. See Implements.

Laodicea ad Mare (now Ladikiyeh). A city on the coast of Syria, about 50 miles south from Antioch; was built by Seleucus I. on the site of an earlier city, called Ramitha. It was severely punished by Cassius for its adherence to Dolabella, and again suffered in the Parthian invasion of Syria. It was taken and destroyed by the Arabs in 1188.

Laon. A town of France, in the department of the Aisne, 75 miles northeast from Paris. It was besieged by the barbarians in 407; taken and sacked by Gelimer in 682; unsuccessfully besieged by the Normans in 882; taken by Eudes, count of Paris, in 892, by Charles the Simple in 895, and by Robert of France, who held it till 923. It was taken by the Duke of Burgundy in 1411; by the royal troops in 1414; surrendered in 1419 by Philip the Good to the English, who were dispossessed in 1429. It was unsuccessfully besieged by the Calvinists in 1567, and was taken by Henry IV. in 1594. On March 10, 1814, an indecisive battle was fought here between the French troops under Napoleon, and the Prussians under BlÜcher.

Lapelle, or Lapel. The facings of uniform coats were formerly so termed. Until the introduction of epaulettes in 1812, the white lapelle was synonymous with a lieutenant’s commission in the British service.

LapithÆ. A wild race, inhabiting, in ancient times, the mountains of Thessaly. They derived their name from a mythical ancestor, Lapithes, a son of Apollo, and the brother of Centauros, the equally mythical ancestor of the Centaurs. A bloody war is said to have been waged between the kindred races in prehistoric times, which ended in the defeat of the Centaurs, but the LapithÆ were in their turn defeated by Hercules.

Laplander. An inhabitant of Lapland, a country of Northern Europe.

Lapse. To fall in, or belong to. This expression was formerly used in the British army to signify the reversion of any military property. Thus, upon the sale or purchase of one commission at the regulated difference, another (where there are two) is said to lapse to government. Commissions lapse, or fall into the patronage of government, when vacancies happen by death, by officers being superseded, or where officers apply to sell who have only purchased a part of their commissions, and have not served long enough to be entitled to sell the whole; in which case they are only permitted to sell what they actually purchased, and the remainder is in the gift of the government.

Lap-weld. A weld in which the welding edges are made thin, lapped one over the other and welded.

Laranda (now Larenda, or Caraman). A considerable town in the south of Lycaonia. It was taken by storm by Perdiccas, but afterwards restored. It was used by the Isaurian robbers as one of their strongholds.

Largs. A seaport of Scotland, in Ayrshire, 23 miles southwest from Glasgow. Here, in 1263, Alexander III. of Scotland gained a victory over Haco, king of Norway.

Lariat. The lasso, a long cord or thong of leather with a noose, used in catching wild horses and other animals. The term is now applied to a rope 1¹/₄ inches in circumference and 30 feet long, made of Italian hemp, which is used in the U.S. cavalry service to picket horses while grazing.

La Roda. A town of Spain, in the province of Murcia, 22 miles northwest from Albacete. This place is famous for the defense it made against the Carlists in 1840.

La RothiÈre (France), Battle of. Took place between the French, commanded by Napoleon, and the Prussian and Russian armies, which were defeated with great loss after a desperate engagement, February 1, 1814. This was one of Napoleon’s last victories.

Lascar. In the East Indies, signifies properly a camp-follower, but is generally applied to native sailors on board of British ships. The Lascars make good seamen, but being of an excessively irritable and revengeful nature, are generally kept in the minority in a ship’s crew.

Lash. To tie or bind with a rope or cord; to secure or fasten by a string.

Lashes. Formerly a general court-martial could sentence a soldier to receive a certain number of lashes. This mode of punishment is prohibited in the U.S. service. See Appendix, Articles of War, 98.

Lashing-rings. Are fixed on the sides of artillery traveling-carriages, to lash the tarpaulin, as also to tie the sponge, rammer, and ladle.

Lasso. A rope or cord with a running noose, used by men on horseback in Spanish America, Texas, and Southern California for catching cattle, wild horses, grizzly bears, etc. It is said that the lasso was used by the ancient Sarmatians and Parthians. Certain Patagonians use a lasso with a stone tied to the end,—instead of a noose.

Laswarree. A town of Hindostan, in Delhi, which was the scene of the defeat of the Mahrattas by Lord Lake, November, 1803.

Latham House. In Lancashire, England; it was heroically defended for three months against the Parliamentarians, by Charlotte, countess of Derby. She was relieved by Prince Rupert, May, 1644. The house was, however, surrendered December 4, 1645, and dismantled.

Lathe. In the manufacture of ordnance, lathes are machines for turning cannon, gun-barrels, etc.

Latrines. Conveniences for soldiers in camps and barracks. Much attention has of late been devoted to their construction; a large percentage of the army sickness having been traced to their defective and impure condition.

Lauenberg. A duchy of Northern Germany, but formerly united with the crown of Denmark; was conquered from the Wends by Henry the Lion of Saxony about 1152; ceded to Hanover, 1689, and seized along with Hanover by the French in 1803. It was afterwards, with some change of boundary, made over to Prussia, and by Prussia transferred to Denmark in 1815, with reservation of rights. In 1870 it was re-annexed to Prussia.

Laufach. In Bavaria, Southwestern Germany; it was taken by the Prussians, under Wrangel, July, 1860, after a sharp action, in which the Hessians were defeated.

Launch. To throw as a spear or dart; to send forth. Written also lanch.

Laundresses. Camp-women, usually the wives of soldiers, employed to wash soldiers’ clothing.

Laurel. An evergreen shrub, selected for the brows of heroes and conquerors, and emblematic of their unfading reputation.

Lauterburg. A town of France, in the department of the Lower Rhine, 33 miles northeast from Strasburg. In 1793 the French forced the famous lines of Lauterburg, and took this place.

Laval. A town of France, in the department of the Mayenne, situated on the Mayenne, 42 miles east from Rennes. This place suffered greatly in the Vendean war, towards the close of the last century.

La VendÉe (West France). The French royalists of La VendÉe took arms in March, 1793, and were successful in a number of hard-fought battles with the republicans, between July 12, 1793, and January 1, 1794, when they experienced a severe reverse. Their leader Henri, comte de Larochejaquelein, was killed March 4, 1794. A short peace was made at La Jaunay, February 17, 1795. The war was terminated by Gen. Hoche in 1796. A treaty of peace was signed at LuÇon, January 17, 1800.

Lavure (Fr.). The grains, dust, or detached pieces of metal which fall in casting cannon.

Law, Martial. See Martial Law.

Law, Military. A branch of the general municipal law, consisting of rules ordained for the government of the military forces of a state or government, and those voluntarily serving with them, equally in peace and war, and administered by tribunals of special and limited jurisdiction. See Appendix, Articles of War.

Law of Arms. Certain acknowledged rules, regulations, and precepts, which relate to war; and are observed by all civilized nations. The laws of arms also show how to proclaim war, to attack the enemy, and to punish offenders in the camp, etc.

Law of Nations. Such general rules as regard the embassies, reception and entertainment of strangers, intercourse of merchants, exchange of prisoners, suspension of arms, etc.

Laws, Execution of. On all occasions when the troops are employed in restoring or maintaining public order among their fellow-citizens, the use of arms, and particularly fire-arms, is obviously attended with loss of life or limb to private individuals; and for these consequences, a military man may be called to stand at the bar of a criminal court. A private soldier also may occasionally be detached on special duty, with the necessity of exercising discretion as to the use of his arms; and in such cases he is responsible, like an officer, for the right use or exercise of such discretion.

Some years ago, the public journals of London recorded the meritorious behavior of a private sentry, upon the occasion of a riotous mob assembled at the entrance of Downing-Street with the intention of attacking the government offices in that quarter of the town. This man standing alone presented his musket, and threatened to fire upon the crowd, if the slightest attempt were made to approach the particular office for the defense of which he was placed on duty, and succeeded by the terror thus created, though at a great risk of consequences to himself, in keeping the rioters at bay until a larger force arrived to assist him. The soldier’s conduct was publicly much approved. It was also clearly legal according to Macadam’s case (a soldier tried before the courts of Scotland in 1735); and if after the announcement of his intentions the mob had pressed forward to execute their purpose, he would have been held justified at law in firing at the rioters upon his own responsibility. The Duke of Wellington, as Constable of the Tower, testified his marked approbation of this man’s conduct, by promoting him at once to a wardership at that fortress.

The right of officers or soldiers to interfere in quelling a felonious riot, whether with or without superior military orders, or the direction of a civil magistrate, is quite clear, and beyond the possibility of mistake. This subject, however, was formerly little understood; and military men failed in their public duty through excess of caution.

But notwithstanding the existence of a clear right and duty on the part of military men voluntarily to aid in the suppression of a riot, it would be the height of imprudence to intrude with military force, except upon the requisition of the proper authority, unless in those cases where the civil power is obviously overcome, or on the point of being overcome, by the rioters.

When the civil officer may not deem it safe to wait for the orders of government, he should address his requisition for troops, not to any subordinate military officer, but to the highest authority, to whom he should communicate his object in making it, and all the information he may possess regarding the strength and designs of those by whom the public peace is menaced or disturbed. His duty is confined to these points. He has no authority in directing military operations. The officer commanding the troops has alone authority to determine the number and nature of those to be employed; the time and manner of making the attack, and every other operation for the reduction of the enemy.

Under no circumstances can U.S. troops be called into service at the “polls.”

In the United States, regular troops can be ordered only to serve against rioters, or other lawless bands of citizens, under the orders of the President to co-operate with the civil authorities.

It should ever be the aim of military men to attain the desired end by the exercise of passive interposition.

Laws of War. The recognized rules for the conduct of civilized warfare. These rules relate to the treatment of prisoners, non-combatants, spies, traitors, etc.; the disposition of private property, the rights of capture, occupation and conquest, the establishment of blockades, the rights and obligations of neutrals, etc.

Lay. To quit; to surrender the use of; as, lay down one’s arms. To lay for, is to attempt something by ambuscade.

Lay. To point or aim; as, to lay a gun. See Pointing.

Lay About, To. To strike, or throw the arms on all sides; to act with vigor.

Layette (Fr.). Three-sided tray or box without a cover, used to carry powder from one mortar to another in powder-mills.

Lazarus. A military order instituted at Jerusalem by the Christians of the West, when they were masters of the Holy Land. They received pilgrims under their care, and guarded them on the roads from the insults of the Mohammedans. This order was instituted in the year 1119, and was confirmed by a bull of Pope Alexander IV. in 1255, who gave it the rule of St. Augustine.

Lazzaro, St. In Northern Italy, where the king of Sardinia and the Imperialists defeated the French and Spaniards after a long and severe conflict, June 4, 1746.

Lead. To conduct as a chief or commander; as, let the troops follow where their general leads.

Lead Balls. Are now generally made by compression, by means of machinery, either at arsenals or at private establishments.

Lead Out. A command in the mounted service to cause the horses to be taken from the stable or picket line preparatory to mounting or harnessing.

Leader. A chief, a commander; a captain. Also the directing musician of a band.

Leadership. The state or condition of a leader.

Leading. The clogging of the grooves of a rifle with lead from the bullet,—one of the principal obstacles against continuous accurate shooting. It is obviated by covering the bullet with a paper patch or by using a lubricant in the canellures. See Bullets.

Leading Column. The first column that advances from the right, left, or centre of any army or battalion.

Leading File. The first two men of a battalion or company that marches from right, left, or centre, by files. See File-leader.

Leading Guide. The foremost guide of a column.

Leading Question. In the proceedings of military tribunals, is a question to a witness which suggests the desired answer. Such questions are objectionable except under certain conditions.

Leaf Sight. A form of elevating rear sights, consisting of several hinged leaves of different heights. See Sight.

League. A measure of length or distance, equal, in England and the United States, to three geographical miles.

League. See Holy League.

League, AchÆan. See AchÆan League.

League, First Suabian. See Suabia.

League, Great Suabian. See Suabia.

League, Holy. See Holy League.

League of Marbach. See Suabia.

Leaguer. A camp, generally of an investing army.

Leaguer. One who unites in a league; a confederate.

Leaguerer. One who belongs to or is engaged in a league; a leaguer.

Leave of Absence. See Absence, Leave of.

Lech. A river in Southern Germany, near which the cruel Gen. Tilly was defeated by the Swedes, under Gustavus Adolphus, April 18, 1632. Tilly died of his wounds soon after.

Leek. The Welsh emblem, in consequence of a command from Dewi, or David, afterwards archbishop of St. David’s, in 519. On the day that King Arthur won a great victory over the Saxons, Dewi is said to have ordered the soldiers to place a leek in their caps.

Leesburg. See Ball’s Bluff.

Legatus. Among the Romans, an ambassador, or lieutenant-general. Legati were of three kinds: (1) Those sent by foreign nations on an embassy to Rome. (2) Those sent from Rome on an embassy to foreign countries or the provinces. (3) Those who served under Roman generals during war, or under the pro-consuls and prÆtors in the provinces. The latter kind was generally a person of high military skill, and was appointed by the consul, prÆtor, or dictator, under whom he was intended to serve. His nomination, however, was not legal until sanctioned by the senate. His duty was to aid his superior officer, by advising him in all great emergencies, by acting as his substitute, both in civil and military affairs, and by assuming his insignia as well as authority during his absence. In the last case, he was called legatus pro prÆtore. The number of legati under one superior differed in proportion to the importance of the war or the extent of the province.

Leghorn (It. Livarno). A large maritime town in Central Italy, in the province of Leghorn. It was entered by the French army July 27, 1796; evacuated by the French in 1799, and retaken in 1800. It was unsuccessfully attacked by the British and Italian forces in December, 1813. The Austrians took the city from the insurgents May 12 and 13, 1849, and quelled a slight insurrection, July, 1857.

Legion (Lat. legio). A corps of soldiers in the Roman armies, first formed by Romulus, about 750 B.C., when it consisted of 3000 foot and 300 horse. When Hannibal was in Italy, 216 B.C., the legion consisted of 5200 soldiers; and under Marius, in 88 B.C., it was 6200 foot besides 700 horse. There were 10, and sometimes as many as 18 legions kept at Rome. Augustus had a standing army of 45 legions, together with 25,000 horse and 37,000 light-armed troops, about 5 B.C.; and the peace establishment of Adrian was 30 of these formidable brigades. A legion was divided into 10 cohorts, and every cohort into 6 centuries, with a vexillum, or standard, guarded by 10 men. The peace of Britain was protected by 3 legions. The French army was divided into legions subsequent to the reign of Francis I. See Thundering Legions.

Legion of Honor, Order of the. An order of merit instituted under the French republic in May, 1802, by the first consul, Napoleon Bonaparte. The order originally comprised three classes,—grand officers, commanders, and legionaries. The class of grand officers was, on the coronation of Napoleon I., divided into Knights of the Grand Eagle and grand officers. On the restoration of the Bourbons the Legion was remodeled so as to consist of four classes,—viz., grand officers, grand crosses, commanders, and knights, but the order lost much of its original character. The order confers its distinction for civil and military valor, but especially for the latter. The college of the Legion is in possession of considerable means, which have been augmented by the addition of property belonging to Louis Philippe. Out of this fund pensions are paid to certain members of the order who have been wounded or who have undergone the amputation of a limb in service. These pensions have sometimes amounted to as large a sum as 6,000,000 of francs annually.

Legionary. Relating to or consisting of a legion or of legions; as, a legionary force.

Legionary. One of a legion.

Legnago. A fortress on the Adige, Northern Italy, one of the quadrilateral. It was captured by the French in 1796; but reverted to the Austrians in 1815. It was surrendered to the Italians in October, 1866.

Legnano. A town in Northern Italy, in the province of Milan, where the emperor Barbarossa was defeated by the Milanese and their allies, May 29, 1176, which victory led to the treaty of Constance in 1183.

Leicester. A town of England, and the chief town of Leicestershire, situated on the Soar. During the civil war it was taken by Charles I., May 31, and by Fairfax, June 17, 1645.

Leinster. A province of Ireland, occupying the southeast part of that island. It was a kingdom in 1167. The abduction of Devorgilla, wife of O’Rourke, a lord of Connaught, by Dermot, king of Leinster, in 1152, is asserted to have led to the landing of the English, and the subsequent conquest. The province of Leinster gave the title of duke to Schomberg’s son in 1690. The title became extinct in 1719, and was conferred on the family of Fitzgerald in 1766.

Leipsic. A city of the kingdom of Saxony, situated about 65 miles west-northwest of Dresden, near the Prussian border, in a large and fertile plain. The Elster, the Pleisze, and the Parthe flow through or past the city, and unite about 3 miles below it. The city sprung up at the junction of the Pleisze and the Parthe, and is first mentioned as a town in 1015. It gradually increased in prosperity and importance. The famous Leipsic Conference between Luther, Eck, and Carlstadt, in 1519, greatly tended to the promotion of the Reformation. It suffered greatly in the Thirty Years’ War, in which it was five times besieged and taken, and again in the Seven Years’ War; and although the commercial changes connected with the French revolution at first affected it very favorably, yet it suffered not a little amidst the terrible struggle of the years 1812 and 1813, when it was alternately in possession of the French and of the allies. The immediate neighborhood of Leipsic has been the scene of two battles of great importance in the history of Germany and of Europe,—the battle of Leipsic, or of Breitenfeld (see Breitenfeld), on September 7, 1631, and the great battle called the Battle of the Nations, which continued for three days, October 16-18, 1813. The latter was one of the most bloody and decisive of those which effected the deliverance of Europe from French domination. The troops under Napoleon in this battle amounted to about 180,000 men, and those of the allies, commanded by Prince Schwarzenberg, Marshal BlÜcher, and Bernadotte, crown-prince of Sweden, to almost 300,000. About 2000 pieces of artillery were brought to the field. The loss of the French was reckoned at about 38,000 killed and wounded, and 30,000 prisoners; that of the allies to about 48,000. The victory of the allies was complete; the French being compelled to evacuate Leipsic, and to retreat.

Leith. A town of Scotland, 2 miles northeast from Edinburgh, of which it is the seaport. It was burned in 1541 by an English fleet, and in 1549 it was occupied by French troops, who came to the assistance of Mary of Guise.

Leleges. An ancient race which inhabited Greece before the Hellenes, and are mentioned along with the Pelasgians as the most ancient inhabitants. They were a warlike and migratory race, and piracy was their chief occupation. The Leleges must be regarded as a branch of the great Indo-Germanic race, who became incorporated with the Hellenes, and thus ceased to exist as an independent people.

Length of Cannon. Is the distance from the rear of the base-ring to the face of the piece, and the extreme length is from the rear of the cascabel to the face.

Lengthen. To extend in length; to make longer; to elongate; as, to lengthen a line of troops. To lengthen the step, to take more than the prescribed pace.

Lenni-Lenape. See Delawares.

Lens. A parish and town of France, in the department Pas-de-Calais, 9 miles from Arras. A battle was fought here in 1648, between the Spanish forces and those of the Prince of CondÉ, in which the latter gained the victory.

Lentini (Lat. Leontini). A city of Sicily, situated between Syracuse and Catania. In 427 B.C., the Lentinians applied to the Athenians for support against Syracuse; they were sent twenty ships, under the command of Laches and Charoeades. In 215 B.C., they raised their standard of open war against Rome; but Marcellus hastened to attack the city, and made himself master of it without difficulty. Under the Roman government it was restored to the position of an independent town.

Leon. A province of Spain, subdivided into the smaller provinces of Salamanca, Zumor, and Leon. The kingdom of Leon was erected in 746, by Alfonso the Catholic, out of the provinces he had wrested from the Saracens and the older kingdom of Asturias, and in 1230 it was permanently united to Castile. During the Peninsular war it suffered greatly.

Lepanto (anc. Naupactus). Called by the Greek peasants Epakto, a seaport town of Greece, 12 miles northeast from Patras. The name Naupactus is said to have originated with the HeraclidÆ, who are reported to have there built the fleet with which they invaded the Peloponnesus. After the Persian war it fell into the possession of the Athenians, who settled it with the expatriated Messenians. The Athenians made it their chief military station in Western Greece during the Peloponnesian war. At its close Lepanto was taken by the Locrians, and afterwards passed in succession through the hands of the Etolians, Macedonians, AchÆans, and Romans. In 1475 it was invested by the Turks, who, after the loss of 30,000 men in four months, were forced to raise the siege. Within the Gulf of Lepanto, in 1571, was fought the great naval engagement between the Ottomans and the Christian powers of the Mediterranean, under Don John of Austria, in which the former lost about 200 galleys and 20,000 men.

Lerida. A town of Spain, in Catalonia, on the Segre, 80 miles northwest from Barcelona. In 1707 this place was stormed by the French, and in 1810 it was again taken by French troops under Suchet.

Lesse (Fr.). A machine covered with raw hides, used as a mantelet by the ancient Greeks for different purposes.

Let Off, To. To discharge; to let fly, as an arrow; or fire the charge of, as a gun.

Letter Stamp. See Inspection of Cannon.

Letters Patent. The written instrument by which a government grants to an inventor the exclusive right and use of his invention for a term of years.

Lettre de Cachet (Fr.). An infamous state paper, which existed before the French revolution, which was sealed, and the person upon whom it was served carried into confinement without ever seeing the authority by which he was hurried off in so peremptory a manner, or being tried afterwards for any specific offense. It was always written by the king, countersigned by one of his principal secretaries of state, and sealed with the royal signet.

Lettre de Passe (Fr.). A paper which was formerly signed by the kings of France, authorizing an officer to exchange from one regiment into another.

Leuctra. A village of Boeotia, situated between Thespia and PlatÆa, in the territory of the former, celebrated as the scene of the great battle between the Spartans, commanded by Cleombrotus, and the Thebans, under Epaminondas, in which the former were defeated, and the supremacy of Sparta finally overthrown.

Leuthen. A village of Prussia, in Lower Silesia, 9 miles west of Breslau. It is celebrated for the victory won there December 6, 1757, by Frederick the Great, with 33,000 men, over the Austrians under Prince Charles of Lorraine at the head of 92,000.

Levee en Masse (Fr.). A general rising of the people of any country, either for the purpose of self-defense, or to answer the intention of its governing powers.

Level. In mining, is a horizontal passage or gallery.

Level, Gunner’s. Sec Gunner’s Level.

Level, Horizontal. Free from obstructions or declivities.

Level, James’s. An instrument to find the highest points of the breech and muzzle of a cannon, when the carriage-wheels stand on uneven ground. Plumb-level, one in which the horizontal arm is placed in true position by means of a plummet or plumb-line, to which it is at right angles. Spirit-level, one in which the adjustment to the horizon depends on the position of a bubble, or small vacant space, in the upper side of a glass tube, which is slightly curved and nearly filled with alcohol or ether. Surveyor’s level, or leveling instrument, a telescope with a spirit-level attached, and with suitable screws, etc., for accurate adjustment, the whole mounted on a tripod for use in leveling.

Levellers. A fanatical party in Germany, headed by Muncer and Storck in the 16th century, who taught that all distinctions of rank were usurpations on the rights of mankind. At the head of 40,000 men Muncer commanded the sovereign princes of Germany and the magistrates of cities to resign their authority; and on his march his followers ravaged the country. The landgrave of Hesse at last defeated him; 7000 of the enthusiasts fell in battle, and the rest fled; their leader was taken and beheaded at Mulhausen in 1525. The English “Levellers,” powerful in Parliament in 1647, were put down by Cromwell in 1649, and their leader, Lilburn, imprisoned.

Lever-jack. See Implements.

Levet. A blast of a trumpet,—probably that by which soldiers are called in the morning. This term is obsolete.

Levy (Fr. levÉe). Is the compulsory raising of a body of troops from any specified class in the community for purposes of general defense or offense. When a country is in danger of instant invasion, a levÉe en masse is sometimes made,—i.e., every man capable of bearing arms is required to contribute in person towards the common defense. On less urgent occasions, the levy may be restricted to a class, as to men between eighteen and forty years of age. At other times, a levy of so many thousand men of a certain age is decreed, and the districts concerned draw them by lot from among their eligible male population. In armies sustained by volunteering, the levy, which is a remnant of barbarous times, is unnecessary; but the system was frequently resorted to in France before the enactment of the conscription laws. In 1862-64 there were great levies in the United States of America; and in any country where great danger is apparent, and volunteers are not sufficiently numerous, recourse must at all times be had to a levy of the people. This term is also applied to the assessment of taxes, tolls, or contributions.

Levy. To raise or collect troops or funds by a levy. The word has also other meanings; as, to levy war, to make war, to begin hostilities; to levy a siege, to desist from, to raise the siege. In this latter sense it is nearly obsolete.

Lewes. A town of England, in Sussex, on the Ouse, 7 miles northeast from Brighton. Near this town, in 1264, Henry III. was defeated by Simon de Montfort, and imprisoned in the castle.

Lewis. A device for lifting stones, consisting of two wedge-shaped pieces of iron, which are inserted butt foremost into a dovetail mortise in the stone, and keyed by inserting a piece between them. All three are then shackled to the lifting-chain by a bolt passing through them.

Lexington. A township of Middlesex Co., Mass., 11 miles northwest from Boston. The first battle in the war between Great Britain and her revolted colonies in North America was fought here on April 19, 1775, and ended disastrously for the British.

Lexington. A village of Lafayette township, Mo., on the right bank of the Missouri River. In September, 1861, a body of Federal troops under Col. Mulligan were here captured by the Confederate general Price. The town was retaken by the Federals in October following. In October, 1864, an indecisive engagement took place here between the armies of Gens. Price and Blunt.

Leydan (anc. Lugdunum Batavorum). An important city of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the Old Rhine, 6 miles from its outlet in the North Sea. It was once a strong fortress, and the siege which it sustained from the Spaniards in 1573-74 made it famous. For seven weeks there was no bread within its walls, but the burghers still resisted, though the hunger became almost unbearable. At last the Prince of Orange came to their rescue. The dykes were opened, and the waters, which drowned a great number of the besiegers, carried a fleet of 200 boats loaded with provisions to the city. As a reward for the valor the city evinced during this siege, the Prince of Orange founded a university here.

Liburnia. In ancient times was a portion of Northern Illyricum, in the neighborhood of the Sinus Flanaticus, now the present Croatia and Dalmatia. It was inhabited by the Pelasgic race, who were daring seamen and noted pirates. Their privateers, with large lateen-sails, were for centuries the terror of the seas, and during the second Macedonian war the Romans adopted them.

Libyans. The name formerly given to the inhabitants of the northern portion of Africa, with the exception of the delta of the Nile. They fell under the sway of the Romans, and subsequently relapsed into barbarism.

Licorne. See Howitzer.

Lictor. A Roman officer who bore an axe and fasces as insignia of his office. His duty was to attend the chief magistrates when they appeared in public, to clear the way and enforce respect for them. In addition, he performed constabulary duties.

Lid, or Roof. See Ordnance, Carriages for.

Lide (Fr.). A warlike machine which was formerly used to throw large stones against a fortified place, or upon an enemy.

Lie. To be situated; to occupy a fixed place; as, the troops lie encamped at Washington. To lie in ambush, to be posted in such a manner as to be able to surprise your enemy, should he presume to advance without having previously cleared the woods, hedges, etc. To lie in wait, to take a position unobserved by the enemy, and to remain under arms, in the expectation of suddenly falling upon his flanks or rear. To lie under cover, to be under the protection of a battery, or to be sheltered by a wood, etc. To lie under arms, to remain in a state ready for action.

Liebenau. A town of Bohemia. Here was fought the first action of the Seven Weeks’ War, June 26, 1866, when the Austrians were compelled to retreat by the Prussians under Gen. von Horne.

Liegnitz. A town of Prussian Silesia, at the conflux of the Katzbach, the Schwarzwasser, and the Neisse, 35 miles northwest from Breslau. The Austrian army was totally defeated before Liegnitz in 1760 by the Prussians under the command of Frederick the Great.

Lieutenancy. The office or commission of a lieutenant.

Lieutenant. From the French, lieu tenant, “holding the place,” in a general sense is an officer performing the duties of his superior. The rank was abolished by Charles IX. in the French army, and re-established by Henry IV. In company organizations the lieutenant comes next after the captain, and supplies his place during temporary absence. There are two grades of lieutenants, first and second. A lieutenant in the navy is an officer ranking with a captain in the army, holding rank above a master and below a lieutenant-commander.

Lieutenant de la Colonelle (Fr.). The second officer, or what was formerly styled the captain-lieutenant of the colonel’s company of every infantry regiment in France.

Lieutenant du Roi (Fr.). During the monarchy of France there was a deputy governor in every fortified place, or strong town, who commanded in the absence of the governor, and was a check upon his conduct when present. This person was called lieutenant du roi. Lieutenants des Gardes FranÇoises et Suisses; lieutenants belonging to the French and Swiss guards. During the existence of the monarchy in France they bore the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and took precedence of all captains. Lieutenants Provinciaux d’Artillerie were certain officers belonging to the old French service, and immediately attached to the artillery, who bore the title or name of the particular province in which they were stationed. Several of these lieutenants, who had military employment under the board of ordnance, received the rank of lieutenant-general in the army from the king, and could rise to the most exalted stations in common with other officers.

Lieutenant-Colonel. His rank corresponds with that of commanders in the navy. See Colonel, Lieutenant-.

Lieutenant-General. His rank is equivalent to that of a vice-admiral. See General, Lieutenant-.

Life-guard. A guard of the life or person; a guard that attends the person of a prince, or other high officer or dignitary; a body-guard. See Guards.

Light Battery. A mounted battery of field-guns.

Light Bobs. In the British service, a familiar term used for the light infantry.

Light Horse. All mounted soldiers that are lightly armed and accoutred for active and desultory service, may be considered under this term. Thus light dragoons, hussars, mounted riflemen, etc., are strictly speaking light horse.

Light Infantry. A body of armed men selected and trained for rapid evolutions; often employed to cover and assist other troops. See Infantry, Light.

Light Infantry Company. In the British service, a company of active, strong men, carefully selected from the rest of the regiment. It always occupies its place on the left of the battalion until called for. When the call sounds, the light company orders arms and unfixes bayonets without word of command, and remains in readiness to move.

Light Marching Order. A soldier paraded with arms, ammunition, canteen, and haversack, is said to be in light marching order.

Light Troops. By this term is generally meant all troops which are lightly accoutred for detached service.

Light, Velocity of. It has been proven by astronomers that light travels through space with the prodigious, though finite, velocity of 192,500, or nearly 200,000 miles in a second of time, and consequently would pass round the earth in the eighth part of a second. It is also proved, by the phenomena of aberration, that the light of the sun, planets, and all the fixed stars, travels with the same velocity.

Light-armed. Not heavily armed, or armed with light weapons; as, light troops; a troop of light horse. See Infantry, Light-armed.

Light-ball. See Pyrotechny.

Light-barrel. See Pyrotechny.

Ligny. A village in Belgium, in the province of Namur, about 10 miles northeast of Charleroi, famous on account of the battle fought here by the French under Napoleon, and the Prussians under BlÜcher, June 16, 1815, in which the latter was defeated.

Liguria. In ancient geography, a region of Northern Italy, the land of the Ligurians It is first mentioned by the early Greek authors as extending as far westward as the mouths of the Rhone, while according to Polybius, its eastern boundary was PisÆ, and its northern the country of the Arretines. The Ligurians, so often praised by ancient authors for their hardihood and bravery, are generally understood to be those on the south side of the Apennines exclusively. In the time of Strabo these eked out the scanty produce of their stony and sterile soil by hunting and feeding flocks, and thus fostered that vigor of frame and ferocity of disposition which long rendered them the indomitable foes and plunderers of the Romans. They were renowned as slingers and light infantry in the armies of the Carthaginians, and afterwards in those of the Romans. They were conquered by the Romans in 125 B.C. Liguria formed the first point of the Roman province of Gaul; in 1797, in consequence of the conquests of Bonaparte, it was formed into the republic of Liguria.

Limber. To attach to the limbers; as, to limber the gun; to limber up.

Limber-chest. The ammunition-chest placed on the limber of field-pieces.

Limbers. See Ordnance, Carriages for.

Limenarque (Fr.). An office of distinction, which existed in the Roman empire. The persons invested with it were directed to watch the frontiers of the empire, and they commanded the troops that were employed upon that service.

Limerick. A city of Ireland, chief town of a county of the same name, situated on the Shannon, about 60 miles from its mouth, and 106 miles south-southwest of Dublin. It has always been deemed a place of importance. It was taken by the English in 1174; in 1651 it was taken by Ireton, the son-in-law of Cromwell; in 1690 it was unsuccessfully besieged by King William III. in person; in 1691 it surrendered to Gen. Ginkel, afterwards earl of Athlone. Before the Conquest it was the seat of the kings of Thomond.

Limitary. A guard or superintendent, placed at the confines or boundaries of any kingdom or state.

Limitation of Time of Prosecution. See Appendix, Articles of War, 103.

Limites Romani. The name of a continuous series of fortifications, consisting of castles, walls, earthen ramparts, and the like, which the Romans erected along the Rhine and the Danube, to protect their possessions from the attacks of the Germans.

Limits. In a military sense, is that which bounds or confines; as, the limits of a sentinel’s post; the limits of a garrison. An officer in arrest may have his limits extended.

Limoges. A town of France, in the department of the Upper Vienne, on the Vienne. It was besieged and taken by the English in 1370.

Limonite. An iron ore (which see).

Lincelles. In Northern France, where the allied English and Dutch armies defeated the French, August 18, 1793.

Linch-pin. A pin through the end of an axle-arm of an artillery carriage to keep the wheel on. A hook attached to the head of the pin and embracing the axle-arm prevents the pin from being jolted out.

Linch-pin Washer. A ring against which the linch pin rubs.

Lincoln (anc. Lindum Colonia). A city of England, the capital of Lincolnshire, on the Witham. It was at the period of the Conquest rich and populous. It was taken several times by Saxons and Danes. Without Newport-gate, upon Lincoln plain, was fought the battle between the partisans of the empress Maud, commanded by the Earl of Gloucester, and the army of Stephen, in which the king was defeated and taken prisoner, February 2, 1141. Lincoln was the scene of important operations during the civil wars in the reign of King John; and here the party of the Dauphin was completely overthrown by the Earl of Pembroke during the minority of Henry III. During the great civil war the royalists obtained possession of the city, but it was stormed by the Parliamentary army under the Earl of Manchester, May 5, 1644.

Linden-tree. The wood used in artificial fireworks, etc.

Lindisfarne. See Holy Island.

Line. Various opinions have been given as to what portion of the military establishment should constitute the line of the army, and in the absence of legislation, which should settle the question, it will continue to be a subject of controversy, and some difficulty has arisen from the vague and uncertain meaning of the words “line of the army,” which neither in the English service nor in the United States have a well-defined meaning. The opinion that the words are intended to distinguish the regular army from the militia, or discriminate between officers by brevet and those by ordinary commissions, as understood by some, would seem to be erroneous. Though the words “line of the army” may sometimes be used in a different sense, the opinion prevails that in the 122d Article of War they are used to designate those officers of the army who do not belong to the staff, in contradistinction to those who do. It is now generally conceded that the law contemplates that the fighting portion of the army; as cavalry, artillery, infantry, and engineers, or that part of the service organized or subdivided into units for command, as well as the commanders thereof, constitutes the “line of the army.” The four arms of the service above mentioned form the principal part of a mobilized army, and as they are always formed into a line of battle to resist the attack of an enemy, or to make an attack, they are generally known as the “line of the army,” or “troops of the line,” to distinguish them from other bodies of men who form parts of an army.

Line. In the British service, the regular infantry of an army, as distinguished from militia, volunteer corps, artillery, cavalry, etc.

Line. In tactics, a body of men in either one or two ranks; generally a body of troops drawn up with an extended front. To line, is to place troops in line (see Align); thus, to line hedges or walls, is to place troops behind them. To form the line, in land tactics, is to arrange the troops in order of battle, or battle array. To break the line, to change the direction from that of a straight line, in order to obtain a cross-fire, and for other purposes. To line a street or road, is to draw up any number of men on each side of the street or road, and to face them inwards. This is frequently practiced on days of ceremony, when some distinguished person is received with military honors on his way through places where troops are stationed. This is the usage also in funerals, when the corps under arms form a line facing inwards.

Line. In fencing, an imaginary line opposite to the fencer, wherein the shoulders, right arm, and the sword should always be found, and wherein are also to be placed the two feet at the distance of 18 inches apart. In which sense a man is said to be in his line, or to go out of his line, etc.

Line. A cord or rope; as, a picket line, side lines (which see).

Line, Horizontal. A line parallel to the plane of the horizon; as, any line in the level surface of a plane.

Line, Inclined. Is a line which is oblique to the plane of the horizon.

Line, Magistral. See Magistral Line.

Line, Oblique. A straight line which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to another line; also a line of troops posted or marching obliquely.

Line of Battle. The position of troops drawn up in their usual order without any determined manoeuvre.

Line of Counter-approach. A sort of trench which the besieged make, and push forward from the glacis, for the purpose of counteracting the enemy’s works.

Line of Defense. See Defense, Line of.

Line of Demarcation. A line which is drawn by consent, to ascertain the limits of lands or territories belonging to different powers.

Line of Direction. In gunnery, was a line formerly marked upon guns, by a short point upon the muzzle, and a cavity on the base-ring, to direct the eye in pointing the gun.

Line of Duty. An officer or soldier disabled while performing properly authorized duty is said to be injured in line of duty, and as such is entitled to the allowances fixed by law.

Line of Fire. In gunnery, the axis of the gun produced.

Line of Fire. In fortification, this term admits of two distinct acceptations: first, when it is found necessary to give an idea of the manner in which a rampart or an intrenchment covers any space of ground by the discharge of ordnance or musketry, lines must be drawn to express the distances traversed by the shot, etc. These lines are called lines of fire, being representations of the actual ranges; second, all that extent of a rampart or intrenchment from which the projectiles of ordnance or musketry are discharged, is understood to be the line of fire.

Line of Least Resistance. The shortest distance from the centre of the charge of a mine to the open air.

Line of March. Arrangement for marching. Course or direction taken by an army.

Line of Metal. Or natural line of sight, is a line drawn from the highest point of the base-ring or base-line to the highest point of the swell of the muzzle, or to the top of the sight, if there be one. The line of sight nearest to the axis of the piece is the natural line of sight, the others are artificial lines of sight. See Artificial Line of Sight.

Line of Sight. See Line of Metal and Pointing.

Line of the Bastion, Capital. Is a line which bisects the salient angle of a bastion. See Capital.

Line, Retiring. A line of troops in orderly retreat.

Line, Tangent. A straight line, which meets a curve at one point and touches without cutting it.

Line, Vertical. A line which is perpendicular to the horizon. Of this description are all lines that express height or depth.

Lineal, or Linear. Pertaining to length; pertaining to the line of an army.

Lineal Rank. Is the rank of a line-officer in his arm of the service.

Linear Promotion. Is promotion of line-officers according to seniority in the arm of service, as opposed to promotion in the regiment.

Line-firings. This term is used when troops fire by line.

Lines. A series of field-works, either continuous or at intervals. The former are connected by means of curtains or straight walls. The rule in constructing the other is, that the works shall be within cannon- or musket-shot range of each other, according to their armament.

Lines, Close and Open. Formerly when troops were drawn up in order of battle with intervals between the battalions and squadrons, the lines were said to be close and open.

Lines, Continued. A continued line of field-works constructed for the defense of a position.

Lines Cremaillere. Are composed of alternate short and long faces at right angles to each other.

Lines, Full or Close. Are lines of men drawn up without leaving intervals between them.

Lines, Inside. Are a kind of ditches towards the place, to prevent sallies, etc.

Lines of Bastion. As the name indicates, are formed of a succession of bastion-shaped parapets, each consisting of two faces and two flanks, connected by a curtain.

Lines of Circumvallation. The defensive works by which a besieging army covers its rear and flanks against a relieving force.

Lines of Communication. Are trenches that unite one work to another, so that men may pass between them without being exposed to the enemy’s fire; hence, the whole intrenchment round any place is sometimes called a line of communication, because it leads to all the works.

Lines of Communication. This term is applied to all the practicable routes and roads connecting the different parts of an army occupying the theatre of war. Therefore, as the army moves from its base, the lines of operations become lines of communication, and since these “lines of operations” are generally the longest and most important lines of communication, it is to them that the simple term “communications” generally refers. All the routes used by the trains employed in provisioning an army, form a part of the communications. The most important, safest, and most convenient of these routes, all other things being equal, will be the central one, or the one leading from the centre of the army back to its base. This particular route is sometimes designated as the “line of supplies.”—Prof. J. B. Wheeler.

Lines of Contravallation. See Contravallation.

Lines of Operations. The roads or routes by which an army moves from its base towards its objective-point have been designated by the term “lines of operations.” Lines of operations are classified from their number into single, double, or multiple lines; from their positions with respect to the lines of operations of the enemy into interior or exterior lines; and from their position with respect to each other into convergent or divergent lines. Other classifications are sometimes used descriptive of the nature or other quality of the line.

Single Line of Operations.—An army moving in a given direction with all its parts united, or with those parts so situated that they can be readily joined when required, is said to use a “single line of operations.” Sometimes this line is called a simple line. A single line of operations does not mean a single road, but embraces all the roads or routes taken by the fractions of the army for the purpose of reaching a common point of concentration; the condition being imposed that these roads shall not be so far apart, or have intervening such obstacles, that the different parts of an army will be prevented from uniting at any given time which may be appointed.

Double and Multiple Lines of Operations.—When there are obstacles intervening between the roads or routes passed over by an army, or the roads are so far apart as to prevent the parts of the army from being readily united, the army is then said to employ “double” or “multiple” lines of operations.

Interior Lines of Operations.—If these lines are within those employed by the enemy, they are known as “interior” lines.

Exterior Lines of Operations.—If these lines are outside of the lines employed by the enemy, they are called “exterior” lines.

Convergent Lines of Operations.—If these lines of operations start from points some distance apart, approach each other, and meet at some point in advance, they are called “convergent.” Sometimes the term “concentric” is employed to designate them.

Divergent Lines of Operations.—These lines are the reverse of convergent lines, as they continue to separate, or the distance between them to widen, as the army advances. The term “eccentric” is also applied to them.

Accidental Lines of Operations.—Lines of operations are sometimes employed different from those proposed in the original plan of campaign. To these lines the term “accidental” is applied. It does not follow that their adoption is a matter of accident, as might be inferred from their name. They are frequently the result of a change in the original plan, which probable change was foreseen and provided for.

Temporary Lines of Operations.—Sometimes an army in making a movement employs a line which deviates from that adopted in the general plan of campaign. As soon as the movement is completed the original lines are resumed. Such line adopted for such movement is termed a “temporary line.” The term “manoeuvre line” is also applied to it.—Prof. J. B. Wheeler.

Lines of Retreat. The roads passed over as the army advances are ordinarily the roads taken when the army retires or is driven back. In the latter case they are known as “lines of retreat,” and are “single,” “double,” “diverging,” etc., according to their number and position.—Prof. J. B. Wheeler.

Lines of Tenailles. Consist of parapets, forming a series of salient and re-entering angles.

Lines of Torres Vedras. See Torres Vedras.

Lines Outside. Are a kind of ditches towards the field, to hinder relief, etc.

Lines, Strategical. The lines followed by an army in making a strategical movement are called “strategical lines.” Temporary lines of operations, or manoeuvre lines, therefore, are strategical lines. Lines of operations are important strategical lines. And in general, lines connecting two or more strategical points, which lines can be used by an army, and which allow of easy communication between these points, are “strategical lines.” A base of operations is therefore a strategical line.—Prof. J. B. Wheeler.

Lines with Intervals. One or more rows of field-works with large intervals between them, through which the offensive may be assumed.

Linesmen. In the British service, infantrymen of the regular army are so called.

Lingerer. One who pretends to be indisposed, in order to avoid his tour of duty,—a skulker. Hence the term malingerer, or a soldier who avoids duty in a disreputable manner.

Linlithgow-bridge. Near Edinburgh, Scotland, near which the forces of the Earl of Angus, who held James V. in their power, defeated the forces of the Earl of Lennox, who, after receiving promise of quarter, was killed by Sir James Hamilton, 1526.

Linstock. A short staff of wood, about 3 feet long, having at one end a piece of iron divided into two branches, each of which has a notch to hold a lighted match, and a screw to fasten it there, the other end being shod with iron to stick into the ground.

Linstock Socket. A socket attached to the piece in which the linstock was formerly carried.

Lipan Indians. A warlike tribe of aborigines residing in Texas and Mexico.

Lippe, or Lippe Detmold. A small principality of Northwest Germany, the chief part of which is comprised between Prussian Westphalia, Hanover, and the principality Pyrmont. The surface is hilly, partly covered by the Teutoburger Wald, where Arminius exterminated the legions of Varus.

Lis (Fr.). A warlike machine was formerly so called. It consisted of a piece of wood or a stake, about the size of the human body, which was made smaller at the top than at the bottom, and resembled a lily not yet blown. Several of these were tied together with ozier or willow twigs, and were used for the security of a camp. They were not unlike the palisades of the present day.

Lisaine. A small river in France, rising in the Vosges Mountains, and flowing west of the fortress of Belfort. On January 15, 16, and 17, 1871, a terrible contest raged here between the French army under Bourbaki and the Germans under Von Werder, the French being finally compelled to retreat. The German loss was about 2000; the French about 6000.

Lisbon. The capital of Portugal, situated on the north bank of the Tagus, near its mouth in the Atlantic. In 1807 it was occupied by the French, and was afterwards the scene of important operations between the British and French armies, until the latter were finally driven from Portugal.

Lisburn. A town of Ireland, in the county of Antrim, on the Lagan, 8 miles southwest from Belfast. It was founded in 1627, and in 1641 was laid in ashes by the Irish insurgents. It was again burnt in 1707.

Lisieux. A town of France, in the department Calvados, situated near the confluence of the Orbec and the Tanque. The Normans pillaged it in the 8th century, and retained it for a considerable time. It has since been frequently besieged and captured, and was last taken by Henri Quatre in 1588.

Lisle, or Lille. A city of France, formerly the capital of French Flanders, and now of the department of the North. It was founded in 1009 by Baudouin IV., count of Flanders. It fell into the power of Philip the Fair, after a siege of three months in 1297, and was taken again by Guy, count of Flanders, in 1302. The Protestants attempted in vain to surprise it in 1581, and the French besieged it without success in 1645. Wrested from the Spaniards by Louis XIV. in 1667, and retaken by the allies in 1708, after a long and obstinate siege, it was ceded to France by the treaty of Utrecht. The Austrians bombarded it from September 29 till October 6, 1792, but the garrison, admirably supported by the bravery of the inhabitants, compelled them to raise the siege.

Lissa. A town of Prussian Poland, near the borders of Silesia. This place was laid in ruins by the Russian army in the campaign of 1707.

Lissa. A mountainous island of Austria, in the Gulf of Venice, near the coast of Dalmatia, held by the British from 1810 to 1815. Near here the Italian fleet, commanded by Persano, was defeated with severe loss by the Austrian fleet, commanded by Tegethoff, July 20, 1866.

List. A roll or catalogue; as, the army-list, the pay list, etc.

List. A line inclosing or forming the extremity of a piece of ground, or field of combat; hence, in the plural (lists), the ground or field inclosed for a race or combat. To enter the lists, to accept a challenge, or engage in a contest.

List. To engage in the public service by enrolling one’s name, as soldiers; to inclose for combat; as, to list a field.

Litana Silva (now Silva di Luge). A large forest on the Apennines, in Cisalpine Gaul, southeast of Mutina, in which the Romans were defeated by the Gauls, 216 B.C.

Litter (Lat. lectica, from lectus, “bed”). According to Rees’s CyclopÆdia, a kind of vehicle borne upon shafts, anciently esteemed the most easy and genteel way of carriage. It was much in use among the Romans, among whom it was borne by slaves kept for that purpose, as it still continues to be in the East, where it is called a palanquin. The invention of litters, according to Cicero, was owing to the kings of Bithynia. In the time of Tiberius they had become very frequent at Rome, as appears from Seneca. Horse-litters were much used in Europe prior to the introduction of coaches. In the military service the litter is a species of hurdle bed, on which the wounded are sometimes carried from the field of battle. What is known as the hand-litter or stretcher is used to carry men from where they fall in battle to field hospitals. The hand-litter or stretcher is generally constructed with canvas about 6¹/₂ feet long by 3 feet wide, the sides securely fastened to two hard-wood poles about 8 feet in length; the two cross-pieces should be constructed so that the litter can be rolled up. Small outlying bodies of troops, especially detachments of cavalry, are not always provided with them; for these the hand-litter, made with guns and blankets, has been extemporized; for this purpose the edges of the blanket are rolled over the guns, and tied firmly with twine, and two stout sticks are also tied across at the head and foot, serving as handles for the bearers. This being laid on the ground, the wounded man is placed upon it, with his knapsack under his head. The Indian litter is made by taking two stout saplings, and attaching to them three cross-pieces, about 2¹/₂ or 3 feet apart, by cords and notches; the sick or wounded man being placed on his blanket, this frame-work is placed over him, and the blanket knotted to it. By three bent twigs and an additional blanket, a kind of top can be made to this in case of a storm. Several kinds of horse or mule litters for frontier service have been invented, but none seem so well adapted for all purposes as the one invented by Surgeon J. C. Baily, U.S.A. Ambulance litters are so constructed as to be drawn from the ambulance and taken to the wounded man, who is by it conveyed to the vehicle. It is then slid into place on rollers, and steadied by loops and guys.

Little Fortification. The first division of the first system of Vauban, and is so called when the exterior side of a fortification does not exceed 350 yards. It is used in the construction of citadels, small forts, horn- and crown-works.

Living Force. Vis viva. That force of a body in motion which determines the work of which it is capable. Living force is measured by the product of the mass into the square of the velocity.

Livonia. A Russian province on the Baltic Sea, first visited by some Bremen merchants about 1158. It has belonged successively to Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and Russia. It was finally ceded to Peter the Great in 1721.

Liziere. The berme of a parapet. See Berme.

Llandeweyer. In Caermarthenshire, Wales. Here Llewellyn, prince of Wales, having descended into the plains, was surprised, defeated, and slain by the lords-marchers, December 11, 1282. This disaster led to the subjugation of Wales in 1283.

Llerena. An ancient town of Spain, in the province of Estremadura, 59 miles north from Seville. Near this place, the English under Combermere defeated the French under Drouet in 1812.

Load. The charge of a fire-arm; as, a load of powder.

Load. To place a charge in; to charge, as a gun, with powder, or with powder and shot, or ball.

Load. A word of command given when men are to charge their guns or rifles.

Loading. The process of loading field-shells is as follows: They are set up on their sabots, the charges measured out in the proper powder-measure, and poured in through a copper funnel. The fuze-plugs are then driven in with a mallet, allowing the tops to project about 0.1 inch, care being taken not to split them. The holes in the plugs are then carefully reamed out, and stopped with tow wads, which are pressed in firmly with a round stick.

Process of loading spherical case-shot: The shot having been cleaned, the balls are put in. A stick with a less diameter than the fuze-hole, and having a groove on each side of it, is inserted and pushed to the bottom of the cavity by working the balls aside. The shot is then placed in a sand-bath or oven, and brought to a proper temperature to receive the sulphur, which, in a melted state, is poured in to fill up the interstices between the balls; the shot is allowed to cool and the sulphur to harden, when the stick is withdrawn, and the sulphur adhering to the sides of the eye and the surface of the shot is removed. If a fuze-plug and paper fuze are to be used, the charge is poured in, and the plug inserted exactly as in case of a shell; but, if the Bormann-fuze is to be used, the charge is inserted, and the stopper and fuze screwed into their places, care being taken before placing the fuze in position to puncture the covering of the magazine, so that the fire can communicate with the charge. Spherical-case are now usually loaded by putting in the bullets and pouring melted sulphur or rosin in until the case is full. After the sulphur has cooled, the space for the powder is bored out by a cutter, which removes both the sulphur and portions of the bullets from the space. This is a quicker method, and gives a more compact projectile. Case-shot for rifle guns are filled in a similar manner. The object of the sulphur or rosin is to solidify the mass of bullets, and preventing them from striking by their inertia against the sides of the case, and cracking it, when the piece is fired. Coal-dust is sometimes used instead of sulphur or rosin. Round, leaden balls, seventeen to the pound, are used.

Process of filling mortar-shells: Having been inspected to see that they are clean, dry, and in good order, place them on a block made for the purpose, or on rings of rope, or in indentations in the floor of the magazine, or on the ground with the fuze-holes up. The charge measured out in a powder-measure is poured in through a funnel, and any incendiary composition, such as pieces of port-fire, rock-fire, etc., is inserted. In the mean time the fuze is cut to the proper length according to the range, by resting it in a groove made in the block, or inserting it in a hole made in a block or in a post, and sawing it across with the fuze-saw; or the fuze may be bored through with a gimlet perpendicularly to the axis at the proper point. The fuze is then tried in the fuze-hole, and should enter three-fourths of its length. If it does not, it may be reduced by rasping. The head of it is covered with tow to prevent the breaking of the composition, the fuze-setter placed on, and the fuze driven with the mallet until the head projects not more than 0.2 inch to 0.4 inch above the surface of the shell. These shells are generally filled and the fuzes driven in the battery magazines, as they are required. Shells for heavy guns are loaded in the same way as mortar-shells; but as paper fuzes inserted in wooden or bronze fuze-plugs are used instead of wooden fuzes, the plug only is driven into its place, and stopped with tow after the bursting charge has been poured through it into the shell.

Loading-bar. A bar used to carry shot. It is passed through the ring of the shell-hooks; also called carrying-bar.

Loading-tongs. A pair of tongs used with siege howitzers to set the shell home.

Loano. A town of Italy, in the province of Genoa, situated on the Gulf of Genoa. Here the Austrians and Sardinians were defeated by the French, under MassÉna, November 23, 1795.

Lobau. An island of Lower Austria, in the Danube, 5 miles east-southeast of Vienna. Here the French, in 1809, remained intrenched for six weeks, between the battles of Gross-Aspern and Wagram.

Lobbes. A town of Belgium, 10 miles southwest from Charleroi, on the Sambre. This was the scene of an engagement between the Austrian and French troops in 1794.

Local Rank, or Temporary Rank. An officer who receives increased rank, for a limited period or during the performance of some specific duty, is said to have local rank. Also sometimes applied to the rank held by an officer who is assigned to duty by his brevet rank to a locality fixed by geographical limits, such as a military department or district. See Brevet Rank.

Lochaber-axe. A formidable weapon of war, consisting of a pole bearing an axe at its upper end, formerly used by the Scotch Highlanders.

Lochage. In Greek antiquity, an officer who commanded a cohort.

Lochleven Castle. In Scotland, built on an isle in Loch Leven, it is said by the Picts. It was besieged by the English in 1301 and in 1334. The Earl of Northumberland was confined in it, 1569. It was the place of Queen Mary’s imprisonment in 1667.

Lock. That part of a fire-arm by which fire is produced for the discharge of a piece. The first form of the apparatus was the match-lock, which consisted of a lever holding a lighted match, which by a simple mechanism was brought in contact with the priming. This was superseded by the wheel-lock, invented in Nuremburg, or Italy, according to different authorities, which made its appearance early in the 16th century. This consisted of a wheel wound up against a spring and released by a trigger. In its revolution it evolved sparks by friction against an alloy of iron and antimony, which fell upon and ignited the priming. This was replaced about 1680 by the flint-lock, consisting of a hammer, or cock, holding a flint, which in its descent struck a steel plate. This device gave way in its turn, about 1840, to the percussion-lock, which, in one or another of its many forms, promises to endure indefinitely. The terms matchlock, flintlock, firelock, etc., have also been used to designate the weapon itself.

Lock. In fencing, to seize, as the sword-arm of an antagonist, by turning the left arm around it, in order to disarm him.

Lock-chain Bridles. See Ordnance, Construction of, The Caisson.

Lock-chain Hooks. See Ordnance, Construction of, The Caisson.

Lock-chains. Are chains used to lock the wheels of field- and siege-carriages, or to prevent them from turning. For siege-carriages the chain has a shoe at the end, which goes under the wheel and lifts it from the ground. In field-carriages the chain is passed around one of the felloes and secured to itself by a key. In both carriages the chain is secured to the stock by an assembling-bolt.

Lock-chains. See Ordnance, Construction of, The Caisson.

Locket. The chape of a sword-scabbard.

Locking-plates. Are thin, flat pieces of iron on the sides of a field-carriage, where the wheels touch it in turning, to prevent the wearing of the wood in those places. These plates are commonly called wheel-guard plates.

Lock-plate. The plate in a small-arm which covers the lock and to which the mechanism is attached.

Lockspit. In field fortification, a small cut or trench made with a spade, about a foot wide, to mark out the first lines of a work.

Lock-step. A mode of marching by a body of men going one after another as closely as possible, in which the leg of each moves at the same time with and closely follows the corresponding leg of the person directly before him.

Locri, or Locri Epizephyrii (now Motta di Burzano). A town of the Greek Locrians in Italy, on the southeast coast of the Bruttian peninsula. An important event in its history is the battle at the river Sagras, in which 10,000 Locrians and a few Rhegian auxiliaries defeated, with great carnage, an army of 130,000 Crotoniats. They were allies of the Romans against Pyrrhus; but after the battle of CannÆ, 210 B.C., revolted to the Carthaginians, and did not resume the yoke of Rome until 205 B.C. From this period Locri seems to have gradually declined in importance.

Lodge Arms. An old word of command, which was used on guards and pickets for the men to place their arms in front of the guard-house or quarter-guard.

Lodge, Indian. See Wigwam.

Lodge-pole. Is a pole used by Indians in the construction of their teepes. It is generally of mountain pine or ash, about 30 feet long; 2 to 2¹/₂ inches at the butt, and 1¹/₂ inches at the other extremity. Lodge-poles are also used by the Indians to construct their travaux, to convey their wounded, camp equipments, etc. See Travois.

Lodging Allowance. In the British army, a money allowance given under certain circumstances to officers and men for whom there is no accommodation in barracks to provide lodgings for themselves. Married sergeants and private soldiers, who are married “with permission,” are entitled to lodging-money at various rates up to 8 shillings a week, when separate rooms in barracks cannot be spared for the accommodation of each couple.

Lodgment. Is a work made by the besiegers in some part of a fortification, after the besieged have been driven out, for the purpose of maintaining it, and to be covered from the enemy’s fire. It also means a footing obtained inside of an enemy’s works.

Lodgment. See Injuries to Cannon.

Lodi. A town of Italy, in the province of Lombardy, stands on the right bank of the Adda, 19 miles south of Milan. Lodi is celebrated for the victory of the French under Bonaparte over the Austrians, on May 10, 1796, when the long and narrow bridge was carried by the French column, notwithstanding a tremendous fire from the Austrian batteries.

Logement (Fr.). Means generally any place occupied by military men, for the time being, whether they are quartered upon the inhabitants of a town, or are distributed in barracks. When applied to soldiers that have taken the field, it is comprehended under the several heads of huts, tents, etc.

Logistics. Is properly that branch of the military art embracing all details for moving and supplying armies. It includes the operations of the ordnance, quartermaster’s, subsistence, medical, and pay departments. It also embraces the preparation and regulation of magazines for opening a campaign, and all orders of march and other orders from the general-in-chief relative to moving and supplying armies. Some writers have, however, extended its signification to embrace strategy.

Logrono. A town of Spain, the capital of a province of the same name, in Old Castile, situated on the Ebro. In 1808 and 1823 it was occupied by the French, being of importance as a military post.

Loigny. A village in France, department of Loiret, about 9 miles from Orleans. During the Franco-German war, the army of the Loire under Gen. Chanzy was defeated near here by the Germans under the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, December 2, 1870.

Lombard. A form or size of cannon formerly in use.

Lombards or Longobards. A German people of the Suevic family, not very numerous, but of distinguished valor, who played an important part in the early history of Europe. About the 4th century they seem to have begun to leave their original seats (on the Lower Elbe, where the Romans seem to have come first in contact with them about the beginning of the Christian era), and to have fought their way southward and eastward, till they came into close contact with the eastern Roman empire on the Danube, adopted an Arian form of Christianity, and after having been some time tributary to the Heruli, raised themselves upon the ruins of their power, and of that of the GepidÆ, shortly after the middle of the 6th century, to the position of masters of Pannonia, and became one of the most wealthy and powerful nations in that part of the world. Under their king Alboin they invaded and conquered the north and centre of Italy (568-569), and founded the kingdom of Lombardy. The nobles ravaged the greater part of Italy subsequent to 573, but in 584 they appointed Autharis their king, who greatly extended the empire, and formed a powerful kingdom. In the autumn of 773, Charlemagne invaded Italy; and in May of the following year Pavia was conquered and the Lombard kingdom, after an existence of 206 years, was overthrown. In 776, an insurrection of some of the Lombard nobles brought Charlemagne again into Italy, and their dukedoms were broken down into counties, and the Lombard system, as far as possible, supplanted by that of the Franks. In 803, a treaty between Charlemagne, the Western, and Nicephorus the Eastern emperor, confirmed the right of the former to the Lombard territory.

Lombardy. The name given to that part of Upper Italy which formed the nucleus of the kingdom of the Lombards (which see). It consisted of the whole of Italy north of the peninsula, with the exceptions of Savoy and Venice, and after the fall of the Lombard kingdom, in 774, was incorporated in the Carlovingian empire. In 843 it was created a separate kingdom, but was not entirely severed from the Frankish monarchy till 888. From this time it was ruled by its own kings till 961, when it was annexed to the German empire. Out of the wrecks of the old independent kingdom now arose a number of independent duchies, as Friuli, Mantua, Susa, Piedmont, etc., and soon afterwards the republics of Venice, Genoa, Milan, and Pavia, etc. The Lombard cities declared themselves independent towards the commencement of the 12th century, and in 1167 were joined by their less powerful neighbors in the “first Lombard league,” for the maintenance of their liberties against Frederic Barbarossa, whom they severely defeated in 1176. In 1225 they were compelled to form the “second Lombard league” against Frederick II., and with similar success. After this, petty tyrants rose in most of the cities, and foreign influence quickly followed. The Guelph and Ghibelline factions greatly distracted Lombardy; and from the 15th century to the present time it has been contended for by the German and French sovereigns. The house of Austria obtained it in 1748, and held it till 1797, when it was conquered by the French, who incorporated it into the Cisalpine republic, and in 1805 into the kingdom of Italy. On the breaking up of the French empire in 1815, the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom was established by the allied sovereigns and given to Austria, who had lost her Flemish possessions. In 1859 this union was dissolved by the Italian war; and also by the treaty of Villa Franca, ceded to the king of Sardinia.

Lomond, Loch. The largest and most celebrated of the Scottish lakes, separating the counties of Dumbarton and Stirling. In 1263 the Norsemen, under Angus, king of Man, after having ravaged the shores of the adjoining Loch Long, drew their boats over the neck of land which separates the two waters at Tarbet, massacred the inhabitants, and set fire to the numerous villages they found on the shores of the lake. After this expedition, the loch came into the hands of some of the chief Highland clans, who long carried on their feuds here.

Lomza. A district town in the government of Augustovo, in Poland, on the left of the Narev, a tributary of the Vistula. It played a prominent part in the history of Poland, but has never recovered from its sufferings during the Swedish wars.

Lonato. A town of Northern Italy, province of Brescia; it is surrounded by walls, and further defended by a citadel. It suffered greatly during the Middle Ages by pestilence. Here Bonaparte gained a victory over the Austrians in 1796.

London. The capital and chief city of the British empire, stands on both banks of the Thames, about 60 miles from the sea. It appears first in history under the reign of Claudius, and it was fortified under Constantine the Great. Boadicea, queen of the Iceni, reduced London to ashes, and put 70,000 Romans and strangers to the sword in 61; it was rebuilt and walled in by the Romans in 306; pillaged by the Danes in 839. In 1875 its population was 3,445,160.

London, New. A city of New London Co., Conn., situated 42 miles southeast from Hartford, on the Thames. This place was burned by the British in 1781.

Londonderry. The capital of a county of the same name in Ireland, on the Foyle. This town is of great antiquity, and has often suffered from the effects of war. It was besieged by James II., from December, 1688, till August, 1689, when the siege was raised.

Long Island. An island about 115 miles long, which is separated from New York by the East River, a strait about half a mile wide. Its capital is Brooklyn (which see), where was fought in 1776 the first pitched battle of the Revolutionary war, the result being the defeat of the Americans. The island suffered considerably at the hands of the English during this war. During the civil war (1861-65) Long Island took an active part in aid of the cause of the Union.

Long Roll. See Roll, Long.

Long-bow. A bow of the height of the archer, formerly used in England for war and sport.

Long-jawed. The state of a rope when its strands are straightened by being much strained and untwisted, and from its pliability will coil both ways.

Longitudinal Strain. The strain on a cannon or fire-arm which tends to part it with a ring fracture. See Ordnance, Strains upon.

Longwy. A strongly fortified town of France, in the department of the Moselle, 33 miles northwest from Metz. This is called the “iron gate of France,” and was in 1792 taken by the Prussians, and again by the allies in 1815.

Looking-glass Signaling. A method of signaling invented and extensively used by the North American Indians, both on the Plains and in the regions west of the Rocky Mountains. The reflection of the sun is flashed from a small piece of a mirror held in the hand. Indians have been known to communicate over a distance of several miles by this means. It is also extensively used in their drills,—the chief often directing the movements of his warriors with the greatest ease and certainty from a distant point overlooking the field. This method of signaling, modified by the resources of science, has been lately introduced into the English service, and used both in India and Southern Africa. A concave mirror is used, and an artificial light replaces the sun when he is absent. The method has been called heliography.

Loop-holed Galleries. Are vaulted passages or casemates, usually placed behind the counterscarp revetment, and behind the gorges of detached works, having holes pierced through the walls, to enable the defenders to bring a musketry fire from unseen positions upon the assailants in the ditch. Loop-holes, however, are not confined to galleries. In modern fortifications, the revetments, both scarp and counterscarp, are very generally pierced for musketry fire.

Loop-holes. Apertures in a wall or stockade, through which a fire of musketry may be directed on the exterior ground.

Loose. Not close or compact. “With horse and chariots ranked in loose array.”

Loosen, To. To open ranks or files from close order. To loosen is, in fact, to lose that firm continuity of line or perpendicular adherence, which constitutes the true basis of military operations. The lock-step was introduced for the purpose of counteracting the mischievous effects of loose marching, but it produced a greater inconvenience, and has therefore been laid aside; the equal pace and marked time correct both.

Loot. An East Indian term for plunder or pillage.

Looties, or Lootees. An East Indian term for a body of irregular horsemen, who plunder and lay waste the country, and harass the enemy in their march.

Lootywallow. An East Indian term of the same import as looties.

Lorarii. Among the Romans, officers whose business it was, with whips and scourges, to compel the gladiators to engage. The lorarii also punished slaves who disobeyed their masters.

Lorca. A town of Spain, in the province of Murcia, on the Cornera. This town is remarkable in history as having been the key of Murcia during the Moorish wars; being situated on the frontiers of Granada, it was often taken and retaken. It suffered greatly from military violence during the French occupation in 1810.

Lord-Lieutenant. In Great Britain the lord-lieutenant of a county is a permanent provincial governor appointed by the sovereign by patent under the great seal. He is the permanent local representative of the crown, who, on the occasion of an invasion or rebellion, has power to raise the militia, form regiments, troops, and companies, and give commissions to officers. He is also the head of the magistracy, the militia, and the yeomanry; he nominates officers of militia and volunteers, and is the chief executive authority.

Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. The viceroy or deputy of the sovereign, to whom the government of Ireland is committed. The office has existed from a remote period, the appointment having been made under different designations. The lord-lieutenant is appointed under the great seal of the United Kingdom, and bears the sword of state as the symbol of his viceregal office. He has the control of the police, and may issue orders to the general commanding the troops for the support of the civil authority, the protection of the public, the defense of the kingdom, and the suppression of insurrection. He also has the power to confer knighthood.

Loreto, or Loretto. A fortified city of Italy, in the province of Macerate, situated 14 miles southeast from Ancona. This place was taken by the French in 1797.

Lorica. A cuirass, or coat of mail worn by the Roman soldiers, was made of various materials. The ordinary kind consisted of a skin, or a piece of strong linen covered with small plates of iron, which resembled both in their shape and in their manner of overlapping each other the scales of a serpent or fish. Sometimes cuirasses or hauberks, composed entirely of iron rings linked together, were worn by the Roman hastati. A less flexible but more impervious defense was the cuirass made of hard leather or of metal, and consisting of two parts (the one covering the breast and abdomen, and the other the back), united by hinges and leathern thongs.

Lorraine (Ger. Lothringen). A former extensive province of France, included in the departments of Vosges, Meurthe, Moselle, and Meuse. Under the Romans it formed part of the Belgic division of Gaul, and was afterwards united to the empire of Charlemagne. It subsequently became a duchy, and passed into possession of the dukes of the house of Austria. In 1836 it was ceded to Stanislas, ex-king of Poland, and after his death passed to the crown of France, from which it was wrested by the Germans at the close of the Franco-German war, May 10, 1871.

Los Angeles. A city, the capital of a county of the same name, in Southern California, about 350 miles southeast of San Francisco. It was captured from the Mexicans by the combined forces of Gen. Kearney and Commodore Stockton in 1846.

Loss. Killed, wounded, and captured persons, or captured property.

Losses. In the British army there is a regular provision made for indemnification for losses by fire, by shipwreck, in action with the enemy, by capture at sea, by destruction or capture of a public store-house, by the destruction of articles or horses, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy, etc. In the United States, it would seem just that Congress should establish some general rule regulating such matters. The principle of settling all such claims by special legislation cannot but bear hardly on a number of individuals, and also probably in the end imposes greater burdens upon the treasury.

Loudon. A parish of Ayrshire, Scotland, 4 miles east from Kilmarnock. In the neighborhood, at Loudon Hall, Bruce, with his forces, encountered the troops of the Earl of Pembroke in 1307.

Loudon-hill. See Drumclog.

Louis, or Knights of St. Louis. The name of a military order in France, instituted by Louis XIV. in 1693. Their collars were of a flame color, and passed from left to right. The king was always grand master.

Louisburg. A famous fortress built by the French soon after the peace of Utrecht (1713) upon the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island. Since the existence of so strong a place threatened the colonial and English fisheries, it was determined in 1745 by the Legislature of Massachusetts Bay (France and Great Britain being then at war) to strike a blow at the town. Accordingly, a force of colonists consisting of 3250 Massachusetts militia, aided by 516 men from Connecticut and 304 from New Hampshire, set sail in 100 vessels, and landed near the town, April 30, 1745. An active but irregular siege (though the men were without tents and the proper means of conducting such operations) was terminated June 17, 1745, by the capitulation of the French under Duchambon. But the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) gave back all Cape Breton to France. The town was invested in 1758 by Gen. Amherst with 14,000 British troops, 20 line ships, 18 frigates and other vessels. After a tremendous bombardment, which quite destroyed the town, and breached the walls badly, the garrison and French fleet surrendered July 26, 1758. The English overthrew the fortifications at an expense of $50,000. The first cost was one hundred times that sum.

Louisiana. One of the Southern or Gulf States of the United States, lying between Arkansas and Mississippi on the north and east, the Gulf of Mexico on the south, and Texas on the west. The country was visited by La Salle, and the mouth of the Mississippi discovered in 1691, and though Iberville attempted to found a colony in 1699, his efforts were not successful. The country was transferred to Spain by France in 1762; restored to France in 1800; and purchased by the United States in 1803. That part of the Territory now known as the State of that name was admitted into the Union in 1812, and was within three years afterwards the scene of the great battle of New Orleans, fought January 8, 1815, between the British troops under Gen. Pakenham, and the Americans under Gen. Jackson, in which the former were defeated with great loss. The State seceded, and was the theatre of many important events during the civil war (1861-65).

Loup des Anciens (Fr.). Was an iron instrument, made in the shape of a tenaille, by means of which they grappled the battering-rams, and broke them in the middle.

Louviers. A town of France, in the department of the Eure, situated on the Eure. It was sacked both by Edward III. and Henry V. of England.

Lover’s War. In French history, a name given to a civil war in the year 1580, during the reign of Henry IV. It was so called because it arose from the jealousies and rivalries of the leaders, who were invited to meet at the palace of the queen-mother.

Loyalist. A person who adheres to his sovereign, or to the constituted authority; especially one who maintains his allegiance to his prince or government, and defends his cause in times of revolt.

Lozenge. In heraldry, a charge generally enumerated among the sub-ordinaries, in the shape of a rhombus placed with the acute angles at top and bottom. The horizontal diameter must be at least equal to the sides, otherwise it is not a lozenge, but a fusil. The term lozengy is applied to a field divided by diagonal lines crossing one another at regular intervals, so as to form a diamond pattern, the compartments being of alternate tinctures.

Lubeck. One of the three cities of the German empire, situated on the river Trave, about 14 miles from the Baltic. Lubeck has existed since the 11th century, and received important privileges from the German emperors in the 12th century, which were confirmed by the Danes, into whose power it fell in 1201. It was declared a free city of the empire in 1226, and thereafter maintained its independence against the Danes, and joined the other towns in the great Hanseatic League (which see). With the decline of the Hanseatic League, it lost its historic importance, but continued to flourish as an independent city, till it was taken and plundered by the French, November 6, 1806. In 1810 it was incorporated with the French empire, and in 1813 the Russians compelled the French to deliver it to its rightful owners; but the French again occupied it, until it was liberated by Sweden. In 1871 it was annexed to the German empire.

Lubny, or Lubnu. A town of European Russia, government of Poltava, or Pultowa, on the Sulla. Charles XII. of Sweden besieged this place for a considerable time, but he did not succeed in taking it.

Lubricant. A greasy substance or mixture of substances placed on the surface or in the cannelures of bullets to lessen friction in the bore. Bayberry tallow, beeswax, Japan wax, stearine, graphite, soapstone, etc., are some of the substances used.

Lucanians. A warlike people of Southern Italy; defeated Alexander of Epirus at Pandosia, 332 B.C.; were subdued by the Romans, 227; revolted after the battle of CannÆ, 216; were reduced by Scipio, 201; again revolted, 90; admitted as Roman citizens in 88.

Luceria (now Lucera). Sometimes called Nuceria, a town in Apulia, on the borders of Samnium. In the war between Rome and Samnium, it was taken by the Samnites, 321 B.C., and next by the Romans, 319; but having revolted to the Samnites in 314, all the inhabitants were massacred by the Romans, and their place supplied by Roman colonists.

Lucknow (Hind. Laksmanavate). A city of British India, capital of Oude, situated on the right bank of the Goomty, 610 miles from Calcutta. In 1857, during the Indian mutiny, this place was besieged by the rebels, but was bravely defended by the troops under Sir Henry Lawrence, and afterwards by Gens. Outram and Havelock. The long-suffering troops and English residents were finally relieved by Sir Colin Campbell, who then effected one of the most masterly retreats on record in the annals of Indian warfare. The British regained possession of it in 1858.

Lucon. A town of France, in the department of VendÉe, situated on the edge of a marshy plain. The Republicans sustained a defeat under the walls of Lucon in 1703, and the insurgent Vendeans besieged the place some months afterwards, but without success.

Ludlow. A municipal and Parliamentary borough of England, in the county of Salop, at the confluence of the Corve and Teme. The castle, now a magnificent ruin, was at one time one of the most important strongholds against the Welsh.

Lugo. A town of Italy, in the province of Ravenna. It was sacked and nearly destroyed by the French in 1796.

Lugs. The ears of a bombshell, to which the hooks are applied in lifting it.

Luncarty. A village of Scotland, 4 miles north from Perth, where the Danes were defeated in 990 by Kenneth III.

Lundy’s Lane, Battle of. Called also the battle of Niagara, and of Bridgewater, was fought on the Canadian frontier within sight and hearing of the Falls, July 25, 1814. In this contest the American troops, numbering about 4500, commanded by Gen. Brown, succeeded, after a display of desperate valor and perseverance, in repulsing about midnight a body of 7000 British, and capturing one of their generals, Riall, and 7 pieces of cannon. The losses on both sides were nearly equal (about 850 killed, wounded, and missing). During the night the Americans fell back to Chippewa, being unable to convey their trophies with them for want of means of transportation, and in the morning when they advanced to Bridgewater Mills they found the enemy again occupying the battle-ground, in possession of their captured cannon, and having been reinforced too strong to be again dislodged. The Americans thus lost all the substantial fruits of the victory.

Lunge (a corruption of allonge). A pass or thrust with a sword; a shove with a boarding-pike.

Lunette. A field-work consisting of two faces forming a salient angle, or one projecting towards the enemy, and two flanks parallel, or nearly so, to the capital or imaginary line bisecting the salient angle. In shape it is like the gable end of a house. It is intended for the defense of avenues, farm-houses, bridges, and the curtains of field-works.

Lunette. An iron ring at the end of the trail of a field-piece, which is placed over the pintle-hook of the limber in limbering up the gun. The term is also applied to the hole through an iron plate on the under side of the stock of a siege-piece, into which the pintle of the limber passes when the piece is limbered.

Lunettons. A smaller sort of lunettes.

LunÉville. A well-built town of France, in the department of the Meurthe. The palace was for many years the residence of Stanislas, king of Poland. The first treaty of Austria and the French republic was signed in this town in 1801.

Lunge. In fencing and bayonet exercise, an extended thrust.

Lunt. The match-cord used for firing cannon.

Lusitania. A district of ancient Hispania, considered in its original meaning as the country of the Lusitani. It now comprises Portugal south of the river Douro, and a large number of provinces in Spain. The Lusitanians, especially those that inhabited the mountains, were much addicted to plunder, were the bravest of all the Iberians, and offered most resistance to the Romans.

Lustration (Lat. lustratio). Sacrifices or ceremonies by which the ancients purified their cities, fields, armies, or people, defiled by any crime or impurity. There were several ways of performing lustration, viz., by fire, by sulphur, by water, and by air. The Roman people underwent a lustration in the Campus Martius, after the census, which was taken every five years (lustrum), had been completed. In the armies, some chosen soldiers, crowned with laurel, led the victims—a cow, a sheep, and a bull—thrice round the army ranged in battle-array in the field of Mars, to which deity the victims were subsequently sacrificed, after many imprecations had been invoked upon the enemies of the Romans. The Gothic kings abolished these ceremonies when they became masters of Rome.

Lutter. A town of Germany, 23 miles southwest from Brunswick, in the Hartz district. Christian IV., king of Denmark, was defeated near this town by Tilly in 1626.

Lutzen. A small town of Prussia, province of Saxony, famous for two great battles fought in its vicinity. The first took place on November 16, 1632, between the Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus and the Imperialists under Wallenstein; Gustavus Adolphus was killed, but the victory was gained by the Swedes. The second great battle was fought on May 2, 1813, somewhat farther to the south, at the village of GroszgÖrschen. It was the first great conflict of the united Russian and Prussian armies with the army of Napoleon in that decisive campaign. The allies gained at first great successes; but the French were left in possession of the field at the close of the day.

Luxemburg. The capital of the grand duchy of Luxemburg, situated on the Else, or Alzette. The Spaniards, Austrians, French, and Dutch, who successively held possession of the town, so increased and strengthened its fortifications that in the beginning of the 19th century it was considered to be, with the exception of Gibraltar, the strongest fortress in Europe. In 1867 it was declared neutral ground.

Lycaniens (Fr.). Hungarian light infantry are so called.

Lydda. An ancient town of Palestine, which stood in the fertile plain of Sharon, about 9 miles from Joppa. It was rebuilt by Hadrian, and its name changed to Diosopolis, “the city of Zeus.” It was destroyed by a Mongol tribe in 1271. The modern village of Ludd occupies its site.

Lyers, Out-. See Out-lyers.

Lying. To be actually stationed or quartered in a given place. In-lying and out-lying pickets. See Picket.

Lying Out of Quarters. See Appendix, Articles of War, 31.

Lyman Gun. See Multi-charge Guns.

Lyon, or Lord Lyon King-at-Arms. The chief heraldic officer for Scotland, whose title is derived from the lion rampant in the royal escutcheon. The Scottish king-at-arms has, unlike his brother-kings of England, from an early period exercised jurisdiction independently of the constable and marshal, holding office directly from the sovereign by commission under the Great Seal. In early times he was occasionally designated the Lord Lyon; but the now prevalent custom of so calling him seems to have arisen from the circumstance that, since 1796, the office has been held by a peer. According to Nesbet, the Lyon has precedence of all knights and gentlemen not being officers of state, or senators of the College of Justice. Since the Union, he has ranked next to Garter; Clarencieux and Norroy follow; then Ulster; but it has sometimes been maintained that within Ireland, Ulster has place next after Lyon. The Lyon is king-at-arms to the order of the Thistle.

Lyons, or Lyon (anc. Lugdunum). A city of France, capital of the department of the RhÔne, situated at the confluence of the RhÔne and SaÔne. A Roman colony is said to have been established here in 43 B.C. The city was destroyed by fire in the time of Seneca, but was shortly after restored by Nero to its former splendor. It was plundered and again burnt by the soldiers of Septimius Severus, after the defeat of Albinus near it in 197 A.D. In 1793, the city having refused to submit to the Convention, sustained a memorable siege from August 8 to October 9, on which date it was taken, and suffered severely at the hands of the republicans.