Persia(Per.Iran). A country of Asia, which may be considered as the most opulent and powerful of any that lie to the west of India; it is bounded on the west by Turkey in Asia, north by Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Asiatic Russia, east by Afghanistan and Beloochistan, and south by the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The Persians, as a nation, first rose into notice on the ruins of the great empires founded on the Euphrates. Babylon was taken by Cyrus in 638B.C., and soon after he extended it more widely than any that had been previously established in the world. It comprised, on one side, the west of India, and on the other, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt; and the valor, indeed, with which the Greeks defended their small territory, alone prevented him from annexing a considerable part of Europe to his domains. After a feeble struggle, it succumbed to the brave and disciplined armies of Alexander, who won the entire empire of Darius Codomanus for his own by force of arms, in 331. After his death, his immense possessions were divided among his generals; but Greeks and Greek sovereigns continued during several centuries to reign over Western Asia. About 2B.C.Artaxerxes founded the monarchy of the Parthians; and in 3A.D.the dynasty of the Sassanidæ arose, who restored the name, with the religion and laws, of ancient Persia. They were overthrown by the Mohammedan invaders, who suffered in their turn from the successive invasions of the country by the descendants of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, and the Turks, who entirely changed the aspect of Western Asia. At length, in 1501, a native dynasty again arose, under Ismael Shah, who placed himself on the throne. After the reign of Abbas the Great, who died in 1628, the princes of the Safi dynasty became enervated by luxury and dissipation, and Persia, in the beginning of the last century, was overrun by the Afghans, who carried fire and sword throughout the whole country, and reduced its proudest capitals to ashes. The atrocities of the Afghans were avenged, and the independence of Persia vindicated, by Nadir Shah; but though the victories of this daring chief threw a lustre on his country, it was almost torn to pieces after his death by civil war, till the fortune of arms gave a decided superiority to Kerim Khan. His death gave rise to another disputed succession, with civil wars as furious as before. At length Aga-Mohammed, a eunuch, raised himself in 1795 by crimes and daring to the sovereignty, and not only held it during his lifetime, but transmitted it to his nephew, who assumed the title of Feth Ali Shah, and subdued the rebellious tribes in Khorassan, but was dragged into a war with Russia, in which he lost the power of Derbend and several districts on the Kur. In 1848, Nasr-ed-Din, the great-grandson of Feth Ali, succeeded to the throne, and in consequence of the capture of Herat by the Persians in 1856, war was declared against them by Great Britain. Bushire was occupied, and the Persian troops were twice defeated by Gen. Outram at Kooshab and Mohammerah in the following year. These victories were followed by the conclusion of a treaty of peace, April, 1857, and the evacuation of Herat by the Persians in the month of July.
Personnel(Fr.). All the officers and men, military and civil, composing an army, or any part of one, as opposed tomatériel.
Personnel of a Battery.All officers and men necessary for the manœuvre, management, and care of a battery.
Perspective.Is the art of drawing the resemblance of objects on a plane surface, as the objects themselves appear to the eye, etc.
Perth.The principal town of Perthshire, and formerly the metropolis of Scotland, situated on the Tay, which is crossed here by a fine stone bridge, 33 miles from Edinburgh. It is one of the most ancient towns of Scotland. It is a generally received opinion that Perth was built and fortified by Agricola, who erected a citadel to maintain his conquests, and check the wild spirit of the savage natives. In 1298, after the battle of Falkirk, Edward I. fortified Perth and rebuilt the walls in the strongest manner. The worthy burgesses of this town seem to have been men of mettle in those days, and on various occasions sallying forth from behindtheir walls, set fire to the castles of their haughty neighbors, when the latter had forbidden their vassals to carry provisions to the city. In the year 1311, Robert Bruce laid siege to the town, but was obliged to withdraw his troops, after various unsuccessful attempts to take it; but subsequently, choosing a dark night, he led a selected band of determined men against it, scaled the walls, and carried the town sword in hand, the king himself being the second man who entered the place. About the beginning of the 14th century, the famous combat between the Clan Chattan and the Clan Quhele, or Clan Kay, took place on the North Inch, and was decided in favor of the former, partly by the bravery of a citizen or burgess called Harry Wind, whom the chief of the Clan Chattan had engaged on the spot to supply the place of one of his men who had failed to appear. In 1544, the regent, at the instigation of Cardinal Bethune, turned Lord Ruthven, provost of the town, out of his office, and conferred it upon Chartres of Kinfauns. The citizens, however, resisted the attempt, and repulsed, in a smart skirmish, the cardinal’s nominee, who came to enter upon his duties at the head of an armed force. In 1559, after a riotous insurrection, during which the Catholic churches were demolished, the queen determined to inflict the severest vengeance on the Reformers. Both parties took the field; negotiations ensued; Perth was thrown open to the queen, and occupied by a French garrison. Relief from the insolence and exactions of the garrison was only obtained after a regular siege by the Reformers. On June 26, Lord Ruthven attacked the town on the west, and Provost Halyburton of Dundee fired into it from the bridge, and speedily obliged the garrison to capitulate. Subsequently, Argyle, and Stewart, prior of St. Andrews, marched out of Perth with 300 citizens, resolved to prosecute the Reformation, or perish in the attempt. The people joined them everywhere as they proceeded, and before they reached Stirling their numbers had increased to 5000. The gates of Stirling and every other town in their way were thrown open to receive them. They, without violence, took possession of Edinburgh, cast the images out of its churches, and placed in them ministers of the Reformation.
Peru.A republic of South America, formed out of the former Spanish viceroyalty of the same name. The first information received of the country by the Spaniards was obtained from a young cacique in the neighborhood of the Isthmus of Darien about the year 1511. In 1513, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa crossed the mountains which separated the two oceans, and took possession of the Pacific in the name of the king of Castile. He extended his discoveries many leagues southward, but appears not to have reached the territory of Peru. In 1525, Francisco Pizarro, a soldier of mean birth but of daring spirit, who had accompanied Balboa in the previous expedition, embarking at Panama with about 100 men, landed in Peru, and spent three years in exploring the country. Having returned to Spain with presents of gold and jewels for the king, he was sent out with orders to effect the conquest of the newly-discovered country. Recrossing the ocean with 180 men and 27 horses, he again set sail from Panama, and receiving some further reinforcements at Puerto Viejo and Puna, now considered himself in a fit position to enter upon the proper scene of his labors. He accordingly crossed over to Tumbez, and there learned that the country had for some time been distracted by a civil war between Huascar and Atahuallpa, two sons of the late inca. Pizarro saw at once the importance to him and his cause of this state of the country. After some time spent in reconnoitring, he fixed upon a fertile spot in the rich valley of Tangarala as a site for a settlement. Here he established a town which he called San Miguel. On September 24, 1532, leaving 50 men as a guard for this new settlement, he started out with 167 men, 67 of whom were cavalry, to meet the inca Atahuallpa, who now victorious over his brother was encamped with his army about ten or twelve days’ journey off. His force was everywhere received with kindness; an envoy from the inca was sent with presents to meet and invite him to an interview at Caxamarca. The Spaniards arrived here November 15, 1532, and treacherously prepared to use the unsuspecting kindness of the Peruvians as the means of their destruction. When at the appointed time the inca accompanied by his nobles and retinue was proceeding to the place of interview, he and his followers were assailed by the Spaniards who were concealed in the neighboring buildings, thousands of the unsuspecting and unarmed natives were slain, and Atahuallpa himself taken prisoner. An immense ransom was offered for him; it was accepted by Pizarro, who, however, basely refused to give up his prisoner, but after a mockery of a trial put him to death. For many years the country was in a state of war and anarchy, resulting finally in Pizarro becoming master of Peru in 1546, and it became a viceroyalty of Spain. In its subsequent history there is matter of little interest till the war of independence, which was proclaimed in 1821 by Gen. San Martin, and successfully terminated by Bolivar, who, after a succession of engagements, the most notable of which was that of Ayacucho (which see), finally drove the Spaniards from Callao, their last stronghold, July 29, 1826. The country has since on several occasions been the scene of those insurrections to which the states of Spanish America have been subject. In 1879 war was proclaimed between Peru and Chili, which has recently terminated in a complete victory for the latter.
Perugia(anc.Perusia). A city of Central Italy, 10 miles east of the lake of the same name, and 85 north of Rome. It formed in ancient times one of the twelve Etrurian republics. In conjunction with other cities of Etruria, it long resisted the power of the Romans, but was finally ruined by the latter, having been defeated in two engagements, 309 and 295B.C., and becoming subject to Rome in 294. It is memorable in the civil wars as the refuge of L. Antonius, the brother of the triumvir, when unable to oppose the progress of Octavianus. It was held by the latter for some months and was compelled to surrender through famine, and burned to the ground in 40B.C.It was afterwards rebuilt by Augustus, and was captured by the Goths under Totila at the fall of the Western empire. It was afterwards united to the Papal States, and in 1860 became part of the kingdom of Italy.
Perugia, Lake of.SeeTrasimenus Lacus.
Perusia.SeePerugia.
Pescara.A town of Italy, province of Chieti. It was formerly strongly fortified, and has stood many sieges.
Peschiera.A frontier town and fortress of Italy, in Lombardy, at the south extremity of the Lake of Garda, 20 miles north-northwest from Mantua. Peschiera commands the right bank of the river Mincio. During the French republican war, it was a simple pentagon. Its fortifications, however, have been greatly strengthened by the Austrians. It is defended by walls and by forts, lunettes, fosses, and a covered way; and the purpose which it is mainly intended to serve, besides that of forming an intrenched camp capable of accommodating a considerable number of troops, is to harass an army attempting to cross the Mincio by Goito or Valeggio. It has been taken frequently by siege, by the French in 1796; by the Austrians and Russians, 1799; by the French again, 1801; given up by them, 1814; taken by the Sardinian troops under Charles Albert, May 30, 1848; retaken by Radetzky, 1849. It was invested by the Sardinians in June, 1859, after the battle of Solferino. The conclusion of the treaty of Villafranca, however (July 11, 1859), relieved Peschiera from a siege, and it was included in the kingdom of Italy by treaty of Vienna, 1866.
Peshawur.A city of British India, capital of the province of Peshawur (or Peshawer), about 18 miles east of the eastern extremity of the Khyber Pass. It was founded by the Mogul emperor Akbar. Runjeet Singh took it after his victory over the Afghans at Noushera, and destroyed many of its finest buildings.
Pesth.A city of Hungary, situated on the Danube, opposite to Buda, with which it is connected by a bridge of boats three-quarters of a mile in length. It was repeatedly taken and besieged in the wars of Hungary, particularly in the long contests with the Turks. The great insurrection broke out here September 28, 1848. Buda-Pesth was taken by the Imperialists, January 5, 1849. The Hungarians afterwards defeated the Austrians, who were obliged to evacuate it April 18, 1849; but the latter, under Gen. Hentzi, occupied Buda, and a severe contest began between the two parties. On May 4, Görgei, with an army of 40,000 Hungarians, occupied the heights above Buda, and began to bombard that town; while the Austrians in their turn directed their artillery against the lower city of Pesth. On May 16, the Hungarians made an unsuccessful attack on Buda, but on the 20th the place was taken by assault, after an obstinate and bloody struggle.
Pestle.An instrument used in the fabrication of gunpowder.
Petards.Are instruments used for blowing open gates, demolishing palisades, etc. They consist of a half-cone of thick iron, filled with powder and ball; they are usually fastened to a plank, and the latter is provided with hooks to allow of its being attached securely to a gate, etc. The petard has been almost universally superseded by the use of powder-bags.
Petardeer, orPetardier. One who manages petards.
Petelia, orPetilia(nowStrongoli). An ancient Greek town on the eastern coast of Bruttium; founded, according to tradition, by Philoctetes. It was situated north of Croton, to whose territory it originally belonged, but it was afterward conquered by the Lucanians. It remained faithful to the Romans when the other cities of Bruttium revolted to Hannibal, and it was not till after a long and desperate resistance that it was taken by one of Hannibal’s generals.
Peterero, orPedrero. A short piece of chambered ordnance was formerly so called.
Petersburg.A city of Dinwiddie Co., Va., on the south bank of the Appomattox River, about 25 miles from Richmond. The city is one of historic interest. It was twice occupied by the British forces as headquarters during the Revolutionary war; but it is principally noted as the scene of several sanguinary encounters during the civil war, and for the obstinate and bloody defense which it made. On June 15-16, 1864, two formidable assaults were made on it by the Army of the Potomac under Gen. Grant, but they were repulsed with heavy loss. It was then determined to invest the city, which was done a few days later. On July 30, another attempt was made to take it by storm, but without success. The siege was prolonged with many indecisive operations until April 3, 1865, after a week’s bombardment it was evacuated by Gen. Lee, who surrendered six days later.
Petersburg, St.The capital and most populous city of the Russian empire, at the mouth of the Neva in the Gulf of Finland, 16 miles east of Cronstadt, and 400 miles northwest of Moscow. It was founded by Peter the Great, May 27, 1703. The peaceof St. Petersburg, between Russia and Prussia, the former restoring all her conquests to the latter, was signed May 5, 1762. Treaty of St. Petersburg for the partition of Poland, August 5, 1772. Treaty of St. Petersburg, led to a coalition against France, September 8, 1805. Treaty of Alliance, signed at St. Petersburg, between Bernadotte, prince royal of Sweden, and the emperor Alexander; the former agreeing to join in the campaign against France, in return for which Sweden was to receive Norway, March 24, 1812.
Peterwalden(Germany), Convention of. Between Great Britain and Russia, by which a firm and decisive alliance between these powers was made against France and the course of action against Napoleon Bonaparte was planned, signed July 8, 1813. This alliance led to the overthrow of Bonaparte in the next year.
Peterwardein, orVaradin. The capital town of Slavonia, Austria, and the strongest fortress on the Danube, is situated on a scarped rock, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite Neusatz, with which town it is connected by a bridge of boats, defended by a strongtête-de-pont, 44 miles northwest of Belgrade. It is the residence of the general commandant of the Slavonian military frontier, and of several subordinate military authorities. It derives its present name from Peter the Hermit, who here marshaled the soldiers of the first Crusade. Peterwardein was taken by the Turks, July, 1526. In 1688, the fortifications were blown up by the Imperialists, and the town was soon after burned to the ground by the Turks; but at the peace of Passarowitz, on July 21, 1718, it remained in the possession of the emperor. It was here that, on August 5, 1716, the Austrians, under Prince Eugène, obtained a great victory over the Turks under Grand Vizer Ali; the latter then lost their last footing in Central Europe.
Petra.TheSelaof the Old Testament, the chief town of Arabia Petræa, once the capital of the Idumeans, and subsequently of the Nabatæi. It was subdued by A. Cornelius Palma, a lieutenant of Trajan’s, and remained under the dominion of the Romans a considerable time, and its destruction is supposed at length to have been wrought by the Mohammedans.
Petra.An ancient town of Colchis, in the land of the Lazi, founded by Joannes Tzibus, a general of Justinian, to keep these people in subjection. It was situated on a rock near the coast, and was very strongly fortified. It was taken by Chosroes in 541A.D., and its subsequent siege by the Romans is described by Gibbon as one of the most remarkable actions of the age. The first siege was relieved; but it was again attacked by the Romans, and was at length taken by assault, after a long protracted resistance, in 551A.D.It was then destroyed by the Romans, and from that time disappears from history.
Petra.An ancient and strong fortress in Sogdiana, held by Arimazes when Alexander attacked it.
Petronel(Fr.petrinal, orpoitronal). A piece between a carbine and a pistol (with a wheel-lock), which was used by the French during the reign of Francis I.; it was held against the breast when fired. To prevent any injury from its recoil, the soldier who used it was provided with a pad.
Petropaulovski.A fortified town on the east coast of Kamtschatka, was attacked by an English and French squadron August 30, 1854. They destroyed the batteries, and a party of 700 sailors and marines landed to assault the place, but fell into an ambuscade, and many were killed. After this the Russians greatly strengthened their defenses, but on May 30, 1855, the allied squadron in the Pacific arriving here found the place deserted. The fortifications were destroyed, but the town was spared.
Pettah.In Southern India, a term applied to theenceinteof a town, as distinguished from the fortress by which it is protected.
Pettman Fuze.SeeFuze.
Pfaffendorf and Liegnitz.SeeLiegnitz.
Pfedersheim.A town of Germany, in Hesse-Darmstadt, 4 miles northwest from Worms. A battle was fought here, in 1555, which brought the “Peasants’ war†to a termination.
Phalanx.The ancient Greek formation for heavy infantry, which won for itself a reputation of invincibility. It may be described as a line of parallel columns, rendered by its depth and solidity capable of penetrating any line of troops. The oldest phalanx was the Lacedæmonian, or Spartan, in which the soldiers stood 8 deep, but this was reduced to 4 men by Miltiades, in order to increase his front at the battle of Marathon, 480B.C.The Macedonian phalanx, as the latest form that organization assumed, and as the shape in which the phalanx encountered the military skill of the West, is deserving of description. The line was 16 deep: a grand-phalanx comprising 16,384 men, composed of four phalanxes or divisions, each under a general officer, called aphalangarch; his command was divided into two brigades, ormerarchies, each of these comprising two regiments, orchiliarches, of four battalions, orsyntagmata, each, and each syntagma of 16 men each way, making a perfect square. The Roman legion was far superior to the phalanx.
Phalsbourg.A strong town of Alsace, department of La Meurthe, Northeast France. It was ceded to France in 1661, and its fortress erected by Vauban, 1679. It checked the progress of the victorious allies both in 1814 and 1815, and withstood the Germans from August 16 to December 12, 1870, when it capitulated unconditionally.
Pharax.One of the council of ten appointed by the Spartans in 418B.C.to control Agis. At the battle of Mantinea inthat year, he restrained the Lacedæmonians from pressing too much on the defeated enemy, and so running the risk of driving them to despair. In 396B.C.he laid siege with 120 ships to Caunus, where Conon was stationed, but was compelled to withdraw by the approach of a large force.
Pharsalus(nowFersala, orPharsalia). Anciently a town of Thessaly, to the south of Larissa, on the river Enipeus, a branch of the Peneus (now the Salambria), and historically notable mainly for the great battle fought here between Cæsar and Pompey, August 9, 48B.C.Pompey had about 45,000 legionaries, 7000 cavalry, and a great number of light-armed auxiliaries. Cæsar had 22,000 legionaries and 1000 German and Gallic cavalry. The battle-cry of Cæsar’s army was “Venus victrix†that of Pompey’s “Hercules invictus.†Cæsar’s right wing began the battle by an attack on the left wing of Pompey, which was speedily routed. Pompey fled into the camp, and his army broke up; Cæsar’s troop stormed his camp about mid-day, and he himself, awaking as from stupefaction, fled to Larissa, whither Cæsar followed him next day. Cæsar lost about 1200 men. On Pompey’s side about 6000 legionaries fell in battle, and more than 24,000 who had fled, were taken, whom Cæsar pardoned and distributed among his troops.
Pheon.In heraldry, the barbed iron head of a dart; used also as a royal mark, to denote crown property, and termed thebroad, orbroad arrow.
Philadelphia.A city and metropolis of Pennsylvania, situated between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. The city was settled and planned by William Penn in 1682, and its name (City of Brotherly Love) given through the Society of Friends, of whom he was the great leader in America. It had a prominent position in the Revolution, and was in possession of the British troops after the disastrous battles of Brandywine and Germantown, until 1778. Being the second city of the United States in wealth and importance, it has been ever forward in promoting her interests.
Philibeg.SeeFillibeg.
Philiphaugh.Near Selkirk, Southern Scotland, where the Marquis of Montrose and the royalists were defeated by David Leslie and the Scotch Covenanters, September 13, 1645.
Philippi.A city of Macedonia. It was named after Philip II. of Macedon, who conquered it from Thrace. Here Antony and Octavianus, in two battles, defeated the republican forces of Cassius and Brutus, who both committed suicide, October, 42B.C.; this ended the republican government of Rome.
Phocæa.The most northern of the cities of Ionia, was situated about 25 miles northwest from Smyrna. It was founded by a colony of Phocians, led by two Athenians, Philogenes and Damon. Its citizens are said to have been the first among the Greeks who extended their commercial voyages to great distances; and its inhabitants abandoned their city rather than submit to the Persians, 544B.C.They settled in Italy, and founded Velia. Massilia in France, and Alalia in Corsica, were colonies of the Phocæans.
Phocis.A province of Greece Proper, or Hellas, bounded on the north by the Ozolian Lokri, on the north by Doris, on the east by the Opuntian Lokri, and on the south by the Gulf of Corinth. During the Peloponnesian war, the Phocians were close allies of the Athenians. In 357B.C.they seized Delphi, and commenced the second Sacred war. They were opposed by Thebes and other states, and were utterly subdued by Philip II. of Macedon in 346.
Phœnicia.Is the name given by the Greeks and Romans to a certain territory situated about 34°-36° N. lat., bounded by the Mediterranean on the west, by Syria to the north and east, and Judæa to the south. Its length may be said to have been about 200 miles, while its breadth never exceeded 20 miles. The natives were the most eminent navigators and traders of antiquity; their cities or allied states being Tyre, Sidon, Berytus, Tripolis, Byblos, and Ptolemais, or Acre. From the 19th to the 13th centuryB.C., they established colonies on the shores or isles of the Mediterranean, Carthage, Hippo, Utica, Gades, Panormus, and are said to have visited the British Isles. Phœnicia was conquered by Cyrus, 537B.C.; by Alexander, 332; by the Romans, 47; and after partaking of the fortunes of Palestine, was added to the Ottoman empire, 1516.
Phous-dan.An East Indian term for a commander of a large body of forces.
Phrygia.A country of Asia Minor. According to the division of the provinces under the Roman empire, Phrygia formed the eastern part of the province of Asia, and was bounded on the west by Mysia, Lydia, and Caria, on the south by Lycia and Pisidia, on the east by Lycaonia (which is often reckoned as a part of Phrygia) and Galatia (which formerly belonged to Phrygia), and on the north by Bithynia. The kingdom of Phrygia was conquered by Crœsus, and formed part of the Persian, Macedonian, and Syro-Grecian empires; but, under the last, the northwestern part was conquered by the Gauls; and a part west of this was subjected by the kings of Bithynia; this last portion was the object of a contest between the kings of Bithynia and Pergamus. The whole of Phrygia was assigned by the Romans to the kingdom of Pergamus, after the overthrow of Antiochus the Great in 190B.C.
Piacenza(anc.Placentia). A city of Northern Italy, in the province of the same name, on the right bank of the Po, 2 miles below the confluence of the Trebbia. It is of an oblong form, surrounded by ancient walls and ditches, and defended by a citadel, which was garrisoned by the Austrians till1859. Piacenza is first mentioned in 219B.C., when a Roman colony was settled there. In 200B.C.it was plundered and burned by the Gauls, but rapidly recovered its prosperity, and was long an important military station. It was the western terminus of the great Æmilian road, which began at Ariminum on the Adriatic. In later history, it plays an important part as one of the independent Lombard cities.
Pianosa.An island in the Mediterranean, about 10 miles south-southwest of Elba. Pianosa was annexed to Elba and granted to Napoleon I. after his first abdication.
Pibroch(Gael.piobaireachd). A wild, irregular species of music, peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland. It is performed on a bagpipe, and adapted to excite or assuage passion, and particularly to rouse a martial spirit among troops going to battle.
Picador(Sp.). A horseman armed with a lance, who commences the exercises of a bull-fight by attacking the animal without attempting to kill him.
Picardy.An ancient province in the north of France, was bounded on the west by the English Channel, and on the east by Champagne. The name does not occur till the 13th century. It was conquered by the English in 1346, and by the Duke of Burgundy in 1417, to whom it was ceded by the treaty of Arras, September 21, 1435, and annexed to France by Louis XI., 1463.
Picaroon.A pillager, one who plunders; one who violates the laws.
Picentia(Picentinus; nowAcerno). A town in the south of Campania, at the head of the Sinus Pæstanus, and between Salernum and the frontiers of Lucania, the inhabitants of which were compelled by the Romans, in consequence of their revolt to Hannibal, to abandon their town and live in the neighboring villages. Between the town and the frontiers of Lucania, there was an ancient temple of the Argive Juno, said to have been founded by Jason, the Argonaut. The name of Picentia was not confined to the inhabitants of Picentia, but was given to the inhabitants of the whole coast of the Sinus Pæstanus, from the promontory of Minerva to the river Silarus. They were a portion of the Sabine Picentes, who were transplanted by the Romans to this part of Campania after the conquest of Picenum, 268B.C., at which time they founded the town of Picentia.
Picentines(Picentes). A Sabine tribe, subdued by the Romans, and their capital, Asculum, taken, 268B.C.They began the Social war in 90, and were conquered in 89B.C.
Picenum.An ancient province of Italy, was bounded on the north by the Galli Senones, on the west by the Umbrians and Sabines, on the south by the Vestini, and on the east by the Adriatic Sea. The Picentes, its inhabitants, remained long in undisturbed tranquillity, while the neighboring tribes were vainly struggling against the all-usurping ambition of Rome. That power condescended in 299B.C.to enter into an alliance with them. Even when they were at length obliged, in 268B.C., to bow before the resistless destinies of the Romans, they suffered little injury. It was not until the outbreak of the Social war, in 90B.C., that the Picentes appear to have experienced the toils and calamities of a great struggle. Then they assumed an active and zealous part in the general revolt against Rome. Their capital city, Asculum, gave the signal of insurrection, by assassinating the Roman proconsul. Their armies kept the Roman general Cn. Pompeius Strabo for a long time at bay. Nor when the tide of battle began to turn against them did their courage waver. They continued to fight until 89B.C., and were put down by sheer force.
Pichegru’s Conspiracy.SeeGeorges Conspiracy.
Pickeer.To pillage; to pirate. To skirmish, as soldiers on the outpost of an army, or in pillaging parties.
Picker.A small, pointed brass wire, which was formerly supplied to every infantry soldier for the purpose of cleaning the vent of his musket.
Picket.A detachment composed of cavalry or infantry, whose principal duty is to guard an army from surprise and oppose such small parties as the enemy may push forward for the purpose of reconnoitring.
Picket.A sharp stake used for securing the fascines of a battery, or fastening the tent-ropes of a camp, etc.
Picket.To fortify with pickets or pointed stakes. Also, to fasten to a picket, as a horse while grazing.
Picket, Inlying.SeeInlying Picket.
Picket, Outlying.Is a detachment of troops, sometimes with light guns, posted on the front and flanks of an army in the field, in order to guard against surprise, and to keep reconnoitring parties at a proper distance.
Picket-guard.A guard of horse and foot, always in readiness in case of alarm.
Picket-line.A rope to which horses are secured when groomed.
Picket-line.A position held and guarded by small bodies of men placed at intervals.
Picket-pin.An iron pin with a ring at the top. It is driven in the ground and the lariat is attached to it to secure a horse while grazing.
Pickets, Tracing.SeeTracing Pickets.
Picqueering,Pickering, orPickerooning. A little flying skirmish, which marauders make when detached for pillage, or before a main battle.
Picrate.SeeExplosives.
Picric Acid.SeeExplosives.
Picric Powder.SeeExplosives.
Picts(Picti). The ancient inhabitants of the northeast provinces of Scotland. The Pictish territory extended along the wholesea-coast from the Firth of Forth to the Pentland Firth. It was bounded on the west by the country of the Scots, which extended along the western coast from the Firth of Clyde to the modern Ross-shire; but the precise line between the two nations cannot be ascertained. The country of the Picts was bounded on the south by the Firth of Forth and the province of Lothian, then possessed by the English; while the country of the Scots had for its southern boundaries the Firth of Clyde and the kingdom of Cumbria, held by the independent Britons. In the middle of the 7th century, a portion of the southern province of the Pictish territories was subdued by Oswy, king of Northumbria. Egfrid, Oswy’s son and successor, seems to have contemplated the subjugation of the whole Pictish kingdom. He advanced northwards with his army; Brude, son of Bili, king of the Picts, retreating before him. The English sovereign passed the Tay, and the Picts made a stand at Nechtansmere, supposed to be Dunnichen, in Anchus; the English were utterly defeated, and their king slain, May 20, 685. The most active of all the Pictish sovereigns was Hungus, son of Urgust, who succeeded, in 730, and reigned for thirty years. He was in constant wars with the Scots, the Britons, and the English, in which he was generally victorious. After his death the kingdom began to decline. Between 838 and 842, the Scots under Kenneth II. totally subdued the Picts, and seized all their kingdom. Their incursions in England led to the Saxon invasion.
Picts’ Wall.One of the barriers erected by the Romans across the northern part of England to restrain the incursions of thePicts(which see).
Piece.A general name for any kind of ordnance or musket.
Piece.In heraldry, an ordinary or charge; as, the fesse, the bend, the pale, the bar, the cross, the saltire, the chevron, are called honorablepieces.
Piece, Battering-.SeeBattering-pieces.
Piece, Field-.SeeField-piece.
Piedmont.An Italian principality, which now forms the northwest part of the kingdom of Italy. In 1796 it was seized by the French, and parceled out into six departments, five being incorporated with France, and one with the kingdom of Italy, but after the fall of Napoleon, the house of Savoy recovered possession of it. Since 1860 the name Piedmont, as a provincial designation, has been disused; and in the new division of Italy into provinces, the boundaries of Piedmont as a distinct country have been disregarded.
Piegans.A tribe of Blackfeet Indians, numbering about 2000, who reside in Montana, and were frequently at war with the Shoshones, Flat Heads, and Gros Ventres. Like the majority of nomadic tribes, they at various times make raids on the settlers, and as a natural result require the correctionary discipline of the military forces. In 1870 they were severely punished by Col. Baker, and, owing to disease and pestilence, they will probably soon cease to exist.
Pierced.In heraldry, a term used to indicate that a charge is perforated so as to show the field beneath it. The aperture is presumed to be circular, unless some other form, as square-pierced or lozenge-pierced, be specified in the blazon.
Piercer.SeeOrdnance, Construction of, Boring and Turning.
Pieria.A narrow slip of country on the southeastern coast of Macedonia, extending from the mouth of the Peneus in Thessaly to the Haliacmon, and bounded on the west by Mount Olympus and its offshoots. The inhabitants of this country, the Pieres, were a Thracian people, and are celebrated in the early history of Greek poetry and music. After the establishment of the Macedonian kingdom in Emathia in the 7th centuryB.C., Pieria was conquered by the Macedonians, and the inhabitants were driven out of the country.
Pierrier.Was a term originally applied to an engine for casting stones; then to a small kind of cannon; now to a mortar for discharging stones, etc.
Piers.The columns upon which a bridge is erected.
Pies(Fr.). Counts palatine who were created in 1560, by Pope Pius IV., and who had precedence at Rome over knights of the Teutonic order and order of Malta.
Pike,Pikeman. Previously to the use of the bayonet, infantry of the line—that is, the heavy-armed troops—were from the earliest times armed with pikes or spears. The Macedonians carried pikes 24 feet long; those of modern warfare averaged 12 or 14 feet. They were of stout wood, and tipped with a flat iron spear-head, which sometimes had cutting edges. As a defense against cavalry, the pike, from its length and rigidity, was of great value; but though it long survived the introduction of gunpowder, that event was really fatal to it. For success with the pike, especially in offensive war, a depth of several men was essential, and this depth rendered the fire of artillery peculiarly fatal. The pike is now superseded by the bayonet on the end of the musket.
Pikestaff.The wooden pole or handle of a pike.
Pile.A beam of wood driven into the ground to form a solid foundation for building. Also a heap, as a pile of balls. Balls are piled according to kind and caliber, under cover if practicable, in a place where there is a free circulation of air, to facilitate which the piles should be made narrow if the locality permits; the width of the bottom tier may be from twelve to fourteen balls, according to the caliber. Prepare the ground for the base of the pile by raising it above the surrounding ground so as to throw off the water; level it, ram it well, and cover it with a layer of screened sand. Make thebottom of the pile with a tier of unserviceable balls buried about two-thirds of their diameter in the sand; this base may be made permanent; clean the base well and form the pile, putting the fuze-holes of shells downwards, in theintervals, and not resting on the shells below. Each pile is marked with the number of serviceable balls it contains. The base may be made of bricks, concrete, stone, or with borders and braces of iron. Grape- and canister-shot should be oiled or lackered, put in piles, or in strong boxes, on the ground-floor, or in dry cellars; each parcel marked with its kind, caliber, and number.
Pile.In heraldry, one of the lesser ordinaries, having the form of a wedge, usually placed pale-wise, with the broadest end uppermost, resembling a pile used in laying the foundations of buildings in watery places, whence it has its name.
Pile.The head of an arrow was formerly so called.
Pile Arms, To.To place three guns together in such a manner that they may stand upright steadily. Also calledstack arms.
Pile-bridge.A bridge of which the piers are built with piles. These may be either temporary wooden structures, in which wooden piles, driven into the ground, serve also as piers, or they may be permanent bridges, with iron cylinders forming the piles below the surface, and piers above.
Piletus.A kind of arrow formerly used, having a knob upon the shaft, near the head, to prevent it from penetrating the object aimed at too deeply.
Piling Balls.SeePile.
Pillage.The act of plundering. Also that which is taken from another by open force, particularly and chiefly from enemies in war; plunder; spoil.
Pillage.To strip of money or goods by open violence; to plunder; to spoil; as, troops pillage the camp or towns of an enemy.
Pillnitz, orPilnitz. A palace and ordinary summer residence of the royal family of Saxony, in a beautiful situation 7 miles southeast of Dresden. Pillnitz acquires a historic interest from the meeting of princes held in the castle in August, 1791, when the Declaration of Pillnitz was framed, according to which Austria and Prussia agreed to declare the circumstances of the king of France (then a prisoner in the Tuileries, after his ineffective flight to Varennes) to be a matter of common interest to the sovereigns of Europe, and to express the hope that common cause would be made for his restoration. The convention of Pillnitz took place between the emperor Leopold and the king of Prussia, July 20, 1791. On August 27, 1791, the treaty of Pillnitz, or as some style it, the Partition Treaty, was finally agreed upon at Pavia by the courts in concert. It was to the effect “that the emperor should retake all that Louis XIV. had conquered in the Austrian Netherlands, and uniting these provinces to the Netherlands, give them to his serene highness the elector palatine, to be added to the palatinate; Bavaria to be added to Austrian possessions,†etc.
Pillow, Fort.SeeFort Pillow.
Pilon(Fr.). A half-pike, 7 feet long exclusive of the iron, which was 18 inches. It consisted of a fir tube covered with parchment and varnished. Marshal Saxe proposed to draw up an army four deep, the two front ranks armed with muskets, and the two rear with pilons and muskets too.
Pilum.A missile weapon, used by the Roman soldiers, and in a charge darted upon the enemy. Each man of the legionary soldiers carried two of these pila.
Pimas, orNévomes. A tribe of aborigines, about 4000 in number, who are located on a reservation along the Gila River, in Pima and Maricopa Counties, Arizona. They are an active, athletic race, cultivate the soil and pursue a few crude industries, and are at hereditary enmity with the Apaches.
Pin.SeeOrdnance.
Pincers, Gunner’s.SeeGunner’s Pincers.
Pindarees.In the East Indies, are plunderers and marauders, who accompany a Mahratta army. The name is properly that of persons who travel with grain and merchandise; but war affording so many opportunities and creating so many necessities, the merchants, as it is all over the world, become plunderers and the worst of enemies.
Pinerolo, orPignerol. A town of Northern Italy, province of Turin. It is surrounded by a wall of no great strength, and though originally a part of Piedmont, was in possession of France from 1631 till the peace of Utrecht in 1713. It was once very strongly fortified; but its defenses were blown up by the French in 1713.
Ping.The whistle of a shot, especially the rifle-bullets in their flight.
Pinion.To bind the hands or arms of a person so as to prevent his having the free use of them.
Pinkie(near Edinburgh). Here the English under the Earl of Hertford, protector, totally defeated the Scots, September 10, 1547. About 10,000 of the Scots were slain, and about 1500 taken prisoners. The English loss was scarcely 200.
Pintle. In artillery, is the vertical bolt around which the chassis is traversed. In the centre-pintle carriage it is the centre of the chassis, but in the front-pintle carriage it is in the centre of the front transom. It is a stout cylinder of wrought iron inserted in a block of stone, if the battery be a fixed one; or it is secured to cross-pieces of timber bolted to a platform firmly imbedded in the ground, if it be of a temporary nature. In casemate batteries the pintle is placed immediately under the throat of the embrasure,and the chassis is connected with it by a stout strap of iron, called the tongue.
Pintle-hole.An oval-shaped aperture made in the trail transom of a field-carriage, wider above than below, to leave room for the pintle to play in.
Pintle-hook.SeeOrdnance, Carriages for, Nomenclature of Artillery Carriage.
Pintle-plate.Is a flat iron through which the pintle passes, and is nailed to both sides of the bolster.
Pintle-washer.An iron ring through which the pintle passes, placed close to the bolster for the trail to move upon.
Piombino.A town of Italy, province of Pisa, opposite the island of Elba. Here is a large metallurgic establishment for the manufacture of Bessemer steel and military projectiles of great hardness and perfection.
Pioneer Sergeant.In the British service, the non-commissioned officer who commands the pioneers.
Pioneers.Are soldiers sometimes detailed from the different companies of a regiment and formed under a non-commissioned officer, furnished with saws, felling axes, spades, mattocks, pickaxes, and bill-hooks. Their services are very important, and no regiment is well fitted for service without pioneers completely equipped. In European armies there are a certain number of pioneers to each regiment.
Pipe of Peace.SeeCalumet.
Pipe-clay.A composition which soldiers use for the purpose of keeping their buff cross-belts, etc., clean.
Piquichins(Fr.). Irregular and ill-armed soldiers, of which mention is made in the history of the reign of Philip Augustus. They were attached to the infantry.
Piquier(Fr.). A pikeman, or one who is armed with a pike.
Pirmasens, orPirmasenz. A town of Rhenish Bavaria. Here Moreau and the French were defeated by the Duke of Brunswick and the Prussians, September 14, 1793.
Pirogue.American Indian canoe, dug out, formed out of the trunk of a tree; or two canoes united. A term also applied in the United States to a narrow ferry-boat carrying two masts and a leeboard.
Pisa(anc.Pisæ). One of the oldest and most beautiful cities of Italy, and, till lately, the capital of the now extinct grand duchy of Tuscany, on the banks of the river Arno. Pisæ was one of the twelve cities of Etruria; it is frequently mentioned in the Ligurian wars as the headquarters of the Roman legions. Early in the 11th century, Pisa had risen to the rank of a powerful republic. Its troops took part in all the great events of the Holy Land; and its fleet in turn gave aid to the pope in Southern Italy, to the emperor in Northern France, chastised the Moors, and exacted its own terms from the Eastern emperors. In their wars with the Saracens of Sardinia, the Pisans had conquered Sardinia, Corsica, and the Balearic Islands, and for a time maintained their ground against their hereditary enemies, the Genoese; but having sided with the Ghibellines in the long wars which desolated the empire, Pisa suffered severely at the hands of the victorious Guelphic party. Indeed, the rivalry of the Guelphic cities of Florence, Lucca, and Siena nearly brought Pisa to the brink of ruin at the close of the 13th century; and after struggling for more than a hundred years against external foes and the internal dissensions between the democratic mob and the Ghibelline nobles, without losing their character for indomitable valor, the Pisans finally threw themselves under the protection of Galeazzo Visconti of Milan. It became subject to Florence after a long siege, 1405-6. In 1494, Pisa became independent under the protection of Charles VIII. of France. When the French left Italy, the old struggle was renewed; and after offering a desperate resistance, the Pisans, in 1509, were compelled by hunger to surrender the city to the Florentine army besieging the walls.
Pisidia.A district of Asia Minor, originally included within Pamphylia, or Phrygia, was constituted a separate province in the division of the Roman empire under Constantine the Great. It was bounded north and west by Phrygia and Lycia, and south by Pamphylia, and east by Cilicia and Isauria. The inhabitants were a lawless and freebooting people, spurning the advance of civilization, and daring any invader to follow them into their rugged fastnesses. Rome conquered them only to find that their spirit of independence was not broken. They would not brook the establishment of a single garrison or colony. It was only their towns that paid tribute. They carried their invincible dispositions down to modern times; and under the appellation ofKaramaniansthey still continue to be wild, rapacious, and suspicious of strangers.
Pistol.Is the smallest description of fire-arm, and is intended to be used with one hand only. Pistols were first used by the cavalry of England about 1544. They vary in size from the delicate saloon-pistol, often not 6 inches long, to the horse-pistol, which may measure 18 inches, and sometimes even 2 feet. They are carried in holsters at the saddle-bow, in the belt, or in the pocket. Every cavalry soldier should have pistols, for a fire-arm is often of great service for personal defense, and almost indispensable in giving an alarm or signal. Of late years pistols have been made with revolving cylinder breeches, in which are formed several chambers for receiving cartridges, and bringing them in succession into a line with the barrel ready for firing. SeeRevolvers.
Pistol-carbine.A horseman’s pistol with a detachable gun-stock.
Pistolet.A little pistol.
Pistol-grip.A shape given to the small of the stock in shot-guns and rifles, to give a better hold for the hand.
Pistolier(Fr.). Soldier armed with a pistol; a good pistol shot.
Pitan Nabobs.Certain chiefs in India are so called, namely, of Cudapa, Carroul, and Savanare.
Pitans, orPatans. A tribe in the East Indies, who are supposed to be the descendants of the northern Indians, and who were early converted to Mohammedanism. They are very fierce, and have been reckoned among the best troops in India.
Pitaux(Fr.). This word is sometimes written petaux, and was formerly used to distinguish those peasants that were pressed into the service, in contradistinction to soldiers who were regularly enlisted.
Pitch.To fix firmly; to plant; to set in array; as, to pitch a tent; to pitch a camp.
Pitched Battle.A battle in which the hostile forces have firm or fixed positions, in distinction from a skirmish.
Pitched Fascines.SeePyrotechny.
Pitch-field.A pitched battle.
Pittsburgh.A city and port of entry of Alleghany Co., Pa. Pittsburgh was first settled in 1754, a stockade having been erected here which was occupied by the French as a trading-post, and given the name of Fort Duquesne. An English expedition against this fort under Gen. Braddock was defeated by the French and Indians, July 9, 1755. In 1758 another English expedition marched against this post, which was then regarded by the youthful Washington as the key of the West. An advanced detachment under Capt. Grant having encamped on what is still called Grant’s Hill, was attacked and defeated by a party of French and Indians from Fort Duquesne. But on the approach of Gen. Forbes, with a force of 6200 men, the disheartened garrison set fire to the fort and descended the Ohio River. The victorious troops, on entering, November 25, by general acclamation called the place Pittsburgh, in honor of William Pitt, then prime minister of England. The town of Pittsburgh was incorporated as a borough in 1804, and chartered as a city in 1816.
Pivot.That officer or soldier upon whom the company wheels.
Thepivot flankin a column is that which when wheeled up preserves the proper front of divisions of the line in their natural order. The opposite flank of the column is called the reverse flank.
Pivot-gun.A cannon which turns on a pivot in any direction.
Pivot-man.The same as pivot (which see).
Pizzo.A city of Italy, in the Neapolitan province of Calabria Ultra II., situated on the Gulf of Santa Euphemia, 6 miles northeast from Monteleone. It was at Pizzo that Murat, the ex-king of Naples, landed with a few followers, October 8, 1815, with the view of recovering his kingdom, He was immediately taken prisoner and shot in the castle of Pizzo on the 13th. In 1860 it was taken by Garibaldi.
Placage(Fr.). In fortification, a kind of revetment, which is made of thick plastic earth laid along the talus of such parapets as have no mason-work, and which is covered with turf.
Place.In fortification, signifies, in general terms, a fortified town, a fortress; hence we say it is a strong place.
Place Basse(Fr.). In fortification, the lower flanks according to certain systems are so called.
Placed, To be.This expression is frequently used in military matters, to signify the appointment or reduction of officers. Hence,to be placedupon full or half-pay. It is more generally applicable to the latter.
Placentia.SeePiacenza.
Places of Arms.This term has various significations, although it uniformly means places which are calculated for the rendezvous of men in arms, etc. When an army takes the field, every stronghold or fortress which supports its operations by affording a safe retreat to its depots, heavy artillery, magazines, hospitals, etc., is called aplace of arms. In offensive operations, those lines are calledplaces of arms, or parallels, which unite the different means of attack, secure the regular approaches, etc., and contain bodies of troops who either do duty in the trenches, protect the workmen, or are destined to make an impression upon the enemy’s outworks. There aredemi-places of armsbetween theplaces of arms. These are more or less numerous in proportion to the resistance made by the besieged. SeeRe-entering Places of Arms.
Plain.A field of battle.
Plan.A scheme devised; a method of action or procedure expressed or described in language; a project. A plan of campaign (says Napoleon) should anticipate all that an enemy may do, and combine within itself the means necessary to baffle it. Plans of campaign are modified by circumstances, the genius of the chief, the nature of the troops, and topography. There are good and bad plans of campaign, but sometimes the good fail from misfortune or mismanagement, while the bad succeed by caprices of fortune.
Plan of a Work.A plan shows the tracing; also the horizontal lengths and breadths of the works; the thickness of the ramparts and parapets; the width of the ditches, etc. It exhibits the extent, division, and distribution of the works; but the depth of the ditches and the height of the works are not represented in a plan.
Plane of Comparison.In the plan of a fortress, and of the surrounding country, are expressed the distances of the principal points from a horizontal plane, imagined to pass through the highest or lowest points of ground, in the survey. This imaginary plane is called aplane of comparison.
Plane of Defilade.Is a plane supposed to pass through the summit or crest of a work, and parallel to the plane of site.
Plane of Fire.SeePointing.
Plane of Sight.SeePointing.
Plane of Site.The general level of the ground or ground line, upon which the works are constructed, is called theplane of site, whether that plane be horizontal or oblique to the horizon.
Plane Table.A surveying instrument, consisting of a table or board and arrangements for leveling and traversing it. It is much used in military surveys and in gunnery in getting the ranges of projectiles by the method of intersections.
Plant, To.In a military sense, to place; to fix; as, to plant a standard. It likewise signifies to arrange different pieces of ordnance for the purpose of doing execution against an enemy or his works; hence, to plant a battery. Some authors apply this word to the act of directing a cannon properly.
Plantagenet.The surname of a dynasty of English kings who ruled from 1154 to 1485. Henry II. was the founder, and Richard III., who was killed at Bosworth, the last of the line. They were generally warlike and ambitious rulers, being engaged in contests at home (seeRoses, Wars of the) and in France. The name belonged to the house of Anjou, and is said to have been derived from the circumstance of the first count of this house having caused himself to be scourged with branches of broom (planta genista) as a penance for some crime. The name passed to the English line of kings through the extinction of the old Norman dynasty in the male line in the person of Henry II., and the marriage of Matilda, his daughter, to Geoffrey, count of Anjou, their son succeeding to the throne.
Plassey.A village of British India, in the district of Nuddea, presidency of Bengal, on the left bank of the Hooghly, 96 miles north of Calcutta. It is memorable as the scene of the victory that laid the foundation of the British-Indian empire. On June 23, 1757, Clive, with a force of 900 Europeans and 2100 Sepoys, crossed the river to attack 68,000 men under Sooraj-oo-Dowlah, soubahdar of Bengal. After much cannonading on both sides, Meer Jaffier, who was in the interest of the British, advised the soubahdar to retreat. Clive immediately advanced, routed the army, and took the camp of the soubahdar, who was dethroned to make way for the traitor Meer Jaffier.
Plastron(Fr.). Stuffed pad or cushion, formerly worn at the shoulder to sustain the recoil of heavy muskets and other fire-arms, still used by fencers upon the right side; also a breastplate or half cuirass. In the old French service, the gens d’armes, the heavy cavalry, the light horse, etc., were obliged to wear them on all occasions, at reviews, etc.
Platæa(more commonlyPlatææ). An ancient city of Bœotia, on the northern slope of Mount Cithæron, on the frontiers of Attica. At an early period, the Platæans deserted the Bœotian confederacy, and placed themselves under the protection of Athens; and when the Persians invaded Attica in 490B.C., they sent 1000 men to the assistance of the Athenians, and had the honor of fighting on their side at the battle of Marathon. Ten years afterwards (480B.C.) their city was destroyed by the Persian army under Xerxes at the instigation of the Thebans. It was the site of the battle between Mardonius, commander of the army of Xerxes of Persia, and Pausanias, commanding the Lacedæmonians and Athenians, 479B.C.; the same day as the battle of Mycale. Of 300,000 Persians, scarce 3000 escaped with their lives. The Grecian army, about 110,000, lost but few men. The Greeks obtained immense plunder, and were henceforth delivered from the fear of Persian invasions. In the third year of the Peloponnesian war (429), the Thebans persuaded the Spartans to attack Platæa, and after a siege of two years at length succeeded in obtaining possession of the place (427). Platæa was then razed to the ground, but was again rebuilt after the peace of Antalcidas (387B.C.). It was destroyed the third time by its inveterate enemies, the Thebans, in 374B.C.It was rebuilt by Philip II. of Macedon, after his victory at Chæronea, 338B.C.
Plate.Metallic armor composed of broad pieces, and thus distinguished from mail.
Plate.To arm with plate or metal for defense. “Why plated in habiliments of war?â€
Plate-armor.Armor of strong metal plates for protecting fortifications and the like; also mail consisting entirely of metallic plates, formerly worn to protect the person.
Platform.Is a strong flooring upon which a piece of ordnance, mounted on its carriage, is manÅ“uvred when in battery. Its object is to facilitate the service of heavy guns and mortars, and to insure accuracy of fire. Fixed platforms are used for casemate and barbette batteries in fortifications, and are constructed with the works; siege-platforms for guns and howitzers; and siege-platforms for mortars; the other kinds are the rail-platform, the ricochet-platform, and the platforms for sea-coast mortars. Platforms should possess strength and portability, and the pieces composing them should be constructed of the same dimensions, viz.: 9 feet long, 5 inches wide, and 31â„2inches thick. The weight of each piece in a platform is about 50 pounds; and in a siege-platform for guns and howitzers, there are 49 pieces, 1 being used as ahurteron the front part of the platform to prevent the carriage from running too far forward, and 12 for sleepers. The weight of this platform complete is 26011â„2pounds. This platform is laid with an elevation to the rear, of 11â„2inches to the yard, or 41â„2inches in the whole length. This elevation is given to diminish the recoil of the piece and to permit the water torun off. The length of this platform is 15 feet by 9 feet. The platform for a siege-mortar is composed of only 6 sleepers and 21 deck-planks. It is laid level, and the front and rear deck-planks are connected by eye-bolts to every sleeper. This platform is about 9 feet deep by 9 feet wide, and weighs 1220 pounds. The rail-platform for siege-mortars consists of 3 sleepers and 2 rails for the cheeks of the mortar-bed to slide on, instead of the deck-plank, and is very strong, and easily constructed and laid. For method of laying platforms for siege-gun or howitzer, and for mortars, see “Hand-book of Artillery,†by Roberts, pages 143-47.
Platform Wagon.A sort of wagon used for transporting heavy ordnance.
Platoon.Probably from the Frenchpeloton, a “ball of thread,†a “knot,†was a term formerly used in the English service to designate a body of men who fired together. In U. S. tactics, it is now a recognized subdivision of a company, being one-half.
Plattsburg.A township and capital of Clinton Co., N. Y., situated on both banks of the Saranac River, at its entrance into Lake Champlain. In the bay was fought the naval battle of Champlain, in which the British flotilla, under Commodore Downie, was defeated by the American commodore McDonough, September 11, 1814; while the land forces amounting to 14,000 men, under Sir George Prevost, were defeated by Gen. Macomb.
Play.Is occasionally applied to a military action; as, the guns played upon the enemy.
Plea.That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer; in a still more limited sense, and in modern practice, the defendant’s answer to the plaintiff’s declaration and demand. That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendant’splea.
Plevna.A town of Bulgaria, which became important in a military sense through the battles which took place around it during the Russo-Turkish war. The first battle took place July 15-16, 1877, resulting in the capture of Nikopolis. The second took place July 30, with considerable loss to both sides, but without any decisive results. The third took place September 11.