CROISADE-CRUSADE
in military history, also called a holy war, barbarous expeditions of the Christians against the Saracens or Turks for the recovery of the holy land, and so called from those who engaged in it wearing a cross on their clothes.
CUBEa solid, consisting of 6 equal square sides. The solidity of any cube is found by multiplying the superficial content of any one of the sides by the height. Cubes are to one another in the triplicate ratio of their diagonals.
Cube-root, is the side of one of the squares constituting the cube.
CUBICfoot, implies so much as is contained in a cube whose side is 1 foot, or 12 inches.
Cubichyperbola, is a figure expressed by the equationx y²=a, having 2 asymptotes, and consisting of 2 hyperbolas, lying in the adjoining angles of the asymptotes, and not in the opposite angles, like the Apollonian hyperbola, being otherwise called, by Sir Isaac Newton, in hisenumeratio linearum tertii ordinis, an hyperbolismus of a parabola: and is the 65th species of lines, according to him.
Cubicnumber, is that which is produced by multiplying any number by itself, and then again the product by that number.
Cubicparabola, a curve of the second order, having infinite legs, diverging contrary ways.
CUEorQueue, the hair tied in form of a tail. All the British soldiers, excepting the grenadiers and light infantry, till very lately wore their hair cue’d.
CUIRASSE, a piece of defensive armor, made of plate, well hammered, serving to cover the body, from the neck to the girdle, both before and behind, called breast and back plate.
CUIRASSIERS, in the military art, are a sort of heavy cavalry armed with cuirasses, as most of the German horse are. The several German powers have regiments of cuirassiers, especially the emperor, and the king of Prussia. The late king of France had also one regiment; but there were none in the English army since the revolution of 1688.
CUISH, the ancient armor which covered the thighs, was so called.
CUISSARS,Fr.are plates or scales made of beaten iron, which formerly served to cover the thighs.
CUITE,Fr.a technical word to express the preparation of saltpetre for the making of gunpowder. SeeSaltpetre.
CULASSE,Fr.SeeBreechof aGun.
CULBUTER,une Colonne, to overthrow a column. This term is frequently used when cavalry attack infantry by rapidly charging it.
CULEEd’un pont,Fr.butment of a bridge.
CULVERIN,-Culverinordinary,Culverinof the largest size,
SeeCannon.
CUNEUS. SeeWedge.
CUNETTE. SeeCuvette.
CURFEW-bell, a signal given in cities taken in war, &c. to the inhabitants to go to bed. The most eminent curfew was that in England, established by William the Conqueror, who appointed, under severe penalties, that, at the ringing of a bell, at 8 o’clock in the evening, every one should put out their lights and fires, and go to bed, &c.
CURTAIN, in fortification, is that part of the body of the place, which joins the flank of one bastion to that of the next. SeeFortification.
Angle of theCurtain. SeeFortification.
Complement of theCurtain. SeeFortification.
CURTELASSE,-CURTELAX,
SeeCutlass.
CUSTREL, the shield-bearer of the ancients was so called.
CUT. There are six cuts used by the cavalry, to be made with the broad sword, or sabre. SeeSwordExercise.
ToCutoff. To intercept, to hinder from union or return. In a military sense, this phrase is variously applicable, and extremely familiar.
ToCutoff an enemy’s retreat, is to manœuvre in such a manner as to prevent anopposing army, or body of men, from retiring, when closely pressed, either to their entrenchments, or into a fortified town from which they had marched or sallied. Whole armies may be cut off either through the mismanagement of their own generals, by extending the line of operation too far, or through the superior talents of an individual, who in the midst of the hurry, noise, and desolation, which invariably attend a pitched battle, suddenly takes advantage of some opening in the wings or centre, and cuts off a material part of his enemy’s line. When one army is superior to another in numbers, and is commanded by a shrewd and intelligent officer, it may always cut off a part at least of the opposing forces that come into action.
ToCutshort. To abridge: as the soldiers were cut short of their pay.
ToCutup. When the cavalry are sent in pursuit of a flying enemy, the latter are generally cut up.
ToCutthrough. A small body of brave men, headed by a good officer, will frequently extricate itself from apparent captivity, or destruction, by cutting its way through superior force.
CUTLER, a military artificer, whose business is to forge, temper, and mount all sorts of sword blades.
CUTTING-off. SeeRetrenchment.
CUVETTE, in fortification, is a small ditch of 10 or 12 feet broad, made in the middle of a large dry ditch, about 4 or 4¹⁄₂ feet deep, serving as a retrenchment to defend the ditch, or else to let water in, (if it can be had during a siege,) and afford an obstacle, should the enemy endeavor to cross the fosse.
CYCLOPOEDIA. SeeEncyclopoedia.
CYCLOID, a curve in geometry.
CYLINDER, orconcave cylinder of a gun, is all the hollow length of the piece, or bore. SeeCannon.
ChargedCylinder, the chamber, or that part which receives the powder and ball. SeeCannon.
VacantCylinder, that part of the hollow or bore which remains empty when the piece is loaded.
CYMAR, a slight covering; a scarf.
CYMBAL, in ancient military history, a war-like musical instrument in use among the ancients, made of brass and silver. They are derived from Asia, where they are of a variety of sizes. They are now used by the British and other European nations, in their martial music.
CZAR, in military history, a title assumed by the great dukes, or, as they are now stiled, emperors of all the Russias. This title is no doubt, by corruption, taken fromCæsar, emperor; and the Czars accordingly bear an eagle, as the symbol of their empire. The first that bore this title was Basil, the son of Basilides, about the year 1470. The Empress is called the Czarina or Tzarina.