T.

Tab. The arming of an archer’s gauntlet or glove.

Tabard. A military garment in general use in the latter half of the 15th, and beginning of the 16th century, which succeeded the jupon and cyclas. It fitted closely to the body, was open at the sides, had wide sleeves or flaps reaching to the elbow, and displayed the armorial ensigns of the wearer on the back and front, as well as on the sleeves. About the middle of the 16th century the tabard ceased to be used except by the officers-of-arms, who have down to the present time continued to wear tabards embroidered with the arms of the sovereign.

Table-money. In the British army and navy, is an allowance sometimes made to officers over and above their pay, for table expenses.

Tablette. Is a flat coping-stone, generally 2 feet wide and 8 inches thick, placed at the top of the revetment of the escarp, for the purpose of protecting the masonry from the effects of the weather, and also to serve as an obstacle to the besiegers when applying the scaling-ladders. It is always considered a matter of importance that the tablette should be concealed from the enemy’s view, as he would otherwise be able to direct his artillery against it; therefore, the escarp of all the works inclosed within the covered way is submitted at least 6 inches to the crest of the glacis.

Tabor. A fortified town of Bohemia, 48 miles south-southeast of Prague. Its castle was originally built in 774, destroyed in 1268, but restored in 1420, when the Hussites under Ziska took possession of the town.

Taborite. A Roman soldier armed with a double-edged axe.

Tabors (Fr.). Intrenchment of baggage for defense against cavalry.

Tabour. A small drum, played with one stick, in combination with a fife. It was formerly used in war, but has now given place to the kettle-drum.

Tabriz, or Tabreez (written also Tauris and Tebriz). A city of North Persia, capital of the province of Azerbaijan. It was taken and sacked by Timur in 1392, and was soon after seized by the Turkomans, from whom it was taken by the Persians in 1500. It has been several times in the hands of the Turks, but was finally taken from them by Nadir Shah in 1730.

Tactician. One versed in tactics.

Tactics, Grand. See Tactics, Military.

Tactics, Military. Is the science and art of disposing military forces in order for battle, and performing military evolutions in the presence of an enemy. It is divided into grand tactics, or the tactics of battle, and elementary tactics, or the tactics of instruction. Tactics is the strategy of the battle-field; the science of manœuvring and combining those military units which drill, discipline, and the regimental system have brought to the perfection of machines. It was admirably described by Napoleon as the art of being the stronger,—that is, of bringing an overwhelming force to bear on any given point, whatever may be the relative strength of the entire armies opposed. The earliest records of battles are those of mere single combats, in which the chiefs, fighting either on foot or in chariots, performed great deeds; and the commonalty, who apparently were without discipline, were held in profound contempt. With the growth of democracy arose the organization of the phalanx (which see), the advance of which was irresistible, and its firmness equally so, if charged in front. It, however, changed front with great difficulty; was much deranged by broken ground, and failed entirely in pursuit, or if attacked in flank. Far lighter and more mobile was the Roman legion. (See Legion.) Among Roman tactics was also the admirable intrenchment, which they scarcely ever omitted as an additional source of strength for their position. “Events reproduce themselves in cycles;” and with the decay of Roman civilization came again the mail-clad heroes and cavaliers—mounted this time on horses—who monopolized the honors of battle, while the undisciplined footmen had an undue share of the dangers. Later in the feudal period, this disparity between knight and footman was diminished by the employment of bodies of archers, whose shafts carried instant death. The adoption of gunpowder for small-arms altogether neutralized the superiority of the armored knight. This change brought infantry into the front place in battle, and threw cavalry into the status of an auxiliary. The French revolutionary wars tended much to the development of artillery as a field-weapon, and Napoleon employed this terrible weapon to its fullest extent, a practice followed by the best modern generals, who never risk a man where a cannon-ball can do the work. Frederick the Great was considered an innovator for fighting with infantry four deep. During the French war, the formation of three deep became general, and still obtains in several European armies. Before the battle of Waterloo, the British leaders had acquired sufficient confidence in their troops to marshal them in a double line. It is doubtful whether the advance in arms of precision will not soon necessitate the formation in a single line, or even in a single line in open order. We will now notice briefly a few of the more important principles, as our space will not permit us to go into that intricate science, modern tactics. As to the art of being stronger, which is undoubtedly the highest recommendation in a general, we may cite the example of the battle of Rivoli. In 1796, Napoleon was besieging Mantua with a small force, while a very much smaller army of observation watched the Austrians. The Austrian commander had collected at Trent a force powerful enough to crush completely the French army, with which he was marching south. Parallel with his course lay the Lake of Garda, and to prevent the enemy escaping up one side as he marched down the other, the Austrian leader divided his army into two powerful corps, and marched one down each side of the lake. The instant the young French general knew of this division he abandoned the siege of Mantua, collected every available man, and marched against one body of the enemy. Though far inferior on the whole, he was thus superior at the point of attack, and the victory of Rivoli decided virtually the whole campaign. This corresponded in principle with Napoleon’s general plan in battle. He formed his attack into column, tried to break through the centre of the enemy’s line; and if he succeeded, then doubled back to one side, so as to concentrate the whole of his own force against one-half of the enemy’s, which was usually routed before the other half of the line could come up to the rescue.

Taken collectively, the tactics of the three arms may thus be summarized: The infantry form the line of battle, and probably decide the day by a general advance over the enemy’s ground. The cavalry seek to break the opposing infantry by frequent charges in front, or on any flank which may be left exposed. If a part of the line wavers, a charge of horse should complete the disarray. When the rout commences, the cavalry should turn it by furious onslaught into utter discomfiture. The province of the artillery is to cannonade any portion of the line where men are massed, or where a charge is about to be made; to demoralize cavalry, and generally to carry destruction wherever it can best disconcert the enemy. Adverting now very briefly to the tactics of the several arms individually, we have—

Infantry.—This force has four formations,—skirmishers, line, column, and square. The skirmishers precede and flank an advancing line or column, picking off the enemy, whose masses offer good mark, while their own extended order gives them comparative impunity. If resistance be encountered in force, the skirmishers retreat behind their massed supports. The line is a double or treble line of men, firing or charging. For musketry purposes, it is the most formidable formation, and is the favorite English tactic in every case where the officers can depend on the steadiness of their men. For bursting through a line, the deep column is the most effective. It is the favorite French formation, and during the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, the British and Russians alone succeeded in resisting it. The column is the best formation on a march; and the line, when in actual collision with the enemy. The formation in echelon to a great extent combines these advantages.

Cavalry.—The function of heavy cavalry is limited to the charge in line. The light cavalry form in small sections, to scour the country, collect supplies, and cut off stragglers.

Artillery.—No distinct tactics exist for this arm beyond the fact that a concentrated fire is vastly the most effective, and that the artillery should always have a support of infantry at hand, to protect it from a sudden incursion of hostile cavalry.

Tactics of position depend on the moral energy of the commander-in-chief. Few would dare, as Cæsar did, an invasion in which there was no retreat if defeated. It is a military maxim not to fight with the rear on a river, unless many bridges be provided for retreat, in case of disaster. A convex front is better than a concave front, because internal communication is more easy. The flank should be protected by cavalry, or preferably by natural obstacles. In battle, a long march from one position to another, which exposes the flank to the enemy, is a fatal error. By such, the French won Austerlitz, and lost Talavera. In a pursuit, a parallel line is better than the immediate route the retreating enemy has taken, as supplies will be more readily procured, and he may by celerity be attacked in flank. This was strikingly exemplified in the Russian pursuit of Napoleon’s army retreating from Moscow.

Tae-pings, or Tai-pings. The name given to the Chinese rebels who made their appearance in 1850, and desolated some of the best provinces of China. Peking was taken by the English and French on October 12, 1860. Its capture was followed by the ratification of the treaty of Tien-tsin, which, granting important privileges to European merchants, made it the direct interest of the English, French, and American governments to re-establish order in China. The repulse of the rebels at Shanghai in August, 1860, had been followed by several engagements between them and the imperialists, in which they were defeated. Ward, an American, who had taken service under the emperor, and who showed a remarkable talent for organizing irregular troops, had wrought a wonderful improvement in the imperialist army, and he was the chief means of their success. In the beginning of 1862, the Tae-pings again advanced on Shanghai, and were twice defeated. In the autumn of the same year, Ward was killed; Ward’s force was handed over to an English officer, and took the name of Gordon’s brigade. Gordon’s brigade rendered essential service to the imperial government. The rebels were defeated in upwards of sixteen engagements; and in 1864, almost every important city was taken from them. The conduct of the imperial authorities at Su-chow, where a horrible massacre took place, led to the withdrawal of the English military force; but the rebellion had been effectually checked. Toward the end of 1864, the Tae-pings, however, still offered an opposition to the imperialists in Kiang-tsu, all the more formidable in consequence of the prevalence of brigandage and insurrectionary movements in parts of the empire not affected by the Tae-ping rebellion. In January, 1865, the Mohammedan Tartars of Songaria, on the Siberian frontier, assisted by the free Kirghis tribes, took the town of Tarbagatai, and afterwards Kouldja. In the following June, a still more serious insurrection broke out in China proper, that of the Nien-fei, or rebels of the north, whose special object was to overturn the reigning dynasty. One body of them, in the beginning of 1866, caused serious alarm in Hankow, and would have attacked the European settlement but for the arrival of some English gunboats. It is believed that the last embers of the Tae-ping rebellion were trodden out in February, 1866, when from 30,000 to 50,000 rebels were routed by the imperial army at Kia-ying-chou in Kwan-tung. The victorious general then set out to attack the Nien-fei, or northern rebels, at Hankow, and the imperial troops were several times defeated by them in 1867; but late in 1868, their operations became unimportant.

Taganrog. A town of Russia in Europe, in the government of Ekaterinoslav, near the northwest extremity of the Sea of Azov, 172 miles northeast from Kertch. The town was bombarded by a fleet of French and British gunboats in 1855.

Tagliacozzo. A town of Southern Italy, in the Aleruzzi Mountains, where on August 23, 1268, Charles of Anjou, the usurping king of Naples, defeated and made prisoner the rightful monarch, young Conradin, who had been invited into Italy by the Ghibelline party; their opponents, the Guelphs, or papal party, supporting Charles.

Tagliamento. A river in Lombardy, Northern Italy, near which the Austrians, under the Archduke Charles, were defeated by Bonaparte, March 16, 1797.

Tail of the Trenches. The post where the besiegers begin to break ground, and cover themselves from the fire of the place, in advancing the lines of approach.

Taishes. Armor for the thighs.

Take. To lay hold of; to seize. To obtain possession of by force or artifice; to capture; to make prisoner. To attack; to seize; as, to take an army, a city, or a ship. To take aim, to direct the eye or weapon; to aim. To take arms, to commence war or hostilities. To take advantage of, to avail one’s self of any peculiar event or opening, whereby an army may be overcome. To take ground to the right or left, is to extend a line, or to move troops in either of those directions. To take down, is to commit to paper that which is spoken by another. To take on, an expression in familiar use among soldiers that have enlisted for a limited period, to signify an extension of service by re-enlisting. To take the field, is to encamp, to commence the operations of a campaign. To take up, to seize; to catch; to arrest; as, to take up a deserter. To take up quarters, to occupy locally; to go into cantonments, barracks, etc.; to become stationary for more or less time. To take up the gauntlet, is to accept a challenge.

Takel (Anglo-Saxon). The arrows which used to be supplied to the fleet.

Talavera de la Reyna. A town of Spain in New Castile, in the modern province of Toledo, on the Tagus, 75 miles southwest from Madrid. Here on July 27 and 28, 1809, Sir Arthur Wellesley, with 19,000 English and German troops, and about 34,000 Spaniards, who, however, with very trifling exceptions, were not engaged, defeated upwards of 50,000 veteran French troops under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshals Jourdan and Victor.

Talk. Among the Indians of North America, a public conference, as respecting peace or war, negotiation, and the like; or an official verbal communication made from them to another nation or its agents, or made to them by the same.

Talus. The old word in fortification for a slope.

Tambour. In fortification, is a small work, usually a timber stockade, about 6 feet high, and loop-holed. Its object is to defend a gateway, the road into a village, or to afford flanking fire on a bridge, etc. The tambour on the covered way is the traverse which closes an entrance from the glacis.

Tampion, or Tompion. The wooden plug placed in the mouth of a piece of ordnance to preserve it from dust and damp. In naval gunnery, the tampion is the wooden bottom for a charge of grape-shot.

Tam-tam (Hind. tom-tom). A drum used by the Hindoos, made of an alloy of copper and tin, and very sonorous.

Tanagra (now Grimadha, or Grimada). A celebrated town of Bœotia, on the left bank of the Asopus, 200 stadia from Platææ, in the district Tanagræa. Being near the frontiers of Attica, it was frequently exposed to the attacks of the Athenians; near it the Spartans defeated the Athenians, 457 B.C., but were defeated by them in 426, when Agis II. headed the Spartans, and Nicias the Athenians.

Tang. The tang of the breech of a musket, is the projecting part by which the barrel is secured to the stock. Also, that part of a sword-blade to which the hilt is riveted.

Tangent Scale. In gunnery, a brass plate, the lower edge of which is cut to fit the base-ring or base-line of the piece, and the upper edge cut into notches for each one-fourth degree elevation. It is used in pointing, by placing the lower edge on the base-ring, or base-line, with the radius of the notch corresponding with the highest point of the base-ring or line; and sighting over the centre of the notch; and the highest point of the muzzle, or top of the muzzle-sight.

Tangier. A seaport of Morocco, on a small bay or inlet of the Strait of Gibraltar. Tangier was taken by the Portuguese in 1471, and ceded to the English in 1662, and held by them for twenty-two years. It was bombarded by the French in 1844.

Tanjore. A town of British India, capital of a district of the same name, in the presidency of Madras. In 1678 Tanjore was conquered by the Mahratta chief, Vencajeo, brother of Sevajee. In the reign of the rajah Tooljajee, the nabob of Arcot, supported by the Madras government, laid claim to tribute from Tanjore, and the rajah was deposed, but was subsequently restored.

Tannadar. In the East Indies, a commander of a small fort or custom-house.

Tannenberg (East Prussia). Here Ladislaus V., Jagellon of Poland, defeated the Teutonic Knights with great slaughter, the grand master being among the slain, July 15, 1410. The order never recovered from this calamity.

Tap. A gentle blow on the drum.

Taps. A sound of drum or trumpet which takes place usually about a quarter of an hour after tattoo, and is an indication that all lights in the soldiers’ quarters will be extinguished, and the men retire to bed.

Tapuri. A powerful people, apparently of Scythian origin, who dwelt in Media, on the borders of Parthia, south of Mount Coronus. They also extended into Margiana, and probably farther north on the eastern side of the Caspian, where their original abodes seem to have been in the mountains called by their name.

Tara. A hill in Meath, Ireland, where it is said a conference was held between the English and Irish in 1173. Near here, on May 26, 1798, the royalist troops, 400 in number, defeated the insurgent Irish 4000 strong.

Taranto (anc. Tarentum). A town of Southern Italy, province of Terra d’Otranto, is situated on a rocky islet formerly an isthmus between the Mare Piccolo (Little Sea), and the Mare Grande (Great Sea), or Gulf of Taranto, on the west. Ancient Tarentum was a far more splendid city than its modern representative. Its greatness dates from 708 B.C., when the original inhabitants were expelled, and the town was taken possession of by a strong body of Lacedæmonian Partheniæ under the guidance of Phalanthus. It soon became the most powerful city in the whole of Magna Græcia, and exercised a kind of supremacy over the other Greek cities in Italy. It possessed a considerable fleet of ships of war, and was able to bring into the field, with the assistance of its allies, an army of 30,000 foot and 3000 horse. The people of Tarentum, assisted by Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, supported a war which had been undertaken in 281 B.C. by the Romans, to avenge the insults the Tarentines had offered to their ships when near their harbors; it was terminated after ten years; 300,000 prisoners were taken, and Tarentum became subject to Rome. Except the citadel, Tarentum was captured by the Carthaginians, 212, but recovered by Fabius, 209 B.C. Tarentum has shared in the revolutions of Southern Italy.

Tarazona. A town of Spain, in the province of Zaragoza, on the Queyles, a tributary of the Ebro. It is the ancient Turiaso, and here a few Roman troops routed a Celtiberian army. It became a municipium under the Romans.

Tarbes. A town of France, in the department of Hautes Pyrenees, on the left bank of the Adour. For a long time it belonged to the English monarchs, and it was the residence of the Black Prince. On March 20, 1814, a combat took place here between the British under Wellington and the French under Soult, in which the former gained the victory.

Tar-bucket. See Implements.

Tard-venus, or Malandrins (Fr.). Freebooters, banditti, who elected their own chief, and appeared first in France in 1360.

Tarentum. See Taranto.

Target. In its modern sense, is the mark for aiming at in practicing with the cannon, rifle, or bow and arrow. In its more ancient meaning, a target, or targe, was a shield, circular in form, cut out of ox-hide, mounted on light but strong wood, and strengthened by bosses, spikes, etc. Of modern targets, the simplest is that used for archery. With regard to rifle-targets, the numerous rifle-matches have caused ranges to be constructed over the whole country. The necessities are: a butt, artificially constructed or cut in the face of a hill, to prevent wide balls from scattering; a marker’s shot-proof cell, near the targets; and a range of such length as can be procured. The targets used at the Creedmoor range on Long Island, and by the U. S. army, are divided into three classes and are of the following sizes: The third class, to be used at all distances up to and including 300 yards, is a rectangle 6 feet high and 4 feet wide. Three concentric circles are described, with the middle point as a centre and radii of 4, 13, and 23 inches respectively. The inner circle is black, and so are the lines marking the circumference of the middle and outer circles; the rest of the target is white. The second class is a square, 6 feet high. Three concentric circles are drawn, with the middle point as a centre and radii of 11, 19, and 27 inches respectively. The inner circle is black, as well as the circumferences of the other circles; the rest of the target is white. This target is used at all distances over 300, to, and including, 600 yards. The first class, to be used at all distances over 600 yards, is a rectangle, 6 feet high and 12 feet wide. It has two concentric circles, described with a radii of 18 and 27 inches respectively, the centre being at the middle point of the target, and two lines drawn parallel to, and 3 feet from, each end (leaving the inner, square, 6 feet by 6 feet). The target is white, except the lines just indicated and the inner circle, which are black. The smallest circle, always painted black, is called the bull’s-eye, and when struck, counts 5 for the marksman; the ring embraced between the bull’s-eye and the circumference of the next larger circle is called the centre, which counts 4; and the ring between the second and third circles is called the inner, which scores 3; and the space outside of the larger circle is called the outer, and scores 2. In the first-class target the space between the second circle and the vertical lines is the inner, and the space outside the vertical lines is the outer.

In artillery practice, targets of considerable size are used at long ranges. The usual practice is over the sea; targets are then painted on the sides of old vessels, or are floated by buoys. For trying the power of ordnance, solid targets are constructed to resemble the sides of iron-plated ships, portions of fortification, etc.

Targeted. Furnished or armed with a target.

Targeteer, or Targetier. One armed with a target or shield.

Tariere (Fr.). A machine of war similar to the battering-ram (which it preceded), excepting that the head was pointed. It made the first opening in the wall, which was increased by the belier.

Tarifa. A seaport town of Spain, 20 miles southwest from Gibraltar. It was successfully defended in 1811 by Col. Gough, with a body of 2500 British and Spanish troops against a French force of 10,000 men, under Victor and Laval.

Tarquinii. An ancient city of Etruria, on the left bank of the Marta, about 4 miles from the Mediterranean. In 398 B.C., while the Romans were at war with the Veii, they were attacked by the Tarquinians, who seem from this time to have been frequently united with the other Etruscan cities against Rome. War was carried on with varying success and some intermissions till 351, when a truce of forty years was agreed upon. After its expiration, hostilities were again for a short time renewed; but in 309 another truce was concluded, in the course of which Tarquinii seems to have gradually become subject to Rome. It continued to be a flourishing town under the empire, and after its fall, until it was destroyed by the Saracens.

Tarragona (anc. Tarraco). A seaport city of Spain, capital of the province of the same name, at the mouth of the Francoli, in the Mediterranean, 52 miles west-southwest from Barcelona. The ancient Tarraco was originally a Phœnician settlement; it afterwards became the capital of the Roman province called by its name. After the fall of the empire, it was taken by the Goths; and at a later period was laid in ruins by the Moors. In the 11th century the modern town was founded on the site of the former. In 1705, it was captured by the English, but was afterwards abandoned; and in 1811 it was taken and sacked by the French under Suchet.

Tarred-links. See Pyrotechny.

Tarsus (now Tersus). Anciently the chief city of Cilicia, and one of the most important in all Asia Minor, situated on both sides of the navigable river Cydnus, about 18 miles from the sea. In the time of Xenophon, who gives us the first historical notice of Tarsus, it was taken by Cyrus. At the time of the Macedonian invasion, it was held by the Persian troops, who were prevented from burning it by Alexander’s arrival. It played an important part as a military post in the wars of the successors of Alexander, and under the Syrian kings. As the power of the Seleucidæ declined, it suffered much from the oppression of its governors, and from the wars between the members of the royal family. At the time of the Mithridatic war, it suffered, on the one hand, from Tigranes, who overran Cilicia, and, on the other, from the pirates, who had their strongholds in the mountains of Cilicia Aspera, and made frequent incursions into the level country. From both these enemies it was rescued by Pompey, 66 B.C. In the civil war it took part with Cæsar. For this the inhabitants were severely punished by Cassius, but were recompensed by Antony, who made Tarsus a free city. It was the scene of important events in the wars with the Persians, the Arabs, and the Turks, and also in the Crusades.

Tartares (Fr.). A word used in the French army to distinguish officers’ servants and batmen from the soldiers who serve in the ranks. Tartare likewise means a groom.

Tartary (properly Tatary). Is the name under which, in the Middle Ages, was comprised the whole central belt of Central Asia and Eastern Europe, from the Sea of Japan to the Dnieper, including Mantchuria, Mongolia, Eastern Turkestan, Independent Turkestan, the Kalmuck and the Kirghis steppes, and the old khanates of Kasan, Astrakhan, and the Crimea, and even the Cossack countries; and hence arose a distinction of Tartary into European and Asiatic. But latterly the name Tartary had a much more limited signification, including only that tract bounded on the north by Siberia, and on the south by China and Thibet, along with Independent Turkestan; and at the present day, many writers apply it as a synonym for Turkestan. The Tartars (or, more properly, Tatars) was originally a name of the Mongolic races, but came to be extended to all the tribes brought under Mongolic sway by Genghis Khan and his successors, including Tungusic and Turkic races. The term is therefore not to be considered as ethnological, though all, or almost all, the peoples included under it, in its widest sense, belong to the Turanian family, but is rather to be understood in the same sense as the term “Franks” used by the Mohammedans. During the decline of the Roman empire, these tribes began to seek more fertile regions; and the first who reached the frontier of Italy were the Huns, the ancestors of the modern Mongols. The first acknowledged sovereign of this vast country was the famous Genghis Khan. His empire by the conquest of China, Persia, and all Central Asia (1206-27), became one of the most formidable ever established; but it was split into parts in a few reigns. Timur, or Tamerlane, again conquered Persia, broke the power of the Turks in Asia Minor (1370-1400), and founded the Mogul dynasty in India, which began with Baber in 1525, and formed the most splendid court in Asia, till the close of the 18th century. The Calmucks, a branch of the Tartars, expelled from China, settled on the banks of the Volga in 1672, but returned in 1771, and thousands perished on the journey.

Tasa. In the East Indies, a kind of drum, formed of a hemisphere of copper, hollowed out and covered with goat-skin. It is hung before from the shoulders, and beat with two rattans.

Taslet. A piece of armor formerly worn on the thigh.

Tasse. Formerly a piece of armor for the thighs; an appendage to the ancient corselet, consisting of skirts of iron that covered the thighs, fastened to the cuirass with hooks.

Tattoo. The evening sound of drum or trumpet, after which the roll is called, and all soldiers not on leave of absence should be in their quarters.

Tau, Cross. In heraldry, a cross of a form somewhat resembling the Greek letter Tau. St. Anthony is generally represented with a cross of this description, embroidered on the left side of his garment.

Taulantii. A people of Illyria, in the neighborhood of Epidamnus. One of their most powerful kings was Glaucias, who fought against Alexander the Great.

Taunton. A town of England, county of Somerset, on the river Tone. It was taken by Perkin Warbeck, September, 1497; and here he was surrendered to Henry VII. October 5 following. The Duke of Monmouth was proclaimed king of Taunton, June 20, 1685; and it was the scene of the “bloody assize” held by Jeffreys upon the rebels in August.

Taupins, or Francs-Taupins (Fr.). A name which was formerly given to a body of free-arches, or francs-archers, in France. This body consisted chiefly of countrymen and rustics.

Tauromenium. An ancient Greek city in Sicily, on the east coast of the island, about half-way between Messina and Catania. In 394, Dionysius besieged the new city, and spent the greater part of a winter in an unsuccessful effort to take it. A peace was concluded in 392, in terms of which Tauromenium became subject to Dionysius, who immediately expelled the former inhabitants, and supplied their place by mercenaries of his own. In 358, Andromachus collected the survivors of the original inhabitants of Naxos, and settled them at Tauromenium. Under Andromachus the city made rapid progress. He assisted Timoleon in his expedition to Sicily. At a later period the city was conquered by Hiero of Syracuse, and it remained subject to that city until, with the whole of Sicily, it passed into the power of the Romans. In the Servile war in Sicily (134-32 B.C.), it was captured by the insurgent slaves, and held by them till the last extremity, suffering the utmost calamities, until the citadel was betrayed to the Romans. It was taken and destroyed by the Saracens after a siege of two years, in 906.

Taxiarchs. In the Athenian army, were ten in number (every tribe having the privilege of electing one), and commanded next under the strategeoi. Their business was to marshal the army, give orders for their marches, and appoint what provisions each soldier should furnish himself with. They had also power to cashier any of the common soldiers, if convicted of a misdemeanor; but their jurisdiction was only over the foot.

Tchernaya. A river in the Crimea. On August 16, 1855, the lines of the allied army at this place were attacked by 50,000 Russians under Prince Gortschakoff without success, being repulsed with the loss of 3329 slain, 1658 wounded, and 600 prisoners. The brunt of the attack was borne by two French regiments under Gen. d’Herbillon. The loss of the allies was about 1200; 200 of these were from the Sardinian contingent, which behaved with great gallantry, under the command of Gen. La Marmora. The Russian general Read, and the Sardinian general Montevecchio, were killed. The object of the attack was the relief of Sebastopol, then closely besieged by the English and French.

Tearless Victory. In 367 B.C. Archidamus, king of Sparta, defeated the Arcadians and Argives in the “Tearless Battle,” so called because he had won it without losing a man.

Tebet (Fr.). A kind of axe which the Turks carry at their saddle-bow during war.

Teepe. See Wigwam.

Teflis, or Tiflis. A city of Russia in Asia, in Transcaucasia, capital of the province of Georgia. It was founded about the middle of the 5th century, by a powerful monarch called Waktang; and afterwards rose to great importance. It was taken by Genghis Khan in the 12th century, and by Mustapha Pasha, 1576. In 1723 it was taken by the Turks, in 1734 by Kouli Khan, and it was destroyed by Aga Mohammed in 1795. It came into the possession of the Russians in 1801. A treaty of peace was concluded here between Russia and Persia, October 12, 1813.

Tefterdar Effendi. The commissary-general is so called among the Turks.

Tegea. An ancient city of Greece, forming one of the most powerful states in Arcadia. The Tegeatæ long resisted the supremacy of Sparta, and it was not till the Spartans discovered the bones of Orestes that they were enabled to conquer this people. The Tegeatæ sent 3000 men to the battle of Platææ, in which they were distinguished for their bravery. They remained faithful to Sparta in the Peloponnesian war; but after the battle of Leuctra they joined the rest of the Arcadians in establishing their independence. During the wars of the Achæan league, Tegea was taken both by Cleomenes, king of Sparta, and Antigonus Doson, king of Macedonia, and the ally of the Achæans.

Tekrit (anc. Birtha). A town situated on the Euphrates, in Mesopotamia. It was unsuccessfully besieged by Sapor I., king of Persia, in 260.

Telegraph, Field or Flying. During the civil war (1861-65) in the United States a signal corps was organized, whose duties extended to the management of field telegraphs, and light lines, when the formation of the country was such that aerial signals could not be used, or it was for any reason desirable that short electric lines be extended. It has been demonstrated that electric instruments may be of the most simple construction; and electric lines can be set up, and be utilized in places where a few years ago it was deemed impracticable to employ them; and can be worked without other skilled labor than that of the soldiers attached to the posts, and with no apparatus but such as can be had at a trivial expense. There is no reason why, with properly drilled parties, electric lines may not be thrown out in the moments which precede, or even during the progress of, a battle, and be so worked as to lessen infinitely that difficulty of rapid communication which has so often caused disaster. With a corps well organized and well equipped, the connection between the corps of an army, and between the corps headquarters and general headquarters, ought to be perfected in a very few hours after the halt of the army. The field lines of the Signal Corps consist of rolls of wire carried in light-wheeled vehicles, and light “lance poles,” us they are called, on which the wire is stretched when necessary. The wire made for the purpose is of small strands of iron and copper twisted, to give it strength and flexibility. It is insulated with prepared india-rubber, or other material, and wound on reels which, in an emergency, can be carried anywhere by hand, while the wire reeling out can be raised upon fences, fastened to trees, or laid along the ground. The instruments used at first were of a kind known as the Beardslee instrument. These instruments are worked without batteries, the electric current being generated by revolving magnets. They were “indicating,” an index upon a dial pointing, at the receiving station, to whatever letter was designated by the index handle upon a similar dial at the sending station. There were as advantages attaching to this instrument, that it was portable and compact, could be set at work anywhere, required no batteries, acids, or fluids; and what was thought of importance in the early days of the civil war, and while the corps was a temporary organization, it could be worked by soldiers without skill as operators. The defects were, that messages could not be sent as rapidly or as far as by some other instruments. Nor could several instruments work easily upon a single circuit. For some uses on the field of battle, or under fire, where the attention of the reader is disturbed, it is, perhaps, as good an instrument as has been devised. With a permanent corps, or at secure stations, it gives place to some of the forms of signal or of sound instruments. The instruments upon field lines may be of very simple structure. The signal instruments, either the needle or the letter instruments, can be used in actual conflict, if the reports of heavy guns or other disturbances of action render reading by sound unreliable. The manufacture of both instruments and batteries has been improved, until there is now no trouble in carrying either in the field in the roughest campaigns. The difficulty in reading from telegraphic instruments by sound, which has been the greatest obstacle to their use, can be almost done away with by using them with codes of easy signals. In the Prussian army, also, the electric telegraph is applied for field purposes. Morse’s system is used. Each headquarters of an army and each army corps, has a telegraphic division of 3 officers, 137 men, 73 horses, and 10 wagons. Two of the latter are fitted up as operating-rooms, and the other 8 are used for carrying poles and other material, including 5 miles of wire to each wagon, which can be reeled off by the moving of the vehicle. Of the whole 40 miles, 5 are insulated, and can be run along the ground. It will be seen that each army corps can put out 40 miles of line without recourse to other wires, but use is always made of lines found in the country, in case they will answer. Single poles of light material are used, without joints, and about 10 feet long, and only every third pole is put in the ground. The personnel is brought into the army from the civil telegraphic service at home. While in the field, the operators assume military rank, and, like agents of the Post-office Department, are known as “military officials,” not as “military officers.” The men are on a footing with train-soldiers. The operating-wagons are a little larger than the Rucker ambulances of the U. S. service, but much heavier. Just in the rear of the driver is a partition shutting off the rear portion of the carriage. At his back, and under his seat, is a capacious box, in which are carried tools, and the material necessary in telegraphing. On one side of the rear closed portion is a neat table with a compact operating instrument on it, and a battery under it; and on the opposite side is the operator’s bench, the space underneath it being also economized. On the outside near the table are sockets, with thumb-screws connected with the battery, to receive the wires. During the Franco-Prussian war, besides keeping the king in telegraphic communication with his ministers, lines were run from Gen. von Moltke’s headquarters to all the different corps in the field. The telegraph corps always evinced admirable promptness in keeping the lines closed up as the army moved forward. In Great Britain, the system of military telegraphy forms part of the duties of the Royal Engineers.

Telemeter. An instrument for determining long distances. (See Range-finder.) One of the best-known telemeters is the invention of Capt. A. Gautier of the French army. It consists of a short tube containing two mirrors set at an angle of 45° with each other, one of which is fixed; the other admits of a slight rotation. A hole in the side of the tube allows the image of a secondary distant object on the prolongation of the base-line to be brought in line with that of the distant object whose distance is to be measured. An observation is next taken from the other end of the short base-line, and the image of the secondary object again brought in contact with that of the principal object by rotating a ring on the front of the tube. The extent of this rotation (as denoted by a scale), gives a factor which, multiplied by the base-line, gives the required distance.

The Boulongè telemeter is an instrument devised for ascertaining the distance to a point by means of sound proceeding from the point to the place of observation. The one used for artillery consists of a glass tube about 6 inches in length, filled with a transparent liquid that does not freeze except with intense cold. In the liquid is a metallic disk, which moves freely from one end of the tube to the other. It is so adjusted that the motion will be uniform and comparatively slow. The tube is inclosed in a brass case, to which is attached a scale, after the fashion of a thermometer. This scale is marked for each hundred yards up to 4000. The divisions on the scale show the distance, in yards, through which sound will travel in air during the time required for the disk to descend over the space on the scale marked by the corresponding number of yards. The instrument must be held vertically, or as nearly so as possible. To arrest the motion of the disk at any point, the instrument is quickly turned to a horizontal position.

To use it for determining the time of flight of shells it is held in the right hand, back of the hand up, with the zero of the instrument to the left; a turn of the wrist to the right brings the instrument vertical, with the zero end uppermost; the disk then descends, and a turn of the wrist to the left arrests its motion. The observer, holding the instrument as described, watches for the flash of the shell, and upon seeing it instantly brings the instrument to a vertical position; upon hearing the report from the shell he instantly turns it back again. The position of the disk indicates the number of yards from the observer to where the shell exploded.

To ascertain the distance to an enemy’s battery, the instrument is held and turned in the same manner. The observer watches for the flash of a gun; observing which, he turns the instrument, and when he hears the report turns it back and reads off the distance. Each hundred yards on the scale is subdivided into quarters.

The telemeter invented by Capt. A. Gautier of the French army is an instrument for measuring, with a great degree of approximation, any difference, not exceeding three degrees, which may be exhibited in the bearing of a distant object by viewing it from different points of a base-line transverse to its general direction from the observer. The instrument, in its simplicity, accuracy, and portability, recommends itself in all cases where a knowledge of distances is desired at any moment and with the least possible delay; such, for instance, as range-finding, river-crossing, reconnoitring, and the like. A slight acquaintance with its use on such occasions enables the observer to estimate, with more than ordinary promptitude and precision, the distance which it might be all-important to obtain.

The instrument resembles in shape and size one barrel of an ordinary reconnoitring- or field-glass. The case in which it is carried is fashioned so as to answer as a handle for holding the instrument when making observations. Within the barrel of the instrument are placed two mirrors at an angle of 45° with each other; this angle can be varied within certain limits by means of a milled-headed screw acting on one of them. The mirrors are thus made to operate upon the principle of the sextant. A slot on one side of the barrel permits the rays of light from an object to fall upon one of the mirrors, from whence they are reflected upon the other mirror, and the image is seen through the eye-glass at the small end of the instrument. At the front or large end is fixed, in a ring surrounding the barrel, a prism, whose displacement modifies the direction of an object seen through it. At the rear of the instrument is a small eye-glass, by means of which the observer sees, over the mirrors and through the prism, the object which is before him, and by double reflection in the mirrors the object to the side of him.

The American general Berdan has invented a large telemeter for garrison and sea-coast service which has been tested in Germany in 1875 and 1876 and found to be very exact in the determination of distances. He has also constructed a new model for field and mountain artillery which can be packed up and transported on horseback.

Telephone. An instrument for reproducing sounds, especially articulate speech, at a distance, by the aid of electricity or electro-magnetism. It consists essentially of a device by which currents of electricity, produced by the sounds, and exactly corresponding in duration and intensity to the vibrations of the air which attend them, are transmitted to a distant station, and there, acting on suitable mechanism, reproduce similar sounds by repeating the vibrations. Telephones were recently used by Sir Garnet Wolseley in the war in Zululand, and are being rapidly adopted in European armies.

Tell Off. A military term, expressing the dividing and practicing a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercise.

Tellenon (Fr.). An ancient machine used at sieges. See Tolenon.

Tellevas (Fr.). A large shield formerly used, similar to the pavois.

Tembu, Abatempu, or Tambookie. Is the name of an important tribe of Kaffirs, occupying the region east of the present boundary of the Cape Colony. In the earlier Kaffir wars, and even in the great one of 1835-36, the Tambookie Kaffirs remained neutral, and even friendly to the colonists; but in the war of 1848-49, they were induced to join the other tribes, and were defeated with great loss by a small colonial force. In the war of 1851, they were much broken and scattered; but eventually submitting to the British authority, they have quietly located themselves in the unoccupied country east of the White Kei and Tsomo Rivers.

Temesvar, or Temeswar. A town of the Austrian empire, capital of a circle of the same name, and of the crownland of Banat. It is strongly fortified with walls, moats, and outworks. Temesvar has played an important part in modern history. It was in the hands of the Turks from its capture in 1552 till 1718, when it was regained by Prince Eugène, and strongly fortified. In 1849, it was besieged for 107 days by the Hungarian insurgents, but it held out until it was relieved by Gen. Haynau.

Templar, Knights. A celebrated religious and military order, founded at Jerusalem in the beginning of the 12th century, by Hugues de Paganes, Geoffroy de St. Omer, and seven other French knights, for the protection of the Holy Sepulchre and of pilgrims resorting thither. The knights were bound by their rule to hear the holy office every day, or if prevented by their military duties, to say a certain number of paternosters instead, and were compelled to abstain from certain articles of food on certain days of the week. They might have three horses and an esquire each, but were forbidden to hunt or fowl. After the conquest of Jerusalem by the Saracens, the Templars spread over Europe; their valor became everywhere celebrated; immense donations in money and land were showered on them, and members of the most distinguished families thought themselves honored by enrollment in the order. As the power and prosperity of the Templars increased, so did their luxury, arrogance, and other vices, which gave the French kings a pretext for endeavoring to suppress them, and lay hold of their possessions. Their principal enemy was Philippe IV. of France, who induced Pope Clement V. to accede to a scheme by which the whole members of the order were seized and imprisoned, their lands confiscated, and many of them tried, convicted, and executed for capital crimes. The English Templars were arrested by command of Edward II. In 1312, the whole order throughout Europe was suppressed by the Council of Vienne, and its property bestowed on the Knights of St. John. The habit of the Templars was white, with a red cross of eight points of the Maltese form worn on the left shoulder. Their war-cry was “Beau séant”; and their banner, which bore the same name, was parted per fess sable and argent. They also displayed above their lances a white banner charged with the cross of the order. Their badges were the Agnus Dei, and a representation of two knights mounted on one horse,—indicative of the original poverty of the order.

Ten Thousand, Retreat of the. See Retreat of the Ten Thousand Greeks.

Tenable. Such as may be maintained against opposition; such as may be held against attack.

Tenaille. In fortification, is a low work, constructed in the main ditch, upon the lines of defense, between the bastions, before the curtain, composed of two faces, and sometimes of two flanks and a small curtain.

Tenaillons. In fortification, are works sometimes found constructed in an old fortress, on each side of the ravelin,—the short faces being traced, on the prolongations of the faces of the ravelin, from the counterscarp of its ditch; the long faces are directed for flanking defense, to about the middle of the faces of the bastions.

Demi-tenaillons are very similar to tenaillons, excepting that their short faces are directed, perpendicular to the faces of the ravelin, about one-third or one-half down from the flanked angle.

Tencteri, or Tenctheri. A people of Germany, dwelling on the Rhine between the Ruhr and Sieg, south of the Usipetes, in conjunction with whom their name usually occurs. They crossed the Rhine together with the Usipetes, with the intention of settling in Gaul; but they were defeated by Cæsar with great slaughter, and those who escaped took refuge in the territories of their southern neighbors, the Sygambri. The Tencteri afterward belonged to the league of the Cherusci, and at a still later period they are mentioned as a portion of the confederacy of the Franks.

Tenedos. A small island belonging to Turkey, in the northeast of the Ægean Sea, off the coast of the Troad. It appears in the legend of the Trojan war, as the station to which the Greeks withdrew their fleet in order to induce the Trojans to think they had departed, and to receive the wooden horse. In the Persian war it was used by Xerxes as a naval station. It afterward became a tributary ally of Athens, and adhered to her during the whole of the Peloponnesian war, and down to the peace of Antalcidas, by which it was surrendered to the Persians. At the Macedonian conquest, the Tenedians regained their liberty. In the war against Philip III., Attalus and the Romans used Tenedos as a naval station, and in the Mithridatic war, Lucullus gained a naval victory over Mithridates off the island. About this time the Tenedians placed themselves under the protection of Alexandrea Troas.

Tennessee. A Central State of the American Union, and third admitted under the Federal Constitution. It is bounded on the north by Kentucky and Virginia, and on the south by Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The early settlers of Tennessee were slaughtered by Cherokee Indians in 1754; but in 1756 a settlement was formed near Knoxville, then a part of North Carolina. Nashville was settled near the close of the Revolution; in 1790, Tennessee was organized as a Territory with Kentucky, and in 1796 was admitted into the Union as a separate State. In January, 1861, a proposal to secede from the Union was defeated, but in June it was carried by a majority of 57,667. In ten months the State raised 50 regiments for the Confederacy; 5 or 6 were also raised for the Union. The State was the scene, at Knoxville and Chattanooga, of some of the most important operations of the war, and eventually almost the whole State became a battle-ground. The State was readmitted into the Union in 1866.

Tenney. In heraldry, orange color, one of the tinctures enumerated by heralds, but not of frequent occurrence in coat-armor. It is indicated in engravings by lines in bend sinister, crossed by others barways.

Tent (Lat. tentorium, from tentus, “stretched”). A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of canvas or other coarse cloth, stretched and sustained by poles; used for sheltering persons from the weather, especially soldiers in camp. The early Greek, and afterward the Macedonian tents, were small coverings of skin, under each of which two soldiers slept. Alexander the Great is said to have had a pavilion of extraordinary magnificence, which could contain 100 beds. The Roman soldiers seem to have used two sorts of tents,—one, a tent proper, of canvas or some analogous material, and constructed with two solid upright poles, and a roof-piece between them; the other more resembling a light hut, of a wooden skeleton, covered by bark, hides, mud, straw, or any material which afforded warmth. The Roman tent held 10 soldiers, with their decanus, or corporal. Modern military tents are all made of linen or cotton canvas, supported by one or more poles, according to shape, and held extended by pegs driven into the ground. The tents used in the military service of the United States comprise the following:

Common, or A tent, for the use of enlisted men, is 6 feet 10 inches in height, 8 feet 4 inches in width, and 6 feet 10 inches long; it holds 6 men.

The officers’ tents are somewhat larger than the common tents, and are supplied with low side-walls of canvas; they are generally called wall-tents.

The tente-d’abri, which was introduced into the American from the French service, with some modifications, consists of a tissue of cotton-cloth impregnated with caoutchouc, and thus made water-proof. Every man carries a square of this cloth, with buttons and button-holes around, by which it is attached to the squares carried by his comrades; 3 men generally sleep together in a tent made of those pieces.

The Sibley tent (invented by Maj. Sibley, 2d Dragoons) is conical, light, easily pitched, erected on a tripod holding a single pole, and will comfortably accommodate 12 soldiers with their accoutrements. A fire can be made in the centre of this tent, and all soldiers sleep with their feet to the fire. This tent is hardly ever used.

There is also a hospital tent, which is made of heavy cotton-duck. In length it is 14 feet; in width, 15 feet; in height (centre), 11 feet; with a wall 4¹⁄₂ feet, and a “fly” of appropriate size; the ridge-pole is made in two sections, and measures 14 feet when joined. This tent accommodates from 8 to 10 persons comfortably.

Tent. To cover with tents; to pitch tents upon; as, a tented plain.

Tent, Laboratory. In artillery, is a large tent, which is sometimes carried to the field for the conveniences of the laboratory men.

Tent-bedstead. See Camp-bedstead.

Tentful. As much or as many as a tent will hold.

Tent-pins. Are pieces of wood, which are indented at the top, and made sharp at the bottom, to keep the cords of a tent firm to the earth.

Tent-poles. The poles upon which a tent is supported.

Teramo (anc. Interamma). A town of Southern Italy, in the province of Abruzzo Ultra I., at the junction of the Tordina and Vezzola, 28 miles northeast of Aquila. In the plain below Teramo took place, July 27, 1460, between the army of John, duke of Anjou, and the Milanese allies of Ferdinand I. of Aragon, one of the most sanguinary battles ever fought in Italy. After the contest at Castelfidardo (1860), Teramo was the first Neapolitan city that opened its gates and gave joyful welcome to King Victor Emmanuel.

Termini (anc. Thermæ Himærenses). A seaport town on the north coast of Sicily, 21 miles east-southeast from Palermo, at the mouth of the river Termini. The ancient Thermæ was founded 408 B.C. Here the Carthaginians defeated the Romans with heavy loss (260 B.C.) during the first Punic war.

Ternate. The northernmost of a chain of islands, on the west coast of Gilolo, and formerly the seat of sovereignty over all the adjacent Molucca Islands. It was taken from the Dutch by the English in 1797, but it was restored at the peace of Amiens. It was again taken in August, 1810, and once more restored to the Dutch, with their other possessions in India and the East, by the treaty of Paris in 1814.

Terre-plein. In field fortification, the plane of site or level country around a work. The terre-plein of the rampart in permanent fortification, is the broad surface which remains after constructing the parapet and banquette.

Terror, Reign of. See Reign of Terror.

Tertiate. In gunnery, is to examine the thickness of the metal of a piece of artillery, in order to judge of its strength. This is usually done with a pair of caliper compasses. To tertiate a piece of ordnance, is to examine the thickness of the metal, in order to judge of its strength, the position of the trunnions, etc.

Teschen. A town of Austrian Silesia, on the right bank of the Olsa, 38 miles east-southeast of Troppau. Here, in 1779, a treaty of peace was concluded between Maria Theresa and Frederick II., by which the dispute of the Bavarian Succession was brought to an end.

Testri (Northern France). Pepin d’Heristal, invited by malcontents, here defeated and captured Thierry III., king of Austrasia, and established himself as duke, 687.

Testudo (Testude). In ancient warfare, was a defensive arrangement of the shields, by means of which a body of men advancing against a wall for assault or mining, sought to protect themselves from the darts and weapons of the defenders. The men standing in close order, joined their shields above their heads, the edges overlapping, until the whole resembled the shell of a tortoise (testudo). The name was also applied to a machine moving on wheels, and roofed over, under which soldiers worked in undermining or otherwise destroying the walls in a siege.

Tête-de-pont (Fr.). A field fortification in front of a bridge, to cover the retreat of an army across a river. They are generally formed in the shape of a redan, a system of crémaillères, horn- or crown-works, or portions of star-and-bastioned forts. In order to add to the defense of tétes-de-pont, reduits have been constructed within them, and the dimensions of their parapets are in general made larger than those of any other field-work, on account of their great importance. Sometimes the area inclosed by a tête-de-pont is temporarily made use of as a depot for the stores necessary for the troops, in which case its tracing should present a strong point of defense, well provided with artillery, and affording in several points egress. The tracing which has been found the best for the passage of extensive trains of wagons and artillery, as well as columns of troops, is formed of crémaillères, extending in such a manner as to inclose a large area, and leaving behind each a passage well guarded and secured by second crémaillères, fronting the passage, and forming a second line. Additional strength will be given to têtes of every kind by constructing small redans or batteries on the opposite side of the river, the fire from which may defend the ground in front of the salient, and flank the faces of the tête-de-pont.

Tettenhall (Staffordshire). It was probably at this place, then named Testenheal, that the Danes were defeated by the Anglo-Saxons sent against them by Edward the Elder, August 6, 910.

Tetuan. A seaport town on the north coast of Africa, 22 miles south of Ceuta. It was taken by the Spaniards under O’Donnell, February, 1860; and the treaty of Madrid, by which the city was evacuated in favor of the Spaniards, was concluded October 30, 1861.

Teutoburg Forest. Probably situated between Detmold and Paderborn, in North Germany, where Hermann, or Arminius, and the Germans defeated the Romans under Varus with great slaughter in the year 9. This defeat was regarded at Rome as a national calamity.

Teutonic. A term applied to a group of nations, as well as languages, forming an important division or stem of the Aryan family. Of the various tribes and nations spoken of as inhabiting Northern Europe in ancient times, it is often difficult to determine which were really of Germanic race, and which Celtic or Slavic. Of undoubted German nations who took part in the destruction of the Roman empire the most prominent were the Goths (which see), Lombards (which see), Vandals (which see), and Franks (which see). The term Teutonic is derived from Teutones, the name of a nation or tribe first mentioned by Pytheas, who wrote about 320 B.C., as then inhabiting a part of the Cimbric Chersonesus, or Jutland. For the next 200 years there is no further mention of the Teutones, that is, not until 113 B.C., when they appear in history as ravaging Gaul, and in conjunction with the Cimbri and Ambrones, threatening the very existence of the Roman republic. The Cimbri having gone into Spain, the Teutones and Ambrones were at length defeated by C. Marius in a great battle at Aqua Sextiæ, in Gaul, 102 B.C. A similar victory was gained by Marius in the following year over the Cimbri in the plains of Lombardy.

Teutonic Knights. One of the more celebrated of the military and religious orders to which the Crusades gave birth. The sufferings of the Christian soldiers at the siege of Acre excited the sympathy of certain merchants of Bremen and Lübeck, who rendered such important services by the erection of hospitals and otherwise, that Duke Frederick of Suabia, with the sanction of Pope Clement III. and the emperor Henry VI., enrolled them in an order of knighthood. The habit of the order was a white mantle with a black cross; and the knights took vows of poverty and chastity, which in later times were not very strictly interpreted. In the course of the 13th century, they were, with the sanction of the pope, engaged in a bloody war to enforce Christianity on the heathen nations inhabiting the southern shores of the Baltic, which resulted in the acquisition by the order of Prussia, Livonia, Courland, and other adjoining territories. Warriors from all parts of Europe in that and the following century joined their standard, including Henry IV. of England, accompanied by 300 attendant knights and men-at-arms. The conquests of the order raised it to the rank of a sovereign order, with a territory extending from the Oder to the Baltic, and embracing a population of between 2,000,000, and 3,000,000, the grand master having his seat at Marienburg, Prussia. The decline of the order began in the 15th century, and its fall was brought about partly by internal dissensions, and partly by the attacks of neighboring states. At the peace of Presburg in 1805, the emperor of Austria obtained the rights and revenues of the grand master, but in 1809 the order was abolished by Napoleon, its lands passing to the sovereigns in whose dominions they lay. The Teutonic order, however, still continues to preserve a titular existence in Austria.

Tewkesbury. A town of England, in Gloucestershire, on the Avon, and near its confluence with the Severn, 10 miles northeast from Gloucester. It is a very ancient town. Within a mile of it was fought (May 14, 1471) the famous battle of Tewkesbury, in which the Yorkists under Edward IV. and Richard III. inflicted a signal defeat on the Lancastrians.

Texas. One of the southwestern of the United States of America, is bounded on the southwest by Mexico, from which it is separated by the Rio Grande, and on the east by Arkansas and Louisiana. La Salle, the French explorer, erected a fort on Matagorda Bay, 1687. A Spanish settlement and mission was formed in 1690, but soon abandoned. In 1715, the country was settled by the Spaniards under the name of New Philippines, and several missions established; but the Camanche and Apache Indians, among the most warlike in America, and still the terror of the border settlements, hindered the progress of the country. In 1803, when Louisiana was ceded by France to the United States, Texas, claimed by both Spain and the United States, became a disputed territory. From 1806 to 1816, settlements were formed, and several attempts made to wrest the country from Spain. In one of these, in 1813, 2500 Americans and Mexicans and 700 inhabitants of San Antonio were killed. Mina, a Spanish refugee, gained some successes, but was defeated and shot. Lafitte, a Gulf pirate, made a settlement at Galveston in 1815, but it was broken up in 1821. In 1820, Moses Austin, an American, got a large tract of land from the Mexican government, and began a settlement, which rapidly increased; but many of the settlers were of so lawless a character, that in 1830 the government forbade any more Americans coming into Texas. In 1833, a convention of settlers, 20,000 in number, made an unsuccessful attempt to form an independent Mexican state; and in 1835 a provisional government was formed, Sam Houston chosen commander-in-chief, and the Mexicans driven out of Texas. Santa Anna, president of Mexico, invaded the country with an army of 7500, but after some successes was entirely routed at San Jacinto, April 21, and Texas became an independent republic, acknowledged in 1837 by the United States, and in 1840 by England, France, and Belgium. In December, 1845, Texas was annexed to the United States, but was invaded by Mexico, which had never acknowledged its independence. A war followed (1846-48) in which Mexico was defeated. In February, 1861, Texas joined the Secession, and furnished many soldiers and immense supplies to the Confederate armies. In February, 1866, the ordinance of secession was annulled, and in 1870 the reconstruction was completed, and regular civil government restored.

Thanks. Public acknowledgments for gallant actions.

Thapsus (ruins at Demas). A city on the east coast of Bycazena, in Africa Propria, where Cæsar finally defeated the Pompeian army, and finished the civil war, 46 B.C.

Thasos (now Thaso, or Tasso). An island in the Grecian Archipelago, belonging to Turkey, off the coast of Roumelia, 30 miles north-northeast of Mount Athos. It was at a very early period taken possession of by the Phœnicians on account of its gold mines. Thasos was afterwards colonized by the Parians, 708 B.C. Before the Persian conquest, the Thasians were one of the richest and most powerful tribes in the north of the Ægean. They were subdued by the Persians under Mardonius, and subsequently became part of the Athenian maritime empire. They revolted, however, from Athens in 465 B.C., and after sustaining a siege of three years were subdued by Cimon in 463. They were obliged to surrender to the Athenians all their possessions in Thrace, to destroy their fortifications, to give up their ships, and to pay a large tribute for the future. They again revolted from Athens in 411, and called in the Spartans, but the island was again restored to the Athenians by Thrasybulus in 407.

Thaulache (Fr.). Armor and weapons of the ancient French, consisting of small shields (rondelles), and halberd or spear.

Theatre of Operations. See Strategy.

Theatre of War. The term for any extent of country in which war is carried on. It is synonymous with “seat of war.”

Theban Legion. According to tradition, was totally composed of Christians, and consequently submitted to martyrdom rather than attack their brethren during the persecution of the emperor Maximin, or sacrifice to the gods, about 286. Their leader was canonized.

Thebes. The name of a celebrated city; it was formerly the capital of Upper Egypt; it is now in ruins. It revolted against Ptolemy Lathyrus, and was captured after a siege of three years, in 82 B.C.

Thebes (now Theba). The chief city of Bœotia, in ancient Greece, was situated in a plain southeast of the Lake Helice, and northeast of Platææ. The territory of Thebes was called Thebais, and extended eastward as far as the Eubœan Sea. It was the scene of one of the most celebrated wars in the mythical annals of Greece. Polynices, who had been expelled from Thebes by his brother Eteocles, induced six other heroes to espouse his cause, and marched against the city; but they were all defeated and slain by the Thebans. This is usually called the war of the “Seven against Thebes.” A few years afterward, “the Epigoni,” or descendants of the seven heroes, marched against Thebes to revenge their fathers’ death; they took the city and razed it to the ground. It appears, however, at the earliest historical period as a large and flourishing city. The Thebans were from an early period inveterate enemies of their neighbors, the Athenians. Their hatred of the latter people was probably one of the reasons which induced them to desert the cause of Grecian liberty in the great struggle against the Persian power. In the Peloponnesian war the Thebans naturally espoused the Spartan side, and contributed not a little to the downfall of Athens; but they joined the confederacy formed against Sparta in 394 B.C. The peace of Antalcidas in 387 put an end to hostilities in Greece; but the treacherous seizure of the Cadmea by the Lacedæmonian general Phœbidas in 382, and its recovery by the Theban exiles in 379, led to a war between Thebes and Sparta, in which the former not only recovered its independence, but forever destroyed the Lacedæmonian supremacy. This was the most glorious period in the Theban annals; and the decisive defeat of the Spartans at the battle of Leuctra in 371 made Thebes the first power in Greece. Her greatness, however, was mainly due to the pre-eminent abilities of her citizens, Epaminondas and Pelopidas; and with the death of the former at the battle of Mantinea in 362, she lost the supremacy which she had so recently gained. The Thebans joined the Athenians in protecting the liberties of Greece; but their united forces were defeated by Philip of Macedon, at the battle of Chæronea, in 338. Soon after the death of Philip and the accession of Alexander, the Thebans made a last attempt to recover their liberty, but were cruelly punished by the young king. The city was taken by Alexander in 336, and was almost entirely destroyed; 6000 inhabitants were slain, and 30,000 sold as slaves. In 316 the city was rebuilt by Cassander, with the assistance of the Athenians. In 290 it was taken by Demetrius Poliorcetes, and again suffered greatly.

Theodolite. An instrument, variously constructed, used, especially in trigonometrical surveying, for the accurate measurement of horizontal angles, and also usually of vertical angles. The theodolite consists principally of a telescope, with cross-wires in its focus, mounted so as to turn both on vertical and horizontal axes, the former carrying a horizontal vernier-plate over a graduated plate or circle for aximuthal angles, and the latter a vertical, graduated arc or semicircle for altitudes,—the whole furnished with leveling-screws and levels for adjusting to the horizon, and mounted on a tripod. It is usually so constructed that a horizontal angle may be repeated indefinitely around the limb, and thus a large number of repetitions added mechanically, to secure greater accuracy in the resulting mean.

Thermidor (i.e., the “Hot Month”). Formed in the calendar of the first French republic the eleventh month, and lasted from July 19 to August 18. The 9th Thermidor of the Republican year 2 (July 27, 1794) is memorable as the date of Robespierre’s fall, and the termination of the “Reign of Terror.” The name of Thermidorians was given to all those who took part in this fortunate coup d’état, but more particularly to those who were desirous of restoring the monarchy.

Thermopylæ (literally, “the hot gates”). A famous pass leading from Thessaly into Locris, and the only road by which an invading army can penetrate from Northern into Southern Greece. Leonidas, at the head of 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians, at this pass withstood the whole force of the Persians during three days, August 7, 8, and 9, 480 B.C., when Ephialtes, a Trachinian, perfidiously leading the enemy by a secret path up the mountains, brought them to the rear of the Greeks, who, thus placed between two assailants, perished gloriously on heaps of their slaughtered foes. One Greek only returned home, and he was received with reproaches for having fled. Here also, Antiochus the Great, king of Syria, was defeated by the Romans, 191 B.C.

Thermum, Thermus, or Therma. A strong city, the acropolis of Ætolia, Northern Greece, was captured and ravaged by Philip V. of Macedon, 218 and 206 B.C., on account of its favoring the Romans.

Thespiæ. A city of Bœotia, Northern Greece; 700 of its citizens perished with Leonidas at Thermopylæ, August, 480 B.C. It suffered much through the jealousy of the Thebans, who destroyed its walls in 372 B.C.

Thessalonica (now Saloniki, more anciently Therma). An ancient city of Macedonia, situated at the northeast extremity of the Sinus Thermaicus. It was taken and occupied by the Athenians a short time before the commencement of the Peloponnesian war (432 B.C.), but was soon afterward restored by them to Perdiccas. At a later time, it became the capital of the Illyrian provinces. It is celebrated at this period on account of the fearful massacre of its inhabitants by order of Theodosius, in consequence of a riot in which some of the Roman officers had been assassinated by the populace.

Thessaly. The largest division of ancient Greece, lay to the south of Macedonia, and to the east of Epirus. Thessaly was originally inhabited by Æolians, who, however, were either expelled or reduced to slavery by immigrants from Epirus about 1000 B.C. The inhabitants of Thessaly have been divided into three classes: (1) There were the Epirote conquerors; (2) those descendants of the original inhabitants, who, although dependent on the nobles, yet possessed a few privileges; and (3) the Penestæ, or those of the original inhabitants who had been reduced to serfdom. Thessaly never played an important part in Grecian history; it was only after the Peloponnesian war it exercised any influence on the affairs of Greece. The Penestæ frequently rebelled against their masters, who were very frequently at war among themselves. Jason caused himself to be elected Tagus of all Thessaly about 374 B.C.; was assassinated in 370 B.C. The rule of Jason’s successors became so unbearable that, in 353 B.C., the old families called in the aid of Philip of Macedon, who, in 344, subjected the country to Macedonia. In 197 B.C., it was restored to freedom under the protection of Rome.

Thetford. A town of England, in Norfolk, 95 miles north-northeast of London. It was taken and sacked by the Danes in 870.

Thin, To. To make less numerous; as, to thin the ranks by a heavy discharge of musketry.

Thionville. A fortified town of France, in the department of the Moselle, situated on the Moselle, which is crossed here by a splendid bridge. This place was a residence of the Merovingian and Carlovingian kings, and was repeatedly besieged during the various wars between Austria and France. It was invested by the Germans in August, 1870, and after bombardment, being in flames, surrendered November 24 following.

Thirty, Battle of (Fr. Combat des Trentes). A name given, in English and French history, to a celebrated engagement which took place at a spot known as Midway Oak, half-way between the castles of Josselin and Ploermel, France, March 27, 1351. The French general Beaumanoir, commanding the former post, being enraged at the depredations committed by Bemborough, the English general, challenged him to fight. Upon this it was agreed that thirty knights of each party should meet and decide the contest. The two chiefs presented themselves at the head of their best soldiers and the battle began in earnest. At the first onset the English were successful; but Bemborough having been killed, the French renewed the struggle with redoubled courage and finally won the victory. This was one of the most heroic exploits of the age, and gained such popularity that more than one hundred years later, when speaking of a hard contest, it was usual to say, “There never was such hard fighting since the battle of the Thirty.”

Thirty Tyrants. A body of thirty magistrates in Athens (404-403 B.C.). They were appointed from the aristocratic party, by the Spartans, victorious in the Peloponnesian war. The “tyrants” were guilty of the most cruel and shameless acts, and after one year were expelled by Thrasybulus.

Thirty Tyrants of Rome. A set of military adventurers who from 253 to 268 attempted to establish their own power in various parts of the empire during the reigns of Valerianus and Gallienus. The number thirty is borrowed from that of the famous Athenian tyrants. The names of only nineteen of these adventurers have come down to us.

Thirty Years’ War. Was not properly one war, but rather an uninterrupted succession of wars (1618-1648) in Germany, in which Austria, the most of the Catholic princes of Germany, and Spain, were engaged on one side throughout, but against different antagonists. This long-continued strife had its origin in the quarrels between the Catholics and Protestants of Germany, and the attempts of the former, who were the more powerful body, to deprive the latter of what liberty of worship they had obtained. The severe measures taken by the emperor, the head of the Catholic party, against the Protestant religion, led also to strictures on their civil rights; and it was to protect their political as well as their religious liberties, that the Protestants formed a union, May 4, 1608, with Frederick IV., the Elector Palatinate, at its head. The rival union of the Catholic powers, under the leadership of the Duke of Bavaria, followed July 11, 1609. In Bohemia, the immense preponderance in numbers (two out of three) and influence of the Protestants, had forced from their Austrian king an edict of toleration (July 11, 1609), which was at first faithfully observed; but during the reign of Matthias, sundry violations of it were made with impunity; and as the influence of Ferdinand of Styria, his successor, began to be felt in more flagrant partiality to the Catholics, the kingdom became a scene of wild excitement; three of the Catholic party were thrown from the window of the Bohemian council-chamber at Prague, and ultimately Ferdinand was deposed, and Frederick V., the Elector Palatinate, chosen in his stead (1619); and Count Thurn, at the head of an insurgent army, repeatedly routed the imperial troops, and actually besieged the emperor in Vienna. The Catholic princes, though as apprehensive as their opponents of the encroaching policy of Austria, crowded to the emperor’s aid; and while the Protestant union and James I. of Great Britain held aloof from Frederick, whose sole allies were Bohemians (under Thurn), Moravians, Hungarians, and a Piedmontese contingent of 3000 (under Count Mansfield), a well-appointed army of 30,000, under Duke Maximilian, advanced to support the Austrians, and totally routed Frederick’s motley array at Weissenberg (November 8, 1620), near Prague, afterwards reducing the Upper, while an army of Spaniards under Spinola ravaged the Lower, Palatinate, and the Saxons (in alliance with the emperor) occupied Lusatia. The Bohemians were now subjected to the most frightful tyranny and persecution; a similar policy, though of a more modern character, was adopted towards the people of the Palatinate,—the Protestant union standing aloof, and subsequently dissolving, through sheer terror. But the indomitable pertinacity and excellent leadership of Count Mansfield and Christian of Brunswick, two famous partisan leaders, who ravaged the territories of the Catholic league, and the forced cession to Bethlem Gabor of large portions of Hungary and Transylvania, did much to equalize the success of the antagonistic parties. Here the war might have ended; but the fearful tyranny of Ferdinand over all the Protestants in his dominions (Hungary excepted) drove them to despair, and the war advanced to its second phase. Christian IV. of Denmark, smarting under some injuries inflicted on him by the emperor, and aided by a British subsidy, came to the aid of his German co-religionists in 1624, and being joined by Mansfield and Christian of Brunswick, advanced into Lower Saxony, while the emperor, hampered by the political jealousy of the Catholic league, was unable to oppose him. But when, by the aid of Wallenstein, a powerful and effective army had been obtained, and the leaguers under Tilly, in co-operation with it, had marched northwards, the rout of the Danes by Tilly at Lutter (August 17, 1626), and of Mansfield by Wallenstein at Dessau (April 1, 11, and 25, 1626), again prostrated the Protestants’ hopes in the dust; yet a gleam of comfort was obtained from the victorious raid of Mansfield through Silesia, Moravia, and Hungary, though his scheme for an insurrection in Hungary failed, and his death soon after, at Zara, freed the emperor from a formidable and irreconcilable enemy. The combined Imperialists and leaguers mean time had overrun North Germany and continental Denmark, and ultimately compelled King Christian to conclude the humiliating peace of Lübeck (May 12, 1629). This second great success seems to have turned Ferdinand’s head, for, not content with still more rigorous treatment of the Protestants, and the promulgation of the Restitution Edict, which seriously offended even the Catholics, he stirred up Poland against Sweden, and insulted Gustavus Adolphus, both personally and in the persons of his ambassadors,—insolent impertinences which he soon saw bitter reason to regret. The Catholic league now forced him to reduce his army, and supplant Wallenstein by Tilly; while France was inciting Gustavus to the willing task of aiding the Protestants in Germany. The war entered its third phase by the landing of the Swedes at Usedom (June, 1630), and their conquest of Pomerania and Mecklenburg. Gustavus, by the exercise of a little wholesome pressure, induced the elector of Brandenburg to aid him; and though unable to save Magdeburg, he marched to join the Saxons, completely routed by Tilly at Breitenfeld (September 17, 1631); victoriously traversed the Main and Rhine valleys; again routed Tilly on the Lech (April 5, 1632), and entered Munich. By the judicious strategy of Wallenstein, he was compelled to return to Saxony, where he gained the great victory of Lützen; but his death, depriving the Protestants of the only man who could force the confederate powers to preserve unity of action, was a severe blow to their cause; though the genius and indefatigable zeal of his chancellor, Oxenstiern, and the brilliant talents of the Swedish generals, preserved the advantages they had gained, till the crushing defeat of Bernard of Weimar at Nordlingen (September 6, 1634) again restored to the emperor a preponderating influence in Germany. Saxony now made peace at Prague (May 30, 1635), obtaining such satisfactory terms for the Lutherans that the treaty was within three months adhered to by all the German princes of that sect, and the Calvinists were left to their fate. Final success now appeared to demand only one more strenuous effort on the part of Austria; but Oxenstiern resolved to preserve to Sweden her German acquisitions, propitiated Richelieu, by resigning to him the direction of the war, and the conflict advanced into its final and most extended phase. The emperor, allied for offense and defense with the Lutherans, was now also assailed through his ally, Spain, who was attacked on her own frontier, in the Netherlands, and in Italy; Bernard of Weimar fighting independently, with the view of obtaining Alsace for himself, opposed the leaguers; while the Swedes under Banér held North Germany, and by frequent flying marches into Silesia and Bohemia distracted their opponents, and prevented them, after successes over Duke Bernard, from proceeding with the invasion of France. The great victory of Banér over the Austrians and Saxons at Wittstock (October 4, 1636) restored to Sweden the victor’s wreath she had lost two years before; and from this time, especially under Torstenson and Konigsmark, the Swedes were always successful, adding a second victory of Breitenfeld (November 2, 1642), one at Yankowitz (February 14, 1645), and numberless ones of less note, to their already long list of successes, carrying devastation and ruin into the hereditary territories, even to the gates of Vienna, defeating the best generals of the empire, till, from a profound feeling of inability to check them, the Austrians hardly dared appear to the north of the Danube. On the Rhine, the leaguers at first had great success,—the Weimar troops, now in French pay, were almost exterminated at Duttlingen (November 24, 1643); but after the Spanish power had been thoroughly broken in the Netherlands by Condé, the French were reinforced on the Rhine, and under Condé and Turenne, rolled back the leaguers through the Palatinate and Bavaria, and revenged at Nordlingen (August 3, 1645) the former defeat of the Swedes. The emperor was now deserted by all his allies except the Duke of Bavaria, whose territories were already mostly in the hands of Turenne and Wrangel; and a combined invasion of Austria from the west and north was on the point of being executed, when, after seven years of diplomatic shuffling, with an eye to the changing fortunes of the contest, the peace of Westphalia put an end to this terrible struggle.

Thistle, Order of the. See Andrew, St.

Thomas, St. The principal of the Virgin Islands in the West Indies, belonging to Denmark. In March, 1801, it was taken by the British, but given up at the peace of Amiens; it was again taken in the course of the subsequent war, and restored to Denmark at the peace of Paris in 1814.

Thorn. A fortified town of the kingdom of Prussia, in the province of West Prussia, on the right bank of the Vistula. It is defended by walls, bastions, and two forts. This town was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1232, and admitted into the Hanseatic League in the beginning of the 14th century. It was taken by Charles XII. of Sweden in 1703, after a siege of four months.

Thrace. Anciently the name of an extensive country bounded on the north by the Danube, on the east by the Euxine, on the south by the Ægean and Macedonia, and on the west by Macedonia and Illyria. War and robbery were the only honorable occupations of the Thracians. They lived to steal, either from each other or from neighboring peoples. When not fighting or plundering, they spent their days in savage idleness, or in quarreling over their cups. Courageous, or rather ferocious, after the fashion of barbarous peoples, they yet lacked the steady valor and endurance of disciplined troops; at all times, their warfare displayed more fierceness and impetuosity than fortitude. In 513 B.C., Darius, king of Persia, marched through Thrace on his way to punish the European Scythians, and on his return left Megabazus with 80,000 men to subdue the country. In this he partially succeeded, but new disturbances and complications arose between the Persians and Greeks, which resulted (480 B.C.) in the famous expedition of Xerxes. The consequence of the expulsion of the Persians from Europe was the resumption of liberty and the revival of prosperity among the Greek colonies in Thrace. Shortly before the Peloponnesian war, a native Thracian state—the Odrysian—had attained to great power and eminence under a ruler named Sitalces, who joined the Athenian alliance, but could not, in spite of his resources, prevent the triumph of Sparta in the north as well as in the south. The rise of the Macedonian kingdom, under Philip II. (359 B.C.), destroyed the independence of a great part of Thrace. Under the government of Lysimachus, the subjugation of Thrace became complete. On the fall of the Macedonian kingdom (168 B.C.) it passed into the hands of the Romans, and subsequently shared the vicissitudes of the Roman empire. In 334 a colony of Sarmatians, and in 376 another of Goths, was planted in Thrace. In 395 it was overrun by Alaric, and in 447 by Attila. In 1353, Amurath obtained possession of all its fortresses, except Constantinople, and it has ever since remained in the possession of the Turks.

Thrasimenus Lacus. See Trasimenus Lacus.

Throw, To. To force anything from one place to another; thus, artillerists say, to throw a shot or shell, or so many shells were thrown.

Thrust. Hostile attack with any pointed weapon, as in fencing. When one party makes a push with his sword to wound his adversary with the point, it is called a thrust.

Thud. The sound of a bullet on hitting the intended object.

Thug. One of an association of robbers and murderers in India, who practiced murder not by open assault, but by stealthy approaches, and from religious motives. They have been nearly exterminated by the British government.

Thumb-stall. See Implements.

Thunderbolt. In heraldry, a bearing borrowed from classical mythology, which may be described as a twisted bar in pale inflamed at each end surmounting two jagged darts in saltire between two wings displayed with streams of fire.

Thundering Legion. During a contest with the invading Marcomanni, the prayers of some Christians in a Roman legion are said to have been followed by a storm of thunder, lightning, and rain, which tended greatly to discomfit the enemy; and hence the legion received the name in 174.

Thurii, or Thurium. A Greek city in the south of Italy, on the north shore of the Tarentine Gulf, was founded in 452 B.C., by a body of Sybarite exiles, near the spot where their ancient city had stood till it was destroyed by the Crotonians fifty-eight years before. The rise of a new colony re-awakened the anger of the Crotonians, and after five years they expelled the Sybarites. These after an unsuccessful appeal to Sparta for assistance, applied to the Athenians, who resolved to send out a colony along with the persecuted Sybarites. The leaders of this colony were Lampon and Xenocritus. A war subsequently occurred between Thurii and Tarentum, but was terminated by a compromise. In 390 B.C. the city received a severe blow from a total defeat of their army by the Lucanians. From this period it began to decline, and was at length obliged to submit to the Roman power, in order to escape the continued attacks of the Lucanians.

Thuringia. An early Gothic kingdom in Central Germany, was overrun by Attila and the Huns, 451; the last king, Hermanfried, was defeated and slain by Thierry, king of the Franks, who annexed it to his dominions, 530. It was after various changes and many conflicts, absorbed in Saxony in the 15th century. In 1815 it was surrendered to Prussia.

Thyatira. In Asia Minor; was the place assigned for the battle at which the rebel Procopius was defeated by the army of the emperor Valens in 366.

Thymbra. In Asia Minor, where Cyrus the Great defeated the confederate army aiding Crœsus, and obtained supremacy in Asia, 548.

Tiberias. A city in Palestine, built by Herod Antipas, and named after the emperor Tiberias in 39. Near it Guy de Lusignan, king of Jerusalem, and the Crusaders, were defeated by Saladin; and Jerusalem fell into his hands, 1187.

Ticino, or Tessin. A Swiss canton south of the Alps; it was conquered by the Swiss early in the 16th century, and made a separate canton in 1815. It suffered by internal disputes in 1839 and 1841.

Ticinus (now Tessino). An important river in Northern Italy. It was upon the bank of this river that Hannibal gained his first victory over the Romans by the defeat of P. Scipio, 218 B.C.

Ticonderoga. A town in Essex Co., N. Y., 95 miles north by east of Albany. Two or three miles below this village are the ruins of old Fort Ticonderoga, on the west shore of Lake Champlain. The fort was surprised by Col. Ethan Allen in the Revolutionary war.

Tien Tsin. A city of China, situated 70 miles southeast from Pekin. A treaty of amity and commerce was signed here between the French and English on the one hand, and the Chinese on the other, in 1858. The violation of this treaty, which was favorable to British interests in China, by the Chinese, was the cause of the subsequent Chinese war.

Tierce. A thrust in fencing, delivered at the outside of the body over the arm.

Tierce, Tiercé. In heraldry, a term of blazon used to indicate that the field is divided by lines into three equal parts. A shield may be tierce in pale, in fess, in bend, in bend sinister, or in pall; all which, with other arrangements in tierce, are common in French heraldry. Tierce in pale, in English heraldry, is an occasional mode of marshaling three coats in one escutcheon under special circumstances.

Tier-shot. Grape-shot is sometimes so called.

Tiflis. See Teflis.

Tige-arms. Sometimes called pillar breech-arms. Arms with a stem of steel, screwed into the middle of the breech-pin, around which the charge of powder is placed. The ball enters free and rests upon the top of the pin, which is tempered, and a few blows with a heavy ramrod force the ball to fill the grooves of the rifled arm. This invention was an improvement by Capt. Thouvenin on Delvignes’ plan of having a chamber for the powder smaller than the bore. Capt. Minié’s invention superseded the tige-arms, by means of a bullet which is forced to fill the grooves by the action of the charge itself at the instant of the explosion.

Tigranocerta (ruins at Sert). The later capital of Armenia, built by Tigranes. It was taken by Lucullus and the Romans, after a great victory over Tigranes, in 69 B.C.

Tigurini. A tribe of the Helvetii, who joined the Cimbri in invading the country of the Allobroges in Gaul, where they defeated the consul L. Cassius Longinus, 107 B.C. They formed in the time of Cæsar the most important of the four cantons into which the Helvetii were divided.