Part 103

CUIRASSIERS, in the military art, are a sort of heavy cavalry armed with cuirasses, as most of the German horse are. The several German powers have regiments of cuirassiers, especially the emperor, and the king of Prussia. The late king of France had also one regiment; but there were none in the English army since the revolution of 1688.

CUISH, the ancient armor which covered the thighs, was so called.

CUISSARS, Fr. are plates or scales made of beaten iron, which formerly served to cover the thighs.

CUITE, Fr. a technical word to express the preparation of saltpetre for the making of gunpowder. See SALTPETRE.

CULASSE, Fr. See BREECH of a GUN.

CULBUTER, une Colonne, to overthrow a column. This term is frequently used when cavalry attack infantry by rapidly charging it.

CULEE d’un pont, Fr. butment of a bridge.

CULVERIN, CULVERIN ordinary, CULVERIN of the largest size, See CANNON.

CUNEUS. See WEDGE.

CUNETTE. See CUVETTE.

CURFEW-bell, a signal given in cities taken in war, &c. to the inhabitants to go to bed. The most eminent curfew was that in England, established by William the Conqueror, who appointed, under severe penalties, that, at the ringing of a bell, at 8 o’clock in the evening, every one should put out their lights and fires, and go to bed, &c.

CURTAIN, in fortification, is that part of the body of the place, which joins the flank of one bastion to that of the next. See FORTIFICATION.

Angle of the CURTAIN. See FORTIFICATION.

Complement of the CURTAIN. See FORTIFICATION.

CURTELASSE, CURTELAX, See CUTLASS.

CUSTREL, the shield-bearer of the ancients was so called.

CUT. There are six cuts used by the cavalry, to be made with the broad sword, or sabre. See SWORD Exercise.

To CUT off. To intercept, to hinder from union or return. In a military sense, this phrase is variously applicable, and extremely familiar.

To CUT off an enemy’s retreat, is to manœuvre in such a manner as to prevent an opposing army, or body of men, from retiring, when closely pressed, either to their entrenchments, or into a fortified town from which they had marched or sallied. Whole armies may be cut off either through the mismanagement of their own generals, by extending the line of operation too far, or through the superior talents of an individual, who in the midst of the hurry, noise, and desolation, which invariably attend a pitched battle, suddenly takes advantage of some opening in the wings or centre, and cuts off a material part of his enemy’s line. When one army is superior to another in numbers, and is commanded by a shrewd and intelligent officer, it may always cut off a part at least of the opposing forces that come into action.

To CUT short. To abridge: as the soldiers were cut short of their pay.

To CUT up. When the cavalry are sent in pursuit of a flying enemy, the latter are generally cut up.

To CUT through. A small body of brave men, headed by a good officer, will frequently extricate itself from apparent captivity, or destruction, by cutting its way through superior force.

CUTLER, a military artificer, whose business is to forge, temper, and mount all sorts of sword blades.

CUTTING-off. See RETRENCHMENT.

CUVETTE, in fortification, is a small ditch of 10 or 12 feet broad, made in the middle of a large dry ditch, about 4 or 4¹⁄₂ feet deep, serving as a retrenchment to defend the ditch, or else to let water in, (if it can be had during a siege,) and afford an obstacle, should the enemy endeavor to cross the fosse.

CYCLOPOEDIA. See ENCYCLOPOEDIA.

CYCLOID, a curve in geometry.

CYLINDER, or concave cylinder of a gun, is all the hollow length of the piece, or bore. See CANNON.