Part 89

CHEVALER, in the manege, is said of a horse, when, in passing upon a walk or trot, his off fore leg crosses the near fore leg every second motion.

CHEVALET, Fr. a sort of bell-tent, formerly used in the French service, when an army encamped. It resembled in some degrees the wigwam of the Indian.

CHEVALIER, in a general sense, signifies a knight or horseman.

CHEVAUX-de frize, in fortification, a large joist or piece of timber, about 5 or 6 inches square, and 10 or 12 feet in length; into the sides whereof are driven a great number of wooden pins, about 6 feet long, and 1¹⁄₂ inch diameter, crossing one another at right angles, and pointed with iron. They are used on numberless occasions, as to stop up breaches, to secure avenues to a camp from the inroads both of horse and foot. They are sometimes mounted on wheels, with artificial fires, to roll down in an assault, &c. They were first used at the siege of Groningen, in 1658.

CHEVAUX-de-frize. The body or beam of a cheval-de-frize is generally made 9 feet long, and 6 inches square, and weighs 41 lbs. The spears are 33 in number, weighing 2 lb. each, are 5 feet long, and 1¹⁄₄ inches square. They are placed 9¹⁄₂ inches asunder.

CHEVET, Fr. a small wedge which is used in raising a mortar, it is placed between the frame and swell of the mortar.

CHEVISANCE, Fr. enterprize, feat, or atchievement.

CHEVRE, Fr. a crab or gin. See CHEVRETTE.

CHEVRETTE, a kind of gin. Among the many inventions for raising guns or mortars into their carriages this engine is very useful; it is made of two pieces of wood about four feet long, standing upright upon a third, which is square: they are about a foot asunder, and parallel; pierced with holes opposite one another, to hold a strong bolt of iron, which may be raised higher or lower at pleasure: it may be used with a hand-spike, which takes its poise over this bolt, to raise any thing by force.

CHEVROTINES, Fr. leaden bullets of small calibre; there are generally sixty to a pound weight.

CHIEF or CHIEFTAIN, the head leader, or commander of any clan in time of war, was so called, especially among the Scotch.

CHIORME, Fr. the crew of galley slaves and bonavogliers or volunteers.

CIMIER, Fr. a heavy ornament, which the ancient knights or chevaliers in France and in other countries were accustomed to wear upon their helmets; small figures were afterwards substituted in their stead.

CHOROGRAPHY, in engineering, is the art of making a drawing or map of a country, province or district.

CIMETAR, See SCIMITAR.

CINQUAIN, in ancient military history, was an order of battle, to draw up 5 battalions, so that they might make 3 lines; that is, a van, main-body, and reserve. Supposing the 5 battalions, to be in a line, the 2d and 4th advance and form the van, the 3d falls back and forms the rear, the 1st and 5th form the main body upon the same ground. Lastly, every battalion ought to have a squadron of horse on both the right and left wings. Any number of regiments, produced by multiplying by 5, may be drawn up in the same manner.

CIRCLE, in mathematics, is a plane figure, comprehended under one line only, to which all right lines drawn from a point in the middle of it are equal to one another.

CIRCUMFERENTER, an instrument used by engineers for measuring angles.

CIRCUMVALLATION, or line of circumvallation, in military affairs, implies a fortification of earth, consisting of a parapet and trench, made round the town intended to be besieged, when any molestation is apprehended from parties of the enemy, which may march to relieve the place.

Before the attack of a place is begun, care is to be taken to have the most exact plan of it possible; and upon this the line of circumvallation and the attack are projected. This line, being a fortification opposed to an enemy that may come from the open country to relieve the besieged, ought to have its defence directed against them; that is, so as to fire from the town: and the besiegers are to be encamped behind this line, and between it and the place. The camp should be as much as possible out of the reach of the shot of the place; and the line of circumvallation, which is to be farther distant from the place than the camp, ought still more to be out of the reach of its artillery.

As cannon are never to be fired from the rear of the camp, this line should be upwards of 1200 fathoms from the place: we will suppose its distance fixed at 1400 fathoms from the covert way. The depth of the camp may be computed at about 30 fathom, and from the head of the camp to the line of circumvallation 120 fathoms, that the army may have room to draw up in order of battle at the head of the camp, behind the line. This distance added to the 30 fathoms, makes 150 fathoms, which being added to the 1400, makes 1550 fathoms constitute the distance of the line of circumvallation from the covert-way. The top of this line is generally 12 feet broad, and 7 feet deep: the parapet runs quite round the top of it; and at certain distances is frequently strengthened with redoubts and small forts; the base 18 feet wide, the height within 6, and on the outside 5 feet, with a banquette of 3 feet wide, and 1¹⁄₂ high. See CONTRAVALLATION, or COUNTERVALLATION.

CIRCUS, in military antiquity, a very capacious building, of a round or oval form, erected by the ancients for exhibiting shews to the people.

CISEAUX, Fr. chissels made use of by miners, to loosen earth from the sides of the excavation, without making a noise, which the miner effects by striking the handle.

CITADEL, is a fort with 4, 5, or 6 bastions, raised on the most advantageous ground about a city, the better to command it; and commonly divided from it by an esplanade, the better to hinder the approach of an enemy; so that the citadel defends the inhabitants if they continue in their duty, and punishes them if they revolt. Besiegers always attack the city first, that, being masters of it, they may cover themselves the better against the fire of the citadel. Its having bastions distinguishes it from a castle. Sometimes the citadel stands half within, and half without the ramparts of the place.

CIVIC-CROWN, among the ancient Romans, was a crown given to any soldier who had saved the life of a citizen. It was composed only of oaken boughs, but accounted more honorable than any other.

CIVIERE, Fr. a small hand-barrow, which is carried by 2 men, and is much used by the artillery.

CLARENCIEUX, a silly pageant which has survived the feudal and heraldic ages, and kept up for shew in the court of England, he is called the second king at arms, from the duke of Clarence, third son of king Edward III.

CLARIGATION, in Roman antiquity, a ceremony which always preceded a formal declaration of war. It was performed in the following manner: the chief of the heralds went to the territory of the enemy; where, after some solemn prefatory indication, he, with a loud voice, intimated, that he declared war against them for certain reasons specified; such as injury done to the Roman allies, or the like.