Beds. Are receptacles for ordnance of large calibre—mortar-beds serve the same purpose as gun-carriages. They are made of solid timber, consisting generally of two pieces fastened together with strong iron bolts and bars. Their sizes depend on the kind of mortar they carry. The beds for the smaller mortars are made of one solid block only. The reason that a bed is used for a mortar instead of a wheel-carriage is on account of the high elevation at which a mortar is usually fired, when the recoil, instead of forcing the piece backwards, tends to force it downwards, and this tendency becomes so great at the higher angles that no wheel-carriage could long sustain the shock.
Beeren, Gross. A village of Prussia, 11 miles east-southeast of Potsdam, well known as the scene of a great victory gained by the Prussians over the French on August 22–23, 1813.
Beetles. In a military sense, are large wooden hammers for driving down palisades, and for other uses.
Beetlestock. The stock or handle of a beetle.
Befort, or Belfort. A fortified town in the department of Haut-Rhin, France; sustained several sieges; taken by the Austrians in 1814. Its citadel was constructed by Vauban.
Beg, or Bey. A Turkish title, rather vague in its import, and commonly given to superior military officers, ship-captains, and distinguished foreigners. More strictly, it applies to the governor of a small district, who bears a horse-tail as a sign of his rank. Beglerbeg, or more correctly Beilerbegi (“lord of lords”), is the title given to the governor of a province who bears three horse-tails as his badge of honor, and has authority over several begs, agas, etc.
Begkos, or Beikos. A large village of Anatolia, on the Bosphorus, 8 miles north-northeast of Scutari, said to be the locality of the contest between Pollux and Amycus, in which the latter was killed. At the commencement of the Crimean war, the allied fleets anchored in Begkos Bay, prior to their entering the Black Sea, in January, 1854.
Behourd, Bihourt, or Bohourt (Fr.). This name was given during the Middle Ages, to a combat on horseback, lance in hand; also a tilting of cavaliers, which took place at public amusements.
Beilan. A town and mountain-pass of Syria at its northern extremity, on the east side of the Gulf of Iskanderoon. Here the Egyptian troops totally defeated the Turks in 1882.
Belbeys, or Belbeis. A town of Lower Egypt, on the eastern arm of the Nile, 28 miles north-northeast of Cairo; it is inclosed by earthen ramparts, and is a station on the route from Egypt to Syria. During the expedition of the French into Egypt, Gen. Bonaparte had the ancient fortifications repaired.
Beleaguer. To invest a town or fortress, so as to preclude escape; to besiege; to blockade.
Belem. A town of Portugal, on the right bank of the Tagus, near Lisbon. It is historically interesting as the place from whence Vasco de Gama set sail on his voyage of oriental discovery; it was taken in November, 1807, by the French, the royal family of Portugal embarking from its quay for Brazil as they entered; in 1833, it was occupied by Don Pedro’s troops.
Belemnon. A dart used by the ancient Grecians.
Belfry, or Beffroi. Among military writers of the Middle Ages, a movable tower, often several stories high, erected by besiegers for purposes of attack and defense.
Belgian-fuze. See Bormann-fuze.
Belgium. Late the southern portion of the kingdom of the Netherlands, and anciently the territory of the Belgæ, who were finally conquered by Julius Cæsar, 51 B.C.; a revolution commenced at Brussels, August 25, 1830; Antwerp taken (except the citadel), December 23, 1830. The king of the Netherlands commenced war August 3, 1831, but France sent 50,000 troops to assist Belgium, which effected an armistice. Antwerp was taken by the French, December 23, 1832, and the French army returned to France immediately after. For previous history, see Flanders.
Belgrade. An ancient city in Servia, on the right bank of the Danube. It was taken from the Greek emperor by Solomon, king of Hungary, in 1086; gallantly defended by John Huniades, against the Turks under Mahomet II., July to September, 1456, when the latter was defeated with the loss of 40,000 men; it was taken by Sultan Solyman, 1521, and retaken by the Imperialists in 1688, from whom it was again taken by the Turks, 1690; besieged in May, 1717, by Prince Eugene. On August 5, of that year, the Turkish army, 200,000 strong, approached to relieve it, and a sanguinary battle was fought at Peterwardein, in which the Turks lost 20,000 men; after this battle Belgrade surrendered. In 1739 it was ceded to the Turks, after its fine fortifications had been demolished; retaken in 1789, and restored at the peace of Reichenbach in 1790. The Servian insurgents had possession of it in 1806; in 1815, it was placed under Prince Milosch, subject to Turkey; the fortifications were restored in 1820; the fortress was surrendered by the Turks to the Servians about August, 1867.
Belier (Fr.). A battering-ram, invented by the Carthaginians about 441 B.C.; used in ancient times for siege purposes. Also a wooden machine for driving wedges under a ship’s bottom.
Bellair. In North America; this town was attacked by the British forces under Sir Peter Parker, who, after an obstinate engagement, were repulsed with considerable loss; their gallant commander was killed August 30, 1814.
Belle-Alliance. A farm-house on the field of Waterloo, Belgium; it is situated on the right side of the high-road to Brussels and about two miles from Mount-Saint-Jean. Here Napoleon marshaled his guards for their last effort at Waterloo; and here Wellington and Blücher met after the battle was gained by the allies.
Bellegarde. A hill fortress of France, in the department of the Pyrénées Orientales. Here the French under Philip III. were defeated by Peter III. of Aragon, in 1285; captured by the Spaniards in 1674, and again by the French under Marshal Schomberg, in 1675; blockaded and taken by the Spaniards under Ricardos, but was retaken by the French in the following year.
Belleisle. An isle on the southeast of Brittany, France, erected into a duchy for Marshal Belleisle in 1742, in reward of his military and diplomatic services, by Louis XV. Belleisle was taken by the British forces under Commodore Keppel and Gen. Hodgson, after a desperate resistance, June 7, 1761; restored to France in 1763.
Belley, Bellica, Bellicum, or Bellicium. A town in the department of Ain, France, 39 miles east from Lyons, formerly fortified. Belley served as a place of arms to Cæsar against the Allobroges; burned by Alaric in 390; it was in the possession of the dukes of Savoy; it was ceded to France in 1601.
Belligerent. In a state of warfare. Hence any two or more nations at war are called belligerent powers.
Bellinzona. A town in the Swiss canton of Ticino, on the river Ticino. It has several castles, and was captured and recaptured several times by the Germans, Swiss, and French.
Bellipotent. Powerful or mighty in war.
Bell-metal. An alloy of about 78 parts copper and 22 of tin, used in making bells. It is harder and more sonorous than gun-metal, but much more brittle.
Bellovaci. The most powerful of the Belgæ, dwelt in the modern Beauvais, between the Seine, Oise, Somme, and Bresle. In Cæsar’s time they could bring 100,000 men into the field, but they were subdued by Cæsar with the other Belgæ.
Bellows-house. See Ordnance, Carriages for, Traveling Forge.
Bells of Arms.