Cardigan. A town in Cardiganshire, Wales. It was an important town about the Norman conquest, and the Normans were frequently defeated before mastering it. The town suffered much in the struggles between the Welsh and the Normans.
Cardinal Points. The four intersections of the horizon with the meridian, and the prime vertical circle, or north and south, east and west. In astrology, the cardinal points are the rising and setting of the sun, the zenith and nadir.
Caria. An ancient province in the extreme southwest of Asia Minor. It was conquered by Cyrus, 546 B.C.; by Dercyllidas, a Lacedæmonian, 397. Caria was absorbed in the Turkish empire.
Carignan. A small town about 12 miles from Sedan, department of Ardennes, Northeast France. At the plain Douzy, near this place and the encampment of Vaux, a part of MacMahon’s army, retreating before the Germans, turned round and made a stand, August 31, 1870. After a long and severe engagement, in which the positions were taken and retaken several times, the Germans turned the flank of their enemies, who were compelled to fall back upon Sedan, where they were finally overcome, September 1.
Caripi. A kind of cavalry in the Turkish army, which, to the number of 1000, are not slaves, nor bred up in the seraglio, like the rest, but are generally Moors, or renegade Christians, who have obtained the rank of horse-guards to the Grand Seignior.
Carisbrooke Castle. In the Isle of Wight, England; it is said to have been a British and Roman fortress; was taken in 530, by Cerdic, founder of the kingdom of the West Saxons. Here Charles I. was imprisoned in 1647.
Carizmians. Were fierce shepherds living near the Caspian Sea; having been expelled by the Tartars, they invaded Syria in 1243. The union of the sultans of Aleppo, Hems, and Damascus was insufficient to stem the torrent, and the Christian military orders were nearly exterminated in a single battle in 1244. In October they took Jerusalem. They were totally defeated in 1247.
Carlaverock Castle. In Southern Scotland; it was taken by Edward I. in July, 1300.
Carlisle. A frontier town of England, in the county of Cumberland, wherein for many ages a strong garrison was kept. Just below this town the famous Picts’ wall began, which crossed the whole island to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and here also ended the great Roman highway. The castle was destroyed by the Danes, 875, restored in 1092 by William II.; was the prison of Mary, queen of Scots, in 1568. Taken by the Parliamentary forces, in 1645, and by the young Pretender, November 15, 1745; retaken by the Duke of Cumberland, December 30, same year. The cathedral was almost ruined by Cromwell in 1648.
Carlisle. Capital of Cumberland Co., Pa. This town was shelled by the Confederates, July, 1863.
Carlow. A town in Southeastern Ireland; the castle, erected by King John, surrendered after a desperate siege to Rory Oge O’Moore, in 1577; again to the Parliamentary forces in 1650. Here the royal troops routed the insurgents, May, 1798.
Carlowitz, or Karlowitz. A town of the Austrian empire, on the Danube. Here, in 1699, a treaty was concluded between Turkey and Austria; and here Prince Eugène defeated the Turks in 1716.
Carlsruhe, or Karlsruhe. Capital of the grand duchy of Baden; built by the Margrave Charles William, 1715. It was occupied by the Prussians, June 25, 1849, who aided to suppress the revolution, and enabled the grand duke to return, August 18, 1849.
Carmagnola. A town of Piedmont, on the river Po. It was captured by Catinat troops in 1691; taken by the French Republican troops in 1795.
Carmel, Knights of the Order of Our Lady of Mount. A semi-religious order of knighthood instituted by Henry IV. of France, and incorporated with the order of the Knights of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. The order consisted of 100 gentlemen, all French, who were to attend the king in his wars, and had considerable revenues assigned them.
Carnatic. A district of Southern Hindostan, extending along the whole coast of Coromandel. Hyder Ali entered the Carnatic with 80,000 troops in 1780, and was defeated by the British under Sir Eyre Coote, July 1 and August 27, 1781, and decisively overthrown, June 2, 1782. The Carnatic was overrun by Tippoo in 1790. The British have possessed entire authority over the Carnatic since 1801.
Carnifex Ferry. Over the Gauley River, West Virginia. A force of about 5000 Confederates under Gen. Floyd, who occupied a strong position here, became engaged with a Federal brigade of the troops under Gen. Rosecrans on the afternoon of September 10, 1861, when some severe fighting occurred until night put an end to the contest. The Federals intended to renew the attack in the morning with a stronger force, but during the night Gen. Floyd withdrew his troops across the river, burned the ferry-boats and the bridge which he had constructed, thus cutting off pursuit, but leaving his camp, baggage, small-arms, and munitions of war in the hands of the Federals.
Carolina, North. See North Carolina.
Carolina, South. See South Carolina.
Caroling. A custom of the ancients before going to war, which consisted of singing, etc.
Carpet Knight. A man who obtains knighthood on a pretense for services in which he never participated.
Carpi. In Northern Italy; here Prince Eugène and the Imperialists defeated the French, July 9, 1701.
Carquois (Fr.). A quiver of iron, wood, leather, etc., which was worn slung over the right shoulder.
Carrago. A kind of fortification, consisting of a great number of wagons placed round an army. It was employed by barbarous nations, as, for instance, the Scythians and Goths.
Carreau, Quarreau, or Carre (Fr.). A bolt or dart, with a large steel head, for a cross-bow.
Carriage. A gun-carriage is designed to support its piece when fired, and also to transport cannon from one point to another. It consists of two cheeks, connected together and with a stock by assembling bolts. The front part supports the piece, and rests upon an axle-tree furnished with wheels, the rear end of the stock or trail resting on the ground. See Ordnance, Carriages for.
Carriage, Casemate. See Ordnance, Carriages for, Sea-Coast Carriages.
Carriage, Field-. See Field-Carriage.
Carriage, Mountain. See Ordnance, Carriages for.
Carriage, Prairie. See Ordnance, Carriages for.
Carriage, Sea-coast. See Ordnance, Carriages for.
Carriage, Siege. See Ordnance, Carriages for.
Carrical, or Karical. A seaport town of Hindostan, on the coast of Coromandel. It was formerly strongly fortified, but is now thoroughly dismantled. It came into possession of the French in 1759; was taken by the English in 1803; and restored to the French in 1814.
Carrick. An old Gaelic term for a castle or fortress, as well as for a rock in the sea.
Carrickfergus. A seaport town in the county of Antrim, Ireland. Its castle is supposed to have been built by Hugh de Lacy in 1178. The town surrendered to the Duke of Schömberg, August 28, 1689. The castle surrendered to Thurot, a French naval officer, in 1760.
Carrick’s Ford. Over the Cheat River, Virginia. On July 13, 1861, a force of Confederates under Gen. Garnett, retreating from Laurel Hill, were pursued and here attacked by Union troops under Gen. Morris, and after a few attempts to make a stand, were completely routed, and Gen. Garnett killed.
Carroccio (Ital.). A very