Carron. A village in Stirlingshire, Scotland, on a stream of the same name, falling into the river Forth. It is noted for its extensive iron-works. The carronade, a peculiar kind of gun, derives its name from this place.
Carrousel. A species of knightly exercise in imitation of the tournament, common in the courts of Europe till the beginning of the 18th century. It usually consisted in tests of skill in horsemanship, and in the use of the lance, sword, and pistol, the competitors being mostly dressed as were the knights of former times.
Cart. In a military sense, is a vehicle mounted on two wheels, and drawn by hand or by horses or oxen. See Hand-cart, Hand Sling-cart.
Cartagena. A city and fortified seaport of Spain, is in the province of Murcia, and on a bay of the Mediterranean. It was built by Hasdrubal, the Carthaginian general, 242 B.C.; taken by Scipio, 210. It was subsequently taken by the Goths, and did not begin to rise into importance again till the time of Philip II. It was taken by a British force under Sir John Leake in 1706; retaken by the Duke of Berwick, 1707.
Cartagena, or Carthagena. A fortified city of New Granada, South America. It was taken by the French in 1544, and subsequently by the English under Sir Francis Drake, in 1585, who plundered it and set it on fire; pillaged by the French in 1697; bombarded by Admiral Vernon in March, 1740; and unsuccessfully besieged by the English in 1741. In the contest with the mother-country, Cartagena was first besieged by Bolivar, and afterwards by Morillo, to whom it surrendered. It was subsequently reduced by the independent troops.
Carte, or Quarte. A movement of the sword in fencing, as tierce and carte. Also a movement of the rifle bayonet drill.
Carte-blanche. In a military sense, means a full and absolute power which is lodged in the hands of a general of an army, to act according to the best of his judgment, without waiting for superior instructions or orders. It likewise strictly means a blank paper, to be filled up with such conditions as the person to whom it is sent thinks proper.
Cartel. As a military term it is used to denote an agreement between two belligerents for the exchange of prisoners.
Cartel-ship. A vessel used in exchanging prisoners or carrying proposals to an enemy.
Carthage. An ancient and celebrated city in Africa, the renowned rival of Rome. It was founded by the Phœnicians, and was one of the latest settlements made by them on the African coast of the Mediterranean, about the middle of the 9th century B.C. No record of the early history of Carthage has been preserved. First alliance of Carthaginians and Romans, 509 B.C.; the Carthaginians in Sicily were defeated at Himera by Gelo, 480 B.C.; they took Agrigentum, 406 B.C., and were defeated by Agathocles, 310 B.C. The first Punic war began (which lasted twenty-three years) in 264 B.C., and ended in 241 B.C. Hamilcar Barcas was sent into Spain, and took with him his son, the famous Hannibal, 237 B.C. Hannibal conquered Spain as far as the Iberus, 219 B.C. The second Punic war began (which lasted seventeen years) in 218 B.C., and ended in 201 B.C. The third Punic war commenced 149 or 150 B.C.; Carthage taken and burned by order of the senate, 146 B.C. A colony settled at Carthage by C. Gracchus, 122 B.C.; its rebuilding planned by Julius Cæsar, 46 B.C., and executed by his successors; it was taken by Genseric the Vandal in 439; retaken by Belisarius, 533; taken and destroyed by Hassan, the Saracenic governor of Egypt, 698.
Carthage. The capital of Jasper Co., Mo., on Spring River. Near here, on July 5, 1861, an engagement took place between some of Gen. Lyon’s troops under Col. Sigel, and a superior force of Confederates under Gen. Rains and Col Parsons. The Union loss was 13 killed and 21 wounded.
Carthoun. The ancient cannon royal, carrying a 66-pound ball, with a point-blank range of 185 paces, and an extreme one of about 2000. It was 12 feet long and of 81⁄2 inches diameter of bore.
Cartouch. A roll or case of paper, etc., holding a charge for a fire-arm.
Cartouch. In gunnery, a case of wood, about 3 inches thick at the bottom, bound about with marline, holding about 400 musket-balls, besides 8 or 10 iron balls of a pound each, to be discharged from a howitzer, for the defense of a pass, etc. It also implies an article made of leather, to sling over the shoulder of the gunner, who therein carries the ammunition from the tumbril for the service of the artillery, when at exercise in the field.
Cart-piece. An early battering cannon mounted on a peculiar cart.
Cartridge. For cannon, is the powder charge and its case. The case is a cylindrical bag of flannel, wildbore, or serge, in which the charge is placed. The mouth is closed by tying with twine, forming the choke, which is always turned towards the muzzle when the gun is charged. For chambered pieces the mouth of the cartridge-bag is closed with a cartridge-block to give it a proper form. For some services the cartridge is attached to the projectile, in others it is carried separately. See Ordnance, Ammunition for.
For small-arms, is the complete charge when the powder and lead are in the same case; if separate, it applies only to the powder and its case. A case containing powder only is called a blank cartridge. Cartridge-cases for military small-arms were formerly made of paper. In loading the gun the case was torn and the powder and ball put in separately. By using an inflammable paper the cartridge was afterwards used entire, especially in pistols and breech-loaders. Paper cases made very strong and reinforced by metallic heads are still much used in breech-loading shot-guns. Linen or cloth cases were also used at one period.
The introduction of breech-loaders into the military service has led to the universal adoption of metallic cartridges. The cases are cylinders of copper or brass, closed at the breech end, and holding both powder and bullet, the latter being retained in the case by a slight crimp. A small quantity of fulminate in the base inflames the powder upon being struck by the firing-pin. England is behind all other nations in the use of the Boxer cartridge, the case of which is made by a wrapping of thin sheet-brass. In the manufacture of metallic cartridges the United States leads the world. Millions were supplied the Turks in their late war with Russia by the Winchester Arms Company, of New Haven, Conn. Metallic cartridge are reloading and single fire. Reloading cartridges have an external primer, which can be renewed for successive loadings. The single fire have the fulminate inside the base, and cannot readily be reloaded. The copper cartridges for the U. S. service rifle, made at Frankford Arsenal, Pa., are of this latter class.
Cartridge-bag. See Cartridge.
Cartridge-bags. See Ordnance, Ammunition for, Ammunition for Field Service.
Cartridge-belt. A belt for carrying small-arm cartridges. A form extensively used in the Western United States, called the prairie-belt, has a number of leather or canvas loops sewed on the outside in which the cartridges are stuck.
Cartridge-block. See Ordnance, Ammunition for, Strapped Ammunition.
Cartridge, Bottle. A metallic cartridge, so called from its shape. It contains a larger charge than the ordinary cylindrical cartridge for the same caliber. The cartridge used in the Martini-Henry is of this shape.
Cartridge-box. A leathern case, with cells for cartridges, which are protected by a flap of leather. This box is suspended by a leathern strap, which passes over the left shoulder and under the right arm of the wearer, or is suspended from the waist-belt, as in the U. S. service.