Dictionary of Battles. Thomas Benfield Harbottle

Dictionary of Battles

Dictionary of Battles - Thomas Benfield Harbottle

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and 105 men.

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      Fought 838, between the Moslems under the Caliph Motassem, and the Greeks under Theophilus. Thirty thousand Persian horsemen, serving under the Emperor, succeeded in breaking the Moslem line, but the Greeks themselves were overthrown by the Moslems, and the day ended in a complete rout of the Imperial army. Motassem then laid siege to Amorium, and after a defence of 55 days, which cost the besiegers 70,000 men, the gates were opened by treachery, and 30,000 Christians were massacred.

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      Fought March 422 B.C. between 1,500 Athenians, with a contingent of allies under Cleon, and the Spartans, 2,000 hoplites, besides light armed troops, under Brasidas. Cleon advanced to attack Amphipolis, but finding the garrison preparing for a sortie, wheeled about and commenced to retreat, He was at once assailed by Brasidas, and his left fled without striking a blow. The Athenian right and centre offered some resistance, but in the end were routed with heavy loss. Both Brasidas and Cleon fell, the latter while fleeing from the field.

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      Fought November 5, 1805, when the Russians retiring on Vienna fought a rear-guard action against Murat's cavalry and a portion of Lannes' corps, in which they were defeated with a loss of 1,000 killed, wounded, and prisoners.

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      Fought January 8, 1546, between the troops of the Viceroy, Blasco Nuñez, and those of Gonzalo Pizarro. Pizarro gained a signal victory, the Viceroy being among the slain, and in consequence the Government of Peru fell into Pizarro's hands.

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      This place was attacked, September, 1860, by the Piedmontese fleet of 13 warships under Admiral Persano, and the army of General Cialdini. It was defended by a small Papal garrison under La Moricière, and after a resistance of over a week, at the end of which time Persano forced the boom guarding the harbour, La Moricière capitulated.

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      Fought February 17, 1545, between the English under Sir Ralph Evans, and the Scots under the Earl of Angus. The Borderers who had joined the English deserted during the action, with the result that the Scots were completely victorious.

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      Fought B.C. 242, between the Syrians under Seleucus Callinicus, and the rebels under his brother Hierax, aided by a large contingent of Gauls. After a desperate struggle, in which Hierax nearly lost his life at the hands of his barbarian auxiliaries, Seleucus was utterly routed.

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      Fought June 30, 1402, between the Tartars under Tamerlane, and the Turks under Bajazet I. The numbers engaged are variously estimated at from one to two millions, Tamerlane, it is said, having at least 800,000 men in the field. The Turks were totally defeated, Bajazet and one of his sons being captured, while another son was killed.

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      Fought February 21, 1847, between the Mexicans under Santa Anna and the Americans under General Scott, when the Mexicans were totally defeated.

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      Fought December 22 to 27, 1868, between the Paraguayans under Lopez, and the allied armies of the Argentine Republic, Brazil, and Uruguay. Lopez held his position for six days against the greatly superior forces of the allies, but was then compelled to retire, leaving in the hands of the enemy 1,000 prisoners and 6 guns.

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      Fought September 17, 1862, between the main Confederate army under General Lee, and the Federals under General M’Clellan. On the morning of the 17th Lee had only 35,000 men on the ground against M’Clellan's 95,000. The Federals strongly attacked Lee's left, and after a stubborn fight drove it back, but reinforcements arriving, Lee resumed the offensive, and recovered his lost positions. On the following day neither side was disposed to resume the struggle, and the battle was therefore indecisive. The Federals lost 12,460 men; the Confederates about 9,000.

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      Fought B.C. 244, between the Syrians under Seleucus Callinicus and the Egyptians under Ptolemy Energetes. Seleucus was routed and compelled to take refuge within the walls of Antioch.

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      Fought B.C. 272, between the Palmyrenians under Zenobia, and the Romans under the Emperor Aurelian. Zenobia's heavy cavalry defeated and drove from the field the Roman horse, but her infantry was unable to withstand the charge of the legionaries, and she was totally defeated.

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      The city was besieged, October 21, 1097, by the Crusaders under Godefroi de Bouillon, and defended by a Saracen garrison under Baghasian. The siege was unskilfully conducted, and provisions and munitions ran short in the Christian camp, with the result that the place held out till June 3, 1098, when it was taken by stratagem. An indiscriminate massacre followed, in which 10,000 of the defenders perished. On the 28th of the same month the Crusading army was attacked outside Antioch a force of Saracens under Kirboga. Kirboga concentrated his attack against one wing of the Christians,

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