A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer Comprising ancient and modern military technical terms, historical accounts of all North American Indians, as well as ancient warlike — Text and Context

the Zegris from 1480 to 1492. They were finally extinguished by Abou-Abdoullah, or Boabdil, the last Moorish king of Granada, and the same who was dethroned by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492.

=Abensburg.= A small town of Bavaria, on the Abens, 18 miles southwest of Ratisbon. Here Napoleon defeated the Austrians, April 20, 1809.

=Aberconway=, or =Conway=. A maritime city of the Gauls in England, fortified by William the Conqueror, and taken by Cromwell in 1645.

=Abet.= In a military sense it is a grave crime to aid or abet in mutiny or sedition, or excite resistance against lawful orders.

=Abgersate.= Fortress of the Osrhoene, in Mesopotamia. The Persians took it by assault in the year 534.

=Abii.= A Scythian tribe which inhabited the shores of the Jaxartes, to the northeast of Sogdiana. They were vanquished by Alexander the Great.

=Abipones.= A tribe of Indians living in the Argentine Confederation, who were formerly numerous and powerful, but are now reduced to a small number.

=Able-bodied.= In a military sense applies to one who is physically competent as a soldier.

=Ablecti.= Ancient military term applied to a select body of men taken from the _extraordinarii_ of the Roman army to serve as a body-guard to the commanding general or the consul. The guard consisted of 40 mounted and 160 dismounted men.

=Abo.= A Russian city and seaport, on the Aurajoki near its entrance into the Gulf of Bothnia. It formerly belonged to Sweden, but was taken with the whole of Finland by the Russians in the war begun by Sweden in 1741. By a treaty of peace concluded hero in 1743 the conquered possessions were restored to Sweden. They were ceded to Russia in 1809.

=Abolla.= A warm kind of military garment, lined or doubled, worn by both Greeks and Romans.

=Abou-girgeh.= A city of Upper Egypt where the French defeated the Egyptians in 1799.

=Aboukir= (anc. _Canopus_). A village of Egypt on a promontory at the western extremity of the bay of the same name, 15 miles northeast of Alexandria. In the bay Nelson defeated the French fleet, August 1, 1798. This engagement, which resulted in a loss to the French of 11 line-of-battle ships, is known as the “battle of the Nile.” In 1801 a British expedition under Sir Ralph Abercromby landed at Aboukir, and captured the place after an obstinate and sanguinary conflict with the French (March 8). Here also a Turkish army of 15,000 men was defeated by 5000 French under Bonaparte, July 25, 1799.

=Aboumand.= Village of Upper Egypt, near the river Nile, where the French fought the Arabs in 1799.

=About.= A technical word to express the movement by which a body of troops or artillery carriages change front.

=Abraham, Heights of.= Near Quebec, Lower Canada. In the memorable engagement which took place here September 13, 1759, the French under Gen. Montcalm were defeated by the English under Gen. Wolfe, who was killed in the moment of victory.

=Abri= (_Fr._). Shelter, cover, concealment; arm-sheds in a camp secure from rain, dust, etc.; place of security from the effect of shot, shells, or attack.

=Absence, Leave of.= The permission which officers of the army obtain to absent themselves from duty. In the U. S. service an officer is entitled to 30 days’ leave in each year on full pay. This time he may permit to accumulate for a period not exceeding 4 years. An officer, however, may enjoy 5 months’ continuous leave on full pay, provided the fifth month of such leave is wholly distinct from the four-year period within and for which the 4 months’ absence with full pay was enjoyed. An officer on leave over this time is entitled to half-pay only.

=Absent.= A term used in military returns in accounting for the deficiency of any given number of officers or soldiers, and is usually distinguished under two heads, viz.: _Absent with leave_, such as officers with permission, or enlisted men on furlough. _Absent without leave_; men who desert are sometimes reported _absent without leave_, to bring their crimes under cognizance of regimental, garrison, or field-officers’ courts; thus, under mitigating circumstances, trial by general court-martial is avoided. Absence without leave entails forfeiture of pay during such absence, unless it is excused as unavoidable. An officer absent without leave for three months may be dropped from the rolls of the army by the President, and is not eligible to reappointment.