Historical Books

Glossary

The following terms are defined as specifically used in this book. Some of them of course have other meanings, which are not applicable here.

Arquebus -

Portable firearm invented about 1450, having a matchlock operated by a trigger. (See match.)

Bastion -

A 4-sided salient which projects from the scarp of a fort. The bastion was developed in Italy circa 1450.

Bomb -

A shell, or hollow iron ball filled with explosive and fired from a mortar. Its detonation was timed by a powder fuze.

Bombproof -

A room built to resist destruction by bombardment; a shelter from bombshells.

Bonnet -

A cap, or V-shaped work, raised in front of a fortification salient to shield it from frontal fire.

Caballero -

A cavalier, i. e., a raised platform inside a fort, giving the defender's cannons the advantage of elevation over attacking forces.

Cordon -

The ornamental projecting course of stone where the parapet wall joins the scarp.

Counterguard -

A detached, narrow rampart placed in front of an important wall to prevent fire from breaching it.

Counterscarp -

The wall opposite the scarp; the moat wall.

Covered way -

The area between the moat and the exterior embankment (glacis), protected or "covered" from enemy fire by this embankment.

Curtain -

The wall connecting two bastions, i. e., part of the scarp or main wall of the fort.

Embrasure -

An opening in a wall or parapet, through which cannon are fired.

Enfilade -

To rake the length of a target with gunfire.

Escalade -

The act of climbing the walls of a fortification by ladders.

Firing step -

The raised step or bank along the inside of a parapet, on which soldiers are posted to fire upon the enemy.

Galliot -

Small, swift galley, using both sails and oars.

Gate -

Entrance; sallyport.

Glacis -

The embankment or slope from the covered way toward the open country.

Gorge -

The throat or entrance into a bastion.

Guner's ladle -

A copper scoop fixed to a pole and used for measuring powder and loading it into a cannon.

Hornwork -

An earthwork having a curtain and two half-bastions. Its plan resembles the projecting horns of a bull.

Match -

A wick or cord chemically prepared to burn at uniform rate, for firing a charge of powder.

Mortar -

Short cannon used for firing shells at a high angle, as lobbing them over the walls of a fort into the courtyard.

Musket -

The smooth-bore predecessor of the rifle. Invented about 1540, it was more powerful than the arquebus, which it superseded.

Nueva España -

México, New Spain

Pale -

A pointed stake. Pales were set vertically into the ground or fastened to rails as fencing.

Palisade -

A high fence or barricade of pole timbers set vertically into the ground in a close row as a means of defense.

Parapet -

A wall raised above the main wall or rampart of the fort to protect the defenders from attacking fire.

Pilaster -

Rectangular column with base and capital, inserted into a wall, but projecting outward about a quarter of its width.

Piragua -

A canoe made of a hollowed tree trunk.

Portcullis -

A grating to close the entrance of a fortification.

Postern -

A small rear gate.

Presidio -

A fortified settlement.

Rammer -

A pole having a wooden head for ramming home the projectile or the charge of a cannon.

Rampart -

The main body of a fortification around a place, on which the parapet is raised.

Ravelin -

An outer defense or detached fortification raised before a curtain, especially before the gate, as a shield.

Redoubt -

A small fortification completely closed by a parapet, thus allowing encircling fire.

Sally port -

Exit for troops; fort entrance; gate.

Scarp -

The front slope of the rampart or main wall of the fort.

Sponge -

Brush or swab affixed to a pole and used for cleaning the bore of the cannon after discharge.

Tabby -

A building concrete made from lime, shell, sand and water.

Terreplein -

The horizontal surface in rear of the parapet, on which guns may be mounted.

Traverse -

A barrier (as a bank of earth) across part of a defensive area, to give protection form enfilade fire.

Wormer -

A double screw on the end of a pole, used for extracting the wad or cartridge from a muzzle-loading gun.

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