GLOSSARY

BASTION—A 4-sided salient (angle) projecting from the main enclosure of a fort. The bastion was developed in Italy about 1450.

BOMB—A shell, or hollow iron ball filled With explosive and fired from a gun.

CABALLERO—(Sp.) A cavalier, i. e., a raised platform inside a fort, giving the defender's cannons the advantage of elevation over enemy guns.

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

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

CURTAIN—The wall connecting two bastions, i. e., part of the rampart or main wall of the fort.

DEMILUNE—A crescent-shaped work for defense of a fort entrance.

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

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.

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

GUNNER'S LADLE—Made of copper, with wooden handles. Used for measuring powder and loading it into guns.

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

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, for example, 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 It was more powerful than the harquebus, which it superseded.

NEW SPAIN—Mexico.

PALISADE—A high fence or barricade of 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 soldiers.

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 to a fortification.

PRESIDIO—(Sp.) A fortified settlement.

RAMMER—A rod for ramming home the projectile or the charge of a gun.

RAVELIN—An outer defense or detached fortification raised before a curtain. Similar to a demilune; usually placed in front of the entrance to a fort.

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

SCARF—The front Slope of the rampart, or main wall, of the fort.

SPONGE—Long-handled brush or swab used for cleaning the bore of the cannon after discharge.

TABBY—(SP. tapia) A building cement made from lime, Shell, sand, and water.

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

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

Last Modified: Thurs, Sep 11 2003 10:00:00 pm PST source/is1/is1f.htm