Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present TimeHarbottle, Thomas Benfield
History
Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present Time
Harbottle, Thomas Benfield
Battles
A naval action fought February 13, 1352, between 64 Genoese galleys
under Doria, and 75 Greek and Venetian galleys under Pisani. The Genoese
were victorious, taking or sinking 26 galleys, and forcing Pisani to
retire into the fortified harbour. The Genoese lost 13 galleys.
Constantinople (Ottoman Invasion of Europe).
On June 10, 1422, Amurath II, with 200,000 Turks, laid siege to the
city, which was defended by the Greek garrison under the Emperor Manuel.
After a siege of two months, in which the Turks lost heavily in their
numerous assaults, and in the defenders’ sallies, Amurath was called
away to Boursa by a domestic revolt, and raised the siege.
On April 6, 1453, the Turks again laid siege to Constantinople with
258,000 men under Mohammed II. The garrison, consisting of 5,000 Greeks
and 2,000 foreigners, though short of ammunition, made a gallant
defence, but were overpowered by numbers in a general assault on May 25,
and the city was captured. Constantine Palæologus, the last Emperor of
the East, was killed by an unknown hand, in the tumult which followed
the storming of the ramparts.
Copenhagen (Napoleonic Wars).
Fought April 2, 1801, between the British fleet of 20 sail of the line,
besides frigates, under Admirals Hyde Parker and Nelson, and the Danish
fleet of 10 line-of-battle ships, aided by the shore batteries. Nelson
attacked with 12 ships, Parker remaining in reserve, but three of
Nelson’s vessels running aground, he met the Danish line with 9 only.
The Danes offered a strenuous resistance, and Parker hoisted the signal
to retire, but Nelson put the telescope to his blind eye, and refused to
see the signal. The action continued until the Danish fire was silenced.
The British lost 1,200 men, and had six vessels seriously damaged. The
Danes had one ship destroyed, and the rest of their fleet completely
disabled. The result of this victory was the dissolution of the league
of the Northern Powers.
Copenhagen (Napoleonic Wars).
The city was captured September 5, 1807, by 20,000 British troops under
Lord Cathcart, after a four days’ bombardment of the forts and citadel
by 27 ships of the line. The Danish fleet of 18 sail of the line, which
was surrendered, would otherwise, under a secret clause of the Treaty of
Tilsit, have been placed at the disposal of Napoleon.
Copratus, The (Wars of Alexander’s Successors).
Fought B.C. 316, between the Macedonians under Antigonus, and the
Asiatics under Eumenes. Each army was about 30,000 strong, and Eumenes
fell upon the Macedonians as they were crossing the Copratus, and
signally defeated them, though Antigonus was able to retreat in good
order.
Cordova (Moorish Empire in Spain).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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