Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Burleson, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Burleson, Edward, 1798–1851, pioneer of Texas, b. Buncombe co., N.C. After living in Tennessee and serving under Andrew Jackson in the war against the Creek (1813–14), he moved to Texas. He distin...

Castle Pinckney

(Encyclopedia)Castle Pinckney, fortification on Shutes Folly, an island in the harbor of Charleston, S.C.; built in 1797, when war with France seemed imminent; named for the American diplomat Charles Cotesworth Pin...

Tiw

(Encyclopedia)Tiw tür [key], ancient Germanic god. Originally a highly revered sky god, he was later worshiped as a god of war and of athletic events. He was identified with the Roman war god Mars, and among Germa...

Black Warrior, ship

(Encyclopedia)Black Warrior, merchant steamer that plied between New York City and Mobile, usually stopping at Havana, Cuba. Her seizure on Feb. 28, 1854, by Spanish authorities at Havana and the imposition of a $6...

Ramsay, Sir Bertram Home

(Encyclopedia)Ramsay, Sir Bertram Home, 1883–1945, British admiral. A career naval officer who retired in 1938, he returned to the service in World War II to command British and Allied naval units in some of the ...

Seydlitz, Friedrich Wilhelm, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Seydlitz, Friedrich Wilhelm, Freiherr von frēˈdrĭkh vĭlˈhĕlm frīˈhĕr fən zīdˈlĭts [key], 1721–73, Prussian general under Frederick II. He helped restore the effectiveness of the Prussia...

pillbox

(Encyclopedia)pillbox, small, low fortification that houses machine guns and antitank weapons. Similar to a blockhouse, it is usually made of concrete, steel, logs, or filled sandbags. Pillboxes came into use durin...

Smith, Holland McTyeire

(Encyclopedia)Smith, Holland McTyeire, 1882–1967, American general, b. Seale, Ala. He was commissioned in the marines in 1905 and served in France in World War I. In World War II, Smith pioneered in developing am...

Daladier, Édouard

(Encyclopedia)Daladier, Édouard ādo͞oärˈ dälädyāˈ [key], 1884–1970, French politician, a Radical Socialist. After World War I he was a member of successive French cabinets. He was premier from Jan. to Oc...

Christian IV

(Encyclopedia)Christian IV, 1577–1648, king of Denmark and Norway (1588–1648), son and successor of Frederick II. After assuming (1596) personal rule from a regency, he concentrated on building the navy, indust...