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Winkelried, Arnold von

(Encyclopedia)Winkelried, Arnold von ärˈnôlt fən vĭngˈkəlrēt [key], d. 1386, Swiss hero. His action at the battle of Sempach (July 9, 1386) is credited in legend with the Swiss defeat of the Austrians under...

Maldon

(Encyclopedia)Maldon môlˈdən [key], town (1991 pop. 14,754) and district, Essex, E England, on the Blackwater estuary. Maldon is a market town with iron foundries and other small industries. The Maldon area has ...

Edgehill

(Encyclopedia)Edgehill or Edge Hill, ridge on the border of Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, central England, NW of Banbury. A tower built in 1760 marks the scene of the first great battle of the English civil war, Oc...

Root, George Frederick

(Encyclopedia)Root, George Frederick, 1820–95, American composer, b. Sheffield, Mass. He taught at schools in Boston and New York City. He wrote gospel songs and composed sentimental ballads to Fanny Crosby's lyr...

Peninsular campaign

(Encyclopedia)Peninsular campaign, in the American Civil War, the unsuccessful Union attempt (Apr.–July, 1862) to capture Richmond, Va., by way of the peninsula between the York and James rivers. Late in May...

Aljubarrota

(Encyclopedia)Aljubarrota əlzho͞obər-rôˈtə [key], village, Leiria dist., W central Portugal, in Beira Litoral. On Aug. 14, 1385, it was the site of the momentous battle in which the Portuguese, aided by Engli...

Tippecanoe

(Encyclopedia)Tippecanoe tĭpˌəkəno͞oˈ [key], river, c.170 mi (270 km) long, rising in the lake district of NE Ind. and flowing SW to the Wabash River, near Lafayette. U.S. Gen. William Henry Harrison fought t...

Belle-Alliance

(Encyclopedia)Belle-Alliance belˈ-älyäNsˈ [key], village, central Belgium, near Waterloo. The battle of Waterloo (see Waterloo campaign), where Napoleon I was defeated in June, 1815, is sometimes known, particu...

Abraham, Plains of

(Encyclopedia)Abraham, Plains of, fairly level field adjoining the upper part of the city of Quebec, Canada. There, in 1759, the English under Gen. James Wolfe defeated the French under Gen. Louis Montcalm. The bat...

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