BUI EL BRIGHTON. 



683 



patches, concessions, mandates, &c., are written on 

 parchment, and sealed, with the fisher's ring, in red 

 wax. Pastoral letters, directed to princes and bish- 

 ops, are without seal. These papers derive their 

 name from the shortness of their formalities, since 

 they have no introductory preamble, but commence 

 with the pope's name, and these words : dilecto filio 

 salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Briefs are not 

 subscribed by the pope, nor with his name, but with 

 that of his secretary. 



BRIEL, or BRIELLE, a town of the Netherlands, near 

 the mouth of the Maese, with a good harbour, well 

 built, and strongly fortified. It is remarkable, in 

 history, as the place where the confederates laid the 

 foundation of the Dutch republic, in 1572. Having 

 been expelled by Alva 'from the Low Countries, they 

 equipped a small fleet in England, and were carried 

 accidentally, by an unfavourable wind, to B., which 

 capitulated to them, and thus became the cradle of 

 Dutch liberty. Van Tromp was born here. The 

 population is 3200, principally engaged in the fisher- 

 ies. Lon. 4 10' E. ; lat. 51 54' N. 



BRIENNE, a small town in the department of the 

 Aube (Upper Champagne), consists of Brienne-la- 

 Ville and Brienne-le-Chateau, containing together 

 285 houses, and 3200 inhabitants, with a number of 

 manufactories and vineyards. In the military acade- 

 my for young noblemen, formerly existing at B.-le- 

 Chateau, Napoleon received his first instruction in the 

 military art. B. afterwards became celebrated as the 

 scene of the last struggles of his long and oppressive 

 domination. There the first battle within the bounda- 

 ries of France was gained by the allied powers, the 

 last trust of the army in Napoleon shaken, and the 

 charm, which, it was supposed, would render the 

 French invincible at their own hearths, was broken. 

 The way to Paris and the overthrow of the imperial 

 dignity were prepared. After the battle at Bar-sur- 

 Aube (January 24, 1814), where the allied armies met 

 with the fiist resistance after their entry into France 

 by the way of Switzerland, they advanced rapidly. 

 Napoleon, having left Paris, compelled Blucher to 

 retreat, on the 26th, near Vitry, before superior num- 

 bers, and concentrated his forces on the 28th at B. ; 

 Schwarzenberg took up his position at Chaumont, 

 Blucher at St Dizier, Wrede at Andelot, and Witgen- 

 stein at Vassy. On the 29th, the French made an 

 impetuous attack on the allies. The struggle on 

 both sides was obstinate and bloody. Nigfit came 

 on, but the flames of B., which had been set on fire, 

 shed their light over the field of battle. General 

 Chateau, with two battalions, had taken the castle of 

 B., but was soon forced to relinquish it. The battle 

 continued till eleven o'clock. It was renewed on the 

 following day, and Blucher was compelled, by supe- 

 rior numbers, to fall back upon Trannes. On the 

 31st, Napoleon arrayed his whole force in the plains 

 between La Rothiere and Trannes. The corps of the 

 crown-prince of Wurtemberg, count Giuky, and the 

 Russian reserves of grenadiers, having effected a 

 junction with Blucher on the 1st of February, prince 

 Schwarzenberg gave orders to commence the battle. 

 \bont noon, Blucher's forces advanced in three 

 columns ; general Sacken leading one upon La 

 Rothiere, Giulay another upon Dienville, and the 

 crown-prince of Wurtemberg another upon Chaum- 

 reil. In the mean time, general Wrede took up his 

 line of march from Doulevent upon B. Only a few 

 field-pieces could be brought into action, on account 

 of the nature of the ground ; but the courage of the 

 soldiers compensated for this deficiency. The crown- 

 prince of Wurtemberg first drove the enemy from his 

 position, which was covered by woods, and deprived 

 him of the important point of La Gibrie. Although 

 he was immediately assailed in this position, he re- 



mained in possession of it after a struggle of more 

 than an hour. Giulay took Unienville, and Sacken 

 forced his way to La Rothiere. By three o'clock, all 

 the lines were brought into action. A heavy snow- 

 storm silenced for a moment the fire of the artillery, 

 but could not paralyse the activity of the combatants. 

 Napoleon directed all the operations of his army, and 

 repeatedly exposed his person, with a full conviction 

 of the importance of success. The allied monarchs, 

 also, encouraged their troops by their presence in the 

 field. La Rothiere was repeatedly taken, lost, and 

 recovered. Sacken renewed his efforts to gain pos- 

 session of it : the cavalry of the enemy had already 

 encountered the bayonets of his infantry, when he 

 received succour. The French cavalry was forced 

 back as tar as Old B., and threw the infantry into 

 disorder. Sacken took 32 pieces of cannon. Mean- 

 time, Blucher had brought up fresh troops against La 

 Rothiere, and captured that position. The crown- 

 prince of Wurtemberg got possession of Petit Masnil, 

 Wrede of Chaumreil, Giulay of Dienville. The 

 victory was decisive for the allied powers. During 

 the night, the French retreated on all sides upon the 

 road of B., leaving there a small detachment as a 

 rear guard, which, however, on the following morn- 

 ing, was compelled to retreat with the main army. 



rig 



rh 



Tfie loss was great on both sides. The allies took 

 sixty pieces of cannon and a considerable number of 

 prisoners. 



BRIENNE, cardinal de Lomenie de. See Lomenie. 



BRIG, or BRIGANTINE ; a square-rigged vessel, with 

 two masts. The term is applied to different kinds 

 of vessels, by mariners of different countries. The 

 term Irigantine is also applied to a light, flat, open 

 vessel, with ten or fifteen oars on a side, furnished 

 also with sails, and able to carry upwards of 100 

 men. The rowers being also soldiers, have their 

 muskets lying ready under the benches. Brigantine<i 

 are frequently made use of, especially in the Medi- 

 terranean, for the purpose of piracy, from which they 

 derive their name. They are very fast sailers. 



BRIGADE ; in general, an indeterminate number of 

 regiments or squadrons. In the British army, a 

 brigade of infantry is generally composed of three 

 regiments ; a brigade of horse, of from eight to 

 twelve squadrons ; and one of artillery, of five guns 

 and a howitzer. In the American army, the brigade 

 is commonly composed of two, but sometimes of more 

 regiments. A number of brigades form a divfsion, 

 and several divisions an army corps. A brigade- 

 major is the chief of the brigade-staff. A brigadier- 

 general is the officer who commands a brigade. In 

 the British service, this rank is now abolished. In 

 the American service, he is next in rank to the 

 major-general, who is the highest officer under the 

 president, as commander-in-chief. Brigadier-general 

 is also the title of the chief of the staff of an army- 

 corps. In the French military language, brigade, in 

 the cavalry, signifies a corporal's guard. Hence 

 brigadier signifies a corporal. 



BRIGANDINE ; a kind of defensive armour, consist- 

 ing of thin, jointed scales of plate, pliant and easy to 

 the body. 



BRIGANTINE. See Brig. 



BRIGHELLA. See Mask. 



BRIGHT, in painting ; a picture is said to be bright, 

 when the lights so much prevail as to overcome the 

 shadows, and are kept so clear and distinct as to pro- 

 duce a brilliant appearance. 



BRIGHTON, or BRIGHTHELMSTONE ; a seaport town in 

 the county of Sussex, England, much resorted to for 

 sea-bathing. It was not long since a mere village of 

 fishermen; but, under the patronage of George IV., 

 when prince of Wales, it rapidly increased, and, by 

 the returns of 1831 , the population was 40,634. It is 

 4 N2 



