military tactic Military tactics encompasses the art of organizing and employing fighting forces on or near the battlefield. They involve the application of four battlefield functions which are closely related – kinetic or firepower, Mobility (military), mobil ...

s, a camisado or camisade is a surprise attack occurring at night or at daybreak, when the enemy are supposed to be asleep. The term comes from Spanish ''camisa'' (shirt): when the Tercio had actions (skirmishes) of around fifty men attacking at night with minimum equipment, only sword and dagger (although some soldiers could carry

arquebus An arquebus ( ) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier. Although the term ''arquebus'', derived from the Dutch word ''Haakbus ...

or musket), and they were dressed only with a white shirt (thus the Spanish word :es:encamisada), in order to kill in silence as many enemies as possible while they were sleeping. This is reflected in the film '' Alatriste'', based on the main character of '' The Adventures of Captain Alatriste'' (), a series of novels written by

Arturo Pérez-Reverte Arturo Pérez-Reverte Gutiérrez (born 25 November 1951 in Cartagena) is a Spanish novelist and journalist. He worked as a war correspondent for RTVE for 21 years (1973–1994). His first novel, ''El húsar'', set in the Napoleonic Wars, was ...

Notable camisados

* On 16 December 1332, Scots forces successfully led a surprise attacked in the early morning hours against King

Edward Balliol Edward Balliol (; 1283 – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356. Early life Edward was the eldest son of John ...

and his supporters at the

Battle of Annan The Battle of Annan, also known in the sources as the Camisade of Annan, took place on 16 December 1332 at Annan, Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. Edward Balliol had seized the Scottish crown three months earlier after the Battle of Dupp ...

. * On 9 October 1544, French forces under the Dauphin assaulted Boulogne by night, but were ultimately unsuccessful. * On 14 October 1758, General Daun surprised

Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

in the

Battle of Hochkirch The Battle of Hochkirch took place on 14 October 1758, during the Third Silesian War (part of the Seven Years' War). After several weeks of maneuvering for position, an Austrian army of 80,000 commanded by Lieutenant Field Marshal Leopold Jo ...

. * On 26 December 1776, General

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

and his Continental Army swiftly defeated the Hessians in the Battle of Trenton. * Camisado is a song from Panic! At The Disco's debut album ''

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out ''A Fever You Can't Sweat Out'' is the debut studio album by American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco. Produced by Matt Squire, the album was released on September 27, 2005, through Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen. The group formed in Las Vegas i ...

''.

Quotations

(Spanish) Chapter of "la encamisada" in "El sol de Breda"

References

External links

{{wiktionary, camisado Assault tactics