One of the meanings of the word pitch is “to set things in order.”
For example, when you pitch a tent, you are using a military expression for lining up the tents in rows.
Unlike a skirmish or a surprise attack, a pitched battle was one in which the two sides lined up in formation facing each other until the order was given for the carnage to begin.
The two disciplined sides held their ranks as they approached and then met each other in what was called a pitched battle.
An all-out fight is called a “pitched battle”.
Related Posts
-
How Did Tanks Get Their Name, What Does It Mean, and Where Did the Armored Battle Vehicles Come From?
In ancient India, large pits were dug to collect the monsoon rains and were called tanken. In the seventeenth century the concept was brought home to Britain and was introduced in English as…
-
When was the first submarine used in battle during the Civil War?
During the Civil War, the submarine the H. L. Hunley (named after its financier, Horace Hunley) was (sort of) successfully used in battle. Although it sank the Union's Housatonic in shallow water by…
-
Which is a better weapon, a battle-axe or a guy with a joust on a horse?
A battle-axe is certainly a better weapon than a guy with a joust on a horse. Why? Because a joust isn't a weapon in and of itself; it's a specific type of competition…
-
Why Is Nevada Known As the Battle Born State and How Did Nevada Get Its Nickname?
The words "Battle Born" appear on the Nevada state flag because Nevada was admitted to the Union in 1864, during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln needed another Republican state to help support…
-
What happened to northeastern Native Americans after Tecumseh’s defeat in the Battle of the Thames?
As Americans flooded into tribes' traditional homelands, many Native Americans lost their lands and were forced to move west. One example were the Wyandot, a branch of the Huron tribe. In the early…
-
Who fought at the Battle of Little Bighorn and When was Custer’s Last Stand?
Many Lakota Sioux refused to stay on their reservation and, angry at their treatment by whites, some raided non-Indian settlements. In 1876 the U.S. Army sent troops to subdue any Lakota bands who…
