Camisado

In military tactics, 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 50 men attacking at night with minimum equipment, only sword and dagger (although some soldiers could carry arquebus 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 when they were sleeping. This has been perfectly reflected in the film Alatriste, based on the main character of a series of novels written by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, The Adventures of Captain Alatriste (Las aventuras del Capitán Alatriste).

Notable camisados

 * On 9 October 1544, French forces under the Dauphin assault Boulogne by night, but are ultimately unsuccessful.
 * On 14 October 1758, General Daun surprise Frederick the Great in the Battle of Hochkirch.
 * On 26 December 1776, General George Washington and his Continental Army swiftly defeat the Hessians in the Battle of Trenton.

Quotations

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