Mil. Obs. or arch. Also 6 cammassado, camnesado, camisada, 7 camizado, 8 camiscado. [ad. Sp. camiçada, camisada, f. camisa shirt: lit. ‘an attack in one’s shirt’: see CAMIS, CHEMISE, and -ADO; also CANVASADO.]
1. A night attack; originally one in which the attacking party wore shirts over their armor as a means of mutual recognition. (A very common word in 16–17th c.)
1548. W. Patten, Exped. Scotl., in Arb., Garner, III. 89. Of whom, in a camisado … his Lordship killed above eight hundred.
1566. Gascoigne, Jocasta, Wks. 91. By night I wil the cammassado give.
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 110. The French came forth, at midnight … As though they would a camisado make.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., XII. (1599), 554. Ranse de Cere … gaue them a Camnesado in their lodging.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, Gloss. 249. Camisada, a Spanish word, and doth signifie the inuesting or putting on of a shirt ouer the souldiers apparell or armour; the which is vsed in the night time, when any suddaine exploit … is to be put in practise vpon the enemy.
1663. Flagellum or O. Cromwell (1672), 83. Not dreaming of such a Camisado.
1721. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 106. The garrison was all horse, and gave us several camisadoes at our approach.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., V. XIII. xiii. 125. Prince Karl … has been on march all night, intending a night-attack or camisado.
b. fig.
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 5. Howbeit (gentle Reader) be of good cheere. All this is but a camisado: These be but visards: they bee no faces.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. ii. 111/296. Some for engaging to suppress, The Camisado of Surplices,… More proper for the Cloudy Night, Of Popery, then Gospel-Light.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. IV. vii. 216. A camisado, or shirt-tumult, every where.
2. (erroneously). The shirt worn over the armor in a night attack.
1618. Sir R. Williams, Actions Lowe Countr., 82 (T.). We dislodged from our quarter some two thousand of our best men, all in Camisadoes with scaling ladders. Ibid., 83. Their armours and Camisadoes. I meane their shirts that couered their armours.
