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LEFT CHAMPAGNE 418 CHAMPLAIN that of the court of France. At this epoch lived the celebrated chroniclers Villehardouin and De Joinville, and the poets Chrestien de Troyes and Count Thibaut IV. On account of its frontier situation and natural conformation Chanic pagne has been the scene of many mili- tary operations, notably during the cam- paigns of 1792 and 1814, in the Franco- Prussian War, and again in the World War. CHAMPAGNE (from Champagne, in France, where it was originally made), a kind of brisk, sparkling wine. Cham- pagnes are divided into four categories: Sparkling Granot, Ordinary Sparkling, Half Sparkling, and Tisane de Cham- pagne, or they may be classed as still, sparkling, and semi-sparkling. They are either sweet or dry, according to the extent to which fermentation has been carried. In the manufacture of Cham- pagne black grapes of the first quality are usually employed. CHAMPAIGN, a city in Champaign CO., 111., on the Illinois Central, the Cleve- land, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis, and other railroads, 48 miles S. E. of Bloomington. It is the trade center of a very rich agricultural region, is the seat of the Burnham Athenaeum and Hospital, and has several banks, daily and weekly newspapers, etc. Pop. (1910) 12,421; (1920) 15,873. CHAMP DE MARS (shan-de-mars'), a large, rectangular public place in Paris {q. v.), on the left bank of the Seine. CHAMPFLEURY (shon-fle-re') pseu- donym of Jules Fleury-Husson, a French novelist born at Laon, Sept. 10, 1821. His story of "The Faience Violin" was a masterpiece of realistic description. He wrote an autobiographical novel of his youthful years in "The Confessions of Sylvius" (1849), continuing the story in "The Adventures of Mariette" (1856). But his "Burghers of Molinchart" (1855), a satiric delineation of the pro- vmcial bourgeoisie, made him famous. He is a pronounced "realist." He died at Sevres, Dec. 5, 1889. CHAMPION HILLS, a place in Hinds CO., Miss., near Vicksburg, where, on May 16, 1863, a battle was fought be- tween the Union army under General Grant and the Confederate under Gen- eral Pemberton. The Confederate army was defeated and retreated to Big Black river, with a considerable loss of men and guns. CHAMPLAIN, LAKE, a picturesque body of water occupying a b?ir,in between the Gre^n and Adirondack mountains, on the border of the States of Vermont and New York. Its length is about 126 miles, and its maximum depth is 280 feet. The waters find an outlet at the N. end, by the Richelieu or Sorel river, which empties into the St. Lawrence. Since the construction of the Champlain canal (1818-1823), which connects it with the Hudson river, the lake has be- come an important medium of commerce between Canada and the United States. During the wars between the United States and Great Britain, this body of water was the scene of numerous mili- tary operations. On Sept. 11, 1814, the American Commodore McDonough gained, under adverse circumstances, a most brilliant and thorough victory over the British fleet, near Plattsburg. This was one of the earliest substantial suc- cesses for the United States, in the War of 1812. The tercentenary of Lake Champlain's discovery was celebrated in 1909, French, British, and American representatives participating. CHAMPLAIN, SAMUEL DE, a French navigator, colonizer, and soldier, born at Brouage, Saintonge, about 1570. In early life he served in the army of Henri IV., but in January, 1599, as com- mander of the ship "St. Julien," sailed to the West Indies, Mexico, and Panama. SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN On his return (1601) he prepared a rec- ord of this cruise, with charts, etc. In March, 1603, he sailed for North Amer- ica in the ship of Pontgrave, and ex- plored, by boat, the St. Lawrence river up to the Falls of St. Louis, and dowTi to Gaspe. Returning to France he pub-