D.
DAGGER, in military affairs, a short sword, or poinard, about 12 or 13 inches long. It is not long since, that duellists fought with sword and dagger.
DAGUE, Fr. dagger, a short thick poniard which was formerly used when individuals engaged in single combat.
DAM. See [Dyke].
DAME, Fr. among miners any portion of earth which may remain after the explosion of a mine has taken place. It likewise means a piece of wood with two handles used to press down turf or dirt in a mortar.
DARE, a challenge or defiance to single combat.
DARRAIN. See [Battle-array].
DART, in ancient military history, implies a small kind of lance, thrown by the hand.
DAY, in a military sense implies any time in which armies may be engaged, from the rising of one day’s sun to that of another. According to Johnson it signifies the day of contest, the contest, the battle.
DAYSMAN, an umpire of the combat was so called.
DEBANDADE. A la débandade, helter-skelter.
Se battre à la débandade, to fight in a loose, dispersed manner.
Laisser à la débandade, to leave at random, or in disorder.
DEBARK, See [Disembark].
DEBAUCHER, Fr. to debauch or entice a soldier from the service of his country. During the reign of Louis the XV. and in former reigns, it was enacted, that any person who should be convicted of having debauched or enticed a soldier from his duty should suffer death. By a late act of the British parliament it is made a capital offence to entice or seduce a soldier from any regiment in the British service.
By the 23d section of the articles of war of the United States, the advising or persuading any officer of the United States army to desert, subjects the adviser to the punishment of death, or such other punishment as a court martial may inflict.
DEBENTURE, is a kind of warrant, given in the office of the British board of ordnance, whereby the person whose name is therein specified, is intitled to receive such a sum of money as by former contract had been agreed on, whether wages, or otherwise. Debenture, in some of the British acts of parliament, denotes a kind of bond or bill, first given in 1649, whereby the government is charged to pay the soldier, creditor, or his assigns, the money due on auditing the account of his arrears. The payments of the board of ordnance for the larger services at home are always made by debentures; and the usual practice has been to make those payments which are said to be in course of office, at a period which is always somewhat more than three months after the date of each debenture, and which can never exceed six: to pay, for instance, at once for the three months of January, February, and March, as early as possible after the 30th of June.
Debentures were generally made up at the Pay-Office by virtue of warrants from the War-Office, with the state of regimental charges annexed, after which is issued the final, or clearing warrant. See [Warrant].
DEBLAYER un Camp, Fr. To evacuate a camp for the purpose of cleaning and purifying the ground.
DEBTS and Credits. Every captain of a troop or company in the British service is directed to give in a monthly statement of the debts and credits of his men; and it is the duty of every commanding officer to examine each list, and to see, that no injustice or irregularity has been countenanced or overlooked in so important an object, as every money matter between officer and soldier most unquestionably is.
DECAGON, in fortification, is a polygon figure, having 10 sides, and as many angles; and if all the sides are equal, and all the angles, it is called a regular decagon, and may be inscribed in a circle. The sides of a regular decagon are, in power and length, equal to the greatest segment of an hexagon inscribed in the same circle, and cut in extreme and mean proportion.
DECAGONE. Fr. See [Decagon].
To DECAMP, to march an army or body of men from the ground where it before lay encamped. It also signifies to quit any place or position in an unexpected manner. See [Camp].
DECANUS, in Roman military history, an officer who presided over ten other officers, and was head of the contubernium, or serjeant of a file of Roman soldiers; hence our Deacons.
DECHARGEURS, Fr. are men appointed to attend the park of artillery, and to assist the non commissioned officers, &c. who are employed on that service. It is the duty of the former to keep a specific account of articles received and consumed, in order to enable the latter to furnish their officers with accurate statements.
To DECIMATE, to divide any body of men into as many tenths as the aggregate number will afford, and to make them cast lots for the purpose of being punished.
DECIMATION, in Roman military history, a punishment indicted upon such soldiers as quitted their post, or behaved themselves cowardly in the field. The names of all the guilty were put into an urn or helmet, and as many were drawn out as made the tenth part of the whole number: the latter were put to the sword and the others saved.
DECIMER, Fr. See [Decimate].
DECLARATION of war, a public proclamation made to the citizens, or subjects of a state, declaring them to be at war with any foreign power, and forbidding all and every one to aid or assist the common enemy, at their peril.
DECLIVITY, as opposed to acclivity, means a gradual inclination, or obliquity reckoned downwards.
DECOMPTE, Fr. signifies a liquidation, or balance, which from time to time was made in the old French service, between the captain of a company and each private soldier, for monies advanced, or in hand. In the British service every infantry soldier is settled with on the 24th day in each month. The cavalry is paid every second month. In the American army the soldiers are required to be paid every two months at least.
DECOUVERTE, Aller à la découverte, Fr. To patrole. In the old French service, the party ordered to perform this duty, when in a garrison, usually went three miles round the fortifications to pick up stragglers who could not account for themselves, and to secure spies, should any be lurking about.
Aller à la Decouverte, when applied to any party that is detached from the army, signifies to reconnoitre the enemy. Cavalry are usually employed upon this duty.
DECOY, a stratagem to carry off the enemy’s horses in a foraging party, or from the pasture; to execute which, you must be disguised, and mix on horseback in the pasture, or amongst the foragers on that side on which you propose to fly; you must then begin, by firing a few shots, which are to be answered by such of your party as are appointed to drive up the rear, and are posted at the opposite extremity of the pasture, or foraging ground; after which they are to gallop from their different stations towards the side fixed for the flight, shouting and firing all the way: the horses being thus alarmed, and provoked by the example of others, will break loose from the pickets, throw down their riders and the trusses, and setting up a gallop, will naturally direct their course to the same side; insomuch that, if the number of them was ever so great, you might lead them in that manner for several leagues together: when you are got into some road, bordered by a hedge, or ditch, you must stop as gently as possible; and without making any noise; the horses will then suffer themselves to be taken without any opposition. It is called in French Haraux; and marshal Saxe is the only author that mentions it.
DECOYED, an enemy is said to be decoyed when a small body of troops draws them into action, whilst the main body lies in ambush ready to act with the greatest effect.
DECURIO, in Roman military history, a commander of ten men in the army, or chief of a decury.
DECURY, ten Roman soldiers ranged under one chief, or leader, called the Decurio.
DEEP, troops are told off in ranks of two, or 3 deep, and on some occasions in 4 or more.
DEFAULTER. See [Deserter].
DEFEAT, the overthrow of an army.
DEFECTION. See [Mutiny].
DEFENCE, in fortification, consists of all sorts of works that cover and defend the opposite posts; as flanks, parapets, casemates, and fausse-brays. It is almost impossible to fix the miner to the face of a bastion, till the defences of the opposite one are ruined; that is, till the parapet of its flank is beaten down, and the cannon, in all parts that can fire upon that face which is attacked, is dismounted. See [Fortification].
Active Defence, generally considered, means every species of offensive operation which is resorted to by the besieged, to annoy the besiegers. Such for instance, is the discharge of heavy ordnance from the walls, the emission of shells, and the firing of musquetry. A mass of water may likewise be understood to mean active defence, provided it can be increased according to the exigency of the service, and be suddenly made to overflow the outworks, or entrenchments of the besieging enemy. Mines which are carried beyond the fortifications may likewise be included under this head.
Passive Defence is chiefly confined to inundations, and is effected by letting out water in such a manner, that the level ground which lies round a fortified town or place may be entirely overflowed and become an inert stagnant pool. Mere submersion is, in fact, the distinguishing character of this species of defence, which does not afford any other movement than what naturally arises from the greater or lesser elevation of the waters, without the means of urging them beyond a given point.
Distant Defence, consists in being able to interrupt the enemy’s movements by circuitous inundations; to inundate, for instance, a bridge, when a convoy is passing, or to insulate batteries, the heads of saps or lodgments which have been made in the covert way is to act upon a distant defence. By this species of defence an enemy’s communications may be perpetually intercepted, and his approaches so obstructed as to force him to leave dangerous intervals.
See Belidor’s treatise on Hydraulic Architecture.
Line of Defence, represents the flight of a musquet ball from the place where the musqueteers stand, to scour the face of the bastion. It should never exceed the reach of a musquet. It is either fichant or razant: the first is when it is drawn from the angle of the curtain to the flanked angle; the last, when it is drawn from a point in the curtain, razing the face of the bastion.
Line of Defence is the distance between the salient angle of the bastion, and the opposite flank; that is, it is the face produced to the flank. See [Fortification].
Defence of rivers, in military affairs, is a vigorous effort to prevent the enemy from passing; to effect which, a careful and attentive officer will raise redoubts, and if necessary join curtains thereto: he will place them as near the banks as possible, observing to cut a trench through the ground at the windings of the river, which may be favorable to the enemy, and to place advanced redoubts there, to prevent his having any ground fit to form on, &c. See [Rivers].
To be in a posture of Defence, is to be prepared to oppose an enemy, whether in regard to redoubts, batteries, or in the open field.
To DEFEND, to fortify, secure, or maintain a place or cause.
DEFENSE, Fr. See [Ligne de Defense].
Defense, Fr. être en défense, technically signifies to be in a state of defence, or able to resist. The French usually say: Cette redoute est en défense. This redoubt is in a state of defence.
Defenses d’une place, Fr. See Defence in [Fortification].
DEFENSIVE, serving to defend; in a state or posture of defence.
Defensive-war. See [War].
DEFIANCE. See [Challenge].
DEFICIENT, wanting to complete, as when a regiment, troop, or company has not its prescribed number of men.
DEFILE, in military affairs, a strait narrow passage, or road, through which the troops cannot march, otherwise than by making a small front, and filing off; so that the enemy may take an opportunity to stop, or harrass their march, and to charge them with so much the more advantage, because the rear cannot come up to the relief of the front.
To Defile, is to reduce divisions or platoons into a small front, in order to march through a defile; which is most conveniently done by quarter facing to either the right or left, and then covering to either right or left, and marching through by files, &c. It has been mentioned by a writer on military manœuvres, that defiling should be performed with rapidity, for this obvious reason, that a body of men which advances towards, or retires from an approaching enemy, may get into line, or into columns prepared for action, without loss of time. There may, however, be exceptions to this general rule. For instance, if the regiment is passing a bridge, either retreating or advancing, and the bridge is not firm, the pressure upon it must be as little as possible; because if it should break down, the regiment is suddenly separated, and the remainder may be cut to pieces. In passing a common defile the pace must be proportioned to the nature of the ground.
DEFILING a lodgment. See [Enfilade].
DEFORMER, Fr. in a military sense, signifies to break: as déformer une colonne, to break a column.
DEFY. See [Challenge].
DEGAST, Fr. the laying waste an enemy’s country, particularly in the neighborhood of a town which an army attempts to reduce by famine, or which refuses to pay military exactions.
DEGORGEOIR, Fr. a sort of steel pricker used in examining the touch-hole of a cannon; called a priming wire.
DEGRADATION, in a military life, the act of depriving an officer for ever of his commission, rank, dignity, or degree of honor; and taking away, at the same time, title, badge, and every other privilege of an officer.
DEGRADER, Fr. To degrade. The character of a soldier in France was formerly, and we presume still is, so scrupulously watched, that criminals were never delivered over to the charge of the civil power, or sent to be executed, without having been previously degraded; which was done in the following manner:
As soon as the serjeant of the company to which the culprit belonged, had received orders from the major of the regiment, to degrade and render him incapable of bearing arms; he accoutred him cap-a-pied, taking care to place his right hand upon the but-end of the musquet, while the soldier remained tied. He then repeated the following words: finding thee unworthy to bear arms, we thus degrade thee. “Te trouvant indigne de porter les armes, nous t’en dégradons.” He then drew the musquet from his arm backwards, took off his cross-belt, sword, &c. and finally gave him a kick upon the posteriors. After which the serjeant retired, and the executioner seized the criminal. See Drum-out.
DEGRE. See [Degree].
DEGREE. Though this term properly belongs to geometry, nevertheless it is frequently used both in fortification, and gunnery. Hence it will not be improper to state, that it is a division of a circle, including a 360th part of its circumference. Every circle is supposed to be divided into 360°, parts called degrees, and each degree into 60′, other parts, called minutes; each of these minutes being divided into 60″ seconds, each second into thirds, and so on.
DEHORS, in the military art, are all sorts of out-works in general, placed at some distance from the walls of a fortification, the better to secure the main places, and to protect the siege, &c. See [Fortification].
DELINEATION, an outline or sketch. See [Design].
DELIVER. See [Surrender].
DEMI-BASTION, or half-bastion, is a work with only one face and one flank. See [Fortification].
DEMI-CANNON. See [Cannon].
DEMI-CULVERIN. See [Cannon].
DEMI-DISTANCE des polygones, Fr. is the distance between the exterior polygons and the angles.
Demi-Distances, Fr. half distances: as serrez la colonne à demi-distances, close to the column at half distances.
DEMI-FILE, Fr. is that rank in a French battalion, which immediately succeeds to the serre-demi-file, and is at the head of the remaining half of its depth.
DEMI-LANCE, a light lance or spear.
DEMI-LINE, in fortification, is a work placed before the curtain to cover it and prevent the flanks from being discovered sideways. It is made of two faces, meeting in an outward angle. See [Fortification].
DEMI-GORGE, in fortification, is half the gorge, or entrance into the bastion, not taken directly from angle to angle, where the bastion joins the curtain, but from the angle of the flank to the centre of the bastion; or the angle which the two curtains would make, by their prolongation. See [Fortification].
DEMISSION, Fr. Resignation.
DEMOLITION, the act of overthrowing buildings.
DENIZEN, a free man, residing in a country or state, and owing allegiance, as opposed to Alien, which means a person not a citizen, and who owes or acknowleges a foreign allegiance.
DENONCIATEUR d’un déserteur, Fr. During the old government of France, a military regulation existed by which any person who discovered a deserter, was entitled to his full discharge, if a soldier: and to one hundred livres, or eleven dollars reward.
Denonciateur, in a general sense, may not improperly be called a military informer. So rigid indeed, were the regulations (even in the most corrupt state of the French government) against every species of misapplication and embezzlement, that if a private dragoon gave information to the commissary of musters of a troop horse that had passed muster, having been used in the private service of an officer, he was entitled not only to his discharge, but received moreover one hundred livres in cash, and became master of the horse and equipage, with which he retired unmolested. It is not mentioned in the publication from which we extract this remark, whether the officer was cashiered, &c. but we presume he was.
One hundred and fifty livres were likewise paid to any dragoon, or soldier who should give information of a premeditated duel; he obtained moreover his discharge.
DENSITY of bodies. See [Motion].
DEPASSER (or Deborder), Fr. To over-run. In oblique movements, particular care should be taken not to afford an enemy that advances on the same points with yourself, the means of outflanking you; which must inevitably happen, should any part of your troops over-run their proper ground. For the instant such an error occurs, your antagonist will only have to form a retired flank, oppose you in front on that part, and charge the remainder in flank, after having cut off all the troops that had over-run.
Se laisser Depasser, to suffer yourself to be overtaken.
DEPENSES, Fr. In a military sense, implies secret service money.
DEPLOY, to display, to spread out; a column is said to deploy, when the divisions open out, or extend to form line on some one of those divisions.
DEPLOYMENT, or flank march, in a military sense, the act of unfolding or expanding any given body of men, so as to extend their front. A deployment may be made in various ways. The principal one is, from the close column into line. A battalion in close column may form in line on its front, on its rear, or on any central division, by the deployment, or flank march, and by which it successively uncovers and extends its several divisions.
In the passage of an obstacle, parts of the battalion are required to form in close column, and again deploy into line; although the division formed upon, continues to be moveable. This, however, depends wholly upon the nature of the ground or country, over which the battalion is marching.
Deployment into line on a front division, the right in front, is effected by halting that division in the alignement, and all the others in their true situations, parallel and well closed up to it; and then by taking a point for forming upon, and dressing by it in the prolongation of that division. For a minute explanation of the deployments on a rear and central division. See American Military Library.
Oblique Deployments differ from those movements, which are made when a battalion stands perpendicular to the line on which it is to form. These deployments are frequently made on an oblique line advanced, on an oblique line retired: and when the close column halted is to form in line in the prolongation of its flank, and on either the front, rear, or central division. See Am. Mil. Lib.
DEPOT, any particular place in which military stores are deposited for the use of the army. In a more extensive sense, it means several magazines collected together for that purpose. It also signifies an appropriated fort, or place, for the reception of recruits, or detached parties, belonging to different regiments. During hostilities, the greatest attention should be given to preserve the several depots which belong to the fighting army. Hence the line of operation should be invariably connected with them; or rather no advance should be made upon that line, without the strictest regard being paid to the one of communication.
Depot is also used to denote a particular place at the tail of the trenches, out of the reach of the cannon of the place, where the troops generally assemble, who are ordered to attack the out-works, or support the troops in the trenches, when there is reason to imagine the besieged intend making a vigorous sally.
Depot, likewise means a temporary magazine for forage, for fascines, gabions, tools, and every other thing necessary for the support of an army, or for carrying on a siege.
DEPOUILLE, Fr. mettre en dépouille, is an expression made use of in casting of cannon, and signifies to strip it of the matting, clay, &c.
Depouilles de l’ennemi, Fr. See Spoils.
DEPRESSION, the placing of any piece of ordnance, so that its shot be thrown under the point blank line.
DEPRESSED gun, any piece of ordnance having its mouth depressed below the horizontal line.
Depth of a battalion or squadron, in military affairs, the number of ranks, or the quantity of men. Infantry were formerly drawn up 6 or 8 deep, that is, it consisted of so many ranks; but now the line of infantry are generally drawn up only 3 deep, and in defence of a breastwork but two deep. When infantry is drawn up 3 deep, the first rank is called the front rank; the second, the centre rank; and the third, the rear rank; and the files which bind the right and left, are called the flanks. The cavalry is drawn up 2 deep.
DEPTH, a technical word peculiarly applicable to bodies of men drawn up in line or column.
Depth of formation. The fundamental order of the infantry in which they should always form and act, and for which all their various operations and movements are calculated, is three ranks. The formation in two ranks is regarded as an occasional exception that may be made from it, where an extended and covered front is to be occupied, or where an irregular enemy, who deals only in fire, is to be opposed. The formation in two ranks, and at open files, is calculated only for light troops in the attack and pursuit of a timid enemy, but not for making an impression on an opposite regular line, which vigorously assails, or resists.
Depth is not only applicable to men drawn up in line, and standing at close, or open files two or three deep, but it may likewise signify the relative depth of an army marching towards any given object, in desultory columns.
DEPUTY, a term given to persons employed in the civil departments of the army, and subject to superior trusts.
Deputy pay-masters.
Deputy muster-masters.
Deputy commissaries.
Deputy judge-advocate.
DEROUTE, Fr. The total overthrow of an army, battalion, or of any armed party. See [Defeat].
To DESCEND, signifies to leave any position on an eminence for immediate action.
To Descend upon, to invade. When an enemy from surrounding heights suddenly marches against a fortified place, he is said to descend upon it. The term is also applied to troops debarking from their ships for the purpose of invasion.
DESCENT. Hostile invasion of any state or kingdom.
DESCENTES, dans le fossé, Fr. See [Descents] into the ditch.
Descents into the ditch, are cuts and excavations which are made by means of saps in the counterscarp beneath the covert way. They are covered with thick boards and hurdles, and a certain quantity of earth is thrown upon the top, in order to obviate the bad effects which might arise from shells, &c.
When the ditch or fossé is full of water, the descent must be made to its edge, after which the ditch must be filled with strong fascines covered with earth. When the ditch is dry, the saps are carried on to the bottom, and traverses are made in order to secure a lodgment, or to render the approaches of the miner more practicable. When the ditch or fossé which is full of water, has little or no bank, the descent is simply made over it, care being taken to cover its enfilade or range with blinds and chandeliers, or to execute it as much out of that line as possible.
Descents, in fortification, are the holes, vaults, and hollow places, made by undermining the ground.
DESCRIPTION, Signalement, Fr. The description of a man’s person, his appearance, &c. It not only signifies the figure, but an exact and specific detail of such marks and prominent features, that by comparing the copy taken on paper with the original, the latter may be instantly recognised. It is the custom in all well regulated armies for every regiment to have an exact description of each man that belongs to it, specifically drawn out in the adjutant’s books. So that when a soldier deserts, a copy is instantly taken, and forwarded to those places to which he is most likely to resort.
DESERTER, in a military sense, a soldier who, by running away from his regiment, troop, or company, abandons the service.
Deserters. A prudent officer will always be cautious of what he entrusts to a deserter; the judgment of the officer and his knowlege of human character, are the only guides which he has in his conduct; the motives of the deserter are therefore to be considered, whether it was the result of depravity in himself or of causes which might affect a generous mind. In this case, however, he should be as cautious as if it proved to be depravity only. A deserter on reaching the lines is put under arrest and conducted to the commanding officer, where he is examined, and it is usual to notify him he will be punished with death as a spy if he gives false information. Though great caution is required in regard to the information given by deserters, great advantage may be derived from their information, as attacks premeditated, the positions of officers, corps, and magazines, and head quarters, of discontents in the army, or disagreements among the superior officers.
Deserters from the militia may be apprehended by any person in the same manner, that deserters are from the regular army. Persons apprehending a deserter are entitled to 10 dollars.
Penalty of Desertion. All officers and soldiers, who having received pay, or having been duly enlisted in the U. S. service, shall be convicted of having deserted the same, shall suffer death or such other punishment as by a court-martial shall be inflicted. Art. War, § 20, 21, 22, 23.
Any non commissioned officer or soldier, who shall, without leave from his commanding officer, absent himself from his troop or company, or from any detachment with which he shall be commanded, shall, upon being convicted thereof, be punished according to the nature of the offence, at the discretion of a court-martial.
No non commissioned officer or soldier shall inlist himself in any other regiment, troop, or company, without a regular discharge from the regiment, troop, or company in which he last served, on the penalty of being reputed a deserter and suffering accordingly: and in case any officer shall knowingly receive and entertain such non commissioned officer or soldier, or shall not, after his being discovered to be a deserter, immediately confine him, and give notice thereof to the corpse in which he last served, he, the said officer so offending, shall by a court-martial be cashiered.
Whatsoever officer or soldier shall be convicted of having advised any other officer or soldier, to desert our service, shall suffer such punishment as shall be inflicted upon him by the sentence of the court-martial.
Penalty for concealing British Deserters, or buying their arms, clothes, &c. Provided always, that if any person shall harbor, conceal, or assist any deserter from his majesty’s service, knowing him to be such, the person so offending shall forfeit for every such offence, the sum of 5l. or if any person shall knowingly detain, buy, or exchange, or otherwise receive, any arms, clothes, caps, or other furniture belonging to the king, from any soldier or deserter, or any other person, upon any account or pretence whatsoever, or cause the color of such clothes to be changed; the person so offending, shall forfeit for every such offence the sum of 5l. and upon conviction by the oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses, before any of his majesty’s justices of the peace, the said respective penalties of 5l. and 5l. shall be levied by warrant under the hands of the said justice or justices of the peace, by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of the offender; one moiety of the said first mentioned penalty of 5l. to be paid to the informer, by whose means such deserter shall be apprehended; and one moiety of the said last mentioned penalty of 5l. to be paid to the informer; and the residue of the said respective penalties to be paid to the officer to whom any such deserter or soldier did belong: and in case any such offender, who shall be convicted, as aforesaid, of harboring or assisting any such deserter or deserters, or having knowingly received any arms, clothes, caps, or other furniture belonging to the king or having caused the color of such clothes to be changed, contrary to the intent of this act, shall not have sufficient goods and chattels, wherein distress may be made, to the value of the penalties recovered against him for such offence, or shall not pay such penalties within 4 days after such conviction; then, and in such case, such justice of the peace shall and may, by warrant under his hand and seal, either commit such offender to the common gaol, there to remain without bail or mainprise for the space of three months, or cause such offender to be publicly whipped at the discretion of such justice.
Deserteur, Fr. See [Deserter].
DESIGN, in a general sense, implies the plan, order, representation, or construction of any kind of military building, chart, map, or drawing, &c. In building, the term ichnography may be used, when by design is only meant the plan of a building or a flat figure drawn on paper: when some side or face of the building is raised from the ground, we may use the term orthography; and when both front and sides are seen in perspective, we may call it scenography.
DESIGNING, the art of delineating or drawing the appearance of natural objects, by lines on a plane.
DESORDRE, Fr. See Disorder.
DESTINATION, the place or purpose, to which any body of troops is appointed in order to do or attempt some military service.
To DETACH, is to send out part of a great number of men on some particular service, separate from that of the main body.
DETACHED pieces, in fortification, are such out-works as are detached, or at a distance from the body of the place; such as half-moons, ravelines, bastions, &c.
DETACHEMENT, Fr. See [Detachment].
DETACHMENT, in military affairs, an uncertain number of men drawn out from several regiments or companies equally, to march or be employed as the general may think proper, whether on an attack, at a siege, or in parties to scour the country. A detachment of 2000 or 3000 men is a command for a general officer; 800 for a colonel, 500 for a lieutenant-colonel, 200 or 300 for a major, 80 or 100 for a captain, 40 for a lieutenant or ensign, 12 for a serjeant, and 6 for a corporal. Detachments are sometimes made of intire squadrons and battalions. One general rule in all military projects that depends upon us alone, should be to omit nothing that can insure the success of our detachment and design; but, in that which depends upon the enemy, to trust something to hazard.
DETAIL, Fr. faire le détail d’une armée, d’une compagnie, ou d’une corps de gens de guerre; is to keep a strict eye upon every part of the service, and to issue out instructions or orders, that every individual belonging to a military profession may discharge his trust with accuracy and fidelity. Faire le détail d’une compagnié, likewise means to make up a company’s report, &c.
DETAIL of duty, in military affairs, is a roster or table for the regular and exact performance of duty, either in the field, garrison, or cantonments. The general detail of duty is the proper care of the majors of brigade, who are guided by the roster of the officers, and by the tables for the men, to be occasionally furnished. The adjutant of a regiment keeps the detail of duty for the officers of his regiment, as does the serjeant-major that for the non-commissioned, and the latter that for the privates.
DEVASTATION, in military history, the act of destroying, laying waste, demolishing, or unpeopling towns, &c.
DEVELOPPER, Fr. to unfold, to unravel; as Se développer sur la tête d’une colonne, to form line on the head of a column.
DEVICE, the emblems on a shield or standard.
DEUIL militaire, Fr. military mourning.
DEVUIDER, in the manege, is applied to a horse that, upon working upon volts, makes his shoulders go too fast for the croupe to follow.
DIABLE. Fr. See [Chat].
DIAGONAL, reaching from one angle to another; so as to divide a parallelogram into equal parts.
Diagonal Movements. See [Echellon].
DIAMETER, in both a military and geometrical sense, implies a right line passing through the centre of a circle, and terminated at each side by the circumference thereof. See [Circle].
The impossibility of expressing the exact proportion of the diameter of a circle to its circumference, by any received way of notation, and the absolute necessity of having it as near the truth as possible, has put some of the most celebrated men in all ages upon endeavoring to approximate it. The first who attempted it with success, was the celebrated Van Culen, a Dutchman, who by the ancient method, though so very laborious, carried it to 36 decimal places: these he ordered to be engraven on his tomb-stone, thinking he had set bounds to improvements. However, the indefatigable Mr. Abraham Sharp carried it to 75 places in decimals; and since that, the learned Mr. John Machin has carried it to 100 places, which are as follows:
If the diameter of a circle be 1, the circumference will be 3.1415926535,8979323846,2643383279,5028841971,6939937510,5820974944,5923078164,0528620899,8628034825,3421170679,+ of the same parts; which is a degree of exactness far surpassing all imagination.
But the ratios generally used in the practice of military mathematics are these following. The diameter of the circle is to its circumference as 113 is to 355 nearly.—The square of the diameter is to the area of the circle, as 452 to 355. The cube of the diameter is, to the solid content of a sphere, as 678 to 355.—The cubes of the axes are, to the solid contents of equi-altitude cylinders, as 452 to 355.—The solid content of a sphere is, to the circumscribed cylinder, as 2 to 3.
How to find the Diameter of shot or shells. For an iron ball, whose diameter is given, supposing a 9-pounder, which is nearly 4 inches, say, the cube root of 2.08 of 9 pounds is, to 4 inches, as the cube root of the given weight is to the diameter sought. Or, if 4 be divided by 2.08, the cube root of 9, the quotient 1.923 will be the diameter of a 1-pound shot; which being continually multiplied by the cube root of the given weight, gives the diameter required.
Or by logarithms much shorter, thus: If the logarithm of 1.923, which is .283979, be constantly added to the third part of the logarithm of the weight, the sum will be the logarithm of the diameter. Suppose a shot to weigh 24 pounds: add the given logarithm .283979 to the third part of .460070 of the logarithm 1.3802112 of 24, the sum .7440494 will be the logarithm of the diameter oi a shot weighing 24 pounds, which is 5.5468 inches.
If the weight should be expressed by a fraction, the rule is still the same: for instance, the diameter of a 1¹⁄₂ pound ball, or ³⁄₂, is found by adding the logarithm .2839793, found above, to .0586971 ¹⁄₃ of the logarithm of ²⁄₃, the sum .3426764 will be the logarithm of the diameter required, i. e. 2.2013 inches.
As the diameter of the bore, or the calibre of the piece, is made ¹⁄₂₀ part larger than that of the shot, according to the present practice, the following table is computed for this proportion.
Diameters of the shots and calibres of English guns.
| lb. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1.923 | 2.423 | 2.775 | 3.053 | 3.288 | 3.498 | 3.679 | 3.846 | 4.000 | diam. |
| 0 | 2.019 | 2.544 | 2.913 | 3.204 | 3.568 | 3.668 | 3.861 | 4.038 | 4.200 | calib. | |
| 1 | 4.143 | 4.277 | 4.403 | 4.522 | 4.635 | 4.743 | 4.846 | 4.945 | 5.040 | 5.131 | diam. |
| 4.349 | 4.490 | 4.623 | 4.748 | 4.866 | 4.981 | 5.088 | 5.192 | 5.292 | 5.368 | calib. | |
| 2 | 5.220 | 5.305 | 5.388 | 5.409 | 5.547 | 5.623 | 5.697 | 5.769 | 5.839 | 5.908 | diam. |
| 5.480 | 5.579 | 5.661 | 5.742 | 5.824 | 5.893 | 5.982 | 6.057 | 6.129 | 6.203 | calib. | |
| 3 | 5.975 | 6.041 | 6.105 | 6.168 | 6.230 | 6.290 | 6.350 | 6.408 | 6.465 | 6.521 | diam. |
| 6.275 | 6.343 | 6.410 | 6.475 | 6.?41 | 6.604 | 6.666 | 6.707 | 6.788 | 6.846 | calib. | |
| 4 | 6.576 | 6.631 | 6.684 | 6.737 | 6.789 | 6.640 | 6.890 | 6.940 | 6.989 | 7.037 | diam. |
| 6.904 | 6.962 | 7.018 | 7.076 | 7.128 | 7.182 | 7.234 | 7.287 | 7.338 | 7.383 | calib. |
EXPLANATION.
The numbers in the first line of the table are units, and those in the first column of the left side of the table tens; the other numbers, under the one, and opposite to the others, are the respective diameters of shot and calibres. Thus, to find the diameter of the shot, and the calibre of a 24 pr. look for the number 2 on the left-hand side, and for 4 at top; then the number 5.547, under 4, and opposite 2, will be the diameter of the shot in inches and decimals, and the number 5.824, under the first, the calibre of a 24-pounder &c.
Diameters of the Bullets and Calibres of English musquets.
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1.671 | 1.326 | 1.158 | 1.05 | .977 | .919 | .873 | .835 | .803 |
| 1 | .715 | .?51 | .730 | .711 | .693 | .677 | .663 | .650 | .637 | .626 |
| 2 | .615 | .605 | .596 | .587 | .579 | .571 | .564 | .557 | .550 | .544 |
| 3 | .538 | .536 | .526 | .521 | .517 | .511 | .506 | .501 | .497 | .493 |
The diameter of musquet bores differs about ¹⁄₅₀th part from that of the bullet.
Diameter of powder measures. See [Powder Measures].
DICTATOR, a magistrate of Rome, made in times of exigence and public distress, and invested with absolute authority.
DIFFERENCE. The sum paid by an officer in the British service, when he exchanges from half to full pay. It likewise means the regulation price between an inferior and a superior commission. Officers who retire upon half pay, and take the difference, subject themselves to many incidental disadvantages, should they wish to return into active service.
DIGGING. See [Mining].
DIGLADIATION, a combat with swords.
DIGUON, Fr. a staff at the end of which is suspended a vane or streamer. This term is properly marine.
DIKE or Dyke, a channel to receive water, also a dam or mound, to prevent inundation. See [Fortification].
DIMACHÆ, in ancient military affairs, were a kind of horsemen, answering to the dragoons of the moderns.
DIMICATION. See [Battle].
To DIMINISH or increase the front of a battalion, is to adapt the column of march or manœuvre according to the obstructions and difficulties which it meets in advancing. This is one of the most important movements, and a battalion which does not perform this operation with the greatest exactness and attention, so as not to lengthen out in the smallest degree, is not fit to move in the column of a considerable corps.
DIRECTEUR General, Fr. A military post of nominal importance which was originally instituted by Louis XIV. This charge was entrusted to eight lieutenant generals, four to command and superintend the infantry, and four for the cavalry. They possessed, however, little or no authority over the army in general; being subordinate in some degree to the general officer whose corps they might inspect, and to whom they rendered a correct account of its interior œconomy. They were likewise assisted by Inspectors general. The four directors were afterwards replaced by the inspectors, from a principle of œconomy. The permanent ones of that appellation were: director general of the royal artillery school; director general of military hospitals; director general of fortification; director general of the cavalry; director general of stores.
DIRECTION, in military mechanics, signifies the line or path of a body in motion, along which it endeavors to force its way, according to the propelling power that is given to it.
Angle of Direction, that formed by the lines of direction of two conspiring powers.
Quantity of Direction, a term used by military mathematicians for the product of the velocity of the common centre of gravity of a system of bodies, by the sum of their quantities of matter: this is no ways altered by any collisions among the bodies themselves.
DIRK, a kind of dagger used by military men, and by the highlanders in Scotland.
To DISARM. To deprive a soldier of every species of offensive or defensive weapon.
DISARMED. Soldiers divested of their arms, either by conquest, or in consequence of some defection.
DISBANDED, the soldiers of any regiment, who are in a body dismissed from the conditions of their military service.
DISBARK. See [Disembark].
DISCHARGE, in a military sense, is the dismissing a soldier from the troop or company he belonged to, either at his own request, or after long services.
This term is also applied to the firing of cannon or musquets, as a discharge of cannon, or of small arms.
DISCIPLINARIAN, an officer who pays particular regard to the discipline of the soldiers under his command.
DISCIPLINE, in a military sense, signifies the instruction and government of soldiers.
| Military Discipline, | - | |
| Military Constitution, |
By military constitution is meant, the authoritative declared laws for the guidance of all military men, and all military matters; and by discipline is meant, the obedience to, and exercise of those laws. As health is to the natural body, so is a sound military constitution to the military one; and as exercise is to the first, so is discipline to the last. Bravery will perchance gain a battle; but every one knows that by discipline alone the long disputed prize of a war can be ultimately obtained.
The kingdom of Prussia was a striking example in favor of perfect discipline; for while that state had a strong army, and maintained that army in strict discipline, it had held a very considerable share in the system of Europe.
Marine Discipline, is the training up soldiers for sea service, in such exercises and various positions as the musquet and body may require: teaching them likewise every manœuvre that can be performed on board ships of war at sea, &c.
DISCIPLINE militaire. See [Military Discipline].
DISCRETION, Fr. discretion. Se rendre à discrétion, to surrender at discretion, implies to throw one’s self upon the mercy of a victorious enemy. The French likewise say, les soldats vivent à discrétion dans un pays; which in familiar English signifies, soldiers live scot-free in a country.
To DISENGAGE, to clear a column or line, which may have lost its proper front by the overlapping of any particular division, company, or section when ordered to form up. To do this, ground must be taken to the right or left. It is however, a dangerous operation when the army or battalion gets into a line of fire. In that case the files that overlap must remain in the rear, and fill up the first openings.
To Disengage, is also to extricate yourself and the men you command from a critical situation. A battalion, for instance, which may have advanced too far during an action, and got between two fires, may, by an able manœuvre, disengage itself.
To Disengage the wings of a battalion. This is necessary when the battalion countermarches from its centre, and on its centre by files. The battalion having received the word “by wings, inward face,” is next ordered “by wings, three side steps to the right, march,” by which the wings are disengaged from each other, or this may be done by a quarter face to the right and left alter facing inward. In counter-marching, &c. the leading files must uniformly disengage themselves.
To Disengage, in fencing, to quit that side of your adversary’s blade, on which you are opposed by his guard, in order to effect a cut or thrust where an opportunity may present.
DISMANTLE, to strip a town or fortress of its outworks.
To Dismantle a gun. To render it unfit for use. Guns are frequently dismantled and left upon the field of battle.
DISCOMFIT, defeat, rout, overthrow.
DISCOVERER, a scout; one who is set to descry the enemy.
DISEMBARK, to land from on board any vessel or craft, used to convey troops on the sea.
DISEMBODIED. See [Disbanded].
To DISEMBODY. To disband.
DISGARNISH, to take guns from a fortress.
DISLODGE, to drive an enemy from their post or station.
DISMISSED. An officer in the British service may be dismissed generally or specifically. When an officer is dismissed generally, it is signified to him, that there is not any further occasion for his services. When an officer is dismissed specifically, it is expressly notified, that he is rendered incapable of ever serving again. Sometimes, indeed this species of dismissal is attended with public marks of extreme disgrace and degradation. In the Austrian service a colonel has been dismissed at the head of his regiment, and has had his sword broken before him, &c. During the present war the colonel of a militia regiment has not only been rendered incapable of ever serving again, but has been expelled the house of commons for military misconduct. The charges against him, together with the circumstantial proofs of his guilt, and the king’s approbation of the sentence were read in the circle of every regiment throughout Great Britain, in 1795, and nothing but a plea of severe indisposition saved the culprit from having the minutes publicly communicated to him at the horse guards.
DISMOUNTING, in a military sense, is the act of unhorsing. Thus, to dismount the cavalry, &c. is to make them alight.
To Dismount cannon, is to break their carriages, wheels, axle-trees, or any thing else, so as to render them unfit for service. It also implies dismounting by the gin, &c.
DISOBEDIENCE of orders. Any infraction, by neglect or wilful omission, of general or regimental orders. It is punishable by the articles of war.
DISPART, in gunnery, is to set a mark on the muzzle ring, so that it may be of an equal height with the base ring: hence a line drawn between them, will be parallel to the axis of the concave cylinder, for the gunner to take aim by it, to hit the mark he is to fire at; for the bore and this imaginary line being parallel, the aim so taken must be true. This exactness cannot be made use of in an engagement, and but very seldom at a siege; for in those cases practice and the eye must be the only guides.
Dispart. The dispart of a gun is the half difference between the diameter of the gun at the base ring, and at the swell of the muzzle. The general dispart of all guns is about the ¹⁄₅₆ part of their length. See the disparts of French and English guns under the word [Tangent Scale].
Dispart-frontlet. See [Frontlet].
To DISPERSE. In a military sense, may be variously understood. In an active one, it signifies to disperse any body of men, armed or unarmed, who may have assembled in an illegal or hostile manner. The cavalry are generally employed on these occasions.
To Disperse, likewise means to break suddenly from any particular order, in line or column, and to repair to some rallying point. Hence to sound the disperse, is to give notice that the battalion or battalions are to retreat from their actual position, in a loose and desultory manner, and to reassemble according to the natural line of formation, taking the colors as their central points to dress by.
DISPLACED, officers in the British service are sometimes displaced from a particular regiment in consequence of misconduct proved upon the minutes of a general court martial; but they are at liberty to serve in any other corps.
To DISPLAY, in a military sense, is to extend the front of a column, and hereby bring it into line. See [Deploy].
DISPOSE, to dispose cannon, is to place it in such a manner, that its discharge may do the greatest mischief. For instance, to dispose cannon along the front of the line.
DISPOSITION, in a general sense, is the just placing an army or body of men upon the most advantageous ground, and in the strongest situation for a vigorous attack or defence.
DISPOSITION de guerre, Fr. warlike arrangement, or disposition. Under this head may be considered the mode of establishing, combining, conducting, and finally terminating a war, so as to produce success and victory.
Wisdom and discretion in council point out the form necessary for the first establishment of a warlike enterprise, or disposition, afford the means of bringing it to a conclusion, and assimilate all the various parts so as to unite the whole.
The following maxims are in the memoirs of general Montecuculli.
1. Deliberate leisurely, execute promptly.
2. Let the safety of your army be your first object.
3. Leave something to chance.
4. Take advantage of circumstances.
5. Use all the means in your power to secure a good reputation.
The disposition or arrangement of a warlike enterprise may be universal, or particular.
An universal disposition or arrangement of war implies every thing which relates to that system upon an extensive scale; such as the combination of many parts for the ultimate benefit of the whole, &c.
A particular disposition or arrangement of war signifies the detail of minute objects, and the appropriation of various parts, one with another, for the purpose of effecting a general combination. This disposition, (without which the other must prove abortive,) consists in an observance of the strictest discipline by every individual that belongs to a troop or company. To this end, general officers should be scrupulously exact in attending to the inspection of particular corps; specific instructions for regimental œconomy and discipline should be given, and the strictest regard be paid to the execution of orders.
DISTANCE, in military formation, signifies the relative space which is left between men standing under arms in rank, or the intervals which appear between those ranks, &c.
Distances. Inaccessible distances may be found several ways; the most correct of which of course is by means of proper mathematical instruments; which, however, are not always to be had in the field.
The following different methods are laid down by several authors, where instruments cannot be had.
Fig. 1.
1. Wishing to know the distance of the object A from B ([fig. 1.]) place a picket at B and another at C, at a few fathoms distance, making A B C a right angle, and divide B C into 4, 5, or any number of equal parts: make another similar angle at C, in a direction from the object, and walk along the line C D till you bring yourself in a line with the object A, and any of the divisions, (say o) of the line B C. Then, as Co : C D ∷ Bo : B A. Vauban.
Fig. 2.
2. To gain the distance between two objects C and D ([fig. 2.]) from any point A, taken in the line C D, erect the perpendicular A E: on which set off from A to E, 1 or 200 feet, more or less, according to the distance between the points C and D; set off from E to G in the prolongation A E, one eighth or one tenth of A E; at G raise the perpendicular G F, and produce it towards I; plant pickets at E and G, then move with another picket on G F till it becomes in a line with E and D: and on the prolongation of the perpendicular F G place another picket at I in the line with E and C; measure F I, and it will be as G E : A E ∷ F I : C D.
Fig. 3.
3. To gain the inaccessible length A B, ([fig. 3.]) of the front of a fortification; plant a picket at C, from whence both points may be seen: find the lengths C A and C B by the method just given ([No. 1.]) make C E ¹⁄₄, or any part of C B, and make C D bear the same proportion to C A: measure D E, then it will be as C D : D E ∷ C A : A B.
See Am. Mil. Lib. Article Field Fortification.
Nearly after the same manner may be ascertained the distance from B to A when the point B is accessible; for having measured the line C B, and made the angle C E D equal to C B A, it will be, as C E : D E ∷ C B : B A.
4. The distance of a battery, or other object, may be ascertained by the tangent scale on the breech of a gun. It is however necessary in this case to know the height of the object, the distance of which is required. Lay the gun by the upper line of metal for the top of the object, then raise the tangent scale till the top of the scale and the notch at the muzzle are in a line with the bottom of the object, and note what height of the tangent scale is required: then say, as the length of the scale above the base ring of the gun is to the length from the base ring to the swell of the muzzle, so is the height of the object to its distance from the muzzle of the gun.
5. The breadth of a river, or other short distance, may be taken thus: take two pickets of different lengths, drive the shortest into the ground close to the edge of the bank; measure some paces back from it, and drive in the other till you find, by looking over the tops of both, that your sight cuts the opposite side—Then pull up the first picket, measure the same distance from the second, in any direction the most horizontal, and drive it as deep in the ground as before. Consequently, if you look over them again, and observe where the line of sight falls, you will have the distance required.
6. The following simple method of ascertaining the breadth of a river may be sufficiently correct for some cases: Place yourself at the edge of one bank, and lower one corner of your hat till you find the edge of it cuts the other bank; then steady your head, by placing your hand under your chin, and turn gently round to some level spot of ground, and observe where your eyes and the edge of the hat again meet the ground: your distance from that point will be nearly the breadth of the river.
7. Distances ascertained by the difference between the true and apparent level. See [Levelling].
8. Distances measured by sound. See [Sound].
9. The following simple micrometer may be so usefully applied to military purposes, that we shall extract it verbatim from the Philosophical Transactions for 1791, where it is described by Cavallo. This micrometer consists of a thin and narrow slip of mother of pearl, finely divided, and placed in the focus of the eyeglass of a telescope, just where the image is formed. It is immaterial whether the telescope be a reflector, or a refractor, provided the eye glass be a convex lens and not a concave one, as in the Galilean construction. The simplest way to fix it, is to stick it on the diaphragm, which generally stands within the tube, and in the locus of the eye glass. When thus fixed, if you look through the eye glass, the divisions on the scale will appear very distinct, unless the diaphragm is not exactly in the focus: in which case the scale must be placed exactly in the focus, by pushing the diaphragm, backwards or forwards, when this is practicable; or else the scale may be easily removed from one surface of the diaphragm to the other, by the interposition of a circular bit of paper or card, or a piece of sealing wax. This construction is fully sufficient when the telescope is always to be used by the same person; but when different persons are to use it, then the diaphragm, which supports the micrometer, must be so constructed as to be easily moved backwards or forwards, though that motion need not be greater than about the tenth or eighth of an inch. This is necessary, because the distance of the focus of the same lens appears different to the eyes of different persons; and therefore whoever is going to use the telescope for the mensuration of an angle, must first unscrew the tube which contains the eye glass and micrometer, from the rest of the telescope, and, looking through the eye glass, place the micrometer where the divisions of it may appear most distinct to his eye. The mother of pearl scale may be about the 24th part of an inch broad; its length is determined by the aperture of the diaphragm; its thickness that of writing paper. The divisions on it maybe the 200th of an inch, which may reach from one edge of the scale to about the middle; and every fifth and tenth division may be a little longer, the tenths going quite across. When the telescope does not magnify above 30 times, the divisions need not be so minute. For the sake of those not conversant in trigonometry, the following is an easy method of determining the value of the divisions on the scale. Mark upon a wall or other place, the length of 6 inches; then place the telescope before it so that the 6 inches be at right angles to it, and exactly 57 feet 3¹⁄₂ inches distant from the object glass of the telescope. This done, look through the telescope, and observe how many divisions of the micrometer are equal to it, and that same number of divisions will be equal to half a degree, or 30′; and this is all that need be done to ascertain the value of the scale. The reason on which it is founded is, that an extension of six inches at the distance of 57 feet, 3¹⁄₂ inches, subtends an angle of 30′, as is easily calculated by trigonometry. To save the trouble of calculation, a scale may be made requiring only inspection. Thus, draw a line equal to the diameter of the field of the telescope, and divide its under side into the same number of parts as are on your micrometric scale, and, by the above operation on the wall, having determined the value of 30′, which we will suppose to correspond with 16 divisions on the scale, mark 30′ on the opposite side of the line, opposite 16 on the lower; 15 opposite 8, and so on.
By the following table the results may be ascertained by inspection only: thus, suppose an extension of 1 foot is found by the table to subtend an angle of 22′, the distance will be 156.2: and suppose at the distance of 171.8 an object subtends an angle of 20′, its height will be found to be 1 foot; or, suppose an object of 6 feet high to subtend an angle of 20′, the distance is 1030.8, by multiplying 171.8 by 6.
Table of Angles subtended by 1 Foot, at different Distances.
| Min- utes. | Dis- tances in feet. | Min- utes. | Dis- tances in feet. | Min- utes. | Dis- tances in feet. | Min- utes. | Dis- tances in feet. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3437.7 | 16 | 214.8 | 31 | 110.9 | 46 | 74.7 |
| 2 | 1718.9 | 17 | 202.2 | 32 | 107.4 | 47 | 73.1 |
| 3 | 1145.9 | 18 | 191.0 | 33 | 104.2 | 48 | 71.6 |
| 4 | 859.4 | 19 | 180.9 | 34 | 101.1 | 49 | 70.1 |
| 5 | 687.5 | 20 | 171.8 | 35 | 98.2 | 50 | 68.7 |
| 6 | 572.9 | 21 | 162.7 | 36 | 95.5 | 51 | 67.4 |
| 7 | 491.1 | 22 | 156.2 | 37 | 92.9 | 52 | 66.1 |
| 8 | 429.7 | 23 | 149.4 | 38 | 90.4 | 53 | 64.8 |
| 9 | 382.0 | 24 | 143.2 | 39 | 88.1 | 54 | 63.6 |
| 10 | 343.7 | 25 | 137.5 | 40 | 85.9 | 55 | 62.5 |
| 11 | 312.5 | 26 | 132.2 | 41 | 83.8 | 56 | 61.4 |
| 12 | 286.5 | 27 | 127.2 | 42 | 81.8 | 57 | 60.3 |
| 13 | 264.4 | 28 | 122.7 | 43 | 79.9 | 58 | 59.2 |
| 14 | 245.5 | 29 | 118.5 | 44 | 78.1 | 59 | 58.2 |
| 15 | 229.2 | 30 | 114.6 | 45 | 76.4 | 60 | 57.3 |
Distance of files. Every soldier when in his true position under arms, shouldered and in rank, must just feel with his elbow the touch of his neighbor with whom he dresses; nor in any situation of movement in front, must he ever relinquish such touch, which becomes in action the principal direction for the preservation of his order, and each file as connected with its two neighboring ones, must consider itself a complete body, so arranged for the purpose of attack, or effectual defence. Close files must invariably constitute the formation of all corps that go into action. The peculiar exercise of the light infantry is the only exception. See Am Mil. Lib.
Distance of ranks, open distances of ranks are two paces asunder; when close they are one pace; when the body is halted and to fire, they are still closer locked up. Close ranks, order or distance is the constant and habitual order at which troops are at all times formed and move; open ranks, order or distance is only an occasional exception, made in the situation of parade, or in light infantry manœuvres.
Distances of files and ranks, relate to the trained soldier, but in the course of his tuition he must be much exercised at open files and ranks, and acquire thereby independence and the command of his limbs and body.
DISTANCE of the bastions, in fortification, is the side of the exterior polygon. See [Fortification].
DISTRIBUTION. In a military sense, generally applies to any division, or allotment, which is made for the purposes of warfare. Thus an army may be distributed about a country. In a more confined sense, it means the minute arrangements that are made for the interior œconomy of corps; as distribution of pay or subsistence, distribution of allowances, &c.
DISTRICT, in a military sense, one of those parts into which a country is divided, for the conveniences of command, and to secure a ready co-operation between distant bodies of armed men.
DITCH. See [Fortification], [Moat].
To drain a Ditch, is to make the water run off into lower ground, by means of small trenches cut for this purpose.
DIVERSION, in military history, is when an enemy is attacked in one place where he is weak and unprovided, in order to draw off his forces from making an irruption somewhere else; or where an enemy is strong, and by an able manœuvre he is obliged to detach part of his forces to resist any feint or menacing attempt of his opponent. To derive advantage from a diversion, taken in an extended acceptation of the term, it is necessary, that one state should have greater resources than another; for it would be absurd to attack the territories of another before you had secured your own.
It is likewise requisite, that the country you attack by stratagem or diversion, should be easy of access, and the invasion you make must be prompt, vigorous and unexpected, directed against a weak and vulnerable quarter. A little good fortune is however essential to render a diversion perfectly successful, as all the ways and means by which it ought be made, cannot be reduced to rule.
The most memorable instance of a diversion well executed, which we meet with in ancient history, was performed by Scipio in Africa, whilst Annibal carried the war into Italy. In 1659, a diversion no less remarkable, was practised by the imperial and allied armies against the Swedes.
DIVISIONS of a battalion, are the several platoons into which a regiment or battalion is divided, either in marching or firing; each of which is commanded by an officer.
DIVISIONS of an army, are the number of brigades and squadrons it contains.
The advance, the main, and the rear guards are composed out of the several brigades, and march in front, in the centre, and in the rear of an army. Each army has its right wing, its centre, and its left wing. When armies march they advance in column, that is, they are divided into several squadrons and battalions of a given depth, successively formed upon one another. If an army be drawn out or displayed in order of battle it is usually divided into the first line, which constitutes the front, the second line, which makes the main body, and the third line or reserve.
DODECAGON, in geometry, is a regular polygon, consisting of 12 equal sides and angles, capable of being regularly fortified with the same number of bastions.
DODECAHEDRON, is one of the platonic bodies, or five regular solids, and is contained under 12 equal and regular pentagons.
The solidity of a dodecahedron, is found by multiplying the area of one of the pentagonal faces of it by 12; and this latter product by ¹⁄₃d of the distance of the face from the centre of the dodecahedron, which is the same as the centre of the circumscribing sphere.
The side of a dodecahedron inscribed in a sphere, is the greater part of the side of a cube inscribed in that sphere, cut into extreme and mean proportion.
If the diameter of the sphere be 1,0000, the side of a dodecahedron inscribed in it will be .35682 nearly.
All dodecahedrons are similar, and are to one another as the cubes of the sides; and their surfaces are also similar, and therefore they are as the squares of their sides; whence as .509282 is to 10.51462, so is the square of the side of any dodecahedron to the superficies thereof; and as .3637 is to 2.78516, so is the cube of the side of any dodecahedron to the solidity of it.
DOG-Nails. See [Nails].
DOLPHINS. See [Cannon].
DOMMAGE, Fr. in a general acceptation of the term, signified in the old French service, the compensation which every captain of a troop, or company was obliged to make in consequence of any damage that their men might have done in a town, or on a march. If any disagreement occurred between the officers and the inhabitants, with respect to the indemnification, a statement of losses sustained was sworn to by the latter, before the mayor or magistrates of the place, who determined the same. But if the officers should refuse to abide by their decision, a remonstrance was drawn up and transmitted to the secretary at war, with a copy of the same to the intendant of the province. Officers have frequently been displaced or degraded on this account. Hence the term dommage is supposed to have been derived from the latin words damnum jactura, and signifies the loss or privation of a step.
DONJON. See [Dungeon].
DOSSER, in military matters, is a sort of basket, carried on the shoulders of men, used in carrying the earth from one part of a fortification to another, where it is wanted.
DOUBLING, in the military art, is the placing two or more ranks, or files into one.
DOUBLE your ranks, is for the 2d, 4th, and 6th ranks (when so drawn up) to march into the 1st, 3d, and 5th; so that of 6 ranks they are made but 3; which is not so when they double by half files, because then 3 ranks stand together, and the 3 other come up to double them; that is, the 1st, 2d, and 3d, are doubled by the 4th, 5th, and 6th, or the contrary.
Double your files, is for every other file to march into that which is next to it, on the right or left, as the word of command directs; and then the 6 ranks are doubled into 12, the men standing 12 deep; and the distance between the files is double what it was before. By this method 3 files may be doubled into 6, &c.
To Double round, in military movements, is to march by an inversion of a second line, on the extremity of a first line, thereby to outflank an enemy.
Double tenaille. See [Tenaille].
DOUILLE, Fr. a small iron socket which is at the heel of the bayonet, and receives the extreme end of the musquet, so as to be firmly united together.
Douille likewise signifies, the cavity which belongs to the round piece of iron that is fixed to the end of the ramrod, by means of two nails through two small holes, called yeux or eyes, and to which the worm is attached.
DRAGON et DRAGON VOLANT, Fr. some old pieces of artillery were anciently so called. The Dragon was a 40-pounder; the Dragon Volant a 32. But neither the name nor the size of the calibre of either piece is now in use.
DRAGONNER, Fr. According to the French acceptation of the term, is to attack any person in a rude and violent manner; to take any thing by force; to adopt prompt and vigorous measures; and to bring those people to reason by hard blows, who could not be persuaded by fair words.
DRAGOONS, in military affairs, are a kind of horsemen, or cavalry, who serve both on horseback, and foot; being always ready on every emergency, as being able to keep pace with the horse, and to do infantry duty. In battle, or on attacks, they generally fight sword in hand after the first fire. In the field they encamp on the right and left of the lines. They are divided into brigades, regiments, and squadrons. Their martial music is the clarion or trumpet. The first regiment of dragoons in England was raised in 1681, and called the royal regiment of dragoons of North Britain. This name is derived from the Latin word Draconarii, used amongst the Romans. The standard of the Roman cavalry bore as its device a dragon; as that of the infantry bore an eagle.
To Dragoon, is to persecute by abandoning a place to the rage of the soldiery.
DRAG-ropes. See [Ropes]. See [Bricole].
DRAIN or Drein, in the military art, is a trench made to draw water out of a ditch, which is afterwards filled, with hurdles and earth, or with fascines, or bundles of rushes and planks, to facilitate the passage over the mud. See [Trench].
DRAKE, a small piece of artillery.
DRAUGHT, a plan or delineation of any place; a body of troops selected from others.
To Draught, to draw forces from one brigade, &c. to complete another; to select a proportion from brigades, regiments, or companies for any particular service.
Draught-hooks, in a gun-carriage, are fixed to the transom-bolts on the cheeks of artillery carriages, near the trunnion holes and trails: they are used to draw the guns backwards and forwards by men with drag ropes fixed to those hooks.
DRAUGHTED, the soldiers of any regiment being allotted to complete other regiments are said to be draughted.
DRAUGHTSMEN, a body of men educated to assist the engineers in drawing plans, fortifications, and surveying; every officer should endeavor to be a good draughtsman; and every corps ought to have a master to teach in camp or quarters.
To DRAW, to delineate or make a sketch.
DRAW RAMROD, a word of command, used in the drill exercise, on which the soldier draws his ramrod half from the pipes, and seizing it back handed by the middle, waits for the signal for the next motion, when he turns it round, and with an extended arm, places the butt of the rod about one inch in the muzzle of the firelock, in which position he waits for the command ram down cartridge.
Draw Swords, a word of command in the sword exercise of the cavalry.
The drawing of swords is performed in 3 motions. 1st, Bring the right hand smartly across the body to the sword knot, which being placed on the wrist, and secured by giving the hand a couple of turns inwards, seize the hilt of the sword. 2d, Draw the sword with an extended arm; sink the hand till the hilt of the sword is immediately against the left nipple, the blade of the sword perpendicular, and the back of the hand outwards. 3d. Bring down the hilt till in a line with the bridle hand, the blade perpendicular, the edge turned towards the horse’s left ear.
Officers of infantry, when the men are under arms, draw their swords without waiting for any word of command.
To Draw off, to retire.
To Draw on, to advance.
To Draw out, to call the soldiers forth in array for action.
To Draw up, to form in battle array.
Draw bridge. See [Bridge].
DRAWING, in a military sense, is the art of representing the appearances of all kinds of military objects by imitation, or copying, both with and without the assistance of mathematical rules.
DRESS-military. The clothing of the army is generally called regimentals, every part of which should facilitate, and not hinder, the various motions of the manual exercise. A soldier, without regard to fashion or taste (to use the words of a modern author) should be dressed in the most comfortable and least embarrassing manner possible; and the keeping him warm, and leaving him the entire use of his limbs, are objects always to be had in view.
To Dress, in a military sense, is to keep the body in such a relative position, as to contribute towards, and form a part of, an exact continuity of line, upon whatever front, or in whatever shape, the battalion may be formed. Soldiers dress by one another in ranks, and the body collectively dresses by some given object.
DRESSING of a battalion after the halt, is to bring all its relative parts in a line with the point, or object, towards which it was directed to move. Whatever correction is necessary, must be made by advancing or retiring the flanks, and not by moving the centre; which, having been the guide in the march, has properly stopped at the point where it has arrived.
Dressing of a battalion when it is to retire, is to have some intelligent officer placed thirty paces in the rear, so as to stand perpendicular to the front directing serjeant, by whom the direction of the march is to be ascertained, as the officer will, of course, be in the line, or nearly so, of the directing serjeants.
DRESSER, Fr. See [to Dress].
DRINKING to excess in the army is at all times highly criminal, but upon service it ought never to be overlooked; and the consequence will be a trial by a court martial. It has been productive of almost innumerable mischiefs, and is a most detestable and horrid practice. Whatever commissioned officer shall be found drunk on his guard, party, or other duty, under arms, shall be cashiered; any non-commissioned officer or soldier, so offending, shall suffer such corporal punishment as shall be inflicted by the sentence of a court martial. Art. of War.
To DRILL, to teach young recruits the first principles of military movements and positions, &c.
To be sent to Drill, to be placed under the command of the drill officer, or non-commissioned officer, and made to join the recruits in performing the manual and platoon exercise, &c. This is sometimes ordered as a punishment to those who are perfect in their exercise, when a battalion, company, or individual has done something to merit exposure.
DRIVERS of baggage or artillery, men who drive the baggage, artillery, and stores, having no other duty in the army.
DRUM, is a martial musical instrument in the form of a cylinder, hollow within, and covered at the two ends with vellum, which is stretched or slackened at pleasure, by means of small cords and sliding leathers. This instrument is used both by infantry and artillery; which is done in several manners, either to give notice to the troops of what they are to do, or to demand liberty to make some proposal to an enemy. Every company of foot or artillery, has two or more drums, according to the effective strength of the party. The drum was first invented by Bacchus, who, as Polyenus reports, fighting against the Indians, gave the signal of battle with cymbals and drums; and the Saracens, who invaded Christendom, introduced the drum into the European armies. The various beats are as follow, among the British.
The general, is to give notice to the troops that they are to march.
| The assembly, | - | |
| The troop, |
to order the troops to repair to the place of rendezvous, or to their colors.
The march, to command them to move, always with the left foot first.
Tat-too, to order all to retire to their quarters.
The reveille, always beats at break of day, and is to warn the soldiers to rise, and the centinels to forbear challenging, and to give leave to come out of quarters.
To arms, for soldiers who are dispersed, to repair to them.
The retreat, a signal to draw off from the enemy. It likewise means a beat in both camp and garrison a little before sun-set, at which time the gates are shut, and the soldiers repair to their barracks.
The alarm, is to give notice of sudden danger, that all may be in readiness for immediate duty.
| The parley, | - | |
| The chamade, |
is a signal to demand some conference with the enemy.
Drum, or Drummer, the person who beats the drum.
Kettle-Drums, are two sorts of large basons of copper or brass, rounded at the bottom, and covered with vellum or goatskin, which is kept fast by a circle of iron, and several holes, fastened to the body of the drum, and a like number of screws to stretch it at pleasure. They are used among the horse.
Drum-major, is always that person in the regiment, who beats the best drum, has the command over the other drums, and teaches them their duty. Every regiment has a drum-major.
Drum-Sticks, the sticks with which the drummer beats his drum.
DUEL, is a single combat, at a time and place appointed, in consequence of a cartel or challenge. Duelling was anciently authorised; but the motive of the duellists was the good of their country, when one, or a small number of combatants were chosen to save the blood of a whole army, and decide, by victory or death, the quarrels of kings or nations. Thus it was with Goliah and David, the Horatii and Curatii, and several others.
Duelling was so general a method of determining differences among the nobles, that even ecclesiastics were not excused; only, to prevent their being stained with blood, they procured champions to fight for them. None were excepted from combat, but sick people, cripples, and such as were under 21 years of age, or above 60. Justs and tournaments, doubtless, rendered duels more frequent.
No officer or soldier shall pretend to send a challenge to any other officer or soldier, to fight a duel; if a commissioned officer, on pain of being cashiered; if a non-commissioned officer or soldier, of suffering corporal punishment, at the discretion of a court martial. [Articles of war.]
Pharamond king of the Gauls, in the year 420, issued the following edict against duelling.
“Whereas it has come to our royal notice and observation, that in contempt of all laws, divine and human, it has of late become a custom among the nobility and gentry of this our kingdom, upon slight and trivial, as well as great and urgent provocations, to invite each other into the field, there, by their own hands, and of their own authority, to decide their controversies by combat: we have thought fit to take the said custom into our royal consideration, and find, upon inquiry into the usual causes whereon such fatal decisions have arisen, that by this wicked custom, maugre all the precepts of our holy religion, and the rules of right reason, the greatest act of the human mind, forgiveness of injuries, is become vile and shameful; that the rules of good society and virtuous conversation are hereby inverted; that the loose, the vain, and the impudent, insult the careful, the discreet, and the modest; that all virtue is suppressed, and all vice supported, in the one act of being capable to dare to death. We have also further, with great sorrow of mind, observed that this dreadful action, by long impunity, (our royal attention being employed upon matters of more general concern) is become honorable, and the refusal to engage in it ignominious. In these our royal cares and inquiries, we are yet farther made to understand, that the persons of most eminent worth, of most hopeful abilities, accompanied with the strongest passion for true glory, are such as are most liable to be involved in the dangers arising from this licence. Now, taking the said premises into our serious consideration, and well weighing, that all such emergencies (wherein the mind is incapable of commanding itself, and where the injury is too sudden, or too exquisite to be borne) are particularly provided for by laws heretofore enacted; and that the qualities of less injuries, like those of ingratitude, are too nice and delicate to come under general rules; we do resolve to blot this fashion, or wantonness of anger, out of the minds of our subjects, by our royal resolutions declared in this edict, as follows:—No person who either sends or accepts a challenge, or the posterity of either, though no death ensues thereupon, shall be, after the publication of this our edict, capable of bearing office in these our dominions:—The person who shall prove the sending or receiving a challenge, shall receive to his own use and property, the whole personal estate of both parties; and their real estate shall be immediately vested in the next heir of the offenders, in as ample a manner as if the said offenders were actually deceased:—In cases where the laws (which we have already granted to our subjects) admit of an appeal for blood: when the criminal is condemned by the said appeal, he shall not only suffer death, but his whole estate, real, mixed, and personal, shall, from the hour of his death, be vested in the next heir of the person whose blood he spilt:—That it shall not hereafter be in our royal power, or that of our successors, to pardon the said offences, or restore the offenders to their estates, honor, or blood, for ever. Given at our court, at Blois, the eighth of February, 420, in the second year of our reign.”
Duelling was authorised before the Normans came into England, but the practice was not so frequent as after the conquest.
DULEDGE, a peg of wood which joins the ends of the felloes, forming the circle of the wheel of a gun carriage; and the joint is strengthened on the outside of the wheel by a strong plate of iron, called the duledge plate.
DUMB-BELLS, weights which were used in drilling the soldier, who held one in each hand, which he swung backwards and forwards, to open his chest, increase muscular strength, throw back his shoulders, and accustom him to that freedom of action in the arms, and to that erect position of body which are so essentially necessary to a soldier.
The following method of exercising recruits with the dumb-bells, is extracted from a work entitled Military Instruction.
The dumb-bells being placed one on each side of the recruit, and himself in an erect, steady posture—on the word,
Raise bells—he will take one in each hand, and by a gentle motion, raise them as high as his arm will suffer him above his head; then gradually sinking them with stretched arm, as much behind him as possible, he will form a circle with them, making the circle complete, by causing the backs of his hands to meet behind his body; this will be repeated according to his strength, 5 or 6 times.
Extend bells.—The bells being raised to the shoulder, they will be forced forwards, keeping the same height, then brought back in the same manner; this will throw the chest forward, and force back the neck and shoulders, this must be frequently repeated.
Swing bells.—The top part of the bells to be made meet together in front, the height of the breast; then forced backwards with an extended arm, and be made to touch behind: in doing this, the palm of the hands must be uppermost, and the elbows well down: this circle must be repeated 14 or 15 times: Time, the circle performed, in 2 seconds.
Ground bells.—The recruit will let fall the bells by his sides, and remain steady and firm.
DUNES, Fr. sand hills, commonly called downs. As les dunes sur la cote de Flandres; the downs, or sand hills along the coast of Flanders.
| DUNGEON, | - | |
| DONJON, Fr. |
in fortification, is commonly a large tower or redoubt of a fortress, whither the garrison may retreat, in case or necessity, and capitulate with greater advantage. Also a dark and secluded place in which prisoners were kept.
DUTY, in a military sense, is the exercise of those functions that belong to a soldier; yet with this nice distinction, that duty is counted the mounting guard, &c. where no enemy is directly to be engaged; for when any body of men marches to meet the enemy, this is strictly called going upon service.
On all duties, whether with or without arms, picquets, or courts martial, the tour of duty begins with the eldest downwards. An officer who is upon duty cannot be ordered for any other before that duty is finished, except he be on the inlying picquet, as then he shall be relieved, and go on the duty ordered.
Military Duties may be divided into two general classes, under the heads of Brigade and Regimental duties.
Brigade duties, are those which one regiment does in common with another, collectively or by detachments; and of which the brigade major keeps a regular roster.
Regimental Duties, are those which the several companies of a regiment perform among themselves, and of which the adjutant keeps a regular roster.
The following general regulations are to be observed, respecting duties in general.
When field or other commissioned officers, are given out at head quarters for one duty, they cannot be taken off to be put on any other duty.
No officer is allowed to exchange his duty with another, after he has been put in orders for it, without leave of the commanding officer of his regiment.
Guards, or detachments, which have not marched off from the parade, are not to be reckoned as for a duty done; but, if they should have marched from the parade, it stands for a duty done, though they should be dismissed immediately.
If any officer’s tour of duty for the picquet, general court martial, or duty of fatigue, happen when he is on duty, he shall not make good such duty when he comes off.
No regiment can demand a tour of duty, unless it has marched off the place of parade, and beyond the main guard.
General courts martial that have assembled, and the members sworn in, shall be reckoned for a duty, though they should be dismissed without trying any person.
Whenever the picquets are ordered to march to any parade, it is not to be accounted a duty, unless they march off that parade.
All commands in the regular forces, fall to the eldest officers in the same circumstances, whether of cavalry or infantry, entire, or in parties. In case two commissions, of the same date, interfere, a retrospect is to be had to former commissions, or to lot.
Officers, on all duties under arms, are to have their swords drawn, without waiting for any word of command for that purpose.