Dress, To. To cause a company or battalion to take such a position or order as will preserve an exact continuity of line in the whole front, or in whatever shape the command is to be formed. Soldiers dress by one another in ranks, and the body collectively by some given object. To dress the line is to arrange any given number of soldiers, so as to stand perfectly correct with regard to the several points of an alignment that have been taken up.
Dress Uniform. The dress prescribed for occasions of ceremony.
Dreux. An old town of France, in the department of the Eure and Loire, on the Blaise. In 1188 this town was burned by the English; and in 1562 the Prince of Condé was taken prisoner in a severe action fought between the Huguenots and Roman Catholics in its neighborhood.
Drift. A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.
Drift. A deviation peculiar to oblong rifle projectiles. See [Projectiles].
Drill. Is a general name for the exercises through which soldiers and sailors are passed, to qualify them for their duties. There are many varieties of drill,—that of the cavalry, infantry, and artillery,—all have different drills conformable to their different organizations.
Drill-Sergeant. A non-commissioned officer, whose office it is to instruct soldiers as to their duties, and to train them to military evolutions.
Drogheda. A seaport town of Ireland, in the counties of Meath and Louth, built on both sides of the Boyne. From the 14th to the 17th century, Drogheda was the chief military station in Ulster. In 1641 the town was besieged by O’Neal and the northern Irish forces, but was gallantly defended by Sir Henry Tichbourne, and after a long blockade relieved by the Marquis of Ormond, who also relieved it a second time when invested by the Parliamentary army under Col. Jones. In 1649, Cromwell was twice repulsed in besieging this town; but in the third attempt he was successful, when most of the garrison were slaughtered. This place surrendered to William III. the day after the battle of the Boyne, which was fought in 1690 at Oldbridge, 4 miles west of Drogheda.
Drum. A musical instrument of percussion, formed by stretching a piece of parchment over each end of a cylinder formed of thin wood, or over the top of a caldron-shaped vessel of brass; the latter is hence called a kettle-drum. The large drums which are beaten at each end are called double drums, or bass drums, and are used chiefly in military bands. Kettle-drums are always used in pairs; one of which is tuned to the key-note, the other to the fifth of the key. The drum is principally used for military purposes, especially for inspiring the soldiers under the fatigue of march or in battle. It is supposed to be an Eastern invention, and to have been brought into Europe by the Arabians, or perhaps the Moors. In the French army the drum is now, to some extent, abolished.
Drum. To execute on a drum, as a tune;—with out, to expel with beat of drum; as, to drum out a deserter, etc.; with up, to assemble by beat of drum; to gather; to collect; as, to drum up recruits, etc.