Tell Off. A military term, expressing the dividing and practicing a regiment or company in the several formations, preparatory to marching to the general parade for field exercise.

Tellenon (Fr.). An ancient machine used at sieges. See [Tolenon].

Tellevas (Fr.). A large shield formerly used, similar to the pavois.

Tembu, Abatempu, or Tambookie. Is the name of an important tribe of Kaffirs, occupying the region east of the present boundary of the Cape Colony. In the earlier Kaffir wars, and even in the great one of 1835-36, the Tambookie Kaffirs remained neutral, and even friendly to the colonists; but in the war of 1848-49, they were induced to join the other tribes, and were defeated with great loss by a small colonial force. In the war of 1851, they were much broken and scattered; but eventually submitting to the British authority, they have quietly located themselves in the unoccupied country east of the White Kei and Tsomo Rivers.

Temesvar, or Temeswar. A town of the Austrian empire, capital of a circle of the same name, and of the crownland of Banat. It is strongly fortified with walls, moats, and outworks. Temesvar has played an important part in modern history. It was in the hands of the Turks from its capture in 1552 till 1718, when it was regained by Prince Eugène, and strongly fortified. In 1849, it was besieged for 107 days by the Hungarian insurgents, but it held out until it was relieved by Gen. Haynau.

Templar, Knights. A celebrated religious and military order, founded at Jerusalem in the beginning of the 12th century, by Hugues de Paganes, Geoffroy de St. Omer, and seven other French knights, for the protection of the Holy Sepulchre and of pilgrims resorting thither. The knights were bound by their rule to hear the holy office every day, or if prevented by their military duties, to say a certain number of paternosters instead, and were compelled to abstain from certain articles of food on certain days of the week. They might have three horses and an esquire each, but were forbidden to hunt or fowl. After the conquest of Jerusalem by the Saracens, the Templars spread over Europe; their valor became everywhere celebrated; immense donations in money and land were showered on them, and members of the most distinguished families thought themselves honored by enrollment in the order. As the power and prosperity of the Templars increased, so did their luxury, arrogance, and other vices, which gave the French kings a pretext for endeavoring to suppress them, and lay hold of their possessions. Their principal enemy was Philippe IV. of France, who induced Pope Clement V. to accede to a scheme by which the whole members of the order were seized and imprisoned, their lands confiscated, and many of them tried, convicted, and executed for capital crimes. The English Templars were arrested by command of Edward II. In 1312, the whole order throughout Europe was suppressed by the Council of Vienne, and its property bestowed on the Knights of St. John. The habit of the Templars was white, with a red cross of eight points of the Maltese form worn on the left shoulder. Their war-cry was “Beau séant”; and their banner, which bore the same name, was parted per fess sable and argent. They also displayed above their lances a white banner charged with the cross of the order. Their badges were the Agnus Dei, and a representation of two knights mounted on one horse,—indicative of the original poverty of the order.

Ten Thousand, Retreat of the. See [Retreat of the Ten Thousand Greeks].

Tenable. Such as may be maintained against opposition; such as may be held against attack.

Tenaille. In fortification, is a low work, constructed in the main ditch, upon the lines of defense, between the bastions, before the curtain, composed of two faces, and sometimes of two flanks and a small curtain.

Tenaillons. In fortification, are works sometimes found constructed in an old fortress, on each side of the ravelin,—the short faces being traced, on the prolongations of the faces of the ravelin, from the counterscarp of its ditch; the long faces are directed for flanking defense, to about the middle of the faces of the bastions.