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.