Chapter D: Caldwell, (12)

Art. 65. Any general officer commanding an army, or colonel commanding a separate department, may appoint general courts martial whenever necessary. But no sentence of a court martial shall be carried into execution until after the whole proceedings shall have been laid before the officer ordering the same, or the officer commanding the troops for the time being; neither shall any sentence of a general court martial, in time of peace, extending to the loss of life, or the dismission of a commissioned officer, or which shall, either in time of peace or war, respecting a general officer, be carried into execution, until after the whole proceedings shall have been transmitted to the secretary of war, to be laid before the President of the United States, for his confirmation or disapproval and orders in the case. All other sentences may be confirmed and executed by the officer ordering the court to assemble, or the commanding officer for the time being, as the case may be.

Art. 66. Every officer commanding a regiment, or corps, may appoint, for his own regiment or corps, courts martial, to consist of three commissioned officers, for the trial and punishment of offences, not capital, and decide upon their sentences. For the same purpose all officers, commanding any of the garrisons, forts, barracks, or other places where the troops consist of different corps, may assemble courts martial, to consist of three commissioned officers, and decide upon their sentences.

Art. 67. No garrison, or regimental court martial shall have the power to try capital cases, or commissoned officers; neither shall they inflict a fine exceeding one month’s pay, nor imprison, nor put to hard labor, any non-commissioned officer or soldier, for a longer time than one month.

Art. 68. Whenever it may be found convenient and necessary to the public service, the officers of the marine shall be associated with the officers of the land forces, for the purpose of holding courts martial and trying offenders belonging to either; and in such cases the orders of the senior officers of either corps who may be present and duly authorised, shall be received and obeyed.

Art. 69. The judge advocate, or some person deputed by him, or by the general, or officer commanding the army, detachment, or garrison, shall prosecute in the name of the United States, but shall so far consider himself as council for the prisoner, after the said prisoner shall have made his plea, as to object to any leading question to any of the witnesses, or any question to the prisoner, the answer to which might tend to criminate himself; and administer to each member of the court before they proceed upon any trial, the following oath, which shall also be taken by all members of the regimental and garrison courts martial.

“You A. B. do swear that you will well and truly try and determine, according to evidence, the matter now before you, between the United States of America, and the prisoner to be tried, and that you will duly administer justice, according to the provisions of “An act establishing rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States,” without partiality, favor or affection; and if any doubt shall arise, not explained by said articles, according to your conscience, the best of your understanding, and the custom of war, in like cases; and you do further swear, that you will not divulge the sentence of the court until it shall be published by the proper authority; neither will you disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court martial, unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness, by a court of justice, in a due course of law. _So help you God._”

And as soon as the said oath shall have been administered to the respective members, the president of the court shall administer to the judge advocate, or person officiating as such, an oath in the following words:

“You A. B. do swear, that you will not disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court martial, unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness, by a court of justice in due course of law. Nor divulge the sentence of the court to any but the proper authority, until it shall be duly disclosed by the same. _So help you God._”

Art. 70. When any prisoner arraigned before a general court martial shall, from obstinate and deliberate design, stand mute or answer foreign to the purpose, the court may proceed to trial and judgment as if the prisoner had regularly pleaded not guilty.

Art. 71. When a member shall be challenged by a prisoner, he must state his cause of challenge, of which the court shall, after due deliberation determine the relevancy or validity, and decide accordingly; and no challenge to more than one member at a time shall be received by the court.

Art. 72. All the members of a court martial are to behave with decency and calmness; and in giving their votes, are to begin with the youngest in commission.

Art. 73. All persons who give evidence before a court martial, are to be examined on oath or affirmation in the following form:

“You swear or affirm (as the case may be) the evidence you shall give in the cause now in hearing, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. _So help you God._”

Art. 74. On the trials of cases not capital, before courts martial, the deposition of witnesses not in the line or staff of the army, may be taken before some justice of the peace, and read in evidence; provided, the prosecutor and person accused are present at the taking the same, or are duly notified thereof.

Art. 75. No officer shall be tried but by a general court martial, nor by officers of interior rank, if it can be avoided. Nor shall any proceedings or trials be carried on excepting between the hours of eight in the morning, and three in the afternoon, excepting in cases, which, in the opinion of the officer appointing the court martial, require immediate example.

Art. 76. No person whatsoever shall use any menacing words, signs, or gestures, in presence of a court martial, or shall cause any disorder or riot, or disturb their proceedings, on the penalty of being punished at the discretion of the said court martial.

Art. 77. Whenever any officer shall be charged with a crime, he shall be arrested and confined in his barracks, quarters, or tents, and deprived of his sword, by the commanding officer. And any officer who shall leave his confinement before he shall be set at liberty by his commanding officer, or by a superior officer, shall be cashiered.

Art. 78. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers, charged with crimes, shall be confined until tried by a court martial, or released by proper authority.

Art. 79. No officer or soldier who shall be put in arrest, shall continue in confinement more than eight days, or until such time as a court martial can be assembled.

Art. 80. No officer commanding a guard, or provost martial, shall refuse to receive or keep any prisoner committed to his charge by an officer belonging to the forces of the United States; provided the officer committing, shall, at the same time, deliver an account in writing, signed by himself, of the crime with which the said prisoner is charged.

Art. 81. No officer commanding a guard, or provost martial, shall presume to release any person committed to his charge, without proper authority for so doing, nor shall he suffer any person to escape, on the penalty of being punished for it by the sentence of a court martial.

Art 82. Every officer or provost marshal, to whose charge prisoners shall be committed, shall within twenty-four hours after such commitment, or as soon as he shall be relieved from his guard, make report in writing, to the commanding officer, of their names, their crimes, and the names of the officers who committed them, on the penalty of being punished for disobedience or neglect, at the discretion of a court martial.

Art. 83. Any commissoned officer convicted before a general court martial of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, shall be dismissed the service.

Art. 84. In cases where a court martial may think it proper to sentence a commissioned officer to be suspended from command, they shall have power also to suspend his pay and emoluments from the same time, according to the nature and heinousness of the offence.

Art. 85. In all cases where a commissioned officer is cashiered for cowardice or fraud, it shall be added in the sentence, that the crime, name, and place of abode, and punishment of the delinquent, be published in the newspapers, in and about the camp, and of a particular state from which the offender came, or where he usually resides, after which it shall be deemed scandalous for an officer to associate with him.

Art. 86. The commanding officer of any post or detachment, in which there shall not be a number of officers adequate to form a general court martial, shall, in cases which require the cognizance of such a court, report to the commanding officer of the department, who shall order a court to be assembled at the nearest post or detachment, and the party accused, with necessary witnesses, to be transported to the place where the said court shall be assembled.

Art. 87. No person shall be sentenced to suffer death but by the concurrence of two thirds of a general court martial, nor except in the cases herein expressly mentioned; nor shall more than fifty lashes be inflicted on any offender, at the discretion of a court martial, and no officer, non-commissioned officer, soldier, or follower of the army, shall be tried a second time for the same offence.

Art. 88. No person shall be liable to be tried and punished by a general court martial for any offence which shall appear to have been committed more than two years before the issuing of the order for such trial, unless the person by reason of having absented himself, or some other manifest impediment, shall not have been amenable to justice within that period.

Art. 89. Every officer authorised to order a general court martial, shall have power to pardon or mitigate any punishment ordered by such court, except the sentence of death, or of cashiering an officer; which in the cases where he has authority (by article 65) to carry them into execution, he may suspend until the pleasure of the President of the United States can be known; which suspension, together with copies of the proceedings of the court martial, the said officer shall immediately transmit to the President for his determination. And the colonel or commanding officer of the regiment or garrison, where any regimental or garrison court martial shall be held, may pardon or mitigate any punishment ordered by such court to be inflicted.

Art. 90. Every judge advocate, or person officiating as such, at any general court martial, shall transmit, with as much expedition as the opportunity of time and distance of place can admit, the original proceedings and sentence of such court martial, to the secretary of war, which said original proceedings and sentence shall be carefully kept and preserved in the office of the said secretary, to the end that the persons entitled thereto may be enabled, upon application to the said office, to obtain copies thereof.

The party tried by any general court martial, shall, upon demand thereof made by himself, or by any person, or persons in his behalf, be entitled to a copy of the sentence and proceedings of such court martial.

The following section is extracted from the laws of Congress of 1808.

Sec. 10. _And be it further enacted_, That the officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates of the said corps, shall be governed by the rules and articles of war, which have been established by the United States in Congress assembled, or by such rules and articles as may be hereafter, by law established; _Provided nevertheless_, That the sentence of general courts martial, extending to the loss of life, the dismission of a commissioned officer, or which shall respect the general officer, shall, with the whole of the proceedings of such cases, respectively, be laid before the President of the United States, who is hereby authorised to direct the same to be carried into execution, or otherwise, as he shall judge proper.

COURT _of inquiry_, an assemblage of officers who are empowered to inquire into the conduct of an officer, or to see whether there is ground for a court-martial, &c. Courts of inquiry cannot award punishment, but must report to the officer by whose order they were assembled. Courts of inquiry are also appointed to examine into the quality and distribution of military stores. See ARTICLES OF WAR, §. 91, and 92.

_A regimental_ COURT-MARTIAL cannot sentence to the loss of life or limb. The colonel or commanding officer approves the sentence of a regimental court-martial.

_A garrison_ COURT-MARTIAL resembles a regimental one in as much as the members are not sworn, and only differs by its being composed of officers of different regiments. The governor, or other commanding officer of the garrison, approves the sentence.

COURTINE, _Fr._ See CURTAIN.

COUSSINET _à mousquetaire_, _Fr._ a bag formerly worn by a French soldier on his left side beneath the cross belt. It hung upon hooks near the but of his musquet. It likewise signifies a wedge used to support the mortar in its frame.

COUTELAS, _Fr._ See CUTLASS.

COUVERT, _Fr._ See COVER.

COUVRE-FACE, _Fr._ a term used by some engineers, and among others by Cohorn, to express the counter-guard: others, particularly Montalembert, convey by _couvre face géneral_ a second line of complete investment.

_To_ COVER, in the mechanical disposition of a battallion, company or squad, only means that a man is to stand in such a position in files, as that when he looks exactly forward to the neck of the man who leads him, he cannot see the second man from him. Nothing but great attention at the drill can bring men to cover so truly as never to destroy the perpendicular direction of any leading body. The least deviation in the men who cover upon either flank of a leading column or division, will throw all that follow out of the true line.

_To_ COVER _ground_, is to occupy a certain proportion of ground individually, or collectively. A foot soldier upon an average covers 22 inches of ground when he stands in the ranks. The dimensions are taken from his shoulder points.

A file on horseback covers or occupies in the ranks about 2 feet 8 inches. Thus three file, 8 feet; twelve file will occupy about 32 feet or 10 yards and 2 feet; thirteen file, 34 feet 8 inches, or 11 yards, 1 foot 8 inches; fourteen file, 37 feet 4 inches, or 12 yards 1 foot 4 inches, and so on.

One horse’s length from nose to croup, on an average, 8 feet and about 2 inches, or 2 yards 2 feet 2 inches. This consequently will be the space which about three files occupy in front.

Cavalry and infantry officers cannot pay too much attention to the calculation of distances by an accurate knowlege of which, ground will be properly covered, and any proportion of men, on horseback or on foot, be drawn up so as to answer the intentions of an able general. The best way that an officer can form his eye, is to exercise it to the measurement of ground by the regular pace of two feet, used in the military drawing; by this he can calculate his interval exactly, when he once knows how many feet his division occupies; for it is only halving the number of feet, and the number, so produced, is his distance in paces of two feet each. This instruction has been given to cavalry officers, by a very able Tactician.

COVER, a term in war to express security or protection: thus, to land under cover of the guns, is to advance offensively against an enemy who dares not approach on account of the fire from ships, boats or batteries. It likewise signifies whatever renders any movement imperceptible: as, under cover of the night, under cover of a wood, &c. The gallery or corridor in fortification is however, particularly distinguished by the term _Chemin Couvert_, covert way, because the glacis of the parade is its parapet.

COVERT-WAY, in fortification, is a space of 5 or 6 fathoms on the border of the ditch towards the country, covered by a rising ground, which has a gentle slope towards the field. This slope is called the glacis of the covert-way. See FORTIFICATION.

_Second_ COVERT-WAY, or as the French call it _avant chemin couvert_, is the covert-way at the foot of the glacis. See FORTIFICATION.

CRAB. See GIN.

CRANE, an instrument made with ropes, pullies, and hooks, by which great weights are raised.

CREDITS. See DEBTS _and Credits_.

CREMAILLE, in field fortification, is when the inside line of the parapet is broken in such a manner as to resemble the teeth of a saw; whereby this advantage is gained, that a greater fire can be brought to bear upon the defile, than if only a simple face were opposed to it; and consequently the passage is rendered more difficult.

_Redouts en_ CREMAILLERE, or _Cremaille_, are such as are constructed as above mentioned.

CRESSET, any great light upon a beacon, light-house, or watch-tower.

CRETE, in fortification, implies the earth thrown out of the ditch in a fortification, trench, &c. The most elevated part of a parapet or glacis.

CRI _des armes_, _Fr._ a savage custom which is still preserved by the Turks and other uncivilized nations, whenever they go into action. It was formerly practised among the French, Spaniards, and the English, &c. The national exclamations were Montjoie and St. Dennis for France, St. James for Spain, St. George for England, St. Malo or St. Yves for the Dukes of Britanny, St. Lambert for the principality of Liege, &c. The war-whoop may likewise be considered in this light. It is still practised among the savages of America. See WAR-WHOOP.

Every species of noise however is now exploded in Europe. When two armies are upon the point of engaging, a dead silence prevails, the eye and ear of the soldier are rivetted to the word of command; and when he comes into close contact with the enemy, nothing is heard besides the noise of drums, trumpets and cymbals, to which are added the discharge of ordnance and the fire of the musquetry.

In making any desperate assault, or in charging bayonet, or when one battalion is directly opposed to another, or squadron to squadron, the French soldiery frequently use the cri des armes; _tué tué_; and the Spaniards vociferate _amat_. Silence and calmness in the soldier, with steadiness and observation in the officer, are nevertheless superior to such ungovernable effusions. The former must contribute to regularity, the latter seldom fails to create disorder.

CRIQUES, _Fr._ small ditches which are made in different parts of a ground, for the purpose of inundating a country, in order to obstruct the approaches of an enemy.

CROATS, in military history, light irregular troops so called; generally people of Croatia. They are ordered upon all desperate services, and their method of fighting is the same as the Pandours. They wear a short waist-coat, and long white pantaloons, with light boots, a cap greatly resembling the hussar cap. Their arms are a long firelock with rifled barrel, and short bayonet, a crooked hanger, and brace of pistols.

CROCUS, a calcined metal used by the soldiers to clean their musquets, &c.

CROIX _de St. Louis_, _Fr._ The cross of St. Louis, a French order which was purely of a military nature. It was instituted by Louis, surnamed the Great, in 1693.

In 1719 the number of grand crosses to be distributed in the French army was limited, with appropriate allowances, in the following manner.

445 Commandeurs and chevaliers. 12 grand crosses at 6000 livres, 13 commandeurs at 4000 livres, 27 ditto at 3000, 25 chevaliers at 2000, 38 ditto at 1500, 100 ditto at 1000, 1 ditto at 900, 99 ditto at 800, 45 ditto at 600, 23 ditto at 500, 35 ditto at 400, 5 ditto at 300, and 4 ditto at 200.

The King was Sovereign Grand Master of the order. Land and sea officers wore it promiscuously. The cross consisted of an enamelled golden _fleur de lis_ which was attached to the button hole of the coat by means of a small riband, crimson colored and watered.

On one side was the cross of St. Louis, with this inscription _Ludovicus Magnus instituit_, 1693; on the reverse side a blazing sword with the following words, _Bellicæ virtutis, præmium_.

This is the only order which could be properly and strictly called military. There were several others during the old French government, which we judge superfluous to the present work.

CROSS, the ensign or grand standard borne by the crusaders in the holy-war.

CROSS-_fire_, in the art of war, is when the lines of fire of two or more adjoining sides of a field-redoubt, &c. cross one another; it is frequently used to prevent an enemy’s passing a defile. It may be two ways obtained: first, by constructing the redoubt with the face opposite the defile, tenailled; that is, forming a re-entering angle. The other way is, to defend the defile by 2 redoubts, whose faces command the passage, flanking each other at the same time.

CROSS-_bar shot_, shot with iron bars crossing through them, sometimes standing 6 or 8 inches out at both sides: they are used at sea, for destroying the enemy’s rigging. At a siege they are of great service in demolishing the enemy’s palisading, &c.

CROSS-_bars_. See CARRIAGES.

CROSS-_bow_, a missive weapon used to propel arrows, &c. previous to the use of gunpowder.

CROTCHET, of cavalry. See CROSS.

CROW, an iron bar used as a lever, in moving heavy ordnance, or carriages, &c.

CROWS-_feet_, or CALTROPS, in the art of war, are 4 pointed irons, so made that what way soever they fall, one point is always uppermost. The short ones are about 4 inches in length, and the long ones 6 or 7. The short ones are thrown on bridges, &c. and the long ones on the earth, both to incommode the cavalry, that they may not approach without great difficulty.

CROWN-_work_, in fortification, an out work that takes up more ground than any other. It consists of a large gorge, and two sides terminating towards the country in two demi-bastions, each of which is joined by a particular curtain, forming two half bastions and one whole one: they are made before the curtain, or the bastion, and generally serve to inclose some buildings which cannot be brought within the body of the place, or to cover the town gates, or else to occupy a spot of ground which might be advantageous to the enemy. See FORTIFICATION.

CROWNED _horned-work_, in fortification, is a horn-work, with a crown-work before it.

CROWNS, in ancient military history, were of various uses and denominations, viz.

_Oval_ CROWN, _corona ovalis_, given to a general who, without effusion of blood, had conquered the enemy.

_Naval_ CROWN, _corona navalis_ distributed to those who first should board an enemy’s ship.

_Camp_ CROWN, _corona castrensis_, the reward of those who first passed the palisades of, and forced an enemy’s camp.

_Mural_ CROWN, _corona muralis_, the recompense and mark of honor due to those who first mounted the breach at an assault of a besieged town.

_Civic_ CROWN, _corona civica_, more esteemed than the preceding: it was the distinguishing mark of those who had saved the life of a Roman citizen in battle. It was given to Cicero for dissipating the conspiracy of Catiline, and denied to Cæsar, because he embrued his hands in the blood of his fellow citizens.

_Triumphal_ CROWN, _corona triumphalis_, the symbol of victory, and presented to a general who gained any signal advantage to the republic.

_Grass_ CROWN, _corona graminea_ was delivered by the whole Roman people to any general who had relieved an army invested or besieged by the enemy. The other _crowns_ were distributed by the emperors and generals; this was given to Fabius by the Roman people, for obliging Hannibal to decamp from Rome.

_Olive_ CROWN, _corona oliva_, the symbol of peace, and presented to the negotiators of it.

CROISADE CRUSADE in military history, also called a holy war, barbarous expeditions of the Christians against the Saracens or Turks for the recovery of the holy land, and so called from those who engaged in it wearing a cross on their clothes.

CUBE a solid, consisting of 6 equal square sides. The solidity of any cube is found by multiplying the superficial content of any one of the sides by the height. Cubes are to one another in the triplicate ratio of their diagonals.

CUBE-_root_, is the side of one of the squares constituting the cube.

CUBIC _foot_, implies so much as is contained in a cube whose side is 1 foot, or 12 inches.

CUBIC _hyperbola_, is a figure expressed by the equation _x y²_ = _a_, having 2 asymptotes, and consisting of 2 hyperbolas, lying in the adjoining angles of the asymptotes, and not in the opposite angles, like the Apollonian hyperbola, being otherwise called, by Sir Isaac Newton, in his _enumeratio linearum tertii ordinis_, an hyperbolismus of a parabola: and is the 65th species of lines, according to him.

CUBIC _number_, is that which is produced by multiplying any number by itself, and then again the product by that number.

CUBIC _parabola_, a curve of the second order, having infinite legs, diverging contrary ways.

CUE _or_ QUEUE, the hair tied in form of a tail. All the British soldiers, excepting the grenadiers and light infantry, till very lately wore their hair cue’d.

CUIRASSE, a piece of defensive armor, made of plate, well hammered, serving to cover the body, from the neck to the girdle, both before and behind, called breast and back plate.

CUIRASSIERS, in the military art, are a sort of heavy cavalry armed with cuirasses, as most of the German horse are. The several German powers have regiments of cuirassiers, especially the emperor, and the king of Prussia. The late king of France had also one regiment; but there were none in the English army since the revolution of 1688.

CUISH, the ancient armor which covered the thighs, was so called.

CUISSARS, _Fr._ are plates or scales made of beaten iron, which formerly served to cover the thighs.

CUITE, _Fr._ a technical word to express the preparation of saltpetre for the making of gunpowder. See SALTPETRE.

CULASSE, _Fr._ See BREECH of a GUN.

CULBUTER, _une Colonne_, to overthrow a column. This term is frequently used when cavalry attack infantry by rapidly charging it.

CULEE _d’un pont_, _Fr._ butment of a bridge.

CULVERIN, CULVERIN _ordinary_, CULVERIN _of the largest size_, See CANNON.

CUNEUS. See WEDGE.

CUNETTE. See CUVETTE.

CURFEW-_bell_, a signal given in cities taken in war, &c. to the inhabitants to go to bed. The most eminent curfew was that in England, established by William the Conqueror, who appointed, under severe penalties, that, at the ringing of a bell, at 8 o’clock in the evening, every one should put out their lights and fires, and go to bed, &c.

CURTAIN, in fortification, is that part of the body of the place, which joins the flank of one bastion to that of the next. See FORTIFICATION.

_Angle of the_ CURTAIN. See FORTIFICATION.

_Complement of the_ CURTAIN. See FORTIFICATION.

CURTELASSE, CURTELAX, See CUTLASS.

CUSTREL, the shield-bearer of the ancients was so called.

CUT. There are six cuts used by the cavalry, to be made with the broad sword, or sabre. See SWORD _Exercise_.

_To_ CUT _off_. To intercept, to hinder from union or return. In a military sense, this phrase is variously applicable, and extremely familiar.

_To_ CUT _off an enemy’s retreat_, is to manœuvre in such a manner as to prevent an opposing army, or body of men, from retiring, when closely pressed, either to their entrenchments, or into a fortified town from which they had marched or sallied. Whole armies may be cut off either through the mismanagement of their own generals, by extending the line of operation too far, or through the superior talents of an individual, who in the midst of the hurry, noise, and desolation, which invariably attend a pitched battle, suddenly takes advantage of some opening in the wings or centre, and cuts off a material part of his enemy’s line. When one army is superior to another in numbers, and is commanded by a shrewd and intelligent officer, it may always cut off a part at least of the opposing forces that come into action.

_To_ CUT _short_. To abridge: as the soldiers were cut short of their pay.

_To_ CUT _up_. When the cavalry are sent in pursuit of a flying enemy, the latter are generally cut up.

_To_ CUT _through_. A small body of brave men, headed by a good officer, will frequently extricate itself from apparent captivity, or destruction, by cutting its way through superior force.

CUTLER, a military artificer, whose business is to forge, temper, and mount all sorts of sword blades.

CUTTING-_off_. See RETRENCHMENT.

CUVETTE, in fortification, is a small ditch of 10 or 12 feet broad, made in the middle of a large dry ditch, about 4 or 4¹⁄₂ feet deep, serving as a retrenchment to defend the ditch, or else to let water in, (if it can be had during a siege,) and afford an obstacle, should the enemy endeavor to cross the fosse.

CYCLOPOEDIA. See ENCYCLOPOEDIA.

CYCLOID, a curve in geometry.

CYLINDER, or _concave cylinder of a gun_, is all the hollow length of the piece, or bore. See CANNON.

_Charged_ CYLINDER, the chamber, or that part which receives the powder and ball. See CANNON.

_Vacant_ CYLINDER, that part of the hollow or bore which remains empty when the piece is loaded.

CYMAR, a slight covering; a scarf.

CYMBAL, in ancient military history, a war-like musical instrument in use among the ancients, made of brass and silver. They are derived from Asia, where they are of a variety of sizes. They are now used by the British and other European nations, in their martial music.

CZAR, in military history, a title assumed by the great dukes, or, as they are now stiled, emperors of all the Russias. This title is no doubt, by corruption, taken from _Cæsar_, emperor; and the Czars accordingly bear an eagle, as the symbol of their empire. The first that bore this title was Basil, the son of Basilides, about the year 1470. The Empress is called the Czarina or Tzarina.

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.