A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. Thomas Wilhelm
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to effective infantry fire upon the field of battle. Valuable tables will be found upon it in Laidley’s “Rifle Firing.”
Dannebrog. The ancient battle-standard of Denmark, bearing the figures of a cross and crown. It was fabled to have fallen from heaven at the battle of Volmar, in Esthonia (1219), during a crusade against the heathens. It was twice taken in battle and twice recaptured. In 1500 a mere fragment remained.
Dannebrog, Order of the. Is the second of the Danish orders of knighthood. It is said to have been founded in 1219, but fell into decay, and was restored in 1671.
Dannevirke, or Dannewerke. A series of earthworks considered almost impregnable, stretching across the long narrow peninsula of Sleswick, Holstein, and Jutland—said to have been built during the “stone age.” It was rebuilt in 937 by Thyra, queen of Gormo the Old, for which she was named Dannabod, “the pride of the Danes.” It was again repaired between 995 and 1000. Near here the Prussians, aiding the duchies, defeated the Danes, April 23, 1848.
Dantzic, or Danzig. A city of Prussia; is surrounded with ramparts, mounted with cannon, and the town may be considered as being one of the strongest fortresses in Prussia. In the 10th century it was known as the capital of Pomerali; it passed with that province, in 1295, under the authority of Poland; but in 1308, Ladislaus IV. ceded the whole to the Teutonic knights, who held it till 1454. In that year it was again seized by the Poles; and in 1575, having refused to acknowledge Stephen Bathory, it had to sustain a siege by that monarch, and was taken in 1577. From 1360 to 1641 it was one of the principal towns in the Hanseatic League. When this league was dissolved, Dantzic joined Lubeck, Hamburg, and Bremen; and these four cities, down to a very late period, retained their name of Hanse Towns. In 1734 it was forced to surrender to the Russians and Saxons, who were then besieging Stanislaus of Poland. In 1793 it was occupied by the Prussians. It was taken by the French in May, 1807, after a long siege, by Marshal Lefevre, who thence acquired his title of duke of Dantzic. After Bonaparte’s disastrous campaign in Russia, it was blockaded and obliged to surrender, after a long and able defense by Gen. Rapp. At the peace of Paris, in 1814, it reverted to Prussia.
Dardanelles, or Hellespont (anc. Hellespontus). A narrow strait between Europe and Asiatic Turkey, connecting the Sea of Marmora and the Ægean Sea. As it is the key to Constantinople, there are on both shores of this narrow channel numerous forts and batteries, there being 8 on the European and 7 on the Asiatic side. It was here the invading armies of Xerxes crossed on a bridge of boats to enter Europe. The passage of the strait was achieved by the British under Sir John Duckworth, February 9, 1807; but he repassed with great loss, March 2, two castles occupying the sites of the ancient Sestos and Abydos, hurling down stones of many tons weight upon the British. The allied English and French passed the Dardanelles at the sultan’s request, October, 1853.
Dart. A pointed, missile weapon, intended to be thrown by the hand; a short lance; a javelin; hence, any missile weapon.
Dartmouth. A seaport town of England, in Devonshire; it was burnt by the French in the reigns of Richard I. and Henry IV. In a third attempt (1404) the invaders were defeated by the inhabitants, assisted by the valor of the women. In the war of the Parliament, Dartmouth was taken, after a siege of four weeks, by Prince Maurice, who garrisoned the place for the king (1643); but it was retaken by Gen. Fairfax by storm in 1646.
Dauphin (Dolphin), Fr. An ornamental handle on brass guns over the trunnions, so called from its resemblance to that fish.
Dauphiné. An old province of Southeast France, successively held by the Allobroges, Burgundians, and Lombards; was, about 723–24, delivered from the invading Saracens by Charles Martel. Its counts were called dauphins; and when it was ceded to Philip of Valois, in 1349, the title of dauphin was given to the eldest son of the king of France, to whom it continued to be applied till the revolution of 1830.
David’s Day, St. The 1st day of March is annually commemorated by the Welsh, in honor of St. David. Tradition states that on St. David’s birthday, 540, a great victory was obtained by the Welsh over their Saxon invaders, and that the Welsh soldiers were distinguished by order of St. David by a leek in their caps.
Dax. A well-built town of France, department of Landes. It is surrounded by an old wall, flanked with towers, and is also protected by a castle. Dax was taken by the English in the 12th century, and remained in their possession till the middle of the 15th century.
Day-book. In the British service, is a sort of private memorandum-book, in which the pay-sergeant enters all details of expenditure other than pay under each man’s head. These entries are made at the moment, and afterwards transferred to the ledger.
Day’s March. See March.
Dead Angle. In fortification, is any angle or piece of ground which cannot be seen, and which therefore cannot be defended from behind the parapet of the fortification.
Dead-head. In casting a cannon, is the surplus metal in the top of the mold; called also the sprue.
Dead March. A piece of solemn music intended to be played as an accompaniment to a funeral procession.
Dead Pay. Was the pay formerly drawn for soldiers really dead, whose names were kept on the rolls; and whose pay was appropriated by dishonest officers.
Dead-shot. An unerring marksman.
Debark. To leave a ship or boat and pass to the land; to go on shore; as, the troops debarked at 4 o’clock; disembark.
Deblai. The hollow space or excavation formed by removing earth for the construction of parapets in fortification. Thus the ditch or fosse whence the earth has been taken represents the deblai, while the earth itself, so removed, constitutes the remblai.
Deblayer un Camp (Fr.). To evacuate a camp for the purpose of cleaning and purifying the ground.
Debouch. A military term, signifying to march out from a wood, defile, or other confined place into open ground; also an outlet or available issue by which an army can march out.
Débris (Fr.). Remains, ruins of a building or town which has been sacked; broken remains of an army after defeat.
Debruised. A term in English heraldry used to indicate the restrained position of an animal in a coat of arms, by having any of the ordinaries laid over it.
Decagon. In fortification, is a polygon figure, having 10 sides, and as many angles; and if all the sides and angles be equal, 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 a hexagon, inscribed in the same circle and cut in extreme and mean proportion.
Decamp, To. 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.
Decanus. In Roman military history, a petty officer who presided over the 10 soldiers of his contubernium, or those living in the same ten.
Deccan. An extensive region of India; invaded by the Mohammedans in 1294. About 1686–90, Aurungzebe I. recovered the Deccan, but soon lost great part of it to the Mahrattas. A large part of the Deccan was ceded to the English in 1818.
Deceased Officers and Soldiers. See Appendix, Articles of War, 125, 126.
Dechargeurs (Fr.). Are men appointed to attend the park of artillery, and to assist the non-commissioned officers, etc., 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