Part 104

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.

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.