A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. Thomas Wilhelm
or degree of honor, and taking away at the same time every title, badge, or privilege he may possess.
Degraded. In heraldry, means placed upon steps or degrees.
Degsestan, Battle of. See Scotland.
Dehors. In the military art, all sorts of outworks in general, placed at some distance from the walls of a fortification, the better to secure the main places, and to protect the siege, etc.
Delaware. One of the Middle States of the United States, and one of the original thirteen. It derives its name (as do the Delaware River and Bay and Delaware Indians) from Thomas West, lord de la Warr, who visited the bay in 1610, and died on his vessel at its mouth. It was first settled by the Swedes and Dutch, but came into possession of the English in 1664, and formed part of the grant to William Penn in 1682. In 1701 it was separated from Pennsylvania, though subject to the same governor down to the period of the Revolution, to the success of which it contributed its full share, and for the maintenance of the results of which it has ever been a zealous advocate.
Delaware Indians. A tribe of aborigines, called by themselves Lenni-Lenape, who formerly lived on the Delaware River, but are now settled in Indian Territory, on the Wichita Agency, with the Caddos. See Indians and their Agencies.
Delf. A heraldic charge representing a square sod or turf, the term being probably derived from the word delve, to dig. A delf tenné is the appropriate abatement for him who revokes his challenge, or otherwise goes from his word.
Delhi. A celebrated city of Northern India, situated on an offset of the river Jumna. The city was taken by a British army under Lord Lake, September 8, 1803, and has ever since continued under British rule. In 1857 it was held by the Sepoys, who murdered several English subjects, but was retaken, after a successful assault, September, 1857.
Deliver Battle. A term taken from the French livrer bataille, meaning to enter practically upon a contest; the opposing armies being in sight of each other.
Dellamcotta. A fortress of Northern Hindostan, in the province of Bootan, commanding the principal pass into that province. It was stormed by the British troops in 1773, which so alarmed the Booteans that they petitioned for peace. The fortress was then restored to them.
Dellis. Were Bosnian and Albanian horsemen, who served without pay in the Turkish armies.
Delphi (now Castri). An ancient town of Phocis, Greece, celebrated on account of its oracle of Apollo. Its temple was burnt by the Pisistratidæ, 548 B.C. A new temple was raised by the Alcmæonidæ. The Persians (480 B.C.) and the Gauls (279 B.C.) were deterred from plundering the temple by awful portents. It was, however, robbed and seized by the Phocians, 357 B.C., which led to the Sacred War, and Nero carried from it 300 costly statues in 67 A.D.
Demembré, or Dismembered. A heraldic term signifying that the members of an animal are cut from its body.
Demerara and Essequibo. Colonies in Guiana, South America, founded by the Dutch in 1580, were taken by the British, under Maj.-Gen. Whyte, April 22, 1796, but were restored at the peace of Amiens, 1802. They again surrendered to the British under Gen. Grinfield and Commodore Hood, September, 1803, and became English colonies in 1814.
Demi, or Demy. In heraldry, an animal is said to be demi when only the upper or fore half of it is represented.
Demi-bastion. A piece in fortification, which generally terminates the branches of crown-works or horn-works towards their head.
Demi-brigade. A half brigade.
Demi-cannon. A kind of ordnance, anciently used, carrying a ball of from 30 to 36 pounds in weight.
Demi-culverin. A kind of ordnance anciently used, carrying a ball of 9 or 10 pounds in weight.
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-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.
Demihag. A long pistol, much used in the 16th century.
Demi-lance. A light lance; half-pike. Also a light horseman who carried a lance.
Demi-lune. In fortification, is a work constructed beyond the main ditch of a fortress, and in front of the curtain between two bastions, intended to defend the curtain; a ravelin.
Demi-parallel. In fortification, is a place of arms formed between the second and third parallels to protect the head of the sap.
Demi-pike. A kind of spontoon, 7 feet long, used by infantry or for boarding.
Demi-place d’Armes. In fortification, a circular trench constructed upon the prolongation of the lines of the covered way, to the right and left of the zigzags, to cover the troops employed in their defense.
Demi-revetment. A revetment of the scarf only to the height protected by the glacis.
Demmin. A town of Prussia, on the river Peene, on the borders of Pomerania and Mecklenburg. It is a town of considerable antiquity, having been a place of importance in the time of Charlemagne, and is noted for the number of sieges it has sustained. Its fortifications were destroyed in 1759. In 1807 several engagements took place here between the French and Russians.
Demonstration. In military operations, is an apparent movement, the chief object of which is to deceive the enemy, and induce him to divide his force, as if to meet dangers from various quarters. When thus divided and weakened, he may be attacked with greater chance of success.
Denain. A village of France, department of the North. It is celebrated in history as the scene of the decisive victory gained in 1712 by Marshal Villars over the allies commanded by Prince Eugène.
Denbigh. The capital town of the county of the same name, North Wales. In ancient times it was a place of great military importance. The castle was gallantly held by Col. William Salisbury for the king during the civil wars of the revolution, but finally surrendered to the Parliamentary forces under Gen. Mytton.
Dendermonde. A town of Belgium, in the province of East Flanders. It is fortified, and has a citadel dating from 1584, and possessing the means of laying the surrounding country under water in case of an attack. Louis XIV. besieged it in vain in 1667, but Marlborough, aided by a long drought, succeeded in taking it in 1706.
Denmark. A kingdom of Northern Europe, which, with Sweden and Norway, was originally called Scandinavia. In ancient times it was occupied by a fierce and warlike people, whose principal occupation was piracy. In 832 the Danes landed in England, and there established two kingdoms, and two centuries afterwards the conquest of England was completed by Canute, king of Denmark. In the 15th century Christian I. connected Norway, Sleswick, and Holstein with the crown of Denmark, but in consequence of siding with Napoleon, Denmark was obliged to cede Norway to Sweden in 1814. In 1848 Sleswick and Holstein revolted, the duchies being aided by Prussia and other powers of the Germanic Confederation, who, however, concluded a peace on their own account, July 2, 1850. The duchies continued the war, were defeated at Idstet, July 25, 1850, and peace was restored by the intervention of the powers in January, 1851. Hostilities again commenced in 1863, and were terminated by the peace of Vienna in 1864, Denmark renouncing all claim on Sleswick-Holstein.
Dennewitz.