DIRECTEUR _General_, _Fr._ A military post of nominal importance which was originally instituted by Louis XIV. This charge was entrusted to eight lieutenant generals, four to command and superintend the infantry, and four for the cavalry. They possessed, however, little or no authority over the army in general; being subordinate in some degree to the general officer whose corps they might inspect, and to whom they rendered a correct account of its interior œconomy. They were likewise assisted by Inspectors general. The four directors were afterwards replaced by the inspectors, from a principle of œconomy. The permanent ones of that appellation were: director general of the royal artillery school; director general of military hospitals; director general of fortification; director general of the cavalry; director general of stores. DIRECTION, in military mechanics, signifies the line or path of a body in motion, along which it endeavors to force its way, according to the propelling power that is given to it. _Angle of_ DIRECTION, that formed by the lines of direction of two conspiring powers. _Quantity of_ DIRECTION, a term used by military mathematicians for the product of the velocity of the common centre of gravity of a system of bodies, by the sum of their quantities of matter: this is no ways altered by any collisions among the bodies themselves. DIRK, a kind of dagger used by military men, and by the highlanders in Scotland. _To_ DISARM. To deprive a soldier of every species of offensive or defensive weapon. DISARMED. Soldiers divested of their arms, either by conquest, or in consequence of some defection. DISBANDED, the soldiers of any regiment, who are in a body dismissed from the conditions of their military service. DISBARK. See DISEMBARK. DISCHARGE, in a military sense, is the dismissing a soldier from the troop or company he belonged to, either at his own request, or after long services. This term is also applied to the firing of cannon or musquets, as a discharge of cannon, or of small arms. DISCIPLINARIAN, an officer who pays particular regard to the discipline of the soldiers under his command. DISCIPLINE, in a military sense, signifies the instruction and government of soldiers. _Military_ DISCIPLINE, _Military Constitution_, By _military constitution_ is meant, the authoritative declared laws for the guidance of all military men, and all military matters; and by _discipline_ is meant, the obedience to, and exercise of those laws. As health is to the natural body, so is a sound military constitution to the military one; and as exercise is to the first, so is discipline to the last. Bravery will perchance gain a battle; but every one knows that by discipline alone the long disputed prize of a war can be ultimately obtained.