The kingdom of Prussia was a striking example in favor of perfect discipline; for while that state had a strong army, and maintained that army in strict discipline, it had held a very considerable share in the system of Europe. _Marine_ DISCIPLINE, is the training up soldiers for sea service, in such exercises and various positions as the musquet and body may require: teaching them likewise every manœuvre that can be performed on board ships of war at sea, &c. DISCIPLINE _militaire_. See MILITARY DISCIPLINE. DISCRETION, _Fr._ discretion. _Se rendre à discrétion_, to surrender at discretion, implies to throw one’s self upon the mercy of a victorious enemy. The French likewise say, _les soldats vivent à discrétion dans un pays_; which in familiar English signifies, soldiers live _scot-free_ in a country. _To_ DISENGAGE, to clear a column or line, which may have lost its proper front by the overlapping of any particular division, company, or section when ordered to form up. To do this, ground must be taken to the right or left. It is however, a dangerous operation when the army or battalion gets into a line of fire. In that case the files that overlap must remain in the rear, and fill up the first openings. _To_ DISENGAGE, is also to extricate yourself and the men you command from a critical situation. A battalion, for instance, which may have advanced too far during an action, and got between two fires, may, by an able manœuvre, disengage itself. _To_ DISENGAGE _the wings of a battalion_. This is necessary when the battalion countermarches from its centre, and on its centre by files. The battalion having received the word “by wings, inward face,” is next ordered “by wings, three side steps to the right, march,” by which the wings are disengaged from each other, or this may be done by a quarter face to the right and left alter facing inward. In counter-marching, &c. the leading files must uniformly disengage themselves. _To_ DISENGAGE, in fencing, to quit that side of your adversary’s blade, on which you are opposed by his guard, in order to effect a cut or thrust where an opportunity may present. DISMANTLE, to strip a town or fortress of its outworks. _To_ DISMANTLE _a gun_. To render it unfit for use. Guns are frequently dismantled and left upon the field of battle. DISCOMFIT, defeat, rout, overthrow. DISCOVERER, a scout; one who is set to descry the enemy. DISEMBARK, to land from on board any vessel or craft, used to convey troops on the sea. DISEMBODIED. See DISBANDED. _To_ DISEMBODY. To disband. DISGARNISH, to take guns from a fortress. DISLODGE, to drive an enemy from their post or station.