"Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him." 2 Samuel 18:14-15 ASV
<p>Illustration of Absalom hanging by his hair from an oak tree. His horse is rearing on its hind legs, preparing to run away. Joab, the general, holds two spears in one hand and prepares to stab Absalom with the third. Other members of Joab's troops have their swords raised, poised to strike.

Absalom is Killed by Joab While Hanging in a Tree

"Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them…

Hannibal and his army crossing the Alps.

Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps

Hannibal and his army crossing the Alps.

"[Late 19th Century/Early 20th Century] United States Army Ambulance"-Whitney, 1902

Army Ambulance

"[Late 19th Century/Early 20th Century] United States Army Ambulance"-Whitney, 1902

An illustration of the army insignia.

Army Insignia

An illustration of the army insignia.

"In the thirteenth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, the two and twentieth day of the first month, the word was given out in the house of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, that he would revenge himself. And he called all the ancients, and all the governors, and his officers of war, and communicated to them the secret of his counsel: And he said that his thoughts were to bring all the earth under his empire. And when this saying pleased them all, Nabuchodonosor, the king, called Holofernes the general of his armies, And said to him: Go out against all the kingdoms of the west, and against them especially that despised my commandment. Thy eye shall not spare any kingdom, and all the strong cities thou shalt bring under my yoke. Then Holofernes called the captains and officers of the power of the Assyrians: and he mustered men for the expedition, as the king commanded him, a hundred and twenty thousand fighting men on foot, and twelve thousand archers, horsemen." Judith 2:2-7 DRA
<p>Illustration of the vast armies of Nebuchadnezzar.

Army of King Nebuchadnezzar

"In the thirteenth year of the reign of Nabuchodonosor, the two and twentieth day of the first month,…

"The Army Worm (Leucania unipuncta). A, caterpillar; B, adult moth." &mdash; Galloway

Army Worm

"The Army Worm (Leucania unipuncta). A, caterpillar; B, adult moth." — Galloway

Order to break rank and spread out as skirmishers on the battlefield.

As Skirmishers

Order to break rank and spread out as skirmishers on the battlefield.

Order to break rank and spread out as skirmishers on the battlefield.

As Skirmishers Right

Order to break rank and spread out as skirmishers on the battlefield.

Order given to assemble the troops.

Assemble

Order given to assemble the troops.

A bronze medal for having good conduct in the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Navy Good Conduct Badge

A bronze medal for having good conduct in the U.S. Navy.

A battlefield refers to the location of a battle. Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, wherein each group will seek to defeat the others within the scope of a military campaign, and are well defined in duration, area and force commitment.

Battlefield

A battlefield refers to the location of a battle. Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the…

(1818-1893) Pierre Gustave Toutant de Beauregard was a general for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, writer, civil servant, and inventor.

Pierre Beauregard

(1818-1893) Pierre Gustave Toutant de Beauregard was a general for the Confederate Army during the American…

An illustration of British soldiers relaxing outdoors near trees.

British Soldiers

An illustration of British soldiers relaxing outdoors near trees.

Modern service bugle from the British Army

Bugle

Modern service bugle from the British Army

Terra cotta model of Roman bugle, 4th century

Bugle

Terra cotta model of Roman bugle, 4th century

An illustration of soldiers loading a cannon.

Cannon & Soldiers

An illustration of soldiers loading a cannon.

Order given to stop hostilities on the battlefield. Soldiers stop shooting their weapons when this signal is given.

Cease Firing

Order given to stop hostilities on the battlefield. Soldiers stop shooting their weapons when this signal…

This is the command used to instruct the unit to change direction.

Change Direction

This is the command used to instruct the unit to change direction.

Depiction of a Civil War battle.

Civil War Battle

Depiction of a Civil War battle.

The settlers are in a panic because the English army is close by.

Colonists Panic

The settlers are in a panic because the English army is close by.

Command signal used to order troops to begin firing their weapons.

Commence Firing

Command signal used to order troops to begin firing their weapons.

(1800-1891) Chief of general staff of the army for Prussia

Count Von Moltke

(1800-1891) Chief of general staff of the army for Prussia

Two soldiers firing their weapons. One is standing behind a tree, while the other is in the crouching position.

Firing from the Crouched and Standing Positions

Two soldiers firing their weapons. One is standing behind a tree, while the other is in the crouching…

"Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled." I Samuel17:51 ASV
<p>Illustration of David standing next to the giant body of Goliath, holding his head by the hair. David is leaning on Goliath's sword and Goliath's spear lies on the ground, partially underneath the body. The Philistine army flees (left), while the Israelites cheer and pursue them (right). There are trees, mountains, and a small town in the background.

David Holds the Head of the Slain Goliath

"Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof,…

"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled." 1 Samuel 17:48-51 ASV
<p>David holds a sword over Goliath and prepares to cut off his head. In the background, the men of Israel and Judah pursue the Philistines.

David Slays Goliath

"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened,…

"And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed. So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way." I Samuel 24:6-7
<p>Illustration of David standing over the sleeping body of Saul. David holds his hand out to stop his soldier from hurting Saul. The soldier has his sword drawn. Saul is reclining on a mat. Two spears, a sword, shield, and some dishes lay around the tree behind Saul. A soldier is asleep in the entrance of the cave.

David Spares Saul's Life as He Sleeps in a Cave

"And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed,…

Departments of State, Army, and Navy, Washington D.C.

Departments of State, Army, and Navy

Departments of State, Army, and Navy, Washington D.C.

An illustration of the Prussian Army destroying the interior of a palace.

Destroying Palace Interior

An illustration of the Prussian Army destroying the interior of a palace.

An army general commanding his troop not to shoot until he takes the first shot.

Do Not Shoot Till I Do

An army general commanding his troop not to shoot until he takes the first shot.

Marching at twice the cadence of "Forward March;" 100 to 180 steps per min. something of a light jog. The unit is still required to keep in step.

Double Time

Marching at twice the cadence of "Forward March;" 100 to 180 steps per min. something of a light jog.…

An illustration of a rifle expert medal.

Rifle Expert Medal

An illustration of a rifle expert medal.

A man firing his rifle from a doorway.

A Man Firing from a Doorway

A man firing his rifle from a doorway.

Order give to soldiers instructing them to attach their bayonets to the end of their rifles.

Fix Bayonet

Order give to soldiers instructing them to attach their bayonets to the end of their rifles.

Demonstration of the command to go forward.

Forward, Etc.

Demonstration of the command to go forward.

Gulliver tied down with Lilliputians around him and soldiers on him with spears.

Giant Tied Down

Gulliver tied down with Lilliputians around him and soldiers on him with spears.

General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army.

General Ulysses Grant

General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army.

"Represents the interior view of a bronze shield and a pair of greaves. These greaves are made right and left." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Greaves and shield

"Represents the interior view of a bronze shield and a pair of greaves. These greaves are made right…

Used to stop a unit (formation) from marching by calling it ether on the right or left foot.

Halt

Used to stop a unit (formation) from marching by calling it ether on the right or left foot.

General Winfield Scott Hancock.

General Winfield Scott Hancock

General Winfield Scott Hancock.

Russian infantry on the march.

Infantry

Russian infantry on the march.

A military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany. It was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to 1918.

The Iron Cross

A military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany. It was also used as the symbol…

The destruction of Jerusalem.

The Destruction of Jerusalem

The destruction of Jerusalem.

"And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may fight with these nations that are assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see the evils of our nation, and of the holies: Nevertheless as it shall be the will of God in heaven so be it done." 1 Maccabees 3:58-60 DRA
<p>Judas Machabeus rallies his troops for the coming battle against Gorgias.

Judas Speaks to His Army

"And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may…

General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick.

Hugh Judson Kilpatrick

General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick.

"Kneel, but with right knee against left hand." &mdash; Moss, 1914

Kneel

"Kneel, but with right knee against left hand." — Moss, 1914

"If kneeling or sitting, the position of the piece is similar; if kneeling, the left forearm rests on the left thigh." &mdash; Moss, 1914

Kneeling

"If kneeling or sitting, the position of the piece is similar; if kneeling, the left forearm rests on…

Portrait of General Lee.

General Lee

Portrait of General Lee.

Command used to instruct soldiers to lie flat on the ground.

Lie Down

Command used to instruct soldiers to lie flat on the ground.

A Lieutenant-General for the Spanish Army in 1898.

Arsenio Linares

A Lieutenant-General for the Spanish Army in 1898.

Scene from a Civil War Battle,.

Battle of Malvern Hill

Scene from a Civil War Battle,.

An illustration of a man in a military uniform standing at arm with a rifle.

Military Man at Arm

An illustration of a man in a military uniform standing at arm with a rifle.

An illustration of an army man standing at rest with a rifle.

Army Man at Rest with Rifle

An illustration of an army man standing at rest with a rifle.

An illustration of a man riding a mule.

Man on Mule

An illustration of a man riding a mule.

An adult male riding away from soldiers on a horse.

Man Riding a Horse

An adult male riding away from soldiers on a horse.

An illustration of a man standing in front of the Army insignia.

Military Man with Army Insignia

An illustration of a man standing in front of the Army insignia.

An illustration of a rifle marksman medal.

Rifle Marksman Medal

An illustration of a rifle marksman medal.

General George Meade of the Union Army, known for his defeat of General Lee at Gettysberg.

General George Meade

General George Meade of the Union Army, known for his defeat of General Lee at Gettysberg.

The American army in Mexico City.

American Army in Mexico City

The American army in Mexico City.

The skyline of the battle field with military important features labeled.

Military Landscape

The skyline of the battle field with military important features labeled.

Diagram of the firing positions for infantry.

Musketry Bulletin

Diagram of the firing positions for infantry.