Van-Guard - That part of an army which marches in front.

Vedettes - Mounted sentries., stationed at the outposts of an army or an encampment.

Vent - The passage or opening in fire-arms, by which the fire is communicated to the powder composing the charge.

Visiting Officer - An officer whose duty it is to visit the guards, barracks, messes, hospital, etc., for the purpose of noticing whether the orders or regulations which have been issued respecting those matters are observed.

Volley - The simultaneous discharge of a number of fire-arms.

Volunteers - Those who enter the service of their own accord.

VRC - Veteran Reserve Corps

Wad - In gunnery, a substance made of hay or straw, and sometimes of tow rolled up tight, in the form of a ball.

Wadding - Hay or straw, or any other kind of forage, carried along with the guns to be made into wads.

War (Council of). An assembly of officers convened by a general to deliberate with him on enterprises, etc. The term is also used to designate an assembly of officers sitting in judgment on delinquent soldiers, deserters, cowardly officers, etc.

War-Cry - A cry formerly customary in the armies of most nations, when they were on the point of joining battle. Sometimes it consisted of tumultuous shouts, or horrid yells, uttered with an intent of striking terror into their enemies. At the battles of Crecy, Poictiers, and Agincourt, the war-cry of the English was "God and St. George," that of the French, "Monjoe and St. Denis." In our service, each regiment has its war-cry.

War Establishment - The number of effective men who compose the army in time of peace.

War (Seat or Theater of). The extent of country in which war prevails.

Watchword - The word given out in the orders of the day, in time of peace; but in time or war, every evening in the field, by the general who commands, and in garrison by the governor, or other officer commanding in chief, to prevent surprise, or the ingress and regress of a spy; it is generally termed the parole or sign, and to which is added the countersign.

WDD - wounded

Wheel (To). In a military acceptation, is to move forward or backward in a circular manner, round a given point.

Wheelings - Different motions made by cavalry and infantry, either to the right or left, or to the right or left about, etc., forward or backward.

Windage of a Gun, Mortar, or Howitzer - The difference between the diameter of the bore of the gun, and the diameter of the shot or shell fired from it.

Wings of an Army - The extreme right and left divisions.

Wool Packs - Bags filled with wool, for the purpose of making lodgments in places where there is but little earth to be thrown up to cover the besiegers and working parties from the fire of the garrison.

Words (Cautionary). Leading instructions which are given to designate a particular maneuver. The cautionary words precede the words of command, and are issued by the chiefs of corps.

Works - This term applies [to] all the fortifications about a place.

Zigzags - Trenches or paths with several windings, so cut, that the besieged are prevented from enfilading the besieger in his approaches.