was adopted, but, owing to various misunderstandings,
failed of execution. Thus the Allied centre remained inactive all day,
cannonaded by the Dresden redoubts. One incident only, but that of great
importance, took place here. The tsar, the king of Prussia,
Schwarzenberg and a very large headquarter staff watched the fighting
from a hill near Racknitz and offered an easy mark to the French guns.
In default of formed bodies to fire at, the latter had for a moment
ceased fire; Napoleon, riding by, half carelessly told them to reopen,
and one of their first shots, directed at 2000 yards range against the
mass of officers on the sky-line, mortally wounded General Moreau, who
was standing by the emperor Alexander. A council of war followed. The
Allied sovereigns were for continuing the fight; Schwarzenberg, however,
knowing the exhaustion of his troops decided to retreat. As at Bautzen,
the French cavalry was unable to make any effective pursuit.

The forces engaged were 96,000 French, Saxons, &c., and 200,000
Austrians, Russians and Prussians. The French losses were about 10,000,
or a little over 10%, those of the Allies 38,000 killed, wounded and
prisoners (the latter 23,000) or 19%. They lost also 15 colours and 26
guns.

DRESS (from the Fr. _dresser_, to set out, arrange, formed from Lat.
_directus_, arranged, _dirigere_, to direct, arrange), a substantive of
which the current meaning is that of clothing or costume in general, or,
specifically, the principal outer garment worn by a woman (see COSTUME).
The verb "to dress" has various applications which can be deduced from
its original meaning. It is thus used not only of the putting on of
clothing, but of the preparing and finishing of leather, the preparation
of food for eating, the application of cleansing and healing substances
or of bandages, &c., to a wound, the drawing up in a correct line of a
body of troops, and, generally, adorning or decking out, as of a ship
with flags. In the language of the theatre the "dresser" is the person
who looks after the actor's wardrobe and assists him in the changing of
his costumes. For the printer's use of "dresser" see TYPOGRAPHY.

DRESSER, in furniture, a form of sideboard. The name is derived from the
Fr. _dressoir_, a piece of furniture used to range or _dresser_ the more
costly appointments of the table. The appliance is the direct descendant
of the credence and the buffet, and is, indeed, a much more legitimat