Some force soldiers to desert rebellion (4)
I believe the answer is:
volt
'some force' is the definition.
(I have seen 'little force' mean 'volt' so perhaps 'force' could also mean 'volt')
'soldiers to desert rebellion' is the wordplay.
'soldiers' becomes 'RE' (Royal Engineers).
'to desert' is a deletion indicator.
'rebellion' becomes 'revolt' (synonyms).
'revolt' with 're' taken out is 'VOLT'.
(Other definitions for volt that I've seen before include "Unit of electric force" , "Electrical SI unit named after a pioneering Italian physicist, d. 1827" , "Electrical unit of measurement" , "A measure of electricity" , "SI unit of electromotive force" .)