Part 39

FOIL, in _fencing_, a long piece of steel of an elastic temper, mounted somewhat like a sword, which is used to learn to fence with; it is without a point, or any sharpness, having a button at the extremity, covered with leather.

_To_ FOIL, to defeat.

FOLLOWERS _of a camp_, Officers, servants, sutlers, &c. All followers of a camp are subject to the articles of war equally with the soldiery.

FOND, ground, properly means the surface of the earth which lies above the water.

FONDEMENS, _Fr._ foundation.

FONDERIE, _Fr._ forge, _ou Fourneaux_. See FOUNDERY.

FONDS _destinés pour le payement des troupes_. _Fr._ Monies issued for the service of the army.

FONTE _des pieces d’artillerie_. The metal used in the casting of cannon which consists of three sorts well mixed together, viz. copper, tin, and brass.

FOOT, in a _military sense_, signifies all those bodies of men that serve on foot. See _Infantry_.

FOOT is also a long measure, consisting of 12 inches. Geometricians divide the foot into 10 digits, and the digits into 10 lines; but we after the manner of the English divide the foot into 12 inches, and an inch into 12 lines, and a line into 12 points. The French call the 12th part of a foot, a _line_.

_A square_ FOOT, is the same measure, both in length and breadth, containing 12 × 12 = 144 square or superficial inches.

_A cubic_ FOOT, is the same measure in all the three dimensions, length, breadth, and thickness; containing 12 × 12 = 144 × 12 = 1728 cubic inches. The foot is of different length in different countries. The Paris royal foot exceeds the English by 9 lines; the ancient Roman foot of the capitol consisted of 4 palms = 11⁴⁄₁₀ English inches; and the Rhineland or Leyden foot, by which the northern nations go, is to the Roman foot as 950 to 1000. The proportions of the principal feet of several nations are as follow. The English foot divided into 1000 parts, or into 12 inches, the other feet will be as follow:

PLACES. 1000 feet. inch. lines. parts ---------------------------------------------- London foot 1000 -- 12 -- Amsterdam 942 -- 11 3 Antwerp 946 -- 11 2 Bologna 1204 1 2 4 Berlin 1010 1 -- 2 Bremen 964 -- 11 6 Cologne 954 -- 11 4 Copenhagen 965 -- 11 6 Dantzic 944 -- 11 3 Dort 1184 1 2 2 Frankfort on the Main 948 -- 11 4 The Greek 1007 1 -- 1 Mantua 1569 1 6 8 Mechlin 999 -- 11 -- Middlebourg 991 -- 11 9 Paris Royal 1068 1 -- 9 Prague 1026 1 -- 3 Rhineland 1033 1 -- 4 Riga 1831 1 9 9 Roman 967 -- 11 6 Old Roman 970 -- 11 8 Scotch 1005 1 -- ⁵⁄₇ Strasbourg 920 -- 11 -- Madrid 899 -- 10 7 Lisbon 1060 1 -- 6 Turin 1062 1 -- 7 Venice 1162 1 1 9

_To be on the_ SAME FOOTING _with another_, is to be under the same circumstances in point of service; to have the same number of men, and the same pay, &c.

_To gain or lose ground_ FOOT _by_ FOOT, is to do it regularly and resolutely; defending every thing to the utmost extremity, or forcing it by dint of art or labor.

FOOT-_bank_, in fortification. See BANQUETTE.

FORAGE, in the art of war, implies hay, straw, and oats, for the subsistence of the army horses. This forage is divided into rations, one of which is a day’s allowance for a horse, and contains 20 lb. of hay, 10 lb. of oats and 5 lb. of straw.

_Dry_ FORAGE, oats, hay, &c. which are delivered out of magazines to a garrison, or to troops when they take the field, before the green forage is sufficiently grown to be cut or gathered.

_Green_ FORAGE, oats, hay, &c. that have been recently cut. It likewise means meadow pasture, into which horses are turned.

When the British cavalry are stationed in barracks, the number of rations of forage to be issued to the horses of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers is not to exceed what follows, and is to be confined to those which are actually effective in the barracks.

_Rations._ Field officers, having 4 effective horses 4 Captains, having 3 ditto 3 Subalterns and staff officers, having 2 ditto 2 Quarter masters, each 1 Non-commissioned officers and private men, each 1

For each of which rations a stoppage is to be made of 8¹⁄₂_d._ per diem.

On foreign service this article is governed by circumstances.

FORCE, an armament or warlike preparation.

FORCE, in a military sense, any body of troops collected together for warlike enterprize.

_Effective_ FORCES. All the efficient parts of an army that may be brought into action are called effective, and generally consist of artillery, cavalry, and infantry, with their necessary appendages such as hospital staff, waggon-train, artificers and pioneers: the latter, though they cannot be considered as effective fighting men, constitute so far a part of effective forces, that no army could maintain the field without them.

_Effective_ FORCES _of a country_. All the disposable strength, vigour and activity of any armed proportion of native or territorial population. The navy of Great Britain must be looked upon as part of the effective force of England, to which is added the body of marines.

_Distribution of the effective_ FORCES _of a country_. Under this head may be considered, not only the effective forces which might engage an enemy, but likewise those included in the several returns that are made from home to foreign stations to the war office, and out of which a grand total is formed to correspond with the estimates that are annually laid before the government.

_To_ FORCE is to take by storm; also to man the works of a garrison.

_To_ FORCE _an enemy to give battle_. To render the situation of an enemy so hazardous, that whether he attempt to quit his position, or endeavor to keep it, his capture or destruction must be equally inevitable. In either of which desperate cases, a bold and determined general will not wait to be attacked, but resolutely advance and give battle; especially if circumstances should combine to deprive him of the means of honorable capitulation. This can only be safely effected, by having previously disposed your own forces so as to defy any impression on his part, and by subsequent able manœuvres to have it in your power to foil his attack.

_To_ FORCE _a passage_. To oblige your enemy to retire from his fastnesses, and to open a way into the country which he had occupied. This may be done either by _coup de main_, or renewal of assaults. In either case, the advancing body should be well supported and its flanks be secured with the most jealous attention.

FORCING _an adversary’s guard or blade_, a term used in the science of broadsword.

“If at any time your antagonist appears languid and weak on his guard, and barely covers his body on the side he is opposed; by stepping well forward, and striking the fort of your sword smartly on his blade, you may be enabled to deliver a cut without risk, even at the part he intends to secure, taking care to direct your blade in such a manner, that the plate or cross bar of your hilt shall prevent his sword from coming forward.”

_Art of defence on foot._

FORCEPS, an instrument used in chirurgery, to extract any thing out of wounds or to take hold of dead or corrupt flesh, to amputate. It is made somewhat in the shape of a pair of tongs or pincers, with grappling ends. Every regimental surgeon, or assistant surgeon, should have a pair among his set of instruments.

FORD. The shallow part of a river where soldiers may pass over without injuring their arms.

FORE-RANK, first rank, front.

FOREIGN _service_, in a general sense, means every service but home. In a more confined and native acceptation of the term, it signifies any service done out of the limits of the United States, or the dependent territories.

FOREIGN _troops_, in an English acceptation, regiments or companies which are composed of aliens, as the Hessians in the American revolution. Before the present war, no foreigner could bear a commission in the British service, or be enlisted as a soldier.

FORELAND, in fortification, called by the French _pas de souris_, _relais_, _retraite_, _berm_ or _lizier_, a confined space of ground between the rampart of a town or fortified place, and the moat. Whenever a fortification can be completed without having recourse to this substitute for stone, (with which the rampart ought to be faced) it certainly is advisable to go to the expence. For a bold enemy, who has once made his way over the moat, will derive considerable advantage from having this path to stand on. It is generally from 3 to 8 or 10 feet wide. This space serves to receive the demolished parts of the rampart, and prevents the ditch from being filled up. In Holland the foreland is planted with thickset, but it is generally faced with palisades. See BERM.

FORELAND, or FORENESS, any point of land which juts out into the sea.

FORGE, in the _train of artillery_, is generally called a _travelling forge_, and may not be improperly called a portable smith’s shop: at this forge all manner of smith’s work is made, and it can be used upon a march, as well as in camp. Formerly they were very ill contrived, with 2 wheels only, and wooden supporters to prop the forge for working when in the park. Of late years they are made with 4 wheels, which answers the purpose much better.

FORGE _for red hot balls_, is a place where the balls are made red-hot before they are fired off: it is built about 5 or 6 feet below the surface of the ground, of strong brick work, and an iron grate, upon which the balls are laid, with a very large fire under them. See RED-HOT BALLS.

FORKHEAD. See BARB.

FORLORN-_hope_, in the military art, signifies men detached from several regiments, or otherwise appointed to make the first attack in the day of battle; or at a siege, to storm the counterscarp, mount the breach, &c. They are so called from the great danger they are unavoidably exposed to; but the expression is old, and begins to be obsolete.

_To_ FORM, in a general acceptation of the term, is to assume or produce any shape or figure, extent or depth of line or column, by means of prescribed rules in military movements or dispositions.

_To_ FORM _from file, among cavalry_. The front file halts at a given point: the rest, or remaining files successively ride up at a very smart gallop, taking care to halt in time, and not to over-run the ground. If the formation is by doubling round the front file, (in a formation, for instance, to the rear of the march, or to the right when marched from the right,) the files must double as close round as possible and with the utmost expedition. In forming from file, particular attention should be given to make the men put their horses quite straight as they come in. They must keep their bodies square, dress by a slight cast of the eye towards the point of formation, and close and dress in an instant. A dragoon, in fact, must no sooner get into the ranks, than his attention should be given to remain steady, well closed and dressed. It is generally required, that when the cavalry forms, each man must come up in file to his place, and by no means move up to his leader, till that leader has formed to which ever hand the file is forming to. The whole must follow the exact track of the first leader, and come up one by one into their respective places in squadron.

_To_ FORM _to the front_. To move nimbly up from file into ranks, and close to your leader, whether on foot, or horseback.

_To_ FORM _to the rear_. To double round your leaders, who have themselves turned and faced.

_To_ FORM _to a proper flank_. To turn and close in to your leader.

_To_ FORM _to a reverse flank_. To pass, turn and successively close to your leaders.

In all formations from file, the whole, till otherwise directed, dress to the hand to which the squadron, or division forms. See _Am. Mil. Lib._

_To_ FORM _by moving in front, and successively arriving in line_, is by divisions, or distinct bodies, to advance forward by word of command towards any given point of alignement. On these occasions the eyes of the whole are turned to the hand to which they are to form, and from which they preserve required distances. The leading officer must be on the _inward_ flank of his division; he conducts it to its point of junction in line, and from thence dresses and corrects it on the person, who is previously placed beyond him, and prolonging the general line. The outward flank of the last formed and halted body, is always considered as the point of conjunction (necessary intervals included) of the succeeding one. Thus the looking and lining of the soldier is always towards that point, and the flank of the line formed to; and the correction of dressing by the officer is always made from that point towards the other flank. Therefore on all occasions of moving up, forming and dressing in line, by the men lining themselves to one hand (_inwards_) and the officers correcting to the other (_outwards_) the most perfect line may be obtained. Commanding officers of regiments, when a considerable line is forming, must take every advantage from timeously throwing out intelligent _guides_ to give them true points in the general line. In the French service these persons are called _jalonneurs_ from _jalonner_, to fix any thing, by which any true direction, perpendicular or otherwise, may be obtained; the word _guide_ is the best translation of the word _jalonneur_, and it is so used in the American Military Library.

_To_ FORM _line_, is to wheel to the right or left from open column of divisions, subdivisions, or sections, according to prescribed rules, so as to present one continued front or straight line; or to deploy from close column for the same end, or to file to the front.

_To_ FORM _rank entire_, is to extend the front of a battalion or company by reducing it to the least possible depth, from any existing number of ranks.

_To_ FORM _two deep_, is from rank entire or from three deep to produce a regular line of files.

_To_ FORM _three deep_, is to add the depth of one half file to two deep, and to produce the natural formation of a battalion in line.

_To_ FORM _four deep_, is to diminish the natural extent of a battalion formed in line, by adding one half-file to its depth.

_To_ FORM _echellon_, is, from line, or open column, to wheel a given number of paces forward or backward, so as to produce a diagonal or oblique direction in the different proportions of a line, the outward flank of each succeeding division, company or section, constantly preserving a perpendicular direction, at a regulated distance, from the inward flank of its leader, until it arrive at its point of junction.

_To_ FORM _line by echellon_, is to advance in column towards any given object by a diagonal movement, so as eventually to produce a regular continuity of front. See ECHELLON or DIAGONAL _movement_.

_To_ FORM _close column_, is to march by files in detached proportions of a line, till each proportion shall arrive in front or in rear of any given body.

_To_ FORM _open column_, is to wheel backwards or forwards, or to march out by files, so that the several proportions of a line may stand in a perpendicular direction to one another, with intervals between them equal to the extent of their front.

_To_ FORM _circle_, is to march a battalion or company standing in line from its two flanks; the leading files bringing their right and left shoulders forward, so as to unite the whole in a circular continuity of files. On the word of command--_To the right and left, form circle_, the two flank files bring their right and left shoulders forward; and on the word _quick, march_, the whole advance. The centre marks time, each file from the direct central one gradually inclining to right and left till the junction of the two extremes has been completed.

The general use which is made of this formation is to punish offenders, or to convey public orders to the men in such a manner, that every individual may have an equal opportunity of hearing what is read, or delivered to the whole battalion.

_To_ FORM _on_, is to advance forward, so as to connect yourself with any given object of formation, and to lengthen the line.

_To_ FORM _on a front division_, is from close, or open column, or by the march in echellon, to arrive by a parallel movement at the right or left of any given division, by which means a prolongation of the line is produced. When this formation takes place with the right in front, the officer of the second, or leading division (the first standing fast, and all the rest facing to the left) having stepped out to the right at the words _quick march!_ allows his division led by his serjeant to go on a space equal to its front, and then gives his word _front_, _dress_, _halt_; his serjeant still remaining on the left of his division. The officer being still on the right of his division, immediately gives the word _march!_ and the division proceeds at the ordinary step towards its place in the alignement. He steps nimbly forward, and obliques so as to be within the third file of the left flank of the preceding division, and is thus ready to give the words, _dress_, _halt!_ at the instant his inward flank man joins that division. He then expeditiously corrects his men, (who have dressed upon the formed part of the line, on the distant given point) and resumes his proper post in line. Great care should be taken in these movements to prevent the outward flank of every advancing division from over-stepping its ground; as it is a general principle in dressing, to be rather behind the preceding formed division at the word _dress_, than before it; the word _halt_ being the final and conclusive direction, and the dressing of ranks being more easily attained by a forward than a backward movement.

In this manner every other division proceeds; each officer advancing, with a firm, steady step, in a perpendicular direction towards his point of formation, while the flank serjeant remains at his point in the line, till the succeeding officer, who has dressed his division, arrives to replace him; after which the serjeant covers his own officer.

_To_ FORM _on a rear division_, is to face all the preceding divisions which are in column to the right, (the point of forming having been previously taken in that direction, as far as the prolongation of the head division will extend, and just beyond where the right of the battalion is to come) and to uncover the rear one, so as to enable it to advance forward to a given point on the left, and take up its place in the alignement.

The leader of the front or head division having been shewn the distant point in the alignement on which he is to march, and having taken his intermediate points, if necessary, at the word _march_, the faced divisions step off quick, heads of files are dressed to the left, the front one moves in the alignement with scrupulous exactitude, and the others continue in a parallel direction close on its right; each carefully preserving its relative points of prolongation, and being fronted by its officer the instant it gets upon the ground, which is perpendicular to its intended formation in line.

As soon as the rear division is uncovered, and has received the word _march_, it proceeds forward, and when arrived within a few paces of its ground, the officer commanding steps nimbly up to the detached officer or serjeant, who has carefully marked its left in the new position, gives the words _dress_, _halt_, and quickly corrects his division on the distant point of formation; after which he replaces his serjeant on the right of his division. As the officer who conducts this division has necessarily the longest extent of ground to march on, he must take especial care to observe his perpendicular direction, constantly keeping the different points of formation in his eye, and preserving a perfect squareness of person. The intermediate divisions will successively proceed and advance as the ground opens before them.

_To_ FORM _on a central division_. To execute this manœuvre, the front and rear divisions must deploy, or open, so as to uncover the named division, and enable it to move up to a given point of alignement. A forming point must be given to both flanks in the prolongation of the head division.

When the caution of forming on a central division has been given, the leading officers will shift to the heads of their several divisions, the instant they have been faced according to the hand which leads to their ground. The files during their deployment must be kept close, and well locked up; and when fronted, must instantly be corrected in their dressing before they march forward. The central division, when uncovered, moves up into line to its marked flank. Those that were in front of it proceed as in forming on a rear division; those that were in rear of it proceed as in forming on a front division. By means of those three formations, which are effected by the deployment, or flank march, every battalion in close column, may uncover and extend its several divisions. The previous formation of close column upon given proportions of a brigade, battalion, &c. is done by facing and moving _inwards_, and thus contracting the original line with any given division for the head; which line may again be restored by the different divisions facing and moving _outwards_, as we have just described.

_To_ FORM _line on a rear company of the open column standing in echellon_, that company remains placed; the others face about, wheel back on the pivot flanks of the column, as being those which afterwards first come into line. On the word _march_, they move forward, and then _front_, _halt_, _dress_, successively, in the line of the rear company.

_To_ FORM _line on the rear company facing to the rear of the open column standing in echellon_, the whole column must first countermarch, each company by files, and then proceed as in forming on a front company.

_To_ FORM _line on a central company of the open column_, that company stands fast, or is wheeled on its own centre into a new required direction. Those in front, must be ordered to _face_ about. The whole, except the central company, must wheel back the named number of paces. Those in front, on the proper pivot flanks of the column, and those in its rear on the reverse flanks, such being the flanks that first arrive in line. The whole then marches in line with the central company. See _Am. Mil. Lib._

_To_ FORM _line from close column on a rear company facing to the rear_, the whole of the column changes front by countermarching each company by files. The rear company stands fast, and the remaining companies face to the right, deploy, successively _front_, _halt_, _dress_, and move up into the alignement.

_To_ FORM _line from close column on a central company facing to the rear_, the central company countermarches and stands fast; the other companies face outwards, countermarch, deploy, and successively march up to the alignement.

Whenever the column is a retiring one, and the line is to front to the rear, the divisions must each countermarch before the formation begins. In which case the head would be thrown back, and the rear forward.