Part 38
=Forced.= Exerted to the utmost; urged; hence, strained, urged to excessive or unnatural action; as, a forced march.
=Forces, Effective.= 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, wagon-train, etc. Effective forces of a country; all the disposable strength, vigor, and activity of any armed proportion of native or territorial population. The navy of a country must be looked upon as part of the effective force of the country, to which is added the marines.
=Forcing.= The operation of making a bullet take the grooves of a rifle. This was formerly effected in various ways, by flattening the bullet in its seat with the ramrod, by using a patch, etc. (See PROJECTILES, BULLETS.) The term is not much used at the present day.
=Ford.= A place in a river or other water where it may be passed by man or beast on foot, or by wading. A ford should not be deeper than 3 feet for infantry, 4 feet for cavalry, and 2¹⁄₂ feet for artillery. These limits must be lessened if the stream be swift. A bottom of large stones is bad for cavalry and impracticable for carriages; gravel is the best bottom; a sandy bottom, though good at first, is apt to deepen when many troops pass.
=Ford.= To pass or cross, as a river or other water, by treading or walking on the bottom; to pass through by wading; to wade through.
=Fordable.= Capable of being waded or passed through on foot, as water.
=Fording.= The act of passing over a ford.
=Fore.= In advance; at the front; in the part that precedes or goes first.
=Fore-arm.= To arm or prepare for attack or resistance before the time of need.
=Fore-fence.= Defense in front. The term is now obsolete.
=Forefront.= The foremost part or place; as, the forefront of the battle.
=Foreign.= Not of one’s country; not native; alien; from abroad.
=Foreign Enlistment Act.= 59 Geo. III. c. 69 (1819), forbids British subjects to enter the service of a foreign state, without license from the king or privy council, and also the fitting out or equipping ships for any foreign power to be employed against any power with which the British government is at peace. In 1606 Englishmen were forbidden to enter foreign service without taking an oath not to be reconciled to the pope. The act was suspended in 1835 on behalf of the British Legion.
=Foreign Legion.= Foreigners have frequently been employed as auxiliaries in the pay of the British government. An act (18 & 19 Vict. c. 2) for the formation of a Foreign Legion as a contingent in the Russian war (1855) was passed December 23, 1854. On the peace, in 1856, many of the Foreign Legion were sent to the Cape of Good Hope.
=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 United States or the depending territories.
=Foreland.= In fortification, a piece of ground between the wall of a place and the moat.
=Fore Rank.= The first rank; the front.
=Fore-spurrer.= One who rode before. This term is now obsolete.
=Foreward.= The van; the front.
=Forfeit.= To render oneself by misdeeds liable to be deprived of; as, a soldier forfeits pay by sentence of court-martial for offenses committed.
=Forge.= Every field-battery is provided with a forge. It consists, besides the limber, of a frame-work, on which are fixed the bellows, fire-place, etc. Behind the bellows is placed the coal-box, which has to be removed before the bellows can be put in position. In the limber-box are placed the smith’s tools, horseshoes, nails, and spare parts (iron) of carriages, harness, etc. The weight of the forge equipped for field-service is 3383 pounds for the battery, and 3370 pounds for the reserve. A forge for red-hot shot 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.
=Forlorn Hope.= Officers and soldiers who generally volunteer for enterprises of great danger, such as leading the attack when storming a fortress, etc. Formerly it was applied to the advanced guard before the enemy, even on a march. See ENFANS PERDUS.
=Form.= 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 on_ is to advance forward, so as to connect yourself with any given object of formation, and to lengthen the line.
=Formation of Troops.= The term formation is applied to that particular arrangement of the troops composing any unit, when this latter is ready for battle, or is prepared to execute a movement.
That portion of the formation on the side towards the enemy is called the _front_; the side opposite to the front is termed the _rear_; the lateral extremities are called _flanks_.
Any row of soldiers placed parallel to the front is called a _rank_; a row perpendicular to the front is called a _file_; the number of ranks measures the _depth_ of the formation.
Troops drawn up so as to show an extended front, with slight depth, are said to be _deployed_; when the depth is considerable and the front comparatively small, they are said to be in _ployed_ formation. See ORDER, ORDER OF BATTLE, CONCAVE, ORDER OF BATTLE, CONVEX.
=Formers.= Are round pieces of wood that are fitted to the diameter of the bore of a gun, round which the cartridge-paper, parchment, lead, or cotton is rolled before it is served.
=Formigny.= A village of France, in the department of Calvados, 10 miles northwest from Bayeux, where a battle was fought in 1450, between the French and English, the latter being defeated, and thereby forced to abandon Normandy.
=Formosa.= An island in the China Sea belonging to China. The Dutch became masters of it in 1632, but they were expelled by the pirate Coxinga, whose successors ruled it till 1683. It was invaded by the Japanese in 1874, to avenge the murder of some of their people.
=Fornova= (Parma, Italy). Near here Charles VIII. of France defeated the Italians, July 6, 1495.
=Fort.= Technically applied to an inclosed work of the higher class of field fortification; but the word is often used in military works much more loosely.
=Fort Adams.= A fortification situated on Brenton’s Point, 1 mile west of the town of Newport, R. I., and commanding the entrance to the harbor. It was first garrisoned in 1841, and is established on the old fort which formerly occupied the position.
=Fort Adjutant.= In the British service, is an officer holding an appointment in a fortress,--where the garrison is often composed of drafts from different corps,--analogous to that of adjutant in a regiment. He is responsible to the commandant for the internal discipline, and the assignment of the necessary duties to particular corps. Fort adjutants are staff-officers, and receive additional pay.
=Fort Ann.= A village of Washington Co., N. Y., on the Champlain Canal. A fortification, from which the place derives its name, was erected here during the wars with the French, in 1756. It was captured from the Americans about 1779.
=Fort Barrancas.= Situated on the north side of the entrance to Pensacola harbor, and has been occupied since October 24, 1820, when it was ceded by Spain to the United States. During the civil war it was captured by the Confederates (1861), and held by them until the following year.
=Fort Caswell.= An old brick work situated on Oak Island, at the mouth of Cape Fear River, North Carolina. On the outbreak of civil war it fell into the hands of the Confederates, who held it until the fall of Fort Fisher, in 1865.
=Fort Columbus.= See GOVERNOR’S ISLAND.
=Fort Constitution.= Is situated in Portsmouth harbor, N. H. It was established in 1808, and garrisoned by U. S. troops; but as early as 1806 the post was occupied. It consisted of an earthwork, built by the English government, and named William and Mary. A new work was commenced in 1863, having its foundation outside the old one.
=Fort Covington.= A village of Franklin Co., N. Y., on Salmon River, about 18 miles northwest of Malone. Here the American army suffered greatly during the winter of 1813-14.
=Fort Delaware.= A casemated fort on Pea Patch Island, in the Delaware River. It was a military prison during the civil war.
=Fort Donelson.= See DONELSON, FORT.
=Fort Duquesne.= See PITTSBURG.
=Fort Erie.= In Upper Canada; this fort was taken by the American general Browne, June 3, 1814. After several conflicts it was evacuated by the Americans, November 5, 1814.
=Fort Fairfield.= A village of Aroostook Co., Me. It contains a barrack, and is chiefly interesting from its having been a military post during our trouble with England in 1839.
=Fort Fisher.= A strong earthwork on the east side of Cape Fear River, about 20 miles south of Wilmington, N. C., and one of the principal defenses of that port. On December 24-25, 1864, the forces of Gen. Butler attempted to take it, but unsuccessfully; but on January 15, 1865, it was taken by storm by the Union army and navy, and over 2000 Confederate prisoners and 169 pieces of artillery were captured.
=Fort George.= A fortification in Inverness, Scotland, on the extremity of a low peninsula, projecting upwards of a mile into the Moray Firth. It has barracks for about 3000 men, and is the most complete fortification in Great Britain.
=Fort George.= See FORT WILLIAM HENRY.
=Fort Griswold.= An old Revolutionary fort near New London, Conn. The traitor Arnold massacred the garrison and burned the town in 1781.
=Fort Hamilton.= A strong fortification on the Narrows, defending the entrance of New York harbor.
=Fort Independence.= A fortification on Castle Island, in Boston harbor, Mass., which forms one of the defenses of the harbor. It was commenced in 1833, and completed in 1851.
=Fort Jackson.= A fort on the right bank of the Mississippi River, about 80 miles below New Orleans. On April 18, 1802, Admiral Farragut, then captain, commenced the bombardment of this fort and Fort St. Philip on the opposite bank of the river, and after six days’ and nights’ continuous firing, succeeded in passing with his fleet; and destroying the Confederate flotilla, the forts surrendered.
=Fort La Fayette.= A fort surrounded by water in the Narrows, at the entrance of New York harbor, immediately in front of Fort Hamilton. It was used during the civil war as a prison. This fort was recently destroyed by fire.
=Fort Lee.= A village of Bergen Co., N. J., on the Hudson River, at the foot of the Palisades. It was once a noted military post, and was captured by the British in 1776.
=Fort McAllister.= See MCALLISTER, FORT.
=Fort McHenry.= Is situated on Whetstone Point, a peninsula formed by the junction of the northwest branch of the Patapsco with the main river, about 3 miles from Baltimore, Md. The site was first occupied as a military post by the erection of a water-battery in 1775 for the defense of the town. In 1794 the fort was repaired, and a star or pentagon fort of brick-work added, when it was ceded to the United States and called by its present name.
=Fort Mackinaw.= See MACKINAW.
=Fort Macon.= Situated on the eastern extremity of Bogue Banks, near Beaufort harbor, N. C. It was surrendered to Gen. Burnside after a siege of about two weeks, in which he was aided by the blockading gunboats, April 25, 1862.
=Fort-Major.= A commandant of a fort in the absence of the governor. Officers employed as fort-majors, if under the rank of captains, take rank and precedence as the junior captains in the garrisons in which they are serving. He is a staff-officer.
=Fort Marion.= At St. Augustine, Fla.; was erected by the Spaniards more than 100 years ago, and formerly called the Castle of St. Mark.
=Fort Mifflin.= Is one of the old Revolutionary fortresses, situated near the junction of the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers. It is one of the defenses of the city of Philadelphia.
=Fort Monroe.= A massive work of granite surrounded by a moat, situated at Old Point Comfort, Elizabeth City Co., Va. It was established in 1818, in which year a reservation of about 250 acres for defensive purposes was here ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia. It is the largest military work in the United States, and during the civil war was an important naval rendezvous. The artillery school of the army is established at this post.
=Fort Morgan.= Situated at the entrance to anchorage in Mobile Bay, on the site of the old Fort Bowyer, which bore such an important part in the war of 1812-15, the Americans under Maj. Lawrence having here repulsed with great loss a combined land and sea attack of the British and their Indian allies, September 15, 1814.
=Fort Moultrie.= One of the defenses of Charleston harbor, S. C., on the west shore of Sullivan’s Island, about 5 miles east-southeast of Charleston. It received its name in honor of Col. Moultrie, an officer of the Revolution, who here successfully resisted an attack from 9 British vessels in 1776. It was abandoned by the Federal troops in December, 1860, and was seized by the Confederates, who fired from it some of the first shots of the civil war. It has been garrisoned by U. S. troops since the close of the war.
=Fort Niagara.= On the right bank of the Niagara River, in the county of the same name, in the State of New York. It was established by La Salle in 1678; captured by the British under Sir William Johnson in 1759; surrendered to and occupied by the United States in 1796. In the war of 1812-15 it was but feebly garrisoned, and on December 19, 1813, a force of 1200 British crossed the river, and took it by surprise, killing 65 of the garrison.
=Fort Ninety-Six.= A stockaded fort which was situated in Abbeville District, 6 miles from the Saluda River. It received its name from being 96 miles from the frontier fort Prince George, on the Keowee River. This fort was the scene of many exciting events during the Revolutionary war. With a garrison of about 350 Tories under Lieut.-Col. John Cruger, it was besieged by the Americans under Gen. Greene for twenty-seven days, May-June, 1781; but just as his efforts were about to be crowned with success, Gen. Greene was obliged to retreat, to avoid falling into the hands of a vastly superior British force, which was coming to relieve the beleaguered garrison.
=Fort Ontario.= An inclosed work on the west bank of Oswego River, built in 1755, on the site of Fort Oswego. Here were the scenes of many stirring events in the wars between France and England, and of a skirmish in 1814.
=Fort Pickens.= A fort on Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola harbor, Fla. Lieut. A. J. Slemmer in January, 1861, after evacuating Fort Barrancas, held this post against the Confederates until reinforced.
=Fort Pillow.= In Lauderdale Co., Tenn., by land about 40 miles north of Memphis. It was erected by the Confederates during the civil war. It was bombarded by Federal gunboats, and evacuated by the Confederates, June 4, 1862. On April 12, 1864, it was captured by the Confederates, when took place an indiscriminate slaughter of the negro troops garrisoned there.
=Fort Plain.= A Revolutionary fortress, which was situated near the junction of Osquaga Creek and the Mohawk, in Montgomery Co., N. Y. For a while it was an important fortress, affording protection to the people in the neighborhood, and forming a key to the communication with the Schoharie, Cherry Valley, and Unadilla settlements. On August 21, 1780, a party of 500 Tories and Indians marched up within cannon-shot of this fort, burned 53 dwellings and as many barns, destroyed the crops, and carried off everything of value. Sixteen of the inhabitants were slain, and between 50 and 60 persons, chiefly women and children, were taken prisoners.
=Fort Pulaski.= Located on Cockspur Island, at the head of Tybee Roads, commanding both channels of the Savannah River. It was named after a Polish patriot who fought in the American war of the Revolution, and died in consequence of wounds received in the attack on Savannah, October, 1779. During the civil war, being in possession of the Confederates, it surrendered to the Federals under Gen. Hunter, April 10, 1862.
=Fort Schuyler.= An old Revolutionary fort, which occupied the site of old Fort Stanwix, and was built on the present site of Rome, N. Y. It is celebrated in early American history as among the strongest forts on the then northern frontier.
=Fort St. David.= A town of Hindostan, on the sea-coast of the Carnatic, situated on the river Tripapalore. After the capture of Madras by the French in 1746, the English were besieged here without success; and from this period it continued the head of the English settlements till 1758, when it was taken by Lally, after a short siege, and the fortifications were destroyed.
=Fort St. Philip.= Situated on the left or north bank of the Mississippi River, nearly opposite Fort Jackson (which see).
=Fort Sumter.= A fort celebrated in the annals of the civil war. It is situated on a small island in Charleston harbor, S. C., between 3 and 4 miles from the city. April 12-13, 1861, it was bombarded and captured by the Confederates, who thus inaugurated the civil war. It was reduced to a ruinous condition during the siege of Charleston, in the summer of 1863, but was held by the Confederates until February 18, 1865.
=Fort Taylor.= An inclosed casemated pentagonal brick-work in Key West harbor, Fla., commenced 1845.
=Fort Trumbull.= Situated in the harbor of New London, Conn., on the west side of the Thames River. It is an inclosed work, and was commenced in 1839.
=Fort Wadsworth.= A permanent fortification on Staten Island, west of the Narrows, commanding the entrance on that side of New York harbor, distant from Fort Hamilton 1 mile.
=Fort Wagner.= See MORRIS ISLAND.
=Fort Washington.= A strong earthwork erected during the Revolutionary war upon the highest eminence on Manhattan Island, at a point now between 181st and 186th Streets, New York City. During the Revolutionary war it fell into the hands of the English, and nearly 3000 Americans were captured.
=Fort Wayne.= A U. S. fortification in Wayne Co., Mich., just below Detroit. It is intended to command the navigation of the Detroit River.
=Fort William Henry.= A Revolutionary fort near the head of Lake George, N. Y. During the wars of the colonies it was captured by the French and Indians in 1757.
=Fort Winthrop.= One of the defenses of Boston harbor, Mass., on Governor’s Island, the former site of old Fort Warren. It is a small inclosed quadrangular work, with exterior open barbette batteries; commenced 1844.
=Fort Wood.= On Bedloe’s Island, New York harbor, and in the city of New York, 1¹⁄₂ miles southwest of the Battery. It was erected in 1841, and mounted 71 guns.
=Fort Wool.= A large unfinished inclosed casemated work or “rip-rap” foundation, formerly called Fort Calhoun, designed for the defense of Hampton Roads, Va.
=Fortalice.= A small outwork of a fortification; a fortilage;--called also _fortelace_.
=Forted.= Furnished with or guarded by forts; strengthened or defended, as by forts.
=Forth.= The ancient name for ford.
=Forth Mountains.= A range in the county of Wexford, Ireland, celebrated for being the rendezvous of 15,000 insurgents, who, in 1798, met here previous to the attack and capture of the town of Wexford.
=Fortifiable.= Capable of being fortified.
=Fortification.= Is the art of fortifying a town, or other place; or of putting it in such a posture of defense that every one of its parts defends, and is defended by some other parts, by means of ramparts, parapets, ditches, and other outworks; to the end that a small number of men within may be able to defend themselves for a considerable time against the assaults of a numerous army without; so that the enemy in attacking them must of necessity suffer great loss. There are various kinds of fortification, as _defensive_ and _offensive_, _natural_, _artificial_, and _permanent_. _Defensive fortification_ is the art of surrounding a place by works so disposed as to render it capable of a lasting defense against a besieging army. _Offensive fortification_ comprehends the various works employed in conducting a siege. _Natural fortification_ consists of those obstacles which nature affords to retard the progress of an enemy; such as woods, deep ravines, rocks, marshes, etc. _Artificial fortification_ is that which is raised by human ingenuity to aid the natural advantages of the ground, or supply its deficiencies. It is divided into _permanent_ and _field fortification_. _Permanent fortification_ is intended for the defense of towns, frontiers, and seaports, and is constructed of durable materials in time of peace; while _field fortification_ being raised only for the temporary purpose of protecting troops in the field, its materials are those afforded by local circumstances and a limited time. For the principal parts of a regular fortress, see BANQUETTE, BASTION, BATARDEAU, BERM, CAPONNIERE, CAVALIER, CITADEL, CORDON, COUNTERSCARP, COVERED WAY, CROWN-WORK, CUNETTE, CURTAIN, DITCH, EMBRASURES, ENCEINTE, ENVELOPE, EPAULEMENT, ESCARP, ESPLANADE, FACES, FLANK, FLÈCHE, or ARROW, FRAISES, GLACIS, HORNWORK, LINES, LOOP-HOLES, LUNETTES and TENAILLONS, OUTWORKS, PALISADES, PARALLELS, or PLACES OF ARMS, PARAPET, RAMPS, RAMPART, RAVELIN, REDAN, REDOUBT, REVETMENT, SALLYPORTS, SLOPE INTERIOR, STAR FORT, TENAILLE, TERRE-PLEIN, TÊTES DE PONT, TRAVERSES, ZIGZAGS, or BOYAUX OF COMMUNICATION.
=Fortification, Elementary.= By some likewise called the theory of fortification, consists in tracing the plans and profiles of a fortification on paper, with scales and compasses; and examining the systems proposed by different authors, in order to discover their advantages and disadvantages.
=Fortification, Front of.= Consists of all the works constructed upon any one side of a regular polygon, whether placed within or without the exterior side. Some authors give a more limited sense to the term “front of fortification,” by confining it to two half bastions joined by a curtain.
=Fortification, Irregular.= Is that in which, from the nature of the ground or other causes, the several works have not their due proportions according to rule; irregularity, however, does not necessarily imply weakness.
=Fortification, Practical.= Consists in forming a project of a fortification, according to the nature of the ground, and other necessary circumstances, to trace it on the ground, and to execute the project, together with all the military buildings, such as magazines, storehouses, barracks, bridges, etc.
=Fortification, Regular.= Is that in which the works are constructed on a regular polygon, and which has its corresponding parts equal to each other.
=Fortification, Semi-permanent.= During the civil war in America, 1861-65, it became necessary to construct strong fortifications for large cities in a short time. These circumstances gave rise to a new kind of fortification combining certain of the arrangements of both permanent and field works, which were called semi-permanent works.
=Fortified.= Strengthened and secured by forts.
=Fortify.= To strengthen and secure by forts, batteries, and other works of art; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces, or capable of standing a siege.
=Fortilage.= A little fort; a block-house. Now obsolete.
=Fortin.= A little fort; a field fort; a sconce; a fortlet. Now obsolete.
=Fortlet.= A little fort.