Part 131

EXPLOSION, the discharge of a gun, the blowing up of a mine, or the bursting of a shell.

EXPRESS. A messenger sent with direct and specific instructions.

To send by EXPRESS, to send any thing by extraordinary conveyance.

EXPUGN, EXPUGNATION, the taking any place by assault.

EXPERIMENTS, in a military sense, are the trials, or applications of any kind of military machines, in order to ascertain their practical qualities and uses.

EXTEND, when the files of a line, or the divisions of a column are to occupy a greater space of ground, they are said to extend their front or line. Extended order is applicable to the light infantry.

EXTORTION, the act of obtaining money or property by violence or unjust means: taking advantage of the ignorance or peculiar circumstances of a purchaser, to demand more than a fair price for an article. All sutlers, or camp followers, who are guilty of extortion in the sale of necessaries, are punishable by a general or regimental court-martial.

EXTRADOS, Fr. The exterior surface of a regular arch, used in the construction of powder magazines.

EXTRAORDINARIES of the army. The allowances to troops, beyond the gross pay in the pay office, come under the head of extraordinaries to the army. Such are the expences for barracks, marches, encampments, staff, &c.

EXTRAORDINARII, among the Romans, were a body of men consisting of a third part of the foreign horse, and a fifth of the foot, which body was separated from the rest of the forces borrowed from the confederate states, with great caution and policy, to prevent any design, that they might possibly entertain against the natural forces. A more choice body of men was drawn from amongst the extraordinarii, under the name of ablecti. See ABLECTI.

EXTRAORDINARY. Something out of the common course.

EXTRAORDINARY couriers, persons sent with some information or order of great importance.

EXTRAORDINARY guards. Guards out of the common routine of duty. They are frequently given as a punishment for military offences.

EYES Centre, an old word of command given when the battalion was advancing in line, denoting, that the men were to look to the centre in which the colors are placed, and dress by them.

EYES right, EYES left, words of command denoting the flank to which the soldier is to dress. In casting his eyes to either flank care must be taken that the shoulders are kept square to the front.

EYES front, a word of command given after the dressing in line is completed, on which the soldier is to look directly forward, which is the habitual position of the soldier. These motions are only useful on the wheeling of divisions, or when dressing is ordered after a halt, and particular attention must be paid in the several turnings of the eyes, to prevent the soldier from moving his body, which must invariably be preserved perfectly square to the front. In the American practice the direction of the eye is understood to follow the word dress--as right, centre, or left dress.

Eye-bolts. See BOLTS.

FACADE, in military fortification. See FACE.

FACE, in fortification, is an appellation given to several parts of a fortress; as the

FACE of a bastion, the two sides, reaching from the flanks to the saliant angle. These in a siege are commonly the first undermined, because they extend most outwards, and are the least flanked; consequently the weakest.

FACE prolonged, FACE extended, that part of the line of defence razant, which is terminated by the curtain and the angle of the shoulder, that is, it is, strictly taken, the line of defence razant, diminished by the face of the bastion.

FACE of a place, is the front comprehended between the flanked angles of two neighboring bastions, composed of a curtain, two flanks, and two faces; and is sometimes called the Tenaille of the place.

FACE of a gun, is the superficies of the metal at the extremities of the muzzle of the piece.

FACE, (to the right, left, &c.) a word of command on which the soldiers individually turn to the side directed; in performing which, the left heel should never quit the ground, the knees must be kept straight, and the body turned smoothly and gracefully. The moving of the right foot forward or backward, is wholly exploded; all the facings are now made upon the left heel as a pivot. The following are the old methods.

To the right, FACE. 2 motions.--1st, Place the hollow of the right foot smartly against the left heel; 2d, Raise the toes, and turn (a quarter of the circle) to the right on both heels.

To the right about, FACE, 3 motions.--1st, Place the ball of the right toe against the left heel; 2d, Raise the toes, and turn (half of a circle) to the right about on both heels; 3d, Bring the right foot smartly back in a line with the left.

To the left, FACE. 2 motions.--1st, Place the right heel against the hollow of the left foot; 2d, Turn (a quarter of the circle) to the left on both heels.

To the left about, FACE. 3 motions.--1st, Place the right heel against the ball of the left foot; 2d, Raise the toes, and turn (half of a circle) to the left about on both heels; 3d, Bring up the right foot smartly in a line with the left.