Part 132

Quarter FACE to the right or left, is now substituted for the old and awkward mode of oblique marching, the quarter facing being referred to the positions of action being all on the face of a semicircle; half of which is facing to the right or left; that is the side of the soldier is thrown to the previous front; in quarter facing the side is thrown diagonally between the front and flanks; marching quarter face is called marching by the line of science.

Great precision must be observed in these facings; otherwise the dressing will be lost in every movement.

FACES of a square. The different sides of a battalion, &c. when formed into a square are all denominated faces, viz. the front face, the right face, the left face, and the rear face. See SQUARE.

FACE ou pan de bastion, Fr. See FACE of a bastion.

FACE d’une place, Fr. See TENAILLE.

FACINGS, are the different movements of a battalion, or of any other body of men, to the right, to the left, or right and left about. All facings must be executed with a straight knee; and the body must be kept firm, and turn steadily, without drooping forward or jerking. The plant of the foot, after facing about, must be sharp.

FACINGS, likewise signify the lappels, cuffs, and collar of a military uniform, and are generally different from the color of the coat or jacket.

FACTION, Fr. the duty done by a private soldier when he patroles, goes the rounds, &c. but most especially when he stands centry. The French usually say, entrer en faction, to come upon duty; être en faction, to be upon duty; sortir de faction, to come off duty.

FACTIONNAIRE, Fr. Soldat factionnaire, a soldier that does every species of detail duty.

The term factionnaire, was likewise applicable to the duty done by officers in the old French service. Premier factionnaire du regiment implied, that the officer, so called, was the fourth captain of a battalion; as the colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, and the captain of grenadiers did not mount the ordinary guards.

FAGOTS, in the military history were men hired to muster by officers whose companies are not complete; by which means they cheated the public of the men’s pay, and deprive the country of its regular establishment. See False return.

A British general in the East Indies made an immense fortune by bullock fagots. Artillery are all drawn by oxen in Asia, as well as all baggage; upon an inspection of bullocks, the inspector counted 12,000: it appeared there were only 4,000, they were drawn up in front of a wood, and as soon as the bullocks on the right were inspected; they were drawn off successively by the rear, and appeared again in ranks on the left; so that every bullock was three times inspected, and the round number returned.

FAGOTS. See FASCINES.

FAILER. See DESERTER.

FAILURE, an unsuccessful attempt, as the failure of an expedition.

FAIRE faux feu, Fr. to miss fire; to flash in the pan.

FALAISE, Fr. Any part of the sea-coast is so called by the French, when it is extremely steep, and broken into precipices.

FALAISER, Fr. to break upon. La mer falaise signifies, the sea breaks upon the shore.

FALCHION, a short crooked sword.

FALCON, or Faucon, an ancient name given to a 3-pounder. See CANNON.

FALCONET, an ancient name given to a 1¹⁄₂-pounder. See CANNON.

FALL. The fall of a place after it has been besieged. See SURRENDER.

To FALL back, to recede from any situation in which you are placed. This phrase is frequently, indeed, always made use of in the drill, or exercise of soldiers; particularly during the formation of a line, when individuals, or whole divisions are apt to overstep their ground and get beyond the dressing point.

FALL in, a word of command for men to form in ranks, as in parade, line, or division &c.

To fall in likewise means the minute arrangement of a battalion, company, guard or squad, by which every man is ordered to take his proper post. The long roll, a peculiar beat of the drum, is the usual signal for soldiers to assemble and fall in.

To FALL into, to become the property of another, as, we fell in with a large convoy of the enemy, which after a short resistance made by the escort, fell into our hands.

To FALL in with. A military technical phrase, signified any sudden or unlooked for rencontre of any enemy. As our light cavalry patroles fell in with a party of foragers belonging to the enemy’s army.

To FALL off, to desert; to fail; to relax in exertion.