Part 139

Street FIRING advancing. When the column has arrived at the spot where the firing is to commence, the commanding officer from the rear gives the word halt! and the officer commanding the platoon, orders it to make ready, aim, fire; recover arms, load; he then orders the rear platoon of the column outward face, (by half platoons) quick march.

At the instant the men in the first platoon recover their arms after firing, the rear platoon makes ready, and moves up the flank to the front of the first platoon having filed round the flanks towards the front, when the second from the rear advances, with recovered arms, until it receives the words halt, ready, aim, fire.

The platoon which has fired, primes and loads in its ground immediately, without moving; the rear platoons only advancing.

Street FIRING retiring, is conducted on the same principles, except that the platoons fire without advancing, on the front being cleared by the former platoon filing round the flank.

Another method of street firing, advancing, generally esteemed more eligible, is, after firing, to wheel out by subdivisions, (the pivots having taken a side step to right and left outwards) prime and load, and as soon as the last platoon has passed, file inwards and form.

FISSURE, a narrow chasm where a small breach has been made.

FIT. Qualified, proper; adapted to any purpose or undertaking.

FIT for service strong, healthy men, from 18 to 45 years of age, of a certain height, and not subject to fits; are considered fit objects for service, and may be enlisted into the United States regiments. The principal heads under which every recruit should be rejected, consist of rupture, venereal lues, or incurable pox, habitual ulcers, sore legs, scurvy, scald head, and fits.

FIT, a paroxysm. Any violent affection of the body, by which a man is suddenly rendered incapable of going through the necessary functions of life.

FITS, habitual affections of the body to which men and women are subject, and by which they may be frequently attacked without any other immediate consequence, than a temporary suspension of the mental powers, accompanied by a disordered and painful action of the frame.

FIX-Bayonets, a word of command in the manual exercise. See MANUAL.

FLAGS in the United States navy, are the colors of the Union, red and white alternate stripes, equal to the number of states; with a square in the upper angle of blue, upon which are wrought white stars equal in number to the states of the Union. A custom has grown up among commanders of ships of appropriating a peculiar flag for each state, but as this is not a settled regulation requires no further notice.

FLAGS. See COLORS, STANDARDS, &c.

FLAGS, in the British navy, are either red, white, blue, or yellow, and they are hoisted either at the heads of the main-mast, fore-mast, or mizen-mast.

FLAGS, when displayed from the top of the main-mast, are the distinguishing marks of admirals; when from the fore-mast, of vice admirals; and when from the mizen-mast, of rear admirals.

The highest flag in the British navy, is the anchor and cable, which is only displayed when their lord high admiral, or lords commissioners of the admiralty are on board; the next is the union, the distinction peculiar to the second officer, called admiral of the fleet; and the lowest flag is the blue at the mizen-mast.

FLAG-Officer, a naval officer commanding a squadron.

FLAG-STAFF, the staff on which the flag is fixed.

FLAM, a word formerly made use of in the British service, signifying a particular tap or beat upon the drum, according to which each battalion went through its firings or evolutions. The practice is laid aside, as only a matter of mere parade without any practical utility; too often employed by officers to cover their ignorance or incapacity, or to indulge their indolence; therefore it is the usage now wherever discipline is well understood and practised, for every battalion, troop or company to be exercised by specific words of command, delivered in a distinct and audible tone of voice.

FLAMME, or ORIFLAMME, Fr. in the old French marine establishment, was a mark of distinction which exclusively belonged to the French king’s ships.

FLAMME, ou pendant, Fr. Bolting cloth or ticking. It is a long streamer which generally hangs either from the topmast head, and serves for ornament, or to give signals.

FLAMBEAU, a torch.

FLANC du bastion, Fr. See flank of the bastion.

{bas, } FLANC{couvert,}See Retired FLANC. {retiré, }

FLANKS, in the art of war and in fortification, are of several denominations, according to their uses, viz.

FLANKS of an army. Certain proportions of offensive or defensive forces which are extended to the right and left of a main body, and ought to be posted in such a manner, that it would be certain ruin to the enemy were he to attempt any impression between them. In a more confined sense, the troops which are stationed on the right and left of each line of encampment. See WINGS.

FLANK-files, are the two first men on the right and the two last men on the left, telling downwards from the right, of a line, battalion, company, division, subdivision or section. When a battalion is drawn up three deep, its flank files consist of three men, or as the French call its file and demi-file. When four deep, the flank files are termed double files; so that a column formed from any of these alignements will have all its relative flank files, be the depth of formation what it will.

Inward FLANK in manœuvring. The first file on the left of a division, subdivision, or section when the battalion stands at close or open column with the right in front. Upon this flank, which is called the proper flank, and on which the pivot rests, the division, &c. wheels backward from line into column, or forward from column into line. When the left is in front the right becomes the proper flank and pivot.