Part 140

Outward FLANK, of a line or battalion, the extreme file on the right or left of a division, subdivision, or section, according to the given front, when the battalion is at close or open column, and which is the furthest wheeling point from line into column, or from column into line. It is likewise called the reverse flank. The general rule which directs, that leading officers shall march invariably on the inward flank, where the proper pivot rests, is in one instance dispensed with, when, after marching by the right in front, the wheeling of the column or guard is to the right. On this occasion, the officer who had shifted from the right to his proper flank, instead of being wheeled upon, wheels with the flank, and continues his march. It has been remarked in a late military publication, that the squareness of the division would certainly be preserved with greater ease, were the officer to remain upon the right, though the right be in front, until the wheel in that direction should be completed, when he might shift to his proper flank. Where the column or guard has only a few paces to proceed beyond the passing or saluting point, this certainly is advisable. The regulation of guides, that is, non-commissioned officers on both flanks of every subdivision of a line, renders it of less moment where the officer is posted; but the pivot is the most rational position.

FLANK company, a certain number of men drawn up on the right or left of a battalion. Thus where there are grenadiers they compose the right, and the light infantry the left flank company. When these are detached, the two extreme battalion companies become such.

The grenadiers and light infantry are generally called flank companies, whether attached or not to their several battalions; rifle corps are always flankers.

FLANKING party, a select body of men on foot or on horseback, whose object is to harrass and perplex the enemy, to get upon his wings, or by any manœuvre to hang upon the flank of an opposing force.

FLANK en potence, is any part of the right or left wing formed at a projecting angle with the line. See POTENCE.

Leading FLANK, when the line breaks into column in order to attack an enemy, it is the flank which must almost always preserve the line of appui in all movements in front. The first battalion, division or company of every column which conducts is called the head or leading flank of that column. All the writhings and turnings to which it must unavoidably be subject, are followed by every other part of the body, and such head becomes a flank, right or left, when formed into line. The commander must therefore be on whichever flank directs the operations of the line, and by which he proposes to attack, or to counteract the attempts of the enemy.

FLANK in fortification, in general, is any part of a work that defends another work, along the outside of its parapet.

FLANK of a bastion, in fortification, that part which joins the face to the curtain, comprehended between the angle of the curtain and that of the shoulder, and is the principal defence of the place. Its use is, to defend the curtain, the flank, and face of the opposite bastion, as well as the passage of the ditch; and to batter the salient angles of the counter-scarp and glacis, from whence the besieged generally ruin the flanks with their artillery; for the flanks of a fortification are those parts which the besiegers endeavor most to ruin, in order to take away the defence of the face of the opposite bastion.

Oblique}FLANK, Second }

that part of the curtain from whence the face of the opposite bastion may be discovered, and is the distance between the lines rasant and fichant, which are rejected by most engineers, as being liable to be ruined at the beginning of a siege, especially when made of sandy earth. The second parapet, which may be raised behind the former, is of no use; for it neither discovers nor defends the face of the opposite bastion: besides, it shortens the flank, which is the true defence; and the continual fire of the besiegers’ cannon will never suffer the garrison to raise a second parapet. This second flank defends very obliquely the opposite face, and is to be used only in a place attacked by an army without artillery.

Retired} Low }FLANK, Covered}

the platform of the casemate, which lies hid in the bastion. These retired flanks are a great defence to the opposite bastion and passage of the ditch; because the besiegers cannot see, nor easily dismount their guns.

FLANK prolonged, in fortification, is the extending of the flank from the angle of the epaule to the exterior side, when the angle of the flank is a right one.

Concave FLANK, is that which is made in the arc of a semi-circle bending outwards.

FLANKS of a frontier. Are the different salient points of a large extent of territory, between each of which it would be impolitic for any invading army to hazard an advanced position. The late celebrated gen. Lloyd (whose accuracy of observation and solidity of conclusion with respect to the iron frontier of old France have been universally acknowleged) has furnished military men with a full and succinct account of the relative positions upon it. This long line he begins at Basle in Switzerland, and runs into various directions from thence to Dunkirk in old French Flanders, he divides it into three parts, and considers each of them separately. The first part goes from Basle to Landau and covers old Alsace, near 130 miles in length. The second from Landau to Sedan on the Moselle, covers ancient Lorrain on the side of Treves, Deux-Ponts, Luxemburgh, and Limburg; 190 miles in length. From Sedan down the Meuse to Charlemont in old Flanders, and thence to Dunkirk, is the third part, and is about 150 miles; so that the whole natural frontier of old France was 470 miles. The greatest part, if not the whole of which, is in the shape of a horse shoe, and presents impregnable flanks. An anonymous writer, after referring the reader to general Lloyd for a specific account of the first and second lines of the French frontier, has made the following observations relative to the third and last which runs from Sedan down the Meuse to Charlemont, from thence to Dunkirk, and is 150 miles in length. His words are--While the duke of Brunswick and the king of Prussia were ruining the most formidable armies in Europe by endeavoring to penetrate a few miles into Lorrain and Champagne through the first and second line, (without having previously secured the two flanks,) the French with redoubled activity operated upon the third, and finally subdued all Flanders. Those very difficulties, in fact, which presented themselves to oppose the progress of the allied army into France, facilitated every excursion on her part, as the direction of the line which goes from Sedan to Landau is concave towards that part of Germany.

The remainder of this line, (within which so many faults were committed, or rather could not be avoided, because the impression itself was founded in error,) runs to Dunkirk. It has been the scene of successive wars for near two centuries, the most expensive, bloody, and durable of any recorded in the annals of mankind. This line, continues general Lloyd, is stronger by art than nature, having a prodigious number of strong fortresses and posts upon it, moreover it projects in many places, so that an enemy can enter no where, without having some of them in front and on his flanks.

The United States are flanked by Canada and Florida.

FLANKS, in farriery, a wrench, or any other grief in the back of a horse.

To FLANK, in fortification, is to erect a battery which may play upon an enemy’s works on the right or left without being exposed to his line of fire. Any fortification, which has no defence but right forward, is faulty; and to make it complete, one part ought to flank the other.

To FLANK, in evolutions, to take such a position in action as either to assist your own troops, or to annoy those of your enemy by attacking either of his flanks, without exposing yourself to all his fire.

To OUT-FLANK. A manœuvre by which an army, battalion, troop, or company outstretches another, and gets upon both or either of its flanks.

To OUT-FLANK, in an extensive acceptation of the term, when applied to locality, means to possess any range of opposite parts, of territory, whence you might invade your neighbor. Thus France, by her present possessions along the Dutch and Flemish coasts, outflanks all the opposite shores of England, properly so called; resting her left flank at Ushant in Finisterre, and her right at Schelling, in North Holland, in the Province of Friesland. By the conquest of Spain and Portugal, the French have extended their south western flank, and rendered the invasion of Ireland more easy. Ireland again is completely outflanked by Great Britain at Penzance, in Cornwall, and at the Hebrides or Western Isles, independent of the continental part of Scotland.

FLANKER, a fortification jutting out so as to command the side or flank of an enemy marching to the assault or attack. Riflemen and all light troops are also called flankers.

FLANKERS, in cavalry manœuvres, the most active men and horses are selected to do the duty of flankers. The men of course must be perfect masters of their horses. One complete file of each four must be a file of flankers; it does not signify which file, but if it can conveniently be done, the centre file should be taken, as in that case neither the flank men, nor the telling off of the squadron or division will be affected.

When you manœuvre by whole squadrons, six or eight flankers are sufficient in general for the whole squadron.

The word of command, when the flankers come out to the front, is flankers forward.

In flanking, a great deal depends upon the officer or serjeant; he must be extremely active, and not only attend to the movements of the division from which he is detached, but likewise to his flankers.

As horses frequently refuse to quit the ranks and hang back obstinately, the men indiscriminately should be often called out of the ranks one by one, and practised as flankers.