Part 151

Faces of the bastion. See BASTION.

Faces, of any work, in fortification, are those parts where the rampart is made, which produce an angle pointing outwards.

Face prolonged, that part of the line of defence rasant, which is terminated by the curtain, and the angle of the shoulder.

Fascine. See FASCINES.

Fausse bray, is a low rampart going quite round the body of the place; its height is about 3 feet above the level ground, and its parapet is about 3 or 4 fathom distant from that of the body of the place. These works are made at a very great expence: their faces are very easily enfiladed, and their flank of course is seen in reverse: the enemy is under cover the minute he becomes master of them; and a great quantity of shells which may be thrown into them, and must of necessity lodge there, will go near to make a breach, or at worst to drive every one out. Hence they are liable to do more harm than good, and contribute no way to the defence of the place. M. Vauban only makes them before the curtains, and as such calls them tenailles.

Flanks, in fortification, are, generally speaking, any parts of a work, which defend another work along the outsides of its parapets.

Flank of the bastion, is the part between the face and the curtain; the flank of one bastion serves to defend the ditch before the curtain and face of the opposite bastion.

Flanking, is the same thing in fortification, as defending.

Retired flanks, are those made behind the line which joins the extremity of the face and the curtain, towards the capital of the bastion.

Concave flanks, are those which are made in the arc of a circle.

Direct, or grazing flank, is that which is perpendicular to the opposite face produced, and oblique or fichant, when it makes an acute angle with that face.

Second flank. When the face of a bastion produced does not meet the curtain at its extremity, but in some other point, then the part of the curtain between that point and the flank, is called the second flank. The modern engineers have rejected this method of fortifying. See FLANK.

Flêche, a work of two faces, often constructed before the glacis of a fortified place, when threatened with a siege, in order to keep the enemy as long at a distance as possible.

Gallery, is a passage made under ground, leading to the mines: galleries are from 4¹⁄₂ to 5 feet high, and about 3¹⁄₂ or 4 feet broad; supported at top by wooden frames, with boards over them.

Genouilliere, the undermost part of the rampart of a battery, or that part from the platform to the sole of the embrasures.

Glacis, is the part beyond the covert way, to which it serves as a parapet, and terminates towards the field in an easy slope at any required number of fathoms distance. Sometimes double glacis are made parallel to the esplanade, and at the distance of 16, or 20 fathoms.

Some authors think these works never answer the expence; however, M. Vauban was so sensible of their utility, that he never failed to make them when the ground was convenient for it; because, when such works are defended by a skilful governor, they will afford the means of being valiantly supported.

Gorge, of a bastion, is the interval between the extremity of one flank and that of the other.

Gorge, of any work, is that part next to the body of the place, where there is no rampart or parapet; that is, at the counterscarp of the ditch.

Half-moon. (Fr. Demi-Lune.) Is an out-work that has two faces which form a saliant angle, the gorge of which resembles a crescent. It owes its original invention to the Dutch, who use it to cover the points of their bastions. This kind of fortification, is, however, defective, because it is weak on its flanks. Half-moons are now called ravelins; which species of work is constructed in front of the curtain. See RAVELINS.

Gorge of a half moon, the distance between the two flanks, taken on the right of the counterscarp.

Head of a work, its front next the enemy, and farthest from the place.

Horn-work, is composed of a front and 2 branches: the front is made into 2 half bastions and a curtain: this work is of the nature of a crown-work, only smaller, and serves for the same purposes. The use of horn-works in general is to take possession of some rising ground advanced from the fortification; the distance of which determine that of the horn-work; and they are placed either before the curtain, or before the bastions, according to circumstances.

Horse-shoe, is a small round or oval work, with a parapet, generally made in a ditch, or in a marsh.

Insult. A work is said to be insulted, when it is attacked suddenly and openly.

Interior side of a fortification, an imaginary line drawn from the centre of one bastion to that of the next, or rather the curtain produced till they meet.

Lodgment, See SIEGE.

Loop-holes, are either square, or oblong holes, made in the wall, to fire through with musquets. They are generally 8 or 9 inches long, 6 or 7 inches wide within, and 2 or 3 feet without; so that every man may fire from them direct in front, or oblique to right or left, according to circumstances.