A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer. Thomas Wilhelm
Table of Contents
Face. A term of varied application. In fortification, it is an appellation given to several parts of a fortress, as the face of the bastion, which is the two sides, reaching from the flanks to the salient angles. The prolonged or extended face is that part of the line of defense which is terminated by the curtain and the angle of the shoulder. Strictly taken, it is the line of defense rayant, diminished by the face of the bastion.
Face. In tactics, is the turning of a soldier on his heels as a “right face”; also the word of command for the movement. To face is to turn on the heels.
Face of a Piece. In gunnery, is the terminating plane perpendicular to the axis of the bore.
Face of a Place. In fortification, 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.
Faces of a Square. The sides of a battalion when formed in square.
Fachon. An Anglo-Norman term for a sword or falchion.
Facing. A covering, a plating.
Facings. The movements of soldiers by turning on their heels to the right, left, right-about, left-about, etc. To put one through one’s facings, is to examine into his elementary knowledge, to test his pretensions.
Facings. Are also the cuffs and collars of a military coat, and are generally of a different color from that of the coat.
Faction. In ancient history, one of the troops or bodies of combatants in the games of the circus, especially of the horse-races.
Faction. A term applied in an ill sense to any party in a state that offers uncompromising opposition to the measures of the government, or that endeavors to excite public discontent upon unreasonable grounds.
Faction (Fr.). The duty done by a private soldier when he patrols, goes the round, etc., but most especially when he does duty as a sentinel. The French usually say, entrer en faction, to come upon duty; etre 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.
Faenza (anc. Faventia). A town in Central Italy, 19 miles southwest of Ravenna. Faventia is noted in history as the place where Carbo and Norbanus were defeated with great loss by Metillus, the general of Sulla, in 82 B.C.
Fæsulæ. See Fiesole.
Fag-end. Is the end of any rope. This term is also applied to the end of a rope when it has become untwisted. To fag out, to wear out the end of a rope or a piece of canvas.
Fagnano. A village of Italy, 12 miles from Verona. In 1799 a battle was fought here between the Austrians and French.
Fagots. See Fascines.
Fagots. In military history, were men hired to muster by officers whose companies were not complete; by which means they cheated the public of the men’s pay, and deprived the country of its regular establishment.
Failure. An unsuccessful attempt; as, the failure of an expedition.
Faint. To lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent.
Faint-hearted. Wanting in courage; depressed by fear, easily discouraged or frightened; cowardly, timorous.
Fairfax, or Culpeper Court-house. A village, the capital of Culpeper Co., Va., on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. This place was an important strategic point during the civil war (1861–65).
Fairfield. A village of Fairfield Co., Conn., situated on Long Island Sound. It was settled in 1659; it was burned in 1779 by order of Gov. Tryon.
Fair Haven. A village of Bristol Co., Mass., on Buzzard’s Bay. The town was attacked by the British on September 7, 1788, but they were repulsed without loss.
Fair Oaks. A locality in Henrico Co., Va., on the Richmond and York River Railroad, about 7 miles east of Richmond. Here a severe battle took place between the Federals under Gen. McClellan and the Confederate army under Gen. Johnston, May 31-June 1, 1862, in which the latter were defeated, although the former obtained no decisive results from their success. The Union loss was estimated at 5500; the Confederate was somewhat greater.
Fakir. A word derived from the Arabic fakhar, and designating a member of an order of mendicants or penitents, chiefly in India and the neighboring countries. They live either separately as hermits or solitary mendicants, or unite in large gangs, carrying arms and a banner, beating drums, and sounding horns, whenever they approach a town or village.
Falarique (Fr.) Falarica; combustible darts or arrows of various thicknesses, generally about 3 feet long; close behind the head was lodged the combustible matter by which shipping, etc., was set on fire; it was projected from a bow or catapult.
Falcair (Fr.). A soldier who was armed with a falcarius or short crooked sword.
Falchion. A curved sword, or small cimeter.
Falcon. An ancient form of cannon, 7 feet in length, carrying a ball of 4 pounds in weight.
Falconet. A small cannon anciently used, a little exceeding 6 feet in length, and carrying a ball of 2 pounds in weight.
Falczi, Peace of. Concluded between Russia and Turkey, July 2, 1711, the Russians giving up Azof and all their possessions on the Black Sea to the Turks. The Russians were saved from imminent destruction by the address of Catharine, the empress. In 1712 the war was renewed, and terminated by the peace of Constantinople, April 16, 1712.
Falerii. A city of ancient Etruria, which was situated west of the Tiber. The inhabitants, who were called Falisci, joined with those of Veii in assisting the Fidenates against the Romans, and were among the most dangerous enemies of Rome. In 241 B.C. the city was destroyed, and a Roman colony was settled in the time of the triumvirs.
Falkirk. A town of Scotland, in Stirlingshire. Sir William Wallace was defeated in a battle near Falkirk by Edward I., and here, also, the royal army was defeated by the adherents of the house of Stuart in 1746.
Falkoping. A town of Sweden, near which, in 1338, Margaret, queen of Denmark, defeated Albert, king of Sweden, and took him prisoner.
Fall. The surrender or capture of a place after it has been besieged.
Fall. The rope rove through blocks, used with gins and shears for raising weights, and with the crab for moving them.
Fall. The descent of a body by the attraction of the earth.
Fall Foul, To. To attack; to make an assault.
Fall In. A word of command for men to form in ranks, as in parade, line, or division, etc.
Falling Bodies, Laws of. When a body falls freely in vacuo it is actuated by a force which may be taken as constant, consequently its velocity will be uniformly accelerated. The constant increment to the velocity