junction of Osquaga Creek and the Mohawk, in Montgomery Co., N. Y. For a
while it was an important fortress, affording protection to the people
in the neighborhood, and forming a key to the communication with the
Schoharie, Cherry Valley, and Unadilla settlements. On August 21, 1780,
a party of 500 Tories and Indians marched up within cannon-shot of this
fort, burned 53 dwellings and as many barns, destroyed the crops, and
carried off everything of value. Sixteen of the inhabitants were slain,
and between 50 and 60 persons, chiefly women and children, were taken
prisoners.
=Fort Pulaski.= Located on Cockspur Island, at the head of Tybee Roads,
commanding both channels of the Savannah River. It was named after a
Polish patriot who fought in the American war of the Revolution, and
died in consequence of wounds received in the attack on Savannah,
October, 1779. During the civil war, being in possession of the
Confederates, it surrendered to the Federals under Gen. Hunter, April
10, 1862.
=Fort Schuyler.= An old Revolutionary fort, which occupied the site of
old Fort Stanwix, and was built on the present site of Rome, N. Y. It is
celebrated in early American history as among the strongest forts on the
then northern frontier.
=Fort St. David.= A town of Hindostan, on the sea-coast of the Carnatic,
situated on the river Tripapalore. After the capture of Madras by the
French in 1746, the English were besieged here without success; and from
this period it continued the head of the English settlements till 1758,
when it was taken by Lally, after a short siege, and the fortifications
were destroyed.
=Fort St. Philip.= Situated on the left or north bank of the Mississippi
River, nearly opposite Fort Jackson (which see).
=Fort Sumter.= A fort celebrated in the annals of the civil war. It is
situated on a small island in Charleston harbor, S. C., between 3 and 4
miles from the city. April 12-13, 1861, it was bombarded and captured by
the Confederates, who thus inaugurated the civil war. It was reduced to
a ruinous condition during the siege of Charleston, in the summer of
1863, but was held by the Confederates until February 18, 1865.
=Fort Taylor.= An inclosed casemated pentagonal brick-work in Key West
harbor, Fla., commenced 1845.
=Fort Trumbull.= Situated in the harbor of New London, Conn., on the
west side of the Thames River. It is an inclosed work, and was commenced
in 1839.
=Fort Wadsworth.= A permanent fortification on Staten Island, west of
the Narrows, commanding the entrance on that side of New York harbor,
distant from Fort Hamilton 1 mile.
=Fort Wagner.= See MORRIS ISLAND.
=Fort Washington.= A strong earthwork erected during the Revolutionary
war upon the highest eminence on Manhattan Island, at a point now
between 181st and 186th Streets, New York City. During the Revolutionary
war it fell into the hands of the English, and nearly 3000 Americans
were captured.
=Fort Wayne.= A U. S. fortification in Wayne Co., Mich., just below
Detroit. It is intended to command the navigation of the Detroit River.
=Fort William Henry.= A Revolutionary fort near the head of Lake George,
N. Y. During the wars of the colonies it was captured by the French and
Indians in 1757.
=Fort Winthrop.= One of the defenses of Boston harbor, Mass., on
Governor’s Island, the former site of old Fort Warren. It is a small
inclosed quadrangular work, with exterior open barbette batteries;
commenced 1844.
=Fort Wood.= On Bedloe’s Island, New York harbor, and in the city of New
York, 1¹⁄₂ miles southwest of the Battery. It was erected in 1841, and
mounted 71 guns.
=Fort Wool.= A large unfinished inclosed casemated work or “rip-rap”
foundation, formerly called Fort Calhoun, designed for the defense of
Hampton Roads, Va.
=Fortalice.= A small outwork of a fortification; a fortilage;--called
also _fortelace_.
=Forted.= Furnished with or guarded by forts; strengthened or defended,
as by forts.
=Forth.= The ancient name for ford.
=Forth Mountains.= A range in the county of Wexford, Ireland, celebrated
for being the rendezvous of 15,000 insurgents, who, in 1798, met here
previous to the attack and capture of the town of Wexford.
=Fortifiable.= Capable of being fortified.
=Fortification.= Is the art of fortifying a town, or other place; or of
putting it in such a posture of defense that every one of its parts
defends, and is defended by some other parts, by means of ramparts,
parapets, ditches, and other outworks; to the end that a small number of
men within may be able to defend themselves for a considerable time
against the assaults of a numerous army without; so that the enemy in
attacking them must of necessity suffer great loss. There are various
kinds of fortification, as _defensive_ and _offensive_, _natural_,
_artificial_, and _permanent_. _Defensive fortification_ is the art of
surrounding a place by works so disposed as to render it capable of a
lasting defense against a besieging army. _Offensive fortification_
comprehends the various works employed in conducting a siege. _Natural
fortification_ consists of those obstacles which nature affords to
retard the progress of an enemy; such as woods, deep ravines, rocks,
marshes, etc. _Artificial fortification_ is that which is raised by
human ingenuity to aid the natural advantages of the ground, or supply
its deficiencies. It is divided into _permanent_ and _field
fortification_. _Permanent fortification_ is intended for the defense of
towns, frontiers, and seaports, and is constructed of durable materials
in time of peace; while _field fortification_ being raised only for the
temporary purpose of protecting troops in the field, its materials are
those afforded by local circumstances and a limited time. For the
principal parts of a regular fortress, see BANQUETTE, BASTION,
BATARDEAU, BERM, CAPONNIERE, CAVALIER, CITADEL, CORDON, COUNTERSCARP,
COVERED WAY, CROWN-WORK, CUNETTE, CURTAIN, DITCH, EMBRASURES, ENCEINTE,
ENVELOPE, EPAULEMENT, ESCARP, ESPLANADE, FACES, FLANK, FLÈCHE, or ARROW,
FRAISES, GLACIS, HORNWORK, LINES, LOOP-HOLES, LUNETTES and TENAILLONS,
OUTWORKS, PALISADES, PARALLELS, or PLACES OF ARMS, PARAPET, RAMPS,
RAMPART, RAVELIN, REDAN, REDOUBT, REVETMENT, SALLYPORTS, SLOPE INTERIOR,
STAR FORT, TENAILLE, TERRE-PLEIN, TÊTES DE PONT, TRAVERSES, ZIGZAGS, or
BOYAUX OF COMMUNICATION.
=Fortification, Elementary.= By some likewise called the theory of
fortification, consists in tracing the plans and profiles of a
fortification on paper, with scales and compasses; and examining the
systems proposed by different authors, in order to discover their
advantages and disadvantages.
=Fortification, Front of.= Consists of all the works constructed upon
any one side of a regular polygon, whether placed within or without the
exterior side. Some authors give a more limited sense to the term “front
of fortification,” by confining it to two half bastions joined by a
curtain.
=Fortification, Irregular.= Is that in which, from the nature of the
ground or other causes, the several works have not their due proportions
according to rule; irregularity, however, does not necessarily imply
weakness.
=Fortification, Practical.= Consists in forming a project of a
fortification, according to the nature of the ground, and other
necessary circumstances, to trace it on the ground, and to execute the
project, together with all the military buildings, such as magazines,
storehouses, barracks, bridges, etc.
=Fortification, Regular.= Is that in which the works are constructed on
a regular polygon, and which has its corresponding parts equal to each
other.
=Fortification, Semi-permanent.= During the civil war in America,
1861-65, it became necessary to construct strong fortifications for
large cities in a short time. These circumstances gave rise to a new
kind of fortification combining certain of the arrangements of both
permanent and field works, which were called semi-permanent works.
=Fortified.= Strengthened and secured by forts.
=Fortify.= To strengthen and secure by forts, batteries, and other works
of art; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces, or
capable of standing a siege.
=Fortilage.= A little fort; a block-house. Now obsolete.
=Fortin.= A little fort; a field fort; a sconce; a fortlet. Now
obsolete.
=Fortlet.= A little fort.
=Fortress.= Is a fortified city or town, or any piece of ground so
strongly fortified as to be capable of resisting an attack carried on
against it, according to rule. Also, as a verb, to furnish with
fortresses; to guard; to fortify.
=Forward.= A word of command given when troops are to resume their march
after a temporary interruption.
=Fosseway.= One of the military Roman roads in England, so called from
the ditches on both sides.
=Fotheringay.= A village of England, in Northamptonshire. Richard III.
was born in the castle of this place, and Mary, queen of Scots, was
imprisoned and executed here. James I. razed it to the ground after his
accession to the throne.
=Foucade=, or =Fougade=. A small mine.
=Fougasses.= A description of small mines, constructed in front of the
weakest parts of a fortification, as the salient angles and faces not
defended by a cross-fire.
=Fougass Shell.= A row of loaded shells in a box divided into two
compartments. The lower compartment is filled with powder. The box is
only just covered by the earth. The fougass is fired by a fuze,
electricity, or a tube which explodes when trodden upon.
=Fougass, Stone.= A sort of natural mortar formed by an excavation in
the ground. At the bottom of the excavation is placed the charge in a
box, over this comes a shield of wood, and over that again is placed
about 5 cubic yards of stones, each of which should weigh not less than
1 pound. The excavation is in the shape of a frustrum of a cone, and
makes an angle of about 40° with the horizon. The charge is about 80
pounds of powder, and the stones will fall over a parallelogram about
110 yards by 120 yards.
=Fougeres.= A town and parish of France, 28 miles northeast from Rennes.
This town was the scene of many engagements between the English and the
French, from the 11th to the 15th centuries.
=Fougette= (_Fr._). An Indian sky-rocket, a species of firework which is
frequently used by the Asiatics. It is made of the hollow tube of the
bamboo, of a very large size, filled with the usual composition of
rockets. The rod is only a part of the same bamboo, the greater part of
which is cut away.
=Foughard.= Near Armagh, Northern Ireland. Here Edward, brother of
Robert Bruce, after invading Ireland in 1315, was defeated by Sir John
Bermingham in 1318. Bruce was killed by Roger de Maupis, a burgess of
Dundalk.
=Fouiller= (_Fr._). To search. In a military sense, it signifies to
detach small bodies of infantry round the flanks of a column that is
marching through a wood, for the purpose of discovering an ambuscade,
and of giving timely notice that it may be avoided. The same precaution
is necessary when a body of men advance towards or enter a village.
=Fouling.= The action of gunpowder in dirtying the bore of a gun. Cannon
for this and other reasons are sponged after each round.
=Foundation.= In military architecture, is that part of a building which
is underground, or the mass of stone, brick, etc., which supports a
building, or upon which the walls of a superstructure are raised; or it
is the coffer or bed dug below the level of the ground to raise a
building upon.
=Founder.= A person who casts cannon, etc.
=Foundery.= In military matters, the art of casting all kinds of
ordnance, such as cannon, mortars, etc.
=Foundry.= A place for casting all kinds of ordnance; a foundery.
=Four.= A place of confinement in Paris to which vagabonds and persons
who could not give any satisfactory account of themselves were
committed; and when once shut up had their names registered, and were
enlisted for the old French government. These Fours added annually 2000
men at least to the king’s regular army; by which means the capital was
relieved of a multitude of thieves, pickpockets, etc.
=Fourage= (_Fr._). Forage; in the artillery, it is used figuratively to
signify hay, straw, or anything else of vegetable growth, which is used
to ram into the bore of a cannon for the purpose of cleansing it.
=Fourager= (_Fr._). To forage, or look about for provender and
provisions. It likewise means among the French to ravage, desolate,
pillage, and waste a country for the purpose of throwing the inhabitants
into disorder. The word is derived from _foras agere_, or to seek for
forage in the field.
=Fourier= (_Fr._). A quartermaster belonging to a cavalry or infantry
regiment. In France there were _fouriers-majors_ who composed a part of
the cavalry stall. _Sergeant-fourier_ and _corporal-fourier_ answer to
our quartermaster-sergeant.
=Fourniment= (_Fr._). A horn formerly used, which held about 1 pound of
gunpowder to prime cannon. It was likewise used by cavalry and infantry
soldiers, who slung it across their shoulders. The artillerists kept it
in a belt.
=Fowley.= A decayed seaport town of England, in the county of Cornwall,
at the mouth of a small river of the same name. It became famous in the
old French wars, and in 1347 sent 37 tall ships to the siege of Calais.
It was burned by the French in 1457.
=Fowling-piece.= A term sometimes applied to shot-guns of large caliber
and great power, for shooting ducks, geese, and other large birds.
=Fox.= The old English broadsword.
=Fox Indians.= A tribe of American aborigines of the Algonkin stock,
associated with the Sacs. They formerly dwelt in the southern part of
Iowa, but now occupy lands in Indian Territory. See INDIANS AND THEIR
AGENCIES.
=Fraisers= (_Fr._). To plait, knead, or drill. In a military sense to
fraise or fence; as, _fraiser un battalion_, is to fraise or fence all
the infantrymen with pikes, to oppose the irruption of cavalry, should
it charge them in a plain. At present it means to secure a battalion by
opposing bayonets obliquely forward, or crossways in such a manner as to
render it impossible for horsemen to act against it.
=Fraises.= Rows of palisades planted horizontally, or nearly so, as at
the edge of a ditch, or on the steep exterior of a parapet. Fraises are
generally 7 or 8 feet long, and about 5 inches thick. When an army
intrenches itself, the parapets of the retrenchment are often fraised in
the parts exposed to an attack. To _fraise a battalion_ is to line or
cover it every way with bayonets, that it may withstand the shock of a
body of horse.
=France.= A country of Western Europe, which was known to the Romans by
the name of Gaul (which see). In the decline of their power it was
conquered by the Franks, a people of Germany, then inhabiting Franconia,
where they became known about 240. These invaders gave the name to the
kingdom (_Franken-ric_, Frank’s Kingdom); but the Gauls, being by far
the more numerous, are the real ancestors of the modern French. For
details of important events in France, see separate articles.
=Franches= (_Fr._). _Les compagnies franches_, free companies, were
bodies of men detached and separated from the rest of the army, having
each a chief, or commandant. They consisted chiefly of dragoons,
hussars, etc., and their peculiar duty was to make irruptions into an
enemy’s country. They may not improperly be called land-pirates, as
their chief occupation was to harass and plunder the enemy and his
adherents, in whatever manner they could, without paying any regard to
military forms. The persons who composed these corps were termed
partisans. They always accompanied the main army in time of war, and
were distributed among the different garrison towns in France during
peace. They were common to every power in Europe; the Pandours and
Hulans were of this description. They were the worst afflictions of war;
and generally as fatal to their friends as to their enemies.
=Francisque= (_Fr._). A battle-axe; an ancient weapon formed like an
axe, used principally by the Franks.
=Franco-Prussian War.= The origin of this dreadful series of sanguinary
conflicts is ascribed to the jealousy of the emperor of the French of
the greatly increased power of Prussia, in consequence of the
successful issue of the war with Denmark in 1864, and more especially
of that with Austria in 1866. By these events the German Confederation
was annulled, and the North German Confederation established under the
supremacy of the king of Prussia, whose territories were also enlarged
by the annexation of Hanover, Hesse-Casel, Nassau, Frankfort, and other
provinces. This great augmentation of the power of Prussia was mainly
due to the policy of Count Bismarck-Schönhausen, prime minister. In
March, 1857, a dispute arose through the emperor’s proposals for the
purchase of Luxemburg of the king of Holland, which was strongly opposed
by Prussia, but the affair was eventually settled, by a conference of
the representatives of the great powers declaring Luxemburg neutral.
Both governments, however, had prepared for the impending struggle, and
the crisis came when Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
consented to become a candidate for the throne of Spain, about July 3,
1870. This was violently denounced by the French government, and
eventually, after some negotiation and the intervention of Great
Britain, the prince, with the consent of his sovereign, declined the
proffered crown. This submission did not satisfy the French government
and nation, and the demand for a guarantee against the repetition of
such an acceptance irritated the Prussian government, and led to the
termination of the negotiations. War was declared by the emperor July
15, 1870, and actually commenced about July 23. It did not end until
January 27, 1871, and France was overrun by the victorious Prussians and
their auxiliaries. On May 10, 1871, a definitive treaty of peace was
concluded at Frankfort-on-the-Main, and on account of the rapid payment
of the war expenses the last German soldier left French soil in July,
1873. For important battles and engagements during the war, see separate
articles.
=Franconia= (Ger. _Franken_). An old duchy, afterwards a circle of the
Germanic empire, between Upper Saxony, the Upper and Lower Rhine,
Swabia, Bavaria, and Bohemia. Since 1806, it has been divided between
the grand duchies of Baden and Hesse, and the kingdoms of Bavaria and
Saxony.
=Franc-Tireurs.= Literally free-shooters, a name given to French
soldiers during the Crimean war, who were stationed as sharpshooters. In
the republican wars the name was also given to certain corps of light
infantry. During the Franco-German war the name was also applied to a
class of combatants among the French, who carried on a partisan warfare.
=Frankfort-on-the-Main.= A city of Prussia, province of Hesse-Nassau, to
which it was annexed in 1866. It is situated on the right bank of the
Main. Said to have been a free city in 1174, and suffered much by the
wars of France. It was entered by the Prussians, who exacted heavy
supplies, July 16, 1866.
=Frankfort-on-the-Oder.= A well-built town of Prussia, capital of the
province of Brandenburg, 48 miles southeast from Berlin. It suffered
much from marauders in the Middle Ages, and in the Thirty Years’ War.
Near Frankfort, on August 12, 1759, Frederick of Prussia was defeated by
the Russians and Austrians. See CUNNERSDORF.
=Franklin.= In the southern part of Tennessee, near the boundary-line of
Alabama. A severe engagement took place here between the Union and
Confederate forces under Gens. Schofield and Hood respectively, November
30, 1864.
=Franks.= A name given to a combination of the Northwestern German
tribes about 240, which invaded Gaul and other parts of the empire with
various success.
=Fraser Gun.= See ORDNANCE, WOOLWICH GUN.
=Fraud.= See APPENDIX, ARTICLES OF WAR, 60.
=Fray.= Affray; combat; duel; broil; contest.
=Frazier’s Farm, Battle of.= See GLENDALE.
=Fredericia.= A fortified town of Denmark, in Jutland, on the Little
Belt. It was besieged and taken by Prussia in 1864.
=Fredericksburg.= A city of Spottsylvania Co., Va., on the south bank of
the Rappahannock River. On December 10, 1862, Gen. Burnside and the
Federal army of the Potomac crossed the small deep river of the
Rappahannock. On December 11, Fredericksburg was bombarded by the
Federals and destroyed. On the 13th commenced a series of most desperate
yet unsuccessful attacks on the Confederate works, defended by Gens.
Lee, Jackson, Longstreet, and others. Gen. Hooker crossed the river with
reserves, and joined in the conflict in vain. The Federal army recrossed
the Rappahannock December 15 and 16. This battle was one of the severest
of the war. Fredericksburg was the scene of several bloody battles
during the civil war.
=Frederickshald.= A town of Norway, at the influx of the Tistedals-elf
into the Idefiord, 55 miles southeast from Christiania. Charles XII. of
Sweden was killed here in the trenches before the fortress of
Fredericksteen, on December 11, 1718.
=Frederickshamm=, or =Hamina=. A fortified town of Finland. The treaty
which ceded Finland to Russia was signed here in 1809.
=Freebooter.= One who wanders about for plunder; a robber; a pillager; a
plunderer.
=Freebootery.= The act, practice, or gains of a freebooter; freebooting.
=Freebooting.= Robbery; plunder; a pillaging. Also acting the
freebooter; practicing the freebooter; robbing.
=Freehold.= A village, the capital of Monmouth Co., N. J. Near here was
fought the battle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778.
=Free-lances.= Were roving companies of knights and men-at-arms, who,
after the Crusades had ceased to give them employment, wandered from
state to state, selling their services to any lord who was willing to
purchase their aid in the perpetual feuds of the Middle Ages. They
played their most prominent part in Italy, where they were known as
_Condottieri_ (which see).
=Fregellæ= (_Fregellanus_; now _Ceprano_). An ancient and important town
of the Volsci, on the Liris, in Latium, conquered by the Romans, and
colonized 328 B.C. It took part with the allies in the Social war, and
was destroyed by Opimius.
=Fregosa=, or =Fregose= (in the plural _Fregosi_). A Genoese family,
which in the 14th century gained distinction among the popular party,
and by their rivalry with the Adorni occasioned frequent civil wars.
Fregoso (Domenico), became doge of Genoa in 1370. He conquered the isle
of Cyprus and was deposed in 1378. Pietro was a brother of the
preceding; he commanded the armament which conquered Cyprus in 1373, and
in 1393 was elected doge. Thomas was elected doge in 1415; being
attacked by Alfonso of Aragon and the Duke of Milan, he made a brave
resistance, and was forced to retire from Genoa in 1421. Pietro was
elected in 1450, and for eight years maintained his power against
Alfonso of Aragon and the Adorni; he was killed in an attempt to expel
the French from Genoa in 1459. There were several other doges of this
family in Genoa.
=Fréjus.= A town of France, in the department of the Var, 45 miles
northeast from Toulon. It was here that Bonaparte landed on his return
from Egypt in the autumn of 1799; and here also he disembarked after his
escape from Elba in 1814.
=French Fury, The.= A name given, in history, to the attempt made by the
Duke of Anjou to carry Antwerp by storm, January 17, 1583. The whole of
his force was either killed or taken captive in less than an hour.
=Frenchtown.= In Canada; it was taken from the British by the American
general Winchester, January 22, 1813, during the second war with the
United States. It was retaken by the British forces under Gen. Proctor
January 24, and the American commander and troops were made prisoners.
=French Projectile.= See PROJECTILE.
=Fréteval.= A town of France, in the department of Loir-et-Cher, 9 miles
northeast from Vendôme. In 1194 the army of Philip Augustus was defeated
here by the English.
=Friction Plates.= Plates used to check the recoil of guns. See RECOIL
and ELSWICK COMPRESSOR.