FOU ( 2?4 ) FOU

Continued. On this occasion every suc-ceeding division must preserve its properdistance, and mark time until the wordForward is given. This frequently oc-curs in the passage of obstacles, and inthe windings of roads, streets, &c. TheFrench say, En avunt ! A droite, Agauche, En avant!

Right shoulders Forward, a wordor >of command, by which sol-

Left ) diers are directed to wheel tothe right or left, without halting, whena corps is on its march. Whole regi-ments in open column may move roundthe different windings of a town orcountry without losing their relative dis-tances, provided each leading officer andhis covering serjeant pay the requisiteattention to his preceding division, andat the wheeling point give the words,right (or left) shoulders forward ! withaccuracy and firmness.

FOSSE, Fr. any deep excavation inthe earth, made so bv art, or left bynature. A gulp!) or particularly deep partin a river. It also signifies a den. Da-niel a Hi jet'e dans la fosse aux lions,Daniel was cast into the den to be de-voured by lions. This word is always ofthe feminine gender.

FOSSE, Fr. a ditch. This word isalways of the masculine gender. SeeFortification .

Fosse sec, Fi. dry ditch. ) g ee

Foss kplein d’eau, Fr. wet ditch. )Fortification.

Fosse de la contrescarpe, Fr. SeeDitcii of the counterscarp.

Fosses revilus, Fr. ditches that arelined.

Fosses non revetus, Fr. ditches thatare not lined.

FOSSE WAY, one of the great Ho-man roads in England, so called fromthe ditches on both sides.

FOUCADE, FOUGADE, a small

mine.

FOUDRE de guerre, Fr. this termis used among the French to signify ageneral who has gained many victories,and who has given repeated prooff ofuncommon valour.

FOUDltOYER, Fr. to play inces-santly against a fortified town or place,troop or company, with heavy ordnanceor musketry.

FOUET, Fr. Thiswordis pronouncedfoit, and signifies a whip, such as driversuse in the exercise or guidance of theirhorses, and hangmen for punishment.

FOUETTER, Fr. to whip; to beatviolently against any thing. La grtlefooette dans le camp, the hail beatsviolently in the camp. The French say,figuratively, in a neutral sense, Le canonfouette tout le long de la courtine, thecamion plays all along the curtain.

FOUGASS, in mining, a small mine,from 6 to 8 feet under ground: it isgenerally placed under the glacis, or dryditches.

FOUGETTE, or Baguette a feu , Fr.Indian sky-rocket; a species of fire-workwhich is frequently used by the Indianswho inhabit the western peninsula ofthe Ganges . The author of a late mili-tary production in Fiance makes thefollowing observations relative to advan-tages which might be derived from thisweapon against cavalry, and for the de-fence of fortified places or intrench-ments. He observes, that the fougette,in shape, resembles a sky-rocket, whoseflight is gradually brought to run alongan horizontal direction. By throwingseveral fougettes into parks of artillery,and upon the caissons, &c. considerabledamage might be occasioned from thefire which would inevitably be commu-nicated to some part. A fougette forcesitself immediately forward, cuts as itpenetrates, by the formation of its sides,which are filled with small spikes, be-comes combustible and on fire at all itspoints, and possesses within itself athousand different means by which it canadhere to whatever object it is destinedto set on fire or to destroy. This weaponwould be more effectual, because it,might be more variously applied, to de-fend the mouth of a harbour against anenemy’s shipping, than red-hot balls canever prove. F'ougettes might be used,on board ships of war, but there wouldcertainly be some danger in the experi-ment; although, in my humble opinion,a little experience might effectually re-move that difficulty; in which case,ships might run along a coast, and easilydestroy the wooden forts that are some*times erected upon it. They would inthe first place occasion more havoc thanred-hot balls; and in the next, theymight be used whilst the vessel was infull sail, which cannot be done in thefirst instance. By means of their na*tural velocity, they would do more exe-cution, in a less space of time, than themost active piece of ordnance could efsfeet; aud they would require fewer