Flank Company. A certain number of men drawn up on the right or left of a battalion. Thus when there are grenadiers they compose the right, and the light infantry the left flank company. Grenadiers and light infantry are generally called flank companies, whether attached or not to their battalions; rifle corps are always flankers.
Flank, Concave. Is that which is made in the arc of a semicircle bending outwards.
Flank, Covered. The platform of the casemate, which lies hid in the bastion. These retired flanks were a great defense to the opposite bastion and passage of the ditch; because the besiegers could not see nor easily dismount their guns.
Flank Defense Carriage. See [Ordnance, Carriages for, Sea-coast Carriages].
Flank, Directing. In drill, that by which companies march,—i.e., that at which is placed the guide, who directs and regulates the march.
Flank En Potence. Is any part of the right or left wing formed at a projecting angle with the line. See [Potence].
Flank Files. Are the two first men on the right and the two last men on the left of a battalion, company, etc. When a battalion is drawn up three deep, its flank files consist of three men, or, as the French call it, file and demi-file. When four deep, the flank files are termed double files; so that a column formed from any of these alignments will have all its relative flank files, be the depth of formation what it may.
Flank, Inner. That which is nearest the point on which a line rests, or which is farthest from the enemy. In drill, it is that nearest the point from which the line is dressed.
Flank, Leading. When the line breaks into column in order to attack an enemy, it is the flank which must always preserve the line of [appui] in all movements in front. The first battalion, or company of every column which conducts, is called the head or leading flank of that column.
Flank, Oblique. Or second flank, in fortification; 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 some engineers, as being liable to be ruined at the beginning of a siege, especially when made of sandy earth. This second flank defends very obliquely the opposite face, and is to be used only in a place attacked by an army without artillery.