FERRIES, water conveyances, made use of to cross rivers, or branches of the sea.
FERTH or FORTH. See [Army].
FEU, Fr. Fire. Faire feu, to discharge any sort of firearms.
Feu, fire, is also understood to mean any light combustible, which is kept up in the front of a camp, and at each post during the night to keep the soldiers alert, and to prevent them from being surprised.
Every species of fire, or light is, however, strictly forbidden on a march, when the object is to surprize an enemy. Soldiers on these occasions are not permitted to smoke. Bundles, and large wisps of lighted straw, which are hung out from the tops of steeples, or from any other elevation, frequently serve to give the alarm when an enemy is discovered in the act of passing a river.
Lights are likewise resorted to on various other occasions. See Lights.
Feu de joie. See [Running-Fire].
Feu rasant, Fr. a grazing fire, or a discharge of ordnance or musquetry so directed that the shot shall run parallel with the ground they fly over, within 3 or 4 feet of the surface.
That is likewise called a feu rasant, or grazing fire, which is sent in parallel directions with the faces of the different works belonging to a fortification.
FICHANT. See [Line of Defence], [Fortification].