[rollei_list] Re: OT: meaning of term

At 10:45 AM 9/26/2007, Allen Zak wrote:
>That means he takes measure to protect the right flank of his battle
>unit against attack by an enemy.  An army in the field has sides, known
>as flanks, as well as a front.  Those sides are often vulnerable to a
>flank attack because most of the weapons and deployment for combat
>takes place at the front.
Allen is correct. "Refuse" was a common tactical and operational term in the days of the US Civil War but has since fallen out of common military use. It is "re-fuse" (as in, "fuse again") and not "refuse" (as in to decline to do something). Imagine this: a battle develops and both sides push off to the flanks in an effort to envelop the enemy. When one side runs short of troops to continue the line, it will pull back its exposed flank into a loop connecting back to its own line. A fine example is that of Colonel Chamberlain with the 20th Maine at Little Round Top at Gettysburg. It worked -- and he refused to the front and not to the rear as was more commonly done. 

Marc


msmall@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!

---
Rollei List

- Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

- Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe'
in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Online, searchable archives are available at
http://www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list

Other related posts: