Chapter 3 of 18 · 3989 words · ~20 min read

Part 3

_GENERAL RULE._—With very few variations, the guns should attend in all the movements of the battalion, that division of it, to which they are particularly attached; and every attention should be paid in thus adapting the movements of the guns to those of the regiment, that they be not entangled with the divisions of the line, and never so placed as to obstruct the view of the pivots, and thereby the just formation of the line; but should always seek those positions, from which the enemy can be most annoyed, and the troops to which they are attached, protected.

If at any time the battalion guns of several regiments should be united and formed into brigades, their movements will then be the same as those for the artillery of the park.

_Artillery of the Park._

The artillery of the park is generally divided into brigades of 4 or 6 pieces, and a reserve, according to the force and extent of the front of an army. The reserve must be composed of about ⅙ of the park, and must be placed behind the first line. If the front of the army be extensive, the reserve must be divided.

The following are the principal rules for the movements and positions of the brigades of artillery: they are mostly translated from the _Aide Memoire_, a new military work.

In a _defensive_ position, the guns of the largest caliber must be posted in those points, from whence the enemy can be discovered at the greatest distance, and from which may be seen the whole extent of his front.

In an _offensive_ position, the weakest points of the line must be strengthened by the largest calibers; and the most distant from the enemy: those heights on which the army in advancing may rest its flanks, must be secured by them, and from which the enemy may be fired upon obliquely.

The guns should be placed as much as possible under cover; this is easily done upon heights, by keeping them so far back that the muzzles are only to be seen over them: by proper attention many situations may be found of which advantage may be taken for this purpose, such as banks, ditches, &c. every where to be met with.

A BATTERY in the field should never be discovered by the enemy till the very moment it is to open. The guns may be masked by being a little retired; or by being covered by troops, particularly cavalry.

To enable the commanding officer of artillery to choose the proper positions for his field batteries, he should of course be made acquainted, with the effect intended to be produced; with the troops that are to be supported; and with the points that are to be attacked; that he may place his artillery so as to support, but not incommode the infantry; nor take up such situations with his guns, as would be more advantageously occupied by the line. That he may not place his batteries too soon, nor too much exposed; that he may cover his front and his flanks, by taking advantage of the ground; and that he may not venture too far out of the protection of the troops, unless some very decided effect is to be obtained thereby.

The guns must be so placed as to produce a cross fire upon the position of the enemy, and upon all the ground which he must pass over in an attack.

They must be separated into many small batteries, to divide the fire of the enemy; while the fire from all these batteries, may at any time be united to produce a decided effect against any particular points.

These points are the _débouchés_ of the enemy, the heads of their columns, and the weakest points in the front. In an attack of the enemy’s position, the cross fire of the guns must become _direct_, before it can impede the advance of the troops; and must annoy the enemy’s positions nearest to the point attacked, when it is no longer safe to continue the fire upon that point itself.

The shot from artillery should always take an enemy in the direction of its greatest dimension; it should therefore take a line obliquely or in flank, but a column in front.

The artillery should never be placed in such a situation, that it can be taken by an enemy’s battery obliquely, or in flank, or in the rear; unless a position under these circumstances, offers every prospect of producing a most decided effect, before the guns can be destroyed or placed _hors de combat_.

The most elevated positions are not the best for artillery, the greatest effects may be produced from a height of 30 or 40 yards at the distance of about 600 and about 16 yards of height to 200 of distance.

Positions in the rear of the line are bad for artillery, because they alarm the troops, and offer a double object to the fire of the enemy.

Positions which are not likely to be shifted; but from whence an effect may be produced during the whole of an action, are to be preferred; and in such positions a low breast work of 2 or 3 feet high may be thrown up, to cover the carriages.

Artillery should never fire against artillery, unless the enemy’s troops are covered, and his artillery exposed; or unless your troops suffer more from the fire of his guns, than his troops do from yours.

Never abandon your guns till the last extremity. The last discharges are the most destructive; they may perhaps be your salvation, and crown you with glory.

The parks of artillery in Great Britain are composed of the following ordnance; 4 medium 12 pounders; 4 desaguliers 6 pounders; and 4 light 5½ inch howitzers.

_The following is the proposed line of march for the three Brigades when acting with different Columns of Troops, as settled, in 1798._

2d. _Artillery and Ammunition for a Siege._

Necessary considerations in forming an estimate for this service.

The force, situation, and condition of the place to be besieged; whether it be susceptible of more than one attack; whether lines of circumvallation or countervallation will be necessary; whether it be situated upon a height, upon a rocky soil, upon good ground, or in a marsh; whether divided by a river, or in the neighborhood of one; whether the river will admit of forming inundations; its size and depth; whether the place be near a wood, and whether that wood can supply stuff for fascines, gabions, &c.; whether it be situated near any other place where a depot can be formed to supply stores for the siege. Each of these circumstances will make a very considerable difference in proportioning the stores, &c. for a siege. More artillery will be required for a place susceptible of two attacks, than for the place which only admits of one. For this last there must be fewer pieces of ordnance, but more ammunition for each piece. In case of lines being necessary, a great quantity of intrenching tools will be required, and a numerous field train of artillery. In case of being master of any garrison in the neighborhood of the besieged town, from whence supplies can readily be drawn, this must be regarded as a second park: and too great a quantity of stores need not be brought at once before the besieged place. The number of batteries to be opened before the place must determine the number of pieces of ordnance; and on the quantity of ordnance must depend the proportion of every species of stores for the service of the artillery.

There must be a battery to _enfilade_ every face of the work to be besieged, that can in any way annoy the besiegers in their approaches. These batteries, at least that part of them to be allotted for guns, need not be much longer than the breadth of the rampart to be enfiladed, and will not therefore hold more than 5 or 6 heavy guns; which, with two more to enfilade the opposite branch of the covert way, will give the number of guns for each ricochet battery. As the breaching batteries, from their situation, effectually mask the fire of the first or ricochet batteries, the same artillery generally serves for both. Having thus ascertained the number of heavy guns, the rest of the ordnance will bear the following proportion to them:

_Mortars._—From 8 inch to 13 inch, about ⅓. _Small Mortars._—About ¼. _Heavy Howitzers._—About ⅛.

The fewer natures of ordnance which compose the demand the better, as a great deal of the confusion may be prevented, which arises from various natures of ammunition and stores being brought together.

_The Carriages for the Ordnance are generally as follows_:

For 24 Prs. ⅚ the number of guns. For Mortars, ⁸/₉ the number of mortars. For Howitzers, ¾ the number of howitzers. For _Stone_ Mortars, ⁶/₇ the number of mortars.

_Ammunition for the Ordnance._

24 Prs.——At 1000 rounds per gun. Mortars, howitzers, and stone mortars, at 800 rounds per piece of ordnance.

DURTUBIE.

The following proportion of artillery and ammunition was demanded by a very able officer, for the intended siege of Lisle, in 1794, which place was thought susceptible of two attacks.

64—24 Prs. with carriages complete, at 50 _round shot_ per gun, per day, for the whole siege; half of them _en ricochet_, with 2lbs. of powder; the other half with the full charge of 8lbs.

_Case_ and _Grape_ shot, at one round per gun, per day, of each: 6lbs. per charge.

_Shells_ for guns, two rounds do.

_Flannel cartridges_, for the case, grape, and shells.

_Tin_ tubes for the case and grape.

_Quill_ tubes for the round shot.

_Spare_, ⅒.

28—10 Inch mortars, on iron beds, at 50 shells each per day, for the whole siege. 3lbs. of powder charge—2lbs. 10 oz. for bursting.

_Pound shot_—100 to a charge; 50 rounds per mortar each day for 10 mortars 7 days; 2 lbs. of powder each.

_Hand grenades_—25 to a charge; the same as the pound shot.

_Carcasses, round_—1 per mortar, per day.

8— 8 Inch howitzers, on travelling carriages

30 _Shells_ for each per day, during the siege.

_Case shot_—5 rounds per day each.

_Carcasses_—1 per day each.

_Powder_—1 lb. per charge; 1 lb. 14 oz. for bursting.

20—5½ Inch mortars, on wooden beds.

50 _Shells_ for each, per day, for the whole siege; charge 8 oz.—12 oz. for bursting.

_Flannel cartridges_, for ⅓ the number of rounds.

_Tin_ tubes in the same proportion.

_Portfires_, ½ the number of rounds with tubes.

_Fuzes_, ⅒ to spare.

_Match_, 50 cwt.

Spare carriages for 24 Prs. seven. 2 Devil carriages. 6 Sling carts. 6 Block carriages. 3 Forge carts. 3 Store waggons, with iron and coals. 3 Triangle gins, complete. 6 Laboratory tents. 2 Small petards. 4 Grates for heating shot.

_Of the Arrangement of Artillery at a Siege._

The first arrangement of the artillery at a siege is to the different batteries raised near the first parallel, to enfilade the faces of the work on the front attacked, which fire on the approaches. If these first batteries be favorably situated, the artillery may be continued in them nearly the whole of the siege; and will save the erection of any other gun batteries, till the besiegers arrive on the crest of the glacis. It however frequently happens, from local circumstances, that the besiegers cannot avail themselves of the most advantageous situations for the first batteries. There are four situations from which the defences of any face may be destroyed; but not from all with equal facility. The best position for the first batteries, is perpendicular to the prolongation of the face of the work to be enfiladed. If this position cannot be attained, the next that presents itself is, on that side of the prolongation which takes the face in reverse; and under as small an angle as possible. From both these positions the guns must fire _en ricochet_. But if the ground, or other circumstance, will not admit of either of these being occupied by ricochet batteries, the battery to destroy the fire of a face must be without the prolongation, so as to fire obliquely upon the outside of the face. The last position, in point of advantage, is directly parallel to the face. From these two last positions the guns must fire with the full charges.

The second, or breaching batteries at a siege, are generally placed on the crest of the glacis, within 15 or 18 feet of the covert way; which space serves as the epaulment: but if the foot of the revetment cannot be seen from this situation, they must be placed in the covert way, within 15 feet of the counterscarpe of the ditch. These batteries must be sunk as low as the soles of the embrazures, and are in fact but an enlargement of the sap, run for the lodgement on the glacis or in the covert way. In constructing a battery on the crest of the glacis, attention must be paid that none of the embrazures open upon the traverses of the covert way. These batteries should consist of at least four guns; and if the breadth between the traverses will not admit of this number, at the usual distances, the guns must be closed to 15 or 12 feet from each other.

The mortars are generally at first arranged in battery, adjoining the first gun batteries, or upon the prolongation of the capitals of the works; in which place they are certainly least exposed. Upon the establishment of the half parallels, batteries of howitzers may be formed in their extremities, to enfilade the branches of the covert way; and upon the formation of the third parallel, batteries of howitzers and stone mortars may be formed to enfilade the flanks of the bastions, and annoy the besieged in the covert way. In the lodgement on the glacis, stone and other mortars may also be placed, to drive the besieged from their defences. A great object in the establishment of all these batteries, is to make such an arrangement of them, that they mask the fire of each other as little as possible; and particularly of the first, or ricochet batteries. This may very well be prevented till the establishment on the crest of the glacis, when it becomes in some degree unavoidable: however, even the operations on the glacis may be so arranged, that the ricochet batteries be not masked till the breaching batteries be in a great state of forwardness: a very secure method, and which prevents the soldiers in trenches being alarmed by the shot passing over their heads, is to raise a _Parados_, or parapet, in the rear of the trenches, at such parts where the fire from the besieger’s batteries crosses them. For further details on this subject, and for the manner of constructing batteries, see the word _Battery_; also the words _Ricochet_, _Breach_, _Magazine_, _Platform_, &c.

3d. _Artillery and Ammunition for the Defence of Fortified Place._

_It is usual in an Estimate of Artillery and Ammunition for the Defence of Fortified Places, to divide them into Eight Classes, as follows_:

+-----------------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ |CLASSES. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | +-----------------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ |Garrisons |12000|10000|8000|5000|3500|2500|1600| 400| |Cannon | 100| 90| 80| 70| 60| 50| 40| 30| |Triangle Gins | 4| 3| 2| 2| 2| 1| 1| 1| |Sling Carts | 4| 3| 2| 2| 2| 1| 1| 1| |Jacks of Sizes | 4| 3| 2| 2| 2| 1| 1| 1| |Truck Carriages | 6| 6| 4| 4| 2| 2| 2| 2| |Ammunition Carts, &c. | 12| 12| 12| 6| 6| 6| 2| 2| |Tools for Pioneers | 9000| 6000|5000|4000|3500|3000|1000|1000| | ” ” Miners | 300| 200| 100| 100| 100| 100| 50| 5| +----------+------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ |Tools for | ⅓ Axes | | | | | | | | | | Cutting | ⅔ Billhooks| 1200| 900| 600| 500| 450| 300| 150| 150| +----------+------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ |Forges, complete | 6| 4| 2| 2| 2| 2| 1| 1| +-----------------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+

The guns will be of the following calibers: ⅓ of 18 Prs.—⅓ of 12 Prs.—and ⅓ of 24, 9, and 4 Pounders in equal proportions. If the place does not possess any very extraordinary means of defence, it will be very respectably supplied with 800 rounds of ammunition per gun for the two larger calibers, and 900 for each of the others.

_Gun Carriages_—⅓ more than the number of guns.

_Mortars_—About ¼ the number of guns in the three first classes; and ⅕ or ⅙ in the other classes. Of these ⅖ will be 13 or 10 inch mortars, and the rest of a smaller nature.

_Howitzers_—¼ the number of mortars.

_Stone Mortars_—⅒ the number of guns.

_Shells_—400 for each of the 10 and 13 inch mortars, and 600 for each of the smaller ones.

_Beds_ for mortars—⅓ to spare.

_Carriages_ for howitzers—⅓ to spare.

_Hand Grenades_—4 or 5000 for the two first classes; 2000 in the three following classes; and from 1500 to 600 in the three last classes.

_Rampart Grenades_—2000 for the first class; 1000 for the four following classes; and 500 for the sixth class; none for the two last.

_Fuzes_—¼ more than the number of shells.

_Bottoms_ of wood for stone mortars—400 per mortar.

_Sand Bags_—500 for every piece of ordnance in the large places, and ¼ less in the small ones.

_Handspikes_—10 per piece.

_Tackle Falls_ for gins—1 for every 10 pieces to spare.

_Musquets_—1 per soldier, and the same number to spare.

_Pistols_, pairs—½ the number of musquets.

_Flints_—50 per musquet, and 10 per pistol.

_Lead_ or _Balls_ for small arms—30 pounds per musquet.

_Powder for Small Arms_—5 pounds for every musquet in the garrison, including the spare ones.

The above proportions are taken from Durtubie’s Manuel De l’Artilleur.

The following method of regulating the management of the artillery, and estimating the probable expenditure of ammunition in the defence of a fortified place, is extracted from a valuable work on fortification lately published at Berlin. It is particularly applied to a regular hexagon; the siege is divided into three periods, _viz._

1st. From the first investiture to the first opening of the trenches, about 5 days.

2d. From the opening of the trenches to the effecting a lodgement on the glacis, about 18 days.

3d. From this time to the capitulation, about 5 days.

_First Period._ Three guns on the barbette of each bastion and on the barbettes of the ravelins in front of the gateways, half 24 Prs. and half 18 Prs.[4] three 9 Prs. on the barbette of each of the other ravelins.

Twelve 12 Prs. and twelve 4 Prs. in reserve.

One 13 inch mortar in each bastion.

Six of 8 inch in the salient angles of the covert way.

Do. in reserve.

Ten stone mortars.

[4] For 16 Prs. in the French work, the compiler has said 18 Prs.—for 8 Prs. 9 Prs.—for 12 inch mortars, 13 inch; to which they nearly answer.

The 12 Prs. in reserve, are to be ranged behind the curtain, on whichever side they may be required, and the 4 Prs. in the outworks; all to fire _en ricochet_ over the parapet. By this arrangement, the whole of the barbette guns are ready to act in any direction, till the side of attack is determined on; and with the addition of the reserve, 49 pieces may be opened upon the enemy the very first night they begin to work upon the trenches.

The day succeeding the night on which the trenches are opened, and the side to be attacked determined, a new arrangement of the artillery must take place. All the 24 and 18 Prs. must be removed to the front attacked, and the other bastions, if required, supplied with 12 Prs. The barbettes of the bastions on this front may have each 5 guns, and the 12 18 prs. may be ranged behind the curtain. The six mortars in reserve must be placed, two in each of the salient angles of the covert way of this front, and with those already there, mounted as howitzers,[5] to fire down the prolongations of the capitals. Three 4 pounders in each of the salient places of arms of the ravelins on the attacked fronts, to fire over the palisading, and five 9 Prs. in the ravelin of this front. This arrangement will bring 47 guns, and 18 mortars to fire on the approaches after the first night; and with a few variations will be the disposition of the artillery for the second period of the siege. As soon as the enemy’s batteries are fairly established, it will be no longer safe to continue the guns _en barbette_, but embrazures[6] must be opened for them; which, embrazures must be occasionally masked, and the guns assume new directions, as the enemy’s fire grows destructive; but may again be taken advantage of, as circumstances offer. As the enemy gets near the third parallel, the artillery must be withdrawn from the covert way to the ravelins, or to the ditch, if dry, or other favorable situations; and, by degrees, as the enemy advances, to the body of the place. During this period of the siege, the embrazures must be prepared in the flanks, in the curtain which joins them, and in the faces of the bastions which flank the ditch of the front ravelins. These embrazures must be all ready to open, and the heavy artillery mounted in them, the moment the enemy attempts a lodgement on the glacis.

[5] Our iron mortars, on iron beds, all admit of being fired at low angles.

[6] A German author proposes that the mounds of earth which enable the guns to fire _en barbette_, should be so arranged, that the embrasures may be opened between them; and when the guns descend to the embrazures, the barbettes will serve as traversers.

Every effort should be made to take advantage of this favorable moment, when the enemy, by their own works, must mask their former batteries, and before they are able to open their new ones.

The expenditure of ammunition will be nearly as follows:

_First period_ of the siege—5 rounds per gun, per day, with only half the full charge, or ⅙ the weight of the shot, and for only such guns as can act.

_Second period_—20 rounds per gun, per day, with ⅙ the weight of the shot.

_Third period_—60 rounds per gun, per day, with the full charge, or ⅓ the weight of the shot.

_Mortars_—At 20 shells per day, from the first opening of the trenches to the capitulation.

_Stone Mortars_—80 rounds per mortar, for every 24 hours, from the establishment of the demi parallels to the capitulation; about 13 days.

_Light_, and _Fire balls_—Five every night, for each mortar, from the opening of the trenches to the eighth day, and three from that time to the end