Part 8

5. The gun being in the position for action, _prepares to advance slow_; 7 and 8 step outwards, 3 yards; 9 and 10 place themselves in line with the axletree, leaving room for 12 and 13, (who each bring a drag rope from 14) to pass between them and the wheels; 12 and 15 as they pass give the chain ends of the drag ropes to 9 and 10, who hook them to the washers; 12 and 13 man the Front pins, 7 and 8 the center, and 9 and 10 the rear.

This is only practised with light guns.

_Prepare for Action._—7, 8, 9, and 10 quit their pins; 12 and 13 go to the rear; 9 and 10, as soon as 12 and 13 have passed them, unhook the drag ropes; 12 and 13 carry them to 14; 13 gets his ammunition.

6. _Prepare to advance with a Horse._

_Light Pieces._—7 gives his spunge to 9; 7 and 8 unhook the chain traces from the breast of the carriage, and lay them over the spokes of the wheels; the driver brings up a horse to the front, by the right; 7 and 8 unhook the horses traces from the back band, and hook them to the short gun traces, and then take post outside the wheels; 7 takes his spunge.

_Heavy Pieces._—This is done with two horses, one before the other; 7 and 8 hook the horse, the driver rides to the rear horse, and 9 and 10 hook the rear horse to the short gun traces.

_Prepare for Action._—The different numbers exactly undo what they have just done.

7. _Prepare to advance with a Limber._

The only difference between this, and advancing with a horse, is that the limber is brought up to the front; and 15 brings up a drag rope, the center of which he lays over the pin tail, and 7 and 8 hook the ends to the short drag chains of the carriage.

_Methods of retreating Guns._

8. _Prepare to retreat slow._—7 and 8 place themselves in a line, with the axletree of the carriage on each side; 9 and 10 in a line with the trail; 12 and 13 get each a drag rope from 14, and give the chain ends to 7 and 8, who hook them to the drag washers; 7 and 8 man the rear pins: 9 and 10 the center-pins; 12 and 13 the front; 10 carries the linstock; 15 turns the limber. This is only done with light pieces.

_Prepare for Action._—7 and 8 unhook; 9 and 10 quit their pins; 12 and 13 carry back the drag ropes to 14; 14 gets his ammunition; 15 turns the limber to the front; the whole resume their places in action.

9. _Prepare to retreat with a Horse._

_Light Pieces._—7, 8, 9, and 10 place themselves as in retreating slow; 13 gets a drag rope from 14, and gives it to 9 and 10, who lay the center of it across the top of the traversing handspike, and then under the trail hooks; 12 and 13 hook the traces of the horse brought up by the driver to the ends of the drag rope; 15 turns the limber.

_Heavy Guns._—This is done in the same manner, but with two horses; 9 and 10 hook on the rear horse, and 12 and 13 the leader.

_Prepare for Action._—The same numbers undo what they have just done.

10. _Prepare to retreat with a Limber._

The limber is brought up to the trail of the carriage; 12 and 13 bring up each a drag rope, and hook the chain ends to the limber; while 9 and 10 hook the other ends to the trail hooks.

11. _Prepare to fire retreating with a Horse._

This is done exactly as in the article _Retreating with a Horse_, except that _two_ drag ropes are brought by 12 and 13, who hook the chain ends to the horses traces, while 9 and 10 hook the other ends to the trail hooks.

12. _Prepare to fire retreating with a Limber._

The limber in this case is fixed exactly as in retreating with a limber; but at the distance of two drag ropes length: this therefore employs two _pair_ of drag ropes. In firing and retreating, if the gun retreat loaded, 10 is not to light his port fire, nor 11 to point till ordered. Upon the word _Halt_, Nᵒ 7 must ram home the cartridge, and the whole face about. In preparing for action from any of these positions, the same numbers undo exactly what they have just done, and immediately fall into their places for action; and the duties are the same with the heavy field pieces as with the light ones.

_Exercise of a Field Gun with 15 Men._

When a light gun has 6 drag rope men attached to it, the duties of the standing numbers, that is, the numbers from 7 to 15 continue the same in all the exercises just mentioned; but they assist also in the movements of the gun by drag ropes.

In the _line of march_, 1, 2, and 3, are on the left of the gun in the rear of 7; and 4, 5, and 6 on the right, in the rear of 8.

In the _position for action_, 1, 2, and 3, hold the right drag rope, and 4, 5, and 6 the left, and dress in a line with the axletree. On the word _Load_, 3 and 4 unhook the drag ropes from the drag washers, 3 holds the hook in his left hand, and 4 in his right; and they hook on again at the word _Cease firing_.

On the word _Prepare to advance quick_, 2, 3, 4, and 5, slip under the drag ropes; 2 and 5 man the loop ends on the inside; 3. and 4 the first pins on the inside; 7 and 8 move to the second pins on the inside; 1 and 6 remain at their pins: 9 and 10 move to the second pins on the outside; and 12 and 13 to the rear pins on the outside; 14 assists 11 at the traversing handspike; 13 lifts up the trail for 11 to put in the truck; and 12 gives his match to 10.—Then the word,

_Prepare for Action._

2, 3, 4, and 5, slip back again under the drag ropes, and the whole resume their places for action.

_Word—With two pair of Drag Ropes, prepare to retreat quick._

3 and 4 unhook from the drag washers, and march to the rear; 2 and 5 follow, and 1 and 6 hook the loop ends of the drag ropes to the trail hooks. 12 sticks his linstock in the ground, and with 13 brings the spare drag ropes from 14, and gives the chain ends to 7 and 8 to hook to the drag washers; 7, 9, and 12, man the right drag rope, and 8, 10, and 13, the left. To resume the position for action, on the

_Word—Prepare for Action._

7 and 8 unhook the spare drag ropes, and 12 and 13 carry them back to 14; 1 and 6 unhook from the trail, and 3 and 4 hook the other ends to the drag washers.

_Word—Prepare for Action retreating._

The drag rope men change as in retreating. Upon the word _Load_, 1 and 6 unhook from the trail, and hook on again at the word _Cease firing_.

It must be here remarked, that in the exercise with 15 men, only the additional duties have been detailed; the duties of the standing numbers in action, advancing or retreating, being still the same as without drag rope men. In limbering and unlimbering, the drag rope men have no duties, but are ready to assist with the drag ropes. The truck is always put on in all movements with the drag ropes, and thrown off at the word _Load_.

_Exercise with Heavy Ordnance in a Battery._

_32, or 42 Pounder._

_10 Men._ 1 spunges; 2 loads. 3 and 5 run the gun up. 4 and 6 run up and elevate. 7 serves the vent, traverses, primes and runs up. 8 runs up, traverses, and fires. 9 brings cartridges. 10 points and commands.

_9 Men._ 1 spunges, 2 loads. 3 and 5 run up. 4 runs up and elevates. 6 brings cartridges, runs up, and elevates. 7 serves the vent, runs up, traverses, and primes. 8 runs up, traverses, and fires. 9 points and commands.

_8 Men._ 1 spunges; 2 loads and runs up. 3 runs up. 4 and 5 run up and elevate. 6 brings cartridges, runs up, and traverses. 7 serves the vent, runs up, traverses, and primes. 8 points, fires, and commands.

_7 Men._ 1 spunges and runs up. 2 loads and runs up. 3 runs up and elevates. 4 brings cartridges, runs up and elevates. 5 serves the vent, runs up, traverses, and primes. 6 runs up, traverses, and fires. 7 points and commands.

_6 Men._ 1 spunges and runs up, 2 loads, runs up, and elevates. 3 runs up and elevates. 4 brings cartridges, runs up and traverses. 5 serves the vent, runs up, traverses and primes. 6 runs up, points, fires, and commands.

_24 Pounder_, &c.

_8 Men._ 1 spunges, 2 loads. 3 and 4 run up and elevate. 5 serves the vent, runs up, traverses, and primes. 6 runs up, traverses, and fires. 7 brings cartridges. 8 points and commands.

_7 Men._ 1 spunges, 2 loads. 3 runs up and elevates. 4 brings cartridges, runs up, and elevates. 5 serves vent, traverses, and primes. 6 runs up, traverses, and fires. 7 points and commands.

_6 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, elevates. 2 loads, runs up, and elevates. 3 serves the vent, runs up, traverses, and primes. 4 runs up, traverses, fires. 5 brings cartridges. 6 points and commands.

_5 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, elevates. 2 brings cartridges, loads, runs up, and elevates. 3 serves vent, runs up, traverses, and primes. 4 runs up, traverses, fires. 5 points and commands.

_4 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, points. 2 brings cartridges, loads, runs up and elevates. 3 serves vent, runs up, traverses, elevates, and primes. 4 runs up, traverses, fires.

_3 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, points, and fires. 2 brings cartridges, loads, runs up, elevates, traverses. 3 serves vent, runs up, elevates, traverses, and primes.

_4⅖, or 5½ Inch Mortar._

_2 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, brings shells, puts them in, traverses, and primes. 2 serves the vent, runs up, brings cartridges, puts them in, points, and fires.

_3 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, traverses, brings shells, and puts them in. 2 brings cartridges, puts in, serves the vent, runs up, primes, and fires. 3 points, elevates, and commands.

_8 Inch Mortar, or Howitzer._

_5 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, dredges. 2 runs up, brings cartridges and puts them in. 3 runs up, brings shells, puts them in, traverses, primes. 4 runs up, traverses, fires. 5 serves vent, points, and commands.

_4 men._ 1 spunges, runs up, dredges. 2 runs up, brings cartridges, and puts them in. 3 serves the vent, brings shells, and puts them in, runs up, traverses, and fires. 4 runs up, points, commands.

_10, or 13 Inch Mortar._

_10 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, puts in shells, and dredges. 2 runs up, brings cartridges, puts them in, and puts in the shells. 3 brings cartridges. 4 and 5 bring shells. 6, 7, 8, and 9, run up, and traverse. 8 serves vent and primes. 9 fires, 10 points, and commands.

_6 Men._ 1 spunges, runs up, puts in shells, dredges, and traverses. 2 runs up, brings cartridges, and puts them in, puts in shells, and traverses. 3 and 4 run up, bring, shells, and traverse. 5 runs up, serves vent, and primes. 6 runs up, points, fires, and commands.

_Exercise of the Gin._

The complement of men for a gin is usually 1 noncommissioned officer and 10 men; they are numbered from 1 to 10, the noncommissioned officer being 11.

_To carry a Gin._

1 and 2 carry the prypole, 3 and 5 the right cheek, 4 and 6 the left, 7 the windlass and fids, 8 and 9 the blocks and tackles, 10 the handspikes, &c.

_To Set up a Gin._

1 and 2 put a common handspike through the ring, near the foot of the prypole, at which they lift; 3 and 4 steady the cheeks, by placing each a handspike against the lower cross bar; 5, 7, and 9 lift the right cheek; 6, 8, and 10 the left cheek; 11 gives directions. The tackles must be hooked on before the gin is raised.

_To work a Gin._

1 and 3 man the right handspikes of the gin; 2 and 4 the left; 5, 6, 7, and 8 hold on the fall, and pull in the slack; 9 and 10 steady the gun, 9 at the muzzle, 10 at the breach. The tackle hook must be fixed directly over the dolphins, if any, or a little behind the trunnions.

In heaving, when the ends of 1 and 4 handspikes come as low as their knees, 2 and 3 put theirs into the upper holes of the windlass, and 3 gives the word _Fetch_, upon which 1 and 4 clear their handspikes from the windlass, and 1 gives the word _Heave_; 2 and 3 then bear down their handspikes, and remain fast till 1 and 4 having taken their fresh purchase, 1 gives the word _Fetch_, when 2 and 3 clear their handspikes, and 3 gives the word _Heave_; and so on alternately, till the gun is at its proper height, when the handspikes in the upper holes are made to rest against the upper cross bar, and 5 makes fast the fall to the lower cross bar; and if required to lower the gun, eases the fall off from the windlass; 5, 6, 7, and 8 move the carriage, as required, under the gun.

_Exercise of the Sling Cart._

The men for the service of the sling cart are numbered from 1 to 7; the noncommissioned officer being No. 7; No. 1 and 2 sling the gun. The gun must be laid with 1 trunnion touching the ground, and the sling passes diagonally round the gun; being before one trunnion, and behind the other; and that end of the sling which goes round the lower side of the gun must be the end to be acted on by the windlass; as by that means the trunnions become horizontal when the gun is raised; No. 1, 3, and 5 man the right lever; 2, 4, and 6 the left lever; and upon the word from the noncommissioned officer they heave together: the noncommissioned officer then directs _left hand lever hold on, right lever fetch_; the right lever takes a fresh purchase: then, _right lever hold on, left lever fetch_; the left lever takes a fresh purchase; they then heave together again. When the gun is high enough, 7 puts in the pall; 1 and 2 take out the levers, and put in the prypole; 3 and 4 raise the breech of the gun with two common handspikes, and 5 and 6 lash it to the prypole: 1 and 2 then lay their levers along side the prypole, and 3 and 4 their handspikes on the top of them, which 5 and 6 lash all fast together.

_FASCINES_—have different names, according to their size and use.

1. _Saucissons_ are usually made 18 feet long, and from 10 to 12 inches in diameter; and are used for the revetement of embrazures, or for the corners of the parapet.

2. _Battery Fascines_—are made from 8 to 12 feet long, and from 10 to 12 inches thick; used for the revetement of the parapet, &c.

3. _Trench Fascines_—from 4 to 6 feet long, and from 4 to 9 inches thick; used at sieges.

4. _Water Fascines_—6 feet long, from 1 to 2 feet thick; used to cover marshy and wet situations; they must be loaded with stone to make them sink.

5. _Covering Fascines_—are used to form the tops of magazines or saps. They ought therefore to be composed of the strongest branches, with the addition of a few poles, that they may bear a considerable weight.

6. _Sap Faggots_—3 feet long, 8 inches thick.

_Attentions in making Fascines_—The bands must be from 10 to 12 inches asunder, of birch, hazle, or other pliant wood, well twisted. The fascines must be drawn close with a choke rope, previous to being tied.

In laying the wood to form the fascines, the shortest and smallest pieces should be laid inside. Three men are usually employed at each trestle, with two to collect the stuff.

In general a saucisson of 18 feet may be finished at each trestle in half an hour.

Birch and fir are the bell woods for this work.

Fascines are sometimes bent so as to coincide with the angles of the battery. The Prussians double some of the fascine stuff, so as to make a loop at the end of the fascine, which being laid over one another at the corners, and a stake driven through the loops, are very strong.

_FIRE SHIP._—_Proportion of combustible Stores for a Fire Ship of 150 Tons._

Nᵒ. Fire barrels, filled with composition 8 Iron chambers, to blow open the ports 12 Composition for priming, barrels 3½ Quick, match, ” 1 Curtains, dipped 48 Reeds, long, single dipped 150 ” short, { double dipped 75 { single dipped 75 Bavins, single dipped 250

The fire barrels are about 2 feet 4 inches high, and 1 foot 6 inches diameter. Each barrel must have four holes of about 6 inches square cut in its sides; and these holes must have a square piece of canvass nailed over them quite close. They are then filled with the same composition as for carcasses, and 4 plugs of about 1 inch diameter and 3 inches long, and well greased, are thrust into the top, and then left to dry. When dry, these plugs are taken out, and the holes driven with fuze composition, and quick match at the top; which goes from one hole to the other: after this the top is smeared over with mealed powder mixt up with spirits of wine. When dry again, a sheet or two of brown paper is laid over the top, and then one of the canvass covers, which is made secure by the upper hoop of the barrel.

_Composition for dipping Reeds, Bavins, and Curtains._

lbs. Rosin 120 Coarse sulphur 90 Swedish pitch 60 Tallow 6 Mealed powder 12

This proportion will dip about 100 reeds and 25 bavins.

Each curtain contains 1 square yard of barras.

Each cover for fire barrels 1 do. of sacking.

Immediately that the curtains, covers, &c. are dipped, they are to be strewed over with fine brimstone, before the composition grows cold.

The iron chambers, for blowing open the ports, hold from 9 to 11 ounces of powder. They are fixed in such a manner as to prevent their recoil, and to ensure the ports being blown open. The vents are generally corked up, and covered with a piece of barras, till required to be primed.

_To fit out a Fire Ship._—The whole breadth of the fire room is to be divided into 9 parts, and troughs laid the whole length of the room. Cross troughs, of communication are laid between them, about 20 in each row, perpendicular to the long troughs. These troughs are usually 4 inches wide, and 4 deep. There are two fire trunks and two fire scuttles on each side, under which the eight fire barrels are to be placed.

The reeds and bavins are to be tied down in the troughs. The curtains are to be nailed up to the beams, equally through the fire room. The ship is not to be primed when fitted out, but only when intended to be fired.

_To Prime._

_Composition for Priming._

Saltpetre pulverized 22 lbs. 8 oz. Rosin 2 11 Sulphur 18 — Mealed powder 45 — Linseed oil 1 pint.

All the reeds and bavins are to be taken up, and a little of the above composition sprinkled in the bottom of the troughs; the reeds, &c. to be then gently tied down again. Quick match of 6 or 8 threads doubled must be laid along on the tops of all the reeds &c. and the priming composition strewed over it, and over all the fire room. The covers of all the fire barrels must be cut open, and made to hang down on the sides of the barrels. Leaders of strong quick match must be laid from the reeds to the barrels and to the chambers; and must be tied down to the vents to insure its not falling off. Strong leaders of quick match; 4 or 5 times doubled, must be laid from the reeds to the sally ports; and the sally ports must be connected by quick match, that the whole may take fire at once.

The following method is now adopted of producing an external fire, in addition to the internal fire, before gained by the fire room.

Fire boxes filled with the carcass composition, are distributed in the following manner, in a ship of three masts:

1 Suspended from each of the catheads and davits, on each side the bow 4 8 Slung across the bowsprit 8 4 Across each of the outriggers abaft 8 2 From the graplins of each of the lower yardarms 12 1 From the deadeyes on each side of the three round tops 6 1 From the middle of the inside of the main, fore, and mizen shrouds 6 —— 44

The boxes are suspended by chains and hooks, and those slung across the bowsprit and outriggers, are fixed by staples. The two inner ones are laid with leaders of quick match, which fire instantly, or with portfires, which burn a given time; they communicate with the outer ones by reeds, which are tied down on the bowsprit and outriggers. The boxes hanging from the deadeyes and shrouds, are fired by curtains suspended from the shrouds, the lower one of which hangs immediately over one of the large fire barrels. The two boxes on each yardarm are hung one over the other; the upper one having a leader of quick match carried along the yard from the shrouds; and in burning will no doubt fire the lower one. Besides the boxes, there are fire barrels arranged as follows; 2 half barrels on the forecastle; 2 abaft the main deck, and 4 on the main deck; 2 in each roundtop, placed against the masts; and 4 large fire barrels under fire trunks, to convey fire to the curtains on the shrouds. All these fire barrels and boxes are to be fired by separate leaders of quick match or portfire, in order that any part of the ship may be fired to cover its approach by the smoke; and the remaining part instantaneously upon quitting the ship. It has been found by experiment, that two men with lighted portfires can set fire to the whole of the leaders on the deck, bowsprit, catheads, outriggers, &c. in less than a minute; therefore the risk of trusting to one main leader to the whole, may be avoided.

The leaders are laid in painted canvass hose made for the purpose.

_FLINTS_—are usually packed in half barrels.

Weight. Qrs. lbs. {Musquet, 2000 2 14 One half barrel contains {Carbine, 3000 2 10 {Pistol, 4000 2 15

The most transparent and free from veins are esteemed the best flints.

cwts. qrs. 28 kegs of musquet flints take 18 0 in tonnage 10 kegs of pistol ” ” 3 2 ”

_FORTIFICATION.—Practical Maxims in building Field Works._