EMBARKING, AND DISEMBARKING.
The following directions will be found applicable to nearly all the cases likely to occur: such as embarking, or disembarking from a beach; from a wharf; with, or without boats; in presence of an enemy, &c., &c.
Sec. 39.[17] Embarking Guns, and Carriages.
Preparations.
1. On the arrival of the battery at the place of embarkation, it is to be drawn up in as compact order as is consistent with the performance of the operations required. The horses are to be taken out; the harness taken off and packed in vats, and the stores in cases. When there are no vats and cases, the stores must be secured to the carriages or tied together: the intrenching tools may remain with the carriages. The non-commissioned officers in charge of sub-divisions will attach to their harness and stores, pieces of basil having the number of their sub-divisions written upon them. The harness for each carriage should be embarked with it.
2. The gun detachments will prepare the carriages for embarkation. They will take off the side arms and secure them together, take out the elevating screws, unkey the cap-squares, unlash the ammunition boxes, and coil up the lashing ropes. Each carriage, when called for, is to be run forward to the boat or crane; the gun is to be unlimbered and dismounted; the ammunition boxes, shafts, wheels, &c., to be taken off; the washers and linch-pins must be carefully put away in the slow match box, and in the small box between the limber boxes. Every article must be stowed away with the greatest care, and arranged so as to be got at without delay.
3. Those articles which will be the last required when disembarking are the first to be embarked. The divisions, and everything belonging to them, should be kept together as much as possible. The first to be embarked are the spare carriages and forge, which are to be stowed forward, the left division next to them, and before the main hatchway; the centre abaft the hatchway; the right under the hatchway. The whole of the guns are put together, generally in the bottom of the hold, vents turned downwards, and a fid in them, to prevent their being choked.
4. When a battery is embarked in different vessels, every part should be complete, and a proportion of general stores be on board of each. If the voyage is likely to last some days, the cartouches with the ammunition must be taken out of the boxes, and stowed in the magazine. The ammunition must be so placed that whatever part belongs to any particular carriage may be got at without difficulty. When the cartouches are not taken out, the boxes must be stowed well aft in the hold, or between decks, and they should be well covered with wadmilltilts, or hair cloths.
5. In embarking from a beach, it may be necessary to erect small sheers, made of a couple of topgallant masts, previously prepared for the purpose. In embarking from a wharf, if there are cranes, they should be made use of. If boats are employed, the loads must be regulated by the state of the weather, and distance of the vessels.
Embarking the horses.
6. When the vessels can come alongside a wharf, the horses are hoisted in by means of tackle. The slings, made of canvas, should be minutely inspected, to see that they are secure. There must be a double guy made fast to the horse’s head, one end on shore, the other on board, to keep his head steady. A shoeing-smith should be in each ship, to receive the horses.
7. A horse requires at least four men besides the driver to sling him, one on each side, one at his breast, and one behind. One end of the sling is passed under his belly, and both ends made to meet over his back; one man passes his loop through the other, it is received by the man on the other side, who hauls it through, hooking the tackle to it, both men holding up the ends of the sling. The men at the breast and behind bring their ropes round, and make them fast to the grummets. The driver holds the horse’s head, and makes fast the guys to it. The horse being previously blindfolded, the word “Hoist Away” is given, and he is hoisted on board. The sling is then taken off, and he is led to his place; the first horses being always placed forward or aft, as the ship fills; the stalls nearest the hatchway being reserved for the horses which are to be first landed.
8. The horses are to be embarked in the same order as the carriages, taking care that the officers’ and non-commissioned officers’ horses are on board with the divisions to which they belong. The farriers and shoeing-smiths should be distributed in different ships.
9. When horses are embarked in boats; sheers, or a derrick, are necessary. The head of the derrick must incline inwards when the horse is rising, but when he is high enough the head of the derrick or sheers must be forced out, to bring the horse over the boat. This applies to a beach, or wharf. Sand or straw should be put in the boats, to prevent the horses slipping. They should stand athwart, the head of one horse being on the starboard, and the head of the next on the larboard side. The drivers sit on the gunwale, or stand between the horses.
10. When horses are embarked from an open beach without any appliances, they are to be led to the boat, and the halter given to one of the men in it. The horse must then be made to walk or leap into it, the gunwale of the boat being inclined towards the shore. A quiet horse should first be embarked, and the others will more readily follow.
11. In embarking in presence of an enemy, the horses and carriages, should first be embarked, the guns being retained to the last, to repel any attack. If the position be a mile or two from the place of embarkation, it may be necessary to retain a portion of the horses.
APPLICATION OF FIELD ARTILLERY.[18]
General remarks.
1. In a defensive position, the guns of the largest calibre should be posted on the weakest points of the line, and on those from whence the enemy can be discovered at the greatest distance. Those heights on which the enemy in advancing may rest his flanks, and those from whence he may be fired upon obliquely, must also be occupied by the largest calibres.
2. In an offensive position, the guns of the heaviest calibre should be placed in such situations as will render them available, without difficulty, for any operations in advance. In heavy ground, a nine or twelve pounder battery, when coming into action, should reverse, when it will be only necessary to drop the trail, instead of carrying it round by hand.
3. The guns should be placed as much as possible under cover; this is easily done on heights, by keeping them so far back that the muzzles are only to be seen over them. By proper attention, advantage may be taken of many situations, such as banks, ditches, &c.
4. Artillery in the field should be concealed from the enemy till the very moment it is to open; the guns may be masked by being a little retired, or by being covered with troops, particularly by cavalry.
Ammunition waggons.
5. No positive rule can be laid down for all cases, with respect to the ammunition waggons in presence of an enemy: this must depend on a variety of circumstances; but in general it will be found expedient to place them under charge of an officer, who will conform to the movements of the main body, in such a manner and at such distance, as to enable him to supply the guns with ammunition, before that which is in the limbers is expended.
6. The spot selected for a battery should be one which does not present any obstacles to the ulterior movements.
7. The most elevated situations are not the best; the greatest effect may be produced at a distance of six hundred yards, from a height of thirty or forty yards; and at two hundred yards distance from a height of sixteen.
8. Round shot should be used from three hundred yards, upwards. The use of case should begin at three hundred, and the quickness of fire increase as the range diminishes.
9. Double charges of case may be used at one hundred and fifty or one hundred and sixty yards. Shrapnell shells should not be used at a less range than six hundred and fifty yards.
10. The guns should never be abandoned till the last extremity; the last discharges are the most destructive.
On the march.
1. Intelligent non-commissioned officers should be sent to reconnoitre a road or ground that artillery is to pass over, and, when necessary, to report the state of it. When the march is connected with military operations, an officer should always be employed for this duty.
2. The officers of divisions should frequently halt, to see that their carriages are marching in proper order, and are well up.
3. The strictest attention should constantly be paid to the correct preservation of distances, the loss of which may be made up by small bodies of artillery; but when in large bodies, or when acting with infantry, the operation is attended with serious disadvantage, particularly to the latter; it is a point, therefore, which cannot be too strongly insisted upon, being one of most essential consequence.
Advanced Guard.
4. A battery marching by itself should always have an advanced guard. In a narrow road it should be considerably in front, to stop all carriages which might cause obstruction. In a hilly road, it should reconnoitre the top of every hill, and see that it is all clear before the guns come up.
5. Parties should always be sent out on each flank.
6. When an accident happens to a carriage, either on the march, or manœuvring, those in its rear should pass it on the most convenient flank, and fill up its interval. It will resume its place as soon as the damage is repaired. A waggon belonging to a disabled gun should always remain with it; but a gun must not wait for its disabled waggon, but leave only a sufficient number of men to put it into a proper state.
Crossing fords.
1. Artillery can cross a river about three and a half feet deep, though much depends on the strength of the current. The ammunition boxes are so well made that the water will seldom penetrate through them, particularly if the river be narrow, and the guns pass quickly. The canvas cartouches afford additional protection, and they may be taken out if necessary.
2. When the water is deep, and the current strong, great attention must be paid in fording. The person conducting the column over a direct ford, should keep his eye steadily on an object on the opposite bank, which points out where the ford is: he must never look at the stream, which would deceive him, and would appear to carry him down, and he would endeavour to keep too high up the stream, and miss the ford.
3. All those in the rear should keep their eyes on those in front; every individual should wade rather against the stream, in order to resist its power.
4. Troops should always cross a ford with the largest possible front, for the same reason.
5. If the ford is not well known, and there is no guide, it should be previously examined, and the dangerous places marked. In fording, the horses should neither be allowed to trot, halt, or drink.
Passage of military bridges.
1. Great attention and caution are required in passing over pontoon bridges, the vibratory motion of which is very dangerous, and should be lessened by every possible means.
2. The troops, in passing, should not preserve an equal pace. There should be no halt on the bridge. As soon as the bridge is perceived to rock, the passage of the troops must be stopped.
3. The greatest precaution is necessary to prevent accidents in tide rivers at low water. Unless battens are nailed across the chesses on the slopes, the horses will have the greatest difficulty in keeping their feet, indeed if the chesses be wet it will be impossible; the men must therefore always assist; holding on when going down, and manning the wheels when going up.
4. The drivers must in some cases dismount, and an interval must be left between the carriages equal to their own length; they must be passed over gently. In wet weather over chesses, great care must be taken to prevent the horses slipping. It may sometimes be necessary, unless the bridge be strong, to pass the carriages and horses over separately.
5. In passing over a flying bridge, it may occasionally be advisable to take the horses out; and in boisterous weather, or at night, the wheels should be locked.
Crossing a bridge, and passing a defile.
1. The battery should always pass with the largest front possible.
2. The artillery must be previously posted to the right and left of the bridge; if it be flat, and that the other side can be seen, a gun or two should be placed on each side, and close to the road leading to it; these guns should cross first and come into action on the other side, the remaining guns continue in action and follow by degrees; they should be posted at such a distance from the bridge, that they may keep up a fire while the others are crossing and forming.
Advancing through a defile.
3. A defile should be passed as quickly as possible, as it is a much more hazardous operation than crossing a bridge. Artillery can seldom be made available till it has passed the defile; whereas it can generally be employed in clearing the opposite bank of a river, previous to the troops pushing across.
Over a bridge.
4. In retreating over a bridge, the artillery will gradually close in from the flanks of the troops, till all the guns are in line in front of the bridge. They will cross by degrees; the flank guns will generally cross under the protection of the centre ones; they may retire limbered up, taking up their position and coming into action to the right and left of the bridge, to protect the centre guns, which will retire with the prolonge and with the largest front possible. They may halt on the highest part, or middle of the bridge, and keep the enemy in check.
Retiring through a defile.
5. A battery should retire from one of its flanks under the protection of the other; the covering guns retiring with the largest front possible.
6. Should the defile be wide, and there are any favourable situations in it, they should be taken advantage of, and guns posted to protect the retreat of the others. The situations must be such as the guns can retire from, and continue the retreat without difficulty.
7. When artillery is retiring along a road, or through a defile which is hilly, some of the guns should halt on the tops of the hills, and protect the retreat of those in the hollow. In these cases, round shot may be fired with safety to the troops retreating, and perhaps with good effect against an enemy.
8. The guns which are retreating, may pass those in position without halting; they will take up other positions, the whole retreating alternately.
9. In retreating towards a defile, the artillery may retire in line, or by half batteries, or by divisions; forming new lines and retreating again; or it may retreat alternately; or in echellon from either flank. This must depend on the nature of the ground, and the flank on which the enemy may be.
10. In these retrograde movements, the ammunition waggons must be sent to the rear. One or two may be kept nearer than the others, to supply ammunition.
Artillery, acting with other troops.
1. The artillery should always cover the troops when advancing, retiring, or deploying into line.
2. When the line retires by alternate companies, wings, or battalions, the artillery must remain with that part of it which is nearest the enemy; retiring with the prolonge, and halting when it arrives at the halted part of the line.
In column.
3. When the troops are in column, the artillery should be on the flank.
4. When a line of troops wheels backward into column, the artillery break into column, and close to the reverse flank, so as not to interrupt the line of pivots.