The artillerist's manual and British soldier's compendium

by F. A. Griffiths

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.