Attack of Fortified Places. Including Siege-works, Mining, and Demolitions. / Prepared for the use of the Cadets of the United States Military Academy

by James Mercur

CHAPTER VI.
THE DEFENCE.

99. Preliminary Considerations.—The defence of a fortified place is entrusted to a commanding officer, who, when the siege is established, is generally known as the “Governor of the Place.” His duties become more exacting and his powers more absolute from the beginning of hostilities until the place is invested and cut off from communication with the exterior, when, since the whole responsibility of the defence rests upon him, his powers over both the garrison and the inhabitants of the place, of necessity become autocratic in all matters affecting the defence, directly or indirectly. He, of course, avails himself of the counsel and advice of his subordinate officers and may make up a “Council of Defence” from his second in command and the commander of the engineers and of the artillery; but the ultimate decision of all questions must rest with him alone.

During peace and after the beginning of hostilities up to the near approach of the investing force, the civil authorities retain their ordinary jurisdiction, unless martial law is declared by proper authority; but after the place is invested, martial law (or state of siege) exists from necessity, and the police power, the control of provisions and supplies of all kinds, public and private, buildings, animals, vehicles, etc., and everything necessary for the defence of the place fall into the hands of the governor, who also is empowered to direct who shall be sent out and who shall be retained within the place, and what necessary service or labor shall be performed by the inhabitants. Having been selected for these onerous and exacting duties, he, under no circumstances, allows himself to be cut off from his post, and is therefore debarred from leading his troops in person in the active operations outside the work or exposing himself unnecessarily or recklessly during any period of the siege.

100. The Garrison.—The garrison should consist of artillery and infantry, and, in an intrenched camp, of enough mounted troops for escort, messenger, and a limited vedette service.

The strength of the infantry is generally regulated so as to give a suitable garrison to each detached work, and about 1½ to 2 men for each yard of the front of attack. The artillery is allowed about 12 men for each gun. The number of engineers is determined for each place by the probable amount of engineer work that will be required. These troops make up about one-third of the entire force.

A general reserve of all arms (principally, however, foot troops) makes up the other two-thirds, and is held as “a fighting force” for preventing the investment of the place, or for breaking up the investing lines when established. This reserve is called upon for work on the front of attack or in the trenches only when it cannot be avoided.

In smaller places the portion of the garrison called upon for the outer line of defence may be increased to one-half or two-thirds, and the general reserve be reduced to one-half or one-third of the entire force. When the investment is strongly established the general reserve will usually be combined with the other troops.

The troops engaged on the front of attack are usually assigned to the different sectors of attack and are divided into reliefs (ordinarily three), each relief having as a rule a tour of one day in the front lines, one in the immediate supports, and one in the reserve and in interior fatigue duty. The Governor, however, so regulates the details as to impose upon the troops the least work consistent with an energetic defence.

101. Armament.—The guns for arming the place should be placed in position or in store within the works before the beginning of hostilities. There should be mounted in commanding positions a sufficient number of high-power guns to hold the enemy’s first works at a distance and to fire upon his camps, etc., if placed too near. In addition to these, a full supply of light guns, including machine and rapid-fire guns, should be at all times equipped and supplied for immediate use in meeting an assault or surprise. Their emplacements, platforms, etc., should be in readiness for use at any moment.

In large places and for an active defence there will be needed also enough field-guns to properly equip the general reserve (about 4 guns per 1000 men). These should be considered a part of the equipment of the reserve.