“From this trench, or first parallel, a ditch is then cut, in a zigzag form, so as to get nearer and nearer to the fortress by degrees. When this has reached within the range of musketry, or about three hundred yards from the place, another trench is stretched out, parallel with the first; and this is called the second parallel.”
“They are getting nearer to the place now; but what are the soldiers in the fortress doing all this time?”
“Thundering away with their guns, or making sorties, and picking off men and officers where they can. Well, on go the besiegers, working night and day; darkness, cold, rain, toil, and the fire of the enemy, trying them in every way; patient, uncomplaining, and persevering, on they go, cutting again in a zigzag form, till they come to the foot of the glacis, or sloping bank of earth of the fortress, and here they form their third parallel.”
“Nearer still! There is no room now, however, for another parallel.”
“No, they are too close for that. The next step is to carry on the works up the glacis, on the crest of which they form batteries to demolish the defences, and open the revêtements, or walls of masonry. They then push on their operations across the ditch, into the very works of the fortress.”
“But how do they cross the moat if it is full of water?”
“They act according to circumstances. Sometimes by escalade, which is a desperate attack on the place, by means of ladders, to cross the ditch with, and mount the ramparts without waiting to carry on the regular works against the place. If the ditch be muddy, they use boards, hurdles, and fascines. Fascines are faggots of small wood, about a foot through them, and, perhaps, six feet long.”
“But, suppose the moat is full of water, how do they manage then?”
“If they cannot draw off the water, they cross it in small tin boats, or baskets covered with skins or oil cloth, resorting to all manner of contrivances. It is very necessary to find out the strength of the enemy’s works, to know how to act. When the French besieged Montmelian, in 1691, the Maréchal de Catinat was in doubt whether the ditch of the place was sunk in the hard rock or only faced with masonry on the side of the glacis. To clear up this doubt, he caused soldiers to descend in a gabion, or basket, suspended by a cord; but so many brave men fell in this hazardous enterprize, that at last no one was found who would undertake it. After some time, a young soldier stepped forward as a volunteer. He was asked by the Maréchal, what course he intended to take in ascertaining whether it was rock or masonry? To which he replied, ‘that by probing it with the point of his bayonet from the window of the gabion, he should know it very well.’ He descended on the daring commission he had undertaken, executed it in a satisfactory manner, and returned unhurt. ‘And now, what will you have for a recompense?’ asked the Maréchal. ‘I ask as a favour,’ replied he, ‘that I may enter the company of grenadiers.’”
“We thought he would have asked for money, and a discharge. And was he made a grenadier?”