- 64—24 Prs. with carriages complete, at 50 round shot per gun,
- per day, for the whole siege; half of them en ricochet,
- with 2lbs. of powder; the other half with the full charge
- of 8lbs.
- Case and Grape shot, at one round per gun, per day,
- of each: 6lbs. per charge.
- Shells for guns, two rounds do.
- Flannel cartridges, for the case, grape, and shells.
- Tin tubes for the case and grape.
- Quill tubes for the round shot.
- Spare, ⅒.
- 28—10 Inch mortars, on iron beds, at 50 shells each per day,
- for the whole siege. 3lbs. of powder charge—2lbs. 10 oz.
- for bursting.
- Pound shot—100 to a charge; 50 rounds per mortar each
- day for 10 mortars 7 days; 2 lbs. of powder each.
- Hand grenades—25 to a charge; the same as the pound shot.
- Carcasses, round—1 per mortar, per day.
- 8— 8 Inch howitzers, on travelling carriages
- 30 Shells for each per day, during the siege.
- Case shot—5 rounds per day each.
- Carcasses—1 per day each.
- Powder—1 lb. per charge; 1 lb. 14 oz. for bursting.
- 20—5½ Inch mortars, on wooden beds.
- 50 Shells for each, per day, for the whole siege;
- charge 8 oz.—12 oz. for bursting.
- Flannel cartridges, for ⅓ the number of rounds.
- Tin tubes in the same proportion.
- Portfires, ½ the number of rounds with tubes.
- Fuzes, ⅒ to spare.
- Match, 50 cwt.
- Spare carriages for 24 Prs. seven.
- 2 Devil carriages.
- 6 Sling carts.
- 6 Block carriages.
- 3 Forge carts.
- 3 Store waggons, with iron and coals.
- 3 Triangle gins, complete.
- 6 Laboratory tents.
- 2 Small petards.
- 4 Grates for heating shot.
Of the Arrangement of Artillery at a Siege.
The first arrangement of the artillery at a siege is to the different batteries raised near the first parallel, to enfilade the faces of the work on the front attacked, which fire on the approaches. If these first batteries be favorably situated, the artillery may be continued in them nearly the whole of the siege; and will save the erection of any other gun batteries, till the besiegers arrive on the crest of the glacis. It however frequently happens, from local circumstances, that the besiegers cannot avail themselves of the most advantageous situations for the first batteries. There are four situations from which the defences of any face may be destroyed; but not from all with equal facility. The best position for the first batteries, is perpendicular to the prolongation of the face of the work to be enfiladed. If this position cannot be attained, the next that presents itself is, on that side of the prolongation which takes the face in reverse; and under as small an angle as possible. From both these positions the guns must fire en ricochet. But if the ground, or other circumstance, will not admit of either of these being occupied by ricochet batteries, the battery to destroy the fire of a face must be without the prolongation, so as to fire obliquely upon the outside of the face. The last position, in point of advantage, is directly parallel to the face. From these two last positions the guns must fire with the full charges.
The second, or breaching batteries at a siege, are generally placed on the crest of the glacis, within 15 or 18 feet of the covert way; which space serves as the epaulment: but if the foot of the revetment cannot be seen from this situation, they must be placed in the covert way, within 15 feet of the counterscarpe of the ditch. These batteries must be sunk as low as the soles of the embrazures, and are in fact but an enlargement of the sap, run for the lodgement on the glacis or in the covert way. In constructing a battery on the crest of the glacis, attention must be paid that none of the embrazures open upon the traverses of the covert way. These batteries should consist of at least four guns; and if the breadth between the traverses will not admit of this number, at the usual distances, the guns must be closed to 15 or 12 feet from each other.
The mortars are generally at first arranged in battery, adjoining the first gun batteries, or upon the prolongation of the capitals of the works; in which place they are certainly least exposed. Upon the establishment of the half parallels, batteries of howitzers may be formed in their extremities, to enfilade the branches of the covert way; and upon the formation of the third parallel, batteries of howitzers and stone mortars may be formed to enfilade the flanks of the bastions, and annoy the besieged in the covert way. In the lodgement on the glacis, stone and other mortars may also be placed, to drive the besieged from their defences. A great object in the establishment of all these batteries, is to make such an arrangement of them, that they mask the fire of each other as little as possible; and particularly of the first, or ricochet batteries. This may very well be prevented till the establishment on the crest of the glacis, when it becomes in some degree unavoidable: however, even the operations on the glacis may be so arranged, that the ricochet batteries be not masked till the breaching batteries be in a great state of forwardness: a very secure method, and which prevents the soldiers in trenches being alarmed by the shot passing over their heads, is to raise a Parados, or parapet, in the rear of the trenches, at such parts where the fire from the besieger’s batteries crosses them. For further details on this subject, and for the manner of constructing batteries, see the word [Battery]; also the words [Ricochet], [Breach], [Magazine], [Platform], &c.
3d. Artillery and Ammunition for the
Defence of Fortified Place.
It is usual in an Estimate of Artillery and Ammunition for the Defence of Fortified Places, to divide them into Eight Classes, as follows:
| CLASSES. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrisons | 12000 | 10000 | 8000 | 5000 | 3500 | 2500 | 1600 | 400 |
| Cannon | 100 | 90 | 80 | 70 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 30 |
| Triangle Gins | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sling Carts | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacks of Sizes | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Truck Carriages | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Ammunition Carts, &c. | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Tools for Pioneers | 9000 | 6000 | 5000 | 4000 | 3500 | 3000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| ” ” Miners | 300 | 200 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 50 | 5 |
| Tools for ⅓ Axes | 1200 | 900 | 600 | 500 | 450 | 300 | 150 | 150 |
| Cutting ⅔ Billhooks | ||||||||
| Forges, complete | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
The guns will be of the following calibers: ⅓ of 18 Prs.—⅓ of 12 Prs.—and ⅓ of 24, 9, and 4 Pounders in equal proportions. If the place does not possess any very extraordinary means of defence, it will be very respectably supplied with 800 rounds of ammunition per gun for the two larger calibers, and 900 for each of the others.
Gun Carriages—⅓ more than the number of guns.