The weight of ammunition carried by the troop horse, with the full complement going into action, is three stone six lbs.; to which the horse is fully equal for any ordinary operation. But in long marches, it would be not only useless but improvident to burthen him to this extent; small tumbrils, therefore, are provided to convey three rounds of each man’s Rockets, he still carrying one round on the near side, and the four sticks on the off side to balance, which leaves the horse, in travelling, only one stone four lbs. weight of ammunition to carry; a burthen of two stone less on line of march, than that of the heavy dragoon’s or artillery-man’s horse; allowing for the difference of the weight of the men requisite for the respective services. The Rocket trooper has no heavy weights to lift—no guns to spunge, or to limber up and unlimber. He is required merely to be light and active for mounting and dismounting, and for moving nimbly on foot with a single Rocket, when in action: so that, whereas an artillery man cannot average less than 13 stone, the Rocket trooper need not exceed 10 stone, a difference amounting within a few pounds to the whole weight of ammunition carried by the men, even in action. It is needless to add that this difference in the men must also give great facility in recruiting for a Rocket corps.
Plate 1
OF THE EQUIPMENT OF THE AMMUNITION HORSE.
[Plate 2] represents the mode of equipping the Ammunition Horses.
The left hand figure shews that the whole of the ammunition, &c. may be completely covered and protected from the weather by a painted canvass; and the other has this cover off, to shew the particular distribution of the load, which consists of eighteen Rockets and Rocket sticks, and a proportion of small stores, such as portfires, slow match, &c.
This load is carried on a bat saddle, made as small and as light as possible, with a pad at the back part of it, extending towards the crupper. The saddle is furnished on the top with two iron forks to receive a leather case, in which the sticks are carried in half lengths, of three feet six inches each, a length from which no inconvenience arises; being contrived so that the two parts may be united, to form the stick complete in a moment, by means of a ferule fixed to one end and receiving the other; in which situation they are firmly fixed and connected, either by a pair of pointed pincers, by a hammer with a point in the head, or by a wrench. When these sticks are taken from the Ammunition Horse, to replenish the stock of the mounted men, they are to be joined at that time by the simple, secure, and momentary operation just mentioned.
The Rockets are carried in a sort of saddle bags, as they may be termed, stitched into separate compartments for each Rocket, covered by a flap at one end, and secured by a chain, staples, and padlocks, the Rocket lying horizontally. By this arrangement the load lies in the most compact form possible, and close to the horse’s side, while the Rockets, being thus separated, cannot be injured by carriage.
The load is divided into three parts, the case or bundle of eighteen sticks, and a separate saddle bag on each side, contrived to hook on to the saddle, carrying nine Rockets in each bag. By this means there is no difficulty in loading and unloading the horse.