It is obvious that the combined celerity and quantity of the discharge of ammunition of this description of artillery cannot be equalled or even approached, taking in view the means and nature of ammunition employed, by any other known system; the universality also of the operation, not being incumbered with wheel carriages, must be duly appreciated, as, in fact, it can proceed not only wherever cavalry can act, but even wherever infantry can get into action; it having been already mentioned that part of the exercise of these troops, supposing them to be stopped by walls, or ditches and morasses, impassable to horses, is to take the holsters and sticks from the horses, and advance on foot.
Another vast advantage is the few men required to make a complete section, as by this means the number of points of fire is so greatly multiplied, compared to any other system of artillery. Thus it may be stated that the number of bouches a feù, which may comparatively be brought into action, by equal means, on the scale of a troop of horse artillery, would be at least six to one; and that they may either be spread over a great extent of line, or concentrated into a very small focus, according to the necessity of the service; indeed the skirmishing exercise of the Rocket Cavalry, divided and spread into separate sections, and returning by sound of bugle, forms a very interesting part of the system, and can be well imagined from the foregoing description and the annexed Plate.
Plate 3
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
ROCKET CARS.
[Plate 4], Fig. 1, represents a Rocket Car in line of march. There are two descriptions of these cars, of similar construction—one for 32 or 24-pounder ammunition, the other for 18 or 12-pounder; and which are, therefore, called heavy or light cars: the heavy car will carry 40 rounds of 24-pounder Rockets, armed with cohorn shells, and the light one will convey 60 rounds of 12-pounder, or 50 of 18-pounder ammunition, which is packed in boxes on the limber, the sticks being carried in half lengths in the boxes on the after part of the carriage, where the men also ride on seats fixed for the purpose, and answering also for small store boxes; they are each supposed to be drawn by four horses.
These cars not only convey the ammunition, but are contrived also to discharge each two Rockets in a volley from a double iron plate trough, which is of the same length as the boxes for the sticks, and travels between them; but which, being moveable, may, when the car is unlimbered, be shifted into its fighting position at any angle from the ground ranges, or point blank up to 45°, without being detached front the carriage.