A military dictionary

by William Duane

An anonymous writer in the Sardinian service, proposes two new methods of fortification in a work entituled Science de la Guerre, which was published at Turin, in 1744. After having discussed, at considerable length, the art of fortification in general, its utility, the different sciences which must be acquired towards obtaining any degree of perfection in that art, the various systems in it, regular and irregular, and the construction of palisades, gates, mines, casemates, magazines, &c. &c. he concludes with this extraordinary sentence: “It is not my intention to propose any alteration in the general system, but merely to suggest, that the style be rendered more intelligible.” It must be noticed, that this Italian writer in his preface, frankly confesses his deficiency in the French language. We shall however pass over what he says relative to the approbation which his proposed systems, or rather his explanation of methods already known has met with from scientific men, and give his own observations concerning the improvements that might be made. His words are—

“The first method which I propose, consists of a new figure and position that should be given to exterior works in fortification. Having constructed the body of the place after Vauban’s manner, my next object is to erect counter guards with bastions at the head, and flanks upon the wings. I have been induced to adopt this species of work, in order to remedy the inconveniences and the dangers which invariably attend works erected at the foot of the glacis. These works contribute very little to the security of the place, and can only be defended by cannon, which eventually do more harm to the garrison than to the besieging enemy, since they serve as an epaulement to the battery, which the latter will naturally erect the instant he obtains footing in that quarter. This was proved during the siege of Turin, where in a very short space of time the French carried the bonnets and fleches, and made use of them for the purpose of bringing up their artillery.

By means of the small bastions which I have proposed, and which must be pushed forward into the country, the enemy’s approaches are necessarily checked, the saliant angle of the counter-guard is covered, the ditch is completely flanked, and the garrison are impressed with confidence, because the artillery and the troops can always be called in, in cases of exigency. They moreover equal the enemy in the fire which they can furnish, and the whole body of the place is covered by them.

I construct the bastions and flanks out of the sides of the counter-guard, which are detached by means of a ditch 4 toises wide. This ditch is covered above by vaults made of brick or timber, and by boards well supported underneath by strong stakes, the whole being strengthened and rendered bomb-proof with earth 3 or 4 feet thick. This earth keeps the upper plan of the bastion compact, and is sufficient to form a parapet to the counter-guard when the bastion is destroyed. If the vaults should be blown up by mines, and the besiegers set fire to the beams that supported them, a fresh work will present itself, together with a ditch which they had not foreseen or expected, and which they must cross before any further impression can be made.

This sort of subterraneous fortification is extremely advantageous, and may be converted to various purposes. It serves for casemates and galleries to the mines, which I would construct along the whole extent of the faces belonging to these bastions; a communication with them is kept up by means of the galleries attached to the counter-guard. These galleries must be blocked up the instant the bastion is demolished. The flanks of the side will be built after the same method, with a ditch as wide as the one dug in front of the bastion, and which, according to circumstances, may be uncovered, like that already described. The flanks will be of a round figure, in order to avoid the projection of any angles towards the body of the place, which would be the case, should the work be carried; for the enemy availing himself of the earth in front of the walls, and throwing it up, would derive considerable advantage from these angles.

The principal advantage to be obtained from my system arises out of the double defence which it affords to the saliant angles of the bastions, by covering a part of the demi-lunes mitrées, or mitred half-moons (which are their chief protection,) and by these means concealing the body of the place from any outward command, or eminence. This cover or defence cannot, in fact, be taken, before the enemy has got complete possession of the outworks.

I have spoken of these sorts of fortification in the chapter that treats of field works, which, in my humble opinion, are more useful, more solid, less expensive, and more easily built than a variety of others that have been adopted to this day.

The demi-lunes or half-moons which are nearly mitred or crossed, and which I dispose between the counter-guards, have been constructed in that manner for the purpose of stretching as far as possible, beyond the body of the place towards the country. One essential advantage attends this method, which is, that the work being more spacious, it is better calculated to hold a greater quantity of artillery, and a large garrison; that it becomes double by means of the ditch, which separates it from the advanced work, which it covered as described above, and which is joined to the interior revetement by plain walls, separating a whole half-moon from it; in which space a small fort with loop-holes may be constructed to enable the garrison to dispute every inch of ground as the enemy advances. Under the main body of the place, I build a subterraneous chamber, to serve as occasion may require, either for a powder magazine, or for mines.

Between the half-moons and counter-guards, I construct another kind of ravelins, which are open towards the body of the place, cover the curtains of the counter-guards, and supply a double fire against the enemy and the covert way. These ravelins are not raised so high as the other works, in order to keep them under their fire; and I preserve a communication by means of palisaded caponnieres. I leave them empty within, that the besiegers may have as little ground as possible; they are moreover sufficiently thick and solid to withstand the discharge of ordnance, which can only batter in breach from the counterscarp, which acquires double strength, because by means of these works, it is enfiladed, and secured against the enemy’s attack or attempt to make a lodgment.

If the plan, which I had the honor of laying before the king of Sardinia, be carefully examined, it must be apparent to every military man, that the works I therein describe, are not only more useful, but capable of being constructed at a less expence, than those which are generally practised to this day. It will be clearly seen, that I have done nothing more than add some additional proportions of the flanks and bastions to the counter-guards, which are usually erected; and that I have augmented their double face, by joining it to the half-moons of the curtain. The object of this addition, is to throw obstacles in the enemy’s way, should he attempt to make close approaches, to cover the body of the place, to render the siege difficult, to increase the besieger’s expence, and to give confidence to the troops of the garrison, who are thereby no longer exposed, as they must be in all outworks erected upon the foot of the glacis.