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 a 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 | |||||
| Tools for Miners | 300 | 200 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 50 | 5 | |||||
| Tools for Cutting | - | ¹⁄₃ Axes | - | 1200 | 900 | 600 | 500 | 450 | 300 | 150 | 150 | ||
| ²⁄₃ Billh’ks | |||||||||||||
| Forges complete | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||
The guns will be of the following calibres: one-third of 18 prs.; one-third of 12 prs.; and one-third 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; one-third more than the number of guns.
Mortars; about one-fourth the number of guns in the three first classes; and one-fifth or one-sixth in the other classes. Of these two-fifths will be 13 or 10 inch mortars, and the rest of a smaller nature.
Howitzers; one-fourth the number of mortars.
Stone Mortars; one-tenth the number of guns.
Shells; 400 for each of the 10 and 13 inch mortars, and 600 for each of the smaller ones.