Part 2

A man must appear somewhat vain, who declares that he has been obliged to reject much useful information, for fear of increasing too much the size of his work: and yet manages to find room for a few pages of his own, by way of Preface: but lest the objects which the compiler of this little work has had in view should be mistaken, he finds it absolutely necessary to say a few words in explanation of them. This small collection of military memorandums was originally intended only for the compiler’s own pocket; to assist him in the execution of his duty: but it occurred to him, that many of his military friends stood in equal need of such an aid, and would willingly give a few shillings for what they would not be at the trouble of collecting. The compiler has seen young men, on their first entry into the regiment of artillery, give a guinea for manuscripts, which contained a very small part of the information offered in this little book. From a persuasion that a very principal part of its merit is derived from its portability, every endeavor has been used to press much into a little compass; and it is hoped, that this power has not been so far exerted, as to make the whole unintelligible: but, it must be understood, that the compiler does not propose to convey instruction to the untaught, but only to make a few memorandums of reference to facts; which those already versed in the military profession are supposed to have the knowledge to apply. The totally ignorant of these matters, he has, therefore, nothing to say to; they must consult more voluminous works. An alphabetical arrangement is merely adopted as the best calculated for this purpose; and as nothing like a military dictionary is intended, all terms are omitted, not within the compiler’s plan. All reference to plates has, likewise been avoided; as they not only very much increase the cost, but the bulk of a book. The principal difficulty which the compiler has had in making this little collection, has been to confine it within the limits of his original plan. The quantity of useful information which has pressed for admittance, has been with reluctance rejected. Such authors only have been quoted, as are generally esteemed the best; and every advantage has been taken of such information, as the compiler has been able to collect from experienced friends; but he has ventured to offer nothing whatever of his own. The French military authors have been principally consulted, on all subjects not immediately confined to our own system; and such notes as are given respecting their ordnance, may be of use in drawing a comparison with our own; and may serve as references to those in the habit of reading their military works. The compiler has not, in any instance, attempted to offer changes which he may have been led to imagine improvements; or to point out what he thinks deserve the title of defects in our own system; but he has given every information according to the present practice in our service. He cannot, however, help expressing a hope, that he will one day see his little book laid by as totally obsolete, and a better built upon a system less complicated, and more applicable to that particular nature of service which this country has in every war the greatest reason to expect.

Our armies will never, it is to be hoped, find a field of battle but on the other side of the water: they must therefore always be subject to the inconveniencies attendant upon the embarkation, and the confusion, too often the companion of a disembarkation of a quantity of ordnance and other military stores upon an enemy’s coast: how peculiarly necessary is it, therefore, that our military system should be the simplest and the best arranged. The French system of artillery was established as far back as the year 1765, and has been rigidly adhered to, through a convulsion in the country, which has overturned every thing else like order; and which even the government itself has not been able to withstand. We should therefore conclude that it has merit, and, though in an enemy, ought to avail ourselves of its advantages. At the formation of their system, they saw the necessity of the most exact correspondence in the most minute particulars; and so rigidly have they adhered to this principle, that though they have several arsenals, where carriages and other military machines are constructed; the different parts of a carriage may be collected from these several arsenals in the opposite extremities of the country, and will as well unite and form a carriage, as if they were all made and fitted in the same workshop. As long as every man who fancies that he has made an improvement is permitted to introduce it into our service, this cannot be the case with us.

Gunpowder has been so much improved of late years, under the direction of Col. Congreve, that the experiments made with the old powder are now of little service: only such tables of ranges with different natures of ordnance have therefore been inserted, as have been ascertained since the improved powder has been in use. As experiments are daily making at Woolwich and elsewhere, a blank leaf may be bound up after each nature of ordnance, in order to insert an abstract of them.

The compiler thinks it necessary to address himself to two classes of persons in particular; perhaps they may comprise the whole of his readers. First, those who think his little book might have been made much more complete. Second, those who think it improper that any information upon such matters should be offered to the public. To the first, he acknowledges the justice of the remark, but has to remind them, of the very great difficulties which they may themselves have experienced, in collecting information at Woolwich. To the second, he has but to remark, that he is well aware of the objections urged against publications which may give information as well to our enemies as our friends; but he does not imagine his little book to contain matter of sufficient consequence to do such mischief: and he is supported in an opinion by the most powerful and best organized military nations in Europe, that such secresy is the surest mark of ignorance.

The first edition being out of print, the compiler has endeavored to improve this, by _every_ correction, and by _some_ of the additions which his friends have been kind enough to suggest to him as necessary: but if he has neglected much of the valuable information offered him, it has not been from an insensibility of its merit, but from its entering more into the detail of matters than his little book would afford room to profit by; for it still professes not to instruct, but only to remind.

The compiler has added to this edition a short alphabetical index to the contents. This may appear to some superfluous, considering the alphabetical arrangement of the subjects: but it has been impossible to avoid a great deal of reference from one part of the work to another: beside, the compiler has observed in several of the copies in the possession of his friends, notes in manuscript, (entered on sheets bound up for the purpose) which are also to be found in the body of the work. This the compiler attributes to a cause which the index may probably remedy, by enabling the reader to know, at one view, the whole contents.

_AMMUNITION_—For small arms, in the British service, is generally packed in half barrels, each containing 1000 musquet, or 1500 carbine cartridges. An ammunition waggon will carry 20 of these barrels, and an ammunition cart 12 of them: their weight nearly 1 cwt. each.

The cartouch boxes of the infantry are made of so many different shapes and sizes, that it is impossible to say exactly what ammunition they will contain; but most of them can carry 60 rounds. See the word _Cartridges_; and for Artillery Ammunition, see the word _Artillery_, for the field, for the siege, and the defence of a fortified place.

The French pack all their ammunition in wagons without either boxes or barrels, by means of partitions of wood. Their 12 Pr. and 8 Pr. waggons will contain each 14,000 musquet cartridges, but their 4 Pr. waggons will contain only 12,000 each.

_AMMUZETTE_—See the word _Guns_.

_APRONS_—of lead for guns—

_lbs._ _oz._ Large—1 foot long—10 inches wide 8 4 weight. Small—6 inches ” —4½ ” ” 1 12 ”

_ARMS_—Small

+---------------+---------+-------+---------------------------+ | | Length | Diam. | Balls weight for | | Nature. | of | of +-------------+-------------+ | | Barrel. | Bore. | Proof. | Service. | +---------------+---------+-------+-------------+-------------+ | | Ft. In.|Inches.| oz. dr. gr. | oz. dr. gr. | |Wall pieces | 4 6 | .98 | 2 8 8 | 2 5 7 | |Musquet | 3 6 | .76 | 1 6 11½ | 1 1 12 | |Carbine | 3 0 | .61 | 0 14 13 | 0 12 11 | |Pistol, common | 1 2 | .58 | 0 8 15 | 0 7 4½ | | ” carbine | 1 0 | .66 | 0 14 13 | 0 12 11 | +---------------+---------+-------+-------------+-------------+

_ARTILLERY._—The proportion of artillery and ammunition necessary to accompany an army in the field, to lay siege to a fortified place, or to defend one, must depend upon so many circumstances, that it is almost impossible, in a small work of this kind, to lay down any satisfactory rules as guides on the subject: the following principles are, however, drawn from the best authorities:

1st. _ARTILLERY for the Field._

FIELD Artillery is divided into _Battalion Guns, Artillery of the Park_, and _Horse Artillery_.

The _Battalion Guns_ include all the light pieces attached to regiments of the line, which they accompany in all manœuvres, to cover and support them.

The following natures of field ordnance are attached to battalions of infantry, by different powers in Europe:

French two 4 Prs. per battalion. English two 6 ” ” ” Danes two 3 ” ” ” Austrians three 6 ” ” ” Prussians two 6 Prs. to a battalion in the first line. ” two 3 Prs. to a battalion in the second line. Hanoverians two 3 Prs. per battalion.

The _Artillery of the Park_ is composed of all natures of field ordnance. It is destined to form batteries of position; that is to say, to occupy advantageous situations, from which the greatest effect may be produced, in supporting the general movements of an army, without following it, like the battalion guns, through all the detail of its manœuvres. The park of artillery attached to an army in the field generally consists of twice as many pieces of different natures, varied according to the country in which it is to act, as there are battalions in the army. Gribauvale proposes the following proportion between the different natures of artillery for the park or reserve, viz. ⅖ of 12 Prs. ⅖ of 8 Prs. and ⅗ of 4 Prs. or reserve for battalion guns. In a difficult country he says, it may be ¼ of 12 Prs. ½ of 8 Prs. and ¼ of 4 Prs. and for every 100 pieces of cannon he allots 4 Howitzers; but this proportion of Howitzers is much smaller than what is generally given.

_HORSE Artillery._—The French horse artillery consists of 8 Prs. and 6 inch Howitzers.

The English of light 12 Prs. light 6 Prs. and light 5½ inch Howitzers.

The Austrian and Prussian horse artillery have 6 Prs. and 5½ inch Howitzers.

_AMMUNITION for Field Artillery._

_A proportion of Ammunition and Stores for each Nature of Field Ordnance, viz. 1 Med. 12 Pr.[1]—1 heavy 6 Pr.—2 light 6 Prs. as they are always attached to Battalions of Infantry—and one 5½ inch Howitzer; according to the British Service._

=A= = _12 Pounders, Medium._ =B= = _6 Pounders, Heavy._ =C= = _2 Light 6 Pounders,_ =D= = _5½ Inch Howitzers._ +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | _Proportion of Ammunition_ | =A= | =B= | =C= | =D= | | _and Stores._ | | | | | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ |Shot fixed to wood bottoms—case | 24 | 30 | 68 | 24 | | ” ” ” ” ” round | 120 | 120 | 188 | — | |Shells fixed | — | — | — | 24 | | ” empty | — | — | — | 120 | |Carcasses fixed | — | — | — | 4 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | 4 lb. | 120 | — | — | — | | 3½ ” | 24 | — | — | — | | 2¼ ” | — | 120 | — | — | |Cartridges of 2 ” | — | 30 | — | — | | flannel filled 1½ ” | — | — | 188 | — | | with powder. 1¼ ” | — | — | 68 | — | | 10 oz. | — | — | 125 | — | | 1 lb. | — | — | — | 144 | | 12 oz. | — | — | — | 28 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ |Cartridges, flannel, empty | 12 | 12 | 100 | 12 | |Do. of paper for burst’g 10 oz | — | — | — | 120 | |Tubes of tin—N. P. | 172 | 178 | 560 | 190 | |Portfires—long small | 18 | 18 | 62 | 18 | |Fuzes—drove | — | — | — | 132 | |Powder, mealed lbs. | — | — | — | ½ | |Travelling carriages & limbers | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Aprons of lead | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Spunges, with staves and heads | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Wad hooks, with staves | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | | Handspikes—traversing | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Tampions, with collars | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Trucks—Hanoverian | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Straps for lashing side arms | — | 3 | 8 | — | | Tarpaulins—gun | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | ” limber | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Linstocks, with cocks | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Drag ropes, with pins—Prs. | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Padlocks, with keys | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | | Match—slow—lbs. | 28 | 28 | 56 | 28 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Spikes Spring | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Common | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Punches for vents | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Barrels budge | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Couples for chain traces | — | 6 | 12 | 6 | | Spare heads—spunge | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | ” ” —rammer | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Hammers, claw | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Priming irons—sets | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Draught chains—pairs | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | Powder horns—N. P. | — | 1 | — | — | | Water buckets—French | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Entrench’g tools—axes, felling | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | ” ” ” pick | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | ” ” handbills | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | ” ” spades | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Marline, tarred—skeins | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Twine, ” —do. | — | 1 | — | — | | Hambro’ line —do. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Packthread —lbs. | — | 1 | — | — | | Grease firkins | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | ” boxes | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | Tallow lbs. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Lanthorns, dark | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Jacks, lifting | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | ” handscrew | 1 | — | — | — | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Waggons with hoops and | | | | | | painted covers, | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | Flanders pattern | | | | | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Wad miltilts | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | Tanned hides | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Men’s harness 12 to a set sets | 1 | 1 | — | — | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | New |Rope (6 do.) sets | 1 | — | — | — | | pattern |Chain (6 do.) sets | — | 1 | — | — | |H H |Trace (4 do.) sets | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |o a Common | Thill | — | — | 2 | — | |r r pattern | Trace | — | — | 4 | — | |s n | Bit halters | — | — | 6 | — | |e e Wanties | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | s Hemp halters | 14 | 10 | 10 | 12 | | s | | | | | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Whips, long | — | — | 2 | — | | ” , short | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 | | Nose bags | 14 | 10 | 10 | 12 | | Corn sacks | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | Forage cords, sets | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | Rope, tarred—2 inch, fathoms | — | — | 10 | — | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Linch pins | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | Clouts—body | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | For waggons ” —linch | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | Clout nails, 6d. | 64 | 32 | 32 | 64 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | Spare ladle staves | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Horses, for guns | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | | ” , for waggons | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | |Drivers, for guns | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | ” , for waggons | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |Tube boxes, with straps | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |Portfire sticks | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |Cutting knives | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |Drawing do. | — | — | — | 1 | |Scissars, pairs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |Worsted, ounces | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | |Needles, large | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |Cartouches of leather | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ | 4 oz. | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | | Copper 2 ” | — | 1 | — | — | | measures 1 ” | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | | for powder. 4 lbs. to ¼ oz. | — | — | — | 1 | | sets | | | | | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ |Thumb stalls | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |Perpendicular | — | — | — | 1 | |Quadrant of brass | — | — | — | 1 | |Diagonal scale | — | — | — | 1 | |Copper salting box | — | — | — | 1 | |Pincers for draw’g fuzes, pairs | — | — | — | 1 | |Sheepskins | — | — | — | 2 | |Funnels of copper | — | — | — | 1 | |Compasses of steel, pairs | — | — | — | 1 | |Saw, tenant | — | — | — | 1 | |Files, square | — | — | — | 3 | |Rasps, half round | — | — | — | 2 | |Flax, oz. | — | — | — | 8 | |Tow, oz. | — | — | — | 4 | |Saw set | — | — | — | 1 | |Mallets of wood | — | — | — | 1 | |Setters do. | — | — | — | 2 | +---------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+

[1] The 12 Prs. which have a small box on their limbers, carry 6 round shot and 2 case shot, with 6 cartridges of 4 lbs. and 2 of 3 1-2 lbs. of powder, more than the above proportion.

This proportion of ammunition and stores is carried in the following manner:

12 Pr. } Has no limber boxes,[2] but has two waggons MEDIUM, } attached to it, and the ammunition and stores } divided between them.

6 Pr. } Carries 36 round, and 14 case shot in limber HEAVY, } boxes, with a proportion of the small stores; } and the remainder is carried in one waggon.

} Carries 34 round, and 16 case shot on the limber, 6 Pr } with a proportion of the small stores for LIGHT, } immediate service; and, if acting separately, } must have a waggon attached to it, to carry the } remainder. But two 6 pounders, attached to a } battalion, have only one waggon between them.

} Has 22 shells, 4 case shot, and two carcasses in 5½ HOW’R } the limber boxes, with such of the small stores LIGHT, } as are required for immediate service; and has } two waggons attached to carry the rest.

One common pattern ammunition waggon carries the following numbers of rounds of ammunition of each nature: