Plate 6, Fig. 1, represents the mode of carrying the bombarding frame
and ammunition by men. The apparatus required is merely a light
ladder, 12 feet in length, having two iron chambers, which are fixed
on in preparing for action at the upper end of the ladder; from which
chambers the Rockets are discharged, by means of a musket lock; the
ladder being reared to any elevation, by two legs or pry-poles, as in
Fig. 2. Every thing required for this service may be carried by men;
or a Flanders-pattern ammunition waggon, with four horses, will convey
60 rounds of 32-pounder Carcasses, in ten boxes, eight of the boxes
lying cross-ways on the floor of the waggon, and two length-ways, at
top. On these the frame, complete for firing two Rockets at a flight,
with spunges, &c. is laid; and the sticks on each side, to complete
the stowage of all that is necessary, the whole being covered by the
tilt. Four men only are required to be attached to each waggon, who are
numbered 1, 2, 3, & 4.
The frame and ammunition having been brought into the battery, or to
any other place, concealed either by trees or houses (for from the
facility of taking new ground, batteries are not so indispensable as
with mortars), the words “_Prepare for bombardment_” are given; on
which the frame is prepared for rearing, Nos. 1 and 2 first fixing the
chambers on the ladder; Nos. 3 and 4 attaching the legs to the frame
as it lies on the ground. The words “_Rear frame_” are then given;
when all assist in raising it, and the proper elevation is given,
according to the words “_Elevate to 35°_” or “_45°_,” or whatever
angle the officer may judge necessary, according to the required
range, by spreading or closing the legs of the frame, agreeable to
the distances marked in degrees on a small measuring tape, which the
non-commissioned officer carries, and which is called--the Elevating
Line. The word “_Point_” is then given: which is done by means of a
plumb-line, hanging down from the vertex of the triangle, and which at
the same time shews whether the frame is upright or not. Things being
thus arranged, Nos. 1 and 2 place themselves at the foot of the ladder,
and Nos. 3 and 4 return to fix the ammunition in the rear, in readiness
for the word “_Load_.” When this is given, No. 3 brings a Rocket to the
foot of the ladder, having before hand _carefully_ taken off the circle
that covered the vent, and handing it to No. 2, runs for another. In
the mean time, No. 1 has ascended the ladder to receive the first
Rocket from No. 2, and to place it in the chamber at the top of the
ladder; by the time this is done, No. 2 is ready to give him another
Rocket, which in like manner he places in the other chamber: he then
primes the locks with a tube and powder, and, cocking the two locks,
after every thing else is done, descends from the ladder, and, when
down, gives the word “_Ready_;” on which, he and No. 2 each take one of
the trigger lines, and retire ten or twelve paces obliquely, waiting
for the word “_Fire_” from the officer or non-commissioned officer, on
which they pull, either separately or together, as previously ordered.
On the Rockets leaving the frame, No. 1 immediately runs up and
spunges out the two chambers with a very wet spunge, having for this
purpose a water bucket suspended at the top of the frame; which being
done, he receives a Rocket from No. 2, as before, No. 3 having, in
the mean time, brought up a fresh supply; in doing which, however, he
must never bring from the rear more than are wanted for each round.
In this routine, any number of rounds is tired, until the words
“_Cease firing_” are given; which, if followed by those, “_Prepare to
retreat_,” Nos. 3 and 4 run forward to the ladder; and on the words
_“Lower frame_,” they ease it down in the same order in which it was
raised, take it to pieces, and may thus retire in less than five
minutes: or if the object of ceasing to fire is merely a change of
position to no great distance, the four men may with ease carry the
frame, without taking it to pieces, the waggon following them with the
ammunition, or the ammunition being borne by men, as circumstances may
render expedient.
_The ammunition_ projected from this frame consists of 32-pounder
Rockets, armed with carcasses of the following sorts and ranges:--
1st.--_The small carcass_, containing 8 lbs. of carcass composition,
being 3 lbs. more than the present 10-inch spherical carcass.--Range
3,000 yards.
2nd.--_The medium carcass_, containing 12 lbs. of carcass composition,
being equal to the present 13-inch.--Range 2,500 yards.
3rd.--_The large carcass_, containing 18 lbs. of carcass composition,
being 6 lbs. more than the present 13-inch spherical carcass.--Range
2,000 yards.
Or 32-pounder Rockets, armed with bursting cones, made of stout iron,
filled with powder, to be exploded by fuzes, and to be used to produce
the explosive effects of shells, where such effect is preferred to the
conflagration of the carcass. These cones contain as follows:--
_Small._--Five lbs. of powder, equal to the bursting powder of a
10-inch shell.--Range 3,000 yards.
_Medium._--Eight lbs. of powder, equal to the bursting powder of a
13-inch shell.--Range 2,500 yards.
_Large._--Twelve lbs. of powder.--Range 2,000 yards.
N.B. I have lately had a successful experiment, with bombarding
Rockets, six inches diameter, and weighing 148 lbs.--and doubt not of
extending the bombarding powers of the system much further.
[Illustration: _Plate 6_ Fig. 1 Fig. 2]
THE MODE OF USING ROCKETS IN BOMBARDMENT, FROM EARTH WORKS, WITHOUT
APPARATUS.
Plate 7, Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a Battery, erected expressly
for throwing Rockets in bombardment, where the interior slope has the
angle of projection required, and is equal to the length of the Rocket
and stick.
The great advantage of this system is, that, as it dispenses with
apparatus: where there is time for forming a work of this sort, of
considerable length, the quantity of fire, that may be thrown in a
given time, is limited only by the length of the work: thus, as the
Rockets may be laid in embrasures cut in the bank, at every two feet, a
battery of this description, 200 feet in length, will fire 100 Rockets
in a volley, and so on; or an incessant and heavy fire may, by such
a battery, be kept up from one flank to the other, by replacing the
Rockets as fast as they are fired in succession.
The rule for forming this battery is as follows.
“The length of the interior slope of this work is half formed by the
excavation, and half by the earth thrown out; for the base therefore of
the interior slope of the part to be raised, at an angle of 55°, set
off two thirds of the intended perpendicular height--cut down the slope
to a perpendicular depth equal to the above mentioned height--then
setting off, for the breadth of the interior excavation, one third more
than the intended thickness of the work, carry down a regular ramp
from the back part of this excavation to the foot of the slope, and
the excavation will supply the quantity of earth necessary to give the
exterior face a slope of 45°.”
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a common epaulement converted into a
Rocket battery. In this case, as the epaulement is not of sufficient
length to support the Rocket and stick, holes must be bored in the
ground, with a miner’s borer, of a sufficient depth to receive the
sticks, and at such distances, and such an angle, as it is intended
to place the Rockets for firing. The inside of the epaulement must be
pared away to correspond with this angle, say 55°. The Rockets are then
to be laid in embrasures, formed in the bank, as in the last case.
Where the ground is such as to admit of using the borer, this latter
system, of course, is the easiest operation; and for such ground as
would be likely to crumble into the holes, slight tubes are provided,
about two feet long, to preserve the opening; in fact, these tubes will
be found advantageous in all ground.
Fig. 2 also shews a powerful mode of defending a field work by means of
Rockets, in addition to the defences of the present system; merely by
cutting embrasures in the glacis, for horizontal firing.
[Illustration: _Plate 7_ Fig. 1 Fig. 2]