Ammunition

for Field Artillery. A proportion of Ammunition and Stores for each Species of Field Ordnance, viz. 1 Medium 12 Pr. [1] —1 heavy 6 Pr.—2 light 6 Prs. as they are always attached to Battalions of Infantry—and one 5¹⁄₂ inch Howitzer; according to the British Service. | Proportion of Ammunition and Stores. | 12 Pounders, Medium. | 6 Pounders, Heavy. | 2 Light 6 Pounders. | 5¹⁄₂ Inch Howitzers. | | Shot fixed to wood bottoms—case | 24 | | 30 | | 68 | | 24 | | | Shot fixed to wood bottoms—round | 120 | | 120 | | 188 | | 00 | | | Shells, fixed | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 24 | | | Shells, empty | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 120 | | | Carca es, fixed | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 4 | | | Cartridges of flannel filled with powder. | - | | 4 lb. | 120 | | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | | 3¹⁄₂ lb. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | | 2¹⁄₄ lb. | 00 | | 120 | | 00 | | 00 | | | 2 lb. | 00 | | 30 | | 00 | | 00 | | | 1¹⁄₂ lb. | 00 | | 00 | | 188 | | 00 | | | 1¹⁄₄ lb. | 00 | | 00 | | 68 | | 00 | | | 10 oz. | 00 | | 00 | | 125 | | 00 | | | 1 lb. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 144 | | | 12 oz. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 28 | | | Cartridges flan. empty | 12 | | 12 | | 100 | | 12 | | | Ditto of paper for bursting 10 oz. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 120 | | | Tubes of tin—N. P. | 172 | | 178 | | 560 | | 190 | | | Portfires—long small | 18 | | 18 | | 62 | | 18 | | | Fuses—drove | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 132 | | | Powder, mealed lbs. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | | ¹⁄₂ | | Travelling carriages and 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 | | 00 | | | Handspikes, traversing | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | 2 | | | Tompions with collars | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Trucks, Han over i an | 00 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Straps for lashing side arms | 00 | | 3 | | 8 | | 00 | | | Tarpaulins, gun | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Tarpaulins, limber | 00 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Lintstocks with cocks | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Drag ropes with pins, pairs | 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 | 00 | | 6 | | 12 | | 6 | | | Spare heads, spunge | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Spare heads, rammer | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Hammers, claw | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Priming irons, sets | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Draught chains, prs. | 2 | | 1 | | 3 | | 2 | | | Powder horns, N. P. | 00 | | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Water buckets French | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Intrench’g tools, | | felling axes, | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | pick axes, | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | hand bills, | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | spades, | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | 2 | | | Marline, tarred-skeins | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | Twine, tarred-lbs. | 00 | | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Hambro’ line, tarred-do. | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | Packthread, tarred-do. | 00 | | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Grease-firkins | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | Grease-boxes | 3 | | 2 | | 3 | | 3 | | | Tallow-lbs. | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Lanthorns, dark | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | Jacks, lifting | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | Jacks, hand screw | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Waggons with hps. and painted covers, Flanders pattern | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | | Wad miltilts | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | | Tanned hides | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | | Men’s harne (12 to a set) sets | 1 | | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Horse Harne . | - | | New pattern. | - | | Rope, 6 do. sets | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Chain, 6 do. sets | 00 | | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | | Trace, 4 do. sets | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 3 | | | Common Pattern | - | | Thill | 00 | | 00 | | 2 | | 00 | | | Trace | 00 | | 00 | | 4 | | 00 | | | Bit halters | 00 | | 00 | | 6 | | 00 | | | Wanties | 2 | | 1 | | 3 | | 2 | | | Hemp halters | 14 | | 10 | | 10 | | 12 | | | Whips, long | 00 | | 00 | | 2 | | 00 | | | Whips, 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 | 00 | | 00 | | 10 | | 00 | | | For Waggons. | - | | Linch pins | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | | Clouts, body | 4 | | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | | Clouts, linch | 4 | | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | | Clout nails, 6 d. | 64 | | 32 | | 32 | | 64 | | | Spare ladle staves | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | | Horses, for guns | 6 | | 6 | | 6 | | 4 | | | Horses, for waggons | 8 | | 4 | | 4 | | 8 | | | Drivers, for guns | 3 | | 3 | | 2 | | 2 | | | Drivers, 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. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Sci ars, pairs | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | | | Worsted, ounces | | ¹⁄₂ | | ¹⁄₂ | 1 | | | ¹⁄₂ | | Needles, large | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | 2 | | | Cartouches of leather | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | 2 | | | Copper measures for powder. | - | | 4 oz. | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 00 | | | 2 oz. | 00 | | 1 | | 00 | | 00 | | | 1 oz. | 1 | | 1 | | 2 | | 00 | | | 4 lb. to ¹⁄₄ oz. sets | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Thumb stalls | 2 | | 2 | | 4 | | 2 | | | Perpendicular | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Quadrant of bra | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Diagonal scale | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Copper salting box | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Pincers for drawing fuzes, pairs | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Sheepskins | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 2 | | | Funnels of copper | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Compa es of steel, Pairs | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Saw, tenant | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Files, square | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 3 | | | Rasps, half round | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 2 | | | Flax, oz. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 8 | | | Tow, oz. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 4 | | | Saw set | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Mallets of wood | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 1 | | | Setters do. | 00 | | 00 | | 00 | | 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 3¹⁄₂ lbs. of powder, more than the above proportion. This proportion of ammunition and stores is carried in the following manner: 12 Pr. Medium —Has no limber boxes, [2] but has two waggons attached to it, and the ammunition and stores divided between them. [2] A small limber box has lately been added to the medium 12 Prs. which carries 6 round shot and 6 case shot, with a small proportion of the small stores. See note preceding page. 6 Pr. Heavy —Carries 36 round, and 14 case shot in limber boxes, with a proportion of the small stores; and the remainder is carried in one waggon. 6 Pr. Light —Carries 34 round, and 16 case shot on the limber, with a proportion of the small stores for 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. 5¹⁄₂ Howitzer, Light —Has 22 shells, 4 case shot, and two carca es in the limber-boxes, with such of the small stores 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 kind: | Kinds. | No. of Rounds. | | | 12 | | Pr. Medium, | 72 | | | 6 | Pr. Heavy, | 120 | | 6 | Pr. Light, | 156 | | 3 | Pr. | 288 | | 5 | ¹⁄₂ | Howitzer, | 72 | | 8 | | Inch Howitzers, | 24 | | Musquets, | 20000 | [3] | [3] Though the waggons will contain 20,000 cartridges, it is customary to load them with only 18 half barrels of 1000 each, and 2 half barrels of flints. The waggons, however, attached to the different parks of artillery in England, which have not been altered from the old establishment, are loaded with only the following number, and drawn by three horses: | Kinds. | No. of Rounds. | | 12 | | Prs. Medium, | 66 | | 6 | Prs. Heavy, | 120 | | 6 | Prs. Light, | 138 | | 5 | ¹⁄₂ | Howitzer, | 60 | The horse artillery having waggons of a particular description, carry their ammunition as follows: | KINDS. | Shot. | Shells. | Car- ca es. | Total No. with each Piece. | | Round. | Case. | | 12 Prs. light, on the limber. | 12 | 4 | 4 | 00 | | - | 92 | | Do. —— in one waggon. | 52 | 10 | 10 | 00 | | 6 Prs. light, on the limber. | 32 | 8 | 00 | 00 | | - | 150 | | Do. —— in one waggon. | 97 | 13 | 00 | 00 | | 5¹⁄₂ In. How’r on the limber. | — | 5 | 13 | 00 | | - | 73 | | Do. —— in one waggon. | — | 10 | 41 | 4 | | 3 Prs. heavy, curricle. | 6 | 6 | 00 | 00 | | - | 136 | | Do. —— ammunition cart. | 100 | 24 | 00 | 00 | The following Proportion of Artillery, Ammunition, and Carriages, nece ary for four French Armies of different Degrees of Strength, and acting in very different Countries, is attributed to Gribauvale, and is extracted from Durtubie, on Artillery. | ARMIES. | Flanders. | Moselle. | Rhine. | Italy. | | Number of battalions | 80 | 28 | 32 | 48 | | Battalion guns | 160 | 56 | 64 | 94 | | Park or Reserve. | | - | 12 Prs. | 32 | 12 | 12 | 16 | | 8 Prs. | 72 | 24 | 32 | 48 | | 4 Prs. | 40 | 16 | 16 | 24 | | 6 In. How. | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | | Total pieces of ord. | 312 | 112 | 128 | 192 | | Carriage for ord. including sp. ones | | - | 12 Prs. | 36 | 14 | 14 | 18 | | 8 Prs. | 81 | 27 | 36 | 54 | | 4 Prs. | 215 | 78 | 90 | 129 | | 6 In. Howtz. | 9 | 5 | 5 | 9 | | Total ord. carriages | 341 | 124 | 145 | 210 | | Ammunition waggons | | - | 12 Prs. | 96 | 36 | 36 | 48 | | 8 Prs. | 144 | 48 | 64 | 96 | | 4 Prs. | 200 | 72 | 80 | 120 | | 6 In. How. | 24 | 12 | 8 | 24 | | Wags. for musq. cart. | 120 | 42 | 48 | 72 | | Large wags. for park | 10 | 6 | 5 | 8 | | Total am. waggons | 594 | 216 | 241 | 368 | | Smiths forges. | | - | Large | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | | Small | —— | 3 | 3 | 4 | | Total forges | 14 | 6 | 6 | 12 | | Waggons for | - | | Intrench. tools for | | - | Artillery | 27 | 10 | 12 | 16 | | The army | 20 | 10 | 12 | 16 | | Carriages for | - | | New iron | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | | Wood for spr. car. | 9 | 3 | 3 | 7 | | Anchors, . for pontoons | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | Total store carriages | 66 | 28 | 32 | 49 | | Pontoons upon their carriages | 36 | 18 | 18 | 36 | | Spare pontoon carriages | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | Total pontoon carr i’gs | 40 | 20 | 20 | 40 | | RECAPITULATION. | | Ordnance——pieces | 312 | 112 | 128 | 192 | | Carriages. | - | | Ordnance carr i’gs | 341 | 124 | 145 | 210 | | Ammunition | 594 | 216 | 241 | 368 | | Store | 66 | 28 | 32 | 49 | | Pontoon | 40 | 20 | 20 | 40 | | Forges | 14 | 6 | 6 | 12 | | Genl. total of carr i’gs | 1055 | 394 | 444 | 679 | This table contains, beside the proportion of ordnance with each army, also the quantity of ammunition with each piece of ordnance, and the number of rounds of musquet ammunition carried for the infantry; for each waggon in the French service, having its particular allotment of ammunition and stores, it needs but to know the number of waggons of each description, to ascertain the quantity of ammunition and stores with an army. The following is the number of waggons usually attached to each piece of field ordnance in the French service, and the quantity of ammunition carried with each. | Kind of Ordnance and Number of Waggons attached to each. | Shot. | Total with each piece. | | Round. | Case. | | 12 Pr. on the carriage | 9 | 00 | | - | 00 | 213 | | 3 Waggons, each containing | 48 | 20 | | 8 Pr. on the carriage | 9 | 00 | | - | 00 | 193 | | 2 Waggons, each containing | 62 | 30 | | 4 Pr. on the carriage | 18 | 00 | | - | 00 | 168 | | One waggon, containing | 100 | 50 | | 6 Inch Howitzer, on the carriage | 00 | 4 | | - | 00 | 160 | | 3 Waggons, each containing | shell 49 | 3 | The French horse artillery waggon, called the wurst , carries 57 rounds for 8 pounders; or 30 for 6 inch howitzers. The following is a proportion of ammunition for one piece of field artillery of each kind, by different powers in Europe. | KINDS. | Austrians. | Pru ians. | Danes. | Han over i ans. | | Case. | Round. | Case. | Round. | Case. | Round. | Case. | Round. | | 3 Pr. | 40 | 184 | 20 | 90 | 58 | 177 | 50 | 150 | | 6 Pr. | 36 | 176 | 30 | 150 | 53 | 166 | 48 | 144 | | 12 Pr. | 44 | 94 | 20 | 130 | 44 | 128 | 50 | 150 | | Howitzer | 16 | 90 | 20 | 60 | 25 | 76 | 30 | 120 | Of the movements and positions of field artillery. Battalion Guns ; the following are the usual positions taken by battalion guns, in the most e ential manœuvres of the battalion to which they are attached; but the established regulations for the movements of the infantry in the British service, take so little notice of the relative situations for the artillery attached to it, that they afford no authority for a guide on the subject. In review, both guns are to be placed, when in line, on the right of the regiment; unlimbered and prepared for action. The guns 10 yards apart, and the left gun 10 yards from the right of the battalion. Nos. 7 and 8 dre in line with the front rank of the regiment. The officer, at open order, will be in front of the interval between his guns, and in line with the officers of the regiment. When the regiment breaks into column, the guns will be limbered up and wheeled by pairs to the left: the men form the line of march, and the officer marches round in front of the guns. In the review of a single battalion, it is usual after marching round the second time, for one of the guns to go to the rear, and fall in at the rear of the column. Upon the regiment wheeling on the left into line, the guns, if separated, will be unlimbered to the right, but if they are both upon the right, they must be wheeled to the right, and then unlimbered; and afterwards run up by hand, as thereby they do not interfere with the just formation of the line, by obstructing the view of the pivots. The usual method by which the guns take part in the firings while in line, is by two discharges from each piece, previous to the firing of the regiment; but this is usually regulated by the commanding officer, before the review. Though the guns when in line with a regiment in review, always remain in the intervals; in other situations of more consequence, every favorable spot which presents itself, from which the enemy can be more effectually annoyed, should be taken advantage of. In column, if advancing, the guns must be in front; if retreating, in the rear of the column. If in open column of more than one battalion, the guns in the centre must be between the divisions, and when the column is closed, these guns must move to the outward flank of that division of the column, which leads the regiment to which they are attached. In changing front, or in forming the line from column, should the guns be on that flank of the battalion on which the new line is to be formed, they will commence firing to cover the formation. In retiring by alternate wings or divisions, the guns must be always with that body nearest the enemy. That is, they will not retire with the first half, but will remain in their position till the second half retires; and will then only retire to the flanks of the first half; and when it retires again, the guns will retire likewise, but only as far as the second half, and so on. When in hollow square, the guns will be placed at the weakest angles, and the limbers in the centre of the square. In pa ing a bridge or defile in front, the guns will be the first to pa ; unle from any particular position they can more effectually enfilade the defilé ; and thereby better open the pa age for the infantry. But in retiring through a defilé , the guns will remain to the last, to cover the retreat. General rule —with very few variations, the guns should attend in all the movements of the battalion, that division of it, to which they are particularly attached; and every attention should be paid in thus adapting the movements of the guns to those of the regiment, that they be not entangled with the divisions of the line, and never so placed as to obstruct the view of the pivots, and thereby the just formation of the line; but should always seek those positions, from which the enemy can be most annoyed, and the troops to which they are attached, protected. If at any time the battalion guns of several regiments should be united and formed into brigades, their movements will then be the same as those for the artillery of the park.