486 
Fortiica- after every tenth of which was a tower, extending from 
ties. wall to wall, and equal in height to the fortifications of 
—_—— 
Agaers of 
the anchemts 
Tetada 
Approaches. 
the town. After all, this method of attacking a place 
was better calculated to starve it into a pase 5 than 
to take it by force. 
Another, and perhaps a more expeditious method of 
attack, was by means of detached mounds or aggera, 
erected opposite the weakest part of the fortification. 
These era were constructed of all sorts of materials, 
as wood, stone, earth, &c. and gradually carried for- 
ward till almost close to the walls. The besiegers were 
thus raised to a level with their enemies, and sometimes 
succeeded in throwing bridges between the and 
the fortification, by which they stormed the place. Still, 
however, this m of attack was liable to a serious 
objection. The laborious nature of the operations ne- 
cessary in constructing even single and detached mounds 
or aggera, afforded the besieged time enough to strength- 
en such parts of their rampart as were threatened, and 
thus deprived the assailants of no inconsiderable — of 
the advantage to be derived from their works. The in- 
vention of moveable towers or turrets was therefore a 
very great improvement in the art of attacking. These 
towers were erected on wheels and rollers, by which 
could easily be moved from one place to another ; 
and, in point of size, were proportioned:to the height 
and strength of the place to be attacked. In their most 
improved form, they consisted of wood, and were so 
constructed as to be —_ down and carried about 
with the army as of the 
But the great alticulty of i: fortified places in 
ancient times, did not consist in the prodigious labour, 
so much as in the danger to which the besiegers were 
exposed in constructing their outworks, From their si- 
tuation, the besieged were enabled powerfully to annoy 
their enemies, with comparatively little to them- 
selves. Huge stones, and other heavy ies, thrown 
from the ramparts, became formidable and destructive 
weapons, against which the besiegers could find no pro- 
tection in the ordinary means of defence. It was to 
prevent the fatal effects of such weapons, that the testudo 
was invented. , This consisted of a number of soldiers, 
ed in different forms according to circumstances, 
but all holding their shields above their heads, thus 
forming a canopy or covering over those who were em- 
ployed in the works beneath. The testudo was also 
sometimes employed, for the purpose of taking a place 
by storm, when the garrison was not in a proper condi- 
tion to defend itself. In this case, the front rank stood 
upright, holding their shields before them ; the second 
held their shields above the heads of the first, at the 
same time cp a little ; the third stooped still more, 
holding their shields also above their hands; and so on 
to the rear rank, which was in a kneeling posture, thus 
exhibiting the appearance of a tiled roof. On this roof, 
another body of men was drawn up in the same form, 
and protecting themselves in a similar manner. A 
number of successive stories being. thus constructed, 
those that formed the highest were enabled to engage 
on equal terms with the besieged, and frequently suc« 
ceeded in getting possession of the place. 
In later times works were constructed, and attacks 
made on fortresses under the protection of covered ways, 
or approaches. These ches. were generally the 
work of great expense and labour, being guarded on 
one sitle, and sometimes also on the other, with a mound 
of earth, and covered on the top with skins of animals, 
rafters, or bundles of rods, called Jfascines. At the ex- 
tremity of the approach, was erected as close to the 
FORTIFICATION. 
walls a3 necessary, either an agger, or a moveable tower, 
according to circumstances. 
Such were some of the defensive works used by the ogo 
ancients in oe on a siege, or in making a sudden vegan al 
attack on a fortified place. their offensive weapons, the ancients, 
we have already given an ample account under the ar- 
ticles Arms and Artitupry, to which we refer our. 
readers. Of the methods employed by ee for 
destroying, and otherwise rendering unserviceable, the 
machines of the enemy, we have also spoken under the 
article Ancuimepes, where we took occasion to state 
our opinion with regard to the wonderful power ascri- 
bed to the mechanical inventions of that ee 
mathematician. We would only observe on Mining. 
the subject of ancient fortification, that mining seems to 
have been practised at a very early period, and with ~ 
considerable success, capndidlly in destroying the tow- 
ers and aggera of the besiegers. The earth under these 
works being excavated, the place was filled with com- 
bustible matter, and set on fire. The superincumbent 
earth was thus rendered friable, and sinking down, the 
; 
q 
} 
— were overturned. ats A 
e invention of , (anno 1330,) though : 
ultimately destined to produce a ner ert oe sys- fortihcation } 
tem of defending and ing fortified was not in modern) — 
immediately productive of this effect. great guns “mes. é 
began to be first used, they were so rude and unma« ‘7 
nageable, that the batteri — of the ancients 
long maintained their groun ven so late as the be- A 
ginning of the 15th century, few towns had been regu- 
ly bombarded, though artificial fire works had been 
frequently used, sometimes in the form of rockets, and 
sometimes fastened to birds tails, for the purpose of set- 
ting fire to such parts of the town or as were ofa 
combustible nature. It was a device of this kind, that 
proved fatal to the camp of the Austrians before Saaz. 
About the beginning of the 16th enter the use 
of great guns € more common, their ef- 
fects to be more apparent. The circumvallations 
of the besi gradually assumed the form of 
fortifications ; and forti places themselves under 
went a considerable change both in form and strength. 
We cannot here enter into a detail of these 2 
without supposing our readers to be acquainted with 
the caper ont of the art, which it is the object of this 
article to explain. It may, however, be d in 
general, that the use of modern had not of it- 
self the effect of shortening the duration of sieges, The 
advantages of great guns, especially men had ac- 
uired considerable dexterity in the ent of 
them, were no doubt very great to the besiegers ; but \ 
theyalso tothe besieged a powerful means of an- 4 
noying the enemy. Besides, fortified places were some~ 
times so successively at eae as for a long time. 
to defy even the force of the heaviest ordnance. A. 
wall at Magdebourg, received 1550 cannon shot with-. 
out sustaining any damage. The numerous instancestoo,. 
which history affords of longand unsuccessfulsieges, even . 
after the invention of fire arms, wnt Fn ooo 
tion was not more advantageous for ing than for - 
defending fortified . The siege of an important 
pene ane, Caclivent See : 
not successful on the besiegers, generally 
terminated in the loss ob the greater part of thee ary. 
Such was the state of fortification, when, towards Change in: 
end of the 17th century, M. Vauban effected a com the method! 
plete revolution in the art. This celebrated er of attack ine 
Invented a new method of attack, against which no troduced by 
mode of defence hitherto adopted has been able to hold Vauban- 
Use of great 
guns. 
