100 
COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH OF A SIEGE TRAIN 
Number of ordnance required for the first artillery position, 
for one front. —To fight the salient gun and those of the faces of 
the Ravelin 5 guns are necessary, and these, serving also in some 
measures to enfilade the battery of the caponier, ouverte a del , and to 
counter batter the guns of the curtain, may well have another added to 
their number making a total of 6; they would be established, as nearly 
as may be, on the prolongation of the capital and associated with them, 
for bombarding, there may be 4 heavy and 2 medium howitzers. 
The flanks of the Ravelin may be enfiladed,* * * § but are each protected 
by the battery de reverse at the salient as by a casemated traverse,t as 
well as by casemated and splinter proof traverses; for this purpose 3 
medium and 1 heavy howitzers must, at the least, be allowed per flank, 
adjacent to which, for dismounting the low battery flanking the 
ravelin and destroying the traverses of the covered way, may be placed 
4 medium howitzers. 
The faces of the body of the place cannot be enfiladed]: their prolon¬ 
gations falling upon the Ravelins of the contiguous fronts; for fighting 
the guns of each, 5 guns may be allowed, in the first position and with 
them, for bombardment, may be placed 4 heavy and 2 medium howitzers. 
To meet the heavy gun of the salient of the body of the place 2 guns 
are necessary and with them, on the prolongation of the capital, as 
nearly as may be, may be placed 6 heavy howitzers for bombardment. 
Adding 11 to the preceding numbers 12 light howitzers for use against 
working parties, &c., and 12 field guns and mitrailleuses for emplace¬ 
ments against sorties, we get as the total ordnance necessary for the 
first position :— 
Guns :— heavy , 18. medium , — field§ 12. 
Howitzers : — heavy , 20. medium , 20. light , 12. 
Number of ordnance required for the second artillery position, 
for one front. —In the fortress are mounted, as we have seen, upon 
the faces and curtain of the encient 26 guns (neglecting the one in the 
salient) having a large field of fire; for counter-battering these, but 10 
have been allowed in the first position, there remain therefore 16 to be 
provided^ and as these will probably be of lighter calibre (about 4’7") 
than those of the fortress (supposed 15 c.m. = 5’9") their number 
must be increased by at least 25 per cent, or to 20. 
* Though, truly, as Brialmont states, “ Le ravelin offre pen de prise au tir d’enfilade.” 
f The angle of fall required to reach the gnus mounted next to the battery de reverse 
is about 15°, that to reach a gun next a casemated traverse about 25°. 
t “ That enfilade fire be effective one must be able to judge the effect of the rounds and 
rectify the laying, which cannot be when enfilading a line of -which the prolongation is 
out of sight.”—Brialmont. 
|| As already stated, guns of the second position can be used for driving back the enemy, 
and, therefore, it is unnecessary to provide specially for this purpose in the first position. 
§ Field guns and mitrailleuses. 
■jf Any effect produced on these works by the pieces placed in battery against the 
Ravelin, in the first position and continued in the second, is neglected in order to ensure 
superiority on the part of the besieger. 
