S I E ( Sis 5 S I E
leans somewhat towards the pole, andis supported by a brace, one end ofwhich is fixed to the pole, and theother to the upper part of the parapet.Mantlets are used to cover the sappersin front against musket-shot.
Maxims in Sieges , 1st. The ap-proaches should be made without beingseen from the town, either directly, ob-liquely, or in flank.
2. No more works should be madethan are necessary for approaching theplace without being seen; i.e. the be-siegers should carry on their approachesthe shortest way possible, consistent withbeing covered against the enemy’s fire.
3. All the parts of the trenches shouldmutually support each other; and thosewhich are farthest advanced, should bedistant from those that defend themabout 120 or 130 toises, that is, withinmusket shot.
4. The parallels, or places of armsthe most distant from the town, shouldhave a greater extent than those whichare the nearest, that the besiegers maybe able to take the enemy in flank, shouldbe resolve to attack the nearest parallels.
5. The trench should be opened orbegun as near as possible to the place,without exposing the troops too much,in order to accelerate and diminish theOperations of the siege.
6. Care should be taken to join theattacks; that is, they should have com-munications, to the end that they maybe able to support each other.
7. Never to advance a work, unlessit be well supported; and for this reason,in the interval between the 2d and 3dplace of arms, the besiegers should makeon both sides of the trenches, smallerplaces of arms, extending 40 or 50toises in length, parallel to the others,and constructed in the same manner,which will serve to lodge the soldiers in,who are to protect the works designedto reach the third place of arms.
8. Take care to place the batteries ofCannon in the continuation of the facesof the parts attacked, in order to silencetheir fire; and to the end that the ap-proaches, being protected, may advancewith greater safety and expedition.
9. For this reason, the besiegers shouldalways embrace the whole front attack-ed, in order to have as much space as isrequisite to place the batteries on theproduced faces of the works attacked.
10. Do not begin the attack withworks that lie close to one another, or
with rentrant angles, which would ex*pose the attack to the cross fire of theenemy.
Stores required for a month's Siege arknearly as follow :—
Powder, as the garrison
is more or less strong 8 or 900,000lb.
( for battering pieces - 6000
0 ( of a lesser sort - - 20,000
Battering cannon - 80
Cannons of a lesser sort * 40
Small field pieces for
defending the lines - 20
Mortars for throwing | ^
Shells for mortars - 15 or 16,000
Hand-grenades - 40,000
Leaden bullets ... 180,000Matches in braces - 10,000
Flints for muskets, best sort 100,000
Platforms complete for guns 100
Platforms for mortars - 60
5 carriages for guns - 60
mortar beds - - 60
spunges, rammers, and
ladles, in sets - 20
Tools to work in trenches - 40,000
Several hand-jacks, gins, sling-carts,
travelling forges, and other engines pro-per to raise and carry heavy burdens;spare timber, and all sorts of miners’tools, mantlets, stuffed gabions, fascines,pickets, and gabions.
Siege brusque, Fr. an expression usedamong the French to signify the promptand immediate movement of a besiegingarmy, against a fortified town or place,without waiting for the regular forma-tion of lines, &c. In this case, the troopsmake a vigorous attack upon all the out-works, and endeavour to make a lodge-ment upon the counterscarp. When theyhave succeeded, they instantly throw uptemporary lines, &c. behind them, inorder to secure a retreat, should the gar-rison force them to quit their ground.
The following are some of the mostimportant Sieges from the twelfth cen-tury to the year 1815.
Acre, 1192; 1799, by Bonaparte.—-The
siege raised after 60 days open trenches,Agri'a, 1566, 1687.
Aiguillon, 1345.
Alba Regalis, (StuUveissenberg), 1543,