SERVICE OF ARTILLERY

272

the future conduct of the siege : he will visit the batteriesagain in the afternoon, taking with him a staff officer, totake notes of what ammunition wili be wanting for the cur-rent service of the following da)’, and what case-shot andflannel cartridges, to enable the batteries to keep up a veryclose fire in case of sallies: he will also examine whether themagazines of the centre and flanks of the second parallel beprovided with cartridges and flints for the infantry. On hisreturn to the park, he will direct the articles that are to besent to each battery to be separately prepared; and deliveredover to the non-commissioned officers and privates detachedin the evening to receive and conduct them at close of day,along the roads that lead most directly from the park to theirrespective batteries.

CHAP. VI.

Of the Second and Third Batteries.

63. It being the object of the second batteries to makepracticable breaches in the works, they should be combinedtwo and two together in such a manner, that while one bat-ters in breach the other may play on the defences that coverthe breach. The second mortar-batteries will be properlydisposed, if while one bombards the work that the besiegerintends to give the assault to, and prevents the garrison fromthrowing up intrenclnnents within it, or at least retards theirconstruction ; the other directs its sire against the works thatdefend the breach : so that the garrison may from the conti-nual ihower of (hells be compelled to abandon the defences ;or, if they persist in remaining, be exposed to great loss.

64. When the trenches are advanced under the fire of thefirst batteries far enough to establish the batteries in breach,the artillery-men will construct them on the points whencetheir fire may the most speedily and effectually render thebreaches practicable.

If the profiles of the works be advantageous for defence,and there be no commanding points, the batteries in breachand the collateral batteries must be erected on the crest of theglacis; but if there be a rising ground, whence at least halfpf the circuit of the place can be seen, and any points nearer

to