Английский военно-исторический глоссарий. Том 2. B. Виктор Евгеньевич Никитин
the usage is various, as it is in all other countries. The United Stares regiment of artillery consists of 20 companies, which form five battalions; the other regiments infantry and artillery, consist of ten companies of each, so that each regiment must form two battalions of five companies each. The militia regiments in most of the states consist of 1000 men, composing two battalions of 500 men each, being perhaps the most perfect organization for a battalion.
The French call their military corps which answer to our regiments, demi brigades, these usually consist or three battalions of 1000 men each; when two of the battalions of a demi brigade are in the field the other is in quarters or recruiting and disciplining the young soldiers, who are thus drafted from their regimental depots.
On the British establishment the companies of grenadiers and light infantry-men having been detached from their several corps and formed into separate battalions; the British guards at present consist of 9 battalions. The different companies are likewise considerably augmented; so that it is impossible to affix any specific standard to their complement of men. The English royal regiment of artillery consists of 4 battalions. Sometimes regiments consist each of 1 battalion only; but if more numerous, are divided into several battalions, according to their strength; so that every one may come within the numbers mentioned. A battalion in one of the English marching regiments consists of 1000, and sometimes of 1200 men, officers and non-commissioned included. When there are companies of several regiments in a garrison to form a battalion, those of the eldest regiment post themselves on the right, those of the second on the left, and so on until the youngest fall into the centre. The officers take their posts before their companies, from the right and left, according to seniority. Each battalion is divided into 4 divisions, and each division into two sub-divisions, which are again divided into sections. The companies of grenadiers being unequal in all battalions, their post must be regulated by the commanding officer. See Regiment.
Triangular Battalion, in ancient military[36] history, a body of troops ranged in the form of a triangle, in which the ranks exceed each other by an equal number of men: if the first rank consists of one man only, and the difference between the ranks is only one, then its form is that of an equilateral triangle; and when the difference between the ranks is more than one, its form may then be an isoscele; having two sides equal, or scalene triangle. This method is now laid aside.
BATTER, a cannonade of heavy ordnance, from the 1st or 2d parallel of entrenchment, against any fortress or works.
To Batter in breach, implies a heavy cannonade of many pieces directed to one part of the revetement from the third parallel.
BATTERING, in military affairs, implies the firing with heavy artillery on some fortification or strong post possessed by an enemy, in order to demolish the works.
Battering-Pieces, are large pieces of cannon, used in battering a fortified town or post.
It is judged by all nations, that no less than 24 or 18 pounders are proper for that use. Formerly much larger calibres were used, but, as they were so long and heavy, and very troublesome to transport and manage, were for a long time rejected, till adopted among the French, who during the present war have brought 36 and 42 pounders into the field.
Battering-Train, a train of artillery used solely for besieging a strong place, inclusive of mortars and howitzers: all heavy 24, 18, and 12 pounders, come under this denomination; as likewise the 13, 10, and 8 inch mortars and howitzers.
Battering-Ram. See the article Ram.
BATTERIE de Tambour, a French beat of the drum similar to the general in the British service.
Batterie en roüage, Fr. is used to dismount the enemy’s cannon.
Batterie par camarades, Fr. the discharge of several pieces of ordnance together, directed at one object or place.
BATTERY, in military affairs, implies any place where cannon or mortars are mounted, either to attack the forces of the enemy, or to batter a fortification: hence batteries have various names, agreeably to the purposes they are designed for.
Gun-Battery, is a defence made of earth faced with green sods or fascines, and sometimes made of gabions filled with earth: it consists of a breast-work parapet, or epaulement, of 18 or 20 feet thick at top, and of 22 or 24 at the foundation; of a ditch 12 feet broad at the bottom, and 18 at the top, and 7 feet deep. They must be 7¹⁄₂ feet high. The embrasures are 2 feet wide within, and 9 without, sloping a little downwards, to depress the metal on occasion. The distance from the centre of one embrasure to that of the other is 18 feet; that is, the guns are placed at 18 feet distance from each other; consequently the merlons (or that part of solid earth between the embrasures) at 16 feet within, and 7 without. The genouilliers (or part of the parapet which covers the carriage of the gun) are generally made 2¹⁄₂ feet high from the platform to the opening of the embrasures; though this height ought to be regulated according to the semi-diameter of the wheels of the carriage, or the calibre of the gun. The platforms are a kind of wooden floors, made to prevent the cannon from sinking into the ground, and to render the working of the guns more easy; and are, strictly speaking, a part of the battery. They are composed of 5 sleepers, or joists of wood, laid lengthways, the whole length of the intended platform; and to keep them firm in their places, stakes must be driven into the ground on each side: these sleepers are then covered with sound thick planks, laid parallel to the parapet; and at the lower end of the platform, next to the parapet, a piece of timber 6 inches square, called a hurter, is placed, to prevent the wheels from damaging the parapet. Platforms are generally made 18 feet long, 15 feet broad behind, and 9 before, with a slope of about 9 or 10 inches, to prevent the guns from recoiling too much, and for bringing them more easily forward when loaded. The dimensions of the platforms, sleepers, planks, hurters, and nails, ought to be regulated according to the nature of the pieces that are to be mounted.
The powder magazines to serve the batteries ought to be at a convenient distance from the same, as also from each other; the large one, at least 55 feet in the rear of the battery, and the small ones about 25. Sometimes the large magazines are made either to the right or left of the battery, in order to deceive the enemy; they are generally built 5 feet under ground; the sides and roof must be well secured with boards, and covered with earth, clay, or something of a similar substance, to prevent the powder from being fired: they are guarded by centinels. The balls are piled in readiness beside the merlins between the embrasures.
The officers of the artillery ought always to construct their own batteries and platforms, and not the engineers, as is practised in the English service; for certainly none can be so good judges of those things as the artillery officers, whose daily practice it is; consequently they are the properest people to direct the situation and to superintend the making of batteries on all occasions.
Mortar-Battery. This kind of battery differs from a gun-battery, only in having no embrasures. It consists of a parapet of 18 or 20 feet thick, 7¹⁄₂ high in front, and 6 in the rear; of a berm 2¹⁄₂ or 3 feet broad, according to the quality of the earth; of a ditch 24 feet broad at the top, and 20 at the bottom. The beds[37] must be 9 feet long, 6 broad, 8 from each other, and 5 feet from the parapet: they are not to be sloping like the gun platforms, but exactly horizontal. The insides of such batteries are sometimes sunk 2 or 3 feet into the ground, by which they are much sooner made than those of cannon. The powder magazines and piles of shells are placed as is mentioned in the article Gun-Battery.
Ricochet-Battery, so called by its inventor M. Vauban, and first used at the siege of Aeth in 1697. It is a method of firing with a very small quantity of powder, and a little elevation of the gun, so as just to fire over the parapet, and then the shot will roll along the opposite rampart, dismounting the cannon, and driving or destroying the troops. In a siege they are generally placed at about 300 feet before the first parallel, perpendicular to the faces produced, which they are to enfilade. Ricochet practice is not confined to cannon alone; small mortars and howitzers may effectually be used for the same purpose. They are of singular use in action to enfilade an enemy’s ranks; for when the men perceive the shells rolling and bouncing about with their fuzes burning, expecting them to burst every moment, the bravest among them will hardly have courage to await their approach and face the havoc of their explosion.
Horizontal Batteries are such as have only a parapet and ditch; the platform being only the surface of