Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

ON THE LEFT.

The matross No. 4, on a line with the cascable, dressing on No. 2, holding the priming-wire in the right hand, with the thumb through the ring; the tube-box buckled round the waist, and an ammunitionpouch hanging on the left side.

ON THE RIGHT.

The matross No. 3, on a line with the cascable: he dresses on No. 1, carries the lintstock in his left hand, and the portfire-stock in his right; the portfire-case hanging on the left side.

The gunner, on a line with the The gunner, on a line with the middle of the trail handspike, dress-middle of the trail handspike, oppoing by the left, and wearing the finger-stall on the middle finger of the left hand.

The matross No. 6 carries an ammunition-pouch: he is with the ammunition-box, and supplies No. 2 with ammunition.

site and facing the gunner of the left, and dressing by the right.

The matross No. 5 carries an ammunition-pouch: he is with the caisson, near the non-commissioned officer in charge of it, or with the ammunition-box, if there be no caisson. The chief of the piece is abou midway between the limber and the trail handspikes, observing all tha passes at the gun, the limber, anc

The non-commissioned officer is stationed with the caisson forty-five paces in rear of the limber. Where there is no caisson, he takes position at and in rear of the ammunition- the caisson. box.

To prepare for Firing.

The chief of the piece commands,

1. Attention. 2. TO ACTION.

At this command, No. 1 steps to the left, with the left foot, about eighteen inches, throwing the weight of the body on the left leg, the knee of which is bent, and the left foot nearly opposite the axletree; the right leg extended; the heels on a line parallel to the piece; the feet equally turned out, and forming an angle a little less than a right angle; the sponge-staff held horizontally in both hands, the right above, the left below the staff; the body steady, and the arms hanging without constraint. No. 2 makes a similar movement to the right, throwing the weight of the body on the right foot, &c.

No. 3 unhooks the water-bucket, and places it under the end of the axletree; half faces to the left; plants his lintstock in the ground; lights his portfire, holding the stock in the right hand, the fire downwards, and about four inches from the ground; the arms without constraint.

No. 4 takes off the apron, &c.

The gunner on the right steps off with the right foot; places himself between the trail handspikes; directs the piece, and resumes his position by stepping off with the left foot.

The gunner of the left stands fast.

No 5 advances briskly with ammunition from the caisson, to replace No. 6.

No. 6 moves quickly with ammunition in rear of No. 2, and hands him the cartridge. He then returns to the caisson, to replace No. 5. The chief of the piece then commands,

LOAD.

The gunner of the left, stepping off with the right foot, advances to the breech of the gun, placing the left foot opposite the vent, inside the wheel, throwing the weight of the body forward on the left leg, the knee bent; the right leg extended to the rear of the piece. He stops the vent with the middle finger of the left hand, at the moment the sponge reaches the bottom of the bore; presses hard upon it until the sponge is withdrawn

and removes his finger when the cartridge is inserted ;* seizes the eleva ting screw with the right hand, and gives the proper elevation. He then raises himself erect on the right foot, steps back with his left foot, and resumes his position.

No. 1 rises e.ect on his right leg; raises the sponge horizontally, nearly as high as his chin, extending the right arm its whole length to pass the sponge over the wheel. He makes a long step with the left foot, which he places on a line with the swell of the muzzle; he throws out the right foot about eighteen inches to the right of the left heel, and on a line with it; the feet equally turned out, the body inclined to the right. He introduces the sponge with the left hand into the bore of the gun, pushes it to the bottom with the right, the left hand sliding along the staff, raising the body erect on the left leg, parallel with the piece. He casts his eye on the vent, to see that it is stopped; turns the sponge two or three times at the bottom of the bore, and then withdraws it by a uniform motion with the right hand; the body again inclined to the right; keeping his eye on the range of the sights of the piece, to enable him to draw the sponge-staff in the line of the bore, and without jerking. He receives the staff, near the sponge, on the palm of the left hand, with which he throws the spongeend over his right, letting the staff slide through his right hand, until it comes near the sponge-head; and, while it is thus sliding, he drops the staff, near the rammer-head, into the hollow of his left hand, between the thumb and fingers, ready to enter the rammer-head into the bore. The cartridge being placed in the bore, (by No. 2,) No. 1 pushes it home with one stroke, throwing the weight of his body upon his right arm, to force the cartridge to the bottom of the bore, and dropping the left arm by his side. He withdraws the rammer by a smart impulse of the right hand, seizing the staff with the same hand near the rammer-head, throwing over the sponge-head, and letting that end of the staff fall into the left hand in a horizontal position; at the same time resuming the position To action, by stepping back with the right foot, bringing the left nearly on the line of the axle.

No. 2 rises on the left leg, advances the right foot even with the swell of the muzzle, brings up the left, places the cartridge in the bore with the left hand, and resumes his position To action, by stepping back with the left foot.

No. 4 advances with the left foot, bringing up the right, pricks with the right hand, places the tube with the left, resumes his position by stepping back with the right foot, and makes the signal to No. 3 to fire, by raising his right hand above his head; at which,

No. 3 raises the right arm, without bending the wrist, and applies the flame of the portfire to the tube; taking care not to hold it directly over the vent, lest the explosion should extinguish it.

The piece being fired, No. 1, at the word Load, sponges, and the piece is loaded as above directed.

The fire ceases by a ruffle of the drum, or by word of command To posts, at which No. 3 extinguishes the portfire, and all resume the position In battery.

For twelve-pounders, the first on the right (No. 1) uses a sponge with the straight staff, which he holds in both hands, the nails upwards, the left near the sponge, the right midway the staff. The second on the right as sists the first in sponging, the hands of both interlocked; they turn the sponge five or six times, and draw it out. No. 1 strikes it with his left hand; tosses the sponge-end over the right; lets the staff slide through his hand, and seizes it with the left hand near the rammer-head.

The first on the left (No. 2) receives the cartridge on the left, and places it with the left hand. No. 1, assisted by No. 2, rams it home with one stroke; and they resume their posts.

* On the strict observance of this rule, the safety of No. 1 depends.

To change the Position of the Men at the Piece. The order is given by the chief of the piece,

CHANGE.

All lay down their implements. No. 1 places the sponge-staff against the nave of the wheel, the sponge-head uppermost; No. 3 plants the portfire-stock in the ground; No. 2 replaces No. 1; No. 1 takes place of No. 3; No. 3 takes place of No. 5; No. 5 takes place of No. 6, and so on round the piece and limber.

Should it be necessary to change the gunners, the order is given,

Gunners-CHANGE.

The gunner of the right passes round the trail-handspikes to the left, and the one on the left passes over the trail of the piece to the right.

Order of replacing disabled Men, if there be no Supernumeraries The first man disabled is replaced by No. 4, whose duty is then performed by the gunner of the left. The second man disabled is replaced by the gunner of the right. The gunner of the left then performs three duties-his own, that of the gunner of the right, and that of No. 4. The third man disabled is replaced by No. 3, and his duty is performed by No. 1, who, having loaded, places his sponge against the nave of the wheel, seizes the portfire, fires, plants the portfire-stock in the ground, and resumes his sponge. Finally, the chief of the piece will perform the duties of gunner, and the non-commissioned officer those of purveyor.

If three men, on either side of the gun, should be disabled at the same time, the 2d on the opposite side (No. 3 or 4) would replace the first, and

so on.

To limber the Piece to move to the Rear.

The word is given by the chief of the piece,

1. Attention. 2. Advance limber. 3. MARCH.

No. 1 places the sponge in the sponge-hooks. No. 3 hooks the waterbucket. The gunners unfix the handspikes, and pass them to No. 4, who, with the assistance of No. 2, secures them in the square ring, and upon the hook. Nos. 5 and 6 advance with the limber, obliquing to the right, so that, turning to the left-about, the limber may be three paces in rear of the trail-transom. The gunners take the ammunition-box from the limber, place it in the recess of the flasks of the carriage, and then raise the trail, so that the carriage can be placed on the pintle. Nos. 5 and 6 back the limber, to bring the pintle under the lunette. The gunner on the right hooks the lashing-chain; and all resume their posts.

The Piece being in Battery, and required to advance.

The command is given by the chief of the piece,

1. Attention. 2. Limber to the front. 3. MARCH.

Nos. 5 and 6 advance the limber three paces in front of the muzzle of the gun, in such manner as that the left wheel of the limber shall be on a line with the right wheel of the piece, passing on the right. The gunners and matrosses step near the flasks, to permit the limber to pass. The gunners, as soon as the limber has passed, step to the trail-handspikes; the matrosses on each side, to the wheels. The muzzle is then turned to the right-about, on the right wheel, No. 2 placing his feet on the lower felloes of the right wheel, and supporting himself by the upper spokes. The trai is the fixed upon the limber, as before directed.

Carriages for twelve-pounders are usually constructed with travelling trunnion-plates; the one being for the service of the piece, and the other, by throwing the weight more upon the limber, to relieve the carriage in travelling.

If the gun be on the travelling trunnion-plate, preparatory to the exer cise of the piece its chief commands,

Prepare to change-TRUNNIONS.

Nos. 3 and 4 take off the cap-squares. No. 3 hooks the lock-chain to the highest spoke. The gunner on the left and No. 2 take out the handspikes, and give one to No. 1, one to the gunner on the right, and each re

tains one.

The command is then given by the chief,

Change-TRUNNIONS.

No. 2 introduces the butt-end of his handspike halfway into the bore of the gun. No. 1, and the gunner on the left, place their handspikes, one under the cascable, the other under the reinforce, and raise the piece; they are aided by Nos. 3 and 4. The gunner on the right places his handspike as a roller under the reinforce, advancing it as near as possible to the centre of the piece, the catch of the handspike passing beyond the left flask. No. 1 then takes out his handspike, and crosses it under that of No. 2, which is in the bore. No. 5 goes to the assistance of No. 2; and Nos. 3, 4 and 6 to the assistance of No. 1. All being ready, the command is given by the chief,

Steady. HEAVE.

All lift at their handspikes at the same time, with force, precaution and steadiness, letting the piece slide into the battle trunnion-plates.

Nos. 5 and 6 then resume their stations; Nos. 3 and 4 replace the capsquares; No. 3 unlocks the wheel; Nos. 1 and 2 press upon the muzzle, while the gunners disengage their handspikes, (placing them against the ammunition-chest;) the gunner on the right supports the pointing-plate, while the gunner on the left raises the elevating screw; Nos. 1 and 2 resume their posts, No. 2 replacing their handspikes; the gunners replace theirs in the square-rings.

The Piece being in Battery, if it be intended to change the Piece to the travelling Trunnion-bed,

The chief commands,

1. Attention. 2. Advance-LIMBER. 3. Change-TRUNNIONS. The gunners unfix the trail handspikes, and pass them to Nos. 1 and 2. The piece is then fixed on its limber, as before directed. Nos. 3 and 4 take off the cap-squares; No. 3 hooks the lock-chain to the lowest spoke; the gunners take their handspikes from the rings, and rest them against the arms of the ammunition-box; No. 2 introduces his handspike into the bore of the piece; No. 1, with his right hand on the muzzle, assists No. 2 in depressing it to raise the breech; the gunner on the right supports the pointing-plate, while the gunner of the left turns down the screw to the pointing-transom.

The remainder of the manœuvre has already been explained in the former change of trunnion-plates.

Manoeuvring with Bricoles.

The piece being on its limber, the auxiliaries are stationed on each side of it, after the matrosses, and towards the pole, one pace distant from each other, and provided with shortened bricoles. The matrosses for the service

of the piece have their bricoles at full length, which are hung from right to left over the ammunition-pouch belts.

At the command

FORWARD,

(Pl. IX. Fig. 6.) the gunner of the left detaches a handspike, and con veys it to the end of the pole, where, assisted by the gunner of the right, he forms two loops with the breast-chains, through which he introduces his handspike across the pole horizontally. Both gunners place themselves behind this handspike, and are assisted by Nos. 5 and 6, who are stationed outside of them, for the purpose of propelling the piece. Nos. 1 and 2 hook their bricoles to the washer-hooks; Nos. 3 and 4 to the retreat-hooks. The non-commissioned officer, when there is no caisson, is on the left of the chase. The auxiliaries Nos. 7 and 8 form on and in rear of Nos. 1 and 2; Nos. 9 and 10 on Nos. 3 and 4; Nos. 11 and 12 on each side of the chase. Those on the right hook with the right hand, and those on the left with the left hand.

At the word

MARCH,

they all press forward, holding the bricole in the hand next the piece. At the word

HALT,

all stand fast, keeping the bricoles stretched; At

TO POSTS,

the matrosses on the right turn to the left, and unhook their bricoles with the left hand; those on the left perform the same movement in an inverse manner; the gunner of the left replaces the handspike, and all resume their posts.

be

The order To unlimber, and In battery, is executed in the mann fore described. The auxiliaries follow the limber, and take post on each side of the pole, one pace from each other; they assist in supplying the piece when necessary.

At the word

The Piece being in Battery,

FORWARD,

(Pl. IX, Fig. 7.) the gunners step to the trail handspikes, and seize them with both hands; they are assisted by the non-commissioned officer, who is stationed between them. Nos. 1 and 2 hook their bricoles to the advancing-hooks; Nos. 3 and 4 to the washer-hooks; the matrosses on the right hook with the left hand, and those on the left with the right hand. No. 1 carries the sponge-staff horizontally in the right hand, the sponge-head forward. Nos. 5 and 6 are posted at the end of the pole of the limber, and with it follow the movements of the piece. Nos. 7 and 8 double on Nos. 1 and 2, and Nos. 9 and 10 double on Nos. 3 and 4. Nos 11 and 12 are at the supporting handspikes.

At the word

MARCH,

the men at the handspikes raise the trail; those with the bricoles draw with spirit, holding the trace with the hand next the piece. All march forward in the prescribed direction. Nos. 5 and 6 conduct the limber preserving the prescribed distance from the piece.

At the word

HALT,

the rail is lowered to the ground, the bricoles extended.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »