Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/117

ARTILLERY. ture, both {jims and carriages, all mechanical work being done by hand. Though so inferior in every respect, these guns correspond in a way to the heavier type of modern siege guns, and were used for similar purposes, there being at this time no guns ot mobility corresponding to the modern field battery. The earliest cannon were of the simplest construction, being merely tubes closed at one end, the powder being exploded by means of a hot iron applied to a train of powder passing through the touch-hole to the charge within. These ginis were known as 'vases' and 'bombards,' and were bell-shaped rather than cylindrical. They were supported by rough wooden horses carrying platforms, the latter sometimes being carried by two wheels in front and a trail attached to the axle. At first the material used was iron bars held together with hoops; sometimes hanmiered iron or copper, la- boriously fashioned liy hand; later, guns were cast from bronze and other composition metals. One of the most famous of these old guns was a huge weapon employed by the Turks in the middle of the Fifteenth Century, and known as the 'Gun of ifohaninied II.' It fired a stone ball weighing over 600 pounds, and its immobil- ity wa.s such that it required 200 men and 60 oxen to move it from place to place. Curiously enough, these heavy jiieees were fired without a carriage, being rolled along on their side, and given the proper direction and elevation by blocks and wedges inserted under the muzzle. A type of projectile similar in form to those dis- charged by these early cannon can be seen at Trophy Point, West Point, X. Y. It was not until near the end of the Fifteenth Century that guns began to be used on the field of battle as 'field artillery.' There was no uniform type, and their value as weapons was insignificant, except in so far as the noise of the explosion frightened the enemy.

— Wars of Charles V. (1521-44). In the wars of Francis I. of France and the Emperor Charles V., artillery began to establish a reputation as a weapon. The materiel, personnel, and draft were still very crude, but guns began to be used effectively on the field of battle. The conical-shaped bombards and vases gradually disappeared during this period, and were replaced, in the siege-train, by culverins (18-pounders) drawn by oxen: and in field artillery by cannon (2-, 4-, 6-, and 3-pound- crs, from the weight of the projectiles thrown) called 'falcons,' 'falconets,' and 'sakers.' It took many years to devise a carriage which would serve both for transportation and for service. This was gradually developed during the prog- ress of the Franco-Spanish wars. The personnel for this 'field artillery' was supplied by temporary detail from adjacent fortresses or by hired or impressed civilians. Drivers and animals for transportation were obtained in the same way. The loss of guns in battle was common, because of their immobility. A temporary retirement meant the capture of the guns, and an advance made them useless, as they were then masked by the infantry. The first battle in which artillery played an important part in the general result was at ilarignano (1.515), where the French had about 350 gims. The Swiss infantry were unable to stand the fire of this artillery, which covered an important crossing. The result was a French victory. At Pa via (1525) the French would have probably won another victory, had their artillery not been masked by their own troops at a critical juncture of the battle.

Latter Half of Sixteenth Century — Religious Wars of France. In the religious wars of France, the use of artillery was greatly developed and improved both by the Catholics and by the Huguenots. It was a period during which field artillery began to be used in accordance with the principles of tactics — that is. it was massed or de])loyed with reference to the other arms of the service, to attain a conunon end; so that we may consider this an epoch in the gen- eral development of battle tactics for field artillery. It was about this time that the numerous kinds and calibres of field artillery were reduced to four (6-, 12-, 24-, and 48-pounders) in the Dutch artillery. This was another important step in the development and improvement of a system of field artillery. During these wars there was a proportion of one gun to about 1000 men of the other arms of the service.

The Thirty Years' War (1618-48). It is, however, to Gustavus Adolphus that we owe one of the most important improvements in field artillery — namely, mobility. He soon recognized the defects of artillery in this respect, and that the efficiency of artillery was in exact proportion to accuracy, rapidity of fire, and quickness of movement on the battlefield. A curious field-piece, sometimes called the 'Kalter,' somelii-ies the 'leather' gun. consisting essentially of a cylinder of beaten copper, strengthened with iron bands and tangentially supported by coiled rope, the whole being covered with leather, was introduced by him in the Polish War. It was drawn and served by two men only, but of course had little power. Later it was replaced by iron 4-pounders. drawn by two horses. So many were the improvements made by this remarkable military genius, that his field-guns could be fired more rapidly than the infantry musket. Gustavus Adolphus considered six field-guns to 1000 men of other amis as the most efficient proportion. He first introduced the 'battalion' system of guns by attaching two to each regiment of infantry and placing them under the orders of the colonel : but he always kept a large number of guns in reserve for critical moments in a battle. It may be said, in passing, that the result of many of the battles of Gustavus Adolphus would have been different but for his improvements in the construction and use of field artillery.

Latter Part of the Seventeenth Century — The Wars of Louis XIV. The French artillery was greatly improved during the time of Louis XIV. The material was both bronze and iron, calibres were limited to 4-. 6-, 8-, 12-. 18-, 24-, and Sli-pounders; canvas cartridges and grapcshot were employed. Howitzers and mortars came into use, and explosive shells were introduced into the field artillery by the English and Dutch. Louis XIV. was the first ( 1671 ) to establish a pennanent organization for artillery. William III. (1689-1702) reorganized the personnel and formed the first regimental establishment. Formerly men were detailed from other arms for duty with the artillery when needed. Louis XIV. also established schools for the instruction of officers in the science of gunnery, introduced platform wagons, wrought-iron field and mortar carriages, and a new and efficient carriage for sea-coast guns.