The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-06-08

back. The commander of fort, on. abali-
doning it, as in the instance of Anderson Of
Moultrie, adopts the same measure. Frequent
cases are on record of an attacking party
capturing battery and being in turn driven
| from IT, Though not without first spik ing the
guns. When Paul jones undertook the DIES
trnctlon OF the English shipping at White
haven his first movement on landing was to
seize the forts, and render the guns useless in
| the same way. The only defences of the
harhor thus rendered harmless BY stroke
of daring which required but few minutes
to accomplish, he coald proceed unmolested
to the work OF destruction. The great point
achieved by spiking gun is to make it un-
serviceable for the time being. Even a tenn
porary interruption of its fire is of the utmost
Importance. But no spiking yet invented
has heen able to do more than temporarily
disable the gun. though various contrvances
have been suggested, some, however, making
its restoration 10 service more difficult than
others.
A favorite mode of spiking is by driving
Iat-tail file into the vent and breaking it off,
II the spike he an ordinary nail made of soft
iron, the drill will readily remove it; while
the hard steel Of the file will require far
greater time and labor The steel spike,
rough and jagged, with soft point is nlso
used. II broEen off even with the surface of
the gun, and the point clinched inside by the
rammer, removal is made more diff If
The spike happens to be so small as to fit in
loosely, 1t may be driven out by gunpowder !;
but IT be made of hardened steel, with an
accurate tit to the vent, and is driven in with
great force, neither drill nor powder will
remove 1t. A patent spike was brought out
III England during tie Crimean war. which
Claimed to make gun permanently unservi-
ccable. 1t consisted of rod of tinely.t.m.
percd Steel, turned TO tit the vent, but to
move freely INIT, and terminating in a forked
spring in the bore Of the gun. 1t was contcn-
dcd tina, this spike could not be drilled ont,
because 1t would turn with the drill. But
though this we're true, yet its inventor forgot
the important fact that the forked points IN
the bore could be cut off by single blow on
. a cold chisel. When spike is 50 fixed to
render extraction very difficult, the remedy
is to drIla new vent, which may lie done
without impalrlng the usefulness of the gun.
10 do thus IA competent lnachinist will require
some three hours or more or less according
| to the size Of the gun. But all sriking at the
vent is admitted TO be only Temporary cx.
pcdicnt TO render artillery unservceable at
the moment. Yet even this has often been
! found productive of the most important
| results.
When time is afforded. such as the deliber-
| ate abandonment Of military work, spk,ng
at the miizzle is sometimes adopted, and
when thoroughly done. far greater elnLarrass.
tnent TO those who subsequently come into
possession. A shot is driven into the bottom
OF the bore by wrapping 1t with felt, or using
IRON wedges, ard employing an iron Hammer
to drive tie ball home. When this is done to
an ron gun, the only method Of unSplking it
is To bore hole in The brecch and drive the
ball out, closing the hole with screw
10 do Tins, the gun. in most cases, must go
back to tie ioundety. In brass guns which
usually have nt-pi,ces, these can be taken
GU! and the ball expelled by wedges. Var.
Gus modes for destroying cannon are adoi.tcd.
Shells ate sometimes exploded in them while
heavy charges are put in others. over which
sand or Shot is rammcd to the muzzle, and
bursting follows. One piece is sometimes
tired against another, muzzc t. muggle, or
the muzz|e OF one to the chase of the other -
In iron guns the trunnlons are broken off.
with brass ones, fire is lighted under the
chase, and when strlck with a heavy sledee
while heated, the gun is bent and disa bled. -
Had time been allowed Colonel Anderson to
destroy the cannon in Fort Moulrc before
abandoning it. there can be little doubt. from
his long experience as an artillery officer,
that he would have left to the rebels legacy
OF crippled guns unit for any thing bus the
foundery.