The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1915-08-28
MILITARY SAPPlNC
Origin Of the Trench Work Of the
Modern Battlefield.
DIrcHEs DUG BY PEASANTS.

IN shs Middle Asss Civilians Were
Feroed 10 20 the labor 70 Which sol-
disre Would Not stoop--sappers and
Miners and Their Successors.
In stories and reports OF modern
battles the work Of the sanpers Is Of.
ten mentioned. ITO sap" or ''sapplng"
was an early way OF approaching o
strongly fortified position by means OF
ditch. II was also very oarly form
OF trench work. The fortified posi-.
sions against which saps were employ
ed were the stone walls OF castles or OF
cities.
When the making Of cannon had not
progressed so fur that solid shot could
breach stone walls. but when caanon
were powerful enough to keep armed
men at bay or to destroy them. Il be-.
came necessary 20 make an approach
10 the walled position In way which
was difficult to attack successfully and
for which mt that time no way OF
checkmating had been thought OF by
the defenders A narrow ditch was
dug In the direction OF the wall TO be
assailed. This ditch. which was wide
enough for one man to dig In, was
called a sap the digger a sapper. and
the end OF the ditch toward the enemy
was the saphead. AS the leading sap
per dug forward he protected himself
and the saphead In various ways. usu-
ally by pushing screen ahead Of him.
This screen was OF various forms.
bag Of sand or q sheet OF metal In.
ciined to dcdect arrows or gun shots
When the saphcad had reached tho
desired point the ditch would be wild.
ened. the excavated earth forming q
parapef on each side. and the guns
would be brought 50 close TO the wall
that they could not be reached by guns
mounted on the wall. for In the times
10 which these conditions prevailed
walls were high and cannon crude aud
they could not be sufficiently depressed
TO reach an enemy ut the foot OF the
wall.
Sapping was usually done by peas
ants impressed or hired for that serv
lee. because soldiers Ia the armies OF
the middle ages were more skiilful
with weapons than with tools and the
work Of digging trenches was beneath
their dignity. while II also savored OF |
a disinclination to close with the enc
my. even though that enemy was be /
hind stone walls with cannon cannon
at which men armed with modern
weapons would smile. but which IL
their day were weapons OF great effect.
Vauban. the great military engineer,
refined sapping and brought il into
system by which any fortified place
could be approached, reached. mined
Ind breached.
These saps after awhile were dug ln
number OF ways. Many forms or the
approach trench were devised Un.
severed trenches were cut forward. de.
iected at right angles and then cut
onward to be again detected further
long. each OF these reflections from
be straight course of the trench form
ne a transverse for the protection OF
he trench. Some trenches were roof.
d In with timber and earth rs they l.
rere cut forward. thus forming
ombproof covered way. Some saps
'ere cut or dug In the fashion OF q
inneI. the surface of the earth not
eing disturbed at all Double saps or
umerous parallel saps were dug close
p to the position TO be attacked
Mining Of castle and city walls OF
~ gates Is as old as the use OF gun.
'wder In war. and undermining OF
aiis was practlced In war before the
'e OF gunpowder. When sapplng had
come systematized and generally EN-
Dyed In offensive operations against
rtifed positions the military work OF
piping and mining was combined aud
stead OF being done by peasants or
william" labor was committed 10 spe
II troops. These troops became Fl
ept In this important work, and he
use OF the extra labor involved and
2 hazard of this duty these. called
ppers and miners. were given high
pay than other troops
As the years and the centuries went
other duties were put upon these
'ops-erection OF field fortiiicatlons.
'ction OF many forms OF obstacles 10
pede an aggressive enemy and hold
q under 1re Mt known range. de
uctIon OF bridges. construction OF
dges. demolition OF buildings and
ny other things. Gradually the sap
. and miners duties became greatly
arged and refined. and In many
niee they came 10 he called engi- .
'rs.
all armies every soldier today does
rk that formerly fell TO the laboring
hard working sappers. Every sol yoI
today knows how to handle n pick tin
spade as well as to shoot n ride. FOL
toi. magazine gun or cannon. Al ass
Hers now dig trenches. gun pits and o leo
like. bat construction work. requlr. ~
higher technical training. Is done w. w..
the engineers. successors 20 the sap. @ "a,
! OF old. In many klnds OF construc. ,ha
the engineers may be aided by ne
ps OF other branches and by civil retl
|. hired or impressed. - Washington cos
: ass