iv

CONTENTS—continued.

<table><thead><tr><th>No.</th><th>Index to the Subjects.</th><th>Page.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td><strong>AUSTRIA.</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Vienna arsenal</td><td>120</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Heavy ordnance</td><td>121</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Austrian process of casting guns</td><td>122</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>" " testing metals as to tensile strength, &c.</td><td>123</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>" " proving gunpowder in the laboratory</td><td>124</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Field artillery and mountain train</td><td>125</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Organization of the Austrian Artillery</td><td>131</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Field day at Simmering-Heath, near Vienna</td><td>132</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Artillery range practice at Steinfeld, near Wiener Neustadt</td><td>135</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Engineer school at Vienna</td><td>136</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>New barracks for the officers of the general staff</td><td>140</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>School of equitation for cavalry</td><td>141</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Review at Vienna on the Emperor's birth-day</td><td>141</td></tr><tr><td></td><td><strong>APPENDIX.</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>A. Strength of the allied and Danish armies in war of 1864</td><td>144</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>B. Conversation on the war with a Danish officer of rank</td><td>147</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>C. Analysis of previous reports on Prussian ordnance</td><td>149</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>D. Table of weights and dimensions of Prussian rifled field-guns</td><td>150</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>E. to P. Range tables of the 4, 6, 12, and 24-pounder Prussian rifled guns</td><td>151</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Q. Table showing the strength of a mobilized Prussian army corps</td><td>163</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>R. Summer course of instruction at Spandau School of Musketry, 1865</td><td>164</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>S. Tests of an Austrian cast-iron gun in Vienna arsenal</td><td>166</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>T. Proof do. do. do.</td><td>166</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>U. Table of comparative dimensions of the Prussian, Russian, English, Austrian, and French rifled field ordnance</td><td>167</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>V. List of Prussian service ordnance</td><td>168</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>W. Table of Austrian rifled ordnance</td><td>171</td></tr></tbody></table>

V

LIST OF PLATES.

<table><thead><tr><th>No. of Plate.</th><th>Subject.</th><th>To face Page</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Plan of Fort Prövesteen</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>The city and harbour of Copenhagen</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Sectional elevation of the Danish turretted gun-boat "Rolf-Krake"</td><td>in pocket.</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Map of Sleswig and the Dannewerk</td><td>25</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Map of country around Dybbol</td><td>27</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Section of the Danish redoubts at Dybbol</td><td>29</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Siege of Dybbol (plan of the attack)</td><td>33</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Sections of Prussian siege works at Dybbol</td><td>34</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Map of country round Kolding and Friedericia, Jutland</td><td>44</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Plan of Friedericia, Jutland</td><td>45</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Map of the Dano-German war, showing the routes of the allied Prussian and Austrian armies</td><td>in pocket.</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Section of Prussian 12-pounder bronze gun (smooth-bore)</td><td>67</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Side elevation of Prussian 6-pounder rifled gun (Kolben verschluss) and limber</td><td>72</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Section of Prussian 24-pounder bronze rifled gun (Keil verschluss) adapted from smooth-bore of 1833</td><td>73</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Details of Prussian rifled cast-steel 4-pounder</td><td>74</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Sections of Prussian projectiles, &c.</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Sections of Prussian percussion and time fuzes</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Details of Prussian rifled 4-pounder field gun-carriage</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Details of Prussian rifled 4-pounder limber</td><td>78</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>Plan of siege operations at Neisse</td><td>91</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>Map of the country around Merseburg, Prussia</td><td>in pocket.</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>Details of a review before the King of Prussia, at Merseburg</td><td>102</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>Section of 6-inch breech-loading gun for Krupp's system</td><td>113</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>First design of the 11-inch breech-loading gun</td><td>117</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>Sections of 6-inch Russian muzzle-loading gun (Krupp's)</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>Section and plan of 9-inch Russian jacket gun (Krupp's)</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>Section and plan of 8-inch breech-loading gun for Krupp's system</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>Field-piece on Krupp's system</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>General details of Krupp's patent system of breech-loading for field guns</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>Heavy gun on Krupp's system</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>31</td><td>General details of Krupp's patent system of breech-loading for heavy guns</td><td>119</td></tr><tr><td>32</td><td>Details of Uchatius apparatus for comparing explosive compounds, gunpowder, &c.</td><td>124</td></tr><tr><td>33</td><td>Section of Austrian muzzle-loading rifled 4-pounder field gun (bronze)</td><td>127</td></tr><tr><td>34</td><td>Side elevation of Austrian rifled 4-pounder field gun, carriage, and limber</td><td>127</td></tr><tr><td>35</td><td>Sections of Austrian projectiles for rifled ordnance</td><td>128</td></tr><tr><td>36</td><td>Sections of Austrian concussion and time fuzes</td><td>129</td></tr><tr><td>37</td><td>Sections of Austrian Gothic-shaped galleries (Baron von Scholl)</td><td>138</td></tr><tr><td>38</td><td>Diagram of ranges and trajectories of Prussian guns with service charges</td><td>160A</td></tr><tr><td>39</td><td>Diagram of ranges and trajectories of Prussian guns with reduced charges</td><td>160B</td></tr><tr><td>40</td><td>Details of the encampment of Prussian Horse and Field Artillery</td><td>163</td></tr></tbody></table>

REPORT

OF A

PROFESSIONAL TOUR OF OFFICERS OF THE
ROYAL ARTILLERY

In 1865.

INTRODUCTION.

THE undermentioned officers of the Royal Artillery were ordered by Government to make a professional tour during the autumn of 1865, viz. :—

Lieutenant-Colonel A. C. PIGOU.

Lieutenant-Colonel A. STEWART.

Captain C. B. BRACKENBURY, Asst. Dir. Arty. Studies.

Lieutenant C. S. HARVEY.

Lieutenant J. M. MURRAY.

The instructions received through the Director of Artillery Studies were to the following effect :—

Instructions to visit the following places, viz.,

1. To visit Copenhagen and the principal military establishments and places of military interest in Denmark. Copenhagen,

2. By visiting Denmark, Sleswig, and Holstein, and passing over the ground of the campaign of 1864, to obtain information relative to the various operations and engagements of that year; to trace the route followed by the Austro-Prussian army, and ascertain the distances marched per diem; the manner of obtaining supplies; the general working of the train and non-combatant services, &c.; to find out, by conversations with the officers and soldiers of the Danish and Prussian armies, the general opinion as to the merits, or otherwise, of the "needle-gun," the ordnance used on both sides, the nature of ammunition employed, &c. &c.; and, by contrasting the various accounts, to endeavour to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.

3. To visit Berlin, and make arrangements as to the best time for attending the siege operations at Neisse; as also the manœuvres of the Prussian corps d'armée at Merseburg, and those of the French army at Chalons camp. Berlin.

REPORT.
(ITINERARY.)

IN compliance with the foregoing instructions, we left the Thames for Hamburg at 1 p.m. of Wednesday the 12th July, and arrived there at 5 a.m. of the 14th idem.

London to Hamburg, July 12, 14.

We started the same evening by rail for Kiel, a small town on the shores of the Baltic, which we reached in three hours.

En route to Kiel, July 14.

From Hamburg to Kiel the country is for the most part flat, with some tracts of marsh land and bog. The crops were all standing, and appeared poor. They consisted principally of wheat, rye, barley, potatoes, and vetches. The pasturage was a good average, and there were quantities of peat cut and stacked on the marsh lands. The country is much enclosed, though the hedges are ragged. In general appearance it greatly resembles Essex; and the farms and homesteads are clean, well kept and substantial, but few and far between.

There was a marked absence of country seats, or large houses of any description; from which it may be inferred that the wealth of the country is pretty equally distributed amongst the population.

Austrian and Prussian soldiers were billeted in small detachments amongst the villages along the line of railroad. They were short men, and for the most part young soldiers. They were light summer clothing, with packs of undressed leather. In general appearance and smartness the Austrian soldiers had the advantage.

When we passed through Kiel there was a large detachment of Kiel, July 14. the 61st Regiment of Prussian infantry quartered there. The men appeared very young and of short stature.

The Russian frigate "Olaf" and nine Prussian steamers with two corvettes and some gunboats were at anchor in the harbour, which is a noble one; and the steamboat pier is not more than a quarter of a mile from the railway station.

The mouth of the inner harbour is about half a mile in breadth, whilst that of the outer one is some two miles. The water is as deep as from 17 to 20 fathoms within a very short distance from the shore. The harbour itself is broad and completely "landlocked;" the water very smooth, with little or no tide; the entrance well capable of defence; and in fact every facility exists here for the establishment of a large naval arsenal, dockyards, &c., &c.

But, although the possession of Kiel would appear to be of incalculable value as a naval station, still, strange to say, no fortifications have ever been erected here; nor were there any signs that forts were about to be constructed. We heard, however, that the Prussian Government had purchased the site of

the "Dusternbrook bathing establishment" in this neighbourhood,
for upwards of 100,000 thalers.*

There is also a good and commodious harbour, although inferior
to that of Kiel, at a place called " Eckernforde," to the westward
and northward.

We sailed the same evening for Copenhagen, and arrived there
at 12.30 of the following afternoon.

Sir Augustus Paget, the British representative at the court of
Denmark, was at his country residence: but a letter from him
informed us that Colonel Stjiernholm of the Danish army, and
late chief of the staff at Dybbol, had been appointed to attend us
and to show us everything of interest in the neighbourhood.

From this gentleman, who accompanied us wherever we went,
we received the utmost kindness and attention during our resi-
dence in the Danish capital; and we have here also much pleasure
in reporting that nothing could exceed the courtesy and good
feeling with which we were invariably received by the several
authorities to whom we were introduced.

On Monday, the 17th July, we visited the arsenal and in-
spected the armoury, workshops, stores, &c., in company with two
officers of the Danish artillery. In the evening we inspected the
citadel.

On the 18th, the little steamer "Niels Juel" having been
placed at our disposal by the authorities, we proceeded in her,
accompanied by Major Ernst and another officer of the Danish
engineers, to make an inspection of the detached sea-forts which
protect the entrance to the harbour.

After this we visited the naval dockyard, arsenal, and manu-
facturing establishments, attended by Captain Blom of the artil-
lery, who was temporarily attached to the Marine Department.

We then went on board the iron-clad "Rolfe Krake," and
made a minute inspection of her turrets, machinery, &c., accom-
panied by Lieutenant Igun of the naval artillery, who had
command of the two guns in her after-turret during the late war.

A sectional elevation of this turret and of one of the guns
mounted therein, is given in the body of our report.

On the 19th we went to Elsinore, and visited the old fort and
castle of "Kronsborg," built to command the "Sound" at its
narrowest part, which is here only about two miles across.

During our residence at Copenhagen, His Majesty King
Christian IX. was at his summer palace: but we were informed
that he would return to the capital on the 21st July, and had
signified his wish that we should be presented to him on that day.

Accordingly, at the appointed time, we were honoured with an
audience and His Majesty received us most graciously and con-
versed with us in English.

The same day we had also the honour of being introduced to
Lieutenant General Hansen, the Minister of War.

Eckernforde.

En route to
Copenhagen,
July 14, 15.

Copenhagen;
arsenal, work-
shops, &c.,
July 17.

Sea forts, for
protection of
harbour, July 18.

Naval establishments, idem.

Iron-clad "Rolfe
Krake," idem.

Elsinore and
Kronsborg,
July 19.

Presentation to
King Christian
IX., July 21.

* N.B.—The "Treaty of Gastein," published some time after the above remarks were penned, is a sufficient comment upon them.

5

In the evening, we sailed for Kolding, in Jutland; viâ Moën, En route to Kolding, July 21, 22.
Falster, Laland, Langeland, and Funen: arriving at our destination at 9 p.m. of Saturday, the 22nd July.

On Monday, the 24th, we drove to Friedericia, to inspect that Friedericia, July 24.
fortress.

On our arrival we waited on the Commandant, Colonel Bylow, who deputed Captain Ravn and Lieutenant De la Porte of the Danish engineers, to accompany us round the main works and detached redoubts. We were thus enabled thoroughly to examine the position; in which duty we were aided by plans and sections placed at our disposal.

We returned to Kolding in the evening.

On the 25th we left for Flensburg, travelling by coach to Hadersleben and Woyems, as the railway was not completed between Kolding and the two last-mentioned places. En route to Flensburg, July 25.

We reached Flensburg at 5 p.m. of the same day.

At 8 a.m. of the 26th we sailed for Sonderborg, in the Island of Alsen, and arrived there in a couple of hours. In the afternoon of the same day we went all over the Dybbol position, which we thoroughly examined and of which we annex plans. Sonderborg and Dybbol, July 26.

On the 27th we sailed in an open boat across the "Wenning Bund," to inspect the sites of the "Gammelmark" enfilade batteries which had been erected by the Prussians on the "Broagerland" cliffs: and to the establishment and fire of which batteries the fall of the Dybbol redoubts is to be mainly attributed. Broagerland and Gammelmark batteries, July 27.

We returned to Sonderborg on the completion of our inspection and visited Augustenborg in the evening. Augustenborg, idem.

On the 28th we returned by land to Flensburg, so as to enable us to study the general aspect of the country over which the Prussians had advanced on the Dybbol position; and also in order that we might see the "Colline" of Spilzberg, for the possession of which there had been a severe struggle and where the superiority of the "zund-nadel-gewehr" over the Danish muzzle-loading fire-arms was fully established. Spilzberg. Return to Flensburg, July 28.

On the 29th we left Flensburg by rail, for Sleswig; arriving there the same evening. En route to Sleswig, July 29.

On the 30th we waited on Baron Halbuber von Festeville, and Baron von Zedlitz, the Austrian and Prussian civil governors in the Duchies. Official visits,

We then went over a large portion of the "Dannewerk" position, which we studied as carefully as possible: but in most places the works had been levelled to the ground, so that we found some difficulty in discovering their sites. In the vicinity of the "Selker Noor," however, a portion remained intact; from which we were enabled to form a general idea of the profiles of these once formidable earthworks. A description and plan of the position will be found in the body of our report. and the "Dannewerk," July 30.

On the 31st July we left Sleswig for Berlin, viâ Hamburg; and arrived at our destination at 4 p.m. of the 1st August. En route to Berlin, July 31-August 1.

Berlin official
visits, August 2.

Arsenal, work-
shops, &c.,
August 3.

Detention at
Berlin.

Spandau,
August 4.

Cavalry and
artillery barr-
racks, Berlin.

School of mus-
ketry and prac-
tice with "zund-
nadel gewehr,"
August 8.

Artillery park at
Tegel, and prac-
tice with rifled
4-pr., August 9.

Iron plates.

On the morning of the 2nd, Colonel Walker, C.B., Military Attaché to the British Embassy at Berlin, called upon us and kindly volunteered every aid in his power towards the prosecution of our duties. He accompanied us on our several official visits and inspections and we are much indebted to him for his courtesy and attention.

We wish here also to report that during our stay in Prussia we received much civility and assistance from the various authorities at the capital and elsewhere.

After having waited on Lord Napier, the British Ambassador, we paid several official visits; and were introduced to General Glusczinski, the Under Secretary of State for War, and to other heads of departments.

Permission to visit the arsenals, artillery establishments and workshops having been obtained from General de Roon, the Minister of War, we went over those establishments on the following day.

Our stay at Berlin was necessarily prolonged beyond the time calculated in the programme of our tour, in consequence of our not having received the King's permission to proceed to Neisse, for which permission Lord Napier had made early application.

This delay necessitated our giving up that part of the tour which related to the camp at Chalons: but this deviation from our original plan was the less to be regretted, inasmuch as it enabled us to visit Neisse at a time when the siege operations carried on there had become more fully developed than at an earlier period. We were also informed by Colonel Claremont, Military Attaché to the British Embassy at Paris, that with the exception of ordinary practice and exercise, there would be but little of interest connected with our artillery studies to be seen at Chalons during the time contemplated for our visit there.

In order however to utilize as much as possible our detention at Berlin, we visited Spandau, where an officer was appointed by Colonel von Streit, the commandant, to conduct us over its powder-mills, gun-factory, &c.

We also inspected the cavalry barracks of the "Uhlans" of the guard and those of the Horse and Foot artillery in Berlin.

On the 8th we went to the "School of Musketry" and were present at some target practice with the "zund-nadel-gewehr," which was being carried on under the superintendence of Colonel Henzen, the director of the establishment; who accompanied us throughout the practice and gave us all the information in his power.

On the 9th we visited the large artillery park at "Tegel," and witnessed some target practice and proof of ordnance with the new pattern 4-pounder rifled cast-steel breech-loading guns.

We also inspected some iron-plate targets which had been fired at: and a 72-pounder breech-loading gun of cast-steel, manufactured by Mr. Krupp, which had given way with a charge of 20 lbs., during the experiments at the targets.*

* This gun was cracked completely through the upper half of the breech, the lower part remaining perfectly sound.

Throughout this day's work we were accompanied by the commandant, Major Ribbentrop, who rendered us every assistance.

On the following day we visited the Artillery and Engineer School.

On the 11th we left Berlin for Vienna, viâ Prague; and arrived in the Austrian capital in the afternoon of Monday, the 14th.

The next day was occupied in making the requisite official visits.

We waited on Lord Bloomfield, the British Ambassador; as also on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Commander-in-Chief and the several departmental authorities.

Captain Fischer of the General Staff was appointed to attend us during our residence in Vienna: and this officer was indefatigable in rendering us assistance.

The requisite permission to visit the various military establishments having been accorded to us, we devoted the 16th to an inspection of the arsenal and its workshops, &c.

On the 17th we visited the Military Geographical Institution, accompanied by Major Baron von Wick, of the department. We were much struck with the attention paid in the Austrian service, to this branch of military education. The charts of the various provinces of the Empire were most elaborately finished; and we purchased one, as a specimen, for the Department of Artillery Studies, at Woolwich.

Artillery and engineer school, August 10.

En route to Vienna vià Prague, August 11, 14.

Vienna, official visits, August 15.

Arsenal and workshops, August 16.

Military Geographical Institution, August 17.

On this day we also visited a large printing and chromo-lithographic establishment, and were shewn a very compact field printing press for the army, enclosed in an oak chest, about 4' x 2' 6" square.

Printing and chromo-lithographic establishment, idem.

On Friday, the 18th, there was a grand review on the Josefstadt ground, in honour of the Emperor's birth-day: when High Mass was performed in front of the troops. Through the kindness of the authorities we were furnished with horses; and had the honour of being presented to the Archduke Albrecht, in whose suite we remained during the review.

Emperor's birth-day, grand review of the troops, August 18.

Field Marshal Lieutenant Count Thun commanded the troops; and His Imperial Highness the Archduke Charles Salvator of Tuscany; the Archdukes Wilhelm, Chief of the Artillery; Leopold, Chief of the Engineers; Wurtemburg, General of Hussars; and several noblemen and officers of distinction assisted at the ceremony. A description of the review is given in the body of our report.

On the 19th we visited the " Cavalry School of Equitation :" and were received by the colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and other officers of the establishment. There is an excellent account of this school at page 22 of the report furnished by the officers who visited it in 1863; the few additional remarks which we have to offer will be found in the body of our report.

Cavalry school of equitation, August 19,

On Monday, the 21st, we visited the Engineer School and the new barracks of the General Staff; accompanied by Colonel Baron von Scholl of the Austrian Engineers. This officer kindly presented us with copies of works written by him on mining, turret and casemated batteries, and other subjects of military

Engineer school and general staff barracks, August 21.

8

importance. These we have handed over to the " Department of
Artillery Studies," at Woolwich.

On the 22nd, through the courtesy of His Imperial Highness
the Archduke Wilhelm, uncle of the Emperor and Chief of the
Austrian Artillery, we were enabled to be present at the
manœuvres of eight batteries of horse and field artillery and one
rocket battery, at Simmering Heath in the neighbourhood of
Vienna; and also to witness some target practice with a breech-
loading 12-pounder rifled gun.

In the afternoon we proceeded by rail to Wiener-Neustadt,
about 25 miles from the capital, where rooms had been prepared
for us. We were received by Colonel Schindler who commanded
the garrison and were introduced to several artillery officers.

All expenses connected with our trip to Neustadt were defrayed
by His Imperial Highness the Archduke Wilhelm, whose guests
we were until our return to Vienna.

In the evening we paid a hurried visit to the large military
school for the cavalry and infantry which was founded at Neustadt
by the Empress "Maria Theresia."

It has accommodation for 250 students, who remain there for
two years.

On the morning of the 23rd we drove to the artillery practice
ground at Steinfeld, in the neighbourhood of Felixdorf, to witness
the manœuvres and target practice of some horse and field
artillery. Here we found horses ready for us; and after a long
and interesting field day, we returned to Vienna in the evening.
A programme of the day's work will be found in the Appendix
to our Report.

On the 25th we had the honour of dining with Archduke
Wilhelm; and we gladly avail ourselves of this opportunity to
express the sense we entertain of His Highness' condescension
towards us during our stay in Vienna.

On the 26th we paid several official visits, prior to our leaving
the capital.

In the afternoon we made another trip to the arsenal, when
Colonel F. Ritter von Uchatius of the artillery showed us some
very interesting experiments relative to initial velocities, break-
ing strain, and other results obtained from gun-cotton, and from
powders of various manufactures and strengths.

We also saw some remarkable facts connected with cast-iron
and its properties. We have noticed these in the body of our
report, and give some Tables of the results in the Appendix.

We have here much pleasure in reporting that the Austrian
officers and heads of departments were invariably most obliging and
courteous to us. Every facility was afforded us for the prose-
cution of our duties: and they fully appreciated and freely remarked
on the advantages of a tour such as ours, not only as a means of
increasing the professional knowledge of individual officers, but
also of encouraging feelings of harmony and good fellowship
between them and the officers of other nations.

Artillery man-
ceuvres and prac-
tice with a 12-pr-
breech-loading
rifled gun, at
Simmering
Heath, near
Vienna, August
22.

Wiener-Neu-
stadt, idem.

Cavalry and
infantry school,
idem.

Artillery man-
ceuvres and tar-
get practice,
Steinfeld, Au-
gust 23.

Official visits
and chemical
department,
August 26.

9

Early on the morning of the 29th we left Vienna for Neisse, in Prussian Silesia: travelling by rail, viâ Oderburg and Brieg. We reached our destination at 10½ p.m. the same night.

En route to Neisse, Prussian Silesia, August 29.

On our arrival we found that Captain Scheibert of the engineers had been appointed to attend us during our stay at Neisse: and we are much indebted to that officer for the cordial assistance he gave us.

On the following morning we called upon Colonel von Trotha, the commandant of the garrison, and also on the Inspectors General of artillery and engineers, and the various departmental authorities.

Official visits, Neisse, August 30.

The same evening, in company with Major-General de Tideboehl of the Russian engineers, and a few other foreign officers, we dined with the officers of the engineers and were invited to become honorary members of their mess.

During our stay at Neisse we attended the various siege operations both by day and night, and an account of them is given in the body of our report.

Siege operations, September.

We also inspected the gunpowder factory; but as the various operations carried on there are precisely similar to those at Spandau, there is nothing to report in regard of the establishment at Neisse, beyond that it is in good working order and capable of turning out some 500,000 lbs. of powder annually.

Gunpowder factory.

There are large quantities of willow and alder on the river banks, and an unlimited supply of water.

We observed that some very old powder was being used for mining purposes, and for “bursters” of shells; and were informed that it was the remains of a quantity of English powder which had been purchased by the Prussian government after the peace of 1815!

At the close of the siege operations we left Neisse and proceeded over the “Riesengeberge” chain of mountains, viâ Dresden and Leipsic, to Merseburg.

En route to Merseburg.

Whilst at Leipsic we visited the battle-field of 18th October 1813.

Leipsic.

We arrived at Merseburg on the 14th September, but found that the manœuvres were not to commence until the 18th.

Merseburg, September 14.

On the 15th we paid our respects to the commandant; and on the following morning Rittmeister Freiherr von Zedlitz Leipe called and informed us that His Majesty the King of Prussia had graciously invited us to be His Majesty's guests during our stay at Merseburg.

On Sunday the 17th the King and the Court arrived, and we had the honour of being presented to His Majesty; as also to the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia, and the Princes Carl, Friederich Carl, and Albrecht.

Arrival of the King, and presentation to His Majesty and the Royal Princes, September 17.

Prince Alfred of England arrived in the evening; we waited on him at the railway station, and subsequently had the honour of being presented.

Arrival of Prince Alfred.

As the time and funds at our disposal did not admit of the whole party proceeding from Merseburg to Essen to inspect

One of the party is detached to Essen.

B

11

DENMARK.

COPENHAGEN.

On coming to Copenhagen by sea from the southward, the Island of Moën track lies to the eastward of the island of Moën. This island has high chalk cliffs, and in many places the ravines are wooded down to the water's edge. It appears fertile, but there are not many houses. The low coast of Sweden lies to the eastward, at an average distance of from 12 to 14 miles.

The southern entrance to the harbour of Copenhagen is by a channel of about half a mile in width, marked off by brooms stuck into tub-shaped buoys. About 400 yards inshore of this channel there are four detached sea forts, two on each side of the citadel, to protect the entrance to the harbour. The depth of water between these forts and the channel is not more than from 12 to 14 feet. They are built on the "Amager shoals," at distances of about 800 yards from the shore; and all have open gorges, with some 7 feet of water at the gorge.

Entrance to
Copenhagen
harbour.

Sea forts.

Commencing from the southward stands the "Prövesteen;" thus named after a Danish ship of war, which was wrecked on the shoal where the fort has since been built. Next comes the "Middle Battery;" then the "Lynetten" (Lunette), which is rather more retired than the others; and lastly, to the northward stands the "Tre Kroner," or "Three Crowns."

Fort "Prövesteen" is at present the most important of these defences. It was commenced in 1859 and finished in 1863, and is built on a concrete foundation, composed of three parts Portland cement, six parts of broken granite, and one part of water. It costs three Danish merks, or 1s. $1\frac{1}{2}$d. per cubic foot.

Fort "Pröve-
steen," and its
armament.

The fort has two tiers of guns; 30 below, and 22 with three mortars above. These are mounted on two long faces with two short flanks, the salient angles of which are loop-holed for musketry.

The lower part of the fort is a casemated work of granite, the blocks of stone being 3' x 15" x 15" in dimensions, and arranged with their faces and ends alternately, thus :—

Casemated portion.

Fig. 1.
ARRANGEMENT OF STONE-WORK.

B 2

12

Embrasures

The embrasures are oval in shape, and faced with "lead concrete" to prevent splinters, the granite coming only as far as the sills of the embrasures, thus:—

Fig. 2.
EMBRASURE.

They admit of an elevation of 10°, and of an extreme train of 30° on each side of the perpendicular. The degrees for traversing are marked on an arc of metal let into the ground in rear of each gun; by which means, after each round, the gun can be readily and accurately replaced in its original line of fire.

On each story an iron tramway communicates from one end of the fort to the other, in order to facilitate the distribution of stores, &c., where required; and speaking trumpets lead along the walls, and also from one story to the other.

In the lower or casemated portion of the work there are expense magazines between each gun, and store rooms underneath the raised gun-platforms.

The barrack accommodation is very good, and ample for the requirements of the place. The men have a dining room separate from their sleeping apartments, which latter are fitted up with hammocks instead of standing beds. The cooking arrangements are admirable and the kitchens scrupulously clean.

The upper part of the fort is an earthen parapet of the usual profile, the superior slope being 24 feet in length. Here the guns are "en barbette," with a traverse or block-house between every four guns; and on the summits of these traverses are mounted the three mortars with which the fort is supplied. Two of these mortars are 168-pounders and one is an 84-pounder.

The upper story is furnished with a truck and "turn table;" and this truck can be easily raised or lowered from story to story.

The ordnance in the casemated portion consisted of 84-pounder cast-iron smooth-bore shell guns of 9 inches bore; the weight marked on one of them was—

"XXVI. skippund, X. lespund, VI. pund."

There are 16 punds in one lespund, and 20 of these latter in one skippund.

The carriages and traversing platforms were of wood: the latter working on a front pivot, by means of four trucks; and the former supplied with front wheels of about 18 inches diameter, for running up and back. These wheels, as well as the rear

Tramways and speaking trumpets.

Magazines and store-rooms.

Barrack accommodation.

Earthwork.

Ordnance.

Gun carriages and traversing platforms.

13

trucks, have holes pierced in their peripheries for the reception of an iron lever to aid either in running up or traversing the gun.

The same lever is used for both purposes, and it has a large and a small end: the former fits into the holes of the carriage wheel, and the latter into those of the rear truck.

Fig. 3.

The elevating screws were all "capstan-headed."

The shells have rope "grummets," secured by a canvas strap. Projectiles. They are kept filled; and when ready for use are distinguished by a red mark. They are stored with the powder barrels in the magazines between the guns; but the case shot are kept in the store-rooms underneath the raised gun platforms.

The charges used are of three kinds; viz., for long, medium, cartridges. and short ranges, weighing respectively 9, 6, and 3 lbs. They are kept in the magazines, stowed away in wooden boxes with a waterproof paper lining. Each gun is supplied with 900 lbs. of powder made up in the requisite proportion of long, medium, and short range cartridges.

The fuzes in store were old-fashioned wooden ones, but with no fuzes. bottoms to them; the composition going right through the fuze. The inches and tenths were not even marked on the outside, but on a separate piece of wood, which had first to be carefully adjusted to "zero" of the fuze, and held there whilst the required length was being marked on the body of the fuze; after which came the old process of sawing to length !

The friction tubes are of copper, but shorter in the shank than ours. They have a loop of twine attached to the "friction bar," instead of, as with us, the loop being punched in the head of the bar itself.

The body of the tube is lacquered black, and the shoulder is of paper from the dotted line in the following diagram, which is of full size:-

Fig. 4.
DANISH FRICTION TUBE.

Fort "Middle Battery" and its armament.

"Fort Lynetten" and its armament.

Fort "Tre-Kroner" and its armament.

Charts, &c., for concentration of artillery fire, at any given point.

Fort "Middle Battery" stands next in order to "Provesteen," and is also built on a concrete foundation. It mounts only 14 guns and two mortars, and is merely an earthwork of the usual profile, with a granite revetment.

The guns are placed "en barbette," with a traverse between every four or five.

Fort "Lynetten," as before stated, is more retired than the other three forts. It mounts 26 guns and two mortars, and is also an earthwork with its ordnance "en barbette," and traverses between every four or five guns, which are distributed as follows:—

On the right flank, eight rifled 24-pounder guns.

In the centre, 15 smooth-bore 84-pounder shell guns of 9-inch calibre.

On the left flank, three shell guns of the same calibre as those in the centre, with two large 168-pounder mortars.

Last in order, to the northward stands fort "Tre-Kroner." When we saw it the works were in an unfinished state, but they were being proceeded with, and we were given to understand that this fort will eventually consist of a central casemated battery, with two faces flanked by open batteries. The whole will mount 74 guns, of which the description and calibres have not yet been determined.

From our own breaching experiments at Shoeburyness and elsewhere, it is evident that these Danish forts would soon be demolished by the artillery of the present day, and that they could be attacked with impunity by first-class iron-clad ships of war.

An excellent method has been adopted in order to enable the fire of these forts to be almost instantaneously concentrated on any given spot within range of their guns.

Each fort is furnished with a chart of the entire position, including the channel, harbour, citadel, and enceinte of the town. On these charts, from each fort as a centre, are described large arcs of circles, divided off into degrees and minutes; each arc being painted a different colour, so as to avoid confusion. The charts are all drawn to the same scale; and, in each case, the degrees are always reckoned from the north.

The forts are in telegraphic communication with each other; each is supplied with a chronometer, and the mode of procedure is as follows:—

Suppose a signal to be made from fort "Provesteen" to forts "Lynetten" and "Tre-Kroner," directing them, at a given moment, to take the angle of an enemy's ship approaching from any point of the compass; at the indicated time these two forts flash to all the others the required angles, which are at once projected on the charts, and the position of the enemy's ship will of course be at the point of intersection of the two lines leading from the forts through the ships.

All four forts now measure independently, on their own charts, the distance of this point of intersection from their own particular

15

fort; and the requisite range is thus at once obtained, without any further communication.

We were informed that the above plan was shown and explained to an American visitor, who subsequently wished to patent the invention in London!

The land defences of Copenhagen are but slight. The town is built partly on the island of Seeland, and partly on the northern shore of the small island of Amager, or Amak. It is divided into three principal districts:—the Old Town or Aldstadt, the New Town or Friederickstadt, and Christianshavn. These three quarters are surrounded by ramparts and ditches, and defended by bastions, with outworks.

Copenhagen town and land defences.

Christianshavn is on Amager island, but united to the rest of the town by two bridges: and the narrow arm of the sea which separates Amager from Seeland, forms an admirable harbour.

The naval arsenal and dockyard are protected to seaward merely by an earthen parapet, with a broad wet ditch. This parapet consists of a long curvilinear face, flanked at intervals by 10 redans, and is very little elevated above the level of the sea.

The citadel is a detached pentagonal "crown work," with a citadel. very bold profile and deep ditches. The counterscarp has a broad roadway, much used as a promenade by the population. Large trees stand in the ditches, and the whole place is much built over, and fast losing its military character.

The commander of the garrison at Copenhagen has quarters allotted to him within the citadel.

In a kind of wet dock, separated by wooden piles from the rest of the harbour, was moored the iron-clad "Rolf-Krake," a familiar name in the history of the late war.

Harbour and ships of war.

There was also another iron-clad laid up in ordinary, together with some wooden two-deckers and frigates. They were all dismantled, with nothing standing save their lower masts, and these merely stepped, without any standing rigging, &c.

The "Rolf-Krake" is furnished with two revolving cylindrical turrets, each mounting two smooth-bore 68-pounder guns, the platforms of which are parallel and about four feet apart. These turrets are faced with 4 1/2-inch iron plates, with a wooden backing of about 35 1/2 inches, and they are easily turned by an arrangement of cog-wheels worked by 12 men.

"Rolf-Krake" iron-clad gun-boat.

The embrasures are strengthened for a short distance by the addition of a second plate of the same thickness, and they admit of an elevation of 9° and a depression of 5° being given to the guns.

The flooring of the turrets is open, the gun carriages resting on large beams of wood, without any planks between them; and a large space of the roof is also open, the turrets being merely covered with an iron grating. By these means there is a sufficient draught of air to keep the battery remarkably clear from smoke when in action.

The interior diameter of the turrets is 16 feet 4 inches, and the exterior 23 feet.

The vessel's deck is planked with a covering over all of 1-inch iron plates. This was pierced by a Prussian shell in the action off Broagerland, which killed and wounded one officer and 10 men of the ship's crew between decks.

For the protection of the steering apparatus and steersman, there is a small iron-plated oval traverse on deck, just abaft of the mainmast, and this traverse is furnished with a small eye-hole. There is room within for only two men.

For further particulars respecting the " Rolf-Krake," reference is requested to the annexed sectional elevation.

In the naval arsenal and workshops there was little to be learned; the machinery, stores, &c., being on a very small scale.

There were specimens of various descriptions of rifling, with projectiles to match; as also photographs of the results of some interesting breaching experiments against a wall divided into three parts, one of which was built of brick, one of granite, and one of concrete.

The trials were made in 1860 and 1861, and proved incontestably the great superiority of concrete over the other materials. Thirty shots were fired against the wall from a smooth-bore 36-pounder gun, with charges varying from 6 to 12 lbs., at a range of 70 yards. The brick portion soon gave way; but as regards the concrete wall, the result was a hole 7 feet in length and shaped thus:—

Fig. 5.

Four shots were next fired from a rifled 50-pounder, and 14 shots from a rifled 12-pounder, at the same range.

### Result.

The hole in the concrete was enlarged as below:—

Fig. 6.

After this six shots were fired at the same range from a rifled 12-pounder.

Naval arsenal and workshops.

Breaching experiments.

17

Result.

Fig. 7.

The granite portion of the wall fell, the breach being of this form.*

The concrete portion still held together, the hole being a little more enlarged but still only a hole.

### Grand Arsenal.

Grand Arsenal.

At the time of our visit to this establishment, little or nothing had been definitely settled with reference to the future equipment of the Danish army, in regard to either its ordnance or small-arms. Everything appeared to be in a state of transition; and as a natural consequence of this unsatisfactory state of affairs, the uncertainty with regard to the future was reflected in the material, &c., in store.

The general result may be thus summed up, so far as the Danish ordnance is concerned: viz., that all their guns are of cast iron, and that these will most probably be strengthened on Major Palliser's plan, but the mode of rifling has not yet been quite decided on; probably a modified shunt.

General statement as regards Danish ordnance.

The Danes have great faith, however, in the excellence of their cast-iron, which they obtain from Aker, in Sweden; and they adduce the following interesting results in proof of the soundness of their opinion in this respect:—

Excellence of Swedish cast-iron.

A muzzle-loading 24-pounder smooth-bore gun of Swedish cast-iron, was rifled to throw a shot weighing 60 lbs.

Illustration of this.

From this gun 300 rounds were fired with a projectile of that weight, and a charge of 6 lbs. of powder.

After this the gun was double-shotted and the charge of powder increased, an air-space being left between the powder and ball.

The charges of powder and the number of balls were then gradually increased, in each instance the air-space before-mentioned being left; and so on, until finally the last shot projected beyond the muzzle of the gun.

### Result.

This severe strain was successfully resisted and the gun remained uninjured to the last !†

The following pieces of ordnance were lying dismounted in the arsenal yard, viz.:—

Ordnance in the Arsenal.

Twenty-four cast-iron smooth-bore 84-pounder guns of 9-inches calibre.

* The above diagram of the granite should have been as long as the others.

† The strength occasionally displayed by cast-iron guns is as well known as their uncertainty.

24

Three principal
Danish positions
on the mainland.

1ST. THE DANNEWERK.

Evacuated by
the Danes at the
commencement
of the war.

2ND. DYBBOL
AND SONDER-
BORG.

Withstood a
siege of 60 days,
and then carried
by storm.

3RD. FRIEDERICIA.

Evacuated by the
Danes, after a
short siege.

Plan of report
on the above.

Disposition of
the allied armies
under Field-
Sheral Baron
von Wrangel.

Diary of their
operations.

1ST.
THE DANNEWERK.
its position, ex-
tent, and object.

On the mainland there were three principal positions which the Danes had fortified with great care and at considerable expense, and on which they mainly relied to enable their small army to make a stand against the superior forces of the two great military nations opposed to them.

These positions were as follows :—

1st. " *The Dannewerh.*"—A line of fortifications which extended along the neck of land forming the southern frontier of Sleswig.

This position was evacuated by the Danes at the very outset of the campaign, as it was considered that the retreat of their army would be endangered in the not improbable event of the Allies forcing the defences at some point of their very extended line.

2nd. " *Dybbol and Sonderborg.*"—The former, a chain of redoubts situated about the centre of the east coast of the Duchy of Sleswig; the latter, a town on the west coast of the island of Alsen, immediately opposite to and connected with the former, by means of three bridges of boats across the "Als-Sund."

This position withstood a siege of 60 days, and was eventually only carried by storm after a heavy loss on both sides.

3rd. " Friedericia."—A fortress situated on a promontory at the south-east corner of Jutland, and commanding the northern entrance to the "Little Belt," by "Middlefart" in the island of Funen, and "Kolding" on the mainland.

This position was evacuated by the Danes and taken possession of by the Austrians after a short siege and with comparatively little loss. The garrison crossed over from thence in steamers to the island of Funen.

In the following brief narrative of the campaign of 1864, it is proposed in the first instance to describe the above three positions separately: and then, as the space at command is very limited, to trace, in the form of a diary, the routes followed by the Austro-Prussian Armies in their advance through the Duchy of Sleswig to the province of Jutland.

The allied armies under the command-in-chief of Field Marshal Baron von Wrangel were subdivided as follows, into three minor and separate commands :—

1st. The combined Guards' division.

2nd. The Austrian Army Corps.

3rd. The Prussian Army Corps.

For convenience of reference, the operations carried on by the above army corps are shown collaterally in three separate columns of the diary.

In pursuance of our proposed plan, we now proceed to a description of the first Danish position.

1ST.—THE DANNEWERK.

The tract of country extending from Sleswig to the marshes of the river Treene for a distance of about 10 miles, has from early ages been considered an important military position: and was originally fortified with the intention of opposing an enemy advancing into Sleswig from the south.

25

The earliest works here were constructed about the year 930, and sundry additions and alterations were made at various subsequent periods according to the exigencies of the times.

In 1852, the Duchies having been restored to the Danes, they at once commenced strengthening this ancient bulwark, on which they laid out nearly 2,000,000 thalers: and they might have defended it for a long time, had they possessed rifled guns and 100,000 men to man the works.

The "Schlei" is the natural defence of the left of the position; and in places where this arm of the sea narrows, as at "Missunde," important works had been thrown up. Nearer the sea the fortifications were weak, and when the war broke out troops were wanting for their defence.

The Danes moreover did not employ their fleet for the protection of their left wing: as probably they did not wish to expose their ships in this narrow arm of the sea, to the fire of the Prussian rifled guns.

On the right of the position the line of works extended from the mouth of the river Reiderau, where it runs into the Treene, along by "Schwabestedt" to "Friederichstadt," where the Treene falls into the Eider; then by the banks of the latter river as far as Truenig, on the shores of the North Sea.

The fortress of Friederichstadt was surrounded by deep water, and it was possible to inundate the whole of the valley of the Treene as far north as "Hollingstedt," in a length of three Danish miles and a breadth varying from one-third to two miles.

A "tête-de-pont" protected the crossing of the Eider; and at Schwabestedt there was a similar "tête-de-pont" defending the road to "Husum," whilst fortifications commanded the approaches to the neighbouring villages of "Suderstapel," "Seeth," and "Drage."

Thus both wings of the position had natural defences: but it was necessary to strengthen the centre by more elaborate fortifications. These works consisted of three separate ramparts, which included the whole breadth between the "Selker-Noor" and the marshes of Hollingstedt on the Treene.

Towards the east extended what was called the "Osterwald," or "Eastern rampart"; towards the west, the "Krummewall"; and in the centre frowned the true "Dannewerk" itself, the west part of which was styled the "little," and the east part the "great" Dannewerk. In front of the latter, towards the southward, was a fourth rampart called the "Kurgraben,"* extending from the Selker-Noor almost to the point where the Dannewerk proper forms an angle with the "Krummewall." It was about 6,500 yards long: and consisted of a rampart from 10 to 12 feet broad, and from 16 to 20 feet high.

The "Osterwall" was about 3,300 yards long, 16 feet high, and from 20 to 24 feet broad, with a ditch in front about 10 feet deep.

Important additions in 1852, and their cost.

Left of the position.

Danish fleet not employed to co-operate in the defence.

Right of the position.

Fortress of Friederichstadt.

Inundations.

Têtes-de-pont.

Both wings had natural defences.

Centre, how fortified.

The "Eastern rampart."

The "Krummewall."

The "Dannewerk proper," little and great.

The "Kurgraben."

Nature and extent of the "Kurgraben,"

and of the "Osterwald,"

* Or "Kograben."

C

26

and "Danne-
werk."

14 forts in the
position, and
heavily armed,

The position
how inundated,
when required.

Sluices,

"Bustorf" the
key of the posi-
tion.

1st line of de-
fence.

2nd line.

The latter
commands the
former.

3rd line of de-
fence.

Military value of
the position.

Untenable in
frosty weather.

It could not be
taken by storm,
without regular
approaches.

The "Dannewerk" proper together with the "Krummewall" was nearly 1½ miles long, and the average height of the ramparts was about 32 feet, with a superior slope of from 16 to 20 feet.

It was defended by 14 different forts; and at "Bustorf," half a
German mile from the town of Sleswig, where all the roads
coming from the north meet, these forts were surrounded with
palisades and armed with the heaviest guns in the possession of
the Danes.

By damming up the brook Reiderau the ground could be inundated right up to the ramparts, and this means of defence was one of the characteristic features of the position. The Reiderau had been brought by artificial means into connexion with the Selker-Noor, and on the west the land could be inundated by means of the Treene, which stream falls into the Eider at Friederichstadt as before noticed.

The country about this latter place is very swampy, and
artillery could not pass over it.

Sluices were erected on the Reiderau, by means of which it
could be dammed up, and thus the waters of the Treene and of
the Selker-Noor could be allowed to overflow the country.

If we consider "Bustorf" as the key of the position, then it
may be said that the fortifications commenced at the village of
"Vedelspang," and extended in a first line towards the "Eider,"
through the "Selker-Noor" to the "Schlei," and towards the
west as far as the "Rothenkrug," where it was connected with
the defences of "Hollingstedt," thus forming a great main
position.

The second line consisted of a number of block-houses, and
extended to "Husbye," where there was a "place d'armes," con-
connected with "Hollingstedt" by small detached works.

This second line of defences completely commanded the first:
whilst the deep and extensive artificial ditch at "Busdorf" on
the one side, and the "Schlei" which formed a natural ditch on
the other, rendered the position almost impregnable in ordinary
weather.

A third line of defence extended from the town of Sleswig
itself, over the "Erdbeerberg," the "Annettenhoëhe," and the
"Pulverholz," as far as the "Thiergarten;" and was here again
connected by works with those at "Husbye" and the village of
"Schubye."

"As regards the strength of this elaborate system of defences,
it has been observed by military critics that it was impossible to
hold the "Dannewerk" during severe frost: because, if 50,000
good soldiers were available for the attack, the position could be
turned either on its right across the frozen waters of the "Under-
Eider," or on its left at "Missunde" where the "Schlei" is only
300 elles broad. Of course in summer time, or when there was
no frost, more troops would have been required to turn such
extensive lines of defence.

The Dannewerk proper could not have been taken by storm
without regular siege approaches: but this would not have caused

27

the allies much trouble, owing to their arms of precision; and in a short time the Danes would have been compelled to retire.

As it was, they left behind all their artillery, consisting of 126 pieces of ordnance of heavy calibre: and their ammunition they threw into the "Schlei!" But when the Danes constructed these extensive fortifications, they probably never supposed that they would have to defend them single-handed against the two great German powers. Still the position was such as would have enabled a numerous and well-appointed army provided with rifled artillery, to have made a long resistance.

But these ramparts will never again check an approach from the south as they have been almost utterly destroyed; the levelling of them cost some 42,000 thalers, the inhabitants of Sleswig were themselves employed on the work, and so these ancient fortifications which for nearly 1,000 years had formed an important barrier, have at length finally disappeared.

Danes lost all the ordnance in position, when they evacuated it.

They probably anticipated foreign aid.

Demolition of the entire line of fortifications.

2ND.—DYBBOL AND SONDERBORG.

After the evacuation of the Dannewerk, eight Danish brigades retired to the Dybbol redoubts, situated on the coast of the "Als Sund."

For this cramped, but nevertheless strong position, the 20,000 men who occupied it appeared ample: and the Danes had at "Sonderborg," in the island of Alsen, an important rallying point which served not only as a magazine for their munitions of war, but also as a depot for their reserves and a hospital for their sick and wounded men.

The ground on which the operations took place in the early part of 1864, is called the "Sundevitt." It is about 2⅓ square miles in extent, stretching from the neighbourhood of the "Als Sund," in a south-easterly direction, to the "Wenning Bund."

It is bounded on the extreme north by the "Little Belt," on the east by the "Alsen Sund," with the island of Alsen beyond it, on the south by the "Wenning Bund," and on the south-west by the peninsula of "Broager," and the "Nybol Nor."

From the east point of the "Sundevitt," there rises a chain of hills, about 220 feet high, and sloping down to the "Wenning Bund." This chain, which runs parallel to a similar one in the island of Alsen, had been fortified with considerable care by the Danes, who had constructed thereon a formidable series of detached redoubts.

These were 10 in number and built on the ridges of the hills, with lines of communication between them, which followed as nearly as possible the natural formation of the ground.

The position generally may be described as having formed two lines of fortifications, the front one of which was about 4,000 paces in length, with its left flank resting on the "Wenning Bund," and its right on the "Als Sund."

Of this line, the redoubts may be considered as having formed the bastions; and the trenches of communication, the curtains.

2ND.

DYBBOL REDoubts

and

SONDERBORG.

"The Sundevitt."

Its extent and direction.

How bounded.

Chain of hills.

How fortified.

General description of the position; two lines of works.

C 2

28

The right flank could be efficiently protection by batteries on the island of Alsen, the left by the Danish fleet.

Two roads intersected these lines of defence: one from "Flensburg," by "Graasten," and "Nybol;" the other from "Apenraade," by "Baurup" and "Ulderup." This latter road joins the former a little in rear of the Dybbol mill, from which junction there is but one highway to the spot where a tête-de-pont covered the three bridges which at that time connected "Sonderborg" with the mainland.

To the north of the Flensburg road, the redoubts had a much more considerable command than those to the south of it, but in many places the defences were defective owing to their ditches not being properly flanked.

Of the 10 redoubts which formed the first line of defence, Nos. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 were closed works, and more solidly constructed than the others, which were only weak flèches or lunettes, defended at the gorge by palisades and each furnished with a bomb-proof wooden powder magazine.

The interior capacity of all the works was but small, yet this space was still further diminished by the slope of the banquette being made very long.—(Vide Section, Plate VI.)

The line of parapets of the seven larger redoubts was broken through at the gorge, to admit of a strong barrier which gave access to the interior of the work by means of a bridge across the ditch.

Each of the large redoubts was furnished with a block-house, the long face of which was parallel to the capital of the rampart. The roof was elevated 9 feet above the terre-plein, and was composed of strong beams, surmounted by 5 feet of earth. Owing to this height the beams were much exposed, and easily destroyed, whilst the splinters from them were very destructive to the defenders.

The walls of the block-house were formed of palisades; and after the establishment of the Prussian batteries, the sides exposed to their fire were further protected by mounds of earth.

The long faces were joined, at the gorge of the work, by palisades bordering the entrance, between which and the block-house was thus formed a species of court-yard.

Each redoubt had also two solidly constructed bomb-proof powder magazines, built of concrete.

As regards accessory defences, there were palisades, planted generally in the middle of the ditch, but sometimes nearer the counterscarp, in which latter there were also "fraisés."

The Danish official reports state that mines had been prepared in the gorges of redoubts Nos. 4 and 6; but between the 22nd February, when the position was invested, and the 18th April, when it was carried by assault, there would appear to have been ample time to construct a complete system of mines for blowing up the gorges of all the works, and thus exposing their interior to the fire of the 2nd line of defence.

Roads leading through the position.

Redoubts to the northward had greatest command.

Seven closed and three open redoubts.

Interior capacity of all not great.

Defence of the gorges.

Block houses.

Two bomb-proof powder magazines in each redoubt.

Accessory defences.

Mines, and observations thereon.

30

This was certainly anticipated by the Prussians; for the attack-
ing parties were directed, immediately on gaining the interior, to
detach some men whose business it was to rush to the gorge and
search for and cut off all means of exploding mines which they
might there discover.

It was only after the arrival of the Prussians that the Danes
organized a system of communications between the redoubts in
their first line of defence; still later, they constructed the 2nd line;
and lastly, from the side of the " Wenning Bund," trenches of
communication between the two lines.

These trenches had weak profiles; but for accessory defences
there were rifle pits, "trous-de-loup," planks with nails stuck in
them, hedges of iron wire, and round these last small pickets or
stakes, called by the Germans "Cæsar pickets," as that commander
had employed them at the siege of Alèsia.

The Sonderborg high road was well barricaded, and it took 50
pioneers half an hour to demolish this barrier, the débris of which
filled the ditches for nearly 40 paces to the right and left.

The second line of defence was composed of flèches and lunettes,
of which there were four, with trenches of communication between
them.

This line commenced at the Wenning Bund, where it was
about 1,000 paces distant from redoubt No. 1; from thence it took
a north-westerly direction towards the 1st line until it arrived
very near the gorge of No. 4, when it changed it course to nearly
due north, running past No. 7 and along the rear of No. 8.

Its main object was to form rallying points for the defenders, in
the event of their being compelled to retreat from the redoubts
and 1st line to the "tête-de-pont" which covered the three bridges
leading to Sonderborg.

This last work had the same profiles as the trenches of com-
munication between the redoubts, but its counterscarp was pro-
tected by solid " Abatis."

Finally, in the peninsula of Sundevitt there were numerous
thick and high hedges, called "knicks" in Sleswig, which at the
outset aided the defenders, but in the end increased the number of
prisoners.

From the above details it will be seen that the position had the
following advantages:—

1st. Its flanks rested on the sea, of which the Danes were
masters.

2nd. It completely commanded the ground in front of it.

3rd. It was less extended than the "Dannewerk," and therefore
more suitable for a small army, such as that possessed by the
Danes.

4th. In case of defeat the retreat of the army was secure.

5th. The island of Alsen served as an extensive dépôt for their
reserves and munitions of war, and kept open the communications
with Copenhagen and other points in rear.

On the other hand the position could be taken in flank and
reverse from the Gammelmark heights on the Broager peninsula.

Communications
and 2nd line of
defence when
constructed.

Their profiles
and accessory
defences.

Barricade on the
Sonderborg high
road.

2nd line of de-
fence.

Its description,

and objects.

Tête-de-pont.

Thick hedges
called "knicks."

Advantages of
the position,

Its great dis-
advantage.

32

but subsequently
placed in em-
brasures and
protected by
traverses.

Some rifled guns
arrive.

Number of guns
in position, on
April 2, 1864.

Many dismounted
by Prussian fire.

Armament of the
2nd line,

and of the "tête-
de-pont," and
island of Alsen.

Ordnance in
position at the
time of the
assault.

Some of these
unavailable at
the right mo-
ment, and cause
of this.

Allied plans for
the siege of
Dybbol.

Arrival of some
heavy guns at
Flensburg,
March 6.

Establishment
of batteries.
Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4,
at Gammelmark,
March 14.

Their success.

During the defence nearly all those guns which commanded the
front of the position were successively placed in embrasures and
between traverses, on which accounts it became necessary to
diminish their number.

A portion of them was moreover replaced by rifled ordnance.

On the 2nd April, when the besiegers, in addition to their
batteries at Broager, had also established batteries in front of the
redoubts, there were 75 guns in position for the defence; of which
guns 10 were rifled, viz., eight rifled 12-pounders and two rifled
4-pounders.* There were also eight mortars, of which two were
84 and six were 24-pounders.

During the siege very many of the above guns were dismounted,
but they were replaced as far as possible by others.

In the retrenched or 2nd line of defence there were eight
24-pounder and two 12-pounder shell guns, also two 6-pounders.

In addition to the above, four smooth-bore guns were mounted
in the " tête-du-pont:" and in the island of Alsen, along the shores
of the Als-Sund, there were 48 different guns of position, 10 of
which were rifled.

On the 18th April, when the Prussians assaulted the redoubts,
there were in them, as nearly as can be known, 37 guns of posi-
tion which had not been dismounted, besides eight mortars and
18 field pieces in the trenches of communication. These last guns
were destined solely to play upon the attacking columns.

On the left wing (redoubts 1 to 6), against which the six first
columns of attack were directed, there were at the moment of
assault about 30 guns ready for action; of these however only
some 20 actually fired, as the Prussians, on account of the small
distance between their trenches and the redoubts, had surmounted
the parapets of the latter before all the embrasures could be
disengaged from their "mantlets."

At the same period it so happened that several of the guns in
the Alsen batteries had been likewise dismounted, partly by the
Prussian fire and partly for the purpose of being placed in
embrasures.

It is now necessary to consider the dispositions made by the
allies for the reduction of the Dybbol position.

Several 24-pounder rifled Prussian guns arrived at Flensburg
on the 6th March, and between the 13th and 15th idem there
were eight of them, as also six rifled 12-pounders in position on
the peninsula of Broager.

These batteries (Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4) were about 3,000 paces
from redoubts Nos. I. and II., 4,000 from No. 4, and 5,500 from
the Chateau of Sonderborg. They opened a regular fire on the
morning of the 14th and their results exceeded all expectations.

The projectiles flew about five-eighths of a German mile over
the waters of the Wenning-Bund, as far as Sonderborg on Alsen
Island, and took the position of Dybbol in flank and reverse.

* Named from the size of the bore being such as would throw a round shot of 4 lbs.

33

About 11 a.m. of the 15th they opened a heavy fire on redoubts Nos. I. and II.; the precision attained was wonderful, for although the nearest redoubt was about 3,000 paces distant, still the Danes could not protect themselves, and two pontoons of the Sonderborg bridges were also destroyed by their fire. During the day-time the fire of redoubts Nos. I. and IV. was completely subdued, but the Danes repaired their works during the night.

The principal direct attack was made against the left wing of the defence, and was materially aided by the enfilade batteries above mentioned.

Direct attack
made against left
wing of defences.

There were many reasons for this preference.

Reasons for this.

1st. It was calculated that the operations of the Danish fleet would be almost nullified by the great power of the new rifled ordnance, although the possibility of that fleet taking part in the defence, at least during the assault, could not be overlooked.

2nd. In the event of the left of the position being forced, there was a probability that the retreat of the defenders on the right would be cut off.

3rd. The left could be taken in flank and reverse by the Gammelmark batteries, which also protected the besiegers' right flank.

4th. The ground in front of the line of redoubts was here more favourable than elsewhere for an attack.

From the above it will be seen that the attack, properly so called, only extended from the Wenning-Bund to the Sonderborg road, but it was aided in its progress by isolated batteries placed on the heights between Dybbol and Rackebüll; and later, by others constructed in the neighbourhood of "Lille-Molle," and to the northward of that position. These batteries were designed partly to annoy the works not comprised in the direct attack, and to command the ground in rear as far as Sonderborg, and partly to menace a descent on Alsen itself.

Extent of the
front attack.

Isolated
batteries.

One of the most essential differences between this siege and anterior ones consists in its having been resolved to breach the defences with rifled guns, distant therefrom at least 1,200 paces, and to complete by means of mortars the work thus commenced.

Essential differ-
ence between
this siege and
former ones.

This decision was arrived at because, at shorter distances, with rifled guns the requisite curve could not be given to the trajectory, save by means of high elevations with charges so reduced as to seriously diminish the momentum of the projectile; and also because, in placing the batteries nearer the redoubts, the Prussians would have abandoned the decided superiority possessed by their rifled ordnance over the smooth-bore guns of the Danes.

Cause of this.

After the preliminary establishment of two systems of communications leading from the rear, the direct attack was commenced by the first parallel being opened on the night of the 29th-30th March against redoubts Nos. I. to VI. at an average distance of about 1,200 paces and in a length of about 900. Vide Plate VIII.

Opening of the
1st parallel,
March 29, 30.

Its distance from
the works, and
extent.

In rear of this parallel, at distances of from 1,400 to 1,600 paces from the defences, seven batteries (Nos. 6 to 12 inclusive) were constructed and armed with 34 field pieces.

Seven batteries
constructed in
its rear.

35

At the same time battery No. 13 was constructed on the Battery No. 13. height between Dybbol and Rackebüll at a distance of 1,600 paces from redoubt No. IX. It was armed with six rifled field 6-pounders. Battery No. 5 was established on a height between No. 5. Spitzberg and the Wenning-Bund at a distance of about 3,300 paces from redoubt No. I., the only one of the line visible from the battery. It was armed with four rifled 12-pounders, and was intended to engage any ships which might enter the Wenning-Bund for the purpose of enfilading and taking in reverse the parallels of the direct attack.

On the 2nd April the following guns opened fire against the Guns in position on April 2, front and flank of the Dybbol position:—

From Gammelmark (Batteries Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4).

4 rifled 24-pounders, of which two were pointed at Sonderborg.

4 " 12 "

8 total guns, in four batteries of two pieces each.

From the direct Attack (Batteries Nos. 6 to 12 inclusive).

18 smooth-bore 12-pounder field guns.

16 7-pounder howitzers (of same diameter as 24-pounders).

34 total guns, in seven batteries of four to six pieces each.

From the Height between Dybbol and Rackebüll (Battery No. 13).

6 rifled 6-pounder field pieces.

From a Height between Spitzberg and Wenning-Bund
(Battery No. 5).

4 rifled 12-pounder guns.

At the same time 12 rifled 12-pounders and 8 rifled 24-pounders were placed in two batteries, and 30 rifled 6-pounders in five batteries to protect an intended passage of the Als-Sund, in the neighbourhood of Ballegaard, which was to have taken place on the 3rd April, but was not attempted as the sea was too rough.*

Forty shells filled with combustible matter had been prepared for the two rifled 24-pounders which were pointed at Sonderborg from the Gammelmark batteries. The first few shots were short, but the remainder fell in the city, which was in flames the next day.

Conflagration of Sonderborg

The barracks in the space between the "tete-de-pont" and re-doubts Nos. VIII. and IX. were also set on fire by battery No. 13. The cannonade lasted until the 6th April inclusive, during which time the field-pieces alone fired 12,245 projectiles, as follows:—

| 12-pounder guns, 6,005 common shells, and 28 shrapnel. | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 " howitzers, 5,018 " | 10 " | | |
| 6 " rifled guns, 1,068 " | 116 " | | |
| Total - - 12,091 " | 154 " | | |
| = 12,245 projectiles. | | | |

Number of rounds fired by field guns.

* The waves were said to have been four feet high, whilst the boats of the bridge train were unsafe with waves one foot high.

New disposition of batteries on April 7.

Details of the above.

Battery No. 15.

Its object.

Battery No. 14.

Smooth bores partially replaced by rifled guns in batteries 9, 10, and 11.

On the 7th April there was a new disposition of the besiegers' batteries.

Sundry guns which had been temporarily removed from Gammelmark to Ballegaard to aid in the projected passage of the Als-Sund were restored to their former position.

A new battery (No. 15) was constructed at the extreme west of the Wenning-Bund with a view to command its entire length. This battery was about 4,000 paces distant from redoubts Nos. I. and II., and was armed with four rifled 24-pounders, also taken from the batteries near Ballegaard. It was established on account of the "Rolf-Krake" having on the 28th March entered the Wenning-Bund and taken part in a combat of advanced posts, after which she easily regained the open sea by steering close in to the southern shore under the dead angle formed by the great elevation of the Gammelmark batteries above the level of the water.

Battery No. 14 was also constructed about this time and armed with four rifled 6-pounders, whilst another battery (No. 22) was established to the northward of No. 13, and also armed with four rifled 6-pounders, so as to command the ground between redoubt No. VIII. and the Als-Sund.

Twelve smooth-bore 12-pounders and four howitzers were at the same time taken from batteries Nos. 9, 10, and 11, and replaced by an equal number of rifled 12-pounders taken from Ballegaard, and also by two rifled 6-pounders in addition.

The following table will show at a glance the ordnance which the besiegers had in position on the 7th April: —

Recapitulation.

RECAPITULATION.

<table><thead><tr><th>Distribution.</th><th>Rifled<br>24-pounders.</th><th>Rifled<br>12-pounders.</th><th>Rifled<br>6-pounders.</th><th>Smooth-bore<br>12-pounder<br>Field<br>Guns.</th><th>7-pounder<br>howitzers.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>At Gammelmark (batteries Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4)</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>On the borders of the Wenning-Bund, to command and engage redoubt No. I. (battery No. 5)</td><td>—</td><td>4</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Idem, and against redoubts Nos. I. and II. (battery No. 15)</td><td>4</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>On the front attack between the Wenning-Bund and the Sonderborg high road (batteries Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14)</td><td>—</td><td>12</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Between Dybbol and Rackebüll (batteries Nos. 13 and 22)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>10</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>12</td><td>20</td><td>16</td><td>6</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Of which</td><td colspan="2">48 rifled.</td><td colspan="3">18 smooth-bore.</td></tr></tbody></table>

37

The half parallel was completed in the night of the 7th-8th April at a distance of about 300 paces from the first parallel, its right flank being 900 paces from redoubt No. I. and its left 700 from No. V. Each extremity was armed with cannon: on the right, battery No. 16 had two 12-pounder field guns; on the left, battery No. 17 had four similar pieces.

Half parallel completed on April 7, 8.

During the night of the 8th-9th, behind this half parallel were constructed four mortar batteries (Nos. 18, 19, 20, and 21), each armed with four 25-pounder mortars. These opened fire against redoubts Nos. III., IV., V., and VI. at distances between 1,000 and 1,100 paces.

Four mortar batteries constructed in its rear. Nos. 18, 19, 20, and 21.

Lastly, during this period another battery (without any No.) was constructed at Gammelmark to the left of those already established there. It was intended to act at a distance of 3,500 paces against the Danish entrenchments bordering the Wenning-Bund, and was armed with rifled 6-pounders.

A fifth battery established at Gammelmark.

By the afternoon of the 8th only redoubt No. IX. responded to the Prussian fire; but it also was silenced by the 9th.

Danish fire overcome.

The 2nd parallel was 500 paces in advance of the 1st and was completed on the night of the 11th, when the Danish commander telegraphed to Copenhagen his wish to retire; but he was ordered, in reply, to hold the position at all hazards. It should be remembered that before this, on the 2nd April, Nos. 1 and 2 Prussian batteries on the Broager cliffs had opened fire on the town of Sonderborg in his rear and burnt a large portion of it, although the range was about 6,000 paces.

2nd parallel opened April 11. Danish commander wishes to retire.

Previous conflagration of Sonderborg, by the Broager batteries, on April 2.

The 3rd parallel was completed on the night of the 14th-15th April, and was only about 250 to 300 paces distant from redoubts Nos. II. to V.

3rd parallel completed April 14, 15.

The Prussians now fired at the rate of 500 rounds per hour, and the Danes could do nothing but repair at night, to the best of their ability, the damage done to their defences during the day, so as to prevent them falling by a "coup-de-main."

Terrific fire of the Prussian artillery.

Under cover of their formidable artillery the Prussians were enabled to enlarge their 3rd parallel sufficiently to form places of arms for the formation of their columns of attack, as also for the collection of scaling ladders, and all the other requisites for an assault.

Under its cover places of arms are formed preparatory to an assault.

At this time the Danish loss was calculated to amount to about 100 per diem; but they were reinforced on the 16th April by a detachment of the 8th Brigade from Friedericia, and two battalions from Copenhagen. These seasonable arrivals increased their force to about 20,000 men.

Daily loss of the Danes.

Reinforcements from Friedericia and Copenhagen.

By this time the redoubts had been much injured, and many of the guns silenced; but Prince Carl would not yet give orders for the attack, as he wished to reduce the loss in the assault to a minimum.

Redoubts much injured at this time.

The following was the position of the besiegers' batteries on the 17th-18th April.

Position of besiegers' batteries on April 17, 18.

39

Recapitulation.

17 rifled 24-pounders.
25 " 12 "
16 " 6 "
---
58 total rifled guns.

12 smooth-bore 12-pounders.
8 howitzers, 7-pounders.
16 mortars, 25 "
---
36 total smooth-bore guns.

Grand total,
58 rifled guns,
36 smooth bores.
---
94 Total.

Grand total, 94 guns.

There were also, along the coast of the Als-Sund, but which did not take part in the cannonade against the entrenchments:— Isolated batteries, 16 guns.

Between Stabegaard and Ravenskoppel.

8 rifled 12-pounders, in two batteries (Nos. 25 and 26).

At Schnabeck-Hage.

4 rifled 24-pounders (battery No. 27).
4 " 6 " ( " No. 29).

8 total guns, in two batteries.

On the morning of the 18th the following field batteries were ready harnessed and held in reserve at Buffel-koppel:— Four field batteries held in reserve

1 battery of rifled 4-pounders.

1 " " 6 "

1 " of smooth-bore 12-pounders.

1 " of howitzers.

At the same time there were attached to the brigade "Goben" and three attached to the brigade "Goben." the following batteries:—

1 battery rifled 6-pounders.
1 " smooth-bore 12-pounders.
1 " howitzers.
---
These were engaged for a short time with the Danish batteries in Alsen.

Throughout the afternoon and night of the 17th April the Prussian batteries cannonaded the redoubts; to which the Danes replied until about 4 a.m. of the 18th, when their fire suddenly ceased; but that of the Prussians was continued until the moment of the assault.

Heavy cannonade.

The attack was made by a line of columns, composed of tirailleurs in advance, followed by pioneers, every sixth man carrying a bag of 30 lbs. of powder to blow up pallisades and other obstacles. The remainder carried ladders, planks, fascines, hatchets, and sacks filled with hay, to throw into the ditches.

Attack, how executed.

Every man of the storming party was supplied with a sack half Storming party filled with sand, to fill up any inequalities in the ground where necessary.

Volunteers carried black and white flags, the Prussian national colours, to plant on the captured redoubts; and there was also a Volunteers and artillerymen.

40

strong force of artillerymen with the attacking columns, who were
destined to turn the Danish guns against the retreating defenders.

Early in the morning of that eventful day, about 10,000 Prussian soldiers were thus assembled in the third parallel.

The artillery now played unceasingly against the defences and
the ground in rear. As many as 30 projectiles per second were
hurled against the defenders, and soon only four or five redoubts
feebly answered this terrific cannonade.

At 10 a.m. the Prussian fire suddenly ceased, and with loud
hurrahs the columns of attack leaped over the parapets of the
trenches and rushed to the assault; their bands marching in rear
and playing martial airs.

There were in all six columns of attack, composed of 46 companies, or 11½ battalions of infantry; five companies of pioneers; and seven officers, 24 under-officers, and 120 gunners of the artillery; the whole under the command of General von Manstein.

Each column headed straight for the particular redoubt it was
intended to carry, and was followed at about 100 paces interval
by the forlorn hopes, the supports for whom were 150 paces still
farther in rear.

At the same moment the brigade "Canstein" left the half
parallel to occupy the third parallel which had just been vacated;
the brigade "Raven" advanced from Büffel-koppel; the brigade
"Roder" from Nybol; the brigade "Schmid" from Rackebüll;
and the division of the guards pushed on from Satrup.

The brigade "Goben" remained in Satrup wood, threatening a
descent on Alsen.

At this time the Danes had four battalions of the brigade
"Lasson" in redoubts Nos. 1 to 6, and four battalions of the
brigade "Wörishofer" in Nos. 7 to 10. As the line of defence
had an extent of about 4,000 paces, each battalion had therefore
some 500 paces of rampart to guard.

It was exactly a quarter of a German mile from redoubt No. IV.
to Sonderborg bridge; and in that space, at the commencement of
the assault, were posted four battalions of the brigade "Scharffen-
burg," which composed the nearest available Danish reserve.

The "tête-de-pont" was occupied by three battalions of the
brigade "Kauffman;" the fourth battalion of which was posted
as a reserve to the right wing, on the Apenraade road.

The remainder of the reserves were in Alsen, and consisted of
the Danish guard and four battalions, which were posted near
Sonderborg; and eight battalions posted in the neighbourhood of
Augustenburg to dispute the passage of the Als-Sund.

The severity of the Prussian artillery fire had been mainly
instrumental in causing the above disposition of the Danish
reserves, which were removed too far from the menaced points to
be of much avail at the time of the assault.

From the night of the 17th until the capture of the position, the
Prussian artillery of the front attack had fired the following
number of rounds:

Assembly in the
3rd parallel.

Preliminary
cannonade.

Cessation of the
same and com-
mencement of
the assault.

Six columns of
attack.

Their direction,
&c.

Movements of
the reserves.

Danish troops,
how disposed.

Their reserves.

Troops in the
tête-de-pont.

Reserves in Alsen.

Cause of the
above disposition
of the Danish
troops.

Ammunition ex-
pended by the
artillery of the
front attack on
April 17, 18.

41

150 common shells from rifled 24-pounders.

<table><tr><td>1,400</td><td>”</td><td>”</td><td>”</td><td>12</td><td>”</td></tr><tr><td>719</td><td>”</td><td>”</td><td>”</td><td>6</td><td>”</td></tr><tr><td>46</td><td>shrapnel</td><td>shells</td><td>”</td><td>6</td><td>”</td></tr></table>

1,700 shells from 25-pounder mortars.

640 common shells from 7-pounder howitzers.

<table><tr><td>30</td><td>”</td><td>”</td><td>12-pounder smooth-bore guns.</td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>shrapnel</td><td>”</td><td>12</td><td>”</td></tr></table>

4,715 total projectiles on 17th-18th April.

4,715 rounds.

Redoubts Nos. II., IV., and VIII. made the most stubborn resistance to the attacking columns; nevertheless, in about 22 minutes the whole of the first line of defence, except redoubt No. X., was carried by storm. No. X. surrendered at 11.30 a.m.

Result of the attack on the redoubts,

The second line was also rapidly captured; but in advancing from thence to the "tête-de-pont" the attacking columns, whose ammunition was nearly expended, were checked by the Danish reserves and temporarily thrown back on the entrenchments between the Dybbol mill and a large farm to the southward of it.

and on the 2nd line of defences.

Temporary check of the assailants.

It was at this time that the "Rolf-Krake" entered the "Wenning-bund," and took the Prussian columns in flank.

The "Rolf-Krake" appears in the Wenning-bund

However, they were soon afterwards reinforced by the brigades "Canstein" and "Raven," and the Danish reserves were compelled to retreat into the "tête-de-pont."

Prussian reserves arrive and re-pulse the Danes.

At about 1 p.m. this last post was evacuated by the Danes; the northern bridge leading to Sonderborg was dismantled; and, commencing from the flanks, the garrison effected its retreat across the southern bridge into the island of Alsen.

Tête-de-pont evacuated.

The defenders cross over to Alsen.

At 1.30 p.m. the Prussian colours floated over the ramparts of the "tête-de-pont," and there were no Danes left in the peninsula of Sundevitt, save prisoners and dead.

The whole position in the hands of the Prussians.

Even during the action, the wounded, whether friends or enemies, were attended to as promptly as circumstances would admit. The dead needed no such care, but remained during the night on the ground where they had fallen. Their fate has been thus happily expressed:—"There can be no more honourable "tribute to the memory of the departed, than the tears shed by "the dew of heaven on the unburied brow of a soldier who has "bravely fallen in the discharge of his duty."

Wounded, how cared for.

The dead left on the field,

Their bodies were shortly afterwards interred on the hill side in front of the centre of the position, where friends and foes now rest in peace. The graves of the Danish and Prussian soldiers are alike marked by a large cross, the emblem of their common faith; and over the former is written the following simple epitaph:—

and buried shortly afterwards, in front of the position

Their epitaph.

"Here lie — brave Danes; They fell on the 18th April 1864."

The whole of the Dybbol redoubts were subsequently destroyed; nothing of them now remains save the *débris* of their concrete redoubts.

Subsequent demolition of the redoubts

D

42

magazines: and on the site of each a single granite stone, with
the number of that particular redoubt engraved upon it.*

The Danish losses on the above disastrous day have been
variously estimated. According to Prussian accounts they were
as follows :

Danish losses.

40 flags and 120 pieces of ordnance captured.

21 officers and 580 men killed.

41 officers and 1,669 men wounded.

44 officers and 3,145 men prisoners.

Total of all ranks, 5,500 men.

The Danish accounts, however, only admit a loss of 110 officers
and 4,736 men killed, wounded, and missing.

Prussian losses.

The Prussian losses amounted to—

16 officers and 213 men killed;

54 officers and 866 men wounded;

39 men missing;

Total of all ranks, 1,188 men.

Observations.

Danish fleet not
employed in the
defence.

The above were certainly great results for the Prussian arms;
but there is little doubt that those results would have been pur-
chased at a much heavier sacrifice, had the Danes employed some
of their vessels of war to aid in the defence of the Dybbol
position.

Prussian front
attack open to
enfilade fire from
the Wenning-
Bund.

It appears strange that they did not do so, for the entire
Prussian front attack was open to the most complete enfilade fire
from the waters of the Wenning Bund; and although these
waters were, in their turn, commanded by the batteries on the
Broagerland cliffs, still some bolder attempt might surely have
been expected from a nation always famous for the hardihood of
its sailors, than the ineffectual opposition offered at Egensund
by one turretted iron-clad to a single shore battery of rifled
12-pounder guns!

Intibility of the
"Rolf-Krake."

Had the "Rolf Krake" been able to withstand the plunging
fire from the Gammelmark batteries, and the direct fire from
batteries Nos. 5 and 15, the besiegers' attack could not have been
pushed on as rapidly as it was: for by steaming along the shore of
the Wenning Bund, she could have enfiladed and taken in reverse
the whole of the Prussian parallels.

Prussian enfilade
batteries admi-
rably placed.

But the sites of those enfilade batteries on the southern shore
were admirably chosen, especially that of No. 4, which was so
completely defiladed from the sea, both in front and flank, that
nothing but vertical fire could possibly have had any effect
against it.

Deep water near
the shore.

On the other hand, the water inshore was deep enough for a
vessel of war to take shelter under the cliffs, where she would, in
her turn, have been defiladed from the batteries which were a
little retired from their crests.

* The Prussians are about to re-fortify the Sundevitt peninsula; and a considerable sum of money has been granted for this purpose. The new fortifications are, however, to be situated a little farther north, and nearer the Als-Sund, so as to be defiladed from the Broagerland cliffs.

43

The Danish army essayed but few combats of advanced posts and no reconnaissances, although these are almost the only means of obtaining reliable information regarding the progress of an enemy. Danes did not make reconnaissances.

For instance, if during the night of the 17-18 April, when collateral events must have foreshadowed the approach of the assault, some few men had advanced to the Prussian trenches, they would have found the 3rd parallel enlarged much more than usual and filled with all the materials for an immediate attack, which they would thus have known to be imminent. Nay more, they would in fact have seen the assembly of the attacking columns; and no doubt the information thus obtained would have materially altered the disposition of the Danish reserves.

As regards the Prussians, it is not easy to understand the delay which attended many of their operations. Delay in the Prussian siege operations.

They arrived in front of the position on the 12th February, and before the 22nd they had learned by means of two reconnaissances on a large scale, that regular siege approaches would be necessary. Yet the trenches were not opened until the 30th March, and their batteries only commenced a regular fire on the 2nd April! Example.

It is true that the siege train had not arrived; but in these days of railways and telegraphs, it is difficult to understand how that arrival was delayed for about a month and a half. Delay in arrival of siege train.

The siege works also progressed but slowly, for it took 16 days to arrive at the 3rd parallel, notwithstanding the absence of sorties on a large scale, and although the ground was by no means difficult. Siege works advanced slowly.

When the moment for the assault arrived, it was promptly and gallantly executed. Observations on the assault.

The plan of not delivering it at daybreak was excellent. The Danes, on grounds more or less vague, supposed that it would take place at that time; and accordingly, from an early hour, they manned their works in force. Finding however that the assault did not take place as anticipated, and supposing that the Prussians would, as on the previous day, content themselves with a vigorous cannonade, they at length disposed their garrisons as usual and withdrew their reserves, merely leaving in the redoubts some artillerymen and a few infantry guards. It was admirably timed.

In conclusion, it may be remarked that with the exception of the siege of Gaeta, that of Dybbol was the first in Europe at which rifled ordnance was employed for breaching the defences; and herein it materially differed from its predecessors. New employment of rifled ordnance in siege operations.

The trajectory of the projectiles from the Gammelmark batteries was necessarily very high, on account of the great distance of those batteries from the redoubts; but their fire was nevertheless very effective, the projectiles striking the parapet near its crest, and detaching large portions thereof at each shot.

D 2

44

Aided by mortars.

Concluding remarks.

Kolding, where situated.

Island of Fæno.

Troops in Kolding.

Stabling for horses.

Saddlery.

No fortress at Kolding. Fine old ruin.

Three hours drive to Friedericia.

3RD.

FRIEDERICIA.
Heavy ordnance required for its reduction.

Its situation and object.

Population.
Town.

Fortifications.

The 25-pounder mortars* were also very useful in completing the work thus commenced by the rifled guns.

Hence it would appear to follow, that earthen parapets should be destroyed from summit to base, just the reverse of the process for the demolition of masonry.

### KOLDING (en route to Friedericia).

This town stands at the head of a deep "fiord" or bay, at the north-west corner of the "Little Belt," the shores of which are here well wooded, the country undulating and hilly, and the scenery very picturesque. (Vide Plate X.)

A small island named "Fæno" stands nearly mid-stream at the entrance to the above bay, and commands the approaches from the Little Belt to "Kolding," "Middlefart," and "Friedericia." It is, however, unfortified.

As regards Kolding itself, there is but little to report.

There was here a detachment of cavalry from the 3rd and 6th regiments, the latter of which is to be disbanded, consequent on the reductions that have been ordered in the Danish army.

The stabling affords accommodation for about 300 horses; these were good serviceable animals, and seemed well cared for; they averaged nearly 15 hands.

The ironwork of the saddlery was good and clean, but the leather just the reverse.

There is no fortress or other military work at Kolding, but a sketch of a very interesting old ruin is annexed. It forms a prominent feature in the landscape as one steams up the bay from the "Little Belt."

From this to the fortress of "Friedericia" is a short three hours drive.

### 3RD.—FRIEDERICIA.

So long as the Prussian heavy ordnance was detained in front of Dybbol, no serious demonstration could be made against Friedericia; as it was necessary in the first instance to reduce the Danish fire before attempting to storm the works, the natural and artificial defences of the place being by no means slight. (Vide Plate XI.)

Friedericia lies on a tongue of land at the northern entrance to the "Little Belt," and was intended to aid in the defence of the island of Alsen and of the Dybbol position.

The population is about 6,500; the town is regularly built, but the houses are small and mean looking.

The fortifications form an almost equilateral triangle, one side of which is bounded by the land while the other two face the sea. Each side is about 1,600 yards in length.

* In Prussia the calibre of a mortar is designated according to the weight of a stone projectile of the same diameter as its bore; thus, the term "25-pounder mortar" means one throwing a shell of about 50 lbs. weight.

45

On the land face are nine bastions connected by curtains, and at the north-east angle of the position there is a tenth bastion which fronts towards the sea. Ten bastions.

On the extreme point of the tongue of land stands the so-called "citadel." Citadel.

The arsenal and barracks are contiguous to the citadel, and close to the water's edge a number of batteries defend the sea-face from thence as far as bastion No. 10. Arsenal and barracks.

The bastions are numbered from one to ten, commencing at the south-west angle of the works, and are named as follows:— Bastions, how numbered.

1. " Oldenburg."

2. " Holstein."

3. " Sleswig."

4. " Princess."

5. " Prince George."

6. " Prince Christian."

7. " Queen."

8. " King."

9. " Denmark."

10. " Norway."

Their names.

The citadel is numbered 11, but to speak correctly, it is a shapeless mass of earthwork save at the northern side, where a strong battery commands the approach across the esplanade. Strength of the citadel.

The Danes had taken advantage of the sinuosities of the coast on each side of the citadel, to close the approaches with trenches and palisades. Approaches, how closed.

An important defence of the western bastions consisted in the neighbouring marshes, which could be inundated for a considerable distance and form very serious obstacles. Marshes. Inundations.

The bastions themselves were great heaps of earth of enormous profiles, rising in two tiers one above and very slightly in rear of the other. They were furnished with a "fausse braie" and sod revetments. Nature of the ramparts.

The ditches were deep and broad, and the approaches to the bridges strongly defended by entrenched batteries. Ditches.

In 1864 there were mounted on the ramparts some 200 cannon of calibres which would have been deemed heavy ten years ago. Armament.

From No. 8 or the "King's Bastion," at the north of the fortifications, there was formerly an exercise ground about 5,000 feet long, extending from a point nearly touching the bastions, to a place called the "Trealde-vestern-skov," where there is a wood. Exercise ground outside the works. Wood.

This piece of ground had been converted into an entrenched camp and was called a second "Dannewerk." Here there were five detached redoubts lying in a semi-circle at an average distance of about 1,600 yards from the main works. These redoubts were all furnished with bomb-proof concrete magazines, and were within easy range of each other. Detached redoubts. Concrete magazines.

On the investment of the place the German advanced posts occupied the wood to the north.

In these days of long ranging rifled artillery the position cannot be considered a strong one, as it is commanded on the land side from several points at ranges of about 2,000 yards. In the late war the allies seized on these places for the establishment of their batteries: and the result was that the Danes evacuated Friedericia Strength of the position not great. Commanded by neighbouring eminences.

66

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN.

Uhlans of the
guard.

Strength of the
regiment.

Men, how armed.

Barracks.

Quartermaster's
stores.

Stables.

Saddlery.

Horses.

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN.

Regiment of Uhlans of the Guard.

This regiment is composed of four squadrons of 125 men each; and although a lancer regiment, it is rated as a heavy cavalry corps.

The men are tall and large. They are armed with sword, lance and one smooth-bore percussion muzzle-loading pistol per man; this last being carried on the off-side of the saddle. The ramrod is attached to a long narrow sling under the pouch belt and when not in use it rests in two loops stitched on the top of the pouch.

The barracks are a very extensive pile of buildings and the rooms lofty and well ventilated. The men sleep in iron cots, in two tiers placed one above the other. The dining rooms are separate from the sleeping apartments; but in other respects there does not appear to be much attention paid to the comfort of the men, as there are neither recreation nor coffee rooms attached to the barracks, nor is there any such institution as a regimental library.

There is a quartermaster to each squadron; and in his stores are kept two suits of clothes per man, being his Sunday and review suits, which he is not allowed to wear or have in his possession save on those occasions.

The stabling is good and well ventilated and arranged. The walks between the stalls are laid down with "asphalte" and the stalls themselves floored with bricks. The bales are hung at one end by means of a chain and at the other on a moveable pivot.

There is only one pattern of saddle for cavalry and artillery, gunners and drivers. It has short side-bars and the seat is separate from the tree, being merely hung on over pommel and cantle. The flaps are fastened on by leather thongs; and the girths, which are of leather, by thongs of raw hide.

There are two wallets; the blanket is carried with a roll in front; and in marching order a pair of trowsers are folded across the horse's back, under the saddle flaps, the ends of which are furnished with pockets for their reception. They do not appear to attach as much importance as we do to the keeping of the leather work, &c. of the saddlery.

The horses appeared small for the men they had to carry, but they were generally well-bred, serviceable animals.

The grooming was well attended to.

68

Contemplated
changes.

An entire change is about to take place in the system of instruction as regards the scientific branches of the Prussian army. In future, candidates for the artillery and engineers will be required to go through the following preliminary training, before obtaining their commissions.

*First*.—One year with a regiment, as recruit.

*Second*.—Two years at the “Kriege-Schule,” either at Erfurt, Potsdam, Neisse, or Engers.

*Third*.—One year with a regiment as doing duty officer.

*Fourth*.—Two years at the Berlin Military School.

Prussian opinion
on the Woolwich
system of
instruction.

An officer of some standing in the Prussian service who had himself been in England, informed us that a high opinion is entertained of our system of artillery instruction at Woolwich and Shoeburyness; and he added, “I consider Owen’s book a perfect “treasure; in fact, the best of the kind in existence.”

### *Arsenal.*

Arsenal.

Models.

In the arsenal there was but little of military interest to be seen, beyond some well finished models of fortresses and of artillery and engineer materiel.

Reserve of small
arms.

Heavy ordnance.

There was a large reserve of small arms on the “zund-nadel” principle: but the number of heavy guns was very small, as both the gun foundry and carriage departments have been removed to Spandau.

The arsenal and its establishments have been described in the report for 1863.

### SPANDAU.

Fortifications are
being enlarged.

Government
manufactories.

Citadel.

Detached works.

Epitome of its
history.

### SPANDAU.

The fortifications of this place, situated at the confluence of the rivers Havel and Spree, are being considerably enlarged.

The town has three suburbs; in one of which, called the “Plan,” are the Government manufactories of gunpowder, ordnance, gun carriages and small-arms. These last were formerly sent to Potsdam to be finished.

The citadel is built on an island in the river Havel; it is a regular quadrangular fortress, surrounded on the north and west by a double fosse which can be laid under water if necessary; and on the other two sides by the river Havel.

The walls, casemates and outworks are of stone; but the new fortifications consist of detached works of much stronger profiles and with intermediate lines of communication. The railway to Berlin passes through a part of these.

Spandau has undergone some of the vicissitudes of war. It was taken in 1631 by the Swedes, but restored to the Prussians three years afterwards. In 1806, soon after the fatal battle of

70

The same rate is used for pulverizing the saltpetre and sulphur, which are first mixed in equal proportions; but 1,200 revolutions are given to the mixture. The charge is 200 lbs.

3. *Mixing*.—1,400 revolutions are given at the same rate as above, for the purpose of mixing the three ingredients. Beyond this, there is no further incorporation of the materials. The charge is 200 lbs.

5. *Pressing*.—The pressure used is 50,000 lbs. on the whole surface of the roller.

7. *Granulating*.—The drums used for this purpose make 74 revolutions per minute.

10. *Glazing*.—For this process the barrels are made to revolve at the rate of 16 revolutions per minute and from 1,600 to 1,800 revolutions are required to give the standard polish. Charge, 400 lbs.

11. *Drying*.—Cannon and rifle powder are heated twice by means of steam pipes, to a temperature of about 58° Reaumur. They are kept at this temperature for one hour at each heating.

12. *Dusting*.—The powder is still freed from dust in the rude and dangerous manner described in the report for 1860, but only in charges of 10 lbs. each. The process lasts one hour.

The powder, as above manufactured, does not appear nearly as good as our own; and when fired leaves a very much greater residuum.

There has been no alteration for many years in the proportions of the ingredients.

*Small-arms Factory.*

We were not admitted to the "small-arms factory" at Spandau and are therefore unable to make any report connected therewith.

*Gun-Carriage Factory.*

Since the report for 1863 was published, the carriage department has been removed from Berlin to Spandau.

The establishment is, however, still in its infancy and some of the work is carried on at Berlin as heretofore.

Drawings of the 4 and 6-pounder field carriages are annexed to the description of the Prussian field artillery and there is but little to report on connected with the carriages for the siege train and garrison artillery.

The axletree of the siege train carriage is square and not imbedded in wood. It is very slightly housed into the trail.

The following plan has been adopted to enable the gun to range "en barbette" over the superior slope of the parapet without the

3. *Mixing.*

5. *Pressing.*

7. *Granulating.*

10. *Glazing.*

11. *Drying.*

12. *Dusting.*

Prussian gun-powder not as good as English.

Small-arms factory.

Gun-carriage factory.

Siege-train carriages.

Arrangement for firing "en barbette," without

71

carriage and wheels being exposed to the enemy's fire, as would exposure of body of gun carriage.
be the case with a carriage of the ordinary construction.

HIGH CHEEK FOR FIRING " EN BARBETTE."

Fig. 23.

Fig. 22.

Two upright cheeks of wrought iron (a) are securely bolted on to the upper surface of the trail and the trunnions of the gun rest on these, whilst the breech is supported by a gun-metal block (c) secured between the arms of an iron stool-bed, formed as represented in plan at (b), figure 23, and in side elevation at (b), figure 22. The elevating screw is placed immediately below this block, and is turned by a small hand-wheel instead of by horns.

Description of the above arrangement.

The cap-squares are slid on from the side, and held in their place by a keep-pin (d).

It is true that the above arrangement answers the purpose for which it was intended; but on the other hand, many trails have got broken near the elevating screw, in consequence of the great height of the trunnions of the gun above the axletree which this system involves.

Disadvantage of above.

The ironwork above described is painted with red lead, to prevent oxidation.

## Gun Factory.

This establishment has been fully described in the report for Gun factory. 1860 and we have but little to add thereto so far as regards the machinery or general working of the establishment.

The breech-loading system of the new 4-pounder cast-steel rifled field gun is now, with slight modifications, extended to all the guns which are being manufactured here. A full description of this system will be presently given; but simple though it be, it has only been arrived at after many changes and experiments. An analysis of these changes, as described in the various pro-

Present breech-loading system.

How arrived at.

73

fessional reports heretofore sent in, will be found in Appendix C. *Vide* Appendix C. to this report; from which analysis it will be seen that Prussia has had her share of confusion and trouble in attempting to perfect her artillery material.

The vents of all Prussian guns are in the piece itself, being *Vents* simply bored through the metal a little in front of the breech-loading apparatus, in the case of the steel guns; but bouched with copper when the material of the piece is cast iron or bronze. The steel 4-pounder and 6-pounder of 1864 have copper bouches.

One disadvantage attendant on this plan is, that in the event of *Disadvantage of Prussian, and advantage of English plan.* a temporary abandonment of the guns being necessary, they may be spiked by the enemy. This cannot happen to an Armstrong gun so long as the vent-pieces are carried away by the artillery-men in their retreat.

A table of the weights and measurements of the 4, 6, and *Appendix D.* 12-pounders is given in Appendix D.

The 6-pounder costs as follows (*vide* Plate XIII.):—

Price of the 6-pounder.

<table><tr><td>Block of metal, 630 thalers</td><td>Total 1,005 thalers, or</td></tr><tr><td>Boring - - 175 ,,</td><td>about 150L. sterling.</td></tr><tr><td>Rifling - - 200 ,,</td><td></td></tr></table>

The price of the 4-pounder will be found under the description of that piece.

Many 12-pounder rifled guns are being made at Spandau, of 12-pounder bronze rifled gun. bronze to economize the expensive material of obsolete smooth bores. The breech-loading arrangement is on Krainer's principle, consisting of two steel wedges which slide on each other.* In the front wedge is a hollow into which fits a loose steel cup containing a copper ring valve, the inner diameter of the latter just coinciding with the diameter of the powder chamber. This ring is bevelled in rear, so that on firing the gun the force of the discharge is taken by the steel cup, while the gas acting in rear of the copper ring presses the latter forwards against the metal of the gun behind the powder chamber, and thus effectually closes the breech.

Both the cup and the ring are moveable, and should be taken *Necessity for cleaning cup and ring.* out and cleaned frequently, their places being supplied, if necessary, by spare ones which are carried with every piece. Neglect of this precaution in many instances at Dybbol caused the eating away of the cup, ring, and even of the metal at the end of the bore itself. In bronze rifled guns the bottom of the bore is strengthened by a steel ring.

A large number of guns rifled on the Wahrendorff principle *Old principle, "Kolben Verschluss."* were made in 1861-2, and still remain in the service.

This method is known as the "Kolben Verschluss." *Krainer's* double-wedge system is called the "Keil Verschluss."

*New principle, "Keil Verschluss."*

* See fig. 25 and Plate XIV.

F

77

attachment of the lead-coating is mechanical, as described at page 66 of the report for 1860; but it is not very effective, as the lead is easily separated from the iron. (Vide Plate XVI.)

During the course of the siege operations at Neisse we came across several portions of projectiles that had been fired; and in every instance the lead-coating had become detached from the iron.

Both time and percussion fuzes are used. Case has not yet been introduced for service with this piece, but experiments con- nected with this projectile are being carried on. Fuzes. Case not yet adopted.

In Plates XVI. and XVII. drawings are given of the service projectiles, and also of the time and percussion fuzes.

The gun-carriage is of wood and has a bracket trail with three Gun-carriage. transoms, irrespective of an oscillating one for the elevating screw. It is light and serviceable (vide Plate XVIII.). A little in rear of the elevating screw and between the brackets is a small store box with a metal lid. Small store-box.

The axletree is not imbedded in wood. It is round in form, Axletree. with horizontal arms and made of cast steel. There are two seats on it and these are furnished with fixed foot-rests, handles Axletree-seats. covered with leather and a back of wire network. The seats rest on buffers made up of alternate layers of iron and india-rubber, thus—

Fig. 29.

A strong stay of iron leads from the back of each seat to the bracket on its own side, where it is bolted just in rear of the elevating screw transom.

The wood-work of the carriage is painted light blue and the ironwork black, which has a very neat appearance.

The elevating screw is capstan-headed and is turned by means of a horizontal hand-wheel. It is a double or differential screw, the upper and larger portion (a) works in an oscillating gun-metal transom and is hollow, with a female screw cut inside for the reception of the lower and smaller portion (b), Figures 22 and 23. This is a male screw, the bottom of which is pivoted at the junction of two long iron arms, (c), the other ends of which arms are, in their turn, pivoted on the front transom of the carriage at h. Elevating screw

The arrangement for elevating or depressing the gun is peculiar, as will be seen by the following diagrams and description:—
Arrangements for elevating or depressing the gun.

79

lie parellel to each other and are carried some distance to the rear of the framework, which they serve to strengthen.

The pintail is made of cast steel and is fixed to a transom Pintail. between the pole brackets. It is very long and necessitates a high lift of the trail in limbering up. It is also liable to get bent in travelling over rough ground.

The wheels of the gun carriage and limber are not inter-changeable; the former are 59'20 inches in diameter and the latter only 47'20 inches. The naves of all light field wheels are of gun metal, somewhat similar in pattern to the Madras nave; but instead of 12 bolts with nuts there are only six and these pass through instead of between the spokes and are circular instead of triangular in form.

When the gun is limbered up the distance between gun and limber axletrees is nine feet.

The gun limber carries 48 rounds, of which the proportions are 32 common shells and 16 shrapnel. Distance between gun and limber axletrees.

The cartridges are carried in leather cartouches in the limber box; but are not, as with us, protected by the shot being placed all round them. Ammunition in limber box, 48 rounds.

In marching order the 4-pounder with its ammunition and stores, but exclusive of the detachment, weighs as follows:—

Gun - 550 lbs.
Carriage - 877 lbs.
Limber - 1,382 lbs.

Weight of gun, &c. complete, in marching order.

<table><tr><td>Gun</td><td>550 lbs.</td></tr><tr><td>Carriage</td><td>877 lbs.</td></tr><tr><td>Limber</td><td>1,382 lbs.</td></tr></table>

Total - 2,809 lbs, or 25 cwt. and 9 lbs.

Each battery is composed of four pieces of ordnance. The horse artillery batteries have six horses per gun, and the field artillery four on the peace establishment. In the former, therefore, each horse draws about 468 lbs.; and in the latter 702 lbs. Composition of a battery.

In the horse artillery the detachments are mounted, and always ride in rear of their respective guns. In the field batteries the gunners are carried as follows:—two on the gun axletree seats, three on the gun limber and when necessary, three on the off-horses, which are furnished with riding saddles.* Detachments, how carried.

The batteries are well horsed and easily handled owing to the small number of pieces of which they are composed: whilst when occasion requires a heavier battery is readily formed by massing two batteries together.

### ORGANIZATION OF THE PRUSSIAN ARTILLERY.

The Prussian artillery is organized into nine brigades, one of the guard and eight of the line. Each brigade is composed of two regiments, one of field and one of garrison artillery.

### PEACE FORMATION.

A field artillery regiment consists of one horse division of three smooth-bore 12-pounder batteries and three field divisions of

ORGANIZATION OF THE PRUSSIAN ARTILLERY.
Line brigades, each of two regiments.

PEACE FORMATION.
A field artillery regiment is composed of one

* In our harness of the latest pattern, supplied to India but not yet to batteries at home, all off horses, except the shaft horse, carry saddles similar in all respects to those upon the near horses.

85

A bullet of reduced diameter is under experiment, but its adoption has not yet been decided on.* It weighs 349 grains and is of the following dimensions and shape:—

Experimental
bullet.

*See note, page 90.

Fig. 38.
BULLET.

Fig. 39.
CARDBOARD CUP WITH BULLET.

### Cartridges.

The ball cartridge is made of "white wrapping paper" and rolled with a single fold and an overlap of .2 of an inch. It is 2.5 inches long; the charge of powder is 80 grains and occupies a space of .9 inch in length (c). Immediately in front of the powder comes a stiff cardboard cup (a) .8 inch long, in which the base of the ball (d) rests. The detonator (b) is placed in the centre of the bottom of this cup, outside it and therefore just in front of and in contact with the powder. The cartridge is choked with twine and lubricated as far as the top of the paper cup with a mixture of beeswax and tallow.

Ball cartridge.

The charge of powder proposed to be used with the bullet of reduced diameter is 75 grains.

### Action of the Cartridge.

The needle, on being released by means of the trigger, is shot forward by the spiral spring placed in rear of it and pierces the detonator at the back of the stiff cardboard cup before mentioned. On the ignition of the charge this cup takes the grooves and thus imparts the requisite rotation to the projectile, which does not require to be expanded for this purpose and therefore retains its original shape during its passage through the air.

Action of the cartridge.

### Advantages claimed for the "Zund-nadel-gewehr."

1. Whilst loading the Soldier is never defenceless, as he can do so with his bayonet pointed to his enemy, which cannot be the case with a muzzle-loading weapon. The bayonets are kept fixed, even in the barrack rooms; but at Dybbol they were removed, as they were visible above the trenches.

Advantages claimed for the weapon:

1. Soldier never
defenceless
whilst loading.

2. Facility of loading, in every position and in every kind of weather. This advantage is materially increased in very cold weather when the fingers are benumbed, as under such circumstances with ordinary percussion arms, many caps are dropped and much time is lost in fixing them on the nipple.

2. Facility of
loading.

3. Comparative Non-exposure of the Men, owing to the ease with which the piece can be loaded from a recumbent position.

3. Comparative
non-exposure of
the men.

4. Great Rapidity of Fire, partly owing to the piece being a breech and partly to the cartridge carrying its own detonator, whereby the operation of capping is not required.

4. Great rapidity
of fire.

5. Comparative flatness of trajectory.

6. Precision of fire.

7. Length of range.

8. It never misses fire.

9. Simplicity of construction.

10. Facility of repairs when out of order.

11. It is easily cleaned.

12. Cheapness.

### Disadvantages alleged.

1. Unequal wear of the parts, and escape of gas.

2. A shot striking the pouch causes the whole of its contents to explode.

3. The cartridge as at present manufactured is too weak.

4. Waste of ammunition.

*5. Comparative Flatness of Trajectory, especially at near and medium ranges, when the bullet rarely travels higher than a man.

6. Precision of Fire.—This is partly a consequence of No. 5 and partly is due to the fact that the bullet does not lose its form, as is necessarily the case with projectiles on the expanding system.

The following conclusions have been arrived at, after considerable experience with this weapon, both at practice ranges and during actual warfare. When firing salvoes at 200 paces distance you may reckon 76 per cent. hits, with fairly instructed men; at 300 paces 64 per cent.; at 400 paces, with rapid firing for one minute, 42 per cent.

*7. Length of Range.

8. It never misses Fire, even in the heaviest rain.

9. Simplicity of Construction.—The component parts are of simple form and easily made and there is no complicated lock as with the ordinary percussion arms.

10. Facility of Repairs when out of order, as the breech-loading arrangements are very simple and easily removed. Two spare needles are carried with every piece, and readily adjusted.

11. It is easily cleaned with a little water.

12. Cheapness.—The cost of the weapon complete is about 13 thalers, or nearly one-fifth that of the regulation Enfield rifle.

### *Disadvantages alleged.*

1. When the piece is ready for firing the breech-loading apparatus presses more on one side than the other owing to the lever acting on an inclined plane. This causes an unequal wear of the parts and escape of gas at the loose side must consequently ensue.

2. On account of the cartridge carrying its own detonator, a shot striking the pouch causes the whole of its contents to explode and it is averred that several casualties were caused in this way during the late war. There would however appear to be some little doubt on this subject, for as the pouch of a Prussian infantry soldier only contains 20 rounds, each with a charge of 80 grains of powder, the total amount of powder in the pouch is not quite a quarter of a pound, which is scarcely sufficient to inflict any very serious injury.†

3. Some officers are of opinion that the cartridge as at present manufactured is too weak and that if made of the requisite strength the paper would be too thick to be easily pierced by the needle, which would thus become liable to get broken more frequently than it now does. This is more especially the case with the wall-piece before mentioned.

4. Waste of Ammunition in actual warfare.—It was found during the Danish campaign that *at first* there was a disposition on the part of the men to throw away their fire; but this soon

* Advantages 5 and 7 are claimed over the old Prussian weapon and not over the Enfield.

† The pouch being in front, and covering a vital part, protects, to a certain extent, the body of the soldier. Experiments made in France in 1825 showed that even gunpowder can be ignited by the percussion of lead against lead. See Boxer's "Treatise on Artillery," page 16.

87

wore away as they became more accustomed to be under fire and
get confidence in their weapon. Moreover, the under-officers are
particularly instructed to give every attention to this important
point during rifle practice, dictating to each private soldier when
he is to fire; and although in actual warfare this plan cannot be
enforced, still the lesson is not lost as the force of habit will cause
the man to reserve his fire. The weapon is stated to be admirably
adapted to the German temperament and that during the late war
the men were actually known to have sometimes arranged amongst
themselves that the best shots should be supplied with ammunition
taken from their less skilful comrades.

5. *Fouling*.—This is a most important point; but much difference of opinion appears to exist amongst the advocates and opponents of this weapon as to the extent to which the piece fouls, some officers even averring that from 800 to 1,000 rounds may be fired from it without cleaning. There is little doubt however that the piece does foul to a considerable extent; but this is perhaps more due to the powder used than to the system; whilst on the other hand, it is very easily cleaned with a little water. The old soldiers did not complain of the fouling, but seemed to have great confidence in the weapon and expatiated on its not *kicking* like the old musket.

6. *Weakness of the Stock*.—This appears to be merely a matter of detail, easily remedied and not a necessity of the construction.

7. *Liability of the Needle to get broken.*

ACTUAL PRACTICE WITNESSED AT THE SPANDAU "SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY."

The men who fired on this occasion had been only two years in the army and but three months at the school. The following were the results of the day's practice :—

5. *Fouling.*

6. *Weakness of the stock.*

7. *Liability of the needle to get broken.*

Actual practice witnessed.

*First*.—At a moving target representing a soldier in marching order passing across the range at a sharp walk, target exposed about 4½ seconds.

Range, 200 paces.

Firing party, 10 privates standing in single rank fired five rounds each; total, 50 rounds.

*First target:*
—The moving figure of a man, exposed 44 seconds.

Range, 200 paces.

Ordinary firing.

*Result*.—Twenty-eight hits of which 12 were in vital parts, = 56 per cent.

*Result:*
—Hits, 56 per cent.

*Second*.—At a row of circular targets each one foot in diameter and representing skirmishers' heads. These discs were placed at unequal distances on a horizontal pole, by turning which they were raised just above the plane and exposed for about six seconds. Three of the discs were dark coloured and three light and each man selected the colour at which he preferred to fire.

*Second target:*
—Six skirmishers' heads, exposed six seconds.

Range, 200 paces.

Firing party, 10 privates lying on their fronts fired five rounds each; total, 50 rounds.

Range, 200 paces.

Firing lying down.

*Result*.—26 hits = 52 per cent.

*Result:*
—Hits, 52 per cent.

*Third*.—At a target 8 feet by 6, the "inner circle" being 24 inches and the bull's-eye 6 inches in diameter.

*Third target:*
—Eight feet by six.

89

the war a great many Prussian officers expressed grave doubts as to its efficiency, but the actual results exceeded the most sanguine expectations.

For instance, at the storm of the Dybbol redoubts, owing to the murderous fire of the Prussian tirailleurs, the Danes could hardly show themselves; and as they had but little time to take aim with safety, they inflicted but little loss on the enemy. *See also* Appendix B.

The rapidity of fire attainable with this weapon is of great importance in the field, under certain circumstances. For instance, suppose an attack of cavalry were to commence at about 800 paces, of which 600 are passed over at a trot and the remainder at a gallop and rush, the time occupied being $2\frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2}$ minutes = 3': during this time each man would fire 18 rounds at the very least; or a company of 100 men would deliver 1,800 shots. The result speaks for itself.

To the artillery this weapon is very dangerous, owing to the precision of its fire and the length of its range. At from 600 to 800 paces single shots will kill both men and horses and cause much confusion in a battery.*

The following incident, the authenticity of which is unquestionable, says much for the efficiency of the "zund-nadel-gewehr:"—

At Luntby, in Jutland, a detachment of 100 Prussian infantry commanded by a Captain Schlotterbach, was attacked by two companies of Danish infantry, supported by half a squadron of cavalry. The Prussian commander reserved his fire until his enemy was about 250 paces distant, when he commenced "quick firing" and in a very short space of time inflicted a loss on the Danes of two officers and 95 men killed and wounded, the casualties amongst his own party being only two wounded men! The attack was of course repulsed.

*Mode of carrying the Ammunition.*

Each infantry soldier carries 60 rounds of ball cartridge, viz.:-

20 in the right front pouch;

20 in the left front pouch; and

20 in his knapsack.

In addition to the above he also carries in his knapsack 40 Hülse, or unfilled cartridges, the powder and ball for which are kept in reserve ammunition wagons attached to his battalion.

Each soldier makes up and fills his own cartridges.

The reserve ammunition is carried as follows:-

Each regiment of infantry and cavalry has two ammunition wagons attached to it, but these do not, as with us, form part of the establishment of a field battery. In addition to the above, there is a regular reserve ammunition train under the command of artillery officers. (Vide Appendix Q.)

In conclusion, it may be stated that the Prussians do not consider the "needle gun" by any means a perfect breech,

Examples:-
Storming of the Dybbol redoubts;

and
Appendix B.

Its rapidity of fire is important in a cavalry attack.

This weapon very dangerous to artillery.

Incident which occurred at Luntby, in Jutland.

Ammunition, how carried, and number of rounds per man.

Reserve ammunition.
Battalion
wagons.

Reserve ammunition train.

Concluding remarks.

G

90

nor even the best that has been invented: but in the meantime they are the only nation whose infantry are so armed; a very material element in calculating the strength of their army.

We saw no missfires and from all accounts neither cold, heat, damp, nor heavy rain appear to have much effect on its efficiency.

The barrels are very conspicuous, owing to the practice of keeping them bright.

*Note*.—Since the above article on the "needle gun" was penned, authentic information has been received that the experimental bullet of reduced diameter, described at page 85, has not given satisfaction and that no change is at present contemplated, either in the rifle or its ammunition.

Note.

### NEISSE.

When built.
When fortified.

Fort Preussen.

Friederichstadt.

Detached and advanced works.

Ancient redoubts.

Ditches.

Underground galleries of communication.

### NEISSE.

Neisse is the capital of Prussian Silesia and situated at the conflux of the rivers Neisse and Biele amidst marsh lands but 574 feet above the level of the sea. It is said to have been originally built in the year 966, but it was not fortified until 1594, since which time it has undergone several sieges and its works have been gradually strengthened and extended, until it has become one of the most important fortresses in the Prussian dominions.

In 1743 Frederick the Great laid the first stone of "Fort Preussen," on an eminence at the foot of which is the strongly fortified suburb of Friederichstadt, which extends to the river Neisse. This fortress is surrounded by broad but not very deep moats and the surrounding country can be laid under water in case of a siege.

In many parts not only the bastions but the curtains of the ramparts are furnished with a "cavalier" and "fausse-braie." These have all earthen scarps with turf revetments; the counterscarp of the enceinte is also revetted with turf and built somewhat on "Carnot's" principle, with a by no means steep slope from the level of the covered way to the bottom of the ditch. The sluices by which the supply of water in the ditches can be regulated are well defended and the "batardeaux" are in well-chosen situations.

The defensive works are all in good order.

The numerous eminences in the neighbourhood are crowned with casemated batteries, detached redoubts and other advanced works, according to the nature of the ground to be defended. Some of these redoubts are of very ancient construction, judging by the huge masses of earth of which they are composed and the enormous profiles of the lines of communication between them. The ditches of many have revetments of unsquared granite and are very wide and deep, whilst the piles of earthwork rising above earthwork present a rather formidable appearance.

There are underground galleries constructed of solid masonry, as roads of communication from one redoubt to another; some

91

of these are of considerable extent, and one through which we
passed was upwards of 270 yards long.

With the exception of the ordnance in use at fort Preussen
during the siege operations, there was not a single gun mounted
on any of the fortifications, so that we were unable to form any
opinion as to the nature of their armament at the present time.

The town of Neisse is clean, well built and contains about
15,000 inhabitants. It has a splendid episcopal palace, a fine old
cathedral, several churches, a Jewish synagogue, a town-hall and
a public gymnasium. Formerly there was an extensive library
containing upwards of 10,000 volumes, but this was destroyed in
the siege of 1807. There are also numerous linen and woollen
factories and several breweries.

In the environs there are some quarries of excellent freestone,
of which considerable quantities are exported.

The Government manufactories are within the fortifications
and consist of some artillery and engineer work-shops, a small-
arms manufactory and a gunpowder manufactory, similar to those
at Spandau but on a smaller scale.

There is also an army school, but as the vacation had com-
menced we had no opportunity of inspecting it.

*Siege Operations, 1865.*

The siege operations carried on here were directed against
“ Fort Preussen,” which is a detached pentagonal star-fort with
ravelins in front of the re-entering angles of the bastions, but
without any re-entering places of arms between them. These
ravelins have no flanks; but their faces are broken into two lengths,
that nearest the ditch being a little retired, and furnishing a good
flanking fire along the covered way to the salients of the bastions.

The vertex of each salient angle in the tracing is cut off by a
straight line, so as to obtain a musketry fire upon the space of
ground in front of that angle.

The enceinte is of considerable strength and the ditches are
deep, with granite revetments of unsquared stone. There was
formerly a berm, but this has been recently removed and the parapet
raised considerably beyond the usual relief, with earth brought in
from the suburbs in rear. Under the parapet, all round the fort,
are casemated barracks for the garrison.

In front of bastions Nos. 1 and 2 are three advanced works,
built to protect the salients of these bastions and of ravelins
“ Mark ” and “ Pommern.” These advanced works are flèches and
named “ Grant,” “ Lefébre” and “ Diericke.” In the re-entering
angle between the two last was an elaborate system of counter-
mines and during the progress of the siege this ground became
the theatre of an interesting “ war of mines.”

Plate XX. gives a plan of “ Fort Preussen” and its advanced
works; as also of the attack thereon.

The besiegers' park was formed in a village in the neighbour-
hood and they broke ground at a distance of about 600 paces
from the ramparts of the fort. But little time was, however,

No ordnance
mounted on the
works.

Town of Neisse.
Its public
buildings and

Manufactories.

Quarries.

Government
establishments.

Army school.

Siege operations
against Fort
Preussen, and
description of
the fort.

Enceinte.

Casemated
barracks.

Advanced works.

Flèches "Grant,"
"Lefébre," and
"Diericke."

Besiegers' park.

G 2

92

Principal objects of instruction.

Lodgements effected by means of craters.

Direction of the attack.

How far advanced on our arrival.

Globes of compression.

Craters formed by them.

Lodgement made therein.

Detail of the working parties.

System of countermines.

Its base.

Situation of the gallery of the counterscarp.

Galleries of communication how ventilated.

devoted to the formation of the first parallel, or to the earlier operations of the siege; the principal objects of instruction being the establishment of the third parallel, approaches by the "Turkish," flying and double saps, mining operations offensive and defensive and various methods of breaching the counterscarp and escarp walls. There were also some interesting experiments as to the use of craters of large mines, in aiding the besiegers to effect lodgements more rapidly than by the ordinary process of digging.

The attack was directed against the side of the fort farthest from the town of Niesse: that is, against flèches "Lefébre" and "Diericke," ravelin "Pommern" and Bastions Nos. 1 and 2, (See Plate XX.) It was considerably advanced before our arrival, the assailants having already approached by double sap from the third parallel and crowned the glacis opposite Bastion No. 1 and flèche "Lefébre." They had also advanced up the glacis in the space between flèches "Lefébre" and Diericke, by a series of six large mines, or "globes of compression," loaded with charges varying from 5,000 lbs. to 3,300 lbs. of powder. These made huge craters which formed an excellent lodgement for the besieging troops; the largest crater being 70 feet in diameter by 28 feet deep and the smallest 64 by 24. The last of these six mines was sprung early in the morning after our arrival, but as up to that time we had not had an opportunity of calling on the Commandant, we were unable to go and see it and were therefore obliged to be content with a subsequent look at the result.

It had made a crater of considerable extent, in the centre of which the pioneers* had already constructed a block-house: and at a distance of about four feet from the edge they had also made a banquette all round the crater, for the tirailleurs.

In order to save time, the troops were divided, line regiments and all, into three working parties which relieved one another every eight hours, working day and night.

The system of countermines which had just been destroyed in the space between flèches Lefébre and Diericke had its base in the counterscarp, the "magistral" gallery being immediately behind the counterscarp revetment. This situation had been chosen as masonry was thereby economized, the revetment itself forming one side of the gallery, which was well lighted and aired by doors and loopholes looking into the ditch: and it had the additional advantage of being removed as far as possible from the terrible effects of the besiegers' globes of compression.

The galleries of communication were ventilated on "Pasley's" plan, by means of air forced into them from a pair of bellows placed at the entrance to the magistral gallery; but instead of pipes of pliable leather which were objected to for various reasons, iron tubes were used and gave a much better supply of air.

* The Prussian sappers are styled "Pioneers" and their officers "Engineers."

93

The "envelope" galleries were constructed in a continued line at the extremities of the galleries of communication, instead of in portions at the head of each gallery.

Envelope galleries

From this point it will be advisable to detail the operations in the form of a diary.

Commencement of diary of the siege operations.

*Wednesday, 30th August.*—The spectators, including several foreign officers, assembled in the salient of bastion No. 1 of Fort Preussen, to witness night practice with smooth-bore and rifled bronze and rifled iron guns of different natures which were supposed to be resisting a rush of the besiegers from the third parallel.

August 30.
Night practice with shrapnel and canister.

The night was dark and rainy, but a view of the attacking party was every now and then obtained by means of rockets, which, bursting in the air at a considerable elevation, showered down illuminated stars. The rockets were good, but their effect was not equal to that of "Boxer's Parachute Light-balls."

Star rockets.

Their effect.

The firing was kept up from the salient angle of the covered way in front of bastion No. 1.

*First practice.*—10 rounds of shrapnel with time-fuzes from a 12-pounder smooth-bore gun, against a battery of the besiegers on the left of the half-parallel, which battery was supposed to be covering the advance of the attacking column.

First practice. Shrapnel, with time fuzes, from smooth-bore 12-pounder gun.

It had a parapet 17 feet thick and 7 feet high, with 11 targets of white boards about the size of a man, placed from 3 to 4 feet apart on the superior slope and 14 similar targets on the exterior slope. There were also two targets, each about 6 feet broad by 4 feet high, inside the battery. Throughout this night's shrapnel practice the guns were loaded in the dark and on a signal that they were ready a star rocket was fired in the direction of the targets, from ravelin "Pommern." The light from the stars lasted for about 11 seconds, during which time the guns were laid and fired immediately afterwards.

Guns, how laid.

*Second practice.*—20 rounds of shrapnel were fired with percussion fuzes from rifled 12-pounder guns, at the same targets. Several of these fuzes proved blind.

Second practice. Shrapnel, with percussion fuzes from rifled 12-pounder guns.

*Result of the Shrapnel Practice.*

26 hits in targets on the superior slope.
17 hits in targets on the exterior slope.
0 in targets behind the parapet.

Result of foregoing practice.

43 total hits, exclusive of shell fragments.

Almost all the first 10 rounds went over the battery and exploded in rear, the fuzes being too long.

*Third Practice.*—10 rounds of case were fired from ravelin "Westphalia," from a 12-pounder smooth-bore gun, up the outer ditch, at white targets placed in its salient angle. These targets were lighted up by means of Bengal lights placed on the top of the escarp wall.

Third practice. Case, from 12-pounder smooth-bore gun.

*Result of Case Practice.*—Very destructive, but the firing was slow and the targets were well lighted up. Result.

94

August 31.
Visit to the
works, and night
operations.

Five perpendicu-
lar mines sunk.

Their object.

Four small
mines, and their
object.

How effected.

Result very
good.
Five perpendicu-
lar mines not so
effective at first.

Experimental
shaft, with iron
cylinder.

Charge of
powder.

Delay in the
preparations.

Cause of the
above.

September 1.
Preparations for
breaching the
counterscarp of
ravelin by
artillery.

Gallery driven to
the back of it.

Dimensions of
gallery.

*Thursday, 31st August.*—During the day we went all over Fort Preussen and the siege works. We also attended the night operations, which consisted in the besiegers’ sinking and springing five perpendicular shaft mines on the glacis in front of flèche Diericke, with the double object of effecting a lodgement therein and at the same time demolishing some countermines which the garrison had constructed through the counterscarp, near the salient of that flèche.

The besiegers also made four small mines to blow down the top of the counterscarp in front of salient No. 1, so as to enable them to enfilade the ditch, by means of a battery which they had constructed on the extreme left of their sap. This they effected by digging four holes, each five feet deep, eight feet apart and about three feet behind the counterscarp, from which holes they grubbed forwards until they came to the back of the wall. In each chamber, a box containing 50 lbs. of powder was placed close against the wall, the earth was tamped in and all four mines were fired simultaneously by electricity.

*Result.*—Very good; in fact less powder would have sufficed.

The five perpendicular mines were not at first so successful; four were sunk with ordinary square wooden frames, the fifth with an experimental iron cylinder, all to a depth of 10 feet. The iron cylinder was in three lengths, each 3 feet 4 inches; the 2nd length slipping down inside the 1st, and the 3rd inside both, when ready for its reception. This plan took longer to accomplish than the other one.

The shafts were 25 feet apart, and sunk in a line, in the supposed direction of the countermines. Each had a charge of 120 lbs. of powder and it was intended that they should be fired simultaneously, at 11 p.m. There was, however, great delay in the preparations: and after waiting on the ramparts until half past one o'clock in the morning we at length heard the wished for signal given, but only two exploded at that time, other two about 1½ hours afterwards and the 5th at about 5 a.m., after some trouble. The failure of the intention to spring the mines instantaneously was attributed to the fuzes employed for that purpose. They were an American patent and cost ⅔ of a thaler per linear foot.

*Friday, 1st September.*—This day was employed in preparations for breaching the counterscarp wall of the right face of ravelin "Pommern," near the salient, by means of a rifled 12-pounder gun fired at the back of it, down a gallery constructed for the purpose. This gallery was driven from a point in the advanced sap opposite the spot to be breached, straight through to the back of the counterscarp revetment, near the bottom of the ditch. The masonry was here 4½ feet thick.

The dimensions of the gallery were as follows :—

68 feet long
$$ \begin{array}{l} 6\frac{1}{2} \text{, broad.} \\ 6\frac{1}{4} \text{, high.} \end{array} $$ With a drop of 3 feet in its length.

95

This night the besiegers stormed flèches "Lefèbre" and "Diericke" by escalade, having first made six breaches in the palisading of the counterscarp, between and in front of those flèches. Small charges containing 20 lbs. of powder each were employed for the above purpose and sunk in the ground behind the palisades.

These charges made practicable breaches of from 10 to 15 feet in width, through which the storming party rushed with scaling ladders, effected a lodgement on each flèche and having driven back the garrison, they at once set working parties to dig a battery in each, under cover of a general cannonade and musketry. The garrison replied with all their guns and mortars, during which time a gun in the salient of ravelin "Pommern" was employed solely in firing case at the working party in flèche "Diericke."

In many places the defenders had put Bengal lights into wheelbarrows, which they let down the exterior slope of the rampart as far as the top of the escarp wall, so as to discover the besiegers. Nevertheless, the attacking force succeeded before morning in mounting two rifled 6-pounder guns in a battery on flèche "Diericke," having hauled the guns with ropes up an inclined plane of planks, placed against the escarp wall of the flèche.

The besiegers had also connected the two captured flèches by a trench and it was their intention to have blown up a blockhouse on the right of ravelin "Pommern," just before the assault: but through a mistake in the signals, the cannonade and storm commenced too soon after the blowing down of the palisades, so they had to postpone the demolition of the blockhouse until the following day.

*Saturday, 2nd September.*—Early in the morning we went all over the besieged works and trenches and afterwards accompanied the inspectors-general of artillery and engineers during their several inspections, in the course of which lectures on mining operations, &c., were delivered by officer instructors and illustrated practically on the ground.

The mines under the block-house were sprung after breakfast. There were two charges, each of 100 lbs., placed from 4 to 6 feet below the sole of the blockhouse and fired simultaneously by electricity.

*Result.*—Very good; the blockhouse being completely demolished, with the exception of one end which remained standing, though in a ricketty state.

Another experiment was tried, for making a descent into the ditch near the spot where the top of the counterscarp wall had been previously breached. A gallery with a stout framing was driven from the sap on the glacis, to the palisades. This was 18 feet long by 8 feet square and through it the storming party were to rush.

To the left of this was driven an ordinary rectangular wooden mining gallery, 3 feet high by 2 feet wide; when this latter reached a little beyond the larger gallery it turned to the right until

Escalade of two flèches.

Palisades first breached, and how.

Cannonade.

Lights on escarp wall to discover besiegers.

Success of the attack.

Captured flèches connected by a trench.

September 2. Visit to the works.

Inspections and lectures.

Mines under block-house sprung.

Charges of powder.

*Result.* Demolition of the building.

Descent into the ditch.

Gallery driven and enlarged by mining.

Small gallery for this purpose.

97

17. percussion shells were fired, only one of which proved blind.

*Result.*—A breach 7 feet broad and 5 feet high. At the 11th round there was a very good hole and the masonry was pierced in two places, but it was determined to continue the practice up to the 17th round, to lighten the work for the miners.

The gun was then removed and the sappers came with gabions, fascines, &c., made a trench and breastwork across the ditch to protect themselves from flanking fire and drove a gallery into the escarp, in continuation of the breach made by the gun. The masonry, which consisted of unsquared stonework, was very good and did not split much round the breach, or even above it.

The mine now made was in the form of a T, there were two charges of 150 lbs. each, and a good practicable breach was subsequently effected.

*Tuesday, 5th September.*—This morning, at seven o'clock, the garrison commenced mortar practice against a blockhouse at the entrance to the countermines, which was now in the possession of the besiegers. For this purpose they employed a 50-pounder mortar and shells filled with lead weighing 200 lbs. The range was 500 paces, and the charge about 2½ lbs. Elevation 70°.

Twenty rounds were fired, one of which struck the front wall and the last two the roof of the blockhouse. These made holes about two feet deep in the upper surface.

The roof was formed of railway iron, covered over with earth. The walls were of new brickwork, with very little mortar between the bricks.

Simultaneously with the above practice the garrison fired empty shells from another 50-pounder mortar at the besiegers' descent into the ditch. Range, 150 paces; charge, 1¼ lbs.; elevation, 75°. The practice was very fair.

After this there was some rocket practice carried on against the besiegers' works on the crest of the glacis. These rockets were of the following form and dimensions and were fired with sticks.

Fig. 41.
SECTION OF ROCKET.

The charge was 3 lbs. Results indifferent.

After the rocket practice loaded shells were put into the holes which had been made in the roof of the blockhouse and of the descent into the ditch, by the shells which had struck them during the mortar practice.

*First*.—One loaded shell was placed in one of the two holes in the blockhouse roof and covered over with gabions filled with earth and well rammed. It was then fired.

*Result*.—The railway iron composing the roof had 10 bars bent about 2½ inches out of the straight line and one bar broken across. The brickwork at the cornices was also slightly damaged.

*Result:* satisfactory.

Sappers make a trench across the ditch; and drive a gallery through the scarp wall.

Charges of powder.

September 5. Mortar practice carried on by the garrison against blockhouse.

Number of rounds fired and result.

Roof of blockhouse, how made.

Mortar practice against besiegers' descent into the ditch.

Rocket practice against besiegers' works on crest of glacis.

Nature of rocket employed.

Charge and result.

Loaded shells, how used against roof of blockhouse.

First instance.

100

Fig. 44.
REAR ELEVATION.

The distance between the front and rear axletrees was four paces.

### Dismounting the Boat.

Dismounting the
boat.

The parade commenced with this practice, for which purpose the men formed two ranks facing each other, eight men in each rank. The carriage then advanced and halted between the ranks and the boat was dismounted in the following manner.

At the first word of command the men sprang to the wagon, mounted its sides, placed the front roller under the gunwale of the boat, then the rear one and then dismounted again. They next slid the boat to the rear right off the wagon with one smart vigorous push, each man in turn filing off until the boat rested with its gunwales on the shoulders of the whole detachment. It was next carried 20 yards to the right flank, placed on the ground keel uppermost and then turned over, keel down.

Men very smart
and well drilled.

Time, 30 seconds.

The men were exceedingly well drilled, smart and steady. The time from the first word of command until the work was completed was only 30 seconds!

This was the average of the three detachments, there not being more than two or three seconds' difference between the longest and shortest times.

### Remounting the Boat.

Remounting the
boat: time, 35
seconds.

The converse of the preceding; time, 35 seconds.

### Unloading the Wagon.

Unloading the
wagon.

In this operation the anchors, oars, sack with hand-rail, lashings, and small stores, were first taken to the rear, some of the detachment mounting on the wagon for the purpose. The remainder then took post at the left side; the planks were removed one after the other and piled on the ground; then the seven balks and so on. Time, 6¼ minutes. Whilst the wagon was being unloaded the horses were unharnessed.

Time, 6¼ minutes.

Loading the
wagon.

Time, 7½ minutes.

Crossing the
river in one of
the boats.

Storm of the
ravelin.

Conclusion of
the siege
operations.

### Loading the Wagon.

The converse of the above; time, 7¼ minutes.

After the practice we crossed the river in one of the boats, in company with 13 other officers. We found the boat rather crank and unstable, although the water was very smooth.

At 6 p.m. the breach in the escarp of ravelin "Pommern" was assaulted and carried by storm and the siege operations were brought to a close by the establishment of the besiegers on the counterscarp of the encinte.

101

## MERSEBURG.

The province of Merseburg has an area of about 4,000 square miles and is chiefly composed of the territories which Saxony was compelled to cede to Prussia in 1815 by the treaty of Vienna.

The eastern part is flat, with gentle eminences, but no mountains; the western portion is not so level, as it includes branches of the Hartz mountains, and the Thüringerwald. Though the soil is unequal it may be called fertile.

The town of Merseburg, which is the capital of the province, is situated on the river Saale, about 15 miles westward of Leipsic. It is an old, irregularly built town, with narrow, crooked streets and surrounded with walls, in which there are four gates. There are two suburbs, Altenburg and Neumarkt, the latter lying on the opposite bank of the Saale and connected with the town by a large stone bridge.

Merseburg appears to be rather a flourishing place, as it has numerous breweries, distilleries and manufactories of various kinds. There is also a fine old palace, formerly the residence of the Bishop and afterwards of the Dukes of Saxe-Merseburg. It is now used for the Government offices; but during the recent field manœuvres of the 4th corps d'armée in the neighbourhood, the King of Prussia resided here with his court. The cathedral is an interesting old building, founded in the 11th century, and containing one of the largest organs in Germany. There are several public schools in the town.

PROVINCE OF MERSEBURG : its area and description.

Town of Merseburg.

Its suburbs of Altenburg and Neumarkt.

Manufactories.

Public buildings. Palace.

Cathedral.

## FIELD MANŒUVRES.

The field manœuvres of the 4th Army Corps for the year 1865 took place in this neighbourhood in presence of the King of Prussia and the Royal Princes and lasted from Monday the 18th until Saturday the 23rd September inclusive.

Field manœuvres.

The following was the general programme of the operations : — Programme.

18th September.

## REVIEW OF THE TROOPS.

On this day His Majesty held a grand review of the whole army corps. The regiments were formed up as described in Plate XXII. It was a most imposing military spectacle and the troops were in first-rate condition. His Majesty rode down the ranks, after which commenced the défile.

The infantry led in columns of double "pelotons" in three ranks. This formation is only used for parade purposes; during manœuvres the third rank becomes the left or third "peloton" of the company, which is then formed in only two ranks.

The cuirassiers followed the infantry and looked remarkably well on their dark horses: the men clad in white tunics, with steel helmets, cuirasses, jack-boots and leather trousers.

Next came the dragoons clothed in light blue, with helmets and booted trousers; then the lancers in their picturesque uniforms, with pennons of black and white on their lance ends; after

Review before the King. September 18.

Appearance of the troops.

Marching past.

102

them the hussars; then the horse and field artillery; and last of all, the military train.

The above is the order of precedence in the Prussian army.

Order of precedence.

The troops then marched past a second time, in a formation of which the King is very fond. The regiments of each brigade were formed into a solid brigade mass. The staff and mounted regimental officers passed first, in a line, followed by the band and drums; next came the colours of the regiments composing the brigade and lastly the massive column. On this occasion the artillery were formed in double columns of batteries, or eight guns in a line at close intervals.

Formation in heavy brigade masses.

Trotting past. The cavalry and horse artillery then trotted past, which completed the ceremony.

19th September.

From this day the field manœuvres commenced. A map of the country is given in Plate XXI.

Commencement of field manœuvres.

General Idea.

General idea.

An army is advancing from the south from Zeitz by way of Weissenfels, in order to levy contributions on Leipsic and Halle.

To oppose this, another army hurries forward from the north, advancing from Magdeburg by way of Halle.

Execution of above.

Execution of the above.

FIRST DAY.

First day.

*First, Southern Army.*—During this day's manœuvres the southern army was an imaginary one and it was supposed to have advanced as far as Merseburg and taken up a position with Lanchstædt in its front, with a view to repelling the enemy.

1ST. SOUTHERN ARMY.
Its position and object.

*Second, Northern Army.*—This was under the command of General von Schack and was composed of the entire 4th Army Corps. It was supposed to have advanced along the left bank of the Saale by way of Halle and occupied Dölitz, from whence it determined to attack the adversary at and in rear of Lanchstædt, in such a manner as to outflank his left wing and drive him towards the Saale.

2ND. NORTHERN ARMY.

Its position and intentions.

Operations of the Day.

Operations.

1st Movement.—The advanced guard of the northern army made a demonstration towards Lanchstædt, whilst the main body, followed by the reserve, got into position on the right of the advanced guard, in order to attack the line of Lanchstædt—Frohndorf.

First movement.

2nd Movement.—Saint Ulrich was occupied by the main body of the northern army. The enemy attempted to retake it; was repulsed and took up a position on the windmill hill. The northern army then extended itself along the heights to the south of Frohndorf under cover of the occupation of Lanchstædt.

Second movement.

3rd Movement.—The northern army attacked the enemy posted on the heights of the windmill, who defeated the right wing, but

Third movement.

103

was obliged to retire eventually in consequence of the successes of its adversary's left. The northern army then took up a position on the line of the windmill hill.

*4th Movement.*—The southern army retired into the villages of the Schwartzeike and the northern army proceeded to attack him there. Fourth movement.

*5th Movement.*—The southern army evacuated the valley of the Schwartzeike and took up a position on the heights of Pfarrsberg. The northern army then inclined to its left, attacking its opponent's left flank with the artillery and cavalry of the reserve.

A general engagement ensued; the result of which was that the northern army took possession of the heights. The troops then bivouaced.

In the evening of this day there was a very beautiful military spectacle in the courtyard of the old castle.

Military spectacle at the castle.

The bands and drums of the various regiments comprising the 4th army corps, accompanied by soldiers carrying coloured paper lamps of all colours, shapes, and devices, tramped into the castle-yard and made the circuit of it, forming up at last into a large circle, in the centre of which, under a huge candelabra, stood the conductor of the music on an elevated platform. Whilst tramping round the enclosure the musicians played the Prussian "Tappenstreike," drums beating and leading the procession. Six pieces of music were played at intervals and the castle windows were illuminated; the King and court being seated in the second story facing the entrance gate, whilst all the other windows were crowded with spectators of both sexes.

Procession and music.

Every now and then red and blue lights were burnt, the effect of which was very beautiful over the great variety of full dress uniforms of officers and soldiers in the castle-yard and lit up with a rosy or azure tint, the lofty walls of the old "schloss." The night was lovely and the sky dark blue, against which the summits of the various towers and pinnacles stood out in most picturesque relief.

Illuminations.

As a finale the National Anthem was played, on which the King and the princes came down into the castle-yard and entered the circle formed by the regimental bands.

Finale.

When His Majesty retired the whole body re-formed into a procession and once more tramped round the enclosure, playing as before the Prussian "Tappenstreike;" drums beating and leading the procession, followed by wooden instruments and cymbals, and lastly by the brass portions of the bands. The effect on both eye and ear was delightful beyond description.

The number of performers was as follows :—

Bands of six infantry regiments at 42 men each - 252
Five cavalry bands at 22 men each - 110

362 performers.

Total performers - - - 362

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September 20.

Rest.

September 21.

The army corps
divided into two
opposing forces.

7TH DIVISION,
OR NORTH-
ERN ARMY.

Its composition.

ADVANCED
GUARD:
Infantry.

Cavalry.

Pioneers.

MAIN BODY.

Infantry.

Artillery.

RESERVE.

Infantry.

Cavalry.

Artillery.

20th September.

REST.

21st September.

The 4th Corps d'Armée was now divided into two parts to represent the two opposing forces; the 7th division forming the northern and the 8th division the southern army.

7TH DIVISION OR NORTHERN ARMY.

Commander-in-Chief, Lieut.-General von Fransecky.

ADVANCED GUARD.

Infantry.

4th Magdeburg infantry regiment, No. 67 (three battalions).
Magdeburg Yäger battalion, No. 4.

Westphalian dragoon regiment, No. 7.

Artillery.
No. 1 Field battery of regiment No. 4 (6-pounders).
No. 3 " " 12 "

Pioneers.
Four companies No. 4 Magdeburg pioneer battalion.

MAIN BODY.

13th infantry brigade, consisting of—
3rd Magdeburg infantry regiment, No. 66 (three battalions).
1st " " No. 26
Duke of Anhalt's infantry regiment (two battalions).

Artillery.
No. 1 12-pounder battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

No. 4 12-pounder battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

RESERVE.
Infantry.
2nd Magdeburg infantry regiment, No. 27 (three battalions).

Cavalry.
7th cavalry brigade (two-thirds), consisting of—
Magdeburg cuirassier regiment, No. 7.
" " hussar " " No. 10.

Artillery.
No. 2 horse artillery battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

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No. 3 horse artillery battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

No. 1 4-pounder battery Magdeburg field artillery regiment.

8TH DIVISION, OR SOUTHERN ARMY.

Commander-in-Chief, Lieut.-General von Horn.

ADVANCED GUARD.

*Infantry.*

1st Thuringian infantry regiment, No. 31 (three battalions).
Fusilier battalion.

*Cavalry.*

4th squadron Thuringian hussar regiment, No. 12.

*Artillery.*

No. 3 4-pounder battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

MAIN BODY.

*Infantry.*

4th Thuringian infantry regiment, No. 72 (three battalions).
Duke of Saxe-Coburg Gotha infantry regiment (two battalions).

Duke of Saxe-Altenburg fusilier regiment (two battalions).

*Cavalry.*

3rd squadron Thuringian hussar regiment, No. 12.

*Artillery.*

No. 2 12-pounder battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

RESERVE.

*Infantry.*

Third Thuringian infantry regiment, No. 71 (three battalions).
Fusilier battalion.

*Cavalry.*

Thuringian lancer regiment, No. 6.

Nos. 1 and 2 squadrons Thuringian hussar regiment, No. 12.

*Artillery.*

No. 1 horse artillery battery Magdeburg field artillery regi-
ment, No. 4.

Nos. 2, 3, and 4, 6-pounder batteries Magdeburg field artillery
regiment, No. 4.

No. 2, 4-pounder battery Magdeburg field artillery regiment, No. 4.

*Pioneers.*

Four companies Magdeburg pioneer battalion, No. 4.

8TH DIVISION,
OR SOUTH-
ERN ARMY.

ADVANCED
GUARD:
Infantry.

Cavalry.

Artillery.

MAIN BODY.

Infantry.

Artillery.

RESERVE.

Infantry.

Artillery.

Pioneers.

H

106

Recapitulation
of both armies.

<table><caption>Recapitulation.</caption><thead><tr><th>Northern Army.</th><th></th><th>Southern Army.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>15</td><td>Battalions of infantry</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Regiments of cavalry</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Batteries of artillery</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Companies of pioneers</td><td>4</td></tr></tbody></table>

Programme of
operations.

General idea for
northern army.

PROGRAMME OF OPERATIONS.

*General Idea for the Northern Army.*

This army defeated its opponent on the 19th September, but not without experiencing sensible losses. It has therefore halted on the "Pfarrsberg," but on the 21st resolves to follow up its successes and endeavour to drive its adversary back on "Weisenfels" and the Saale.

Dispositions and
order of the day.

*Dispositions to be carried out by the Northern Army.*—*Order of the Day.*

The army will be in readiness at 9½ a.m. to the south-east of "Nieder-Kriegstådt," between the "Kirsch-Plantage" and the windmill, in rendezvous as follows:—

1. Cavalry.

*1st. The Cavalry.*

In advance; the regiment of dragoons pushed forwards to the heights of "Pfarrsberg," but *not to show itself*. Outposts watching the road from "Merseburg" to "Clobican."

2. The advanced
guard.

*2nd. The Advanced Guard.*

Behind the cavalry, with the battalion of Yägers in front.

3. The main
body.

*3rd. The Main Body.*

The two batteries between the 1st and 2nd Divisions.

4. The reserve.

*4th. The Reserve.*

Both batteries in front of the infantry.

The enemy will be sought for and attacked.

The cavalry is charged with the duty of ascertaining his position and with this view the regiment of dragoons will advance in the direction of the defile "Gosel," leaving "Blosien" on its right.

General Hann von Weyhern will follow with the other two regiments and the horse artillery.

The remaining troops agreeable to their formation and in the same direction.

All else will depend on the nature of the ground and the position of the enemy.

In case of retreat, it will be towards "Lanchstaêdt."

(Signed) "VON FRANSECKY."

General idea for
the southern
army.

*General Idea for the Southern Army.*

This army received a check on the 19th September, but without experiencing any great losses and has retired behind the defile of

107

"Mucheln-Merseburg." It expects to receive reinforcements on the 22nd at "Weissenfels" and resolves to-day on making a reconnaissance, and in the event of an attack by the enemy to retire; but in any case to maintain the left bank of the Saale, in order once more to assume the offensive on the arrival of its reinforcements.

*Dispositions to be carried out by the Southern Army.—Order of the Day.*

*Dispositions and order of the day.*

1st. Advanced Guard.

The advanced guard will proceed at 10 a.m. to reconnoitre the enemy's position on the "Pfarrsberg" and for this object the squadron of hussars of the main body will be temporarily attached to it. Avoid a decisive engagement with the enemy and retire on "Franklebetn" as soon as the object of the reconnaissance shall have been obtained.

1. Advanced guard.

2nd. Main Body.

awaiting further orders, the main body will remain in its rendezvous position to the north of "Runstedt;" should it receive orders to advance over the Geisel it will do so along the road leading from "Runstedt" to Ober Frankleben and also by that communicating with "Naundorf."

2. Main body.

3rd. Reserve.

The cavalry will proceed at 10 a.m. through "Frankleben," along the left bank of the Geisel and take advantage of any available ground to shelter itself from view. It must be prepared to support the advanced guard or to cover its retreat.

The infantry will occupy "Frankleben."

The artillery and pioneer companies will remain until further orders in the "rendezvous" position on the windmill heights by "Frankleben."

Should the enemy take the offensive with overwhelming numbers, a determined resistance must be made to his advance at the defiles of "Geisel" and "Leiha," but a general engagement is only to be accepted on the "Janus" heights.

During the advance of the vanguard I am to be found on the "Kuh" hill, to the north of "Frankleben;" later, with the main body.

(Signed) "VON HORN."

22nd September.

PROGRAMME OF OPERATIONS.

This army owing to the want of water occupied the heights of the Saale on the evening of the 21st; it now resolves to cross that river at break of day and seek the enemy on the right bank in the direction of "Weissenfels," with a view of defeating him.

3. Reserve.

September 22.

Programme.

General idea for the northern army.

H 2

108

### Dispositions to be carried out by the Northern Army.—Order of the Day.

The army will cross the Saale at 6 a.m., near "Vesta" and proceed towards the Rippach in search of the enemy.

The infantry and cavalry of the advanced guard will be relieved by the following regiments of the reserve: —

4th Magdeburg infantry regiment, No. 67.

2nd battalion of fusiliers, "Anhalt."

Magdeburg hussar regiment, No. 10.

As soon as the army is formed upon the right bank of the Saale, an advance will be made in the direction of the lower Rippach; the hussars at the head of the advanced guard, the remainder of the cavalry brigade between the advanced guard and the main body. The artillery of the latter between the two divisions of the army and the artillery of the reserve in front of the infantry of the reserve.

The general direction of the advance will be by way of "Schleitewitz," towards the heights on the right bank of the Rippach at "Porsten."

The hussars must as rapidly as possible clear up the ground on the lower Rippach, between that place and "Dôlitz."

I will order any further dispositions, which must depend on the situation of affairs. I shall place myself in advance of the advanced guard.

In case of retreat it will be conducted by "Kauern" and "Keuschberg."

(Signed) "VON FRANSECKY."

### General Idea for the Southern Army.

This army, which retired on the evening of the 21st September over the Saale by way of "Burgwerbeh" and "Weissenfels," determines to await its reinforcements under cover of that river and then to attack its adversary, or at any rate send a flying column towards Leipsic.

### Dispositions to be carried out by the Southern Army.—Order of the Day.

From information received, it appears that the enemy on the termination of yesterday's fight bivouaced in the vicinity of the Saale with an intention of crossing to its right bank, where he is to be met.

Reinforcements are on the march and the army will await their arrival in the following manner:—

The advanced guard will be pushed forwards to the rising ground of "Schern" and the outposts towards the Rippach.

The main body with right wing at "Cleben," having in its front the road leading from that place to the defile near "Borau."

The reserve with right wing at "Seelau," having in its rear the road leading to "Wissenfels."

To-day's changes in the disposition of the troops will consist in placing the 1st squadron of the Thuringian regiment of hussars

109

No. 12, with the advanced guard, the 2nd squadron with the main body, the 3rd and 4th squadrons with the reserve.

The troops in leaving their bivouacs must have effected these changes by 8.45 a.m.

I will await reports with the main body; any further dispositions must depend on the arrival of the reinforcements and information as to the movements of the enemy.

(Signed) "VON HORN."

23rd September.

PROGRAMME OF OPERATIONS.

This army, whose attack on the 22nd September failed, determines on taking up a flanking position at "Kauern" and if it cannot do so there with safety, then to move to "Schladebach," in order at any rate to prevent the enemy from advancing towards "Leipzig."

The army will be concentrated at "Kauern," where it will await the further movements of the enemy.

The disposition of the troops will be the same as yesterday, but two squadrons of hussars will join the cavalry brigade from the advanced guard, which last will be posted at the defiles of "Kauern," "Ragwitz" and "Zollschen," its outposts watching the main road from "Weissenfels" to "Leipzig."

The main body and reserve to the north-east of "Kauern," on each side of the road leading from "Lutzen" to "Schladebach."

In case of retreat, it will be conducted by way of the defile of "Schladebach."

I am to be found with the main body.

(Signed) "VON FRANSECKY."

On the 22nd September this army drove back its adversary behind the "Rippach" towards "Lutzen" and now determines on throwing him on "Merseburg" and into the Luppe.

*Dispositions to be carried out by the Southern Army.*—*Order of the Day.*

The army will continue the offensive and attempt to drive the enemy back on Merseburg and into the Luppe.

With this view I desire the troops to be in readiness for the advance at 8.45 a.m. and in the following order:—

The advanced guard directly to the north of "Schwesswitz," the main body to the east of that place, with its left wing resting on the bridge there and the brook of "Persebach" in its from.

The reserve in the right-rear of the main body.

The advance will take place at 9 a.m.

September 23.

Programme.

110

The advanced guard will be directed on "Ragwitz" and "Kauern" by way of "Ellerbach" and will strive to detain the enemy should it meet with him there: whilst the main body and reserve, after crossing the stream of "Perse," will push forward to the north of "Lutzen" with a view of turning the enemy's left flank.

The cavalry of the advanced guard must scour the country on the left, towards the Saale.

The cavalry of the reserve will occupy the ground on the right as far as "Floszgraben."

I am to be found at the head of the main body.

(Signed) "VON HORN."

## GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

1st.—Infantry.

A Prussian infantry soldier carries 40 lbs., in which is included the weight of his rifle, ammunition, knapsack, mess tin and great coat. This last is rolled and slung round the shoulder; the knapsack is curved to fit the shape of the back.

During the whole of the manoeuvres the men were in full marching order, with knapsacks, helmets, &c., from about 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.: during which time, with the exception of an hour for the mid-day meal, they were constantly either marching, manœuvring, or firing. Their packs were full and on the completion of each day's manoeuvres the men had to bivouac at night on the field. They had no tents, but slept in the open.

Yet there were no stragglers; the men were wiry and active and marched very well. They seemed cheery and by no means distressed with their hard day's work, although the heat was very great and the dust even worse than at Aldershot in the driest weather.

Much of this is doubtless due to their *temperance*. The Prussian authorities have abolished "schnapps" and only coffee is served out to the men. During our residence in Germany we did not see a drunken soldier.

The regiments were composed of men of one, two and three years' service. On the last-mentioned completing their time and returning to their homes they are replaced by recruits, so that there is always an old leaven. The officers and under-officers serve for more than three years and are constantly at work. There is a very great deal of drill owing to the number of recruits involved by the three years' service system; for instance, a subaltern in the guards at Berlin is frequently seven hours a day on parade.

2nd.—Cavalry.

As regards the cavalry, our party did not see more than five or six troopers dismounted during the operations: although these generally consisted of a long sham fight, almost without check from about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and included many extensive flank movements and several charges over ground full of holes.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
1ST. INFANTRY.

Weight carried
by the soldier.

Men in full
marching order
for the whole
day.

Bivouacs.

Great endurance
of the men.

Their temperate
habits.

Their length of
service,

Officers and
under-officers.

Drill.

2ND. CAVALRY.

Their efficiency,

111

The horses were smaller than ours, but very well broken in. Horses.
They have not the same speed as our cavalry.

Pace.

3rd.—Artillery.

This arm of the service was very efficient and the horses were
remarkably well up to their work, which was very heavy. Their
pace is less rapid than ours, especially that of the horse artillery.

Although the pole appeared unnecessarily long and the traces
hung much too low, still we are bound to admit that throughout
the manœuvres we saw no accident happen to any gun.

Draught.

The knapsacks of the detachments were strapped on to the
back-board of the limber-box.

Knapsacks of
detachments,
how carried.

Both in the horse and field artillery the batteries always
manœuvred with "detachments rear" and without wagons.

Detachments.
Wagons.

The custom in the field artillery of mounting three men of the
gun detachment on the off horses when a rapid change of position
was required appeared to answer very well for short distances;
but as there had been no rain for a considerable time, we had not
an opportunity of testing its effect on the horses in a heavy soil.

Off-horses, when
mounted.

TACTICS.

1st.—Infantry Tactics.

The infantry squares are solid, which does not appear to be a
good formation; as artillery cannot find shelter inside the square
and the reduced length of the face seriously diminishes the breadth
of fire. Moreover, it would very considerably augment the number
of casualties when exposed to artillery fire.

Squares.

In the attack of the numerous villages, &c. during the opera-
tions, these positions were first well shelled by the artillery.
Under cover of this cannonade the infantry advanced rapidly to
within about 150 paces of the place, when they lay down and
delivered their fire previous to making the final rush.

Attack of
villages, &c.

These attacks were invariably made in close columns of batta-
lions, with skirmishers on each flank; music playing in rear,
generally drums, thus :—

Made in close
columns, with
skirmishers on
flanks.

This formation is perhaps necessitated by the fact of the men
being generally such young soldiers; but the columns would
naturally suffer heavily from the fire of rifled artillery.

Disadvantage of
this system.

The skirmishers were well up to their work; they fired with
great ease and rapidity in all positions, whether walking, running,
or lying down. The men are directed, when manœuvring at sham
fights, not to fire at each other at less distances than 60 paces, as

3RD.ARTILLERY.

Their efficiency.
Horses.
Pace.

Detachments.
Wagons.

Off-horses, when
mounted.

TACTICS.

1ST. INFANTRY
TACTICS.

Squares.

Attack of
villages, &c.

axles, railway bars, tires of wheels, plates for boilers and ship-building; in fact, anything requiring at the same time strength and hardness.

His gun was first brought out in 1849, and refused by the principal German powers, as they little contemplated the necessity of having recourse to such expensive implements of warfare. In 1854 the Viceroy of Egypt adopted the system, and since then there are few civilized governments but have purchased steel guns from Mr. Krupp, either for service or experiment. Russia, Prussia, Belgium, and some of the minor German States have adopted his system or use guns made at his works on their own model. The Austrian and Dutch navies are partially armed with Krupp's gun. Italy has purchased several pieces. The Turks have been supplied with 200 6-pounders; and the Japanese, assisted in their bargain by the Dutch, have ordered 50 6-inch guns, out of which they have already received 30. The total number of guns finished or in hand amounts to 2,500, all, with few exceptions, rifled breech-loaders; 400 being of 8-inch calibre and upwards, a large proportion 6-inch, and the remainder principally, 4½, 3½, and 3-inch.

The works cover 400 acres of ground; consume 750 tons of coal daily, exclusive of blast furnaces; use the steam of 120 boilers, each evaporating one cubic foot of water per minute; burn 7,000 flames of gas; and give employment to above 8,000 men and boys, whose wages amount to nearly 400,600l. a year.

As the manipulation of steel requires considerable skill and steadiness, it is important to retain as nearly as possible the same men; and the system pursued at Essen makes it worth while for a workman, once admitted, to remain in the service, and put forth his best energies.

A fund has been created to which every man employed on the works must subscribe, according to fixed rates regulated by his wages. The ratio of subscription to pay is greater in the higher grades than in the lower, the highest being 1d. per thaler (3s.), and the lowest ½d. Mr. Krupp adds a sum equal to half that subscribed by the men.*

From the resources of this fund a workman can claim a comfortable pension after 25 years' labour. Men injured in the service receive full pay for as long as they may be unable to work; the sick are treated and liberally provided for, and the dead are buried.

Finding that the bread used by the men was deficient in quality and quantity, considering its price, Mr. Krupp built large bakeries, whence he supplies excellent bread at cheap rates, buying the flour wholesale from Russia and charging only a very

Gun brought out in 1849.

Supplied to many governments.

2,500 guns manufactured.

Size, &c. of the establishment.

Benefit fund, created and managed by Mr. Krupp.

Bakeries established.

* Something of this kind might perhaps be carried out in Government establishments. Men suddenly discharged to meet reductions would not then be thrown, as they frequently are, upon their own resources without funds to meet their necessities pending a new engagement. It is true that they have benefit clubs of their own, but so much of the money subscribed is swallowed up by mismanagement that it is questionable whether these societies are of real service to the members or not. Certainly none of them can furnish such good results as are obtained by the aid of the master's knowledge and responsibility.

115

the cast is to be of soft metal, as this is more difficult to melt and to manage than the hard.

As the plumbago crucibles made in England were formerly considered much inferior to some of the foreign ones, the manufacture of those employed by Krupp used to be a valuable secret, and the form of secrecy is still kept up, though, as Dr. Percy observes in his work on Metallurgy,* those now made by Mr. Ruel of High Holborn and by the "Patent Plumbago Crucible Company" at Battersea are equal to anything yet produced abroad.

Plumbago crucibles.

### The Foundry.

The foundry is a very large building, part of its floor constituting the common roof of long furnaces which run almost from end to end of the building, and are capable of containing 1,200 crucibles at once, that number being actually employed for some of the largest casts.

The foundry.

The details of construction of the furnaces are very similar to those described in Dr. Percy's "Metallurgy," Vol. I. p. 830 et seq. The same cave or cellar to give access to the fire-places and pots; the same arrangement of the crucibles in divisions is carried out, but at Essen everything is on a larger scale; the pots are in batches of eight or ten resting on loose bars, which also support the fuel, and can be drawn out by the cellarman when required.

The furnaces.

The heat attained is sufficient to bring the crucibles and the Scotch fire-bricks with which the furnace is lined to the point of incipient fusion. The pots can only be used once.

Intense heat.

In the centre of the foundry is a pit containing the reservoir, whose office is to secure a steady vertical flow of the metal into the mould, and the mould itself, which rests on the bottom of the pit and is unsupported at the sides. It is said at Essen that no importance is attached to lining the reservoir and mould,

Reservoir and mould.

Fig. 45.
THE CAST.

A. Reservoir.

B. Mould.

C. C. Troughs.

* Vol. I., pp. 227, 228.

116

Both were of unlined cast iron on the occasion to which this report refers.

When a cast is about to be made the engineer in charge takes his station close to the pit, and the men (about 400 for a cast of 16 tons which I saw) fall into their places with military precision, either above the different batches of pots or in the cave below.

All being ready, the engineer gives a word of command, which is repeated loudly by the gangs above the sets of crucibles farthest from the central apparatus of mould, &c. The cellarmen draw out all the bars except those upon which each crucible rests, and some of the men above rapidly clear away with iron rods the fuel adhering to the pots.

The "puller out" now thrusts down his tongs through openings in the roof of the furnace, seizes his crucible, and heaves it up to the floor of the foundry, assisted by a companion, whose tongs placed under his own give him the fulcrum needed to hoist the weight quite out of the furnace.

No teaming hole is needed, as the operation of clearing away the fuel has already been performed. Two other men then seize the crucible with a double bearer, and carry it to the nearest trough, into which they empty it and immediately throw it down a spout into a chamber below the foundry.

Were the empty pots to be left on the floor they would soon accumulate and interrupt the free circulation which is absolutely necessary for the management of such quantities of molten metal. They are at any rate too much weakened by the intense heat to be of further use, and some of them even give way as they are being lifted from the furnace.

The covers are not taken off, but the metal is poured out through a hole in the upper edge of the pot, the latter appearing to be of the shape annexed, known as the French.

The "commanding engineer" watches his time and gives the word to the next set of gangs at such a moment as will enable them to be ready with their crucibles just as the previous ones are nearly all emptied, without losing any heat by over hurry in poking out the fuel. The molten metal must not be permitted to cease flowing with a continuous stream into the reservoir and thence into the mould, or the cast will be spoilt. The operation is carried on in the same manner till all the crucibles from the most distant to the nearest have discharged their contents.

The cast is then allowed to cool until it has shrunk sufficiently from the mould to be turned out, when it is surrounded by hot cinders and thus kept at a cherry red heat till wanted for forging.

As cool weather is selected for the largest castings, while it may not be convenient to forge them at the time; it sometimes happens that these huge masses lie in their warm beds for as much as three months, hot ashes being constantly supplied from furnaces at work.

Nothing can be more animated and picturesque than the scene at a great casting, but the endurance of the men seems to be severely tested.

Preparations for the cast.

Clearing the crucibles of fuel.

Pulling out.

Crucibles thrown away.

No covers removed.

Second set of crucibles.

Necessary precautions.

Cooling to cherry red heat.

Kept in ashes

sometimes three months.

117

It has occurred that some of them have shaken their heads Endurance of the men.
about undergoing so terrible an "ordeal by fire" during hot
weather, but the energy of Mr. Krupp has carried all before him,
and by extra pay for heavy work and exciting their undoubted
esprit de corps they have been brought to face anything, although
many of them have fainted under the trial when large castings
have necessarily been made in hot weather.

Forging the Cast.

However elaborate an article is intended to be produced, the ingot is cast in a cylindrical or square form, hammered out to the rough shape required, and then turned, &c. to exact dimensions. Simplicity of form necessary.

Large castings made of irregular contour would not be homo-
geneous and might contain air bubbles; this solidity of casting
gives soundness, and the heavy hammering received by the metal
increases its density, strength, and elasticity.
Reasons.

The condensing effect of the hammering causes an increase of
0'2 to 0'3 in the specific gravity of the ingot, though it may
have no holes when in the cast state.

When required for use the ingot, (if such masses as Krupp
casts can be called ingots); is placed under a steam hammer of size
proportionate to the weight of metal to be drawn out, and the
gun, shaft, or whatever it may be, grows to its form by long
continued work, being retained at nearly the same temperature
(cherry red) by frequent heats.
Drawn out to
rough shape.

Small castings, such as rails, tires of wheels, &c. are rolled in
mills exactly similar to ours, except that the rollers are cast-steel.
Small pieces
rolled.

When the metal has been fully worked its breaking strain
varies from 36 to 66 tons on the square inch, according as it is
soft or hard. That best for guns is rather soft, and has a strength
of about 44 tons.
Strength of the
material.

The smaller natures of guns are fashioned from one solid piece,
those above 8-inch calibre are compound, being weighted and
strengthened by jacket or rings.
Small guns
forged solid.
Large guns, com-
pound.

The 11-inch, for instance, the largest steel gun yet manu-
factured, is cast as a solid cylinder, weighing 35 tons, and of
seven feet diameter, hammered out and shaped, as shown in Plate
XXIV., to a form of sufficient strength to bear proof charges,
being turned down to a thickness over the charge of one calibre.
11-inch gun de-
scribed.

The trunnion ring, which is also a cast-steel cylinder forged
into the shape required, is then shrunk on and the breech
strengthened by the addition of several large hoops of cast-steel
forged as above to a breadth of ten and a thickness of six inches.

Two of these huge guns, which are to be 16 calibres in length
and to weigh 28 tons, are being manufactured for the Russian
government, and will cost 7,000l. each.

They are to be breech-loaders on Krupp's principle, throwing
a shot of 540 lbs. with charge of 50 lbs. prismatic powder, and
are intended for the defences of Cronstadt.
Costs 7,000l.

They are at present (September 1865) nearly completed, the
rings only remaining to be shrunk on and the breech-loading
Two nearly
finished.

119

hammer, which is to have a 13 feet drop, but whether single or double acting is not yet decided.

It is estimated to cost 200,000z., and as such a sum is not 200,000z. always at the command of a single individual, there may yet be some delay before we hear that this monster is at work.

Krupp has not yet undertaken the supply of ammunition, carriages, &c. as the Elswick Ordnance Company has succeeded in accomplishing, though he will probably do so eventually; and in the meantime has supplied the Russian government with many thousands of 9-inch and 8-inch elongated shells of finest cutler's steel.

The 8-inch contain bursting charges of 8 lbs. powder, and have penetrated 4½-inch iron plates without being injured, but they cost about 16l. each. The Italians have had some 6-inch shells. All are hammered, as is everything turned out of these works.

Ammunition not supplied.

Except steel shells.

*Experiments carried on by Russian Commission.*

As the Russian experiments are the only ones that have been made with Krupp's guns of large calibre, it is to them we must look to ascertain what power such pieces have of resisting large charges of powder.

Russian experiments.

The following brief account is condensed from a pamphlet published in London, composed of extracts from the report of a Russian commission appointed to examine into the best mode of arming fleets and fortresses.

A 9-inch gun was first tried with parallel grooves, (shunt), throwing an elongated shot of somewhat under 300 lbs., with zinc buttons, against 4½ to 5½-inch plates, the charge of prismatic powder being 50 lbs., equal to considerably less of English service powder.

9-inch muzzle-loading gun.

The plates were satisfactorily destroyed, but the gun burst at the 66th round. The reasons given were:—

DESTROYED PLATES, BUT GAVE WAY.

First, the shot was not centered in the gun.

APology.

Second, the zinc buttons were ground off by the motion of the shot in the bore, and friction was caused, producing increasing unevenness that at last wedged the shot in the gun.

This 9" gun was found to act too destructively on its carriage, having only 61 lbs. of metal to 1 lb. of shot, so it was reduced to an 8" bore with the same exterior form, and every precaution taken to prevent jamming of the projectile.

ALTERED TO 8-INCH.

The 8" steel shells, (called erroneously shot in the pamphlet), easily penetrated a 4½-inch plate, when propelled by the explosion of 30 lbs. of prismatic powder, but the gun only endured 108 rounds. All the projectiles except the first few having been of cast-iron, it was said that the cast-iron shell burst in the gun, and caused the latter to give way.

PENETRATED TARGET. WENT AFTER 108 ROUNDS.

APology.

Four guns, all muzzle-loaders, three of 8" and one of 10¾", were then tested for endurance and stood well, only burning out at the seat of the shot.

BURNING OUT AT SEAT OF SHOT.

This was considered to be due to the windage incident to the muzzle-loading system, and breech-loaders on Krupp's principle were decided on and tried. They made excellent practice, better than the muzzle-loaders, and appear to have been found generally

REASON.

BREECH-LOADER TRIED.

121

bullet weighs 485 grains and is of the following dimensions and form:—

Fig. 50.
BULLET.

a. Hollow for percussion cap.

The percussion cap rests in a hole (a) in the base of the bullet; and the nipple of the musket is roughed on the exterior, so as to retain the cap when placed over it. On "handling" the cartridge the soldier first places the base of the bullet on the nipple and gives his wrist a slight turn outwards to retain the cap on the nipple; after which the loading is proceeded with in the usual manner. The Austrians object to the "zund-nadel-gewehr," on the following grounds. They say that it fouls very soon; that it is too complicated; that it takes a long time to make men handy in its use; that the weight of the piece is too great and that the needle is easily broken. They however admit that it shoots well and fast and they have constructed a modification of it, with their own regulation bore; and are still making experiments with breech-loading small arms.

There was a very good converted regulation rifle in the model-room, on a principle invented by a person named "Rhode."

Description.

Method of using the above.

Austrian objections to the "zund-nadel-jgewehr."

"Rhode's" converted breech-loading rifle.

### Heavy Ordnance.

The Austrian siege and garrison ordnance is still of a very heterogeneous description, some of the guns being made of cast-iron and others of bronze. On this subject there is little to add to the report for 1863, beyond that numerous experiments have been made with cast-iron rifled guns, which have not proved very successful although some interesting results have been obtained. They have still great faith in the excellence of their cast-iron and propose to construct large naval guns of this material, if it will stand the requisite proofs, of which they appear sanguine.

Heavy ordnance.

Experiments with cast-iron rifled guns

Some 56-pounder cast-iron rifled guns are being constructed, which are intended to throw an elongated projectile weighing 160 Austrian lbs. This shell has four horizontal belts on it.

New 56-pounder cast-iron rifled guns.

The following table shows the weights of the most recently constructed cast-iron rifled 6, 12 and 24-pounder guns; together with the number, dimensions, &c. of their grooves.

Table.

<table><thead><tr><th colspan="3">Nature of gun.</th><th rowspan="2">Weights, Dimensions, &c.</th><th rowspan="2">Table of the weights, &c. of the new 6, 12, and 24-pounder rifled guns.</th></tr><tr><th>6-pounder.</th><th>12 pounder.</th><th>24-pounder.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1,160</td><td>2,643</td><td>5,734</td><td>Weight of gun (Austrian lbs.).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>24</td><td>30</td><td>Number of grooves.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>.125"</td><td>.125"</td><td>.125"</td><td>Depth of ditto.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>.5"</td><td>.5"</td><td>.5"</td><td>Breadth of ditto.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1 in 178.7"</td><td>1 in 238.3"</td><td>1 in 357.4"</td><td>Twist of the rifling.</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

I

124

Fig. 54.

PLAN OF SAMPLE IN TROUGH.

The trough is next made to separate until the sample under test gives way.

In the specimen we saw fractured, the lever showed a weight of 2,740 lbs.: which with the weight of the ball (935 lbs.) gave a total of 3,675 lbs. on the specimen. But as its sectional area was only one-ninth of a square inch, the ultimate tenacity of the metal was 3,675 x 9 = 30,075 lbs., as previously stated.

## Siege Train and Garrison Carriages.

The gun-carriages for the heavy ordnance are as described at pages 29, 30 of the report for 1863; the elevating screws are capstan-headed and the trunnion-holes are placed very high above the centre of the axle-tree, viz., 25 inches.

The 12-pounder siege-train carriage has a long wooden beam for traversing, which passes between the cheeks and is fastened to the front of the carriage.

The axletrees are of wrought-iron and the wheels have cast-iron naves, with spokes of ash and felloes of beech. They are furnished with holes in the tire, for the application of levers when required.

Much room is saved in the stowage of these carriages in the arsenal, by the following plan :—

They are placed one behind the other in the usual way, the wheels touching and the trail of each carriage passing under the axletree of the one in rear of it. Planks are then laid along the tires of the line of wheels and another tier of carriages is placed over the first row, with the wheels resting on these planks and "scotched" by means of transverse bars placed in rear of the wheels. The trails of the upper tier rest on other transverse bars.

The mode of testing powder and other explosive materials in the laboratory of the arsenal is as follows (Plate XXXII.) :—

The apparatus consists of a small barrel (a), but without any breech. A leaden bullet (b) is rammed down this barrel, and expanded on the "carabine à tige" principle, by means of a plug (c) temporarily introduced into the breech. The charge of powder (d) is carefully weighed and put in at the breech, which is then closed by a piston (e), the outer portion of which projects from the rear of the barrel in the form of a wedge (f). This wedge is made of hardened steel and is kept in its proper place by a small clamping screw (g), whilst the barrel is being adjusted perpendicularly, breech downwards, in a fixed rest (h) and a little below a leaden weight (k) which is attached to the

Result.

Siege train and
garrison car-
riages.
Elevating screws.

Traversing beam.

Axletrees.
Wheels.

Plan of stowage
in gun-sheds.

Two tiers of car-
riages, with
planks for
wheels of upper
tier.

Test of powder.

Apparatus.

125

long arm of a lever (l) that works vertically on a pivot (m). Underneath and attached to this lever is a small "ratchet" (v) which travels with the lever over a toothed graduated arc (n), and supports the lever at whatever point it has reached. The wedge at the breech-end of the barrel rests on a brass plate (o), made of an alloy of 90 parts copper to 10 of tin.

When the powder contained in the barrel is fired by means of a percussion cap and lock, the bullet impinges on the leaden weight which is raised by the blow and carries the lever along with it over the graduated arc to a distance proportionate to the force of that blow. The distance so travelled is, as above explained, registered on the graduated arc, owing to the lever being sustained by the ratchet underneath it and such distance shows the "projectile force."

Action of the apparatus.

Projectile force.

On the other hand, the "force brisante" is measured approximately by the length of the mark made in the brass plate (o), consequent on the penetration of the breech wedge therein.

"Force-brisante."

The greatest care is taken to ensure that all comparisons of powder by the above method shall be made, as far as possible, under precisely similar conditions. The brass plates are tested as to their hardness, &c., by means of a weight (p) dropped on a wedge (q) fixed over the upper surface of the plate. This is repeated three times for each plate, once in the middle and once at each end and all three from the same height, (pr) when the results should be similar for each plate.

Apparatus, how tested to ensure accuracy in the results.

A scale of indentations (s) is registered on a plate of the above description, by dropping the same weight on it, but from different heights, as marked on the pillar (t) of the instrument. This scale is used as a measure of the results of experiments on other plates.

Scale for the measurements of various plates.

Figure Z in the plate refers to an experiment of the same description, but with "gun-cotton" instead of gunpowder.

### Field Artillery and Mountain Train.

The Austrians have entirely abandoned the use of "gun-cotton" for artillery purposes, although they had incurred considerable expense in substituting that material for gunpowder in their field artillery. In the late war with Denmark they did not employ any gun-cotton batteries; the ordnance specially constructed for it is now only used for the drill and exercise of recruits, or condemned to be re-cast and the employment of the material itself is restricted to mining operations.

Field artillery and mountain train.

Abolition of gun-cotton for artillery purposes.

Not employed in Danish war.

The armament of the field artillery is at present as follows:—

Armament of the field artillery.

* Horse artillery batteries, rifled 4-pounder guns.

* Field batteries, rifled 4 and 8 pounder guns.

* Mountain train, rifled 3-pounder guns.

The whole of the above are muzzle-loaders and made of bronze.

Bronze muzzle-loaders.

The 3 and 4-pounder guns have six eccentric circular grooves and the 8-pounder has eight such grooves, of which the following diagram shows the construction.

System of rifling,

127

PLATE XXXIII.
SECTION OF AUSTRIAN MUZZLE-LOADING RIFLED 4-POUNDER BRONZE GUN.
(Field-piece.)

The friction tubes are somewhat similar to our own, but they are furnished with a twisted copper wire instead of a "friction bar." There were very few missfires at the artillery practice which we witnessed.

Friction tubes.

The carriage for the 4 and 8-pounder guns has a bracket trail; the breech of the gun rests on a stool-bed and the elevating screw is turned by means of a horizontal endless screw, furnished with a winch and handle which work on the outside of the left bracket, where there is also a "ratchet and click" arrangement to prevent the screw from running down on the gun being fired.

Gun-carriages.
Elevating screw.

When the gun is unlimbered the centre of the trunnions is four inches in front of the centre of the axletree. *Vide* Plate XXXIV. The carriage admits of an elevation of 23° and a depression of from 7½° to 8° being given to the gun.

Position of the
trunnion holes.
Elevation and
depression.

The trail-eye is an oval metal-lined hole, in the rear transom.

Trail-eye.

The trail appears heavy and too broad at the point; it took four men to unlimber. The lid of the trail-box is shaped somewhat like a Turkish saddle and serves as a seat for two men in the horse artillery and 8-pounder field batteries and for one man in the 4-pounder batteries. When there are two men on the box, the front man rests his feet on steps near the limbering-up handles and the rear man on steps secured to the trail, just below the front of the saddle.

Trail and trail-box.

The mountain train gun-carriage weighs 161 lbs.

Mountain train
gun-carriage.

The ironwork of all field-carriages is painted black and the woodwork yellow. This yellow colour is very visible at a considerable distance: yet, with an apparent inconsistency, no white or grey horses are allowed in the artillery, on the plea that they can be easily seen by an enemy.

Colour of the
carriages.

The limber has only one box, the compartments of which are separated by thin wooden partitions, thus—

Limber.
36 rounds.

Fig. 56.
PLAN OF GUN LIMBER BOX. (36 ROUNDS.)

130

which is suspended from the collars of the centre horses by means of a leather strap about a foot long. The lead and centre traces are both fastened with a T, on to the swingletree.

Draught.

The line of traction is not so horizontal as with us, owing to the pole being hung very low. This pole is also unnecessarily long.

Detachments, how carried.

In the horse artillery and field batteries the detachments are carried in a similar manner, viz., three on the limber box and one or two on the trail box, according to the nature of the gun. There appeared to be no difference between the systems of either branch of the service.

Weight of gun and limber complete.

In marching order, but without detachments, the 4-pounder, with its ammunition and stores, weighs as follows:—

<table><tr><td>Gun</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>526 lbs.</td><td rowspan="3">} Prussian.</td></tr><tr><td>Carriage</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>873'6 ,,</td></tr><tr><td>Limber</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>1,002'4 ,,</td></tr></table>

Total - 2,402 ,, or 21 cwts. and 50 lbs.

Number of horses per gun.

Comparison between the English, Prussian, and Austrian field artillery, as regards their mobility and weight of projectiles.

English.

The horse artillery have six horses per gun and the field artillery four. In the former each horse has therefore to draw about 400 lbs. and in the latter 600 lbs.

It may be as well here to institute a comparison between the English, Prussian and Austrian field artilleries, so far as regards the weights of their respective guns and of the projectiles which they throw.

The Armstrong rifled 12-pounder breech-loading field piece, in marching order, but without the detachment, weighs about 33 cwt. and throws a projectile weighing 11-1/100 lbs. (English).

Prussian.

The Prussian rifled 4-pounder breech-loading gun complete weighs under similar circumstances 25-1/110 cwt. and throws a projectile weighing 8.5 lbs. (Prussian).

Austrian.

The Austrian rifled 4-pounder muzzle under similar conditions weighs 21-1/110 cwt. and throws a projectile weighing 7.25 lbs. (Prussian).

General result, 3 cwt. to be moved for every 1 lb. of shot thrown.

The general result is as nearly as possible, that with each nation, the field piece with its carriage, limber, &c. complete, weighs about 3 cwt. for every 1 lb. of the projectile thrown; so that what is gained in the latter is lost in mobility.

Composition of a battery, eight pieces of ordnance, with 25 carriages.

Each battery of horse or field artillery is composed of eight pieces of ordnance, with four wagons per battery on the peace establishment and eight in war. Of these eight there are only four actually attached to the guns, the remaining four being held in reserve.

The other carriages attached to a battery are as follows:—

1 forge wagon.

5 to 7 wagons with racks.

1 forage wagon; in all from 23 to 25 carriages per battery.

The mountain train batteries have only four guns each.

131

The establishment of men and horses is as follows:—

Establishment of men and horses.

<table><thead><tr><th>Officers.</th><th>Men.</th><th>Horses.</th><th>Nature of Battery.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>4</td><td>193</td><td>159</td><td>4-pounder horse artillery battery.</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>160</td><td>117</td><td>4-pounder field " "</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>183</td><td>157</td><td>8-pounder " "</td></tr><tr><td>vary.</td><td>vary.</td><td>63</td><td>3-pounder mountain train.</td></tr></tbody></table>

ORGANIZATION OF THE ARTILLERY.

The Austrian artillery is composed of four grand divisions.

*First Division*.—This consists of nine regiments, which are attached to the various army corps and composed as follows:—

2 rifled 4-pounder horse artillery batteries.

5 do. do. field do. do.

2 do. 8-pounder do. do. do.

9 batteries, with 72 pieces of ordnance.

5 garrison companies

2 park companies - 8 companies.

1 dépôt company

17 total batteries and companies per regiment.

*Second Division*.—Three regiments of reserve artillery, attached to the reserve cavalry division of the army and composed of,—

5 rifled 4-pounder horse artillery batteries

4 do. 8-pounder field do. do.

9 total batteries, with 72 guns.

*Third Division*.—One rocket or mountain train artillery regiment, composed of,—

8 rocket batteries, each with eight two-horsed rocket carriages.

14 rocket or mountain train batteries, which are equipped with either eight two-horsed rocket carriages each, or with four rifled 3-pounder guns, as occasion requires.

22 total batteries.

*Fourth Division*.—One coast artillery regiment, composed of,—

3 batteries, with six field companies and one dépôt company, having from 225 to 228 men per company.

The system of manœuvring is the same for both horse artillery and field batteries and both are well horsed, but their pace is not very rapid. They do not manœuvre with their wagons, but keep them at a distance, behind any available shelter. The prolonge is used much more frequently than with us and is always hooked on

ORGANIZATION OF THE ARTILLERY.
Four Divisions.

First Division, nine regiments of field and garrison artillery.

Second Division, three regiments of field artillery.

Third Division, one regiment, Mountain Train.

Fourth Division, one regiment, coast artillery.

System of manœuvring.

Prolonge.

to the trail, where it is coiled when the gun is limbered up.
The man nearest to it on the trail-box attends to the coil.

FIELD-DAY AT SIMMERING HEATH.

The following is an account of a field-day, with four batteries of horse and four batteries of field artillery and one rocket battery, which we attended at "Simmering Heath," in the neighbourhood of Vienna. The parade was commanded by the senior colonel of artillery: and His Imperial Highness the Archduke Wilhelm, chief of the Austrian artillery, was present on the occasion.

After His Highness had ridden along the ranks, the field-day commenced with an advance of the rocket battery, at a walk, after which the battery came into action. The detachments were on foot and they were armed with short broadswords, with steel handles and leather scabbards.

The rockets appeared to be somewhat similar to Mr. Hale's earlier patterns and the Archduke informed us that Mr. Hale and his son had paid many visits to the Austrian capital and had received about 7,000l. sterling from the Austrian Government for sundry improvements in this missile.

The rocket about to be fired is brought from the wagon in a leather case slung over the shoulder of one of the detachment and it is adjusted to the proper direction and at the proper elevation by means of a tripod stand. It is fired with a tube and lanyard.

After firing a few rounds and changing front, this battery resumed its original position.

Throughout the field-day the manœuvres consisted principally of direct advances, which were always executed with diminished intervals and in open or close columns of half batteries, changes of front the ⅛, ¼, or ½ circle and deployments. The gun always reverses to the left before coming into "action front" and when unlimbered the prolong is hooked on and the limber does not reverse, but merely moves four yards to the rear, instead of 10 as with us.

It required four men to lift the trail, but as three are carried on the limber box and from one to two on the trail saddle, these were always at hand for the purpose.

In action, the officers remain mounted; the commander of each half battery calls out the number of the gun that is to fire; thus "No. 8," on which the No. 1 at that gun orders "fire," which is done with a friction tube and lanyard. The man who fires stands on the right of the gun with the lanyard extended in his right hand and on the word "fire" he gives it a smart blow with his left hand. The vent is served from the left side, instead of from the right as with us.

When the detachments are mounted, the sponger sits on the limber box between two other numbers and the sponge rests on the knees of all three.

In advancing after firing, the limber is first backed towards the gun, which is then limbered up and reverses to the left. By this

Field-day at
"Simmering
Heath," near
Vienna, with
nine batteries

Rocket battery.

General move-
ments of each
battery.

133

means the distance gained to that flank on coming into action is recovered.

The drivers were well up to their work; but not, as with us, men specially enlisted as such. They are selected from amongst the gunners and are taught all the duties of an artilleryman. They carry no weapon and the gunners have only the short sword before-mentioned; but the non-commissioned officer in charge of the gun has, in addition, a pistol carried on the off side of his saddle in a holster suspended from the cantle. Drivers and gunners.

After each battery had manœuvred independently for a short time, it resumed its original position in the line, after which the senior colonel took command of the whole and some brigade manœuvres were performed; during these the batteries were either massed in two lines, or moved in columns of half batteries at close intervals, as before explained.

On the completion of the brigade movements, each battery in succession was marched in column of subdivisions up to an earthen mound, about 14 feet high and of the following section, with a slope of about 45°, the summit being very little more than the depth of a subdivision. Driving over an earthen mound,

Fig. 57.
SIDE ELEVATION OF MOUND.

The gun detachments dismounted and each gun was driven over the mound, without a single accident and with only one refusal in the whole brigade. The exceptional gun was driven over after a delay of about three-quarters of a minute.

The subdivisions were next driven in succession and with and down a ditch. equal success, down the sides of and across a broad ditch about 4½ feet deep and with steep sides of the following profile.

Fig. 58.
SECTION OF THE DITCH.

An innovation of the above description would be an improvement to our almost uniformly level parade grounds.

The field day concluded with some shrapnel practice from a breech-loading rifled 12-pounder gun. The date on the right trunnion was 1863, but the breech arrangements were those described at page 65 of the report for 1860. The gun had 24 grooves, each 5" broad by 125" deep and with one turn in 79¼". Weight of the gun 2,643 Austrian lbs.

138

Embrasures.

The gun carriage and platform rest on a turn-table.

The plan for the embrasure of the turret is very ingenious. It consists of two slots at right angles to each other (s s') and placed one in the outer and the other in the inner iron plating, thus—

Fig. 67.

High elevation.

Fig. 68.

FRONT ELEVATIONS, SHOWING HIGH, MEDIUM, AND LOW POSITIONS OF THE EMBRASURES.

Fig. 69.

Depression.

Medium.

As the cupola revolves, the muzzle of the gun traverses in these slots as represented by the dark circles in the above figures, but although considerable elevation, depression and lateral training can be given to the gun, the amount of embrasure exposed to the enemy is never more than that actually occupied by the muzzle of the gun itself.

Mining galleries with a gothic form.

Plate XXXVII. shows sections of gothic-shaped mining galleries, also invented by Colonel Baron von Scholl, who proposes to substitute this construction for the present galleries of a rectangular section. The frame-work may be made of either wood or iron and the inventor claims for this system increased strength and diminished labour in construction, as compared with galleries made in the usual manner.

Their advantages.

Gun cotton, how employed.

Example.

Gun-cotton is still employed by the Austrian engineers for blasting and mining operations, and for blowing down stockades, palisades, &c. For the last two purposes a charge of 25 lbs. is generally used. This is placed in a cylindrical retort, made of "Bessemer's steel," with a hole in the centre of its top, for the fuze connected with the wires of the battery. When not in use this hole is closed by

means of a gun-metal plug. The empty retort weighs 25 lbs., and is of the following form. It is not hung on the palisade or other obstacle to be blown down, but simply placed on the ground at its foot.

Fig. 70.

RETORT FOR CHARGE OF GUN-COTTON.

Side Elevation.

Its effect on pine stems from

12 to 14 inches in diameter is to break them right across, and the following is the appearance of a fracture made by it in a piece of railway iron.

Effects.

Fig. 71.

EFFECT OF GUN-COTTON, SHOWING FRACTURE IN RAIL IRON.

139

The fuze used with the galvanic battery for mining and other
engineering operations is made of " gutta-percha," the cup (a) in
the head of it being filled with an explosive composition which
communicates with the wires of the battery, by means of another
wire in immediate contact with it. When primed the fuze is
painted white and is very little susceptible to deterioration.

Fuze in use with
galvanic battery.

Figures 72 and 73 show the construction of this fuze in section Its construction, and when finished.

Fig. 72.
FUZE FOR USE IN MINING OPERATIONS.

Fig. 73.

There is an excellent library attached to the engineer school
and some good models, but not many of them.

Library and
model-room.

Considerable attention is paid in this establishment to the
instruction of the officers in strategy and tactics and as a means
to this end there is a rather interesting game in vogue amongst
them, styled the "game of war."

Instruction of
officers in
strategy and
tactics.

Two officers are selected by the director of the establishment as
commanding generals of two opposing armies and they are allowed
to choose their own staff from amongst their comrades. Some
days before the campaign is commenced the director furnishes
each commander-in-chief with information as to the objects and
nature of the campaign and issues whatever instructions he may
deem requisite in connexion therewith. These instructions are
communicated separately to each chief, so that the two com-
manders may be in entire ignorance of each others intentions, as
would be the case in actual warfare.

The "game of
war."

For strategical instruction, a large map of the country over
which the manœuvres are to take place is given to each. This
map is made in detached squares, so that the face of the country
may be varied on different occasions by merely altering the relative
positions of the squares, without the necessity of constructing new
maps for each occasion.

Strategical in-
struction.

K 2

The relative heights of mountains, &c. are marked in circles on the map, thus,—

in order to show whether one height would, or would not, screen another in rear of it.

Smaller maps are used for the study of tactics.

The game is played out on Saturday evenings, when each general must have his plans, &c. ready. It generally lasts from four to five hours and to prevent disputes umpires are appointed.

The squares of the large map are first put together on a large table in accordance with the instructions received and so soon as the face of the country is thus delineated operations commence.

There are miniature models representing the several arms of the service and their various combinations, such as lines, columns, squares, &c. Covers are provided to hide the disposition of the troops at the outset of the campaign, and these covers are also employed to screen such movements as would be hidden from the enemy by the actual conformation of the ground. These covers are partially withdrawn as the heads of the columns debouch and would become visible in reality. Covers can also be placed over blank spaces, as a "ruse-de guerre." Time is a great element in this game. That allowed for each movement is only about what such movement would require in actual warfare, under similar circumstances. Thus, suppose a body of cavalry to be able to trot 250 paces over favourable ground in one minute, such a movement on the map must be completed in that space of time.

Even the probabilities of casualties are taken into consideration and are decided by dice, in as fair a way as possible. For instance, infantry when in square would suffer much more from artillery fire than it would when in line, or skirmishing: whereas it is just vice versâ as regards infantry attacked by cavalry. In the first case, the probabilities of casualties would be represented by, say, four out of the six sides of each die, when within practicable range of the guns; in the second only two sides would be allowed and in the third case, perhaps one side; and so on, value according to a settled scale being given under favourable and taken away under adverse circumstances.

### New Barracks for the General Staff.

These are very extensive and well built, but they were not quite finished when we saw them. The rooms and studies are lofty and well ventilated. The riding school, which is under cover, is a very large and fine enclosure. The stables are airy and well arranged and considerable attention has been paid to the drainage. The stalls are separated from each other by bars, suspended by chains at each end. They are floored with oak planks and the roadway between them with squares of pinewood.

"Game of war," how played.

Miniature models.

Covers to screen movements.

Time of importance.

Example.

Casualties, how reckoned. Example.

Barracks for the general staff. Riding school and stables.

141

School of Equitation for Cavalry.

This establishment has been described at page 22 of the report for 1863. Now, as then, everything connected with it is in good order: indeed, the stables are as well arranged as those of an English gentleman's private establishment.

At the time of our visit to this school, there were 126 horses, Horses. in various stages of instruction. All were well bred and many thorough-bred. Several showed English and Arab blood.

It is the custom in the Austrian service, for cavalry soldiers to Riding. rise in their stirrups when trotting, with a view to ease both men and horses. The only exception to this rule is in " trotting past " at reviews.

In the outer enclosure of the riding school, certain distances in paces are marked on the sides of the manège and the horses are trained by the watch to trot 250 and to gallop 400 paces, in one minute.

In other respects, the system of instruction is the same as heretofore; the same single combats of lance versus sword, independent rides for both officers and men so as to accustom the horses to leave the ranks when necessary, &c.

The officers rode on saddles which much resembled the ordinary Officers' saddles. English hunting saddle.

GRAND REVIEW at VIENNA, on the EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY.

The troops which took part in this ceremony consisted of three brigades of infantry, one of cavalry and one of artillery and were composed of the following regiments, &c.

Cavalry school of equitation.

Pace, how regulated.

System of instruction.

Emperor's birth day and grand review on 18th August 1865.

1st Infantry Brigade.
Major General " Koller. "

The infantry regiments of Baron Roszbach and Baron Jellachich, 11th battalion of rifles and a division of the army hospital corps or "Sanitats Trüppen."

2nd Infantry Brigade.
Major General Henriquez.

The infantry regiments of the Grand Duke of Hesse and King of the Belgians, the 9th battalion of rifles and a force of military police.

3rd Infantry Brigade.
Major General Saffran.

The infantry regiments of the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimer Eisenach and Prince of Holstein, the 2nd battalion of rifles, eight companies of garrison artillery and a division of the army hospital corps.

Cavalry Brigade.
Colonel Menzen.

Gendarmes of the guard.

Prince Eugene of Savoy's regiment of dragoons.

The King of Prussia's regiment of hussars.

Troops present:
1st infantry
brigade.

2nd infantry
brigade.

3rd infantry
brigade.

Cavalry brigade.