Journals of sieges carried on by the army under the duke of Wellington, in Spain, between the years 1811 and 1814, Volume 1T. Egerton, 1827 - Peninsular War, 1807-1814 |
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18-pounders 24-pounder howitzers 3d division 4th division 8-inch howitzers advance Alemtejo Almeida ammunition army artillery assault Attack of Christoval Badajos bastion besiegers breaching battery brigade Brigade-Captain bullocks Captain carriages carried castle Ciudad Rodrigo commanding commenced consequence corps counterscarp cover covered-way day-light defences depôt detachment directed distance ditch ditto effect Elvas employed enfilade engineers escalade fascines feet flank force formed fortress forward front gabions Gallegos garrison glacis Guadiana guard gunners guns height hill hornwork infantry interior investment killed ladders Lamego light division Lisbon lodgment Lord Wellington lunette Major March Marshal Marshal Marmont Marshal Soult miners morning mortars move night officers Olivença opened ordered ordnance palisades parapet Picurina Portugueze powder rampart ravelin rear regiment render revetement round shot royal military artificers sand-bags sappers scarp second line second parallel Setuval shells siege sortie spherical STANFORD storming party trenches Trinidad troops wall whilst workmen wounded yards
Popular passages
Page 140 - M'Kinnon's brigade instantly pushed up the breach, in conjunction with the 5th and 91th regiments, which arrived at the same moment along the ditch from their right. The men mounted in a most gallant manner against an equally gallant resistance ; and it was not till after a sharp struggle of some minutes that the bayonets of the assailants prevailed, and gained them a footing on the summit of the rampart. The defenders then concentrated behind the retrenchment, which they obstinately maintained,...
Page 425 - An exposed wall may be breached with certainty at distances from 500 to 700 yards, even when elevated 100 feet above the breaching battery ; and it is believed that in case of extreme necessity it would be justifiable to attempt to batter down an exposed wall from any distance not exceeding 1,000 yards; but then the quantity of artillery must be considerable, and it will require from four to seven days...
Page 210 - Antonio, at least till the castle which is above and commands that bastion shall be carried.' ' 7. The troops for this attack must have all the long * The hour originally named was half- past seven, being immediately after dusk, but it was subsequently changed to ten, in consequence of the arrangements being found to require that delay. The garrison took advantage of the interval between the breaching batteries ceasing to batter, and the commencement of the assault, to cover the front of the breaches...
Page 136 - They must have twelve axes, in order to cut down the gate by which the ditch is entered at the junction of the counterscarp with the body of the place. The 5th Regiment...
Page 136 - ... braie, in order to clear it of the enemy's posts on their left towards the principal breach. The 77th regiment are to be in reserve on the right of the convent of Santa Cruz, to support the first party which will have entered the ditch. The ditch must, besides, be entered on the right of the breach by two columns to be formed on the left of the convent of Santa Cruz, each to consist of five companies of the 94th regiment. Each column must have 3 ladders, 12 feet long, by which they are to descend...
Page 136 - Regiment is likewise to have twelve scaling ladders, 25 feet long, and immediately on entering the ditch are to scale the Fausse Braye, in order to clear it of the enemy's parties, on their left, towards the principal breach. It will throw over any guns it may meet with, and will proceed along the Fausse Braye...
Page 110 - ... troops from the several cantonments of the division separately, by the shortest and most convenient route, which the General Officers commanding divisions are requested to ascertain. The troops will be able to cross at the fords above La Caridad, and all the fords below the ford of Los Carboneros inclusive. The troops are to have with them a day's provisions cooked, and they are to be followed by two days spirits, and no other baggage.
Page 210 - The troops for the storm of the castle, consisting of the 3rd division of infantry, should move out from the right of the first parallel at a little before 10 o'clock, but not to attack till 10 o'clock. ' 5. They should cross the river Rivillas below the broken bridge over that river, and attack that part of the castle which is on the right, looking from...
Page 213 - ... the ravelin and the bridge ; while 200 men likewise of the covering party will rush from the right of the sap into the salient angle of the covered-way of the ravelin, and keep up a fire on its faces. These last should not advance from the sap, till the party to attack the gorge of the ravelin shall have turned it. That which will move into the covered-way on the right of the ravelin looking from the trenches, ought not to proceed further down than the angle formed by the face and the flank....
Page 212 - ... storming party, who carry bags, will enter the covered-way at the place d'armes, under the breached face of the bastion of La Trinidad ; those attached to the 4th division on its right, those to the light division on its left, looking from the trenches or the camp. 14. The storming party of the advance of the light division will then descend...