Blindage

Usually associated with siege works a blindage was a mask or cover erected to prevent an enemy from seeing into a trench or bringing an accurate fire against a work under construction. Blindages were particularly useful for covering saps that were commanded by defensive fire or were subject to heavy vertical fire. Blindages could also be used to cover the fronts of batteries under construction and for shielding working parties from defensive musket fire.

Blindages covering the tops of saps could be as simple as a layer of fascines laid over the crest of the parapet and reverse crest of a sap or be rather complex constructions using heavy scantling frames anchored into forward and reverse slopes of a sap and covered by layers of fascines and earth. The prescribed method for covering galleries of descent involved the use of Blind Frames which were used to form both the sides and top of the galleries with fascines and earth thrown on to make the galleries musket proof.

Blindages in front of batteries under construction were usually located along the exterior crest of the ditch in front of the battery parapet and epaulments and made by laying one or two rows of gabions outside the ditch and filling them with fascines placed in a vertical position. This type of blindage had sufficient height and thickness to cover working parties from enemy musket fire, but could be destroyed by artillery. Batteries were generally constructed under cover of darkness; a blindage would allow working parties to continue working during the daylight hours, but this also made it relatively easier for the defenders to locate battery positions and harass the work with counter battery fire.

Blindages were also constructed in fortifications to create bomb or splinter proof shields that could enclose the rear of casemates (as was done at Fort Pulaski), to serve as expense magazines near gun positions, and to serve as temporary shelters for protection of the garrison against shell fire.

January, 2003

August, 2005