In attacks by regular approaches a lodgment was an
entrenchment within a hostile fortification that allowed an attacking force
to both defend its advanced position and continue its attack against the
fortification. Lodgments were generally given the form of embrasured breaching
batteries to accept an armament of heavy artillery intended to batter the
scarp walls of the fortification and were constructed by sapping into a
fortification's outwork that the garrison had been compelled to abandon.
When a garrison refused to capitulate after a breach had been effected in
the enceinte the besieging force could either assault the breach or attempt
to sap into the breach and form a lodgment of the breach from which an assault
could be conducted or the fortification subjected to further bombardment
and covered attacks. The illustration (right) shows a lodgment of a breach
in a bastion salient (of the modern system) effected by sapping across the
main ditch. Breaching batteries in the lodgment have breached the scarp wall
of the cavalier of the bastion.
In attacks by regular approaches a lodgment was an
entrenchment within a hostile fortification that allowed an attacking force
to both defend its advanced position and continue its attack against the
fortification. Lodgments were generally given the form of embrasured breaching
batteries to accept an armament of heavy artillery intended to batter the
scarp walls of the fortification and were constructed by sapping into a
fortification's outwork that the garrison had been compelled to abandon.
When a garrison refused to capitulate after a breach had been effected in
the enceinte the besieging force could either assault the breach or attempt
to sap into the breach and form a lodgment of the breach from which an assault
could be conducted or the fortification subjected to further bombardment
and covered attacks. The illustration (right) shows a lodgment of a breach
in a bastion salient (of the modern system) effected by sapping across the
main ditch. Breaching batteries in the lodgment have breached the scarp wall
of the cavalier of the bastion.
