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Obstacles, Artificial |
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One of the defects of all save the most well developed temporary fortifications was thier vulnerability to assault. Unlike permanent fortifications with their high and steep masonry scarp walls most temporary fortifications were not designed with a profile capable of preventing an attacking body of troops from entering the work by scaling the scarp of the ditch and mounting the superior slope of the parapet. This inherent defect could be mitigated by placing a series of obstacles in the path of an attacking body that would disrupt the momentum of its advance, destroy its orderliness and ability to act with cohesive force, and delay it under a close and destructive musket and artillery fire delivered from the parapet of the attacked field work.
Small pickets could be placed in the open parallel to the crest
of the counterscarp, at the bottom of the ditch, or in belts in front of
a work hidden from enemy view by a low glacis. Small pickets could also be
driven into the ground at wide intervals and connected using wirte or throny
vines to create entanglements intended to catch the feet of attacking troops
as they advanced rapidly toward the crest of the counterscarp of the ditch.
Entanglements could also be created by
A temporary work's ditch was the single most important obstacle
that an attacking body of troops would be compelled to surmount to gain the
superior slope of a work's parapet. But to be considered an effective obstacle,
the ditch had to be given dimensions that would prevent troops from entering
it with ease, crossing it without encumbrance, and clambering quickly up
the scarp to reach the parapet. A minimum depth of 6 feet was considered
necessary to inhibit attacking troops from jumping into the ditch without
injury while a width of 12 feet at the top was the minimum for preventing
attacking troops from bridging the ditch with ladders or long planks and
avoiding the
All obstacles were only effective for breaking up the momentum and ensemble of an attacking body of troops when covered by close defensive fire and none were capable of stopping or repulsing a well arranged attack. Whenever possible obstacles had to be concealed from the enemy's view; once the presence and extent of an obstacle had been discovered, a well arranged plan of attack could provide the means and manpower to destroy or breach obstacles prior to the advance of the storming party whose object was to mount the parapet and force its way into the work. Wooden obstacles had to be covered as much as possible from distant artillery fire that could either batter breaches or set the obstacles on fire by positioning them behind glacis or within the ditch. Obstacles such as military pits and small pickets could be concealed under light coverings of small branches, hurdlework, and soil. In all cases the effectiveness of an obstacle increased in proportion to the attackers' surprise in coming on it suddenly and unexpectedly while under fire. |
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January, 2003 |
Artificial
obstacles could either be positioned within the ditch of a temporary work
or on ground infront of the ditch that an attacking body of troops would
probably advance across to reach the ditch. Various types of obstacles could
be emplyed in either position depending on the material available, time allowed
for construction, and labor available at the time of construction. Abatis
of felled trees stripped of their smaller branches were generally positioned
parallel to and immediately beyond the crest of the counterscarp of the ditch,
but could also be used within the citch to prevent attacking troops from
mocing freely through the length
of
the ditch. Chevaux-de-frise, composed of lances pierced through a horizontal
beam, could be used in front of a work in situations where it was too dangerous
to construct a more permanent obstacle, or to block roads and defiles, and
could be placed along the bottom of a ditch to inhibit attacking troops from
advancing from the foot of the counterscarp to the foot of the scarp. Palisadings
(either inclined or vertical) and stockades could be placed parallel to the
crest of the counterscarp or along the bottom of the ditch to delay the necessary
reorganization
of
an attacking body of troops before it attempted to scale the scarp of the
ditch.
running
wire between stumps of trees cut down in front of a work to produce construction
material and clear fields of fire. Military pits (trous-de-loup) consisting
of an unavoidable pattern of conical or rectangular pits with vertical stakes
at the bottom were placed well in front of the crest of the counterscarp
and could be hidden by covering them with light hurdlework topped with a
thin layer of dry soil and
grass.
obstacle.
The obstacle posed by the ditch could be improved by constructing a fraise
consisting of horizontal palisades along the scarp to prevent attacking troops
from climbing up the scarp to reach the parapet. Other obstacles could also
be constructed or placed at the center of the bottom of the ditch parallel
to the foot of the scarp to inhibit attacking troops from moving freely within
the ditch.
