As
an element of the profile of temporary and permanent fortifications the relief
was the overall height of the interior crest of a work's parapet above the
bottom of the ditch immediately in front of the parapet. This served as a
measure of the value of the ditch and parapet as an obstacle to an enemy
assault; works with a high relief would be difficult for an enemy to surmount,
works with a low relief might not give sufficient check to an assault to
allow the defenders to develop their fire and repel the assault before the
enemy scaled the scarp and mounted the superior slope.
In
siege operations and other detailed constructions troops of the line and
laborers assigned to perform the work were divided into groups, or working
parties, called reliefs that performed the work in successive stages. Each
relief contained a sufficient number of troops or laborers to simultaneously
on the full length and depth of the fortification being constructed. When
it was necessary to complete a task rapidly, such as constructing a parallel
or boyau in an attack by regular approaches, the working party was divided
into four distinct reliefs each of which was assigned a specific period of
time in which to complete a given task or a part of the work necessary to
complete the construction. The reliefs replaced each other successively until
the construction was completed.
As
an element of the profile of temporary and permanent fortifications the relief
was the overall height of the interior crest of a work's parapet above the
bottom of the ditch immediately in front of the parapet. This served as a
measure of the value of the ditch and parapet as an obstacle to an enemy
assault; works with a high relief would be difficult for an enemy to surmount,
works with a low relief might not give sufficient check to an assault to
allow the defenders to develop their fire and repel the assault before the
enemy scaled the scarp and mounted the superior slope.
In
siege operations and other detailed constructions troops of the line and
laborers assigned to perform the work were divided into groups, or working
parties, called reliefs that performed the work in successive stages. Each
relief contained a sufficient number of troops or laborers to simultaneously
on the full length and depth of the fortification being constructed. When
it was necessary to complete a task rapidly, such as constructing a parallel
or boyau in an attack by regular approaches, the working party was divided
into four distinct reliefs each of which was assigned a specific period of
time in which to complete a given task or a part of the work necessary to
complete the construction. The reliefs replaced each other successively until
the construction was completed.
