Vanguard British Napoleonic Artillery 1793-1815 (2) Siege & Coastal Artillery Osprey Books

Following on from the first volume of British Napoleonic Artillery Equipments, which covered the field artillery, this volume will concentrate on the heavy weapons of the siege and coastal defences. In many ways siege equipment is more important that field equipment given the emphasis placed on the siege during this period. The main equipments involved were the 24 pounder siege gun and a variety of mortars. Mortars varied from 4 or 5 inch versions up to 13 inch calibre and were considered to be extremely effective because they used an exploding shell to destroy fortifications or personnel. This section covers siege techniques, the tactical use of such artillery and the methods by which they were supplied. This section will also deal with Brass and iron guns, howitzers and mortars all employed in the Napoleonic period. Early coastal artillery was very similar to naval artillery and in many ways it was handled in the same manner. This section deals with the coastal gun carriage and mounting and with the carronade, which became the great innovation of the Napoleonic period and was found to be well suited to coastal defence. Also covered in this volume is the history of bomb vessels and their armament. A bomb vessel was specialist weapon used to attack fortifications. Its armament was two 13 inch sea service mortars, the designs of which were altered profoundly between the years 1793 and 1815.