being added at a later date. The French horse artillery dates from 1791. Horsemen and gunners were combined, each class learning the work of the other. Companies were attached to a battery of six guns ; and in 1793, when the divisional organisation was adopted, artillery was attached to divisions in proportionate strength, and regimental guns were abandoned and entirely suppressed by Napoleon in 1796. The reforms of Gribeauval bore fruit in the wars of the republic. The tables of construction which had been drawn up secured a uniformity of manufacture; the re duction of the weight of the gun gave mobility to the field artillery, and enabled it to be used with the greatest effect in the new tactics which Napoleon introduced ; and the last step in the complete organisation of field artillery was made in 1800, when the establishment of a driver corps of
soldiers put an end to the old system of horsing by contract.
At the commencement of our wars on the Continent in 1793, the British artillery was in anything but an efficient condition. The guns were dispersed among the infantry, they were horsed in single train, the ammunition was packed in rough deal boxes, the ammunition waggons vere cumbrous and ill-constructed, the drivers were mere carters on foot with long whips, and the whole equipment was scarcely able to break from a foot pace.[1] Prior to the Peninsular war, however, the exertions of an able officer, Major Spearman, had done much to bring about an improved state of things. Horse artillery had been introduced in 1793, and the driver corps established in 1794. The battalion or regimental guns were abolished in 1802, and field batteries or " brigades " of six guns were formed, horse artillery batteries being styled troops. Mili tary drivers were introduced, the horses teamed in pairs, the drivers being mounted on the off-horses, while eight gunners were carried on the limbers and waggons. The equipment was lightened and simplified, the ammunition was properly packed, and a correct system of manoeuvres was introduced. The invention of shrapnel shell by Major Shrapnel in 1803, and the transformation of the rocket from a mere signal to a destructive engine by Sir W. Congreve in 1806, also added to artillery power.
The composition of a troop of horse artillery from 1805 to 1807 was about as follows:—
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Men. . Car riages. Officers. N. C. Officers. Gun ners. Drivers. Artifi cers. Horse Ar tillery . ! 14 85 60 164 horses 19 Driver Corps . I ) 1 20 3 36 mules
The composition of a field "brigade" between 1808 and 1816 was as follows:—
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Men. Car riages. Officers. N.C. Officers. Gun ners. Drivers. Arti ficers. Companyof Artillery 1* 17 123 1GO liorscs 19 Driver Corps . 1 9 96 10 10 mules
The troops of horse artillery were armed with five guns (6 or 9 pounders) and one 5i-inch howitzer. The field brigades were likewise armed with five guns and one howitzer, the guns ranging from light 6-pounders to 12-pounders. At Waterloo there were four different armaments for field brigades. The "driver corps," raised in 1794, con sisted of a few subaltern officers, with non-commissioned officers, artificers, drivers, and horses. The corps was divided into troops, the addition of one of which to a com pany of foot artillery converted it into a field " brigade." The horse artillery possessed both drivers and horses, and required very limited assistance from the driver corps.
Although the British artillery distinguished itself on many occasions during the Peninsular war[2] and at Waterloo, and French officers were loud in its praise, the field artillery still suffered from the great evil, want of mobility. Matters, however, had somewhat improved by the end of the war. Great augmentations had also taken place during the war, and in 1815 the Royal Artillery numbered British 23,085 of all ranks. After the peace it was again reduced, and horse artillery troops and field brigades were placed on a skeleton establishment of two guns each. In 1822 the driver corps was abolished, and the men and horses distributed among the field battalions, men being enlisted as " gunners and drivers." This system did not work well, owing to the difficulty of finding men who could combine such dissimilar duties. During the Peninsular war field guns and waggons were drawn by six and four horses respectively; but in 1820 a committee recommended eight horses for heavy field guns, and six for light guns and waggons ; and after considerable opposition this was ulti mately adopted. For some years the artillery, in common with the other branches of the British army, was kept down to the lowest state, but in 1848 the troops of horse artillery were increased to four pieces, and in 1852 they and the field batteries were raised to six guns. The field and horse artillery was increased to twenty batteries, giv ing a total of 120 guns. Shortly before the Crimean war a further increase of several battalions took place ; but not withstanding these various augmentations, both field and garrison artillery were entirely insufficient during the siege. At this time the field artillery consisted of " position bat teries " of three 18-pounders and one 8-inch howitzer, or of four 12-pounders and two 32-pouncler howitzers ; of " field batteries " of four 9-pounders and two 24-pounder howitzers; and of "horse artillery troops" of four 6-pounders and two 12-pounder howitzers. In 1858 drivers, specially enlisted and trained, were permanently attached to each field battery. In. 1859 the Royal Regiment of Artil lery, which had increased to fifteen battalions of field and garrison artillery and one brigade of horse artillery was reorganised and divided into horse, field, and garrison brigades each an administrative unit complete in itself with its own staff; and in 1862 the Indian artillery was amalgamated with the Royal Artillery, and the total strength of establishment was five horse and twenty-five field and garrison brigades.
this period. The advantages of rifling had been long known, but it was not practically applied to ordnance until 1846. Rifled guns were first used by the British artillery at the siege of Sebastopol, but with no great effect, owing to defective construction. A few years later the introduc tion of the Armstrong breech-loading ritled gun (first used in the China campaign of 1860) caused a great alteration in the equipment of the British artillery. The 7-inch gun of 82 cwt. was introduced for garrison service and even for siege purposes ; 40-pounders, on block trail travelling carriages, for batteries of position, while 20-pounders
were intended for the same or heavy field batteries ; tho- ↑ British Gunner.
- ↑ For an interesting summary of the employment of artillery in the Peninsular War, see a paper by Captain Ilinie, R.A., No. 5, vol. viii., Proceedings of R. A. Institution, 1873.
