The service of coast artillery

Front matter

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Preface

Few words are needed to state the purpose of this work. It represents an earnest attempt to furnish an informative book for the use of coast artillerists with special reference to militia duty in coast defense.

The organization of the United States Coast Artillery presents a need which the National Government is not wholly able to supply. The Coast Artillery Corps of the United States Army at its present strength cannot provide at the utmost for more than one-half of one manning detail for the armament of our far-reaching coast fortifications. To supply this deficiency in personnel Congress has authorized the development of a Coast Artillery Reserve to which various coastwise states have transferred specially qualified regiments of infantry from their militia organizations.

In these regiments, and in other organizations not so transferred whose services will be required as Coast Artillery Supports and Coast Guard, are many officers and men desirous of fitting themselves for the technical service of coast defense. A complete programme of instruction has been issued by the War Department, and it is to supplement this, as well as to furnish a suitable reference book for the Regular personnel, that the present work was prepared.

The authors believe they have brought together in simple form and compact shape the detailed information indispensable to efficiency on the part of the coast artillerist, be he officer or man. In the descriptions of armament and material, they have held strictly to information procured from Ordnance Department publications; as well as Coast Artillery orders, memoranda and circulars. In most cases the information given here is transcribed from official documents. No pretense is made that the work is exhaustive or conclusive, but so far as it goes it has the kindly approval of Brigadier-General Arthur Murray, Chief of, Coast Artillery, and other distinguished officers of the Army. s. ui lv PREFACE

The authors indulge the hope that the order and arrangement of the text may be helpful to every patriotic student of coast defense, and if the hope shall be realized they will consider themselves amply repaid for their labors. Their thanks are due and gratefully tendered to Major William G. Haan, Coast Artillery Corps, for his consistent encouragement, generous advice and valuable suggestions. They desire to express their obligations to Colonel Erasmus M. Weaver, Chief of Division of Militia Affairs; Lieutenant-Colonel Charles J. Bailey, Assistant to the Chief of Coast Artillery; Lieutenant-Colonel Adelbert Cronkhite, Coast Defense Officer, Department of the East; Major Thomas W. Winston, Coast Artillery Corps, editor of the Journal of the United States Artillery; and Mr. Samucl L. Willams.

It is believed that this book is better illustrated than any on the subject which has preceded it; an advantage mainly due to the skill of Captain Bruno F. Wetzelberg, Coast Artillery Corps, N. G., N. Y.., by whom the original photographs.and many of the drawings were made, and to whom the authors are deeply indebted. They also desire to express their thanks to Master Gunner George D. Meece, Coast Artillery Corps, for drawings.

The volume has no other motive than to contribute to the efficiency of a most important arm of the United States military service, The United States Coast Artillery Corps.

Fort Wapswortu, N. Y., September, 1909.

Chapter I Definitions, Abbreviations And Signs

: : PAGE Including Approved Interpretations of all Technical Terms and Phrases used in the Coast Artillery Service, together with Explanations, Descriptions and Simplified Outlines of all Elements of Coast Defense FRET TROMAEE EMUVIOCEES coc. oe a cs Me EL oe eee eR he 1

Chapter II Theory And Principles Of Coast Defense

Theory of Defense, Attacks from Sea, Plan of Land Defense, Field Combat. Birenn Wield Combatand Night Attacks.....20-..2 22.5 c00..0% 66

Chapter III Organization And Personnel

The Tactical and Administrative Organization, Personnel, Staff Officers, Coast Artillery Reserve Officers, Commands Appropriate to Grade, and INOH-COMITISSIONeGd Onicers ne b@uera sr cer ira ees oe neers eee 76

CHAPTER IV GUNNERY AND BALLISTICS and Simple Formulas, Geometrical Magnitudes, ete. .............-- 79

Chapter V Armament

Detailed Description and Classification of the Primary, Intermediate and Secondary Armament, Firing Mechanisms, Subealiber Guns, . Recoil

SFSU TT SY Ona ne Cann een uc pto gn cee reece Tar ere vi CONTENTS

CHAPTER VIL EXPLOSIVES, PROJECTILES, PRIMERS AND FUSES

Low Explosives, High Explosives and Fulminates, their Chemical Properties and Method of Manufacture. Preparation and Blending of Charges, Weights, Velocities, Pressure, etc. Service Projectiles, Color Scheme and Method of Painting, Weights, Penetration, etc. Composition, Construction and Action of all Types of Primers and Fuses........

Chapter VII Instruments, Devices And Charts

Depression Position Finders, Telescopes, Azimuth Instruments, Surveyor’s Transit, Plotting Boards, Mortar Predicter, Range Board, Deflection Boards, Wind Component Indicator, Aeroscope, Time-interval Clock, Interrupter, Telautograph, Telephone, Thermometer, Mercurial and Aneroid Barometers, Anemometer, Atmosphere Board, Open and Telescopic Sights, Gunner’s Quadrant, Crusher Gauge, Time-range Board and Powder Chart.....................

Chapter VIII Searchlights

Tactical Location and Use, Types of Projectors, Effective Ranges, Nomenclaturesand: Operationtees sy eee yor ee er ee

CHAPTER Ix SUBMARINE MINES, SMALL BOATS, ETC

Mechanical and Electrical Types of Mines, Mine Fire-Control System, Mining Casemate, Loading Room, Method of Making Turk’s Head, Telegraph Joint, Okonite Joint, ete. Loading Mines, Duties on the

Water, Care and Preservation of Mine Material, Small Boats and Boat Drill

Chapter X Seacoast Engineering

Theory of, Location and Measurement of Base Lines, Triangulation in Connection with the Location of Horizontal Base Lines, Gun Centers and Directing Points of Batteries, Determination of the True Azimuth Location of Pintle Centers, Orientation of Gun and Mortar ncn Circles (with problems), Leveling and Hydrographic Surveying... ..

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CONTENTS vil

CHAPTER XI CORDAGE PAGE Types of Ropes, Method of Making Splices, Knots, Hitches and Straps, Blocks and Tackle, Power of Tackle, Levers, Differential Pullies, Gins, Shears, Derricks and Cranes, and Elydraulieackse meee nate 460 CHAPTER XII MAGAZINE RIFLE Points in Handling, Dismounting and Assembling, Cleaning and Care, Gun Sling, Ammunition, Ball Cartridge, Blank Cartridge, Dummy a bernie ain Ceara Cartrigie co. 6 A ac bees pon ae tane oc cam ek 483

CHAPTER XIII POINTS FOR COAST ARTILLERISTS

Battle Commanders, Battle Command Drill, Fire Commanders, Fire Command Drill, Orders of Fire, Searchlight Commands, Communication Officer, Battery Commanders, Solution of Target Practice Problem, Adjustments of Gun and Carriage, Training of Personnel, Calibration, Observation of Fire, Emplacement Officers, Range Offcers, Tug Officer and Observer, Shore Tug Signals, Maneuver Signals, Sound Signals, Wig-wag Signals, Night Signals, Wireless Communication, Observers, Gun Pointers, Range Setters, Meteorological Observers, Tide Observers, Camp Sanitation, and Types of War WHEELS PES ce ay. Te nee a an wl Oe OF ete SA ANY SEL 2 EEN ee AL Utne Bs PR yy Sd 494

The Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. (CDSG) is a tax-exempt corporation dedicated to the study of seacoast fortifications. The purposes of the CDSG include educational research and documentation, preservation of historic sites, site interpretation, and assistance to other organizations interested in the preservation and interpretation of coast defense sites. Membership is open to any person or organization interested in the study or history of coast defenses and fortifications. Membership in the CDSG will allow you to attend the annual conference, tours, and receive CDSG’s quarterly journal. To join the CDSG, please contact the Membership and Finance Committee at address listed above.

The CDSG Press, the publishing arm of the CDSG, offers for sale back issues of the CDSG’s quarterly publication, CDSG Journal/CDSG News, Volumes 1 through 10 (1987 to 1996). Also, available are the notes from the CDSG Conferences and Tours to various United States harbor defenses. These include San Francisco (1987), Boston (1988), Galveston (1989), Baltimore-Washington (1990), Manila Bay (1991), Oahu (1991), Narragansett Bay (1991), Los Angeles- San Diego (1992), Canal Zone (1993), Wilmington (1993), Long Island Sound (1994), Pensacola-Mobile (1994), Puget Sound (1995), Delaware River (1996), and New York (1997). Also for sale is the reprint of Notes on Seacoast Fortification Construction by Col. Eben E. Winslow. Originally printed in 1920, the CDSG Press edition is a hard cover reproduction of the 428 page monograph. The 29 drawings that accompanied the original text have been slightly reduced and are bound together as a separate softcover volume. Winslow’s book is the most comprehensive reference work on the construction techniques of Endicott and Taft period seacoast fortifications. Another reprint available for sale is the U.S. War Department’s Seacoast Artillery Weapons manual. Originally published as a soft cover book by the Coast Artillery Corp in 1944, this technical manual is a comprehensive work on the principal types of seacoast artillery (both fixed and mobile) used during the World War II period. The CDSG Press edition is bounded in a hard cover. It has 202 pages with over 200 illustrations and a 8 page weapon table. To order these books and other CDSG Press publications, please contact the CDSG Press at 221 Scudder Ave., Northport, New York 11768-2945 USA Attn: Mr. Leo Polaski.

The CDSG Press would like to thank Terrance McGovern, Elliot Deutsch, Leo Polaski, and Thomson-Shore, Inc. for their efforts in producing this reprint. Original Edition: 1910 by Goodenough & Woglom Company, New York. Reprint Edition: 1997 by the Thomson-Shore, Inc., Dexter, Michigan.

Printed in the United States of America

THE

SERVICE OF COAST ARTILLERY