ARTILLERY

ARTILLERY,the heavy Equipage of War; comprehending all sorts of great Fire-arms with their Appurtenances, as Cannons, Mortars, Bombs, Petards, Muscats, Carbines, &c. See CANNON, MORTAR, GUN, PETARD, &c. In this Sense, the Word Artillery coincides with what we otherwise call Ordnance. See ORDNANCE. There was no attacking such a Place for want of heavy Artillery.—The Persians, we are told in the Embassy of Figueroa, would never, in 1518, have either Artillery or Infantry in their Armies, by reason they hindered their Charging and retiring with so much Nimbleness; wherein their chief military Address and Glory lay. The Term Artillery is sometimes also applied to the ancient Instruments of War, as the Catapult, battering Rams, &c. See ARMS, MACHINE, CATAPULT, &c. Park of Artillery,is that Place in a Camp set apart for the Artillery, or large Fire-arms. Trail or Train of Artillery, is a Set, or certain Number of Pieces of Ordnance mounted on Carriages, with all their Furniture fit for Marching—To it frequently belong Mortar-pieces, with Bombs, Carcasses, &c. under the Direction of a Master of the Artillery. See MASTER. There are Trains of Artillery in most of the King’s Magazines, as in the Tower, at Portsmouth, Plymouth, &c. Artillery-Company,is a Band of Infantry, consisting of 600 Men, making part of the Militia or City-guard. See Militia. Their Officers are a Leader, two Lieutenants, two Ensigns, three Gentlemen of Arms, &c. Artilleryis also used for what we otherwise call Pyrotechnia, or the Art of Fire-works, with the Instruments and Apparatus belonging thereto. See PYROTECHNIA. The Writers upon Artillery, are Casimir Siemionowitz, Apole, Buchnerus, Brawnius, Mieth, and De S. Remigio, in his 'Mémoires de Artillerie', which contains an accurate Description of all the Machines and Instruments of War now in Use, with every Thing that relates thereto.