Although Gibbon's The Artillerist's Manual was written after the period being discussed in the last artillery thread, I thought the following, taken from pages 54-56 in the Manual, might be useful.
'We have seven different calibers, which are divided into three classes, according to the positions in which they are used.'
1. Sea-Coast…32 and 42-pounders (the latter having been suppressed).*
2.Siege and Garrison, 12- 18, and 24-pounders. (a 4.5-inch rifle has been added).*
3. Field…6 and 12-pounders (a 3-inch rifle has been added)**
*-iron
**-Bronze
'The sea-coast being the heaviest, are used principally in permanent fortifications on the seaboard. They are neither as long or as heavy, in proportion to the size and weight of their projectiles, as the 2d class.'
'The siege and garrison guns, are used in permanent fortifications as well as in field works, and in sieges to batter down the walls of the besieged, forming breaches, to dismount their guns, etc. As when used is a siege they have to be fired through earthen embrasures, they are made long enough to project into the mouth, so that the blast from the gun will not destroy the cheeks.'
'The field guns are used in the field as light artillery. They are made of bronze, and are out lightest pieces.'
From Ordnance and Gunnery by James Benton, on the Gribeauval System, 111-112:
'In 1765, General Gribeauval founded a new system, by separating the field from the siege artillery. He diminished the charge of field guns from a half to a third the weight of the shot, but as he diminished the windage of the projectile at the same time, he was enabled to shorten them and render them lighter, without sensibly diminishing their range.'
'Field artillery then consisted of 12, 8, and 4-pounder guns, to which was added a 6-inch howitzer, still retaining a small charge, but larger in proportion than that before used. For draught, the horses were disposed in double fiels, which was much more favorable to rapid gaits. Iron axle-trees, higher limbers, and travelling trunnion holes, rendered the draught easier. The adoption of cartridges, elevating screws, and tangent scales, increased the rapidity and regularity of the fire. Stronger carriages were made for the lighter guns, and the different parts of all were made with more care, and strengthened with iron work. Uniformity was established in all the new construction, by compelling all the arsenals to make every part of the carriages, wagons, and limbers according to certain fixed dimensions. By this exact correspondence of all the parts of a carriage, spare parts could be carried into the field ready made, to refit. Thus an equipment was obtained which could be easily repaired and could be moved with facility hitherto unknown.'
'In order to reduce the number of spare artilcles necessary for repairs, Gribeauval gave, as far as practicable, the same dimensions to those things which were of the same nature.'
'The excellence of this system was tested in the wars of the French Republic and Empire, in which it played an important part.'
Interestingly, this short essay on the Gribeauval System is similar to that penned by Adye in 1801.
