Part 186

The following proportions belonged to grenades, according to their several diameters in former times; they have been much improved.

Grenades whose calibre is equal to that of a 33 pounder, contain about 6 French inches or more diameter, 8 lines in thickness, and 16 pounds in weight.

Grenades whose calibre is equal to that of a 24 pounder, contain 5 French inches 5 lines diameter, six lines in thickness, and 12 pounds in weight.

Grenades whose calibre is equal to that of a 16 pounder, contain 4 French inches 9 lines diameter, 5 lines in thickness and 8 pounds in weight.

Those that weigh 6 pounds, have 3 French inches 5 lines diameter, and are 5 lines thick.

Those that weigh 5 pounds, have 3 French inches 2¹⁄₄ lines diameter, and are 5 lines thick.

Those that weigh 3 pounds, have 2 French inches 8 lines diameter, and are 4¹⁄₂ lines thick.

Those that weigh 2 pounds, have 2 French inches 4 lines diameter, and are 4 lines thick.

Those that weigh 1 pound, have 1 French inch ten lines diameter, and are 3 lines thick.

Those that weigh three quarters of a pound, have 1 French inch 8 lines diameter, and are 3 lines thick.

Those that weigh half a pound, have 1 French inch 8 lines diameter, and are 3 lines thick.

Those that weigh a quarter of a pound, have 1 French inch 6 lines diameter, and are 2¹⁄₂ lines thick.

These proportions were formerly attended to in the old French service, with occasional deviations from the strict measurement of the lines; as it was supposed to be of little consequence whether the grenades fitted the mortars exactly. It was, indeed, generally thought advisable to adapt their sizes, so that they might be thrown out without the least resistance or compression.

Grenades were directed to be thicker at the breech than elsewhere, in proportion to their several diameters.

Durtubie, in his Manuel de l’Artilleur, gives the following succinct account of grenades. That writer observes, “that besides bombs or shells, and howitzers, hollow vessels made of iron in globular shapes, which are called grenades, are frequently used; gunpowder is poured in through the cavity or vent, called in French lumiere, into which a fuse loaded with a composition of combustible materials is introduced.”

There are two sorts of grenades. Those distinguished by the name of grenades de rampart, are rolled from the top of the parapet into the ditch; they are equal in calibre to that of a 33 and a 16 pounder; and they weigh 16, 11, and 8 ounces.

The other species is called grenades à main. These are thrown into the covert way, and the trenches, &c. Their calibre is that of a 4 pounder, and they weigh 2 pounds. The ordinary thickness of grenades is four lines throughout.

It will occur to our military readers, that by this account a considerable alteration has taken place in the casting of grenades, as the intermediate differences have been consolidated; hand-grenades, instead of being thicker at the breach, are uniformly of the same consistency. It cannot, however, be thought superfluous to preserve an account of the original dimensions.

GRENADES--Hand grenades may be thrown to the distance of 13 fathoms. For their dimensions see the word SHELL.

GRENADES Turques. Fr. Turkish grenades. A sort of grenade which is made by the Turks. Their grenades are extremely defective, and do little execution.

GRENADIER, GRANADIER, a foot soldier armed with firelock, bayonet, and in some services with a hanger; grenadiers carry, besides their arms, a cartridge box that will hold 36 rounds. They are always the tallest and stoutest men, consequently the first upon all attacks. Every battalion of foot in the British army has generally a company of grenadiers belonging to it, which takes the right of the battalion. Grenadiers were first instituted in France in 1667, by having 4 or 5 to each company; but in the year 1670, they were formed into companies, and in 1685, were first known in the British service.

Horse GRENADIERS, called by the French grenadiers volans, or flying grenadiers, are such as are mounted on horseback, but fight both on foot and horseback. They were first established in France by Lewis XIV. in 1676, and formed into squadrons.

GRENADIERS auxiliaries, Fr. Auxiliary grenadiers. During a siege, and when a place was closely invested, a certain number of grenadiers were chosen out of the battalions belonging to the trenches, for the purpose of making head against the besieged, whenever they might risk a sally, or insult the works. It was the peculiar duty of these men to stand forward on every occasion, to set fire to the gabions attached to the batteries, and to crush every attempt which might be made by the garrison to annoy the men that were posted in the trenches, &c.

It was customary among the French to increase the number of those grenadiers, who went first into danger and did the duty of the trenches. These were called grenadiers postiches, or extra grenadiers.

GRENADIERES, ou GIBERNES, the bags or haversacks which hold the grenades. They were worn like powder-flasks.

GRENIER, Fr. (mettre en grenier.) To stow any thing loosely.

GRENOIR. Fr. (Une espece de crible.) A sort of sieve through which gunpowder was passed, and formed into grains of different sizes.

GREVE, Fr. Any flat space of ground on the bank of a river, or near the sea. A place in Paris is so called, where during the old government of France, all criminals were executed. Greve is also used to signify the gallows.