Wood, Gabions, Fascines
Three thousand six hundred palisades are required to enclose a single front of a fortress, which makes 21,600 for the six fronts of a hexagon.
For three arrows at the foot of the glacis, the tambours of the places of arms, the retrenchments of the bastions and half-moon, the second palisade of the covered way of the front of attack, 6,200 are wanted.
These 27,800 palisades may be made of 1,750 trees, of from 17 to 19 feet in length, and 51 inches in circumference;* for the barriers, the tambours of the body of the place, and the revetment of the counterscarp of the retrenchments, 1,400 trees more are wanted; for blindages, as many pieces of a foot in diameter, and 5 or 6 yards long, as are required for the shelter of the troops and magazines.
For the work of the mines (of which we have spoken under the head of Defence,) 500 joists, 5,600 boards of 12 feet in length, and 340 planks.
If the ditches are filled with water, bridges of communication must be established, for which 20 joists for every 6 running feet are required.
If stairs must be constructed to any of the works, 46 joists are needed for an ascent of 20 feet.
Gabions, for fleches and repairing parapets, 1,700.
Fascines, 6 feet long, 10 inches in diameter, to lay upon the gabions, face the fleches and the scarps of the retrenchments, and for repairs, 7,000.
Sandbags, to line the parapets of the front of attack, 9 bags to every 6 feet, (those for the service of the mines not included,) 10,000.
* Trees of from 40 to 54 inches in circumference, cut to the greatest advantage in making palisades: a trunk of a tree of 40 inches round will make 6 palisades of 6 inches in front.
Source: Lallemand, Henri Dominique: A Treatise on Artillery (New York 1820)