FIRE AND STONE: The Science of Fortress Warfare 1660-1860

3-22420

Covers the classic age of military engineering, which was heralded by the work of Vauban, chief engineer to the French King Louis XIV. Examines the purpose of fortresses across Europe and the debates of the time concerning their offensive and defensive uses. Analyses the strategic and structural considerations that dictated their locations and describes how they were planned, designed, and built and by whom. Explains how a siege progressed from start to finish plans and preparations, the investment of the fortress, the ways in which a fortress could be reduced short of a formal siege, and the siege itself at every stage, from the choice of the frontal attack to the storm of the breaches and capitulation. Differences in siting, design, and techniques of attack and defense for coastal fortifications are also covered.