In military engineering, a ditch is an obstacle designed to slow down or break up an attacking force, while a trench is intended to provide cover to the defenders. In military fortifications the side of a ditch farthest from the enemy and closest to the next line of defence is known as the

scarp Scarp may refer to: Landforms and geology * Cliff, a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure * Escarpment, a steep slope or long rock that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevatio ...

while the side of a ditch closest to the enemy is known as the counterscarp.

Uses

In early fortifications, ditches were often used in combination with ramparts to slow down the enemy whilst defensive fire could be brought to bear from the relative protection afforded by the rampart and possibly the palisade. In medieval fortification, a ditch was often constructed in front of a defensive wall to hinder

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...

and escalade activities from an attacker. When filled with water, such a defensive ditch is called a moat. However, moats may also be dry. Later

star fort A bastion fort or ''trace italienne'' (a phrase derived from non-standard French, literally meaning ''Italian outline'') is a fortification in a style that evolved during the early modern period of gunpowder when the cannon came to domin ...

s designed by military engineers like Vauban, comprised elaborate networks of ditches and

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...

s, carefully calculated so that the

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

for the raised

earthworks Earthworks may refer to: Construction *Earthworks (archaeology), human-made constructions that modify the land contour *Earthworks (engineering), civil engineering works created by moving or processing quantities of soil *Earthworks (military), mi ...

was provided, as nearly as possible, entirely by the excavations whilst also maximising defensive firepower. Today ditches are obsolescent as an anti-personnel obstacle, but are still often used as anti-vehicle obstacles (see also berm). A fence concealed in a ditch is called a

ha-ha A ha-ha (french: hâ-hâ or ), also known as a sunk fence, blind fence, ditch and fence, deer wall, or foss, is a recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier (particularly on one side) while preserving an uninterrupted view ...

Elements of a ditch in an artillery fortification (16th to 19th centuries)

* Scarp: the inner side of the ditch (closest to the fort) is called the scarp (or escarp) slope. This may be revetted with masonry or brickwork, in which case, it is called the "scarp wall". * Cordon: a course of protruding masonry along the top of a scarp wall, intended to make it harder for an enemy to stand a ladder against it. *

Rampart Rampart may refer to: * Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement Rampart may also refer to: * "O'er the Ramparts We Watched" is a key line from " The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the ...

: the actual wall of the fort which can be made of earth or masonry, is topped by a

for the defenders to fire over, and usually slopes away from the ditch (the "exterior slope"). * Berm: a ledge between the scarp wall and the exterior slope of the rampart, designed to increase the stability of the rampart and prevent any falling debris from compromising the ditch. * Faussebraye: a secondary parapet between the rampart and the inner edge of the ditch.Hogg, Ian V (1975) ''Fortress: A History of Military Defence'', Macdonald and Jane's, (pp. 54-56) * Carnot wall: a loopholed wall between the rampart and the inner edge of the ditch. * Chemin de ronde: a pathway running along the berm, behind the faussebraye or Carnot wall. * Cunette: a narrow channel that runs along the floor of the ditch for drainage purposes. * Bartardeau: a type of masonry dam across a ditch that is part wet and part dry.Lepage, Jean-Denis G G (2010)
''Vauban and the French Military Under Louis XIV: An Illustrated History of Fortifications and Strategies''
MacFarland & Company Inc, (pp. 90-92) * Counterscarp: the outer slope or wall of the ditch (furthest from the fort). * Sally port: a small door allowing the defenders to enter the ditch should it be occupied by the enemy. *

Caponier A caponier is a type of defensive structure in a fortification. Fire from this point could cover the ditch beyond the curtain wall to deter any attempt to storm the wall. The word originates from the French ', meaning "chicken coop" (a ''capon'' ...

: a masonry or brick structure extending into the ditch or traversing across it; it is pierced with loopholes to enable the defenders to fire along the floor of the ditch. * Counterscarp gallery: a passage constructed behind the counterscarp wall and pierced with loopholes, which enables the defenders to fire on attackers who have entered the ditch. * Glacis: an earth slope angled away from the ditch; the height and angle of the glacis was calculated to protect the rampart from direct fire but to allow the defenders to fire over it. * Covered way: a path running between the outer edge of the ditch and the glacis, allowing defending troops to move around the exterior of the fort; it was usually provided with a

banquette A banquette is a small footpath or elevated step along the inside of a rampart or parapet of a fortification. Musketeers atop it were able to view the counterscarp, or fire on enemies in the moat. A typical size is a foot and a half (approxima ...

or fire step so that defenders could shoot over the crest of the glacis. * Place-of-arms: an open area of the covered way at an angle of the ditch, where defenders could assemble for a sally or

counter attack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...

References

{{Reflist Fortification (obstacles)

Uses

Elements of a ditch in an artillery fortification (16th to 19th centuries)

See also

References