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The Year XI system (French:"Système An XI", after of the 11th year of the
One of the main findings of the committee was as follows:
* To recommend the introduction of a 6-pdr and the suppression of the 4-pdr and the 8-pdr.
* The field artillery would thus be composed of a 12-pdr cannon, a 6-pdr cannon and a 24-pdr (5.72-inch)
The Year XI system would be further improved with the
{{French weapons of the 19th century Artillery of France Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars
The Year XI system (French:"Système An XI", after of the 11th year of the French Republic
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, i.e. 1803) was a French artillery system developed during the rule of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
. The Year XI system was original in that it brought various improvements to the highly successful Gribeauval system
The Gribeauval system (French: ''système Gribeauval'') was an artillery system introduced by Lieutenant General Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval during the 18th century. This system revolutionized French cannons, with a new production system ...
, on which many successes of the Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
relied. It especially consisted in streamlining the existing Gribeauval designs. The main proponent of the new system was General Marmont. It was superseded by the Valée system
The Valée system (French:"Système Valée") was an artillery system developed between 1825 and 1831 by the French artillery officer Sylvain Charles Valée,''Elements of Military Art and History'' by Nicolas Édouard Delabarre-Duparcq, p.146-14/ref ...
.
Definition
In light of theFrench Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
it appeared especially that the Gribeauval 4-pdr was too light, and that the 8-pdr was too heavy for medium field artillery. These two guns had not appeared adequate against enemy 6-pdr guns.
In order to define the new improved system, Napoleon formed a committee of Artillery on 29 December 1801, presided by general Augustin Gabriel d'Aboville, First Inspector of Artillery. The committee accomplished its research from 11 January 1802 to 21 July 1802. Napoleon himself participated in the proceedings:
The committee gave its results on 2 May 1803.
One of the main findings of the committee was as follows:
* To recommend the introduction of a 6-pdr and the suppression of the 4-pdr and the 8-pdr.
* The field artillery would thus be composed of a 12-pdr cannon, a 6-pdr cannon and a 24-pdr (5.72-inch) howitzer
A howitzer () is a long- ranged weapon, falling between a cannon (also known as an artillery gun in the United States), which fires shells at flat trajectories, and a mortar, which fires at high angles of ascent and descent. Howitzers, like ot ...
* The mountain artillery would have the short 3-pdr cannon, short 6-pdr cannon and 24-pdr howitzer.
* Siege artillery was also modified, with the introduction of new Long 24-pdr and Short 24-pdr,
* Garrison artillery was also modified, with the introduction of new Long 24-pdr, Long 12-pdr and Long 6-pdr cannons
* New Mortars as well as 324mm, 216mm and 152mm mortars, and 405mm perriers.Dawson et al (2007) p 74, 173 and 177-179
Obsolescence
The Year XI system would be further improved with the Valée system
The Valée system (French:"Système Valée") was an artillery system developed between 1825 and 1831 by the French artillery officer Sylvain Charles Valée,''Elements of Military Art and History'' by Nicolas Édouard Delabarre-Duparcq, p.146-14/ref ...
in 1828.
See also
Notes
References
* Dawson, A.L., Dawson P.L. and Summerfield S. (2007) Napoleonic Artillery, Crowood Press, * Smith, Digby (trans) (2011) "The Austrian Cavalry Gun in Comparison to the Horse Artillery of Other States by Smola in 1827," ''Smoothbore Ordnance Journal,'' Issue 1, Ken Trotman Publishing,{{French weapons of the 19th century Artillery of France Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars