Fortifications Classifications
Battery at Petersburg drawing by Waud
Earthworks Classification
Adopted at Nashville, TN, March 1999
Class One: PREPARED ARTILLERY FORTIFICATIONS
Includes: Forts; redoubts; bastions; lunettes; redans; batteries; blockhouses
Builders: Laid out or renovated by engineers Type of construction: “Classic”
prototypes; ditch-in-front, revetted Materials: Gabions; sandbags; fascines;
log; plank; sod; stone revetments Dimensions: 12-20+ feet relief; 15-25+ feet
width of parapet Features: Artillery platforms; embrasures; banquettes
Situation: Semi-permanent defense of towns, depots, transportation routes, river
crossings; sieges; may be improved from rapid fortifications during prolonged
battle situation
Class Two: PREPARED INFANTRY FORTIFICATIONS
Includes: Siegeworks; main lines; parallels; connecting curtains; blockhouses
Builders: Laid out or renovated by engineers Type of construction: Typically
ditch-in-front, revetted Materials: Log; plank; sod; stone revetments
Dimensions: 6-15 feet relief; 12-20 feet width of parapet Features: Banquettes;
traverses Situation: Semi-permanent defense of towns, depots, transportation
routes, river crossings; sieges; may be improved from rapid fortifications
during prolonged battle situation
Class Three: RAPID ARTILLERY FORTIFICATIONS
Includes: Breastworks; minor artillery lunettes or demi-lunes Builders: Laid out
by field officers for their units, thrown up quickly, often under fire Type of
construction: Ditch-in-front; ditch-in-rear; ditch-both sides, revetted or not
Materials: Materials at hand – piled stone; fence rail or log fill; log,
sapling, fence rail, wicker or stone revetment Dimensions: 3-6 feet relief;
10-15 feet width of parapet Features: Artillery platforms; traverses; holes for
ammo chests Situation: Battlefield; bivouac; defense of roads, railroads, river
crossings
Class Four: RAPID INFANTRY FORTIFICATIONS
Includes: Breastworks; rifle trenches Builders: Laid out by field officers for
their units, thrown up quickly, often under fire Type of construction:
Ditch-in-front, ditch-in-rear, ditch-both sides, revetted or not Materials:
Materials at hand – piled stone; fence rail or log fill; log, sapling, fence
rail, wicker or stone revetment Dimensions: 2-5 feet relief; 8-15 feet width of
parapet Features: Bays, balks, traverses, “command” holes Situation:
Battlefield; bivouac; defense of roads, railroads, river crossings
Class Five: COMMUNICATION AND SUPPLY
Includes: Communication trenches, covered ways, entrenched military roads
Builders: Laid out by engineers or field officers Type of construction:
Ditch-in-front, ditch-in-rear, ditch-both sides, parapet both sides, revetted or
not Materials: Earth, log stone or wicker revetment Dimensions: Ditch 3-15 feet
wide Features: Associated holes and bunkers for storage Situation:
Semi-permanent fortifications, siegeworks, or prolonged battle when front line
troops need resupply
Class Six: INTERNAL WORKS
Includes: Magazines, bombproofs, bunkers, traverses, associated with enclosed or
semi-enclosed artillery fortifications Builders: Laid out by engineers to
strengthen prepared positions Type of construction: Square or rectangular hole
with surrounding berm, sometimes roofed; internal parapet designed to provide
defilade Materials: Earth, plank or log sides, flooring, sometimes roofed,
sandbags, gabions Dimensions: 5-15+ feet per side; traverses of varying length,
relief Features: Access door or trench Situation: Associated with prepared
artillery positions, siegeworks
Class Seven: PERSONAL FIELD SHELTER
Includes: Discrete fox holes, picket or skirmish holes, command holes, slit
trenches, “rifle pits” Builders: Typically sited by individuals in action
Type of construction: Hole with earth thrown in front or shallow trench,
ditch-in -rear Materials: Earth, sometimes wood or stone fill, typically not
revetted Dimensions: 2-5 feet relief, 2-8 feet width of parapet Features:
Discontinuous, arrayed in pattern of unit, shelters 1-3 persons, slit trenches
shelter 4-10 persons Situation: Picket or skirmish lines, holes associated with
rapid entrenchments
Class Eight: DEFENSES OF CONVENIENCE
Includes: Stone walls, piled stone breastworks, sunken roads, railroad
cuts/fills, often enhanced by digging Builders: Pre-existing features adapted to
combat or constructed ad hoc by soldiers Type of construction: Various
Materials: Stone, wood, earth Dimensions: Various Features: Walls, barricades
Situation: Meeting battles, stony ground
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/gis/battlefield/earthworks.htm
Mapping America's Battlefields -- Application of CWFSG Earthworks Classification
System
CWFSG