crest Parapet definition

work of defense act

1. The 1911 Classic Encyclopaedia
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PARAPET (Ital. parapetto, Fr. parapet, from Mara, imperative of Ital. parare, to cover,
defend, and petto, breast , Lat. pectus; the German word is Brustwehr ), a dwarf wall
along the edge of a roof, or round a lead flat, terrace walk, &c., to prevent persons from
falling over, and as a protection to the defenders in case of a siege. Parapets are either
plain, embattled, perforated or panelled. The last two are found in all styles except the
Romanesque. Plain parapets are simply portions of the wall generally overhanging a
little, with acoping at the top and corbel table below. Embattled parapets are sometimes
panelled, but oftener pierced for the discharge of arrows, &c. Perforated parapets are
pierced in various devices - as circles, trefoils, quatrefoils and other designs - so that
the light is seen through. Panelled parapets are those ornamented by a series of
panels, either oblong or square, and more or less enriched, but are not perforated.
These are common in the Decorated and Perpendicular periods.
CREST (Lat. crista, a plume or tuft), the "comb" on an animal's head, and so any
feathery tuft or excrescence, the "cone" of a helmet (by transference, the helmet itself),
and the top or summit of anything. In heraldry a crest is a device, originally borne as
a cognizance on a knight's helmet, placed on wreath above helmet and shield in
armorial bearings, and used separately on a seal or on articles of property.
Cresting, in architecture, is an ornamental finish in the wall or ridge of a building, which
is common on the continent of Europe. An example occurs at Exeter cathedral, the
ridge of which is ornamented with a range of small fleurs-de-lis in lead.
Merriam Webster Dictionary
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Illustration of PARAPET
1
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Parapet
2
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parapet

2. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
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FOR INTERPRETING TENNESSEE’S CIVIL WAR ERA MILITARY SITES
Banquette
The inside step at the base of a parapet wall that allowed a soldier to stand, load and
fire over the crest of the parapet while being sheltered.
Military Crest
The military crest of a ridge is a position that allows troops to see all the ground in front
of them. The topographical crest of a ridge is the highest point on the ridge and allows
for a favorable position for distant observation but would not allow troops to see the
foreground and fire upon an enemy. Therefore, on a convex slope, the military crest is
below the topographical crest.
Parapet
The wall of the rampart that troops stood behind to defend the fortified position. In field
works, the height of the parapet was recommended at about 7 feet, the thickness of the
parapet varied according to the kind of fire it was intended to resist. If the parapet was
out of the range of enemy artillery (about 800 yards), then it was constructed to resist
only musketry or rifle fire, a thickness of 2½ feet. To withstand artillery fire the thickness
of the wall was 6 to 10 feet.
Rampart
A broad wall or embankment forming the main body of a fortification and consisting of a
terreplein and a parapet.
Works
The term works was commonly used by Civil War era military personal in reference to
any type of earthen field works or field fortifications
Field Fortification
Field fortification was the art of engineering and strengthening a position for temporary
use with available materials. Military engineers developed field works along the same
principals as permanent fortifications, but were given greater latitude in their application
in the field.
U.S. military
4
History , L series, No.13, May 15, 1943
Crest. - The summit or highest line of a ridge. The actual or topographical crest.
Military crest.-The line nearest the crest of a ridge or hill from which all or nearly
all of the ground toward the enemy and within range may be seen and reached by
fire.
3
www.artcirclelibrary.info/Reference/civilwar/Glossary.pdf
4
http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/wwIIspec/number13.pdf

3. A Dictionary of Military Architecture
Fortification and Fieldworks from the Iron Age to the
EighteenthCentury
By Stephen Francis Wyley
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Parapet :
(1) The top of a wall of either a fortification or fieldwork, either plain or battlemented.
Used to provide protection to the defenders behind the wall.
(2) A breastwork or wall used to protect the defenders on the ramparts of a fortification,
either plain or provided with embrasures
Crest:
The apex of the glacis, either formed by the parapet of the covered way, or where the
glacis meets the top of the counterscarp. Also known as a ridge.
Field work:
A temporary work constructed by an army in the field, used to cover an attack on a
fortification, or as protection against another enemy army, especially a relieving force.
Rampart:
An embankment of earth which was used for the purpose of defence, excavated from
the ditch, and either raised on the inside or outside of the ditch. A number of different
types of ramparts have been employed; generally they surrounded a fortification and
were usually topped by a parapet. Dump or Glacis rampart; was the simplest method of
constructing a rampart, by excavating a ditch and casting the soil inwards to form a
`dump'. Often reinforced by a wall or palisade along the top. Revetted earthen rampart:
the first of this type was made by piling the earth excavated from the ditch behind a
wooden palisade, giving the rampart a steep vertical face; the second of this type were
the earthen ramparts of the 17th and 18th century fortresses which were revetted with
stone, masonry, concrete or faggots, the ramparts were erected to offset the effect of
artillery by absorbing the impact of the cannon balls. The revetment was used to hold
the earth in place. Timber laced rampart; the rampart was reinforced by filling the
spaces between the upright logs with horizontal ones, and the gaps were faced with dry
stone wall, adding to the ramparts strength. Turf rampart: was a rampart made of
uniform bricks of turf stacked to form a vertical wall which was invulnerable to both fire
and battering ram. (O.Fr. rempar, to defend).

5
http://www.angelfire.com/wy/svenskildbiter/madict.html