A Time of Doubt: the Standing of Permanent Fortification in the Eighteenth Century

Eighteenth-century military engineering lacked precise understanding of Vauban's revolutionary fortifications, despite his teachings' widespread acceptance. His definitive treatises (1704, 1706) remained inaccessible due to defective editions and restricted manuscripts until authentic versions appeared in 1829. Sturm (1736) noted that Vauban's systems were never publicly documented, though some reconstructions—like the Veritable Maniere de Fortifier (1693, attributed to Abbe du Fay but authored by Chevalier de Cambray)—were deemed accurate. This study reveals how Vauban's innovations, though influential, remained shrouded in secrecy until postmortem publications clarified their principles.

(Ed.). (2015). A Time of Doubt: the Standing of Permanent Fortification in the Eighteenth Century. The Fortress in the Age of Vauban and Frederick the Great 1660-1789, 167–185. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315684246-14