Spiking

Spiking is the operation of quickly rendering a muzzle-loading gun useless, resorted to by troops compelled to abandon their own pieces or unable to remove those of the enemy which they have captured. The process consists in driving a cast-iron spike into the vent or touch-hole and then breaking it off short with a hammer. A spiking party of artillerymen always accompanied a storming party. To render a spiked gun again serviceable it was generally necessary to drill a fresh vent. Breach-loading guns are best rendered temporarily unserviceable by removing part of the breech mechanism.