SOME PRINCIPLES OF WARFARE. 



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tion to all kinds of defensive works, whether of a few men beleaguered 

 in an improvised fortification, a considerable number in a scientifically 

 constructed work — permanent or field fortification — a fortress with an 



entire army behind its ramparts, or a cordon of forts surrounding a 

 great city. 



The ground plan of the work having been decided upon and staked 

 out the men start in with pick and shovel, digging, if possible, a ditch, 

 and throwing the material into the shape of the shaded portion of Dia- 

 gram 7. The ditch, outside the fort, indicated by the figure 'FGHJ', 

 serves the twofold purpose of getting materialfortheparapet'ABCDEF', 

 and for embarrassing an enemy in any attempt at assault. To further 



embarrass him every sort of obstacle that may be at hand should be put 

 to use — trees, butts turned our way, boughs interlacing; stakes driven 

 deep into the soil close together; barbed wires wound in and out; in 

 short, every expedient that may delay his advance and keep him as 

 long as possible exposed to our most effective fire. 



The drawing (7) was made with no attempt at exactness of propor- 

 tion, and simply to show the essentials; the slope 'EF' is made as steep 

 as the nature of the soil will permit; 'DE' slopes enough to enable a 

 soldier standing upon 'RC to fire upon an enemy entangled among the 

 obstacles at 'J', but never enough to weaken the mass of earth at and 

 near 'D'. 



Observe how common-sensible all these arrangements are; not one 

 too many or too few; just the things that a practical man, if he could 

 think as he felt, would do if suddenly called to command with an enemy 

 advancing upon him. Unfortunately, perhaps, for the purposes of a 



