GEOTACTICS. 501 



School of the Battalion, or evolutions performed by a single regi- 

 ment; and of Evolutions of the Line, as performed by several 

 regiments ; we have no room here to speak. The exercises of Light 

 Artillery, and Riflemen, are closely assimilated to those of infantry 

 of the line. 



2. Artillery Tactics, includes the various manoeuvres and exer- 

 cises required in marching and fighting with cannon. There are four 

 principal kinds of cannon, used in modern warfare ; the gun, including 

 the light field piece, and the heavy garrison piece, with others of inter- 

 mediate size ; the carronade, which is shorter and thicker, and of 

 less certain aim, but still very useful in forts and on shipboard ; the 

 howitzer, which is also short, thick and strong, but used for firing 

 shells horizontally ; and, lastly, the mortar, which is extremely short, 

 having a bore of not more than two calibres in length, and used for 

 throwing bombs or shells to a great elevation. The Paixhan gun, 

 which has recently attracted much notice, is essentially a howitzer, 

 of great weight and strength, and designed for throwing shells of very 

 large size. Of the weight of cannon, and the nomenclature of their 

 parts, we have already spoken, as far as our room would permit, in 

 treating of Ordnance, (p. 489). . ' 



Field Artillery, is generally organized in batteries, of six pieces 

 each ; four guns, and two howitzers. Allowing eight men to each 

 gun, such a battery requires a company of 48 men, besides officers, 

 drivers, and a small reserve. Eight, or ten such companies, form a 

 regiment of artillery ; and a half regiment is sometimes called a 

 battalion. The officers of artillery, have mostly the same titles and 

 functions as those of the infantry; with the duties of which they 

 ought also to be acquainted. When horses are used, as they gene- 

 rally should be, for drawing the guns, they are harnessed to the 

 limbers; (p. 490): and when the gun is unlimbered, it may still be 

 dragged by the horses, by using a long rope, called zprolonge, to con- 

 nect the gun with the limber. When the men themselves draw the 

 gun, they do it either by draught ropes, or, when in action, by means 

 of bricoles ; which are leather straps passing over the shoulder, with 

 a cord and hook to each, for fastening to the carriage. 



The Manual of the Piece, is performed by two gunners, and four 

 cannoneers, or matrosses, who are numbered, in order to designate 

 their position. The piece being unlimbered, with the trail resting on 

 the ground, and the muzzle turned to the front, it is then said to be 

 in battery. The men then take posts on each side of the piece, 

 facing towards it, as follows : No. 1., with the sponge and rammer, 

 on the right of the muzzle ; No. 2., on its left: No. 3., with portfire 

 and linstock, opposite the cascable, or rear of the piece, on the right ; 

 No. 4., with a havresack, for ammunition, opposite to the cascable, 

 on the left ; the Gunner of the right, opposite to the middle of the 

 pointing or trail handspike, on the right ; and the Gunner of the left, 

 with finger stall, tube pouch, priming tubes, and priming wire, oppo- 

 site to the pointing handspike, on the left. At the command "to 

 action, 1 ' the gunner of the right steps to the pointing handspike, 

 gives the order to "/oac?," and assists the gunner of the left in point- 

 ing the piece. Nos. 1. and 2. step within the wheels, and sponge and 



