MILITARY TACTICS. 



269 



nrCaMri- they know. Spies must always be well paid, especial- 

 meutien. ]y m the last mentioned case, and their information 



x ~ir ~ * should be received with great caution, and compared 

 with that obtained from other quarters. Spies giving 

 false information must be severely punished, unless, 

 perhaps, we may be able to turn this circumstance to 

 <JUT own advantage. 



SSCT. II. Of Cattrametalion. 



Of Cui- The art of castrametation, or the choice of ground for 

 aMtasiM. i camp, and the disposition of the various descriptions 

 of troops in it, was formerly a matter of infinite conse- 

 quence in war. Of late, however, it has become of 

 much less importance, as troops, at present, seldom car- 

 ry tents along with them, but are placed in canton- 

 ments when intended to be kept in readinesi for the 

 field, or when obliged to lie in the field for a short pe- 

 riod, they have recourse to the bivouac *. But although 

 regular encampment* are now much less frequent than 

 formerly, it i* necessary that we should explain the prin- 

 ciple* of castrametation, because these are applicable, 

 not only to the choice of actuations for camps, but also 

 for position* in general, and will be found of espe- 

 cial use in determining the order of battle for an army 

 acting chiefly on taw defensive. 



There are two general and fundamental rule* for the 

 choice of a camp. In the first place, the situation of 

 the ground should be such that an attacking army can 

 derive no benefit from it ; and, secondly, such diiposi- 

 " be made a* to secure the camp from being 



In order that the enemy may derive no advantage, 

 of a camp, but the reverat, from an attack on the army encamped, 

 the following special rule* must be attended to. 1. 

 The ground for the camp must neither be too Urge nor 

 to* small. 2. The enemy must not have it in his power 

 to approach either on the flanks or the rear. 3. He must 

 not nave the power of making a sudden attack on the 

 front without imrtiiiii with immediate resistance. 4. 

 The approach to the front must be difficult, and on hi* 

 advance, the enemy must, at every point, be constant- 

 ly kept under a stronger fire of artillery than he can 

 oppose. The more difficult the approach, the stronger 

 is the camp; and when difficult of accea* at every point, 

 it may be said to be unattackable. 5. Every part 

 army encamped must be able to come to the assistance 

 <af the rest. 6. The outlet* from the camp, on every 

 aide, must be easy. 



V. itii i .pert to the rise of the camp, the following 

 observation* may suffice. 1. Its length nm-: 

 to the space occupied by a battalion and a squadron 

 under arm*. In determining the length of the camp, 

 however, according to this method, provifion must be 

 made for the intervals formerly mentioned, which, if 

 Decenary, when the whole nunnVr of troopg are not 

 there that the space would require, mutt lx- reek 

 larger ; but, at the same time, never larger than tin- 

 front of a battalion and squadron, which ii called the 

 half line. 2. An army is never encamped in a single 

 line, but in two, at the least, with some picked t 

 in reserve behind the second line. .:. In order to de- 

 trmiine immediately in what situation of the line each 

 harrshon should be placed, an order of battle for the 

 whole army i* formed at the commencement of every 

 The regiment* are thus placed according 



., 



to their rank or number ; the first on die right, the se- Of Cast r. 

 cond on the left wing of the first line, the third on the g_ et '"^: 

 right, the fourth on the left wing of the second line, 

 &c. When a battalion or squadron is detached from the 

 line, the others close, and occupy its place. It is al- 

 ways easy, therefore, to determine the necessary length 

 of 'the camp, according to the number of battalions 

 and M|iiadroiis in tile first line. 4. To determine the 

 depth, it mu^t be observed, that each line requires three 

 hundred paces for the depth of its encampment, which 

 If also the distance assigned to them when drawn up in 

 order of battle, that the second line may not suffer from 

 the fire on the first. 



The second rule we have laid down requires that the Covering of 

 flanks should be covered. The flanks are said to be co- the flanlu. 

 vered, when the enemy can neither attack them direct- 

 ly, nor march round that which covers them, without 

 leaving full time for taking measures to frustrate his 

 intentions. Hence we must determine the fitness of 

 the objects upon which the wings rest. The wings may 

 rest on the sea. In this case we must ascertain the 

 depth of the water, and, if necessary, protect the wing 

 by a staccado, or some such means, as far as the water 

 i* so shallow as to allow a person to wade through it. 

 Regard must also be had to the change* produced by 

 the ebb and flood tide* ; and care must be taken to 

 prevent the army from being annoyed by the ships or 

 boat* of the enemy. 2. On rivers, which afford an ex- 

 cellent support to the flanks of an army, when there 

 are few or no natural or artificial means of passage ; 

 and the few are sufficiently protected from the runny. 

 8. On lakes or pood*. The extent of the circuit which 

 the enemy must make to get round must determine the 

 fitness of these objects for covering the flanks. 4. 

 Swamp* or morasse* also afford a good covering, provi- 

 ded we are certain that they are impassable. 5. Tlw 

 same may be said of mountains and ravine-, when very 

 precipitous ; but when easily ascended, they ouj;lit to 

 be fortified. I U vines form a good covering when the 

 banks towards the enemy are lower than those occu- 

 pied by the army encamped. They should, however, 

 be fortified and occupied, in order to prevent a sur- 

 prise, (i. Woods afford no good covering, even when 

 ambuscade* are placed in them, because the enemy may 

 approach unseen, and easily overpower the ambuscade. 

 7. Village*, when well situated and tenable, are a good 

 covering for the flanks ; but they nui-t lie well I'urtified, 

 and occupied by a sufficient number of troops to prc- 

 m attack on the part of the enemy, because the 

 safety of the army depends on their beintj maintained. 



In following out the third rule, it is necessary, that, From. 

 to the distance of a cannon shot in front, there should 

 be no wood, village, hill, hedge, or other object, to ob- 

 struct our view of the enemy's movements ; no ravine, 

 or hollow way, which could lead him unseen near to 

 our front. Every thing must be quite clear before the 

 front, and the enemy must be exposed to our fire, while 

 all his movements are so well seen that we may always 

 be prepared against any enterprise on his part. Such 

 object, therefore, a* above described, when they do 

 exist, must either be destroyed, or occupied and forti- 

 fied. 



The fourth rule has much in common with the first, 

 because whatever covers the flank also protects the front, 

 the flank being always secured against every ntt.ick ; 

 while, when an attack is expected in front, it is sufli- 



Ai troop* now carry no tenu, thii 



