f'HAP. XI. 



THE THIUTY VKARS' WAR. 



257 



age 

 ange 

 jctile 



had 



partly superseded the '' armcs blanches." Cannon also 

 were being nun'h more used upon the field of aetion, 

 and were jissuniing a very inipoi't;int position in armies, 

 and the carnage infiietcd by artillery upon the heavy 

 masses of infantry was another reason that induced liini 

 to change its formation. 



Imbued with the militaiy principles of antiquity, ho 

 formed his troo[)sup()n tlie model of the lloman Legion, 

 not in a slavish maimer, but by adapting the idea to the 

 circumstances of his age, and the altered conditions of 

 warfare.' lie redu(;ed the enormous regiments of 2,000 

 and 3,000 men, to 1,200, and afterwards to 1,000, and 

 relied more upon freedom of action and rapidity of 

 movement than upon clumsy and unwiiddy strength." 



He 1 -luced the de|)th of the infantry from twelve to 

 six, Sep, jated the pikemen from the musketeers, and 

 formed them into small bodies,'^ so that they should be 

 more movable, and better abh,' to support each other. 

 By the reduction in depth of the ranks, he secured a 

 greater front, and a lieavier fire of musketry, while 

 cannon had less opportunity for destructive fire. The 

 divisions were so draw a up that the musketeers could file 

 out between the inter^'als of the spearmen, and again fall 

 back like the Roman velites through the same intervals, 

 when the pikemen came to close quarters. The pik'^s 

 were shortened from eighteen to fourteen feet, and the 

 most cumbrous part of the armour was done away with. 



Gustavus Adolphus has also the credit of inventing 

 the column, as well as the custom of the front rank 

 kneeling to fire, and the system of firing by platoons.* 

 He introduced portable leathern artillery, and the use of 

 cartridges, to carry which he supplied his men with 

 pouches and abolished the bandoleers. He increased the 

 proportion of officers to the men, in or''^ ^ that the whole 

 and every part of his army should be brought under 

 complete and effectual command.* He lightened and 

 improved the musket, and did away with the rest or 

 foiirchetie. 



' Chapman, !>1. "- Pouniish. ?,^:\ ^ Mitdipll. 1 :..",. 



* l-cnuish, :').■»."). " Clinpniaii, 1*2. 



'!* '. 



.;» J 



