20 
AETILLEEY IN THE FIELD. 
In coming on to a position one of our great faults is very often a 
lack of method. 
It is very difficult to combine rapidity of movement with getting the 
guns into the right positions, and we have not mended matters by 
giving up many useful old parade movements. I don’t believe it was 
ever intended that we should, but some Officers have jumped at it and 
given up parade movements to a dangerous extent. 
Depend upon it, no large body of Artillery, any more than any 
other troops, can manoeuvre in the field without confusion unless the 
units (Batteries and Brigades), as well as the individual men and horses, 
are thoroughly under the control of their immediate leaders. 
This can only be attained by careful instruction and steady drill. 
A certain school of Officers are apt to say now-a-days Barrack square 
drill is waste of time! And certainly of late years the evolutions of 
the Drill Book have been much curtailed, and with advantage. But 
the more accurately intervals, distances, dressing, and pace are observed, 
the easier is it to direct manoeuvres, and the less likelihood is there of 
confusion or misunderstanding arising. 
With sloppy drill, no commander is ever safe, the consequence being 
that he is bound to feel nervous. He never knows for certain how 
his batteries are coming up, whilst, on the other hand, if he feels sure 
that their drill is what it should be, he can go on with his legitimate 
work with a light heart, contenting himself with giving his directions 
broadly knowing that the units won’t put him “ in a hole ” ; that he 
can trust to his subordinate leaders, and not bother himself with minor 
details. 
The combination of rapidity and exactness comes from an instinctive 
knowledge (so to speak), of what has to be done, running through the 
whole system—through Majors, Subalterns, Sergeants, Drivers, 
Gunners, and all. How often has one seen a battery excellently 
brought into a Heaven-born position, and some gun comes lumbering 
up, too far, too much to the right or left, and the whole thing is 
spoiled! Yes—And f spoiling ’ at a field-day may mean on service 
“ giving away ” the whole position to the enemy, and all because some¬ 
body’s “ Artillery instinct ” failed him at an important moment. It 
is not only the Major that must have his eye for the whole Battery, 
but the Subaltern for his section, the Sergeant for his gun, and that 
not selfishly, but ever having regard to his “ right and left neighbours.” 
Formation — 
Line is our fighting formation. We can’t have that too strongly 
impressed on our minds ! It should be adopted in the presence of the 
enemy Whenever the ground admits . 
Column is only used— 
(a) For flank movements, 
(b) To pass obstacles, or 
(c) For the sake of advancing to a position under cover, when 
an advance in line would discover what we intended 
doing to our opponents. 
