8 
as soon as they came up in line with the others, instead of pushing on to the 
front. He considers that the final rush was begun much too far from the targets 
(600 paces, instead of 200 to 300), and that the men would have arrived on the 
ground out of breath and exhausted. This advance was also made in extended 
order, instead of being made in groups formed on the sectional leaders, as is laid 
down in the Russian infantry regulations. 
Special Exercises of Cavalry in Conjunction with Horse Artillery. 
With regard to the cavalry attack, the General says that it should always be 
prepared beforehand, unless it partakes of the nature of a surprise. Under any 
circumstances accidents of ground should be utilised, so as to approach as near 
as possible under cover. In attacking infantry the charge should be made in line 
in close order, but this line should be preceded by some scouts in extended order, 
intended to draw the enemy’s tire. As a rule, cavalry should try to take the 
enemy in flank, but they should not shrink from a frontal attack when circum¬ 
stances require it. 
In an exercise of a cavalry corps of two divisions operating against a marked 
enemy, the General finds fault with the Commander for not reconnoitring the 
enemy’s position with sufficient exactness ; the result of which was that his 
force was deployed on a line by no means parallel to that of the enemy. He 
impresses upon cavalry officers the importance of giving a good direction to the 
attack, of “ aiming well ” so to speak, and says that an error of direction in 
launching forwards a troop of cavalry, which ought to fall upon the enemy with 
a speed comparable to that of a bullet, may result in the gravest consequences to 
all concerned. 
In an action of cavalry against cavalry, the Horse Artillery has no time to 
change position. They should advance boldly with a support of one or two 
squadrons, come into action as near the enemy as possible, and open fire at once, 
not upon the hostile artillery, but upon the cavalry. All the guns should be 
deployed together, and a separation of batteries should be avoided. 
Artillery positions should be always reconnoitred beforehand. This would 
avoid the spectacle sometimes seen of guns being brought into action in a bad 
position, and then limbered up again directly in order to find a better. 
The General notices that one of the batteries, when charged by cavalry, 
counter-charged with its limbers , the detachments remaining with the guns and 
preparing to defend themselves. The General commends this. He says that in 
war we should defend ourselves in every possible way, and that it is better to 
bring up the limbers to the defence of the battery when in danger than to leave 
them in rear to be used by the enemy to bring off the guns if the charge is 
successful. 
Note. —This appears to be a new idea. Norman Ramsay’s troop charged at the battle of 
Puentes d’Onoro, but the guns were limbered up, and the mounted detachments protected the 
drivers and horses.— J.1T. G.13. 
Tactical Instruction of an Army Corps.—Man(euvres of one 
Division Against Another. 
The General finds fault with the infantry for not abandoning their column for¬ 
mations as soon as they came within the zone of effective fire, and with the cavalry 
for separating too far from the infantry. He deprecates the tendency of the 
latter arm to play an independent part on a distant field of action, more especially 
when they are weak in numbers. The should act in unison with the infantry 
and charge with or immediately after them, otherwise they will probably be 
repulsed. On the other hand, the sudden apparition of the cavalry, when the 
infantry attack is fully developed, may have great influence upon the moral of the 
troops attacked. 
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