THE VALUE OF MOBILITY FOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 
443 
of batteries armed with weapons which are contemptible in the eyes of 
the gunners of to-day. While human nature exists the same funda¬ 
mental principles must govern the course of all battles. What occurred 
at Wagram may very likely happen in the “ next great war.” Indeed, 
there was a battle fought in 1870 some incidents of which bear, it 
seems to me, in certain respects so close an analogy to the great 
struggle on the Marchfeld, that I propose to deal with them together 
here, and to let two engagements, separated by a gap of 60 years, 
measured by progress of time, and whole centuries as regards progress 
of science, stand together to corroborate one another, and bear witness 
to the necessity for an adequate mobility on the part of batteries. And 
in the phrase mobility I would include not only those qualifications 
which enable the guns and horses to travel fast, but the personal 
attributes of the commander who sets them in motion. Before, how¬ 
ever, I compare these battles it is right that I should remind you that 
war does not mean a rapid succession of engagements. “ Victory,” as 
Frederick said, “lies in the legs,” and there are many more days of 
marching than of fighting during a campaign. 
Before ever a foe is seen quickness of movement in getting over 
long distances will be urgently required. 
Rapid marches will have to be undertaken, not only for a mile or 
two, but for distances that it will take hours, or even days, to traverse. 
No doubt such great demands on the mobility of artillery can to some 
extent be avoided by assigning to it a very forward place on the line 
of march, and good arrangements here may render the necessity for a 
great strain of the powers of men and horses a matter no longer of 
very frequent occurrence. But such expedients will after all only 
partially meet the case. When one considers the great length of road 
that would be taken up by an Army Corps on the line of march, it 
will be seen that, even with the best arrangements compatible with 
prudence, the Corps Artillery must still be several miles behind the 
head of the advanced guard, 1 and must move up at a trot over these 
miles if they are to be in position within a reasonable time after they are 
sent for. An hour might be considered a reasonable time enough, 
but an hour, now that the intensity of musketry fire will become so 
much increased, will be a long time in the life of a battle. It will at 
any rate be extremely difficult to make up for what want of sufficient 
artillery for an hour’s time may bring about. An impression will be 
made more quickly than in former days, while the value of a first 
success or a good beginning will be as important as ever. Here, 
therefore, we shall still require as much mobility as before, and we 
should be all the better off for a higher standard still. Nor can artil¬ 
lery with a due regard to safety be placed in a more forward position 
on the line of march than that already assigned to them by our regula¬ 
tions, nor will it be possible for forces in bivouac to bring their artillery 
masses nearer to the enemy than has hitherto been the custom, for as 
Prince Kraft has told us, in bivouacs, especially at night, artillery are 
defenceless and must be left in rear. 
1 According to the order of march laid down in “ The Soldier’s Pocket Book/* the Corps 
Artillery would be about nine miles behind the scouts of the advanced-guard. 
