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THE VALUE OE MOBILITY FOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 
Whichever way we look at it we must be forced to the conclusion 
that long marches at a trot will have to be undertaken on certain 
occasions in any future campaign, and the experience of actual warfare 
will only bring the fact more clearly before us. 
It scarcely seems necessary in the light of all that has been written 
on the subject, to bring forward examples to prove what sounds to 
students a truism. But facts apparently obvious are often lost sight 
of in practice, and it will do no one any harm to be reminded that the 
Corps Artillery of the German Guard marched nine miles on the road 
from Carignan to Villiers-Cernay at a gentle trot in one spell on that 
1st of September which proved so great a triumph to the artillery of 
the victors. That long-continued trot helped to render complete the 
great girdle of batteries which encircled the French several hours 
earlier than it would otherwise have been, and the time gained was 
valuable in allowing a methodical reconnaissance, the selection of a 
good position, and that calmness in the occupying of it which goes far 
to promote an effective fire. 
Neither let us forget von Dresky with the Corps Artillery of the 
3rd Corps at Spicheren. He had marched his batteries 13 miles up 
and down hill in the early part of the day on that 6th of August, and, 
imagining his day’s work was over, had settled down in his bivouac at 
Ottweiler for the night, when he was called upon at 3 o’clock to hurry 
to Saar brack. In half-an-hour his horses were hooked in and he was 
on the road with 15 miles in front of him, over an undulating country. 
Those batteries had to hurry along so fast that they grudged even the 
time necessary to put on a drag-shoe. At 6.30 o’clock the Horse 
Artillery were on the battle-field, and were able to assist their friends. 
The effort was, however, somewhat beyond the powers of the Field 
Batteries, and when they appeared, at 8 o’clock, they were too late to 
be of service. 
The performances of these same batteries during the campaign of 
1870, led by the gallant von Dresky, might, indeed, serve to illustrate 
almost all the varied phases of an artillery fight, now, however, that we 
are dealing with mobility alone, we will only touch on one more of their 
achievements, that namely when at Beaune-la-Rolande, on the 28th 
November, they were ordered up to the assistance of the 10th Corps 
engaged on the north-east of Beaune. 
Again, the superior mobility of the Horse Artillery enabled them to 
be on the scene of action when required, and they were able to render 
opportune aid, having accomplished a march of 31J miles successfully, 
but, on the other hand, the Field Batteries, who could not get along so 
fast, failed as before to furnish timely assistance. 
But it is not only for long and rapid marches such as these that 
mobility will always be essential to artillery. On the field of battle 
itself occasions will still occur when prompt assistance and support can 
alone be rendered by very rapid movement, and when, if artillery is to 
cordially co-operate and work with the other arms, it must be prepared 
to quickly respond to the call of.its companions The inter-dependence 
of the three arms cannot be too often insisted upon. Artillery cannot 
cope single-handed with the enemy’s skirmishers when established 
