THE VALUE OE MOBILITY EOR FIELD ARTILLERY. 
440 
hardly so much recognised, yet it seems to me a no less leading feature 
of their performance. Truly the incidents of Wagram succeed one 
another with the swiftness and variety of a kaleidoscope. While 
the French were winning at one end of the field they were at times 
being beaten at another, and the balance swayed for a long time in 
uncertainty ere the fortunes of the Austrians kicked the beam. Artil¬ 
lery was called upon more than once to throw its weight into the scales, 
and while its tremendous fire exemplified in LauristoiTs huge battery 
won the day, its mobility was also indispensable to the victors. 
Now let us look at Loigny-Poupry, a great artillery fight of 60 years, 
later. There also we are bewildered by the numerous and changeful 
features of the fighting. There we see the mobility of artillery utilised 
both to make and repel a flank attack. There, too, it was the fire of 
artillery which went far to win the day for the Germans. In a word—■ 
the mobility and combined handling of certain batteries was displayed 
to such an advantage on the battle-field itself that of all the great 
fights of 1870 this one has called forth the special admiration of the 
German General Staff. 
I will try and give you a brief summary of what occurred. 
On the 2nd of December, 1870, Yon der Tann, with the 1st Bavarian 
Corps, was facing south-west at La Maladerie. About 8 o’clock the 
French 16th Corps, advanced from Terminiers, Villepion, and Nonne- 
ville towards Loigny and Lumeau. Yon der Tann had received orders 
to join hands with the German forces to the eastward, and to take up 
a position with his left resting on Chateau Goury. The 4th Cavalry 
Division he was told would cover his right, while the 17th Division 
was moving on Lumeau, and the 22nd on Baigneux to his assistance. 
But, as he accordingly took ground to his left, the French advance 
threatened his movement, and the 2nd Division was deployed in action 
about 9.30 o’clock between Beauvilliers farm and Chateau Goury. 
Six batteries here much distinguished themselves and formed a solid 
framework for their infantry, hard pressed by a superior foe, to rally on. 
Since we are especially considering the mobility displayed by guns on 
this day, we will not pause to describe the closely contested struggle 
which ensued. The French at first pressed on triumphantly. Then a 
brilliant counter-attack by the 3rd Bavarian Brigade achieved a tem¬ 
porary success, and forced their opponents in some disorder back as far 
as Loigny. But the whole French 16th Corps now advanced on the 
line Nonneville-Neuvilliers, and the brigade had to fall back with 
heavy loss. The batteries nobly stemmed the rush of the attack, and 
faced the hostile skirmishers while their comrades rallied behind them. 
They too, had, however, to give way also, and were compelled to fall 
back to a second position where they were reinforced by two batteries 
from the Reserve Artillery, and a chance was given to the infantry to 
rally and recover themselves. 
Some little time previously, however, two Horse Artillery Batteries, 
with an escort of cavalry, from the 17th Division, had appeared to the 
south of Chateau Goury, and their fire, taking the enemy’s advance as 
it did in flank, was of immense service in bringing it to a standstill. 
Meanwhile the 4th Cavalry Division and the Bavarian Cuirassier 
