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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
(7) If there he any point near the enemy's line of skirmishers from 
which our artillery could operate very effectually against him, its occupation 
by our guns should not take place until the hostile skirmishers have been 
driven back to 600 paces from the spot. In such a case the placing of the 
batteries will often be attended with small partial engagements in which 
when practicable all three arms should take part. Tor instance, one or two 
troops of cavalry at least will go forward with the battery, and at an 
appropriate distance will throw themselves en dehandade (dispersed) on the 
enemy's skirmishers; whilst these form rallying squares the battery has 
time to move up and unlimber, and our skirmishers have the opportunity 
to push forward and fire into the squares at a very close and effective 
range. 
(8) In order to meet the flanking movements which the Prussians so 
often prefer to employ, a sufficiently strong reserve must always be detailed 
with which one may according to circumstances either support the direct 
attack or take the flankers in flank. The direct attack should in the 
case of Prussian troops generally have a good result, for with their present 
weapons it is considered by them almost impracticable, and it must therefore 
always surprise them when carried out with vigour. 
(9) Since the entire Prussian system of training aims at teaching the 
soldier to consider his principal strength as lying in his Zundnadelgewehr ; 
since they have carried the abuse of the application of musketry fire so far 
as to instruct their troops at the exercises in peace time, to halt when close 
to the enemy, even when advancing to the attack, in order to deploy and 
deliver volleys, and so regard this as the surest means of annihilating him, 
or causing him to succumb—therefore our troops must be taught that the 
enemy's musketry fire is only really murderous when one offers oneself to 
him as an immovable mark at the best shooting distance, allowing him to 
aim and fire quickly, and thereby confirming him in the confidence in the 
weapon which has been instilled into him; and that to destroy this con¬ 
fidence and to reduce one's own losses to a minimum , there is nothing 
better than to endeavour without losing much time in a useless fire, to move 
on the enemy with a steady bearing for two or three hundred paces, and 
then to fall upon and overthrow him on his own ground. An energetic 
dash, yet coupled always with proper circumspection, will, against Prussian 
troops, always bring about success most rapidly and completely. 
(10) In fighting in a close and broken country attack and defence will both 
be essentially facilitated by use of the cover available. In such circumstances 
the principal part falls to our infantry and light cavalry. The artillery will 
frequently have to move up to a short range in order to produce a good 
effect. 
In this kind of ground, the proper field of action of the Prussian skir¬ 
misher whose bearing is purely defensive, the best opportunity is offered to 
our jagers and our light cavalry of exhibiting their peculiar capabilities for 
offence. 
