THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
143 
quelque fois dans une bataille,” says Father Daniel, from whom such an 
admission could have been only wrung by undeniable facts, “ qiPune artillerie, 
bien placee et bien servie, a beaucoup contribue a la faire gagner; mais pour 
Tordinaire ce n'est pas par-la qu’on la gagne.” 1 A glance at the military 
history of the time will dispel any doubt that may still hang round this 
point. 
At Eontenoy, 1745, our unhappy infantry, massed in a deep column, 
were hampered in their movements and delayed under a shattering fire of 
cannon and musketry by their field pieces, which they had to drag by hand. 3 
“We have not lost any colours, standards, or kettle-drums,” says the 
“Gazette” of the day, “but have taken one standard; and the cannon lost 
was left behind for want of horses, the contractors with the artillery having 
run off with them so early that they reached Brussels that day.” 3 
At Preston Pans, in the same year, the guns were not served by regular 
gunners, but by seamen, “hastily collected from the ships;” and when 
Lochiel led the Camerons and Stuarts straight on the guns, “ the countrymen 
whose horses had been seized to bring them into position ran away.” 4 
Seven guns were lost at Ealkirk in the following year. “ At the beginning 
of the engagement,” says the “ Gazette Extraordinary ” of the 23rd January, 
1746, “the horses of the artillery ran away, and some of the dragoons in 
the left wing immediately gave way, as did some of the infantry in the same 
wing.” “Of our cannon,” says General Wolfe, who was present, 5 “not one 
would have been lost if the drivers had not left their carriages and run off 
with the horses.” 
In India, where the country is generally favourable for the movements of 
artillery, field guns were as ill able to keep pace with infantry as in Europe. 
In a battle fought between the Erench and English near Tritchinopoly in 1753, 
“ the English, for more expedition, marched without any field pieces;” and 
when the infantry advanced against the Erench in an action fought shortly 
afterwards, “ the artillery in the hurry could not keep up with the battalion.” 6 
The conduct of some Prussian drivers at the battle of Zorndorf, 1758, 
was so disgraceful, that Erederick the Great at once issued orders that when 
the guns were in action the teams and limbers should be taken charge of by 
cavalry officers specially detailed for this duty. 7 
1 “Hist, de la Mil. Francaise,” Yol. II. p. 432. 
2 Carlyle’s “ Hist, of Friedrich the Great/’ Yol. 1Y. p. 118. 
3 "Whitehall, 11th May, 1745, in the “Annual Register.” 
4 Cust’s “Annals of the Wars of the 18th Century.” 
5 Wright’s “ Life of General Wolfe.” It is satisfactory to know that Capt. Koningham, who 
had charge of the artillery drivers, and who led them in their flight, did not belong to the Royal 
Artillery. No such name is to he found in “ Kane’s List.” It is not true, as stated in Ray’s 
“ Compleat History of the Rebellion,” 1749, p. 265, that Capt. Koningham committed suicide 
and “made his escape by going out of the world/’ for the “Annual Register,” Yol. XYI. p. 168, 
proves that he was shortly afterwards dismissed from the service with ignominy by sentence of 
Court Martial, his sword being broken over his head in presence of the whole army. 
6 “ Hist, of the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan,” Yol. I. pp. 312, 368. 
Yon Troschke, p. 33. “Abweichend von der bisherigen Regel, der Geschiitze im Gefecht 
durch Menschen zu bewegen, hatte man seit einiger Zeit versucht, die Gespanne mit ins Feuer zu 
nehmen. Bei der Beschaffenheit der Knechte, welche auf alle mogliche Weise zusammengerafft 
und aus Kriegsgefangenen gepresst waren, ist es nicht unerklarich, wenn dieser Tross beim 
plotzlicken Yorbrechen der russischen Kavallerie nicht stand hielt. Ungliicklicber Weise wurde 
J9 
