332 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
as in Fig. 8; because all shot or shell falling slightly short are caught 
by the slope in front and prevented from ricochetting. 1 2 
Fig. 8. 
A low bank, a hedge-row, or a furze-bush may be made use of in 
the same way as the epaulment in Fig. 5 ; and even a slight irregularity 
of ground, as in Fig. 9, may prove highly useful. 3 * 
Fig. 9. 
As regards the ground in plan, guns may be drawn up with good 
effect behind a marsh, a pond or river, or a ravine; provided always 
that such obstacles do not render an advance to the front impossible, 
and that in the case of the ravine, it is not occupied by the enemy. 
Such ground is not only unfavourable to the enemy's artillery fire, but 
secures the guns against any sudden rush of cavalry or infantry. The 
flanks of the battery are secured in the same way as the flanks of other 
troops. If the guns are placed in the neighbourhood of woods, brush¬ 
wood, or other cover of which the enemy's skirmishers may take 
advantage, these positions must be attacked and occupied by our own 
infantry, or the gunners will be annihilated. Heavy, muddy ground, 
as well as stony ground, should be avoided; as it is difficult to move 
the guns by hand in the former, and the men and horses may be 
wounded by fragments of stones in the latter. In fine, the ground for 
50 to 100 yds. in front of the battery should be as unfavourable as 
possible to the enemy's artillery fire, and the ground both in front and 
flank should be of such a nature as to render a coup-de-main impossible. 
The importance of a thorough knowledge of a position cannot be over¬ 
estimated by officers of the field artillery; for the security of a battery 
depends almost entirely, and the efficacy of its fire to a large extent, 
upon the use that is made of the accidents of the ground. 3 
2. When to fire. 
If the ground and atmosphere be favourable, and there be means in 
the battery of finding the range accurately, the guns may open fire at 
1 Decker’s “Artillerie a ckeval, &c.,” p. 107. Jervis’ “Manual of Field Operations/ 5 p. 114. 
The American “Field Artillery Tactics/’ p. 43. 
2 “ Memoire sur Senarmont/ 5 p. 22. 
3 Thiroux, “Instruction de 1’Artillerie,” p. 365. I need liardly say that guns should never be 
posted near combustible materials, such as wooden houses, haystacks, and the like. 
