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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
diminished efficacy of canister/ and partly from the greater range and 
greater effect of infantry fire. 
3. What to fire at, 
“ In the different phases of an action/’ says Taubert, t( one arm is 
wont to be of predominant importance.” * * 3 It is on this arm of an 
enemy’s force, be it his cavalry, his artillery, or his infantry, that the 
captain of a battery should bring his guns to bear. Should any doubt 
arise as to which arm of the opposing force is really predominant, then 
as a general rule, to which there are many more exceptions when our 
own army is acting offensively than when acting defensively, the guns 
should be directed on the enemy’s cavalry and infantry, and not on his 
artillery. The reason is that if the cavalry and infantry of the enemy’s 
army are broken by artillery fire, the artillery is almost sure to be 
captured, while infantry and cavalry may succeed in escaping after 
their artillery has been silenced. That no doubt may remain on this 
subject, I shall quote the opinions of a number of generals and military 
writers on it. 
Napoleon said at St. Helena that the chief object of the artillery 
ought to be the enemy’s infantry and cavalry. 3 The Marquis de Ternay 
almost repeats Napoleon’s words; 4 Jomini lays down that at least two- 
thirds of the guns should exclusively confine their fire to the opposing 
infantry and cavalry; 5 and Vial supports Jomini. 6 . These may be 
regarded as representing the general convictions of French officers. 
The Russian General Okouneff, 7 and the Swiss General Dufour, 8 ex¬ 
press a similar opinion, which is coincided in by the American General 
Halleck, 9 and the American Colonel Lippitt. 10 The Italian General 
Giustiniani agrees, as far as defensive battles are concerned. 11 * 
Colonel Hamley supports the principle I have laid down, 13 followed 
by Colonel Macdougal 13 and Lieut. Steward; 14 it is approved of by the 
Prussian General Taubert, 15 by Boguslawski, 16 and by Witte; 17 and it is 
1 “Ranges, and Nolan’s Range-finder,” by Capt. Nolan, R.A., in tbe “Journal of the United 
Service Institution,” Vol. XIV. No. 57, p. 6. “ L’Artillerie de campagne Beige,” par. Cap. 
Nicaise,p. 37-42; and Field-Marshal von Moltke’s “Observations” in the “Beilage zu Nr. 27 des 
Militair-Wochenblattes fur den 8 Juli, 1865.” 
2 “ On the use of Field Artillery” (Maxwell’s Trans.), p. 54. 
:t Las Cases’ “Memoires,” Vol. II. p. 285. 
4 “ Trait e de Tactique,” Tom. I. pp. 298, 348, 349. 
5 “ Precis de 1’art de la guerre,” ch. 7, art. 46. 
6 “ Cours d’Artillerie et de l’Hist. Mil.,” p. 228. 
7 “ On the use of Artillery in the Field,” p. 31. 
8 “ Strategy and Tactics,” p. 313. 
8 “ Elements of Military Art and Science,” p. 129. 
10 “ Tactical use of the Three Arms,” p. 71. 
n “Essai sur la Tactique,” p. 252. 
12 “ Operations of War,” p. 334. 
13 “ Theory of War,” p. 237. 
14 “ Elementary Treatise on Artillery.” Bombay, 1864. 
15 “ Gebrauch der Artillerie im Feldkriege.” Berlin, 1870, p. 20. 
16 “Entsvickelung der Taktik.” Berlin, 1869, p. 151. 
17 “ Artilleristisches Taschenbuch.” Berlin, 1870, p. 231, et seq. 
