THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
359 
I observed, also, that the cavalry, when advancing rapidly, had 
officers a good way in front, to see the ground they were coming to, 
and who made signals to the advancing squadrons, who steered clear 
of obstacles by this means. 
The cavalry throughout played a very important part in these 
manoeuvres, and required to be very closely watched by the opposing 
generals. 
I would give two instances which I myself saw. A field battery 
and a regiment of dragoons were being pressed by infantry towards 
a bridge across a small stream with marshy banks. Suddenly, three 
regiments of cavalry swooped towards the bridge from behind some 
cover at full gallop. The battery got across, but followed by a 
regiment of hussars, who surrounded them at the other side. The 
regiment of dragoons first tried to get across the morass; several got 
bogged in trying to cross, and the whole regiment was surrounded 
and captured by two regiments of cuirassiers. 
An umpire was on the spot, of course, to give his decision. 
I saw three batteries of artillery captured behind a village, where 
they had taken up a position under cover; and somehow they allowed 
a regiment of cavalry to creep round their flank, and fall on them at 
full gallop. 
The mistake and error on the part of the artillery colonel were so 
glaring and unpardonable that the halt was sounded all over the 
field, the colonel was called into the middle of a large circle of staff, 
and required to explain the loss of his batteries. His explanation 
not being deemed satisfactory, he was most severely rebuked before 
all the generals and staff officers. 
After an interval of half-an-hour, to allow for the correction of the 
mistake, the fight was resumed. 
Artillery . 
The Prussian artillery appeared to keep more out of infantry fire 
than with us. They take up good positions, and remain there as 
long as possible, and pound and demoralise the enemy’s infantry at 
distances where they are safe from infantry fire. 
We thought their artillery inferior in appearance. There was a 
want of finish and smartness about the gunners, and the guns and 
harness were not so bright and clean as we are accustomed to see 
them. But we*must recollect that their term of service is short, and 
they cannot afford time for cleaning and polishing of iron-work and 
brass-work. They have done their work, in the campaign in France, 
in a way that shows that they are masters of the essential parts of 
their profession. 
Finish . 
When the battle has terminated both armies retire to their diffe¬ 
rent bivouacs, when piquets and outposts are at once taken up for 
the night, as in the presence of an enemy. The next morning opera¬ 
tions begin again, but over new ground, and several miles away from 
where they were executed the day before. The operations generally 
last one week for each corps d’armee. 
