Defiles. 
482 MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
After a time, the fire will be directed on the advancing infantry; but the 
movements of the enemy's artillery should be carefully watched, as opportune 
moments occur occasionally when a round or two of shell at it is very 
effective—such, for instance, as a movement to a flank, or a delay in 
unlimbering. 
When an advanced guard is powerful in artillery, the deployment of the 
enemy's infantry at a distance can probably best be forced by the temporary 
advance of a battery to the front, supported by cavalry .1 The lightest 
battery would, of course, be sent. 
As mentioned before, in the case of the offensive, the detachment of a 
light battery with a strong escort, to take the enemy's guns in flank, is very 
effective, if possible. 
As the infantry attack proceeds, the fire of the defender's artillery is inten¬ 
sified, the effect of the hostile artillery being kept down, in the main, by 
skirmishers. 
The question then arises of whether to fire on the enemy's skirmishers, or 
on the main body and supports. The circumstances of the case decide this, 
of course, to some extent. It must be remembered that the conditions of 
warfare are somewhat modified—the skirmishers of ten years back did not 
play the same part as those of to-day. Now they represent the first fighting 
line, and in consequence must receive a large portion of the defender's fire. 1 2 
To what extent they do so, depends mainly on the way in which the attack 
is conducted, the features of the ground, and the scheme of defence. 
It may be taken for granted that the moral effect of the artillery fire far 
exceeds the actual, and on this account the fire against troops in open order 
has a greater influence on a fight than pure theory would usually give. 3 
The necessity of an advanced guard holding its ground has already been 
dwelt upon. The artillery will have to hold out to the last, combining, in the 
final stage of the attack, the fire of case with that of their own infantry. 
When a retreat is necessary, the advanced guard of a column becomes the 
rear guard, and must protect the retiring troops as well as it can. The guns 
will have to check the pursuing enemy, taking ground to the rear by suc¬ 
cessive portions—in fact, retiring in echelon, as far as the ground will 
permit. 
In ordinary cases of defence, a portion of the artillery would be held in 
reserve. This is, however, rarely advisable in the case of advanced guards, 
but care should be taken not to expose unnecessarily the true strength of 
the batteries at the first stages of the fight. 
Under the conditions in which advanced guard combats usually take place, 
a defensive fight may often change into an offensive one, and vice versa. The 
general rules above laid down will, then, be applicable to the special phases to 
which they belong. 
It is necessary to notice the case of defiles, and exceptionally difficult 
country. As to the latter, no rule can be laid down, as the role played by 
the guns will be generally slight, and totally dependent on the features of the 
ground. Where an enemy occupies the delouche of a defile, the artillery of 
1 Sclierf. 
2 Pamphlet on Attack, by Colonel Fielding. 
3 At Gravelotte, when taking the offensive, 94 per cent, of the German killed and wounded 
were due to musquetry fire, and but 5 per cent, to artillery fire. 
