GERMAN IMPERIAL MANOEUVRES. 
449 
Saddles are carried by all the off horses, on which the cloak and 
other articles of kit are fastened. A blanket is folded in six or more 
thicknesses, and placed on the horse^s back. On this rests the saddle, 
which consists of a tree without panel, the pommel and cantle being 
made very strong of iron arches, the horns are of wood, and a broad 
strip of stout leather passes from cantle to pommel, laced with leather 
to the horns; the pad ( Kissen ) is placed on the tree, a saddle cloth 
or shabracque on it, the whole being made fast with a surcingle. The 
girths and stirrup leathers are of course fastened to the tree. The 
Kissen is of considerable size, and in the front part of it are two pockets, 
in which the scanty kit is carried. There is no difference between the 
off and riding saddles, except that no stirrups were carried on the 
former. The cloak is fixed in rear of that of the off horse. 
The batteries are nearly always worked three or four together, which 
form a division {abtheilung) } under a Major or Lt.-Colonel; when the 
troops, whose advance the guns supported, passed the latter, that officer 
accompanied by an adjutant and orderlies, followed the advance at a 
distance, to ascertain how he might best support it by ulterior move¬ 
ments of his batteries; directly the result of the attack was apparent, 
orders were sent by him to the rear, either to advance and occupy the 
captured position, or in case of failure to be prepared to cover retreat. 
When guns came into action, one round was quickly fired, but after¬ 
wards the firing was very slow indeed. Flags of different colours, 
according to the nature of troops aimed at, were hoisted in the batteries, 
which seems to be a plan well worth adopting; ammunition is saved, 
while a far better guide is furnished to the umpires as to the object of 
the guns, than by firing any number of rounds. 
The No. 1 in both horse and field artillery always rides on the off 
side of the gun leaders; in action his horse is held by the centre driver. 
In the horse artillery there are no limber gunners, every man is mounted; 
the front rank consists of four, the rear rank of three men, there are 
two horseholders one of whom in action holds three, the other, two 
horses, besides his own; the detachment is always posted in rear of 
the gun. 
In action, to ensure quickness in limbering up, the limbers are not 
reversed, and the horses stand with their backs to the enemy. This 
does not appear to be a good arrangement, for it is difficult to get 
horses to stand steady when thus placed; while if a limber were blown 
up, the result to the detachment in close proximity to it would be 
most disastrous. 
In both horse and field artillery long cavalry swords are carried by 
all mounted men, drivers included, the gunners in the latter are armed 
with sword bayonets. In war, pistols also are carried by mounted men. 
Infantry . 
The present mode of attack by an infantry brigade is as follows :—• 
A brigade consists of two regiments; a regiment of three battalions; 
a battalion of four companies. The two regiments advance side by 
side. The leading battalions extend, as a rule, two companies as 
skirmishers, which are followed at about 200 paces by the remaining 
