577 
UOTES 
ON 
,i* .' ’ r '* 
I DEC 211887 
v* 
P* T) ^ . -r ' ' 
ARTILLERY DICTATED BY NAPOLEON AT ST. 
HELENA TO BARON GOURGAUD. 
F. E. B. L. 
These notes, here given in their original form, have been communicated to the 
Eevue d’Artillerie by Yiscount de Grouchy who has drawn them from among 
his family papers. 
It would be superfluous to insist on their historical interest. 
Taken from dictation with a view to ultimate editing and publication, which 
however never came to pass, the notes are free from the adornments of style 
which usually characterize a work meant for the public, and indeed their extreme 
conciseness detracts somewhat from their clearness. Notwithstanding this the 
Director of the Eevue has respectfully preserved the original form, for fear of 
altering the sense. 
The unit of artillery is the division {battery) : for horse artillery 6 
guns; for field 8. The officers, N.C.O/s and gunners of a company 
are sufficient for its service. 
It would be better, were it not determined otherwise by the details 
of artillery, to form a unit of 4 guns, because a battery of 8 guns is 
already too numerous not to be often divided; but what forces the 
adoption of the larger unit is on account of artificers, spare stores, 
forges, &c. In taking a unit of 4 guns all that would be doubled; 
the extra expense involved would not be compensated by the advantage 
attaching to the 4-gun unit. 
*#**.* 
The 4 prs. and the 8 prs. have been rightly suppressed. Gribeanval 
simplified and experience has proved the necessity of further simplifi¬ 
cation. YV'e have progressed in that direction. The 8 prs. and the 
4 prs. were often employed in the wrong place: the ammunition of 
8 prs. was expended where that of 4 prs. would have sufficed. It was 
a very considerable loss if transport is considered, it was 2 rounds 
instead of 1. Often there were only 4 prs. when 8 prs. were required. 
There is no line officer, nor even artillery officer, who can well grasp the 
12. VOL. XXIV. 76 
