COMMENDED ESSAY, 1894 . 
375 
to deeds equally bold. Thus : An artillery mass surprised the enemy 
at Beaumont. One was driven like a wedge into the hostile line, in 
the case of the Hessian batteries at Gravelotte. 1 One was built up to 
form a solid advanced line, in attack, to hold the foe (Yionville), and 
on the defensive to harass his advance guard, and force his artillery to 
deploy (the artillery of the Austrian 10th Corps at Koniggratz). 
Lastly, but oftenest perhaps of all, masses of guns may be de¬ 
ployed (as in many of the great battles of 1870, and at Cross 
Beeren), to silence and beat down the enemy’s batteries. 
Having thus reviewed what combinations of guns have done in 
the past, and shown that they, by reason of their greater perfection, 
are now always and everywhere disposable, and that the tendency, as 
manufacture progresses, is to take advantage of their powers in a more 
extended fashion, we may turn to the question of how such a mass is 
best organised. 
SECTION II. 
Organisation. 
“War is the triumph of force, of force skilfully prepared and organised.”— 
Vial 2 
A mass of guns must be formed according to the circumstances of 
the moment. The leader of the troops in general would indicate the 
moment for its formation, and decide as to its composition. To do this 
he should understand artillery so thoroughly as not only to be able to 
recognise the opportunity, but the configuration of the ground, which 
will render his scheme feasible. 3 He will sometimes himself give the 
impulse to the guns, as did Napoleon to the batteries of the Guard at 
Wagrara, and as did the German leaders on more than one occasion in 
1870. Or he will delegate the duty to some high artillery leader as in 
the case of Lauriston during the last phases of Wagram. Oftenest 
must the commanders of army units act decisively for themselves, as 
Longstreet did at Manassas, Blucher at Bautzen, or von Wittich at 
Loigny-Poupry. 4 Occasionally the initiative will come from the artil¬ 
lery leader himself as in the case of Druot at Hanau, or Senarmont at 
Friedland. 
The Officer Commanding the Artillery would usually lead the guns 
himself. Whoever he be, however, who takes command of such mass, 
he should seek, both in the occupation of positions and during subse¬ 
quent movements, to facilitate the return of the various units which 
compose it, to the orders of the commanders of the body of troops from 
which they were originally taken. 
In our service there is no connecting link in the hierarchy of com¬ 
mand between the Officer Commanding Royal Artillery of a corps 
1 Quoted by Langlois in ££ L’ Artillerie de campagne.” . 
2 ££ Cours I)'art et D’histoire Militaire,” quoted by Colonel Home in his ££ Precis of Modern 
Tactics.” 
3 ££ Artillery is the arm which produces the great effect proper to it, only when directed on the 
main issue.” Colonel Wille, in an article on ££ Manoeuvres, etc.,” translated by Lieut.-General 
"W. H. Goodenough, c.b., R.A., ££ Journal of the United Service Institution,” Vo'l. XXXVIII. 
4 “ Kriegsgeschischtliche JMnzelsciiriftcn,” Vol. VII. 
