TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OF AMMUNITION WAGONS. 39 1 
wagons, it is evident that each of these must be, either in such close 
contact with the guns, as to be protected by their fire effect or escort, 
or else beyond the immediate sphere of the Cavalry action, the posi¬ 
tion which is assigned to them under the present regulations. In the 
French Artillery, a battery going into action is accompanied by three 
wagons, and on the command “ action ” the wagon halts in rear of its 
gun, the limber forming in rear of the wagon, the teams however do 
not unhook unless the order is given for the limbers and teams to take 
cover. The disadvantage of this system compared to our wagon sup¬ 
ply is the enormous target presented, but this would not be felt in a 
cavalry fight, for that is not an occasion for seeking Artillery Targets, 
and indeed a Horse Battery at limber supply is already such an excel¬ 
lent object that slight additions may be ignored. A modification of 
this arrangement appears to me to meet our case. 
Assuming that a Horse Battery armed with quick-firing guns will 
consist of six guns and nine wagons, the latter would be divided into 
three echelons, the first of which under a Sergeant as echelon leader, 
would accompany the guns, the remaining two echelons being retained 
by the Captain assisted by the Quarter-Master-Sergeant and Farrier 
for relief purposes, but in the first instance at any rate, kept beyond 
the immediate sphere of the cavalry action, and employed under the 
same general instructions which now obtain. The 1st echelon should 
follow the guns at a distance of 50 to 100 yards and conform to their 
movement, but when the guns move in a Battery column these wagons 
should form line at half interval to avoid adding depth to the column, 
each wagon would be accompanied by 1 Non-commissioned officer 
and 1 mounted gunner, whose horses in action would be held by the 
wagon drivers, the men performing the duties of ammunition carriers 
to the section. No gunners should be mounted on the limbers of the 
echelon accompanying the gun, as mobility is all important. On the 
battery coming into action these wagons would form as laid down for 
wagon supply except that those of the flank sections should cover the 
inner guns, to facilitate the preparation for a cavalry attack on a flank, 
the teams would be unhooked, and reversing to the right, would form 
in rear of the limbers and detachments, which in the meantime would 
have wheeled about and covered their guns four yards in rear of the 
line of wagons. Should the Battery Commander find that he is ex¬ 
posed to Artillery fire, or for any reason the normal condition of the 
Cavalry fight is modified, he can give the order “ Limbers and teams 
take cover” when the usual wagon supply position would be taken 
up under the superintendence of the echelon leader; the original 
formation being resumed on the command “ Limbers and teams take 
post.” In throwing back a defensive flank when in action, the limber 
detachments and wagon teams of 2, 4 and 5 sub-divisions move to the 
protected sides of their wagons, the limbers and detachments of 3 and 
6 into line with them, but those of No. 1 incline to the left and form 
close to No. 2 wagon to give room for No. 1 gun to be run back and 
protect their flank. 
The detachments of a section should be arranged into two of seven 
