12 2 
ATTACK AND DEFENCE OF A POSITION. 
the most momentous results, if it is a question of gaining a certain 
amount of time. In such a case a noble self-devotion on the part of 
the cavalry may change the whole aspect of a battle. 
In making the arrangements for an attack, it is desirable to point 
out distinct portions of the enemy’s position as goals to be aimed at 
by distinct parts of the attacking line, such as divisions, brigades, or 
battalions. If the enemy should occupy several lines of defence be¬ 
hind one another, a portion of the first line will be the first thing 
aimed at, and when possession is obtained of this, the troops should 
be re-formed, and fresh arrangements made for further advance 
against the remaining hostile positions. 
It has already been said that in all probability the attempt will be 
made to turn one or both flanks of the enemy’s position. When the 
troops detailed for this task reach the position from which the ad¬ 
vance against the flank is to be made, it will be carried out as an 
attack in front. A portion of the artillery will be moved from its 
first position as the flank attack developes itself to support it. 
Before proceeding to consider rather more in detail the action of 
the different arms in an attack, it will be desirable to throw a glance 
back to the beginning of the combat, in order to notice the considera¬ 
tions which will guide a general in deciding upon his plan of attack. 
The effect of fire from troops occupying strong points, such as 
villages, large buildings, woods, or entrenchments, is so great that 
the efforts of attacking troops are certain to be attracted towards 
such points, especially as the capture of any one of them will certainly 
exercise a great influence on contiguous portions of the enemy’s 
line. Therefore, a modem battle is sure to resolve itself more or 
less, according to the nature of the country, into a series of fights for 
localities, and the general of the attacking force must bear that in 
mind when making his dispositions. If in some part of the defenders’ 
line there is a portion of open ground between two points, such as a 
wood and a village, it will be of no use to direct an attack upon the 
open portions of the line, for the troops as they advance will be cer¬ 
tain to edge off to the attack of the strong points. On some one or 
more, therefore, of these strong points of the enemy’s line will the 
serious attacks have in ordinary cases to be directed. In the 
selection of the particular points to be attacked the following con¬ 
siderations come into play. First and foremost, the point selected 
must be capable of being reached by a powerful fire of artillery to 
prepare the way for the assault. Next, the possibility of advancing 
without suffering excessive loss must be taken into consideration; 
thirdly, the possibility of directing conveying fire on the point of 
attack gives a great advantage; and lastly, the question has to be 
considered of how far the capture of any particular point will further 
the general scheme of the assailants It has already been mentioned 
that now-a-days that there will generally be a great tendency to 
attack the flanks of a defensive line ; this tendency arises from a 
combination of the above considerations. The flank of a line is the 
weakest part, and is most likely to offer the assailants the two advan- 
