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attack and defence op a position. 
of the tendency of men to collect in groups by training the non-com¬ 
missioned officers to make themselves the centres of these groups, and 
close them towards their companies, whereby openings would be left 
for sending up reinforcements in coherent bodies, and the companies 
would be kept distinct under their own officers. 
Each battalion in first line should have some definite object in the 
enemy's position pointed out to it as the first thing to be gained. 
When this is won, the retiring enemy should not be pursued, except 
by the fire of the artillery, or by cavalry, until the infantry has been 
re-formed, and new arrangements made for further action. The second 
line will follow the first, to secure the points won, if the attack is suc¬ 
cessful, and protect the re-forming of the troops who actually made 
the assault; and if the attack fails, to cover the beaten troops from an 
echelon position further back, in conjunction with the artillery. Under 
circumstances that permit of it, the second line may be employed to 
infuse fresh energy into an attack that seems scarcely strong enough 
to succeed without further aid. An officer commanding an infantry 
attack, should remember that although it is desirable to keep troops 
in hand as a reserve as long as possible, yet he should send in his last 
company rather than see the attack stopped. It is for the superior 
officers to see that assistance is sent where necessary; in fact this is 
often the only way in which they can influence a fight when once 
begun. 
Let us next turn to the artillery. The batteries of the advanced 
guard should take up their position to protect the deployment of the 
advanced guard, if possible not far from the road by which the troops 
are coming up, but in such a situation as not to expose the advancing 
columns to the danger of being struck by projectiles aimed at the 
guns. They will fire at the defender's artillery to divert the attention 
of the latter from the troops of other arms as they come up, and co¬ 
operate, as may be required, with the advanced guard in making re¬ 
connaissance of the enemy's position. When the General has made 
his plans, the mass of the artillery will be brought up into position. 
In many cases, as was seen at Woerth and Gravelotte, for instance, 
the nature of the country will dictate where the first main artillery 
position is to be, but if there is any power of choice, then such posi¬ 
tions should be selected as will enable fire to be concentrated at 
effective ranges on the points selected for attack, and on such of the 
enemy's batteries as bear upon the ground the attacking troops will 
have to pass over. From this position the fire of the artillery will 
first be directed to subduing the fire of the artillery of the defence, 
and when this has begun to be effected, the attention of part of the 
guns will be directed to cannonading the point of attack, to prepare 
the way for the infantry. When the latter advance, it will be advi¬ 
sable at some time or other to move guns forward to prevent their 
fire from being masked, and to give more immediate support to the 
infantry. As during the progress of the attack it gradually converges 
round the threatened point, there will probably only be room for part 
of the guns in the more forward position. The remainder will then 
