ATTACK AND DEFENCE OF A POSITION. 
135 
decide, according to the circumstances of the case, whether he will 
employ it to reinforce or replace batteries in the defensive line, or 
Keep it in reserve till the counterstroke is to be delivered to prepare 
the way for it If the counterstroke can be prepared for from posi¬ 
tions in the front line, it would be probably best to send the batteries 
into that line, so as to reduce the danger of its being forced ; but, if 
the counterstroke is to be a wide one, then batteries might probably 
be with advantage kept with the troops who are to make it. 
A word may be said with reference to advanced posts. It is not 
desirable to have posts strongly garrisoned beyond the reach of sup¬ 
port from the main line, as it will not be possible to hold them perma¬ 
nently, and loss and discouragement will follow their abandonment 
after a period of stubborn defence. Strong points, however, imme¬ 
diately in front of parts of the main line, if they are capable of defence 
to the end, may sometimes prove advantageous, for instance, in ren¬ 
dering it difficult to turn a flank, as Hougoumont at Waterloo. Of 
course an army in position will always be protected by outposts, and 
positions considerably in advance of the main line may be sometimes 
temporarily held with advantage to hinder the deployment of the 
enemy's artillery, if he tries to push it forward without adequate sup¬ 
port ; but they should be given up before the troops occupying them 
become compromised by the advance of the hostile infantry in force. 
With regard to the second class of defensive battles, viz., covering 
actions, they differ from those already discussed in that the defender's 
main object is merely to maintain his position, so as to prevent the 
enemy from getting through. The same principles as have been 
already laid down for defence will apply to covering actions also, but 
as the line may very probably have to be very weakly held, no pains 
should be spared in strengthening the front of the position. If the 
enemy can only advance at certain points, at those points should the 
strength of the defenders be concentrated, and the utmost vigilance 
must be exercised to obtain the earliest information of the direction 
of the enemy's advance. Reserves are required in this case even more 
than in the other, to be kept in hand to reinforce the most danger¬ 
ously threatened points, and the communications between parts of the 
position are most important. What may be done with very small 
means for the defence against greatly superior forces of an extensive 
position is well shown in the battles of the Lisaine in January, 1871. 
Explanation of the Plate. * 
The plate is intended to illustrate the arrangements which might 
be made for the defence and attack of a position by small forces or¬ 
ganised as in the British Army. 
It is supposed that a blue division, reinforced by two batteries of 
the Corps Artillery, has been detached to cover the passages of the 
Thames by the road and railway bridges near Streatley, from a rather 
* The plate has been reduced from the military 6 in. map, and the arrangement of 
the troops has been made according to the indications of the map, without personal 
acquaintance with the ground. 
