ROLE OF HORSE ARTILLERY. 
321 
so demoralised as to be unable to inflict a loss upon cavalry infinitely 
greater than the cavalry can hope to cause them. At the right 
moment, moreover, the cavalry will hardly ever be in a position to fall 
upon the disordered enemy. During the course of an attack, it must 
be kept out of the range of the effective fire of infantry and artillery, so 
that a considerable time must elapse before it can be in a position to 
take advantage of any success. The whole of the artillery, too, will 
generally be employed in the attack or defence, and at the moment of 
success is sure to be more or less exhausted. To disengage the horse 
artillery from the artillery line, to combine it with the cavalry and to 
launch them against the enemy must ever be a work of time. When 
the enemy is not completely demoralised, an attack without method 
will be sure to fail. In the rare cases, however, when the enemy is 
completely demoralised and incapable of further resistance, he should 
be followed up immediately by all the available cavalry and artillery in 
any formation which may be most convenient at the time. The old 
maxim that the “ last breath of man and horse must be devoted to the 
pursuit ” * still holds good; it is the opportunities for its application 
which are wanting at the present day. Horse artillery and cavalry will 
be in the most favourable position for making the most of a success 
when they are acting together on the flank of a flank attack. When 
such an attack is successful, they should endeavour to get completely 
round the enemy’s flank, to a position where they would be able to take 
the second line in flank, or even in rear, to throw his reserves in con¬ 
fusion, and to threaten his line of retreat. It is, however, when an 
enemy is making a continued retreat of many days that the cavalry and 
artillery will be able to inflict the greatest loss upon his troops. Whilst 
the heavier batteries might occupy the rear guard, and give employ¬ 
ment to a part of the enemy’s cavalry, all the available cavalry and 
horse artillery should be despatched to outflank the rear guard, pass 
every obstacle, and cut in upon the flanks of the enemy’s columns. 
This force will probably effect most when it is broken up into small 
parties, linked together by cavalry scouts, each detachment of cavalry 
being accompanied by a battery of horse artillery. Such a force, 
vigorously handled, might produce such a state of demoralisation in a 
retreating army as to render it incapable of any offensive effort through¬ 
out a campaign. “ This use of cavalry and horse artillery is one 
capable of great development, but, like all such operations in war, is 
dependent on the skill of the leader.” f 
In considering the employment of an independent force of cavalry 
and horse artillery, one fact can hardly escape notice. This is that 
the retaining power, and therefore the independence, of such a force 
would be very greatly increased by the addition of one or two Gatling 
guns to each battery. 
Corps Artillery. — The corps artillery is the special artillery force corps artii- 
which is kept under the immediate control of the corps commander, and 
* “ Studies on Troop Leading.” Verdy du Vernois. 
t “ Precis of Modern Tactics.” Home. 
41 
