Corps artil¬ 
lery. 
Range-find¬ 
ers. 
Artificial 
cover. 
Taking up 
positions. 
338 
role of horse artillery. 
,k Cavalry and horse artillery are best adapted for making circuits by 
which to cut in on the line of retreat.” * 
While endeavouring to lay down rules for general guidance, it must 
be remembered that “ nearly every military regulation should be 
followed by the words 4 according to the ground and according to 
circumstances.’ ” t 
The amount of artillery which may be employed on different 
occasions, especially for manoeuvre, will vary. It must then, as before 
remarked, be a mistake to attach a fixed number of batteries to any 
cavalry force, for while at one time even the allowance of one battery per 
brigade will only be an impediment, at another a much larger propor¬ 
tion may be advantageously employed. 
They should then rather be drawn from the corps artillery as required. 
The latter should consist as far as possible of the most mobile 
batteries, for its duty is to act at any point where” a reinforcement may 
be required. Take the case of a feint directed to distract the enemy’s 
attention from the true point of attack. 
Suppose, for example, that the advanced guard is ordered to contain 
the enemy while the main body prepares to strike a blow in quite a 
different direction. It is allowed that an attack must be prepared by a 
heavy artillery fire. Unless this course be followed little importance 
will be attached to the feint. 
Indeed the very fact of massing batteries will indicate 44 business.” 
The corps artillery will then in the above case be first required to 
support the advanced guard in engaging the enemy, and subsequently 
to reinforce that portion of the main attack which becomes most 
seriously engaged. 
The degree of efficiency with which it will perform these duties will 
depend upon its mobility. 
Power of rapid motion, when necessary, not constant motion, is 
advocated. But at the same time it must be remembered that the 
introduction of the range-finder will modify the evil occasioned by the 
separation of masses and their changes of position. On the other hand, 
to depend upon it too much will often be to lose the chance of a few 
rounds on favourable opportunities. Horse artillery especially should 
be trained to judge the range by eye and from the burst of a common 
shell. 
Again, horse artillery will not so frequently as the heavier batteries be 
able to cover itself with earthworks, and it is therefore especially 
desirable that it should be trained to make the most of natural cover. 
Though the main position is chosen by the commanding officer, there 
will be a certain amount of selection open to each battery, and to each 
individual gun. To take advantage of it, the Nos. 1 should precede 
their guns and select the exact positions on which they are to be 
brought up. In so doing, they will also reconnoitre the ground over 
which the batteries are to advance, so as to ensure its being practicable, or 
rather so as to enable them to avoid that which is impracticable. It is 
needless to say that all this must be practised in peace time, if we 
expect efficiency in war from our officers and men. 
* Hamley, 1872. 
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