344 EMPLOYMENT OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
The divisional batteries, as well as those attached to the corps 
artillery, must be employed within the assigned space, to carry out the 
given orders; the manner will depend upon the commanding officer, 
and the nature of the ground. The positions for the several batteries 
must be carefully selected within the allotted ground, and as far as 
they admit of, technically strengthened, and the ranges of the most 
important objects must be at once ascertained. As in nfost cases an 
enemy will have several directions at his disposal to attack from, the 
positions constructed for the batteries should admit of a large number 
of guns being concentrated, as required, at different points. 
On the defensive, the batteries, as a rule, are- placed in rear of the 
line held by the infantry; sometimes, however, the formation of the 
ground may necessitate their being brought up into it, or at any rate 
very near to it. 
A part of the artillery should at once be placed so as to command 
the main approaches which under all circumstances, an enemy must 
make use of, while the other part should be held back at points 
possessing good communications with every part of the battlefield, 
until the intention of the enemy is sufficiently recognised. 
The actual positions are however, as a rule, not to be taken up until 
it is intended to commence firing. 
To enable the artillery to move to different parts of the line of battle, 
and to ensure easy access from the divisions to the ammunition parks, 
roads, where required, must be constructed. 
Positions for batteries in rear of the main position should be selected, 
and easy communications between the two be secured. 
The artillery must avoid opening' fire too soon, and at unimportant 
objects, for this brings no adequate advantage with it, discovers to the 
enemy the positions of the guns, discloses the arrangements made for 
the defence, and points out prematurely what points offer cover for 
organizing the attack. 
The artillery must, therefore not be allowed to open fire except by 
orders of the officer commanding the troops, or officer commanding the 
artillery (officers commanding divisional artillery). 
On the defensive, as a rule, the artillery must concentrate its fire on 
the attacking troops. The enemy’s infantry will, in most cases, not 
attempt a decisive attack in the face of an effective artillery fire, but 
will wait until it has been partially silenced by their own batteries. A 
mere artillery duel, as a rule, produces no tactical result, and ought 
consequently to be avoided; it may happen, however, that the attack, 
in these endeavours to weaken the artillery of the defence, forces the 
latter into one. 
When, under such circumstances, a duel of this character has been 
created, and is proving itself so unfavourable to the artillery of the 
defence as to give reasons for fearing that it will have to succumb pre¬ 
maturely, it will be judicious, if the ground affords cover in close 
proximity, to withdraw the guns from the enemy’s fire, and to save the 
remaining strength of the artillery of the defence for the moment 
when the enemy’s infantry will be making its decisive advance. As 
soon as the attack has commenced, the artillery of the defence must 
