SHORT NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS. 
63 
position after a long* struggle, or when it has to take up a position quickly to the 
rear.” 
The full amount of protection and support to be obtained from field batteries of 
light guns would therefore appear to depend upon their means of mobility not 
being too limited, permitting these guns to be moved when circumstances require 
them from position to position within proper limits and with their escorts, at an 
increased rate of manoeuvre over the battalions of infantry, that is at a trot , and to 
be capable of opening fire at an early moment instead of proceeding at the ordinary 
pace of infantry.* 
Batteries of light field guns usually composing the greater proportion of 
artillery employed in the field, and being organized on an economical establishment 
of horses, it becomes of weighty consideration when conducting a campaign to 
have their mobility and celerity of movement fully developed, thereby increasing 
the utility of the bulk of the artillery. 
2nd, As under the present system gun detachments of batteries of light field 
guns are unable to move with celerity from being on foot, thereby impeding the 
movement of the guns, what method of mounting the gun detachments can be 
considered without adding to the existing equipments, or requiring additional men 
or horses to be brought under fire ? 
The rate of manoeuvre of each gun carriage aud limber with its six horses in 
draught, a mounted No. 1 and two limber gunners being controlled by the six 
remaining gunners of the detachment on foot; the guns with the horses and 
detachments are consequently liable to be exposed longer to the fire of an enemy 
without replying in taking up a position, than if the movement was performed with 
more celerity; the services of the guns are also partially lost by the increased time 
occupied by the movement; also the gunners instead of being fresh when required 
to open fire, must be, according to the distance passed over, more or less out of 
breath and exhausted, and physically unfit to lift a trail, man the wheels, or bring 
up a round of ammunition. To these serious drawbacks, may be safely added 
inability to commence firing with precision and coolness, or to be equal to maintain 
it; thus, the mobility and utility of the guns are impeded and lessened, by the 
non-mobility of the gun detachments. 
Methods of conveying gun detachments with batteries of light field guns, to 
enable both guns and detachments to move at a pace more accelerated than infantry, 
have been carried out, by the off horses of the guns and ammunition wagons having 
been made available for the gunners ; also by the gun axle-tree boxes having seats 
provided for the gunners. The application of both systems had for many 
years ample trials under all the experiences of war and peace,f although the former 
was in opposition to the principle of the weight on the back of a horse, being the 
worst application of the animal’s strength, and to the very important matter of 
one man driving each pair of horses. Such a system of carrying gunners on the 
off horses, also appears to be put in practice at times with the Prussian horse and 
field artillery, which are closely assimilated and separated from the garrison 
artillery 4 
* At Magenta and Solferino in 1859 masses of artillery were manoeuvred under the protection 
of cavalry. 
f The provision for mounting gun detachments, as will appear, is only intended when required 
to move at an accelerated pace during manoeuvres in the field when about entering into action, on 
which occasions the ammunition wagons are not available. 
X Professional Tour of Officers, R.A. 1865. 
