78 
SHORT NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS. 
June 28, at Miinchengratz occurred an instance of that gross error so condemned 
by Frederick the Great of placing guns on the highest points on the field to obtain 
a greater range.* <c The king called this a pernicious prejudice, since it was not 
length of range, but its closeness to the ground which produced a maximum effect: 
whence too it arose, that the shot in loose ground stuck fast, and in firm ground 
ricocheted over the lines of enemies troops.” Thus the shells from four Austrian 
guns on the Mushey Berg hill instead of bursting among the troops went straight 
into the ground, and four Prussian batteries did but little execution against them, 
being misled by their height above the plain.f 
On June 28, the Austrian General Gallenz, finding his right wing threatened, 
desires to change his front and uses his guns to cover the movement; twenty-four 
guns were deployed ere the Prussian advance came up, and the position was 
eventually stormed; though the Prussians had been for some time exposed to a 
very heavy artillery fire. It is said however that many of the Austrian projectiles 
did not burst, and that though the Austrians shot well early in an action, yet they 
were very apt to shoot too far, and that the longer an action lasted, the worse they 
aimed 4 
At Nachod, June 27, the General Commanding the Prussian advance, suddenly 
finding himself exposed to a heavy fire from Austrian guns, with the view of 
sheltering his infantry threw them into a wood, where they maintained themselves 
despite a shower of shell which burst around them— Cf. the result at Gettysburg, 
where it was said that the fire of shell against troops under cover in woods was 
not very fatal. 
July 3, 1866, was fought the battle of Koniggratz; here it is a matter of surprise 
that more execution was not caused by the fire of so many rifled guns (600 Austrian, 
816 Prussian). Some of the Austrian batteries fired away all their ammunition 
early in the day, and the Prussian shrapnel was a failure throughout the war, for 
they used percussion fuzes, which led to irregular bursting. § 
The scene of this conflict embraced several villages characterised by fine wood 
cottages surrounded by orchards, when the Prussian guns were turned on these 
they caused much havoc. 
The Austrian front was covered by the Bistritz, a marshy stream; the ground 
was known and prepared beforehand, the guns were favourably posted to pour a 
heavy fire on the Prussian advance, and the ranges were indicated by poles &c., 
somewhat after the Bussian fashion at Alma; this position on the Bistritz was the 
Austrian first line, and this they were compelled to yield. In the fight which 
ensued an Austrian battery fired through a wood at the Prussians advancing to 
storm it; the combined effect of the fragments of shell and of the splinters torn off 
by them resulted in the failure of every attempt to storm the battery. 
In the retreat which ensued the Austrians were indebted to their artillery who 
(though most of their position guns had been captured) came into action on every 
crest to gain time for the infantry to get away. The Austrians lost 174 guns. 
At Tobitschau, 15 July, we meet with a remarkable instance of a quick advance 
of cavalry paralyzing the power to lay guns to suit the rapidly changing ranges. 
Two squadrons of cuirassiers are hurled full against the front of an Austrian 
battery, the ground over which they passed was undulating, their speed high. 
Twelve men and eight horses were lost, eighteen guns and 168 horses were won. 
In concluding these brief notes I would quote from memory a remark of 
Okovneff on the subject of concentration of batteries in action, “ Whatever,” he 
says, “ be the calibre of field artillery, to produce great results with it, it must be 
massed. The fire of three guns against an infantry battalion is of little use, 
whereas were two batteries deployed against it, it must retire.” 
* Taubert, p. 51. f Hozier, Vol. I. p. 229. 
$ Col. Reilly’s Memo. p. 88. § Brackenbury ; Armaments of Europe, p. 60. 
