THE FRENCH MANOEUVRES OF 1891 . 
77 
ensured a supply of meat being always at hand to fall back on, if 
required, but it added very much to the weight carried by the men, 
which appeared very much heavier than with us, a serious matter when 
every march was made and battle fought with the men in the heaviest 
of marching’ order. This preserved ration was only drawn on when 
special orders were issued to that effect, and a fresh issue was at once 
made by the Commissariat. The men seemed satisfied with-their food, 
and the Commissariat were quite able to ’stand the strain brought on 
it, and were always up to time in making their issues. 
Wheaten bread was entirely eaten by the army, for its supply large 
bakeries, with a permanent staff, were formed, the principal of these 
were at Troyes and Chaumont, and during the latter part of the 
manoeuvres there was one at Valentigny. The bakers seemed to be 
the hardest worked men in the army, they all worked stripped to the 
waist, and seemed much exhausted from the damp heat in which they 
baked. 
The Artillery is quite the best part of the French army, and all 
Frenchmen seem to have a very high opinion of its efficiency. In the 
early stages of an engagement it was entirely made use of in masses, 
the three batteries of the Brigade Division or group always working 
together, the unity between the batteries of a Division being as close 
as that which exists between the three sections of a battery with us. 
A single battery never moved separately to take up a fresh position, 
the employment of Artillery by Brigade Divisions was completely the 
rule, and the use of isolated batteries quite contrary to orders, unless 
under most exceptional circumstances. 
Before coming into action the Lieutenant-Colonel of the Brigade 
Division, accompanied by a trumpeter detached as an orderly from 
each battery of his command, always rode forward and examined 
carefully the position about to be taken up, and on a signal the Majors 
who followed him, but kept some distance in rear, joined him. The 
object to be fired at was at once pointed out, and the general line 
to be occupied by the batteries shown. The Battery Commanders 
quickly examined the spot their battery would occupy in action, and 
having done so, directed their batteries, which had already been 
brought up close to the position, into the places assigned to them. 
Very little time was lost in all this, as the Battery Commanders always 
gallopped on ahead of their batteries and had everything prepared by 
the time the batteries arrived at the position. In some instances the 
Battery Commanders remained fronting the centre of the positions 
which the batteries would occupy till their batteries came up, in other 
cases they rode back a short distance and, having met them, lead them 
forward themselves, but the plan employed would appear to depend on 
the nature of the ground and the amount of time at disposal. 
Positions were but seldom changed after once been taken up, unless 
there was a decided advantage in so doing, and an advance of less than 
500 yards at a time was never made. It was quite understood that 
batteries should fire over the heads of infantry advancing to the attack 
of the position against which the Artillery fire was directed; this was, 
however, done with perfect safety, as in most cases the Artillery 
