132 
FIELD ARTILLERY FIRE. 
approximation of the range to be given as elevation. In none of the 
old works on Artillery Fire do we find any mention of any subsequent 
proceeding for the purpose of rectifying the elevation, the reasons for 
which are very apparent : 
(a) The smooth-bore might or might not respond to small alter¬ 
ations of elevation and such were really of not very great 
importance since, round shot being used, the projectile, if it 
fell short, would generally ricochet on to some part of the 
target. 
(i h ) All subsequent corrections were made by the No. 1, for we 
find in all the older drill-books that “ after giving the word 
( Ready' No. 1 will step to that side of the piece from which 
he can best observe the effect of his roundIndeed, this 
observation was easy, for the eye could follow the projectile 
over its short trajectory. 
Again, in the older drill-books, we do not find any stress laid upon 
the accurate pointing out of the target to the Sectional Officers and 
gun-layers, the reason for this is again obvious ; at the short distance 
which separated the two opposing lines it was seldom possible that 
there could be much, if any, great choice of target to select from; it 
was like fighting in a crowd where it is only possible to hit out against 
the man immediately opposite. Thus, when a battery came into action, 
it is probable that the target and elevation were indicated only in the 
most sketchy manner such as “ Artillery in front, 400 yardsthe 
selection of the particular portion to fire at, and all subsequent cor¬ 
rections of elevation fell to the Sectional Officers and Nos. 1. Indeed, 
most of us can remember the field-days, the survival of the old pro¬ 
cedure, when a battery seldom had an objective pointed out to it, 
sometimes even no elevation was given and it was not unusual to hear 
the words “ Blank cartridge, load ! Fire one round from right to left 
and cease firing.” The joy of getting off a round before one's neigh¬ 
bour being the reward for this, what is to-day, enigmatical proceeding. 
With smooth-bores then, the battery was the tactical unit and the 
commander had to study and give his attention, to a great extent, to 
the tactical situation, while the gun, or at most the section, was the 
fighting unit. 
Under the above conditions a system of fire-discipline, as we now 
understand the term, did not exist, nor was there any necessity for it, 
but the close proximity of the enemy, and the consequent greater 
excitement of the men, made a most rigid system of drill-discipline of 
paramount importance, in order that, in the turmoil of the fight, they 
might perform mechanically those functions which hours of laborious 
training on the drill-ground had taught them to carry out with the 
precision of a machine. In fact, what was required was “ Discipline 
under fire.” 
After the introduction of rifled arms it was found that the old 
method of procedure was no longer possible. The greater range at 
which it is now necessary and possible to fight gives a very large choice 
of target to the batteries and makes a careful pointing out of the 
