this state of uncertainty should last a very short time ; the position and, if 
necessary, the distribution of the armament, must be altered so as to meet the 
enemy, and even prepare for his defeat. 
The turning movements which the General >considers dangerous for the 
besiegers, are not, in his view, out of reach of the defenders. On the contrary, 
nothing prevents the latter from pushing groups of batteries forwards under the 
protection of the neighbouring forts so as to take the enemy in flank; having 
previously sent infantry to clear the ground, and drive back any of the enemy’s 
posts which might interfere with the construction and service of the batteries. 
It will, perhaps, be objected that the guns thus pushed forward to take the 
enemy in flank may be themselves enfiladed by the besiegers. This danger is not 
really very serious, because the batteries of the attack, as has been seen above, 
occupy a restricted front at this period of the siege, and have their flanks thrown 
back. The defenders may, however, provide against this contingency by using 
light and portable guns for these batteries which can easily be withdrawn if 
necessary ; having at any rate forced the enemy to extend his line more than he 
intended. If, from the beginning of the struggle, the superiority of the siege 
batteries is so marked that the defending artillery finds it impossible to continue 
its fire, the defenders must at once abandon their position and take up another in 
rear where they can recommence the combat under more favourable circumstances. 
This, however, is an exceptional case; as a rule the combat will be continued and 
carried out upon the ground first occupied. It does not, however, follow that all 
the pieces belonging to the defensive armament take part in the artillery combat. 
Some of them will be left to their special destination, such as the field guns, 
which only accompany the infantry in their sorties, and otherwise are kept under 
cover, and also those which have been in action during the period of preparation 
of the siege, but which are too badly placed or too insufficiently covered to take 
part in the artillery combat. These however, should be either transported to 
better positions or reserved for ulterior employment. 
To this last category belong the heavy guns of the forts which are not attacked 
and the whole of the pieces of the attacked fort. None of these should be 
allowed to remain idle, but they should be brought up towards the front of 
attack and formed into a strong reserve, ready to come into action as soon as the 
period of execution begins. The besiegers cannot do better than throw up the 
works necessary for these guns without delay, as the term “reserve” here, as 
elsewhere, should not be taken in its literal sense. As soon as these works are 
finished and the guns ready to fire, the artillery combat will enter into the 
“ period of execution.” 
Generally speaking, the besiegers will be first ready, especially if the deploy¬ 
ment of their batteries of introduction is carried out under the usual conditions. 
Indeed, the position would be seriously compromised if the defenders took 
vigorous offensive action, and surprised him with his preparations incomplete. 
But this would be an exceptional case, as the besieger has the initiative in the 
attack. 
General Wiebe says that, during this period of execution, the infantry will 
advance towards the place under cover of the batteries of “ introduction,” and 
even of the batteries of “ preparation ” which have already fired, and will clear 
the ground of the enemy for a sufficient extent to enable the artillery to approach 
the works and augment the effect of its fire. 
This further approach is indispensable, because the batteries of “ introduction ” 
are too distant to reduce the guns of the place to silence, or could only do so 
with an inadmissible expense of time and ammunition. This should be the 
business of the “ batteries of execution.” But this operation, even when well 
prepared and carried out, is very dangerous and costly ; everything depends upon 
the manner in which the batteries of preparation have done their work. The 
