524 
ACHIEVEMENTS OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
Jena, and, unless the foe were demoralised, which the Austrians were 
not, such vast bodies must suffer enormously in the attack. Moreover, 
the Austrians, since their victory at Aspern, had ceased to regard these 
great French columns with the same dread they had once felt for them, 
and the effect of such crowded masses was at all times chiefly moral. 
These various causes will probably more truly account for the absence 
of trophies than any defects in the handling of the artillery, to whom, 
on the contrary, such success as crowned the day may in a large 
measure be traced. 
Henceforth we shall find Napoleon relying more and more on his 
artillery, and as the inferior quality of the infantry demanded increased 
support, the proportion of guns with his armies steadily grew. 
At Borodino he brought an immense battery of guns to bear on the 
Russian centre, but beyond the fact that it may serve as an illustration 
of the most effective manner of handling the arm, the action of the 
artillery in this battle can hardly be regarded in the light of a brilliant 
achievement. 
In the following year, however, when the Emperor, tottering to his 
final fall, was standing at bay against the allied strength of Europe, 
we may find his artillery doing splendid service for him on many fields. 
Our first example will be from the battle of Liitzen 1 , or rather from 
the combat which preceded that battle in which the gallant Bessieres, 
Duke of Istria, lost his life. 
The losses of the terrible expedition to Russia had reduced Napoleon’s 
force of light troops and cavalry very much, and consequently in this 
campaign he had to move with great caution, not being able to feel 
for his enemy as he advanced. On the 1st of May, 1813, in crossing 
the defile of Griinebach, near Liitzen, he encountered the Allies strongly 
posted, with six guns, on the heights of Poserna, to bar the great road 
which leads from Weissenfels to Liitzen and Leipzig. Being without 
due means of observation, the French infantry were moved forward in 
squares, just as in our day, it has been found necessary to move our forces 
in South Africa and the Soudan. Such a formation naturally led to 
heavy losses from the guns on the opposite heights, Bessieres was 
killed as he rode forward to try and reconnoitre the enemy’s position, 
and 300 men fell without any advantage having been gained over the 
foe. While matters were at this crisis twenty guns of the guard were 
sent for, and under their fire the squares were once more able to push 
forward. As they came on, supported by the guns, the enemy gave 
way before them, and left the path to the plain of Liitzen clear. The 
French thus succeeded in occuping* Liitzen and pushed on the next 
day towards Leipzig. It was on this very ground that, in 1632, 
Gustavus Adolphus had received his death wound in his victorious 
battle with the Imperialists, and the associations connected with the 
famous battle-field could not fail to rouse a special and romantic 
interest in the minds both of officers and men. 
1 Sometimes spoken of as Gross Gorschen. 
