GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1896. 805 
The nature of the country, position of the enemy and the special orders 
given to the brigade may dictate to a certain extent to which flank 
this Ammunition Column should be inclined ; but it would appear that 
behind the centre would be the best place, or, perhaps, on the main 
road. The supply after the action should be similar to that of 
Divisional Ammunition Column. 
When we consider how much has to be thought of in the most simple 
case of an army in a defensive position, we feel how very difficult must 
be the task of the officer commanding an Ammunition Column where 
very little is arranged beforehand as in the case of the attack. Again 
we will consider the simplest and most comprehensive first, namely, 
the Division Ammunition Column. It may be supposed that recon- 
naissance has discovered the limits of the position, and that the attacking 
army has extended or contracted its front to a somewhat similar extent; 
that is to say, that circumstances exist more or less similar to those of 
the French army on the second day of the battle of the Lisaine. We 
will not assume, however, a “ moral” similar to that of the French, or 
that the extreme weather exists, or that the country is so deficient in 
roads, as under these conditions. Ammunition Columns will be able to 
do little or nothing on either side during an action, being of necessity 
too far to the rear. 
As we have previously stated, the Ammunition Columns will be 
further to the rear in this case at the commencement of the action than 
in that of the defence. The roads will be blocked to a certain extent 
by troops, and cannot be perfectly known. The general line of advance 
of each division will be known, and the artillery will make known the 
position it has taken up by the sound of its fire—until this happens 
there can be no need of Ammunition Columns. 
The officer commanding an Ammunition Column will thus gather 
where he has to go in the case of a division forming part of the frontal 
attack. He must close up as the action begins to about a mile in rear 
of the guns, selecting a position, sufficiently sheltered, where he can 
be easily found. He must inform the officer commanding the brigade 
division, R.A. of the position he has selected, and having ‘parked his 
column, should proceed to supply artillery ammunition, as in the case 
of the defence. He can do little to supply the advancing infantry, as 
they will be a long way in advance. Hmpty carts may come back and 
should be immediately exchanged for full ones and despatched. But 
little can be done to supply attacking infantry until it takes up an 
effective fire position, such as advocated by V. Hoenig for the attack 
on the line Moscou-Point de Jour from Gravelotte. In such a position, 
carts could proceed to the wood or other cover in rear, and mules and 
ammunition bearers could do something to feed the fighting line from 
thence at great cost and danger—but even this could scarcely influence 
the Ammunition Column. What can be done, must be done, but all that 
the Ammunition Column can do is to replace empty carts and refill 
those sent back. The officer commanding must not press any portion 
of his command forward into the zone of artillery aimed fire and the 
carts of the infantry will only seldom reach him. He can, however, 
keep the artillery ammunition wagons full, so that when the artillery 
Case 2, 
Divisional 
Ammunition 
Column, 
