346 COMMENDED Essay, 1896. 
SECTION V. 
THe REPLACEMENT OF CASUALTIES. 
During the action captains of batteries will detail men and horses 
from the wagon line to replace all casualties with the guns, and should 
as far as possible send them to their own sections. 
They will also, with the assistance of the medical officer, if it can be 
managed without interfering with the service of the guns, send back 
wounded to the wagon line, whence they will be removed to the dressing 
stations. 
The officer commanding a Column or Park should entirely sacrifice 
the interests of his command in order to keep batteries efficient and 
therefore freely send horses, men or stores to the front as casualties 
occur, and thus keep the batteries able to move and fight. It may, 
however, happen that they will be so mauled that they will have to re- 
tire from the front to refit. This was the case at Gravelotte when 
some of the batteries of the 9th Corps had to be taken out of 
action for some hours. ‘They were, however, refitted with horses from 
the Ammunition Columns, and by ten cart horses, which were taken 
from an adjoining farm. 
It would be well if officers in command of Ammunition Columns 
arranged before horses and men have actually to be sent away, exactly 
who and what animals are to go. A certain number might be told off 
in reliefs so that no further consultation would be required when a 
demand was received. The best horses should be sent away first and 
also the men best fitted for duty with the guns. The men told off 
should thoroughly understand that they may be called upon to leave 
the Column suddenly, and that they are to take their arms and their 
kits with them. 
It will be better to send a certain number forward in a body all at 
the same time, and not in driblets, while the men may probably con- 
viently proceed at the same time as a relay of wagons, on which their 
kits can be carried, is going to the wagon line. 
If the issue of the battle is a victory, there will probably be a con- 
siderable number of draught horses captured from the enemy which 
will reinforce the denuded Columns, and remounts may likewise be 
obtained by requisitioning, but in any case the guns are to be kept 
horsed and manned without any consideration as to how Columns are 
to get along in the future. As the Ammunition Columnsand Park have 
a large number of gunners with them it will probably be possible to 
make good losses in the personnel as regards gunners easily enough. 
The limbers will probably not be subjected to the same fire as the guns 
and losses amongst drivers should be less heavy, and it would usually 
be possible to make them good in the same way. 
Steps should be made towards making good losses in horses and 
personnel, stores and ammunition from the Park in rear, while the 
action is going on and, if it is likely to be a prolonged one, it will often 
be necessary to commence sending forward reinforcements during the 
day. The Parks will give to the Columns with the same unselfish hand 
that they did to the batteries. To make good the gaps in their own 
organization they must communicate with the advanced depot on the 
line of communications. 
