CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GUNS AND CAVALRY. 219 
positions from which they started. What give really decisive re- 
sults are flank attacks, or artillery fire into squadrons which are 
attempting to rally. It is therefore to shatter a foe finally who other- 
wise might recover himself that guns must strive, and it is by doing so 
that they will frequently be of great service. They did good work thus 
at Benevente in 1808, and again, as I shall presently show you in 1854, 
Therefore during the combat of the cavalry the officer commanding the 
artillery should keep a watchful eye on the course of events, and be 
ready to send his guns, or, if he has three batteries in hand, a portion 
of them, galloping boldly on after the enemy’s squadrons, to give them 
that knock down blow that will prevent their showing a front again 
that day. If the success is a very pronounced one he will also go 
rapidly on with all his force, to pursue with fire the flying enemy. 
In the event of a defeat he must act as circumstances dictate, but it 
will almost always be best to remain doggedly in position, and fight his 
guns to the very last. To limber up and try and get away before a 
pursuing cavalry is I believe an hopeless effort. I have read an account 
by a foreign officer who says no one who has never had actual experi- 
ence can realize what a panic is apt to seize men then, how quickly the 
avenging horsemen seem to gain upon you, and how helpless you feel 
with your back turned to them. 
On the other hand you will find an account of how a Prussian battery 
breasted the torrent, and turned it by its fire, in the story of the fight 
at Rossbrunn during the campaign in Western Germany in 1866 
(applause). 
And as a concluding word on tactics I want further to lay it down as 
a general principle that, though the Horse Artillery are to assist in every 
way the cavalry, still the latter is to attack when that one golden 
moment, which occurs once only in a fight, and once lost is never per- 
haps regained, offers an opportunity, whether the guns have prepared 
the way or not. Here in fact the relations between guns and cavalry, 
differs absolutely from those between them and infantry. Ihave heard, 
I am sorry to say, bigoted artillerymen propound other views, and 
assert that the cavalry must wait for the batteries to produce their effect. 
Never! If the guns can act, all the better, but never miss a chance 
through any pedantic scruple as to waiting for them to do so (applause). 
And now, gentlemen, I will tell you something of the charge of our 
heavy brigade at Balaclava, and try and get a few practical lessons out 
of it. 
It is rash of me I know to speak of the Crimea to this audience. Sir 
Hvelyn saw this fight, and so did Sir William Stirling, and moreover Sir 
William served shortly afterwards in this very troop of which Iam going 
to speak, and he knows more of Horse Artillery on actice service 
than any man in our army now living (loud applause). But rash ag it 
is, I want to speak of this fight to-night. 
I desire before I say anything however to make my intention perfectly 
clear. I have not come here to glorify my arm, nor to write a glowing 
epitaph for a man whom I never saw, and who died indeed, poor fellow, 
