Among the arrangements for a battle some are com mon to both parties ; some are peculiar to the attack ing, and some to the defending party. The following are those which are common to both parties. I. Every disposition must be made to render a victory' as profita ble as possible, and to diminish, as much as we can, the evil consequences of a defeat, 2. The arms must be accurately inspected. 3. We must have a suffi cient supply of ammunition, and take care that it be not wanting at any place where it may be necessary. 4. We must get rid of all the baggage. 5. Wc must endeavour by all means to inspire the troops with courage and confidence. 6. The troops must be pre viously allowed to take sufficient rest and food. 7. We must have a sufficient supply of medicines, bandages, and surgeons.
The arrangements to be made by the attacking par ty most be regulated, in a great degree, according to the measures adopted by the defending army ; we shall Cierefore speak of the Lute, first. I. A good field of battle must be chosen, where we are to await the enemy's attack. The field must he adapted to the number and description of our troops ; besides pre senting obstacles to the assailants, it should afford its the means of following up a victory ; it should admit of such mauceovres, as, in ease of our being compelled to retire, will prevent a total and ruinous defeat ; and, at all events, it should afford us the means of a safe retreat. For this reason, positions with strong pro jecting angles, or with defiles, especially a river, in the rear, must be carefully avoided, because the loss of a battle in such situations must be absolutely ruinous. 2 Having chosen our field of battle, we must endea vour to make the best use of the advantages which it affords; our cavalry and infantry must be posted in such situations where they can best act, and mutually support each other ; the artillery, in particular, must be placed so as to produce the most decisive effect. 3. All the posts in front, which are calculated to ob struct or break the attack of the enemy, or cover a flank, should he attempt to turn our position, (such as houses, villages, heights, &c.) must be rendered as strong as possible, and occupied by the proper descrip tion of troops, in order to produce the expected advan tage, and to present a powerful resistance to the ene my's attack. The possession of villages, in front, provided they are at a proper distance to be sustained, is one of the most advantageous circumstances that can occur in a field of. battle ; but all the advantages are lost and turn against you, if you do not sustain them. Villages, when situated as above described, and properly occupied and sustained, are so vety advanta geous, that a general will seldom chuse to attack them, but will rather mask them, and set them on fire with howitzers, and chose some other point of attack, which, though in appearance less proper, will, gene rally speaking, succeed better.* 4. All the generals must be well instructed with regard to the nature of the position, especially that part of it, the defence of which is committed to them, and also with regard to their conduct in every event that can be anticipated, and how they are to give and receive assistance. These, again, must give similar instructions to the officers under their command.
The attacking army endeavours to obtain, by all means, the most accurate knowledge of the disposi tions of the enemy. If his position he found very ad vantageous, we most endeavour to entice him from it, or cause him to weaken himself by detachments. For the art of a general, when he is desirous of giving bat tle, consists in enticing the enemy to ground whet e he can fight with advantage ; but, at the same time, he must take care not to lose in manoeuvring, the proper moment of attack. If the ground be determined upon, the army marches to it in several columns ; the gene ral being commonly with the advanced guard, for the purpose of reconnoitring the position and arrange ments of the enemy. This position may be of a four fold nature. 1. The front of the position may present no advantages to any part, and may be attacked along its whole extent. This is the case in large plains, and such ground, therefore, is sought by two armies, who are de sirous of coming to a decisive action. 2. There may be an obstacle before the front, which must first be sur mounted. 3. The position may be such that we can only attack certain parts of the front. 4. The enemy may be placed behind entrenchments.
In a case where it is in our power toattack the whole of the enemy's front, those who are skilled in military science notice several modes of attack, or orders of battle. 1. To attack the whole of the enemy's front with the whole of our own. 2. To throw forward one of our wings, with the view of attacking the opposite wing of the enemy. 3. To throw forward both wings, in order to attack both of the enemy's wings, and keep back the centre. 4. To advance the centre, and keep back the wings. The first is very rarely' employed with our large armies in modern times, and can only take place with small corps. It is never advisable, unless we chose to place every thing at hazard. The second is universally acknowledged to be the best mode of at tack, because it enables us to concentrate our force up on the point of attack ; and, by employing it, we risk less in case of a retreat, because the army can easily be covered by the refused wing. The third mode is only employed when we wish to outflank the enemy ; or, when our wings consist of cavalry, who commence the attack by overwhelming every thing opposed to them, in order to fall upon the flanks of the enemy. The fourth mode is bad, because every projecting angle in a position is a weak point, and in this mode there would be two such angles. It can only be employed, therefore, when we have to attack the enemy under circumstances in which we are apprehensive of being outflanked, if the wings should leave their leaning points ; for ex ample, if, on passing a river, we were obliged to drive off the enemy, without permitting the wings to leave the apprii of the river. All attacks, in which parts of the army advance, and others remain behind, thus forming an oblique line, are best made, on the part of the infantry, en echelon ; the cavalry, on the other hand, rush out of the line, and make a separate attack, sup ported by the infantry. But we shall have occasion, by and by, to explain more particularly the various orders of attack.