If the victory has been gained by the army acting on the defensive, the same rules, upon the whole, arc to be observed, but with more caution. For the same rea sons which forced it to select a position, and there await the attack of the enemy, generally prevent it from pur suing him, and following up the victory farther. They must beware, indeed, of leaving their position too soon, and pursuing too keenly, because the enemy might otherwise turn round and attack the troops which had given up their advantages, beat and pursue them, and enter the position along with them.
If the attacking party have been beaten, the following rules are to be observed: 1. So long as there is any chance of victory, the repulsed troops must be formed again, and led on anew to the attack ; or their place sup plied by fresh troops ; and the moment must be accu rately determined, beyond which the retreat cannot be delayed without danger. 2. As soon as this moment arrives, the dispositions previously determined upon must be made. These consist in occupying with troops and artillery all tenable places, such as villages, houses, woods, heights, &c. ing at the distance of a short gun-shot from the roads along which the army is to pass, in order that the troops may securely retire under their fire. These places must be so much the stronger, if the retreating troops have a defile to pass. And, if possible, the retreat of the troops which have been thrown into them must not be allowed to he cut off, after they have accomplished their object. 3. When these dispositions have been made, the cannon are to be marched off the field of battle, in order to save our artillery. But should there be decisive batteries, which cover the retreat ; we should rather sacrifice them than expose ourselves to the loss of a great number of troops : but we should also consider how the enemy can use them when he has got them. For if he cannot immediately turn them against the retreating troops, it is the less necessary to hesitate to sacrifice a few pieces of cannon to the safety of the army. 4. The troops follow the artillery ; and in broken ground the cavalry march off first ; on plain ground, the battalions which have been engaged in fight ing fall back and march off, and the cavalry, in the mean time, take up a position, from which they can fall upon the flank of the pursuing enemy. When the infantry have thus marched off, under cover of the cavalry, the latter also retire in the best possible order. 5. A rear guard, as in every march, must be formed of those troops which have suffered least; but much stronger than upon ordinary occasions ; and they must proceed with much more caution. The infantry of the rear guard occupies all that can cover the retreat ; and calls in all its posts as it proceeds. The cavalry always marches in such a manner, that it can easily form in order of battle ; it retires, therefore, en echequier, or in such other order as the nature of the ground will per mit ; so as to combine rapidity with order. When an
obstacle occurs in a retreat, the rear guard forms in or der of battle, and takes up the best position for covering the army, by which it must be supported, should it be too violently attacked.
Nearly the same rules must be observed by an army which has been attacked and beaten; only that it must commence by again forming in line, before proceeding in the retreat, at least if it is to be conducted with or der. For the line of an army acting on the defensive, and beaten, is always broken ; although this does not hold in the case of an army acting on the offensive. In such a retrograde movement, the points where the army is to form, and upon which it is to lean its flanks, must have been previously determined. If from this position it be possible to deprive the enemy of his advantage by a general attack, a spirited commander will not hesitate to attempt it. Otherwise the enemy must be kept in check, in the new position, until all our dispositions are made for the retreat.
Both parties, after the loss of a battle, must immedi ately endeavour to take up and maintain a strong posi tion, to repair the loss they have suffered, and then pro cc •d again to the execution of their design. The far ther we retreat, we not only lose a greater tract of coun try, but the army becomes more discouraged, a circum stance which is always of much greater consequence than the loss of a battle.
General Lloyd, the celebrated commentator on the military occurrences of the seven years war, has laid it down as a rule, that an army retreating ought to be di vided into as many strong corps as the nature of the country will admit of; because, in this case, the enemy can do you no very essential damage. If he separates his army likewise into many corps, none of them will be strong enough to undertake any thing of consequence ; and if they keep too close, they may receive some con siderable check. Another advantage arising from this method of retiring is, that the enemy cannot intercept any of your corps ; because lie can neither push be tween them, nor go so far about as to come before them, without exposing his own troops to be hemmed in be tween your different corps. If he follows you with his whole army, one division only can be in danger ; which may be easily avoided by forming a strong rear-guard, who will get time for the remainder to march off in safety ; and the more so, as a small corps marches much more lightly than an army. Care must be taken not to engage the whole corps; because, if the enemy is near, and acts with vigour, it will be entirely lost.