TACTICS.
AN army consists of an indefinite number of armed assembled together and placed under a certain state of discipline, for the purpose of carrying on war. It may be divided into Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and Engineers.
The infantry consists of regular infantry of the line, . _ and light infantry. The infantry of the line was for merly divided into grenadiers, fusiliers, and musque tiers. This division was founded upon certain differ ences in their arms and modes of figntiug, and is now no longer in use. The grenadiers, however, are still retained in all services; they are selected for their size and strength, and are principally emp.oyed in enter prises requiring great force and courage.
The arms of the infantry consist of the musket and bayonet ; formerly they had also side-arms, but these were found to be more ornamental than useful. The prol.er length and construction of the musket have not hitherto, perhaps, been precisely ascertained ; the prac tice of different nations varies in this respect ; but the perfection of this N% capon consists in the largeness of its calibre, its duranility, its projectile force, and the cor rectness with which it carries the bullet. The utility Of the musket, as a warlike weapon, has been greatly increased by the addition of the bayonet, which enables troops thus armed to come to close combat. The use of the bayonet was first introduced by the French, about the end of the 17th century, and it has since be come general.
To ellabk the soldiers to use their arms, and at the same time. to render the enemy's artillery less destruc tive, the infantry is placed three deep, so that they can fire at once and behind each other. Each man occu pies a space of about two feet in rank and file, a sufficient interval being left between the files to admit of the freedom of individual motion.
As In the case of individuals, all kinds of troops can attack and defend themselves only in front. Every number and description of troops, therefore, must be placed so as to attack in front, and to be liable to be attacked in front only.
Their arms afford the infantry a twofold mode of fighting. They either endeavour to throw the enemy into confusion by their fire, or they march rapidly upon him, charging with the bayonet, in order to break his line. As the firing generally carries off so many of the troops, that a part of the line is either entirely broken, or much weakened, before the armies approach near enough to each other, a charge, or at least an actual combat with the bayonet, seldom takes place, except in extraordinary or accidental circumstances. The French
boasted much of their success with the bayonet in their late battles ; but the way, it is believed, was always pretty well cleared by their numerous artillery preci ous to the charge. In the hands of British soldiers, the bayonet has always proved a most efficient and de cisive weapon, as they have always, indeed, been dis tinguished for their courage and firmness in personal conflict.
In order to facilitate the government and movements of an army, it is divided into small bodies of men, call ed battalions, consisting of from five to seven hundred men. Each battalion is provided with two field-pieces ; and when several battalions are placed together, they pre,erve as much distance between them as is necessary for the management of the field-pieces, and to enable persons to ride through conveniently. With cannon attached, the interval between batallions is twelve paces; without cannon, it may be six paces. A great er interval is always a consequence of necessity. In large armies, several battalions are formed into brigades, several brigades intn divisions, and these divisions itto larger bodies, called corps d'ornzie, each placed un er the immediate command of officers of a certain rank.
Infantry arc capable of acting upon every species of ground, and arc therefore the most essential constituent of an army. It is thought dangerous, however, to ex pose infantry to the attacks of cavalry upon a plain, where the latter are always most efficient, and the for mer are liable to be broken, especially if they should at tempt to put themselves in motion. But recent results seem to have demonstrated, that a well disciplined in fantry, property disposed, are, in such a case, not only capable of opposing a successful resistance to cavalry, but even of becoming the assailants in their turn. In all broken and uneven ground, such as hills, woods, villages, behind hedges and fences of every description, rivers, morasses, and all kinds of entrenchments, infantry can be most effectually employed, both for attack and del-nce.