An infantry column that encounters cavalry should deploy at once. If attacked front the head or rear of the column, and if time is pressing, it may form a succession of skirmish lines. Infantry, by deploying 50 or 100 yards in rear of an obstacle, may check cavalry and hold it under fire beyond effective pistol range. In any situation, to try to escape the issue by running is the worst and most dangerous course the infantry can adopt.
In attacking dismounted cavalry, infantry should close rapidly and endeavor to prevent remounting. Infantry which adopts this course will not be seriously checked by delaying cav alry. Every effort should be made to locate and open fire on the led horses.
Infantry Against Artillery.—A frontal at tack against artillery has little chance of suc ceeding unless it can be started from cover at comparatively short range. Beyond short range, the frontal fire of infantry has little effect against the artillery personnel because of their protective shields. 3,fachine guns, because their cone of fire is more compact, will have greater effect, hut on the other hand they will have fewer opportunities and they are limited to fire attack only. As a rule, one's own artil lery is the best weapon against hostile artillery.
Artillery attacked.in flank by infantry can be severely damaged. Oblique or flank fire will begin to have decisive effect when delivered at effective range from a point to one side of the artillery's line of fire and distant from it by about half the range. Artillery is better pro tected on the side of the caisson.
Guns out of ammunition, but otherwise se cure against infantry attack, may be immobilized by fire which will prevent their withdrawal, or by locating and driving off their limbers. OC they may be kept out,-of action by fire which, will prevent the receipt of ammunition.
Artillery when limbered is helpless against infantry fire. If caught at effective range while, coming into action or while limbering, artillery can be severely punished by infantry fire. In attacking artillery that is trying to escape the wheel horses are the best targets. , Trench Warfare.— In the present' warfare,' trenches play a most important reika,, in eider to obtain success, it is. necessary to env:. ploy only infantry which is fit and, thoroughly trained. The, two. factors, "fire ac tion and advance' have been recogni by all belligerents as not havir the same meaning as, heretofore. Success w .nat be brought by these two factors. a one, on account of the extensive use of obstacles. In order to win,,
the infantry attack must be preceded be accompanied by powerful means of destruc tion, such as fire action in all of its forms, grenades, mines, aerial torpedoes, asphyxiating, gases and burning liquids. , During the advance, the attacking lines are confronted with three kinds of powerful obstacles:, barbed wire en-. tanglements, machine gulls and the artillery cur tain of fire.
The French tactical unit is the infantrY division. Every military movement demands that the division be complete in itself. It should have heavy artillery, 'field artillery and trench: artillery. Under the classification of trench ar tillery are included cannon of less 'than 7.5 min. calibre, or those having a shorter range than the present field pieces.
No definite rules can be laid down for trench warfare. New lessons are being, taught, and each belligerent is constantly changing his meth: ods of warfare,' at least in the manner of execution. There is no greater mistake than to undertake attacks, the necessity of which has not been clearly demonstrated.
The attack on an enemy's trench should never be undertaken except after a careful study of the situation; but, once launched, the objec tive must be gained, with the minimum amount of losses and with this one idea in mind. of holding the ground captured. The assault must be of short duration. If cannot be so, unless the attack has been well prepared, well ar ranged, and every detail attended to beforehand, Between any advantage that may be gained through surprise, which i$ not possible in trench warfare, and. a careful preparation by the porting artillery just before the attack, the lat ter method is preferred by the infantryman. To attack' blindly a line of trenches is a thing of the past.' To believe that if 'the difficulties of an attack are known to the infantry its offensive spirit is reduced, is nothing biit a fallacy. See ARTILLERY; CAVALRY.
Bibliography.— Black, William, (Infantry Tactics) (Leavenworth .1911) • Lloyd, E. M., ,