The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-05-23
THE S 'lRIT OF DEMOCRACY.
TUESDAY, MAY %. 1882.
ROnnAs in Action

"The exact moment at which the in
fantry FIRE of the ie'e;ice sheuid COM
zee has been" observes Major DYKE,
"he suhiec, OF some discussion b gus
lswski says: "The F ench sought to
overwhelm the enemy with fire atlnng
ranges. 81 The German intar-
try when on the defensive did not open
fl until The enemy was within 800 or
$50 aces. E* Our habit OF al
lnwing the enemy to approach much
nearer, and of then commencing hr7
rever fai;ed 10 have a wonderful effect. -"
Tais was repetition of our old tactics
in the Peninsula, when perhaps no more
than couple OF shots could be fi ed be-
fore the enemy han closed in Bat
things are very different now, and we
NAV in large degree ascrihe the Ger
inan method OF reserving fire to the fact
of the then inf rinrlty OF their rifle at the
longer ranges. Maj # Dyke puts it well
when be SAYS: 'If she defending infant
~ i, not steady" THAT is, able 10 deliver
disciplined fire when The enemy is yet
at a distance, they are hardly likely to
he go Wh he is comparatively near. -"
eHsEce on The defensive saws Coluntl
Cleiy, Ga well-regulated fire should be
hronght into play at the longest range at
which il will be effective The writer
furnishes some Interesting statistics with
regard to the expenditure of liie ammu-
tim during recent wars. 1t has BEEN,
perhaps. too hastily assumed that be-
cause the Turks managed to blaze swav
sometimes at The rate of from 200 TO 300
rounds per battle in certain eaItaIions,
and because in the future We are likely
10 see a good deal OF unaimed. far-raur-
ing 6re, that the supply carried by cur
Infantry inzfhe fsld is al'oeether helew
what would he required. Every soldier
carries on his person seventy rounds,
and each battalion is closely followed by
thee carts 10 be replaced SION. let us
hope, BY pack snim;lS carrying abuu.
tlirty-s:x rounds per man more. On
the leascEsh'e sUrpc siticn that in our
service unsimed vertical fire will not be
allowed to degenerate into indiscrimi-
rate irdivi,'usl firing, the soldier is srffi-
ciently provided In no engagement
during the war of 1866 did any Prussian
soldier expeni the ammunition on his
person (.ixly rounds). The tolal ex-
pendilure by the tour Prussian armies in
that war gives an average of only seven
rounds per mau. The highest recorded
in The German army during one day in
the war Of 1870 was at Eviers, where
one regiment expended sixteen rounds
per man
The French were more prodiesl in
their expenditure, YET in tie fierce fgh'
oi Rtz. Itiile one division uf the Guard
Lo,l, engaged only fred twenty rounds
per man At the hattie OF Caudahar
Cir +. r .berts' army averaged five
rounds per ma During the defense o
Rolke's Dift. which lasted ihirteer
hours, nine thou, ani rounds were fred
giving sn average of eighty rouLds pei
man. ard fifteen rounds fred for every
2 Zllu KILLED When We hear. so mucl
taid ahoo the tnoimous Expenditure o
ammunition with bieeeh- loading rifles, j
is curious to find that thsi of artillery il
so very much greater. One ferussiar
battery at Sedan f ed I26 rounds PEI
gun A vi lv.lle the Prnsslsn ariiiler.
engaged fred an average OF eight, min
rounds per gun Wills one horses artiller,
hsitAry fired 1874 rounds per gun.-Sat
srday ReUie,o