Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-12-07
SklLLFuL IN BATTLE,
Pointers for Men of War on Attack ant
 

Pointers for Men of War on Attack and
 Defense.
 A skillful defender may turn to his account in some parts of a battlefield certain peculiarities of modern fire arms. The chief of these is the neces- sity of knowing the exact distance ot the object aimed at If the distance is wrongly estimated the projectiles will shoot over or fall short of the mark A, tillerymen find the distance by q n amber of trial shots, for the smoke of tl4e bursting shell enables them often to see whether it is before or behind the target Some time is required for these experimental shots, and during this interval, which may be five or may be twenty minutes, the guns do little hurt, and the gunners are of course themselves exposed to the enemy's sho; and she'll A defender makes the mosi of these conditions, by completing hit measurements and experiments befor the attacker appears on the scene. Il he has thus prepared to shell every spot in front of him that affords suit able site for the attackers guns, the at tacker's gunners will, for from five to twenty minutes, or even longer, be ex- posed to his shells without being able to give an effective reply. In that case they might never be able to reply ataL.
 The infantry has to estimate the range by the eye. This is very diff cult art, in which even great practice does not make perfect. If the defender has measured the distances to the vari- ous points in his front, and communi- cated the information to his troops. Athau will hn fouNv.o h11 han6i. capped. But this advantage tells only at the longer ranges At a quarter of a mile it disappears, for with modern rifles the bullet during that distance never rises above a mans head, and, if properly aimed, will hit him somewhere if he is within 450 yards of the rife.
 Provided a man lies behind bank of earth and shoots over it, his enemy can see only his head-a tiny target at the best, scarcely visible except at close range. So long as the defender does not move he can shelter himself in this way. The attacker, if he advances, must show himself If he halts, he can get shelter only where he finds a bank ready for him, or makes one with his spade, and while making it he is ex- posed
 The defender therefore looks for a ground where he can secure all these advantages. It must be open, so that he can see any attaclker for three-quar- ters of a mile in front, and must have no banks or ditches where the attacke1 can find shelter. Having found such a ground, the defender makes a bank ol shelter for himself and measures the distance to various points in front. I he can put behind his bank as many men as there is room for, about one fol every yard, with a supply of fresh mer hidden in & hollow close behind, he is in that part of his position impregnable against infantry. No rifemen are likely to do his men much harm witt their bullets, and no troops can advance over the open ground without being shot down. The defenders might be shelled where they lie behind thei1 bank, and then the attacking infantry could come up and drive them away But before they can be shelled by thu attackers artillery, the defenders ar tillery will have to be silenced. Until then the attacking gunners will no dare to divert their shells from the gun: that are making havoc in their ranks Contemporary Review.