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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

SMALL WARS.

THEIR PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE.

BY
COLONELC. E. CALLWELL

THIRD EDITION.


GENERAL STAFF--WAR OFFICE.
1906.

Publisher's imprint

LONDON:

PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE
By HARRISON and SONS, 15-47, St. Martin's Lane, W.C.,
PRINTERS in Ordinary to His Majesty.


To be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from
WYMAN and SONS, Ltd., 29, Breams Buildings, Fetter Lane, E.G., and
54, St. Mary Street, Cardiff; or
H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE (Scottish Branch), 23, Forth Street, Edinburgh; or
E. PONSONBY, Ltd 116, Grafton Street, Dublin,
or from the Agencies in the British Colonies and Dependencies,
the United States of America, the Continent, of Europe and Abroad of
T. FISHER UNWIN, London, W.C.


(Reprinted 1914.)
Price Four Shillings.


PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.


In preparing this new edition for the press, advantage has been taken of experiences gained in campaigns which have taken place since the book was originally compiled. These include the French advance to Antananarivo and their later operations in Madagascar, the guerilla warfare in Cuba previous to the American intervention, the suppression of the rebellions in Rhodesia, the operations beyond the Panjab frontier in 1897-98, the re-conquest of the Sudan, the operations of the United States troops against the Filipinos, and many minor campaigns in Bast and West Africa.

Some of the later chapters have been re-arranged and in part re-written, and new chapters have been added on hill warfare and bush warfare. Useful hints have been obtained from the notes which Lieut.-Colonel Septans, French Marine Infantry, has incorporated in his translation of the first edition. An index has been added.

My acknowledgments are due to the many officers who have afforded valuable information, and who have aided in revising the proofs.

Chas. E. Callwell,
Major, R.A.

July,1899.


PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION, 1906.


This book has now been revised and brought up to date by the author, Colonel C. E. Callwell. It is recommended to officer as a valuable contribution on the subject of the conduct of small wars. It is full of useful facts and information on all the details which must be considered in the management of those minor expeditions in which the British Army is so frequently engaged. But it is not to be regarded as laying down inflexible rules for guidance, or as an expression of official opinion on the subjects of which it treats.

N. G. LYTTELTON,
Chief of the General Staff.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


CHAPTER I.
Introduction.
 
  Page  
Meaning of the term "Small War" 21  
General scope of the work 22
Arrangement adopted 22
General treatment 23
CHAPTER II.
Causes of small wars as affecting their conditions.
The various kinds of adversaries met with.
Classes into which these campaigns may be divided 25
Campaigns of conquest and annexation and their characteristics 25
Examples 25
The suppression of insurrections and lawlessness, and its features 26
This, a frequent sequel to conquest and annexation 26
Examples 27
Campaigns to wipe out an insult or avenge a wrong 27
Examples 28
Campaigns for the overthrow of a dangerous power 28
Campaigns of expediency 28
The great variety in the natures of enemy to be dealt with 29
Opponents with a form of regular organization 29
Highly disciplined but badly armed opponents 30
Fanatics 30
The Boers 31
Guerillas, civilized and savage 31
Armies of savages in the bush 32
Enemies who fight mounted 32
The importance of studying the hostile mode of war 32
CHAPTER III.
The objective in small wars.
Selection of objective in the first place governed by the cause of the campaign 34
Cases where the hostile country has a definite form of government 34
The question of the importance of the capital as an objective 35
When the capital is a place of real importance in the country its capture generally disposes of regular opposition 36
The great advantage of having a clear and well defined objective 37
Tirah, a peculiar case
Objective when the purpose of hostilities is the overthrow of a dangerous military power 39
Objective when there is no capital and no army 40
Raids on live stock 40
Destruction of crops, etc 40
Suppression of rebellions 41
Special objectives 42
Conclusion 42
CHAPTER IV.
Difficulties under which the regular forces labour as regards intelligence. The advantage is usually enjoyed by the enemy in this respect, but this circumstance can sometimes be turned to account.
Absence of trustworthy information frequent in small wars 43
Want of knowledge may be as to the theatre of war or as to the enemy 43
Illustrations of effect of uncertainty as to routes 44
Illustrations of effect of uncertainty as to resources of theatre 45
Illustrations of effect of uncertainty as to exact position of localities 45
Uncertainty in the mind of the commander reacts upon his plan of operations 46
Effect of doubt as to strength and fighting qualities of tho enemy 47
Examples 47
Uncertainty as to extent to which the hostile population itself, and the neighbouring tribes, etc., will take part in the campaign 49
Example of Ambela 49
Difficulty of eliciting correct information from natives 49
Treachery 60
Uncertainty as to movements and intentions of enemy prevails in all classes of warfare 51
Difference in this respect between regular warfare and small wars; reasons for it 51
Advantages enjoyed by the enemy as regards intelligence 53
Knowledge oi theatre of war 53
The enemy seems always to know the movements of the regular army 53
This can be turned to account by publishing false information as to intentions 54
Conclusions arrived at in chapter only to be considered as generally applicable 55
CHAPTER V.
The influence op the question of supply upon small wars and the extent to which it must govern the plan op operations.
Small wars when they are campaigns against nature are" mainly so owing to supply 57
Reasons for this
Connection between supply and transport 58
Supply trains in small wars 58
Difficulties as to supply tend to limit the force employed 60
The question of water 60
Supply a matter of calculation, but there is always great risk of this being upset by something unforeseen 62
Rivers as affecting supply in small wars 63
The boat expeditions to the Red River and up the Nile 64
Principle of holding back the troops and pushing on supplies ahead of them 65
Examples illustrating this 66
Example of a theatre of war being selected owing to reasons of supply 67
The Nile Expedition a remarkable illustration of the subject of this chapter 68
Sketch of this campaign from the point of view of supply 68
CHAPTER VI.
Boldness and vigour the essence op effectively conducting such operations.
The initiative 71
Forced upon the regular army to start with 71
Promptitude at the outset of less moment than the maintenance of the initiative when operations have begun 72
Reasons for this 72
Examples of evil consequences which arise from insufficient organization when the campaign is in progress 74
Examples of decisive results being obtained by promptitude at the outset 74
Strategical offensive essential 75
This not incompatible with tactical defensive 76
Effect of decisive action upon waverers in the hostile ranks and upon those hesitating to throw in their lot with the enemy 76
Even when the regular army is obliged to act strategically on the defensive this must not be a passive defensive 77
Great impression made upon the enemy by bold and resolute action 78
The importance of following up successes with vigour 70
Small forces can at times perform exploits of great subsequent importance by means of bluff 80
Examples 81
Conclusion 83
CHAPTER VII.
Tactics favour the regular army while strategy favours the enemy, therefore the object is to fight, not to manoeuvre.
The regular forces are at a disadvantage from the point of view of strategy 85
Communications a main cause of this 85
Enemy has little anxiety as to communications, and operations cannot be directed against them 86
Examples of this 87
The enemy's mobility benefits him strategically 87
His power of sudden concentration and dispersion 88
Note that the mobility of the enemy does not necessarily prevent strategical surprises by the regulars 89
The hotter organized the enemy the less does he enjoy the strategical advantage 90
On the battle-field the advantage passes over to the regular forces 90
Reasons for the tactical superiority of the organized army 90
Since tactical conditions are favourable, while strategical conditions are the reverse, the object is to bring matters to a tactical issue. Usually better to fight the enemy than to manoeuvre him out of his position 91
Example of Tel-el-Kebir 92
Objection to elaborate manoeuvres as compared to direct action 92
Circumstances when this principle does not hold good 94
The question of the wounded 95
How this may hamper the regular troops strategically 96
CHAPTER VIII.
To avoid desultory warfare the enemy must be brought to battle, and in such manner as to make his defeat decisive.
Prolonged campaigns to be avoided 97
Reasons for this 97
Troops suffer from disease 97
Supply difficulties render protracted operations undesirable 98
Enemy gains time to organize his forces 98
Desultory operations tend to prolong a campaign 98
Guerilla warfare very unfavourable to regular troops 99
Indecisive conduct of campaign tends to desultory warfare 100
Examples 100
Skirmishes should be avoided 102
Sometimes desirable to conceal strength so as to encourage enemy to fight 102
General engagements the object to bo aimed at 103
Examples 103
Campaigns where circumstances oblige the enemy to adopt a decisive course of action arc the most satisfactory 105
Owing to difficulty of getting enemy to accept battle, it is expedient to ensure a decisive victory when he does so 106
Battles sometimes to be avoided if losses cannot be risked 107
CHAPTER IX.
Division of force, often necessitated by the circumstances, is less objectionable rn these campaigns than in regular warfare.
Usual objections to division of force 108
Conditions of campaign often render it unavoidable in small wars 108
Moral effect of numerous columns 109
Enemy unable to profit by the situation and confused by several invading forces 110
Examples 111
Several columns have advantage that, even if some fail to make way, others succeed 111
Separation only permissible if each portion can stand by itself 112
Difficulty of judging requisite strength 112
Separation dangerous when superiority is not established 113
Difficulty of calculating upon exact co-operation between two separated forces intended to unite for some particular object 113
CHAPTER X.
Lines ok communications, their liability to attack, the drain they are upon the army, and the circumstances under which they can be dispensed with.
Organization of lines of communication need not be considered in detail 115
Their length and liability of attack 116
Need of special force to guard them 116
Examples 117
Large numbers of troops absorbed 117
Abandoning communications altogether 118
Liberty of action which the force gains thereby 118
It involves the army being accompanied by large convoys 119
Question greatly affected by the length of time which the operation involves 120
Partial abandonment of communications 120
Examples of armies casting loose from their communications for a considerable time 121
Sir F. Roberts' daring advance on Kabul 122
Risks attending this 122
Inconvenience which may arise from the force being unable to communicate with bodies with which it may be co-operating 123
Conclusion as to abandonment of communications 124
CHAPTER XI.
Guerilla warfare in general
.
Guerilla warfare in general 125
Influence of terrain 127
Promptitude and resolution essential to deal with guerillas 127
Abd-el-Kader 128
General Bugeaud's mode of crushing him 128
Campaigns when want of mobility and decision on the part of the regular troops against guerillas has had bad effect 129
The broad principles of the strategy to be employed against guerillas 130
The war in Cuba 131
The sub-division of the theatre of war into sections 133
Fortified posts and depots 134
Flying columns 135
Their strength and composition 136
Columns of mounted troops in certain theatres of war 136
Suppression of the rebellion in Southern Rhodesia 137
The columns in the South African War 139
Danger of very small columns 140
Need for independence 142
Difficulty of controlling movements of separated columns 142
The South African "drives" 143
Need of a good Intelligence department in guerilla warfare, and of secrecy 143
Carrying off cattle and destroying property 145
Objection to the principle of raids 146
Pacification of revolted districts 147
Hoche in La Vendee 147
Upper Burma 147
Severity sometimes necessary 148
Conclusion 148
CHAPTER XII.
Tactics of attack.
Offensive tactics generally imperative 150
How theory of attack differs in small wars from regular warfare 150
Artillery preparation 152
When and when not expedient 152
Objections to it 153
If enemy is strongly posted sometimes very desirable 154
It also sometimes saves time 154
Instances of want of artillery preparation 154
Importance of capturing enemy's guns 156
Trust of irregular warriors in their guns 157
Importance of capturing trophies 158
Difficulty of ensuring decisive success 159
Reasons for this 159
Objection to purely frontal attacks, advantage of Hank attack" 160
Enemy seldom prepared for flank attacks, or attack in rear 161
Examples 161
Flank attacks give better chance of decisive victory 162
Containing force, in case of attacks on the flank or rear of the company 163
Action of Kirbekan, a rear attack 164
Co-operation of containing force 164
Main attack on the flank 164
Peiwar Kotal 165
Enemy inclined to draw away his forces to meet the Hank attack and so opens the way for a frontal attack 166
Difficulty of ensuring combination between a front and a flank attack 167
Ali Musjid 168
French disaster at Bang Bo 168
Cavalry in flank attacks 169
Artillery in flank attacks 170
Imperative necessity of following up a preliminary success 170
Need of initiative on the part of subordinates in attack 171
Cavalry to be at hand to complete victory 172
Other arms to play into the hands of the cavalry 173
Importance of the cavalry acting at the right moment 173
Artillery to be pushed up to the front to play on enemy when lie
gives way 174
Attack often offers opportunities for deceiving the enemy as to available strength, and thus for gaining successes with insignificant forces 175
The separation of force on the battlefield 175
Advantages of this 177
Examples 177
Disadvantages 178
Enemy may beat fractions in detail 178
Difficulty of manoeuvring detached forces effectively 180
Detached bodies may fire into each other 181
Risk of misunderstandings 182
Examples 183
Note on the battle of Adowa 184
Risk of counter-attack 184
Examples of hostile counter-attack 185
Need of co-operation between infantry and artillery to meet counterattacks 186
Tendency of enemy to threaten flanks and rear of attacking force 186
The battle of Isly 187
An illustration of an echelon formation 188
Remarks on the echelon formation 188
Importance of pressing on, and not paying too much attention to demonstrations against flanks and rear 189
Attacks on caves in South Africa 191
Hour for attack 192
Attacks at dawn 192
Examples 193
Attacks early in the day expedient, to allow of effective pursuit 194
CHAPTER XIII.
Tactics of defence.
Defensive attitude unusual, but sometimes unavoidable 195
Small bodies of regular troops hemmed in 196
Even then defensive must not be purely passive 196
Examples of minor counter-attacks under such circumstances 197
A counter-attack on a large scale must not miscarry where the army is in difficulties 198
Evils of passive defenoe if not imperative 199
Examples 200
Active defence 201
Remarks on defensive order of battle 202
The engagement at Kailua as example of active defence 203
Advantages of a line formation over square, even when the enemy is addicted to shock tactics 203
Examples 204
Difficulty as to flanks 205
The enemy may decline to attack 205
Conclusion 206
CHAPTER XIV.
Pursuits and retreats.
Enemy not prepared for a vigorous pursuit if beaten, or for following up their victory with energy if triumphant 207
Their mobility makes them difficult to pursue 207
Infantry in pursuit 208
Need for great vigour 209
Detached force to strike in on line of retreat 209
Tendency of the enemy to disperse in all directions 210
Use of cavalry and horse artillery in pursuit 211
Retreats 211
Difficulty caused by carrying off wounded in retreat 212
Retreat draws down upon the troops the waverers in the hostile ranks 212
Enemy's eagerness at first to follow up a retiring force 213
Examples 213
Although irregular warriors at first keen in pursuit their ardour soon cools 214
Examples 215
Annihilation of regular forces due generally to their being completely isolated or to special causes 216
Beginning of retreat the critical period 216
General organization of a retreat 217
General Duchesne's orders 218
Note as to retreat in face of very determined adversaries who rely on shock attacks 219
Rearguards 219
Importance of main body keeping touch with the rear guard withdrawal of rear guards counter-attack sometimes the wisest course when a rear guard is in serious difficulty 220
Lieut.-Col. Haughton at the retreat from the Tseri Kandao pass 224
Conclusion 225
CHAPTER XV.
The employment of feints to tempt the enemy into action and to conceal designs upon the battlefield.
Drawing the enemy on 227
Reasons why this can so often be carried out 227
How enemy's eagerness to follow up a retiring force can be turned to account 228
Hostile leaders cannot control their followers 229
The Zulus drawn into a premature attack at Kambula 229
Other examples 230
Value of the stratagem of pretended retreat in insurrectionary wars 231
Cavalry especially well adapted for this sort of work 231
Enticing tho enemy into an ambuscade 232
Enemy sometimes drawn on unintentionally 233
Examples of Arogee and Nis Gol 233
Drawing the enemy on by exposing baggage, &c 234
Drawing enemy on by artillery fire 234
Inducing the enemy to hold his ground when inclined to retire 235
Feints as to intended point of attack 235
In some cases the enemy cannot be drawn into action 235
The action of Toski as an illustration of this 237
Conclusion 238
CHAPTER XVI.
Surprises, raids and ambuscades.
Surprise a favourite weapon of the enemy, but one which can also be used against him 240
Best time of day for surprises 240
By day a rapid march from a distance is generally necessary 241
Mobility essential in troops employed 241
Importance of keeping the project secret 242
Enemy to be put on a false scent if possible 244
Raids a form of surprise 245
Raids on the live stock of the enemy 245
The French "razzias" in Algeria 246
Difficulty of bringing in captured cattle, &c 247
Ambuscades 248
Ease with which the enemy can sometimes be drawn into them 248
Remarks on the arrangement of ambuscades 250
Points to bear in mind 252
Skill of the enemy in devising ambuscades in small wars 252
The ambuscade at Shekan 254
Other examples 254
CHAPTER XVII.
Squares in action on the march and in bivouac.
Square formation cannot be satisfactorily treated under the head either of attack or defence 256
Object of square formation 256
Enemy's tendency to operate against the flanks and rear of regular troops 257
Two forms of squares, the rigid and the elastic. The rigid form here dealt with 258
Usual formation 259
Squares in action. A formation at once offensive and defensive 259
Example of Achupa in Dahomey 259
Organization of squares in action 260
AbuKlea 261
Question of skirmishers 261
How to deal with gaps 262
Suggestion as to reserves in squares 262
The corners 263
Position of artillery 263
Position of cavalry 264
Question of forming two or more squares 265
Square affords a target for the enemy 266
Limited development of fire from a square 267
Square in attack 267
Tamai 267
Capture of Bida 268
Square formation has frequently proved most effective 269
Square formation as an order of march 270
Forming square on the move 270
Difficulties of marching in square 272
Suakin 1885 273
Artillery and cavalry with reference to squares on the march 274
Bivouac in square 276
Conclusion 276
CHAPTER XVIII.
Principles of laager and zeriba warfare.
General principles of laager and zeriba warfare 277
Tactically a defensive system 278
Objections to this 278
Situations where laagers and zeribas are very necessary 279
Their value in dealing with guerillas 279
Conditions necessary for their construction 280
Campaigns in which laagers and zeribas have been largely used 280
Their special advantages 282
Economy of outposts 282
Security at night 282
They generally, but not necessarily, enable the regular troops to select their ground and time for fighting 282
They afford the troops repose during prolonged operations 284
may become defence posts upon the line of communications, or may serve as supply depots in advance of an army 284
General conclusions 285
CHAPTER XIX.
Hill warfare.
Explanation of the term "hill warfare" 286
Its difficulties in all parts of the world 286
"Sniping" 287
Retirements unavoidable at times 287
Care of the wounded 288
Special risk to officers in Indian frontier fighting 288
Enemy generally warlike and nowadays well armed 289
Stones and trees can be thrown down on the troops 289
Size of columns 290
Several columns usual 291
Length of marches 291
The troops generally on the lower ground, the enemy on the heights 292
"Crowning the heights" 292
Examples of neglect of this 292
Enemy's dislike of attacking up hill and of being commanded 293
Seizing the high ground in attacking a defile 294
Occupying the heights in moving along a valley or defile 294
Moving flanking parties, and stationary flanking piquets 294
General arrangement when stationary picquets are adopted 295
Remarks on flanking picquets 296
Remarks on moving flanking parties 298
Comparison of system of crowning the heights to square formation 299
Retirement a necessity at times, but general conduct of operations should be such as to render them as infrequent as possible 299
Reconnaissances, in reference to this 300
Forces detached for particular objects, in reference to it 300
Holding capture heights, in reference to it 302
The case of Dargai 302
Troops not to get into clusters under enemy's fire 303
Remarks on attack in hill warfare 304
The Gurkha scouts attacking above Thati 305
Turning movements not to be undertaken too readily 306
Mountain guns and cavalry in attack in hill warfare 307
Remarks on the destruction of villages 308
The work must be carried out deliberately 308
Principle of attacking a village 309
Presence of women and children in villages 310
Stone throwers 310
The difficulty of communicating orders during action in hill warfare 310
Precautions to be observed 312
Importance of avoiding being benighted 313
Course to be pursued if troops are benighted 315
An early decision to be arrived at as to intended course of action when night approaches 315
Guns to be sent on 316
Examples of troops being benighted 317
Troops on the move at night 318
Sir W. Lockhart's maxims 320
Advantages which experienced troops enjoy in this class of warfare 320
Danger of even small ravines unless the heights are held 321
Value of counter-attack when troops get into difficulties 322
Examples of catching the enemy in ravines 322
General question of rear guards and retirements 324
Persistency of hill men in pursuit 325
The fact that the retirement is generally down hill tells against the regulars 326
Advisability of a sudden start and rapid movement at first when retiring 327
Changing a movement of advance into one of retirement 328
Details of retirement operations 329
Withdrawal of picquets 329
Picquets covering each other's retirements 330
Importance of parties nearest the enemy getting timely notice of intended retirement 332
Direction to be followed by retiring picquets 332
Pursuit often checked completely if enemy is roughly handled at the start 333
Value of counter-attacks when in retreat 334
Ravines to be avoided, and junctions of these with valleys to be specially guarded 335
Men to bo sent on ahead to find the route in unknown country 335
Pace of column to be regulated by that of rear guard 336
The theory of rear guard duties in hill warfare 336
Position of baggage in retreats 338
Remarks on operations in forest-clad hills 339
Flankers in such terrain 340
Stockades 341
The first reconnaissance to Saran Sar in Tirah as an example of hill warfare 342
Scouts 345
Outposts 346
Conclusion 346
CHAPTER XX.
Bush warfare.
Comparison between the general features of bush warfare and of hill warfare 348
The question of scouts 352
Special infantry organization necessary 353
Sectional organization in Ashanti 354
Tendency of the enemy to attack flanks and rear 354
Flanking parties 355
This leads to a kind of square formation being very generally adopted 355
Its employment in Dahomey 355
Example of Amoaful 357
Advantages of this formation in bush fighting 358
Baggage and supply train 359
Arrangement of marches in the bush 359
Action of troops when fired upon 360
Small columns in the bush 362
Remarks on operations in a hilly country covered with jungle 362
Attack of stockades 362
Movement through very thick jungle 364
Guides 365
Difficulty of following up success in the bush, and consequence of this 365
Danger of dividing force in such country 367
How to avoid enemy's ambuscades. Impossibility of doing so in some theatres of war 368
Sir F. Roberts's instructions for dealing with ambuscades in Burma 368
Retreats in the bush 369
Heavy expenditure of ammunition 370
Searching the bush with volleys 371
Firing the bush 372
Conclusion 373
CHAPTER XXI.
Infantry tactics.
Scope of this chapter 374
Object of normal infantry fighting formation 374
Reasons why this is not altogether applicable to small wars 375
Deep formation unusual in attack 375
Reasons 375
Proportion of supports and reserves can generally be reduced 379
Attacks on hill positions 377
British and French methods 377
Reserving fire in attack 378
Formation at Tel-el-Kebir 379
Attack on the Atbara zeriba 379
Tendency to draw supports and reserves forward to extend the firing line 381
General Skobelef s peculiar views 381
The company frequently made the unit 382
Attacks should usually be carried out at a deliberate pace 383
Infantry crossing especially dangerous zones 384
Compact formations desirable on the defensive 386
Macdonald's brigade at the battle of Khartum 387
Infantry opposed to irregular cavalry 388
Great importance of thorough fire discipline 388
Magazine rifle in the case of fanatical rushes 389
The question of volleys and of independent fire 390
Fire discipline in hill warfare 392
The conditions which in regular warfare make unrestrained fire at times almost compulsory, do not exist in small wars 392
Fire discipline on the defensive 393
Advantage of reserving fire for close quarters 394
Foreign methods 395
Remarks on the expenditure of ammunition 396
Expenditure of ammunition during night attacks 397
The bayonet of great value, although theoretically the superiority of the regulars should be more marked as regards musketry than in hand to hand fighting 398
Great effect of bayonet charges 399
On the defensive the bayonet is less certain 399
CHAPTER XXII.
Cavalry and mounted troops generally.
Variety in mounted troops employed 401
Necessity generally of a respectable force of mounted troops in these campaigns 401
Examples of want of mounted troops 402
Need of mounted troops for raids 403
Importance of cavalry shock action 404
Risk of falling into ambushes or getting into ground where cavalry cannot act 405
Cavalry able to act effectively on broken ground where it would be useless in regular warfare 406
Irregular hostile formations militate against effective cavalry charges 406
Cavalry and horse artillery 408
Cavalry acting against hostile mounted troops 409
Importance of discipline and cohesion in such work 409
Difficulty of meeting a reckless charge of fanatical horsemen 410
Enemy's horse inclined to use firearms from the saddle 411
Cavalry if rushed to keep away from the infantry 412
Cavalry dealing with horsemen who fight on foot 412
Importance of lance 414
Skobelef s views on the action of Russian cavalry in the Turkoman campaign 414
Dismounted action of cavalry 415
Risk to horse-holders and horses 415
Combination of mounted and dismounted work suitable in certain conditions 416
Dismounted action the only possible action of cavalry in very broken ground 418
Valuable where judiciously used against hostile masses otherwise engaged 419
Dismounted action in general 420
Mounted troops, when dismounted, sometimes able to pose as a large force and so deceive the enemy 420
Mounted troops attacking-mounted 420
Mounted rifles and mounted infantry as compared t cavalry 422
Final remarks on dismounted work 423
CHAPTER XXIII.
Camel corps.
Camel corps a form of mounted infantry 425
Object to be able to traverse long distances 425
Difficult position of camel corps in action 426
Their helplessness when mounted. How to act if suddenly attacked 427
The affair of Burnak as illustrating camel operations 427
Camel corps only suitable in certain theatres of war 428
CHAPTER XXIV.
Artillery tactics.
Artillery preparation 429
Guns to push up to close range 429
Examples 430
Chief risk run by guns pushed well to the front 432
Massing of guns unusual and generally unnecessary 433
Question of dispersion of guns in attack 433
Dispersion of guns on the defensive 435
Value of guns on the defensive against fanatical rushes 430
Comparative powerlessness of guns against mud villages 437
High explosives 438
Guns must be light and generally portable 438
Question of case shot 439
CHAPTER XXV.
Machine guns.
Uncertainty as to how best to employ them 440
Their frequent failure till recently 440
Their value on the defensive 441
CHAPTER XXVI.
The service of security.
Importance of the service of security 442
Outposts 442
Hour at which the enemy is most likely to give trouble 442
Hostile night attacks unusual 443
Comparatively small size of force helps enemy in preparing for night attacks 445
The Boer night attacks 445
Attacks at dawn very frequent 446
Annoyance by marauders and small hostile parties at night very common 448
Principle of outposts 448
Difference between the system in regular warfare and in .small wars 449
Liability to attack from any side 450
Outposts generally close in, and not intended to offer serious resistance 451
Units to be protected generally find their own outposts 451
Arrangement of outposts, however varies according to nature of enemy 452
Extent to which the rapid movements of irregular warriors influence outposts 452
Difficulties of outposts in jungle and bush and in the hills 454
Tofrek 455
Picquets by day 455
Objections to the plan of outposts falling back at once on the main body 456
Picquets in hill warfare by day 457
Outposts in the bush by day 458
Need of even small parties always keeping a look-out in enclosed country 459
Regular troops to a certain extent at a disadvantage in outpost work in small wars 460
General remarks on outposts at night 461
Outposts at night on open ground 462
Outposts at night in the South African War 463
Distant picquets at night 464
Ambuscades as outposts 466
General Yusuf's system peculiar 466
Outposts by night in bush warfare 467
Outposts by night in hill warfare 467
The system of distant picquets at night not always adopted in hill warfare 470
Remarks on dealing with snipers at night 471
Sentries at night 472
Posting picquets at night 473
Defensive arrangements in front of outposts at night 474
Sir B. Blood's plan of using villagers as outposts 474
Service of security on the march 474
Effect of hostile tendency to operate against flanks and rear 475
Service of security when marching in square 476
Flanking parties and rear guards 476
Convoys 477
Importance of keeping columns on the march well closed up 478
Duties of the advanced guard 478
Conclusion 479
CHAPTER XXVII.
Night operations.
Reason why night attacks find so much favour in the present day 481
General question of their advisability in small wars 481
Upon the whole the drawbacks decidedly outweigh the advantages 482
Risk of confusion and panic 4S3
Objections less serious in the case of attacks on a very small scale 485
Division of force at night almost always a mistake 485
Need of careful preparations 486
Precautions against assailants mistaking each other for the enemy 486
The bayonet the weapon for night attacks 487
Examples of successful night attacks on a small scale 487
Night marches. When especially advantageous 488
Risk of movement being detected by some accident 489
Enemy keeps a bad look-out at night 490
Risk of confusion on the march 491
Importance of the troops being well disciplined 492
General conclusions as to night operations 493
Arrangements for repelling night attacks 494
Lighting up the ground 495
Artillery and machine guns in case of night attacks 495
The question of reserves 496
Need of strict fire discipline 496
Bayonet to be used if the enemy penetrates into the lines 497
Counter-attacks in case of a night attack by the enemy 497
Conclusion 498
 
INDEX. 499


PLANS.
  Page
I. The Ambela Campaign 49
II. Communications to Khartum 70
III. Fight at Khan Band 166
IV. Kirbekan 166
V. The Peiwar Kotal 166
VI. Action at Charasia 166
VII. Affair of Bang Bo 169
VIII. Battle of Kandahar 176
IX. Wedza's Stronghold 176
X. Deh Khoja 180
XI. Affair of Longbatta 184
XII. The Zlobani Mountain 184
XIII. Action of Kailua 203
XIV. Saran Sar 344
XV. Macdonald's Brigade at Khartum 387


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2011