Lectures on Land Warfare | Page 2

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Principles of War--Popular fallacies--Authorities quoted in support of
Fixed Principles (Gen. B. Taylor, C. S. Army; Marshal Foch; Marshal
Haig)--Necessity for Study (Gen. Sir E. B. Hamley; Marshal French;
Marshal Foch; Napoleon)--"Common Sense" (Abraham Lincoln and
Jefferson Davis; General Grant)--"Higher Ranks" Fallacy (Col.
Henderson; Gen. Sir E. B. Hamley)--Necessity for Study proved (Col.
Henderson).
STRATEGY AND TACTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Definitions--Theatre of Operations the Kingdom of Strategy; Field of

Battle the Province of Tactics--Tactics subservient to Strategy (Lord
Roberts's Advance; First Battle of Somme; First Battle of Cambrai;
Gen. Lew Wallace at the Monocacy; Marshal Grouchy at
Wavre)--Moral--Idiosyncracies of leaders (Napoleon at Austerlitz;
Wellington at Sauroren; Lee and Jackson versus Abraham
Lincoln)--National Moral (Foch, quoted)--Discipline and Mobility
(Battle of Hastings)--Marching Power (Stonewall
Jackson)--Time--Weather--Health--Human Nature (Fabius and Roman
people; McClellan and his Government; Thomas at Nashville; Roberts
in South Africa)--The Spirit of France ("Nous sommes trahis" of 1870
and cheers of the poilus in 1917)--Great Britain--America--Lord
Roberts's previous warning ("Germany strikes when Germany's hour
has struck")--Col. Henderson on moral of British and American
troops--"The Contemptible Little Army"--The New Armies (Tribute
from Marshal Haig endorsed by Marshal Foch)--Changes in Methods
of Warfare--Value of official Text-books.
THE BATTLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-32
The Battle is the "only argument" of War--Characteristics of the Battle
(Issue uncertain; Human factor; Value of Reserves; Superiority at point
of Attack)--Lee's "partial attacks" at Malvern Hill of no avail--Phases
of the Battle--Information and the Initiative (Salamanca; First Battle of
the Marne; Battle of Baccarat)--Development of the Battle (Surprise;
"Like a bolt from the blue" as at Chancellorsville or First Battle of
Cambrai; Marshal Foch on value of Surprise)--The Decisive
Blow--Arbela.
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HOW BATTLES ARE INFLUENCED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-44
Commander's influence by his Orders and by his employment of
Reserves--Subordinates must "bring to fruit the scheme of the higher
command"--The "fog of battle"--Information--Co-operation (on grand
scale at First Battle of the Marne; on minor scale at Gneudecourt)--Fire
Tactics--Value of withholding fire (Heights of Abraham; Bunker Hill;
Fredericksburg; Retreat from Mons)--Enfilade and Reverse Fire (The

Bluff in Ypres Salient)--Movement--Advancing under
Fire--Withdrawing under Fire in "Delaying Action"--Holding on
(Untimely surrender at Soissons; Stubborn defence at First and Second
Battles of Ypres; Trônes Wood; Bourlon Village; Polygon Wood;
Givenchy)--Covering Fire--Fire and Movement inseparably associated.
TYPES OF BATTLE ACTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45-50
Three distinct systems--The Defensive Battle seldom effects positive
results (Gettysburg; Fredericksburg)--The Offensive Battle
(Marlborough; Frederick the Great; Napoleon; Wellington; Grant;
Franco-Prussian War; Battle of Blenheim described)--The
Defensive-Offensive Battle (Marengo; Austerlitz; Dresden; Vittoria;
Orthez; Toulouse; Waterloo; Final Battles of the Great War; Battle of
Waterloo described)--Opportunities for "restoring" the battle
(Antietam)--Chancellorsville a great Defensive-Offensive
Battle--Passing from the "guard" to the "thrust" (Second Battle of the
Marne).
THE ATTACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51-69
Culminating point of all manoeuvres--Quick decision required or
"Position Warfare" will supervene--Second Battle of the
Somme--Methods of Attack--Two plans--Decisive blow on
pre-determined spot or in direction ascertained by fighting--Strength of
the Attack--Disposition of the Troops--Forward Body, Supports and
Local Reserves--General Reserve--The Commander's Plans--The
Position of Assembly (Banks's single column defeated by Forrest in
Red River Valley)--The Attacking Force (St. Privat; Plevna)--The
Decisive Attack--Advantages and Disadvantages of Frontal and Flank
Attacks--Decisive Attack must be followed up (Gettysburg;
Chattanooga)--Detailing the Units--Artillery in Attack (Verneville;
Colenso; mobility and protection of modern Artillery)--Cavalry in
Attack (Appomattox and Paardeberg; Ramadie; Bagdadieh; Gaines's
Mill; Gettysburg; First Battle of Cambrai; Battle of Amiens; Second
Battle of Le Cateau; Archangel Front; Battle of the Sambre)--Royal
Engineers--Medical Arrangements--Supply--Commander's
Position--Battle Reports--Reorganisation and Pursuit ("Success must be

followed up until the enemy's power is ruined.")
FORMATION OF INFANTRY FOR THE ATTACK . . . . . . . . . . . . .
70-75
The Platoon (Square and Diamond Formations; Ground Scouts; Flank
Scouts; Behind a Barrage)--The Platoon Commander ("Appreciating
the situation")--The Company--The Company Commander--The
Battalion--The Battalion Commander (Personal examples; Monchy le
Preux; Battle of Cambrai; Second Battle of the Somme).
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DEFENSIVE ACTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-97
Counter-attack the soul of Defence--Reasons for adopting defensive
attitude (Chancellorsville)--Defensive-Offensive Battles (Marengo,
Austerlitz, and Waterloo)--Obligatory Defensive--(Nachod;