Artillery not being able to use infantry refuge

Moderators: Vis Bellica, Laffe, DCRBrown

Post Reply
Markconz
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:44 am

Artillery not being able to use infantry refuge

Post by Markconz »

Artillery is not able to use nearby infantry as a refuge to escape a charge in GDA. I belive I read somewhere the authors justification for this but can't find it, any help?? Thanks.
User avatar
DCRBrown
Posts: 1358
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:04 pm

Re: Artillery not being able to use infantry refuge

Post by DCRBrown »

M,

Can I answer your question with a question.

Outside Waterloo, how many examples throughout the 20 years of the Napoleonic Wars has this tactic been recorded, commented on or written in the tactical manuals of any nation?

I've not found any mention of this outside Waterloo, though of course I could be wrong or missed examples.

Secondly, the wording attributed to British units at Waterloo is often very different to the wording attributed to French units or Prussian units, by British authors and historians over the years. If we used words normally associated with the French in this instance, we have "the British artillery crews broke and fled before the French cavalry charge, retreating to the safety of nearby infantry squares". This sounds a little different to "taking refuge."

After such a "manoeuvre" the ability of officers to reorganise their men and then to return to the guns and recommence firing would be limited at best.

The same act could have happened in numerous other battles but this is simply described as "the enemy batteries were overrun".

DB
Markconz
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:44 am

Re: Artillery not being able to use infantry refuge

Post by Markconz »

Cheers, I believe that is the sort of answer I was after, and also perhaps commensurate with Wellingtons criticism of his artillery's performance at Waterloo in fact (too much of the artillery fled and did not return)?
Post Reply