these men while they are exposed to the most effective fire of the enemy. Only when the nearest cover is reached can there be any question of halting. (Par. 327 German I. D. R.). When cover is not available near at hand, the exhaustion of the troops will soon stop the flight, or the leaders may be able to face them again to the front, as soon as the hostile fire abates. However, the retreating troops will have placed quite a distance between themselves and the enemy before this can be done, and the latter, unmolested by fire from the attacker, will be able to take full advantage of the technical qualities of his rifle, unless the attacker's artillery or cavalry prevent his doing so. No matter where the retreating troops come to a halt and face to the front, there they must stay, and, if the hostile fire permits, intrench.
The perseverance of the Prussian Guard 600-800 m. in front of
St. Privat,[1] and of the British Brigade of Highlanders at Magersfontain,
immediately in front of the Boer position, on December 11th, 1899, is worthy
of imitation.
The assault on Gorni Dubniac came to a standstill at very short range, and a part of the skirmishers of the Moscow and Pavlov Regiments maintained their positions 50 m., the remaining Russian skirmishers 320 m., from the trench.[2]
11. THE USE OF THE SPADE IN ATTACK.
(Pars. 157, 313, 339, 380 and 381 German I. D. R.).
In every attack there are situations in which it may be advantageous to use intrenching tools—
1. In fortifying rallying positions.
- ↑ The distance at which the first attack came to a standstill is variously given as 300 (3rd Guard Regiment and IInd Battalion of the 1st Guard Regiment) and 800-900 paces (2nd Guard Regiment). See History of the 3rd Guard Regiment, pp. 276, 279 and 280; that of the let Guard Regiment, p. 165; that of the 2nd Guard Regiment, p. 232. "Headed by a few of the officers who still remained, the depleted lines clung to the slope; with iron endurance and self-sacrifice they maintained the dearly bought positions." Gen. St. W., II, p. 872.
- ↑ Pusyrewski, Die russische Garde, p. 126.
