Page:Tactics (Balck 1915).djvu/73

placing of columns in rear of the wings of the battalions deployed in line. This formation was employed for the first time in the attack made by a demi-brigade during the battle on the Tagliamento (1797), and subsequently it was used at Marengo (attack made by Desaix's Division).

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During the first decade of the 19th Century the French leaders had a marked penchant for this formation, until it sank more and more into insignificance in face of the deep column. (Ney at Waterloo, and Macdonald at Wagram). Formations suggesting the above are found even in the Prussian regulations of 1876. (Posting of sharpshooter platoons of the companies at first in rear of the wings of the deployed battalion, and later in rear of the outer flank platoons of the companies).

     8 7 6 5 |M 4 3 2 1
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/|\——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- /|\
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×7 7×
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\|/ IV. III. II. I. \|/
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On account of the increased penetrating power of infantry projectiles, especially at short ranges, a column will suffer greater losses than a line; at longer ranges the curvature of the trajectory causes bullets which pass over the first echelon to strike the second or third. On ground falling with respect to the line of sight, lines, and on ground rising with respect to the line of sight, columns are exposed to greater losses when they come within the beaten zone.^[1]

1. At 1000 m., the projectile of rifle model '98 falls 5 cm. for each meter of the range, and at 1200 m. it falls 6 cm. per meter of the range, so that the second and third platoons of a company in column of platoons (7.2 m. distance between platoons) would offer a target having a vulnerable surface 35 cm. high (1/5 the height of a man), at 1000 m., 42 cm. high (1/4 the height of a man) at 1200 m.