of earth as a covering mass in the defence of villages. Among subsidiary means we recommend hedges (behind which parapets are raised), enclosures of palisades, abatis, and wire network.

If the village have long streets by which the enemy is forced to advance, they should be barricaded, and riflemen should be posted in the adjoining houses, prepared to defend every foot of the ground. The barricades should be constructed in preference in turns of the street, so that they may not be exposed to direct fire. When there is time a ditch should be dug in front of these obstacles, and a banquette should be formed behind them.

If necessary, stone fougasses should be placed in the streets to be followed by the enemy's troops, or, better still, at the points where they are obliged to halt for a time to climb over or level an obstacle, such as abatis, barricades, &c.

Lastly, a réduit should be formed, either of a cluster of houses or of one or more strong and well-placed buildings; but in preference this part should be assigned to redoubts, which are less dangerous to their defenders than stone buildings, and almost invariably better situated, because they are specially constructed at the most suitable points for checking the enemy, for favouring the rallying of the outposts, and for ensuring the evacuation of the village.

It is generally admitted that the defence of a village requires I man per lineal mètre (3 feet) of enceinte. Half the number occupy the outposts, the other half forming the interior reserve. The latter is distributed by zones, when there is a large extent of ground to be defended.

Independently of these troops an exterior or movable reserve is necessary. For this purpose Cavalry is more suitable than Infantry, because it is more rapid in its movements, and for that very reason can be less numerous.

If only Infantry can be had, the strength of the reserve should be about equal to that of the detachments occupying the village.

The exterior reserve remains under cover as near as possible to the spots where it is to operate. If the village present no

natural shelter in rear of its flanks, it would be well to form some, especially for the Infantry, which is the easiest arm to The Cavalry would in that case remain concealed behind the village, on the side opposite to the point of attack.

cover.

It is dangerous to mass many troops in villages, as history proves by more than one example. In 1704, at Hochstädt, Marshal de Tallard had placed 27 battalions and 12 squadrons in the village of Blenheim. These troops, surrounded by Marlborough's army, and decimated by the concentrated fire of his Artillery, were forced to lay down their arms after an indifferent defence.

The villages of La Rothière and Ligny, which were successfully defended in 1814 and 1815, had for their garrison, the former 5,000 men, and the latter 10 battalions, of which six were in reserve.

When villages are of too great extent they are only partly intrenched, care being taken to destroy or burn any constructions from which the enemy might derive advantage in the attack.

It often happens that along the front of a position are to be found villages composed of one long street.

In that case the rear only is intrenched, care being taken to clear beyond this a sufficient space for the action of musketry.

If the defensive works enclosed also the front of the village, the batteries and defenders of that part would be exposed to being cut off by an attack directed against the flanks, which would necessarily be very long and weak.

To show how the defences of a village should be organised and combined, we will consider two cases :—

Ist. A village situated in a plain (those which cover the front of an Army are frequently so).

2nd. A village crossed by a stream of water, and commanded on the enemy's side by dangerous heights (to this class the villages often belong which serve as a support to the flanks of an

Army, and those which form the outer line of a winter quarter or cantonment).

Ist Case.

The village to be fortified occupies almost level ground (see Fig. 1, Pl. 9); it is of great length in the direction of the road A, at right angles to the line of battle.

Between X and Y the buildings are farther apart; those situated there should be burnt or demolished, so as to reduce the space to be occupied, and at the same time to form, in advance of the first defences, a bare zone open to the action of musketry and grape.

The road A, beyond the point Y, should be enfiladed, and the flanks of the little group Y Z should be swept, by constructing the redoubts 1 and 2. Between these redoubts, a trench with the profile shown shaded in Fig. 4, Pl. 5, should be dug. In the centre of this trench a battery, g, of four guns should be constructed, intended to defend the front of the village in conjunction with the Artillery of the two redoubts.

No I redoubt enfilades the road D, and No. 2 sweeps in a slanting direction the road C.

The right flank of the village would be protected by the line of defence 7, 8, 9, an indented trench.

The left flank being covered by a small wood of full grown trees, a line of abatis would be placed there, which would be guarded and defended by riflemen posted in the redoubts 3 and 4. Care must be taken to leave a clear space, at least 100 yards wide, between this line and the inner edge of the wood, to facilitate the movements of troops and the play of the musketry.

The rear of the village would remain open.

However, if there be no redoubts or batteries on the line of battle which effectually protect the flanks and gorge of the village, we should have to construct the redoubts 5 and 6, and throw up at fan epaulment to enfilade with three or four guns the road A, the principal way out of the village.