attle is to be delivered--and to
carry that into execution the march is the only means.

The march outside of the combat is therefore an instrument of strategy,
but not on that account exclusively a subject of strategy, for as the
armed force which executes it may be involved in a possible combat at
any moment, therefore its execution stands also under tactical as
well as strategic rules. If we prescribe to a column its route on a
particular side of a river or of a branch of a mountain, then that is
a strategic measure, for it contains the intention of fighting on that
particular side of the hill or river in preference to the other, in case
a combat should be necessary during the march.

But if a column, instead of following the road through a valley, marches
along the parallel ridge of heights, or for the convenience of
marching divides itself into several columns, then these are tactical
arrangements, for they relate to the manner in which we shall use the
troops in the anticipated combat.

The particular order of march is in constant relation with readiness for
combat, is therefore tactical in its nature, for it is nothing more than
the first or preliminary disposition for the battle which may possibly
take place.

As the march is the instrument by which strategy apportions its active
elements, the combats, but these last often only appear by their results
and not in the details of their real course, it could not fail to
happen that in theory the instrument has often been substituted for the
efficient principle. Thus we hear of a decisive skilful march, allusion
being thereby made to those combat-combinations to which these marches
led. This substitution of ideas is too natural and conciseness of
expression too desirable to call for alteration, but still it is only a
condensed chain of ideas in regard to which we must never omit to bear
in mind the full meaning, if we would avoid falling into error.

We fall into an error of this description if we attribute to strategical
combinations a power independent of tactical results. We read of marches
and manoeuvres combined, the object attained, and at the same time not
a word about combat, from which the conclusion is drawn that there
are means in War of conquering an enemy without fighting. The prolific
nature of this error we cannot show until hereafter.

But although a march can be regarded absolutely as an integral part of
the combat, still there are in it certai