active native foe. The regulars' column must
be heaped together, covering its transport and artillery. The
enemy knows the probable point of its destination on a particular
day, and then, knowing that the regulars cannot halt definitely
where it may be chosen to attack, it hovers round the column like
wasps. The regulars cannot, from not being accustomed to the
work, go clambering over rocks, or beating covers after their
foes. Therefore I conclude that in these wars[1] regular troops
should only act as a reserve; that the real fighting should be
done either by native allies or by special irregular corps,
commanded by special men, who would be untrammelled by
regulations; that, except for the defence of posts, artillery
should be abandoned. It may seem egotistical, but I may state
that I should never have succeeded against native foes had I not
had flanks, and front, and rear covered by irregular forces.
Whenever either the flanks, or rear, or front auxiliaries were
barred in their advance, we turned the regular forces on that
point, and thus strengthening the hindered auxiliaries, drove
back the enemy. We owed defeats, when they occurred, to the
absence of these auxiliaries, and on two occasions to having
cannon with the troops, which lost us 1600 men. The Abyssinians,
who are the best of mountaineers, though they have them, utterly
despise cannon, as they hinder their movements. I could give
instance after instance where, in native wars, regular troops
could not hold their own against an active guerilla, and where,
in some cases, the disasters of the regulars were brought about
by being hampered by cannon. No one can deny artillery may be
most efficient in the contention of two regular armies, but it is
quite the reverse in guerilla warfare. The inordinate haste which
exists to finish off these wars throws away many valuable aids
which would inevitably accrue to the regular army if time was
taken to do the work, and far greater expense is caused by this
hurry than otherwise would be necessary. All is done on the
'_Veni, vidi, vici_' principle. It may be very fine, but it is
bloody and expensive, and not scientific. I am sure it will occur
to many, the times we have advanced, without proper breaches,
bridges, etc., and with what loss, assaulte