nd its front by
deploying.

It can promptly make itself impenetrable to cavalry.

Finally, in a column, the officers being seen by the men, the benefit of
their example is not lost.

The close column would, therefore, seem to be the best formation for
attack.

5. Movements in line requiring that high degree of perfection in drill
which can rarely be attained by any but regular troops, they were
accordingly abandoned by the raw and undisciplined masses of French
soldiers that so successfully defended the French Republic from invasion
against the veteran armies of Europe; some of which were led by generals
who had served under Frederick the Great. Conscious of their military
inferiority to the enemy, they instinctively clustered together in
close and heavy columns; then rushed down on the enemy's line with the
force of an avalanche, often carrying every thing before them. Thus was
inaugurated that system of attack in _deep and solid columns_, which was
afterwards so successfully used by Napoleon.

6. Close columns have two defects. One is, that they are _oppressive and
exhausting_ to the men, especially in hot weather.

But this is not a very serious objection; for they are, or should be,
formed only when about to be used, and then their work is generally soon
over.

7. The other defect, however, is of so grave a nature as, in the opinion
of some, to more than outweigh their advantages; and this is, the
_terribly destructive effect_ upon them of the enemy's artillery fire,
or of that of his sharpshooters; for the solid mass is an easy target,
into which every shot is sure to penetrate. Many of the missiles which
would fly over an advancing line, are sure to fall, somewhere or other,
in a deep column.

This destructive effect was strikingly illustrated in Macdonald's charge
on the Allied centre at Wagram. The eleven thousand men (some accounts
say fifteen thousand) composing that famous column, advanced under the
fire of one hundred and eighty hostile guns. After being driven back
twice, they succeeded, in a third attack, in breaking the enemy's
centre. But of the entire column, only eleven hundred men, it is said,
were left standing.

8. The recent improvements in fire-arms must render the fire on a close
column of infantry, both by artillery and sharpshooters, still more
destructive than it was before. But this sacrifice of life can be
prevented, to a great extent, by using the columns at a proper time and
i