BATTLE

a market-town and parish, England, county of Su ex. The town, in a valley nearly encircled by wooded hills, 7 miles N.w. of Hastings, consists chiefly of one irregular street, in which there or are many old-fashioned buildings, is well supplied with water, and lighted with gas. The chmt^h is — ancient, and contains some fine specimens of painted by gla and numerous antique monuments. There are places of worship also for Baptists, Wesley ans, Swedenborgians, and Unitarians, and endowed and charity Bchools. Battle has been long celebrated for the manufacture of gunpowder. Tanning is likewise carried on to a considerable extent. The original abbey built by William the Norman has disapp^red, but interesting remains of a subsequent building, erected on the same spot, exist, including the gateway, a beautiful specimen of the decoratod English style. The town was anciently called Epiton, but changed to its present name after the battle of Hastings. Pop. 3298. BA^LE. The object of a war may be obtained in two different ways: either one party forces the enemy, by skilful manoeuYres, marches, demonstrations, the occupation of advantageous positions, ^., to quit the field (which belongs to the province of str at^y); or the hostile ma es approach each other, so that a battle becomes nece ary to determine which shall keep the field. Troops may either meet by design or by chance. When they meet by chance, and are thus obliged to fight, it is called a rencontre. The rules for insuring a succe ful i ue, whether they respect the preparations for the conflict, or the direction of the forces when actually engaged, belong to tactics, in the narrower sense of the word. Strategy also shows the causes which bring armies together, and produce battles without any agreement between the parties. It belongs not to tMs article to explain this point. It may be sufficient to say, in general, that armies in their marches (and consequently in their meeting) are chiefly determined by the course of the mountains and rivers of country. In ancient times and the middle ages the battle-ground was often chosen by agreement, and then the battle was a mere trial of strength, a duel en groa; but, in our time, such trifling is done away wiih. War is now carried on for the real or pretended interest of a nation, or a ruler who thhiks or pretends that his interest is that of the nation. Wars are not undertaken for the purpose of fighting, and battles are merely the consequence of pursuing the purpose of the war. They arise from one party's striving to prevent the other from gaining his object. Every means, therefore, of winning the battle is resorted to, and an agreement can hardly be i^ought of. In this respect a land battle is entirely different from a naval battle. The former is intended merely to remove an obstacle i]\ the way of gaining the object of the war; the destruction of the enemy, therefore, is not the first thing sought for. But the object of a naval engsgement is, almost always, the destruction of the enemy; those cases only excepted, in which a fleet intends to bring supplies or reinforcements to a blockaded port, and is obliged to fight to accomplish its purpose. As the armies of the ancients were not so well organized as those of the modems, and the combatants fought very little at a distance, after the battle had begun manoeuvres were much more difficult, and troops, when actually engaged, were almost entirely beyond the control of the general With them, therefore, the battle depend^ almost wholly upon the previous arrangements, and the valour of the troops. Not so in modem times. The finest combinations, the most ingenious manoeuvres, ore rendered po ible by the better organization of the armies, which thus, generally at least, remain under the control of the general. The battle of the ancients was the rude beginning of an art now much developed. It is the skill of the general, rather than the courage of the soldier, that now determines the event of a battle. Battles are distinguished into offensive and dcfcnsive. Of course, a battle which ia offensive for one side is defensive for the other. Tacticians divide battle into three periods — ^that of the disposition, that of the combat, and the decisive moment. The general examines the strength, reconnoitres the position, and endeavours to leam the intention of the enemy. If the enemy conceals his plan and position, skirmishes and partial a aults are often advisable, in order to disturb him, to obtain a view of his move* ments, to induce him to advance, or with the view of making prisoners, who may be questioned, Since the generad cannot direct all these operations in person, officers of the staff a ist him; single scouts or small bodies are sent out, and spies are employed. Every means is made use of for obtaining information of the enemy, or the ground on which the battle is likely to take place. According to the knowledge thus acquired, and the state of the troops, the plan of the battle, or the disposition, is made; and here military genius has an opportunity to dii^lay itself. Napoleon's dispositions were resJ master-pieces. To the disposition also belongs the detaching of large bodies which ore to co-operate in the battle, but not under the immediate command of the chief. The plan of the battle itself, the position of the troops, ., is called the order of battle {ordrc de hataille). This is either the parallel, or the inclosing (if the enemy cannot develop his forces, or you are strong enough to outflank him), or the oblique. (See Attack.) "Wlien each division of troops has taken its position, and received its orders, and the weaker points have been fortified (if time allows it), the artillery placed on the most favour a able points, all chasms connected by bridges, villages, woods, ., taken po e ion of, and all impediments removed as far as po ible (wUch very often cannot be done, except by fighting), then comes the second period — ^that of the engagement. The combat begins, either on several points at a given signal, as is the case when the amdes are very large, and a general attack is intended, as, for instance, at Leipzig, where three fire-balls gave tiie signal for battle on Uie side of the allies; or by skirmishes of the light troops, which is the most common case. The wrtiUery endeavours to dismount the batteries of the enemy, to destroy his columns, and, in general, to break a pa age, if po ible, for the other troops. The forces, at the present day, are brought into action moetlv in columns, and not, as formerly, in long but weak lines. Here the skill of the commanders of battalions is exerted. Upon them rests the principal execution of the actual combat. The plans and orders of a general reach only to a certain point; the chiefs of battalions must do the great work of the battle. Before the battle, the general places himself upon a point from which he can see the conflict, and where he can easily receive reports. A few men are near him as his body-guard; others take charge of the plans and maps; telescopes are indispensable. He often sends one of his aids to take instant command of the nearest body of cavalry, in order to execute an order which must be carried into effect quickly. He receives the reports of the generals under him, and gives new orders; disposes of the troops not yet in action; strengthens weak points; throws his force on the enemy where he sees them waver; or changes, if nece ary, with a bold and ingenious thought, the whole order of battle. The general now uses every means to bring on the third period of the battle — ^the decisive moment. Anything which can carry disorder into the ranks of the enemy is of great use. If he begins to waver, or to retreat in order, or to flee in disorder, it is always nece ary to follow up the victory with all po ible vigour and celerity. This is tm important as victory itself. Napoleon was, till the last war in Germany, a a master in this particular. There are three maxima OS important for the general as they are simple: — (1) Know your enemy, his Btrength and intentions (2) make iJl the operations and manoeuvres of parts coincide, as much as po ible, with the great plan of the battle; (3) pursue victory to the utmost. Several games have been invented to explain manner of conducting war and battles, in which effect of cannon, ., is represented by dice; pieces of lead, differently coloured, represent the different troops. Such games are popular among the German officers. 101