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Gentlemen,
During recent games and discussions with fellow officers, I began reflecting on a number of small principles that often prove useful on the battlefield—both in the study of Napoleonic warfare and in our own engagements across the WDS battlefields.
These notes are not intended as rules, but rather as a collection of simple maxims drawn from experience, observation, and the writings of the great commanders of the period. I have gathered them here in the form of a short set of Field Maxims for Young Napoleonic Officers, which may perhaps be of some use to those who have recently joined our ranks.
I would be most interested to hear the thoughts, additions, or corrections of more experienced commanders.
With my compliments,
Field Maxims for Young Napoleonic Officers
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Preface
The young officer entering a campaign must understand that war is not an exact science but an art in which judgment, discipline, and presence of mind often weigh more than mere numerical strength.
The rules collected here do not claim to replace experience, but rather to guide the officer in those moments when the uncertainty and confusion of battle make it difficult to discern the proper course.
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I. On the Uncertainty of Operations
Art. 1
No commander should base his entire plan upon the arrival of reinforcements or upon circumstances that lie in the future.
Art. 2
In war, many things that are expected do not occur, and many that were never foreseen take place.
Art. 3
The prudent commander disposes his forces as though the action must be sustained with the troops already at hand.
Maxim
A promised reinforcement is an advantage; the force present is the only certainty.
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II. On Firmness and Flexibility of Position
Art. 4
A position must be held with determination, yet not with rigidity.
Art. 5
Units entrusted with a defensive position must retain the ability to alter:
• their formation
• the direction of their line
• the disposition of their detachments.
Art. 6
A defense that is entirely immobile soon becomes predictable and therefore vulnerable.
Maxim
Firmness belongs to the will of the commander; flexibility belongs to the disposition of the troops.
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III. On the Chain of Command
Art. 7
Every unit must remain under the immediate influence of its direct commander.
Art. 8
Communication between brigade, division, and corps must be maintained at all times.
Art. 9
When the chain of command is broken, even the bravest troops may lose cohesion and direction.
Maxim
Discipline does not consist merely in obedience, but in clarity of command.
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IV. On Cavalry Charges
Art. 10
Cavalry must never be thrown into attack without preparation.
Art. 11
Before charging, the troops must be:
• properly aligned toward the direction of the attack
• kept in good order
• ready to move simultaneously.
Art. 12
The commander must always consider where the charge will end and how the cavalry will rejoin the line afterward.
Maxim
Cavalry triumphs by momentum, but survives by prudence.
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V. On the Cooperation of Arms
Art. 13
Infantry, cavalry, and artillery must act in mutual support.
Art. 14
An imprudent movement by one arm may compromise the action of the others.
Art. 15
The army must be regarded as a single body composed of different members.
Maxim
The strength of an army lies not in the sum of its parts, but in their harmony.
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VI. On the Use of Terrain
Art. 16
The terrain must be studied before action begins.
Art. 17
Villages, walls, elevations, and natural obstacles may:
• slow an advance
• strengthen a defense
• alter the formation of troops.
Art. 18
He who understands the terrain often possesses half the victory.
Maxim
Terrain is the quietest yet most powerful ally.
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VII. On Defensive Formations
Art. 19
The square formation provides an effective defense against cavalry.
Art. 20
However, the square restricts movement and reduces offensive capability.
Art. 21
It should therefore be employed only when the threat of cavalry demands it.
Maxim
Every formation protects against one danger while creating another.
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VIII. On Skirmishers
Art. 22
Light troops should be used to disturb the enemy and screen the main line.
Art. 23
Their value increases when they operate:
• behind natural cover
• within villages
• in broken terrain.
Art. 24
They should not oppose cavalry directly.
Maxim
Skirmishers fight with agility rather than mass.
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IX. On the Uncertainty of Combat
Art. 25
The result of a battle does not depend solely upon the number of troops.
Art. 26
Morale, terrain, and the moment of attack may overturn the apparent balance of forces.
Art. 27
The commander must therefore prepare himself as much for the unforeseen as for success.
Maxim
In battle certainty is an illusion, and prudence a virtue.
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X. On the Employment of Artillery
Art. 28
Artillery requires time to be properly placed in battery.
Art. 29
A battery poorly positioned loses much of its effectiveness.
Art. 30
The commander must anticipate where the fire will be most decisive.
Maxim
The cannon often decides the battle—but only if it is in the right place at the right moment.
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Conclusion
The young officer must remember that no rule can replace observation, judgment, and presence of mind.
War often rewards not the most audacious commander, but the one who best unites:
• firmness in decision
• flexibility in execution
• clarity in the direction of his troops.
For experience in all campaigns shows that
victory belongs to the commander who understands more quickly than his adversary what the battlefield demands.
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Kapitan Sandro Lasco
Military Order Cuirassier Regiment
2nd Cavalry Brigade
2nd Cuirassier Division
Cavalry of the 2nd Western Army
2nd Western Army Reserves
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