At Palo Alto, Duncan's rapid closing with his guns to less than half range, drove back the Mexican right wing, which could not stand the destructive fire.
7. Horse artillery does not usually attempt to follow up cavalry in its attack; but takes a position to cover its retreat, if repulsed, or to push forward in support, in case of success.
8. When cavalry has to debouch from a defile, horse artillery may render it most effectual assistance, by taking a position that will enable the cavalry to form without fear of being charged and destroyed while forming.
1. Artillery should always reserve its fire till the enemy's real attack.
2. It should play on that portion of the hostile force that threatens us most.
3. It should wait till the enemy has come within destructive distance, and then open on his columns with a concentrated fire.
4. It should protect our troops while manœuvring, and accompany them in retreat.
5. We must subdivide our batteries whenever we wish to obtain cross-fires on a débouché, or on the head of an advancing column, or on the ground in front of a weak part of our line. By so doing, we compel the enemy to divide his own artillery in order to reply to our fire.
6. A sudden concentration of a great number of guns at some particular point may be used with the same decisive effect in a defensive, as in an offensive battle; though in this case, artillery plays, for the time being, a part strictly offensive.