HANDBOOK FOR LIGHT ARTILLERY. BY A. B. DYER, _First Lieutenant, Fourth Artillery, U. S. A._ _FIRST EDITION._ FIRST THOUSAND. NEW YORK: JOHN WILEY & SONS. LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, LIMITED. 1896. Copyright, 1896, BY A. B. DYER. ROBERT DRUMMOND, ELECTROTYPER AND PRINTER, NEW YORK. PREFACE. In preparing this work it has been my endeavor to place in compact form all the data I could obtain that might prove of service to those persons interested in the subject of light artillery, both in the Regular Army and in the National Guard. I have held strictly to the lines laid down in Army Regulations, Drill Regulations, Official Reports, etc., as regards the matter extracted from such sources; and such as has not been so obtained has been carefully selected from the best authorities I have been able to consult. I make no claim to originality in this work. It is drawn on the lines of similar handbooks in foreign services; and a great deal of the matter has been copied verbatim from the works consulted. To the writers and compilers of those works I hereby express my thanks. While I do not consider that machine-guns are proper weapons for the light artillerist, I feel that occasions may arise when knowledge regarding them may prove of service; hence the chapter pertaining to them. I express, with pleasure, my thanks to Lieut.-Colonel E. B. Williston, 3d U. S. Artillery, for his assistance. I am particularly obliged to Captain L. L. Bruff, Ordnance Department, for having permitted me to copy from the manuscript of his work on Ordnance and Gunnery (now being published), and also for the use of many of his cuts. His friendly consideration in so doing is fully appreciated. I also express my appreciation of the assistance given me by Colonel A. R. Buffington, Ordnance Department; Captain V. McNally, Ordnance Department; Captain J. L. Lusk, Corps of Engineers; Captain James Parker, 4th Cavalry; Captain L. A. Craig, 6th Cavalry; Captain S. W. Taylor, 4th Artillery; Lieut. E. B. Babbitt, Ordnance Department; Lieut. M. M. Patrick, Corps of Engineers; Lieut. E. Russel, 5th Artillery; Mr. J. E. Trautwine, Jr.; Mr. Charles W. Parker; and Mr. L. V. Benet of the Hotchkiss Ordnance Company. The following is a partial list of the works consulted: