There should be no dead ground in front or on the flanks of the battery, and with two machine guns this condition can generally be satisfied. In cases where one flank remains exposed and cannot be protected by the fire of the machine guns, or where a portion of the front or one flank cannot be seen, scouts must be placed well out in this direction, where they can see anything approaching and signal timely warning of it, and a position must be selected beforehand to which to move a machine gun should the warning be given. It has already been pointed out in a previous chapter, and may be repeated here, that machine guns have nothing to fear from cavalry under any circumstances, and when in a selected position with ranges accurately known, as they would be in this case, a single gun properly handled could easily stop a squadron. When selecting the place for the led horses, it must be remembered that fire from the enemy’s guns is likely to search the reverse slopes of the position immediately in rear of the battery. The machine guns must not be re-horsed until after the battery has limbered up and moved off, as they are then most vulnerable. They should endeavour to come into action before the battery unlimbers--though this will seldom be possible with horse artillery. CHAPTER V EMPLOYMENT IN THE FIELD WITH INFANTRY The employment of machine guns with infantry seems at first sight to be obvious, for they fire the same ammunition and have the same range and kinetic effect. Nevertheless the first machine gun was used by the French in 1870 as artillery, and its name “mitrailleuse” indicates “grape shot” rather than rifle bullets. This initial error in its tactical employment, together with its crude mechanism, artillery carriage, and short range (about 500 yards), enabled the artillery to silence it early in the battle, so that it rarely proved of any use. On the few occasions when it was concealed from the artillery and used at short range against the infantry, its effect was as astonishing as it was decisive. At Gravelotte several batteries of mitrailleuses concealed near St. Hubert’s Farm reserved their fire until the attacking infantry was on the glacis within close range. The result was decisive, and the German attack was repulsed with terrific loss. Again at Mars la Tour, the German official account describes the repulse of the 38th Prussian Brigade by mitrailleuse batteries placed on the crest of the hill, as causing them such losses as to amount almost to annihilation. The brigade lost more than half its numbers and two-thirds of its officers.