The company lost many men as soon as it entered the fight, among them its company commander; then the two shells burst in rapid succession within its ranks, and this explains the temporary panic. The company lost a total of 86 men (including officers).[205] [205] RETZLAFF, _Aus meinem Tagebuch_. Nothing is more contagious in the zone of danger than the example of fear or cowardice.[206] Appeals, threats, and intimidation are of little avail. The most effective remedy lies in developing the individual soldier’s initiative, in training him to act with common sense even when his officers are absent. We should send our soldiers into battle with a reserve of moral courage great enough to prevent the premature moral and mental depreciation of the individual. [206] Some interesting proofs in support of this statement are: The attack made by Captain Bechtoldsheim at Custozza against Italian infantry. _Oesterreichs Kämpfe_, II, p. 74. The combats at the Mance ravine on Aug. 18th, 1870. HÖNIG, _Vierundzwanzig Stunden Moltkescher Strategie_, pp. 170, 184, 193 and 215. _Sedan_, _Gen. St. W._, II, p. 1243. _Wald- und Ortsgefecht_, p. 179. (Aymard’s Division after the capture of Servigny). LEHAUCOURT, _Campagne de la Loire_, II, p. 272. (The French Gardes Mobiles after the taking of Le Tuilerie at Le Mans). V. DEPLOYMENTS FOR ACTION. 1. NORMAL PROCEDURE. The characteristic tendency of modern times is the liberation of the individual from antiquated ideas and from the restraint exercised by ostensibly reactionary governmental power. The key-note of this tendency, which places individualism above collectivism, is absolute independence of the individual in municipal and national affairs, in science and art. Even tactics has been influenced to a certain extent by this tendency. Success in battle, however, will not be assured by the sum-total of a number of negative or positive individual efforts, but only by the simultaneous launching of masses controlled by a single will. Within these limits the independence of the individual is permissible, for a commander does not exact apathetic obedience, but, on the contrary, intelligent coöperation on the part of everyone, and this cannot be regulated by hard and fast rules.