It is not as easy to conceal our position.

The advantages of low ground, are:--

1. The low, sweeping fire that we get, especially when the ground in
front is fairly flat and the view over the greater part of it is
uninterrupted, is the most effective kind of fire.

2. As a rule it is easier to conceal trenches on low ground,
especially from artillery fire.

3. If our trenches are on low ground, our artillery will be able to
find good positions on the hill behind us without interfering with the
infantry defense.

The disadvantages are:--

1. As a rule it will be more difficult to reenforce the firing line
and to remove the dead and wounded from the trenches.

2. On a low position there will usually be an increase of dead space
in our front.

3. The average soldier acting on the defensive dreads that the enemy
may turn his flank, and this feeling is much more pronounced on low
ground than on high ground. Should the enemy succeed in getting a
footing on our flank with our trenches on top of the hill, it would be
bad enough, but it would certainly be far worse if he got a footing on
top of the hill, on the flank and rear, with our company on low ground
in front. We, therefore, see there are things to be said for and
against both high and low ground, and the most that can be said
without examining a particular piece of ground is: Our natural
inclination is to select high ground, but, as a rule, this choice will
reduce our fire effect, and if there is a covered approach to our fire
trenches and very little dead ground in front of it, with an extensive
field of fire, there is no doubt the lower ground is better. However,
if these conditions do not exist to a considerable degree, the moral
advantage of the higher ground must be given great weight, especially
in a close country.

The experience of the European war emphasizes the fact that the
location of rifle trenches is today, just as much as ever, a matter of
compromise to be determined by sound judgment on the part of the
responsible officers. The siting of trenches so that they are not
under artillery observation is a matter of great importance, but, it
has yet to be proven that this requirement is more important than an
extensive field of fire. There are many instances where to escape
observation and fire from the artillery, trenches were located on the
reverse slopes, giving only a limited field of fire. This restricted
field of fire permitted the enemy to