portunity will be fleeting, and there must be no delay in seizing it.
Every preparation must therefore be made in anticipation of the
opportunity so that a pre-arranged plan may be put into execution. "To
initiate a counter-attack on a large scale without due time for
preparation, co-ordination, and movement of troops is to court failure,
with heavy casualties and resulting demoralisation" ("Field Service
Regulations," vol. ii. (1920)).

That the soul of the defence is the counter-attack was shown at the
battle of _Spottsylvania_ (May 12, 1864). General Hancock's Corps
(from Grant's combined armies) had assaulted and captured part of Lee's
entrenchments in the Wilderness of Virginia; 20,000 men had assaulted
and captured the Salient, taking 4,000 prisoners; they then pressed
forward, and sweeping everything before them, drove a wedge right into
the Confederate position. "But Lee, recognising the weakness of the
Salient, had caused another line of entrenchments to be constructed
about half a mile in rear. By this second line the Federals were
suddenly brought up. The confusion was very great, the battalions had
intermingled in the excitement of the charge, and the officers could
neither make their orders {94} heard nor form their men for another
rush. Lee threw in his reserves. He made a tremendous counter-attack.
Every single battalion he could collect was ordered to attack, and the
vigour of the blow was such that the whole of these 20,000 men were
driven back beyond the first line of entrenchments, and the
Confederates recaptured their first position" (Henderson).

_He will select positions for the Artillery_, in consultation with the
commander of that arm, the objects in view being: to command lines of
approach so that the assailant may be shelled and forced to deploy
early and so to indicate his plan of attack; to delay the advance; to
combine with the infantry in the close defence of the main position; to
support local counter-attacks; to destroy hostile batteries by
counter-battery work; and to combine eventually in the Decisive
Counter-Attack. The increased mobility of guns of the heaviest calibre
owing to motor traction, and the increased defensive power of the
protective quick-firing small arms, enable guns to be placed close
behind the infantry firing line without undue risk of capture.

_He will divide the position into sectors_, each garrisoned by a
distinct unit, under a definite commander. The m