selves
side by side, each square mass consisted of many companies, sometimes
of many regiments; the cavalry formed in a similar deep position at the
wings. There was no regular reserve, only sometimes one of the three
masses was kept back for the final decision; a select body of men, the
forlorn hope, was formed for dangerous service, such as forcing the
passage of a river, covering an important point, or turning the enemy's
flank. Since fire-arms had prevailed over pikes, these great battalions
were surrounded by files of sharpshooters, and at last special bodies
of sharpshooters were formed and attached to them. In the war in the
Netherlands, the unwieldiness of these heavy squares led to breaking
the order of battle into smaller tactical bodies. But it was only
slowly, that formation in line and a system of reserve were organized.
Much of the old method continued in the Imperial army in the beginning
of the war. Still the companies of infantry were united in deep
squares--in battalions. To take firm positions and assume defensive
warfare had become too much the custom in inglorious campaigns against
the wild storming Turks. The weight and tenacity of deep masses might
certainly be effective, but if the enemy succeeded in bringing his guns
to bear upon them, they suffered fearfully, and were very unwieldy in
all their movements. Gustavus Adolphus adopted the tactical innovations
of the Netherlanders in an enlightened way; when in battle he placed
the infantry six, and the cavalry only three deep; he distributed the
great masses into small divisions, which firmly connected together,
formed the unity of the Swedish brigade; he strengthened the cavalry,
placing between them companies of sharpshooters, and introduced light
artillery regiments besides those that were in reserve and position,
and accustomed his soldiers to rapid offensive movements and daring
advances. His infantry fired quicker than the Imperial, and at the
battle of Breitenfeld the old Walloon regiments of Tilly were routed by
their close platoon firing; he also laid down for his cavalry, those
very rules by which a century later Frederick the Great made his, the
first in the world; viz., not to stop in order to fire, but at the
quickest pace to rush upon the enemy.

During the battle the soldiers recognized one another by their
war-cries and distinguishing marks, the officers by their scarfs. For
example, at Breitenfeld Tilly's army wore white bands on t