battery is much the same in all field artillery. In England the command
is held by a major, the second in command is a captain. The battery is
divided into three "sections" of two guns each, each under a subaltern
officer, who is responsible for everything connected with his
section--men, horses, guns, carriages, ammunition and stores. Each
section again consists of two sub-sections, each comprising one gun and
its wagons, men and horses, and at the head of each is the "No. 1" of
the gun detachment--usually a sergeant--who is immediately responsible
to the section commander for his sub-section.
The No. 1 rides with the gun, there is also another mounted
non-commissioned officer who rides with the first wagon, and the gunners
are seated on the gun-carriage, wagon and limbers. The increased number
of wagons now accompanying the gun has, however, given more seating
accommodation to the detachment, and this distribution has in some cases
been altered. The three drivers ride the near horses of their respective
pairs, each gun and each wagon being drawn by six horses. On the march,
the gun is attached to the limber, a two-wheeled carriage drawn by the
gun team; the wagon consists likewise of a "body" and a limber. A
battery has also a number of non-combatant carriages, such as forge and
baggage wagons. In addition to the gunners and drivers, there are men
specially trained in range-taking, signalling, &c., in all batteries.