“The line of communication of an army,” says Montécuculli, “must be
certain and well established, for every army that acts from a distant
base, and is not careful to keep this line perfectly open, marches upon
a precipice. It moves to certain ruin, as may be seen by an infinity
of examples. In fact, if the road by which provisions, ammunition and
reinforcements are to be brought up, is not entirely secured--if the
magazines, the hospitals, the depôts of arms, and the places of supply
are not fixed and commodiously situated--not only the army cannot keep
the field, but it will be exposed to the greatest dangers.”