The attack of Floh-hug by Augereau, of Vierzehn Heilegen by Suchet, of Iserstaedt by Desjardins, are models well worthy of study.
The infantry of the line acts in masses, and, on the field of battle, constitutes the principal fighting force.

Its formations and the manner of engaging it have already been discussed under the head of tactics.
The importance of infantry is due, in considerable part, to the fact that it can be used everywhere--in mountains or on plains, in woody or open countries, in cities or in fields, on rivers or at sea, in the redoubt or in the attack of the breach; the infantry depends only on itself, whereas the other arms must depend in a considerable degree on the efficiency of their materials and the will and strength of brute force; and when the snows of Russia or the deserts of Egypt deprive their animals of the means of sustenance, they become perfectly useless.
Foot-soldiers, in olden times, were armed with a spear and sometimes with a sword, arrows, lance, and sling.

At present they are armed with a gun and bayonet, and sometimes with a sword.

In some European services, a few of the foot-soldiers are armed with a pike.

Some of the light troops used as sharpshooters carry the rifle, but this weapon is useless for the great body of infantry.