Not to interject, but isn't what Kevin is describing something similar to what Wellington did at Waterloo? When Ney came over the ridge with his cavalry all of the gunners abandoned their pieces and went for the safety of the British squares. I would look at that as a tactical sacrifice no? Had Wellington wanted to protect the guns completely wouldn't he have had the infantry attack to gain them back or had the gunners stand their ground to protect their pieces?

To support Digby, Wellington was really lucky there that Ney had lost his mind was he not? Had Ney spiked the guns they would have been useless for the rest of the battle. I guess my counter-argument would be if the enemy could just shove a nail down the fuse (a pretty easy thing to do) why would you abandon the guns unless you really had to? N was hell bent on getting all his guns out of Russia even though they slowed him down, an artillery man's attachment to his tools.