During the war it became standard practice for a command going on a raid to strip down to its best-equipped components. Officers would weed out any men, animals or wheeled vehicles that were not in best shape and leave them in camp. Better to leave artillery behind than chance a piece breaking down behind enemy lines or being obliged to abandon a gun because its team wasn't strong enough to keep pace. Two four-gun batteries for a short-term operation like this would make sense to a commander in the field.