Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-10-09

gineering and artillery, and the duties Of
the taft had been brought, the French
generals were indebted for their fuccefs III
1892 and 1875, ana il is to be obferyed,
that thoie who commanded during theie
TWO years, We're Old generals, under the
former government. lhoie who fucceed-
ed them in command had the advantage OF
the experience of TWO campaigns and
two years actual fervice, it is well known
will convey more intruttion than ten years
performance OF garrifon duty. The latter
were, beldes, for the mott part, afilited
and directed by the officers Of the Raff and
of the corps of engineers, who were, with
our exception, the ahlea in Europe, and
almof all ofwhom, il is admitted, remain
ed in France at the general emigration of
other officers. In fhort there is one &C.
neral obiervation applicable to this fubjett,
but which we believe has not YET been
made, that 70 far from its being aitoniih-
ing that the revolutionary war has pro-
duced fifteen or twenty diainguihed com
manders in chief is rather matter for aifo-
niihment that it has produced greater
number.
The French had at one moment four
teen armies, competing force of 500, 900
men on foot: all the energies of the 60
vernment and the country were turned 60
war, and for ten years they have carried
1t on. There is certainly no ,ra,,er for
aitonilhment, that in fuch fate of things,
a imall number of individuals having at
their diipofal greater phyiical power thar,
their adverfaries, fhould have been favor
ed by victory. 1t would, behdes, reucire
greater fpace than we can alo1 to the
inquiry, to examine the other caufes OF
the triumphs OF the French Republic. 49,
Cne thing, however, is clear, that they
have not been owing 20 that fpecies of in
difference tGswhich iome men endeavor 70
reduce US upon the fubjett.
There is third objection which the
enemies to this infitution hope to render
popular, as 1T hatters that attachment,
which our countrymen feel to liberty, nd
which we trut they will never loofe. We
cannot, however, dilcoyer in what man
her this inRitution can wound or endanqer
that valuable bleiGng refulsing from our
contribution. 1t was with arms in their
hands that our ancestors acquired it, and
it is by the fame means thar we mutt al :
timateiy preferve it.
The fcience Of war has always decided
the tate OF nations. 1t was by the iupe-
riorlty of tactics that the Greeks defeated
and dehroyed the immenie armies Of the
kings of PerGa. 1t was by placing the
military projections above all Others. tina,
the little republic of Sparta pcrferved it's
liberty, its territory, and its virtue
Ihebes was at no period more powerful
nor free than it was during the temporary
iplendor which it received from Epami.
nondas. 1t was by the fuperioriry of wea-
Pons and difcipline that the r onans con
quered the world, and it was only by the
invention of the Legion, and the faperi-
or:ty which it boafted over the Phaianx.
that they were able to triumph over
Greece and Ala. &c 1t was ome God -
fays Vegetius, +" that infpired them with
the idea of the Legion" Rewriting to
modern hlitory, we lhal not find Jingle
nation which owes the acquifition or tie
recovery Of its liberty to any other caule
than that of having underftood or prac-
tiled the art OF war better than its ad-
veriaries.
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