The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-28

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70 march or countermarch, to form into dyi.
Mons, platoons or double file to wheel or to
ohP'ay unle's the officer is at the fame time
acquainted with the various iituations in which
tboie petitions may be called forth /. Man
mould always be taught the rationale of his bu
nnsis. l. is peculiarly neceflary in military
tactics, where theie evolutions are 70 hume
rous and 10 complicated. Each particular ma.
neuvre hiould be diainaly accompanied by
an explanation of its ufes. An officer fl,ould
oe taught 20 know when he is to form his men
INTO riatoons and when into feclions when
ne is to condcnfe or to difplay his columns; how
ne Is to draw up when the enemy attacks him
al aiferen, points; when he is to feize pof1ef.
non OF a hill, or when to fortify himref be-
hind morals. He fhould be taught to antici.
pate the different Iituatons to which his army
may be reduced, and the evoutions which he
mould employ. 1t is a memorable fact in the
hves OF great warriors, that nothing has 70 msch
contributed to their reputation, as tbofe rapid
h"ihss OF mind which impel them to take the
proper petition, and cxtricatc them from the
unexpected entertainments which are incident
10 all armies. Without this kind of informa
ton, OF what mighty uie is the knowledge of
all thoie evoutions? An officer nay know
'0.o 10 FORM every evolution in S,euben, and
YET not Know SUbeH to perform it. Such mans
'euii % ike dice-box ufed i'm a game of back
CANNON there may be tours, & fives, & Fixes
| VI IL and yet when he wants particular
thfow' 1t would be the mereR accident for him
to obtain it.
"It is certainly the duty of the Brieade-Iu.
'pee'ors' VINO initiate the commifiioned officers
of our brigades, and through then. the whole
OF our miitia, that fheet-anchor of our atom
atindependence, to inftruet them in the ufes
OF all tneie evolutions. 1t is mpoilible for me
20 deicr'be the confuGoA which ] mvfelf have
experienced from this fource nor indeed the
extreme ignorance which prevails among moh
otour officers and privates- A rery intelligent
trooper of the detachment under Captain R
lay,or OF Norfolk (by-the-bye one of the beit
cavalry captains in the fate feriouny told me
.oe o.her day, that when they expected an at.
'"eh from britiih crew, none of his compani.
u"s Knew OF the manner in which they ihouId
oe urawn up, until the arrangement was point
cd out by their captain. WHY this extreme
'hattention to the very marrow and fubtance
OF lhihtary diicipllne! have frequently men
TONED tins defect to feveral of my companions
OUT putting the fame quetion to a very iutelli
gent officer, the fecret at Ia6 came ont
bere 7vere no /itcb tbings in Sfeu5eu. At Leaf
IL was iecret to me, who you know. am mo
very deep proficient in this fcence of murder
ing men.
"The infpedor of our detachment who came
been made Adj1tant- General bv M,ttbews i.
Samuel J. Winfon, Efq. of whom il is almoG
imPolhole tor me to fpeak in terms of moderat.
ca eulogium. knew little of W y ton before
we ietl Nchmond but he has been nv prin.
e'Pai companion during our fhort campaign.
and ms heart and manners af1ilted by the cir.
cumitances in which Twas placed, were ftronq.
calculated to wind him round my heart.
lie is beloved by the whole detachment. Not
man out feels himfeIf won over by the anne
MY OF ms dIfPoiitiop and not a man hut
feiPects MS military ikill.-We filall leave him
oehind us, to infped the detachmeats al,
Hampton, Portsmouth and Norfolk, Tbis
gentleman has taken particular pains to inf,ruff
usin ieVerai evolutions and cannot but Ia
ment' that the profufe rains which have fallen
hhce our arrival at Portsmouth and the Nbort
ne.s OF our fay, have intercepted much of that
! Information, which we ilouid undouhtedv
nave derived from his iuftruetions -NTaior
Winfton has frequently wandered from Steu
osn' 10 explain to us thofe evolutions, which
nc 10 well knows how to direct.
| lie queitoD is, how are thrfc imperfe ttons
VI our hihtary fyitem, as taught by Steuben,
troduetion OF the French tactics among MS :;
and an ingenious writer in the ENQUIRER ha
lately Propofed, that the celebrated Moreau
mould be invited to compofe a fyltem. NV
own opinion Is, that Congrefs or the next Vir.
gina Legislature houId take up this fuhieGt :;
| 'hey Mould appoint committee to examine
the pr TENT Rate of ourtattcs and to propole
inch parts of the French iytem for our aiop.
ton, as may iuit the crcumft ances of our
country, and the march of the times. Asto
! Marsai hiHlf H. can icarceIy hope, that he
could be prevailed upon to undertake the talk.
1t am correctly informed, perhaps it may b.
unneceliary. / am told that the celebrated
narihal Ney ofthe Frepch army, has competed
very valuable treatIfe on military exercfr !;
In which he not only explains the fyitern of the
ateit improvements adopted by the French,
but draws a parallel between them and the
Prufiidn lyitems.-It is eafy to anticipate, to
which OF theie fyitems he gives the mott decided
advantage.
The only officer, whom have ever fsen 70
well acquainted with the French difcipline, as
to blend it with Steuben's, is captain Maurice
OF Norfolk, captain of the Norfolk Junior
Volunteers" This gentleman is faid to be
native OF the northern ftates but fpent feveral
| years of his life in France. 1t has been fome
time lince he left that country but fiiI retains
all his curiolity, to underfand her military tao
! tics. He aiiured me that he receives from
France all the new military works which have
appeared: 1t is pity that mott of the officers
OF our country do not think proper to initiate
his example, and to follow UP the march of
dlicoyery in Europe?
The greateft defect Of our tactics, appears
IN the condition of our Arfiiery. No man who