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

So""S"' 'hae IL was uiciets to dctain us as
the detachment from his own Brigade, together
with the detachmen,s of Horfe from Petersburg
and Richmond, were amply fufficient TO repel
any attack which could be made by the Btitiih
iquaoron. The movements of great men are,
| however, beyond the ken Of vulgar minds.
mai leave 1t to G. M. himrelf to explain away
TINS apparent incopiaency of conduct. tits
theme which is much better adapted to his I'M
oermanding and tate than to my own. But
inc lame iaconiiftency marks even the lat aet of
ms authority over us. He has obtained no new
initrueions from the Council on this fuhieSe
ne mas received no cenfure for this alIum ption
OF power: there is no material change in the
'orce OF the Britih fquadron, fince he has
'"ought proper to countermand US when 10
gen. matthew's has countermanded his own de-
formations. To what caufe this new rev lu-
non IN MS tenforium is owing unlefs it be to
inc retnonltrahces of oSr major or the humane
representations of our furgeon, DR.. Adams it
lTp1iio'e for my vulgar mind to conjecture.
Gac', however, is the difpenfa,ion Of fate; and
nse eood /oldierJ, it is our duty to fubmt.
nc Lord giveth; and the lord takc;h a
way and b'eiied be the name of the Lord %
a.. nc mort experience, which have CLEANED
'o'n my mort tour, amply convinces me that
our preient military fyaem is defective. 1t is
not my purpofe, nor indeed is it within my abb.
"'eS 10 point out all thofe defects. The mott
experienced commander in all the vciIitudes
o' ten years campaign, is aloae competent to
iuch talk. But few defnltorv retches NAV
terve to iufrate my petition.
"Sfenben'5 Military Exercfes" is the text
oook ior folders iii this country. 1t was fame
,'oheo by refolution of Congrefs in '7e and
mas ever lnce that time, been ufed "a our nj
ntary manuel. 1t is AriaIy purified by all the
brigade iniPceors in Virginia put into the
nahus OF all inqaiiitive officers; and recon-
mended throughout the u. S. as the beR COM
pehoium OF the GiIl and tactics of Europe.
ne oPih'on, however, is extremely erroneous,
a"u may be fatal. Baron Steuben was no
doubt an officer of great merit he was perhaps
1ne Def camp officer, which we pof1efIed du-
ring tae American war: and his book may con
tam me oet fhort account extant of the mill
.dry improvements of his time. But in allow
ing bf7z this credit, we in fact deduct extreme-
y from the credit Of his qvork. Pliny'. Ma
,urai H.tory is perhaps the beft memoir of the
hnoWieoge OF his own times: but who would
therefore prefer him to BIffon or DaubeHton
S'esoeh wrote nearly 80 years ago; and per-
haPs no period Of the fame duration was ever
productive of 70 many military improvements.
oeience had prepared the way for fuch difco-
series. Chemittry hadmadc the mon aftonifhing
improvements IN the competition of gun-pow-
Ger manufactures, in the eating of cannon,
IN the form and texture of mufouetry and
iWofds Mathematics in the fcience of proiec.
t'on' and the laying out of camps; and even
ao'nepIc economy, in the preiervaton and
cooking of vitfuals. The wars of the French
revolution, arofe upon the heels of thefe i'm
ProVemcnts; and drew forth the latent embryo
or icienti1c discoveries into the full bloom of
? military practice. Thefe war. put every fcience
uhoer contribution 10 "drive on the wedge of
wal n holt or heroes, nd tacticians appear
go III lhe french armies, who have perhaps in
t'oouced AS many discoveries into the art of
wall as the experience of the fifty preceding
years FAD elected. Steuben has been fuper-
aeaeo by bonaparte; and the very date of his
MILITARY EScrciies" furniihes fulfil cient proof
OF its errors.
y" The country and camp from which he dew
ms acquihticn1, is an additional evidence of his
ihferiority. The Baron de Steuben is faid to
nave been Prufiisn; ard TO have CLEANED the
Pfihcipal part OF his tactics from the fchonl of
the Great Frederic. Perhaps this illu ftrious
prince was the greateR tattician of his times /;
ana ms lyitem may have been faithfully hand
ca down to his fuccefiors. But it ia this very
circumstance which may have produced its infe-
riority. 1T is in vain that the greateh improve.
hepts are made in one country, if the ferviIe
limitations of another forcibly exclude them.
IL you with man or nations to afpire to perfcc-
non, you mutt not sc chain the fearing pinion
down to earth" Their cuitoms :nut not he
nreVocaoir like the laws of the Modes and Per
.aHs but with pIisrt rigidty of character
mutt Irnd to every new difcovery, without eter-
naiiy 6'rakiRg into pieces The ferve imita-
ton OF the Frederician code, is therefore the
sreateft disadvantage which the Prufians have
experienced. 1t has erected an irlpenctrah!s
barrier againft the lateft improvements of
FRANCE; and the prefent war has flown the con-
icquences. Let thofe who doubt the inferiori
lty OF the Pruiiian to the French Tytems, de-
eide the queltion on the fields of PuItufk and
Goymin.
g Steuben's Military Exercifes, are naturally
divided into two difina parts: into the manu-
81 E*T1cjEe, as it has been technically called,
hecauie the movements of the hand have prn-
cIpaI ihdre in the operations and into the ez,o-
intion5 vt an army. The manuel Exercife is
the work of one man; the epsiafionJ are only
TO be performed by body of men. The FRI
teaches you the art Of firing, and of fone other
little maneuyreo incidental to particular fitua-
tions; fuch as ialuting your hyperion officer,
iecur'ug your arms ~ cafe of rain, and f. forth.
he Ian intfructs us in the art of throwing an
army into all the different petitions, which are
necefiary 10 its fccurity and fuccefs as in en-
c'mpnent, in marching, aud particularly in ac-
tnaI engage
" little experience has convinced ne of the
lid!!acY of the opinion, which had embraced,
respecting the advantages of the manuel Bxer-
eJt. have often aiked and fome of my mex
PeFlenced friends have united in the enquiry ;
La .r-s-