Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-01-22
5l4os9 81
PHIL.ADELptIIA, Jan. IS.

The AMERICAN MILITARY LfRkApv
Il hree numbers of this work are now
published, and the Judgment of men of the
best experience has bee, passed upon il.
Hitherto, 1 was suffered to max. its wav
to the pubic upon ifs owa intrinsic meyft !;
and has experienced a reception equal, al
least, TO the expectations Of the compiler /;
who assumed no Other merit, in the wor K
than the motfUe Of nubks6ing IL al ne
Rod TVhea The Soat o. military informant.
on 7pas curry Tohrre fell +; and the pains
and expense IN ur!e ed IN collecting all that
was 10 be obtained ofthe best modern WIZ
ters on the Arr Of War.
The American Military Library is, in
Fact, carcfn and comprehensive abstract
of all that is to be 'ound on tactics in the
present eventiul times No similar work,
so comprehensive in it's nature, ha, ever
been published in the English language
much expense and labor have been besfow-
ed N the importation of modern wcrks,
and their spirit has been Incorporated into
this.
The system o: STEuBEN, excellent as
far as il CUES, and well adapted 10 its par
ticular province At The period of its intro
ducton wss, nevertheless, even then, too
limited for general utility, in IL country
where miutary writings were rare-Mo-
dern improvements, III every department
OF military science, have rendered Sten-
6er'S book, eveI. less useiul than b. fore ::
and IL has been, in fact exploded noe ony
IN the discipline of the -roops ol the Uni,eG
States but has been Superseded, with the
best ELECTS, In vo.untccr corps and rcgi-
ment of militia
SteE5en was confined wholly to infantry
-thc discipline of light infantry, and the
various kinds If Il sht troops, such as rifle
men, is not TO be found in IT,
n discipline for any description of horse
on artillery no adequate instruction for the
ct;ve duties in camp, OF quarters, are con-
tain IL il
No rules FOR the disc pine or parade du-
ties of Ulcers:
No instructions or ideas tending to ex-
PLAN, OF discover the principle. OF co-5pc-
T ton among the differ emf spe. les OF troops
IN &C udl service:
No movements for brigade or line:
No principles OF movement, rs TO mea-
sure. cadence, time or distance:
M ideas of the all important duties OF
the staff:
No instruction for acquiring a knowledge
Of ground for camp or action:
No rules or IDEAS for going into action,
nor for distributing or poying troops in
action, nor whdt troops were httest Tor
any particular service;
None of these all important, and essen
dal branches OF military knowledge are 10
be found in S.euben.
Ii is obvious, thIt on the verge Of war.
these various kinds of knowledge cannot be
too generally diffused aud acquired. To
obtain these various kinds of knowlet!pe
from detached books, would require more
than tue hundred VOauWcs, aud in chat
mass Of books, the discordanoy of opinion,
between the pariisans OF different systems
and theories, though vel calculated To- in
Struct the recluse aud opulent student !;
tend only 10 confuse those who are Solicitous
Co approach and know practical result, ra-
Their than discuss them al objects of curio-
sity.
Il was to provide a practical military
library, this work was undertaken and
the quantity Of is eoafenfs, compared with
the lowness Gifts price, will shew that uti-
hty WIS the first consideration and prof
The last.
The first number alone, containsthe con-
tents Of three volumes Of English books !;
which cost nine dollars !--besides much
original reflection, and the adaptation Of
,he whole to the forms Of expression and
habits Of thinking Of our own country, SO as
n Fsader the improvements in the art Of
war AZ addition 70 the old stock Of know
ledge, rather than a. abrogation of the
knowledge previously possessed.
The French system of discipline and ma
noCUvrCs, L. now adOpted BY all nations be-.