Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-11-14

. in all sae Au'triar seserslsf I, ;s ;, :,
known that the prsstn, conqueror 81. wen
part OF Europe, n'sde his first essav i great St
command OF armies, by d,featino !, - NE
the experienced generals OF the sam lay
or. POW.
Besides the great tlivvr,i,v of
STANCES IN military operations Their. !. e'''
ther reason Tor this. which those VII, ~ i.o'
that tho art Of war may be acquired ~; a''nk
matter OF practice, are not awsr. of a
any one ce:nparr an exact ;,lansf N A'F'
OF a few miles in part OF the couprv .1 rs4
known to him, with the appearance xh h.:
the same objects present to his sight, h. y;u
perceive how different that appea,,n, s.''
from the reality Of the proportional ANY,.
OF ali the parts delinrated in the plan H 0a'
how mum ne would be mistaken in ;na. ;sa
of the extent OF distant parts of III, p'o" ""S
ihen supposins two armies 10 be cy;Ynd h"'
over the same part 0! the country. br rn., I
still less form any idea OF the motion. N ~
troops iii those distant parts, even behss
clouds OF dust and smoke concealed ,ho''
objects from him. This would he II. ...
if he were only spectator entirely mat,
of his own time, ard not an officer whoxr >.
tention must be taken up with his du,v y
is therefore imagined only hv person, vbo
have NO idea Of the operations of s,n,;..
that officers caa judge q those operation,
from what they themselves see. Tb.v
learn what passed in an engagement afts-n
is over, by the reports CT those VINO com
manded the different divisions of the arm,
examined on An exact plan of tn. ground
III which the dispositions of bot, armies
and the changes of disposition, are delnra.
ed they may improve the knowledge thus
acquired by .raversing the ground itself IN
all directions. but cannot view the whole .,
once as in a plan, unless from the ton Of
some neighboring mountain, without ano.
thtr hill or mountan to intercept the view.
Officers may in the same manner acquire
perfect knowledge of all the wars that have
been wa5ed since the revival Of the military
science, at least of all these whereof exa:t
relations, with plans and descriptions oiths
htlds;ot battle, have been gwen by inteNl.
gcnt military ,nsn.
g But as one Cannot he said to have stu.
died mathematics, although h. has rad all
the demonstrations that are to be found in
the works OF the great st ma,hcma;icians,
unless he has COW need himself By ,he ex-
ercise Of his avn reason & The truth OF npst
demonstrations, 50 neither can a military
man b. said 20 nave studied the art oi war
although he has read the accounts OF all the
campaigns from which auylnsuoctl0n cauo;
derived, and the mAylills and obseryano1sr
viii, h the greatest generals nave lett, unless
he has, by the exercise OF his oTn ressan'
discovered whetIler or rot the causes assign
cd by those generals tor the good or bad
success of campaigns, or for the victory or
the defeat In cnsa,s nents, evidently IL:
real causes, and whether or not these max
inns and observations were unquestoaa"Y
lust and ,rils. By blindiy following aneI,.
ample without perfect comprehension o.
it, egresious errors might be COMMITTED
If ali this wyr~ considered by those who are
apt to hazard opinions on the appont"sp'
of military commanders, they would De ssA,
sible of the necessity OF being well lnIoF0'Su
of the mental powers of the persons SO sp.
pointed and whether or not, having pF''
bred in the army, they have exercised '"Os'
mental powers in medtations on is''e ~
struse and most essential parts OF '1s az -, a'
war, which remain always unknown !" ""
far greater number of officers OF al! 'f'n's''
I These zghom his Prussian n'G'eS1y"'1D''
as candidates far the command osaHN' ."
are, Ceengseck, Willis, Stckead'rf' Ne"p''. 3
Schmrttau, KhovenhuAsn, and the s'""'
SAKE EiberhRnsen.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. To-