The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-01

to- -
Here are ten very important man~uvres;
or which he improved edition Of Steubeu
will contain no Instructions. omi, others
less essential
Dd ne rcvisors compare Steuben's chap
ter N the " exercise of a company" with the
French, &c battalion drill &c containing.
twenty times as much Instruction! Or
could thes conceive. that the imperfect
sketch OF Prussian discipline, brought to
this country more than ,hir,y years since. IS
superior to that of the armies of p. ance. at
the present dayi
It is said our establishment does not ad.
NIT of as many staff officers as the armies
where the system of guides is pursued, and
therefore they are not adop,ed. The
TACT might be as ed, and it would fur
nish no reason whatever for rejecting the
system of the guides.
10 ten companies we have three noun ed
feld Office - an adjutaut, and serjeant, and
sc jeant major, who assis the adiu,ant. 10
nine companies the French have one noun
ted field officer An adj .ant & assistant adiu.
tant: The nine French companies complete,
contain 2+7 more men than our ten compa-
mes. The conclusion that our establish
ment does not admit of so large propor-
ton vt taft offic AS that of Fruuce, pro-
ceeds probably from comparing Regiment
with Regim art. but the French Regi-
nent consists. when complete, of about three
thousand two hundred men. The French
company has one SERGEANT. major two ser.
jeans and eight corpnrals Our COMPANY
has four se'Jeants and four corporais. Now
AS the serJeants &C the guides we nave.
Clearly the advantage Our 10 companies
nave 40. tneir nine companies but 18 se,je.
ants. 1t is the adjutant and his assistant
who place the guides. when necessary Ir
that respect, the establishments are e..
quail.
trust, the objection on which the system
OF guides was rejected is wholly remov-
ed.
You say, the officers who served with me
VINO have come to Wa bington City, are
partial to the system of guides. This should
have had much weight: For presume, no
others OF the revisnrs have seen il tried -.
twenty or so officers ofthe army at Wash
lngton cantonment, have certified their pre-
terence OF that system. and requested, tha,
1t may be adopted for the armies oftae Uni.
ted States. They knew Steuben's system
well and surely their opinions will be
respected.
How stands the question now. Some gen"
tiemen VINO are prejIdced in favor ofS. Gu.
ben's system from long habit have rsiec-
ted the modern system, which they have
not seen proved under erroneous impress
sions, that 1t was not simple, add adapted TO
III
neces~ airy officers to execute it; whereas
II is the most simple of ali systems best a.
dapted 10 militia, and we have a yrscter
proportion OF the necessary officers to exc
cute it, than there is ia he armie s VIII. Dur
sue 1t. And may be added we have lore
unnecessary officers than are formed in any
o'her establishment. But those Offices who
have seen the modern system attempted are
partial it. And many who have seen il
ruh
Judge OF both systems, being equally ac-
quainted with both give the modern system
dec'd~ prefe ,ence.
am sorry, my dear Sir That I have not
had an opportunity TO exercise a battalion
according to this system, in your presence.
doubt NOT that l could convince an officer of
| your Judgment that the introduction OF guides
IS one "f the greatest improvements in tbs,
evolutions of armies.
Mutual concession YOU observe &c necas
sary to harmoRise. That is lust observa-
ton: Blu have not understood that the
reVisors nave conceded any thing to the ooi.
mons OF the officers at W4shiug on cannon
ment, However, on this basis of ANNUAL
Concession, propose. that all alterations
ana additions, proposed either by the officers
at Washington City, or those at Washing
ION cantonment, not clashing with each o.
ther, be adopled. That so much of the Pa
ron de S,euben's system as comes within
the purview # those alterations. be stricken
out And as the system nf guides will thus
be introduced. the words of command for
hem will be of Course Introduce III the in
structinns Tor the echel y mannuvres and
the formation of 'he square.
lie Us see what will be the effec. cf hese
mutual CONCESSIONS: The f., tn,rteeo
chapters OF steuben will be stricken out
he contents Of the manuscript sent from
Washington cantonment will be inser ed in
lieu thereof, with the necessary ai,era,ions
tor the formation in two ranks ard The.
mode Of formation of the company and hat
talon, as agreed on at Washington. being
inserted. The directions for pilne arms
Will be inserted in the proper place. as also
Tor searching arms. and the sautes The
echeion maDouvres. II of a kind distince
from those in the manuscript, will follow
1t, as will the forma ion of the square. and
counter.march by files. Tue resdne oe
SteIbcn's work will follow, having the di-
rectlons for roll call inserted in the proner.
place as also the instructions for incamp-
ment, &c &c
All which, / beg you will submit, to the
Hon Secretary
And believe me to be, with esteem,
Your most Cbedient