Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-24

dtSciplite, the duty of an ariiilers; nor, i
there a company of artillery. The number
which by the great captains of Europe, is as-
signed to the infantry, is variously, according
TO Their destination, from a tenth tn TWEEN
tieth part of the latter. But do not hesi-
tate to declare, from the nature of any
war IN which the United States may be en-
gagged, and from the causes heretofore mepti-
oned, that 0ne-tenh of the number Of each
brigade east Of The Blue Ridge, would scarce
~ be sufficient To defence of the vulnerable
points in Virginia.
1t is presumed, it would be useless TO enter
INTO the comparative cost and expense of de-
Tending our sea- board by firing afiIery, and
by infantry, cavalry, and foot artillery as
the numbers of the former, need not be, I'M
less the state were threatened with an invasion
oil her interior, more than one in fifteen to the
latter.
According to late calculation, the infantry
OF the state, amount to about eighty thousand,
cavalry eight thousand, and artillery four
thousand SIX hundred making the proportion
of artillery, small fraction under twentieth
part. This ratio will answer for the situation
OF the country west of the Blue Ridge /; hut if
the experience of the late war with England,
and the reasoning heretofore used, he worth
any thlng, the ratio for the country east ofHe
mountains, should be fixed at not less than one
In ten, and, as before observed, am doubtful
whether this number would he sufficient: but.
sure it is, that it is the least that will answer.
In forming the above ratio, the writer has
looked more to the conformation of the east
ern part of Virginia, than to those circumstan-
ces and necessities which accompany the op:
eratIons of an army destined for conquest
or devastation: In the latter case, the neces-
slfy for artillery is lessened by the consdera-
We a va GoI a..
the operations of AN army in the field, ncces-
sarily do not require So large train of artl-
lery, as one destined TO besiege
Any war in which this country may be in
volved, will he conducted by the enemy, much
IN the manner of the last war. And if it be so.
upon what force are we to rely? The infi,n-
try, cavalry, rilemen and the artillery, AS at
present organized, will be insufficient for de-
fence: The guns of the former are calculated
tor close combat in the field, and the latter
move too slowly to encounter AN enemy on
water, that changes his position and varies the
object OF attack, as often as difficulty and
danger present themselves. But if flying ar
tillery be used against them, the speed and
celebrity of their movements will enable them
TO meet an enemy at any quarter, and the ca.
llbre of the pieces, to oppose them with sue
cess.
The face OF the country from the head of
tide water, and the nature of its soil, are Pc
cullarly favorable to the operations of flying
artillery, and give it, fits own merits i'm other
respects were reduced to those of other corps.
most decided advantage
10 give detailed opinion on the superb
orlty OF flying artillery, in the defence of the
Bay and its tributary streams, would require
much labor, as the geography of the whole
coast must be constantly kept before us. |
VIII state, that at the battle of Waterloo in
1894, four thousand men Of the army of Fan
drrs, maneuvering with flying artillery, sus-
tanned the attack OF an army of MiHY thou
sand men, supported by train of artillery at
least treble that of the French.
volume might be written on this sub
Ject, but l will conclude by recommending
with profound respect for the wisdom ofyour
body, that law be passed authorising in each
brigade east of the Blue Ridge, one battalion
of Flying Artillery to be raised, and i'm each
brigade west of the Blue Ridge two compa-
MES, or one regiment to the division: the
| companies TO be apportioned among the brig
| AIDES composing such division.
KOSKIUSkO.
g We understand, that Messrs. Henry
Clay and George NJ. Bib, the Commissioners
OF kentucky, are now in the City of Washing
ton, and may he expected in this city about
the close of the month
The Hall of the III. of II. must be misera-
bly, detective the Reporter makes SO many
| complaints his inability to hear the speakers,
| Il of course has so many chasms i'm his reports.
1t must be calculated for any thing else than
| the purpose it was made for."-It was but the
| other day, indeed, that member made it a sort
OF objection to low representative ratio, that
the Hall already had as many in il as could well
hear for the which" Mr.. McDuffie gave the
aforesaid member dissertation against fitting
The members to the room instead of the room
TO the members sc. &c. 1t was certainly a
palpable hit"
The following ludicrOus version of a part of
Mr.. RandOlph's speech on the military appro-
Prlation bill is TO be ascribed to this defect.
The National lntelligencer reports that part
as follows: can remember (said Mr.. II. !
when that very proposition was booted out of
the House. The soldiers were likened to the
barrow men of Philadelphia. Their stations
and dignity were too high to be brought down
to the business of making roads, as were the
Roman legions Dealing in perfumery was
regarded as more suitable employment"-
Dealing in perfumery"! we knew Mr.. Ran
dOlph disowned that expression; and we were
utterly at loss to account for its finding
its way into the report-until looking into the
| sketch Of thesame debate, as given by the re-
porter of the Boston Daily Advertiser, we thing
| we have hit upon the cause of the mistake.
See (says the version of the same speech) how
the times are altered since the days of good old
General Dearborn. A proposition to this eff
| feet was then hOOted out Of the house. I am
glad they are employed as the Roman egions.
The argument then was that it was seryie
for soldiers to labor and it was beneath their
dignity to tel the ground or make roads, and
| | thought they were designed cnnsn,nert