Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-28

The Austrian Army.

from the NEW 1Ofk
The Austrian Army.
1t will not be untimely to give some infor
nation about the organization and efficiency
of the army, part Of which has just entered the
municipalities, and which, sooner or later, will
not escape coming into collision with one OF
the other of the belligerents. The Austrian
army is one Of the finest in Europe. II excelf
in all arms, and is without O match IN the
cavalry. The Polish lancers, the Magyar
hussars, and the heavy Doheme dragons are
worldwide known. The French and English
and English cavalry is splendid while sitting
quietly in the saddle, but the French, especi'
ally, are perfectly ridiculous as soon as the
horse begins to move. The superiority of the
Austrian cavalry is generally acknowledged,
and is entirely to be attributed to the habits Of
the different nations forming the empire-be-
ing accustomed more or less in all ages to
riding. The infantry is not less excellent, but
here the French may claim TO have the first
rank. The artillery is also inferior to that oil
France. We do not speak of Prussia, which,
in some respects, excels Austria, because the
parallel is more true between France and Aus
tria.
During the last few years considerable im
provements have been introduced into the Aus
heavy and impeding the freedom of motion,
has obtained shape which assures ease to the
soldiers. The general officers are left more
free to act upon their own responsibility than
they were in former times, when the upper
council Of war vexed them with multitude OF
petty restrictions. The language Of the army
is one-the German. Nationality is prescribed
from the battaions, and, in order better to de.
nationalizc the men, German officers are given
to Hungarian corps, Slavonians to the German,
Italians to the Bohemian, and the officers of
the Austrian army address each other by the
familiar " thou" du, which has helped much to
keep up the esprit da corps. The road to pro-
motion in the army is perfectly free to all, but
politically suspected men are practically de-
barred from any advancement. The children
of soldiers are educated free OF cost in military
schools, where other children are also admitted
upon payment of a fee. 1t cannot be said that
talent and service have not the precedence over
birth and social position, if devoid of other
merits. The most deficient part of the system
is in the manner in which the soldiers are fed.
They have but one principal meal in day,
while the French soldier has two. The guam
tity and quality of the food are equally def
Gent.
The Emperor is commander-in-chief The
staff of generals consists of five ield-marshals,
Is generals of artillery, 81 lieutenant field
marshals, and l23 major generals. The whole
army is divided into four great corps, composed
of divisions, brigades, and smaller corps. The
first corps is in Austria, and has its headquar-
tiers at Vienna. 1t is commanded by Count
Wratislais, a general of cavalry. The second
corps is in Italy. Its commander is Field
Marshal Radetski, headquarters Verona. The
third is in Hungary, with headquarters at
Buda; commander, the Viceroy Prince Al
brecht. The fourth corps is in Gallicia and
Bukovino, with Prince Swartzenberg as com
mandant, and Lemberg for its headquarters.
Croatia has, besides, an army corps, under the
command of Ban Jelachich, but the organiza-
cation Of this is very loose and elastic. 1t is a
sort of irregular army. The discipline of the
army is extremely strict. The stick is used as
punishment for small breaches of order. The
effective force of the Austrian army, as it stood
on the 25th Of October, 1852, was as follows
we remark only that it has been since increased
to about 100000 men:
INFANTRY.
Sixty-two regiments Of four battalions each
24S battalions effective force Of each battalion,
1,27S-3l6, 944 men.
twenty-five battalions fJagers; effective force,
Seventeen active batialions for the frontier
effective force, 1,000-17,000 men.
One Tyroese regiment of Jagers-6 battalions,
effective force, 100000 men.
One regiment OF pioneers battalions; effective
force, 1,000-4,000 men.
One battalion for the fotila on the Danube
effective force, 1,000-1 900 men.
Five garrisons MISUNDERSTANDING force, 5000
5000 men.
Penal regiments, not mentioned in the table
but estimated at batialions; effective force,
,OOO-6,OOO men. Total, 379,59i men.
u.-cAvALRY.
Eight regiments of Cuirassiers Of 6 squadrons
Us squadrons effective force OF each squadron,
162 men and $50 horses-7,776 men and 1900
horses.
Seven regiments Of Dragons of 6 squadrons-42
squadrons; effective force, 162 men and $50
horses-6, sol men and $500 horses.
Eleven regiments OF Uhlans of s squadrons-
So squadrons; effective force, 1916 men and $50
horses-17,l60 men and Is $40 horses.
Twelve regiments Of hussars Of s squadrons--
&c squadrons effective force, 1876 men and $50
horses-1S, 720 men and IL, $50 horses
Total, 50,460 men and 6620 horses.
m.-ARTILLERY AND ENGINEERS
Five regiments Of artillery Q32 batteries, with
1872 guns)-l3Sl5 men.
Fourteen ordnance distrcts-3OOO men,
Eight battalions in foriresses-3,2oO men.
Two regiments Of engineers (sappers pontoon-
ers and minersl-5000 men.
Horse artlery-6000 men and 5000 horses
Total, 81 OILS men and 5000 horses
w.-oENDARMERIE.
Fifteen augmentation men.
Grand total, 477,o69 men and s., 600 horses.
We are not to speak now about the spirit Of
the army, but we may mention that the formi.
dable aspect Of these numbers vanishes very
much away if we remember that this army IS
chiefly composed Of Magyars, Italians, and
Poles, and that the greatest portion Of the
army took sides with the revolution.