The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-06-18
Vbe }uar.
Opinion of the Austrian and French
Armies by a Military Officer.

in the Turkish army, during the Russian war {:
"The lecturer commenced by abiding to
the fact that Austria was in many respects
much like the United States, and unlike other
European countries. The people Of Austria
generally were contented and happy. There
had been great change in the army Of
Austria since 1913. Many Of the officers are
now elevated tiom the ranks, then but few
were thus elevated. This had tended to make
the army more popular, and the soldiers more
energetic. The policy OF the Emperor Of
Austria had been Of late 10 endeavor to secure
the good will Of the middle classes of his
people. The lecturers knowledge OF the
Austrian army had been derived from actual
experience. He had been among them, and
though he might differ from the majority Of
newspapers, he did so intelligently knowing
his observations to have been correct.
Tho Austrian troops the speaker considered
the handsomest in the world their officers
were all fne-looking men, who seemed every
inch the soldier. The men loved and res
pected their officers, and would follow them
through any danger. The Austrian army was
made up principally ofthe hardy mountanecrs,
and the men were physically superior to those
composing the French army. Their rlemen
were considered by the speaker greatly
superior to the French. They were more
natural rdemcn, who were rracticed in the
use OF the weapon. In these days of the use
of the long range and deadly NJ inie arms, this
was an important desideratum. The speaker
alluded to the effect during battle OF good
rifle, shooting, when every third man would be
picked out of the ranks at every discharge
1t soon discouraged the men standing BET, .e
such fire. They could not face it long.
The speaker thcn alluded to the hungarian
cavalry as having beeu for Il long time the
admiration ofall Euprope. Their horses were
brought up with the men. and, though spirited,
they were docilc and easily governed by their
masters. The men are stout, thick set fellows,
and arc excellent riders. la battle their
charge is fearful. The Austrian artillery are
not inferior to any in Europe. The horses
are well selected and powerful, and the men
experienced and efficient. The speaker con-
sidered her whole army the best Differed Of
any in Europe. While the French made their
officers by taking intellectual youths ana
putting them through course Of studies
more fitted to make them bouk-worms than
anything else, the Austrlans took the country
gentlemen's hardy sons, and after giving them
brief and appropriate schooling at excellent
institutions, put them in the field, and told
them to make officers Of themselves. The
field is the only place to make good officers.
The speaker thought an army that had the
best appointed and most numerous force of
artillery should win the most battles. A
battery of one hundred guns should be able
to Keep the field against almost any umJer
of opposers-- being powerful enough 10 sweep
all before it. F:om the experience Of the
speaker, he considered the old-1ashioned gun
much better for d low range than the new
breech-loadiug pieces. The Austrian army
though formerly inferior, were now equal to
the French troops-that is, the French troops
of the lnc-cXcept in the use Of sharp and
pointed weapons. The French Imperial
Guard could not be equallrd by the AustrianS;
he considered them the best soldiers in the
world. The Austrian soldiers had some adj
vantagcs as offset to the ability Of the
French in the use Of sharp and pointed wca-
pons They were very strong i'll cavalry
This was an important thing in case Of defeat,
enabling the army to retreat W thout great
loss. The French soldier acted badly in
defeat, and the italian was scarcely to be
relied on. Another advantage possessed by
the Austrans, we may fluid in the fact Of their
being accustomed to the climate Of Italy, the
present battle ground. They could maintain
perfect health The French were unused to
the climate, which was warmer than that Of
their country, and their battalons would
become thinned by disease.
The French possessed great ardor and this
was very apt to lead them beyond the bounds
ofprudence. He was inclined to think that
IN the present contest the great ardor of the
French would prove disadvantage to them
and lead them TO defeat. Ardor was capital
thing in troops when they were superior to
those opposed to them, but when equal there
was great risk Of these possessed Of great
ardor being overcome. The speaker, in al
ludiDg to the character Of the French soldier
said he was one Of those who doubted very
much whether the Emperor Napoeon's path
was to be Strewn with flowers, as many antici-
patcd.
He reviewed the military history of France,
and, alludng to her former greatness, said for
several years she had made poor figure in
Europe. The French We're mighty people
when united and confident. Confidence did
great deal for them. AS long as they believed
they were going to win they would do WELL
but if they lost confidence they were worth
but little.
The speaker did not by any means wish to
disparage the French soldier. He would be
little of a soldier if he could not admire them
for their soldiery qualities. The French he
believed, had more military genius than the
people of any other country. The life of Il
soldier suited them and they cnioyed it
The explanation Of this was found in the fact
ofthe poor condition generally Of the peasants,
who were ever willing to enter the army, and
their ambition TO be somebody and gain
renown made them valorous. In the present
contest the battle fields would be in country
more beautiful even than their own, and there
was no reason why the French soldiers now
should not be animated by the same enthusiasm
which animated their fathers sixty years ago
when treading the same soil.
The speaker thought the policy of the
Austrian army in the present war would be to
act on the offensive and defensive. The battle
of Montebello, just fought, was peculiar
one. He had read the different accounts of
it, as published, and the Austiians seemed to
have had no cavalry engaged in it. This he
accounted for on the supposition that this
branch ofthe army had been sent out hurriedly
to secure or defend some important position
before it had been joined by cavalry, or that
it was stratagem to lead the enemy into
false impression in regard to the manner in
which they intended to carry on the campaign
Their officers were very enterprsing and
received much important knowledge by their
system of reconn0isances, which frequently
extended within the enemy's lines. For
several hours during the battle of Montcbelo
the Austrians appear to have had it all their
own way. and it was not until the Zouaves
came up to the aid ofthat portion Of the French
with whom they were engaged that they were
forced to retire. The Austriins were always
best in the latter part Of a campaign, aud the
French in the first. The French had one
advantage at this time. They had lately been
in the field, and were experienced in actual
service, many of them having been in the late
war between the allied powers and Russia
The Austrians had seen no service for ten
years.