New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-20
MILITARY HEFORm I'm GERMANY

The italian war Of 1859, even more than the
Crimean war; established the fact that the French
military organization was the best in Europe. or
all European armies, excepting the French, the
Austrian army certainly ranked highest; andyet,
in the short campaign of 1859, though its soldiers
covered themselves with glory, the army, as
whole could not WIN single battle. With all due
allowance for bad generashp, want of unity OF
command, and for the incompetent meddling OF the
Emperor, still the unanimous impression of the
Austrian regmenta officers and of the men was,
that part of their want of success was due to an
organization less adapted for real than that of
their opponents. And if the Austrian army
thoroughly recognized as it had been only few
years before--was found TO be- deficient, what was
to be expected from other armies whose organza-
ton was of even moro ancient date
That the French were superior in this particular,
was a fact not to be wondered at. No nation with
any military aptitude can carry on petty warfare
for twenty. five years on SO colossal scale as that
ofAlgera, without thereby developing to high
pitch the capabilities of its troops. While England
and Russia had waged their wars in India and the
Caucasus principally with troops set apart
for this service, the greater part of the French
army had passed through the Algerine school.
France really had made the most of this school,
which had been expensive in men and money,
but very effective and fruitful in valuable military
experience. After this, the Crmean war, another
school on larger scale, served TO enhance the
confidence of the soldier by showing him that what
10 boJ in his
tribes and rregusrs quite as useful and appii-
cable in a contest with regular troops.
That with such opportunities, n nation endowed
with peculiar genius for the military profession,
should have brought its warlike organization to
a perfection exceeding anything attained by its
neighbours fact proved beyond dispute at Magenta
and Solferino-neverthees excited wonder, espe-
cially in Germany. The military pedants of that
country had been so secure in their presumed gu
periorty over the volatile unsteady, undscplinsd,
immoral French that the blow stunned them.
On the other hand, the younger and more in
telligent portions of the Austrian and other
German armies, always opposed to martnetism, now
at once began to speak out. The Austrian officers,
fresh from Magenta, were the first to say, what is
perfectly true, that the French carry no knapsacks
in battle; thathey have stocks No stiff collars, no
tight coats or trousers they are dressed in loose
trousers, and loose great coat with collar turned
down, and neck and chest quite free; theirhead coy
cred with light cap, and they carry their cart
ridges in their trousers pockets. Where the men
of the Austrians arrive laigued, and out of breath
the French come up fresh and singing, and ready
for any physical effort Thus reported the letters
of the Austrian officers fresh from the battlefield,
and PrussiaD Bayarian, and other officers soon
chimed in. The awful fact was there. Soldiers
had actually dared to face the enemy without all
the cumbersome paraphernala which compose
almost all the glorious pomp and circumstance of
war, and which taken together are equivalent to a
strait Jacket andin spite of the absence Of this strait.
ZACH ct they had been victorious every field. This
fact was 10 very serious that even the German
Governments could not close their eyes to it.
Thus military reform became the watchword Of
the day in Germany, to the great dismay Of old TO-