The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-08
Army Organization. .

and yandais Of the North. The boosted ard
highly cherished liberties Of q free people car
have no certain and enduring tenure. unless
such people show that they are As ready and
willing to do their own fighting as they are
their own voting.
Whether the fighting to be done is to redress
q wrong, or to repel an invasion, it will scarce
~ ever call for levy masse TO carry 1t on
therefore, the services Of portion only Of the
adult male population is necessary at any one
time To reach the portion or class thus
needed ia the proper object of military organi-
cation. The concert and unity Of action, With
out which an assembly of a great number OF
men is merely an unwieldy and helpless mass,
or dangerous mob, can only be secured by
their obedience and submission to chiefs, un
der such ciassifcations, divisions, aud comb
nations, rs will constitute them into one har-
monious body, moved by common will.
All the officers and non commissioned off
GERS Of battalion, taken together, form what
the French call the cADRE of a battalion.
This cadre or skeleton, word for which VT
have NO exact English equivalent, is truly the
soul Of an army. That organization which
secures the existence Of good codres, and the
continued supply Of a sufficient number OF
men 10 keep them filed, will fully develop the
military power of any State, as far at least a
the infantry arm, the principal element OF
armies. i. concerned. The organization of the
military force of a country should be such
that the prospect Of victory, in time OF Wal,
may, ~ far as possible, be in its favor. But
in order that the armed power Of one State
may struggle against that of another, with
some chance Of success, it is at least necessary
that it should be eqnal to its adversary in
physical and moral strength, and in intelli-
gence The physical force of an army de-
ponds upon its composition in men and in
material, aud in the capacity of the former to
use the latter. Its moral force depends upon
its discipline, and upon the faith it has in its
own courage and the skill of its leaders. Its
intelligence depends upon the sound knowledge
which each man who makes part of it has OF
bis own duties, and upon the facility with
which real capacity finds means of rendering
itself useful and available. 1t mast be evil
dent that these important qualities depend i'll
great degree upon one another. Indeed 1t
Is not likely that any of them will be found To
exist in II high state, without the others being
more or less developed; SO that what is done
to elevate a force in one sense, will always
tend To improve it in others.
In the remotest antiquity, hordes of people,
under chiefs and leaders, often left their OWL
homes, carrying devastation aud conquest into
etrange lands, or enslaving or exterminating
those who dwelt therein Struggles for such
stakes as were constantly involved in war
necessarily aroused all the higher passions OF
man, and naturally called into play his best
talent and most creative genius. The conduct
of these struggles must soon have fallen under
such rules and methods as constitute an art
The military art is only, however, first known
to us as practised by the Greeks, and subse
quently by its great masters, the Romans
This art, which had reached such perfection
under the Con.uls of the Republic, underwear
many vicssitudes during the wars conducted
by the Generals of the Empire, through tn
long series of imperial reigns, down to thos
of JUsrrNIAs and HERAcLIss; when, like tn
last fash of an expiring light, it suddenl.
shot forth with dense brilliancy, but only t
fall back into utter darkness and oblivion
Now, after the lapse Of many centuries, whe
PRoeREse has again entered on enc of It's grea
onward cycles, this art, through new and va
ried struggles, carried on with weapons an
implements unknown to the ancients, ha
once more been developed, TO an extent ia
exceeding its pristine excellence. With tn
rise Of this art, infantry, the popular branch @
all armies ascends in the scale Of Importance
~ it did in the days of CYRUS, ALExANDER
CESAR, and BELIsARIUs. Whereas, in th
middle or dark ages, when military art wa
lowest, and skin In single combat highss
cavalry became the principal arm and
infantry appeared in the open field, they wsr
ridden down by the men-at- arms, OF drive
before them as sheep fly before wolves.
Infantry, armed with rife or musket an
bayonet, is ct for all kinds OF service; ordins
rily, of two battalions which are fighting, tn
one which continues to advance in spite {
the losses which it may sustain. carries tn
point and remaius master Of the field of bal
tie. The courage necessary for foot solids
Of our day, is not the impetuous courage wit
which the Ramao soldier was animated, b,
rather courage of resignation. He shout
count less upon the use Of his own streng,
to gain the victory, than upon the actio
Of the battalion, considered as one body. TT
end. therefore, TO be attained, is to have ba
tslions 10 we'll constituted that they should il
midst OF the dangers and tumults of battle
Fpm state Of things augments the importan,
~ 'ns saa'esi for, independently Of beiu
charged With directing the soldiers in the
pso@asfss. they have also to keep the ms
N their ranks, when the danger becomes grss
saoagh to threaten any confusion. The .
aFnsdon Will readily bs accsdsd to, that bstt,
t.aas which have bad cadrss mas, theu,sly
b bsd, though the soldiers should b. iudiy
daslly brave and even weli-,rained Will,
the eadres are good, the bsttslions v
be good. even though part Of the soldis
Should be bad. The best .cadrss are tho
which have military instruction, which q
dsseipliasd, which are ira ned in war, and q
composed Ut brave soldiers, and 10 which
good esprit de eorpa reisns. With snch cad,
the battalions win do their duty, whatey
may b. the fortune If srms. Passions n
sentiments can, without doubt, exercise GA |
hsSnee upon The battal,sas, and augment {
ssdor With vhiea they will be aai.aated
shssa = - ,nsv.fv se~ass.rv .an.a. .nA =.