, 1861-08-10
More of the Battle.FleId Panfcs.
4 correspondent Of the New York Egening
Tnsf sfnfls the {f1]1n.rfnr.


4 correspondent Of the New York Egzaing
Toa, sends the following:
As much III ca:lcl..or rastonishmcnt has been
expressed at the late panic in our army, by
these who araigno!uut ct tho fact that paaic
amoug perfectly law troops is as much tue
rule as the EXCEPTION, it may be well to cite
an instance given By high military authority ,
to show that euch things will sometimes hnp-
pen even among 1egular and veteran eoldiers.
Tic illustration is vary appropriate, nad is ia
ke1, from It's Fletece 10 the ~ Memoirs upon
tie Art Of War, by Field barshal Count Saxs,'
Published in London in l757:
ssAsicr tho French infanirE at the battle Of
Fr:ediis zen had repulstd the luipert.lists with
pursued them til. eugh wood iato plain which
lay the ct: Ct side soine ono, upon the ayl,e2t
5nec OF I've kqsnaross which might bo srsnc9 1ca
out-*We a1e cut o11!' pom witch thesc y1cto.
rious troops instantly abandoned their tEiumphs,
Without iDg cI,her attacked OF pursued By
single Ferson; repassed the wood wi Il HE utmost
prt tupitaton, and never one halted till they had
lot be. ond the field OF battle. -.
isMarehal yillare together with the Generals Of
the army, took au possible pains to rally tAeu but
to 10 purpose; end yet the victory had not oaly
r!e& that no part OF the enemy attempted to make
the least appearance afterwards; nevertheless we
find that those rnen, who IN one moment had dis
covered such anna zlng fntrepfdity, were the eame
whose fears the next betTa; I'd them to shameful
fight. The 3far5ba1 himself had related this fact
tome at Vsnx-villars, when he was showing me
the plans cfhlE battles and whoever has curiosity
cnoueh to search for more examples Of this nature
may meet with numbcra In the history Of all na-
tienr IT MThis hGTnver f, IT, at present to
peid e1S upon up VIII prudence to de-
The Scientific 4mzrican improves the sub.
jsct thus:
IHE CONDUCT OF OUR RSoLDIE1s.-Napoleo
Bcnapa1tc once remarked, tit has been said
that the victories Of the french Republic
Ee1e WoE by the new volunteers, who woEe
inexperienced in war. There could be no
gTeaEer mistake: they were Won by the
lS0 GOO old soldiers Of the monarchy. You
will ret Eccn see me going to war with new
recruits" The ea re opinion Of the ineffi.
cItEcg Of raw ls7ies has been held by nearly
all experienced officers.
The case is entirely changed, however, if
the troops cat be placed behind breastworks; ;
tGSTe they are apt to fight well. At Bunker
Eli cur troops were perfectly steady until the
British got inside the lines, but then they ran
as last as their lcgs could carry them, in spite
Ct all tho eudeavors Of the officers to arrest
tltm; General Putnam especially wasting q
commander ever lived than Gen. Jackson, aud
in lis dispatches before the battle Of New Or
leans, he eayE distinctly that he shall not suf:
fr hie soldiers to fight uEtii he can place them
beIind entrenchmcnts.
TIE pr:acipsl objection Brought against vol
| u,t=e1s Is, that theE are more Subject to pan
les thnn veteran troops, aid especially that
when r2E;c conm<nces it is m5re apt to
II resd to tAs Whole army. This danger is
sufficiently great in The Oldest and best dieci-
PIined a,mies. As general rule, when the
lines are once broken tie Whcle army takes
TO flight IN utter confusion. TIC cases are
Fare II wGich any portion Of an army has re-
sltttG the contagion Of panic OCCURRING in
smother Portion The conduct Of the Imperial
Guard at Waterloo forms one Of tlcac excep-
tione, aud that conduct H;ll neyer be men
t:sned hu: With thrill oE pride by any Frencl-
Man TO The latest generations: Afer the rest
Ct tlac army la3 fed in f1antIc terror, the Im
I:e2laI Guazd s13od firm amidst their foes, re-.
1Cs31g either to retreat ur to surrender
Now, tie iaci to which we wish to call at-
t. atIaD, which the whole comulu155; cuglt
70 understand ard to appreriate, is this :
When GIT troops were under murderous
fire, trd though thousands Of their conarlies
were rn1r!rg in wild confusion from the field,
Sfee7at Of the 7Tgl1sents did not catch the COZ
tagao", bt: marched off the field only in obe-
dierte 10 the commands of their officers, pre-
Eerying their thiHaad ranks in perfect order.
In all Of cur reading OF history ne have
ncver sccn inis conduct pazallaled by lsru.
III ~ OF soldiers III their first hats1p =