The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-11-16
New Publications.

THE ARMTas or EuRoTR -COmprisng dos
criptions IN detail " the military syJtcns Of Eng
land, France, Russia, Prussia, Austria aud Slr-
DINA, adapting their advantages e. all arms of
the United states and Cmhodymg u Report Of the
Crimean War. by Geo. II. Mcclellan. Uustra-
ted ~ several hundred cngrayingh- Philadd-
phia. j. u. Iippincou Co., 1861.
This il a report Of General, then Captain Nc
Clcllan, one OF the three Military Commission
ers sent to Europe near the close of the Grim
can War in 1s5j-jG, by Mr.. jefferson Davis,
Secretary of War, on behalf of thu Unitel
States Government, to report concerning the
condition and operations OF the European arm
les. The opening pages of the work are dcyot-
ed to an account of the siege of Schastopol,
with criticisms on the operations OF tho con-
tending armies.
To the English the young officer awards but
little praise in this siege, because their move
ments seemed 10 he always misdirected, and
from the description given Of the British veto
rams who, in the assault on the Redan, covered
from the Russian fire behind the traverscs, from
which the threats and cntrclties OF their officers
failed to draw them En,lishmcn might be led
60 moderate their ridiculc of the retreat of our
raw leyics, who, though they lied from Bull Run
NJ itdhl llONth AlAA Nll'N AhNll lRll'
The far greater portion of General AcClcllan's
work is devoted to an examination OF the con.
dtion and discipline of the various armies and
military systems Of Europe. Nothing seems To
escape his critical eye and he describes every
popularity of arms dress, and discipline.
The movements Of bodies of soldiers from a
n corporal guarl to an army of one hundred
strong are described with great minuteness of
detail, and include all tie operations in barracks
incamp, on picket and on march, on attack, and
on retreat.
A close and attentive examination of thi.
work shows hat il cmbolcs, in IA marked de.
gree, the characteristics of the author as they
have since been developed on grandcr sphere
1t also shows that he is essentially a worker,
intent only on tho work before him. The alb
Bencc Of rhetorical flourish in his book proves
that he cares nothing iordisplay, while its pure
style and nervous simplicity of language
would put many professional author to
the blush At time Of lc when most
men Of his profession are allured by
pleasure and dissipation, the young cavalry
Captain devotes all his time to mlstcrin. thg
details Of his profession, and pericctinS himself
in all the military science of the world. Ii de.
rogates nothing from his merit that he was pos
sibly inspired by no higher ambition thln to DC
his work well, for in this lies his chief praise
His cOuntrymcn, also, will not fail to note that
this constitutes his chief claim to their conf
dence, and they will see in the circumstances
that led to his appointment on this commission
Especial preparation under Providence for the
work he has now in hand.
The Last Travels of Ida Pfeiffer: Inclusive of
Nihil to Madagascar. With an Autobio-
graphical Memoir Of the Author Translated
BTOthers.
This is sketch of travels of one of the most
remarkable women of this age-commencine
with her departure from Vienna in May, 1886,
and ending just before her death in Madagascar,