Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-25
mllirary max,ms or N.,oSeo,m


| Tents are injurious to health L is much better
for the soldier to bivouaek because be then sleeps
with his feet 70 the fire, which quickly dries the
ground on which he lies. a few boards or little
straw shelter him from the wind.
Tents, however, are necessary for The leaders
/ who have to write and consult the map. They
should be given therefore, to the superior officers
| who should be ordered never TO lodge in a house.
Tents aitrack the observation of the enemv's
1 staff and make known your number aud the posi-
/ ton you occupy. But Of an army biYouackipg in
| two three lines, nothing is perceived at a dis
lance except the smoke, which the enemy confounds
with the mist of the atmosphere He cannot count
the fires.
Nothing is-more important in war than unity in
command. When, therefore, you are carrying on
hostilities against single power only, you should
have but one army, acting on one line, and led by
| enc commander.
The eject of discussing, making a show of talent
and calling councils of war, viii be what the effect
of these things has BEEN In every age: they viii end
in the adoption of the most pusillaumous or (t the
| expression be preferred) the most prudent meas
ures, which in war are almost uniformly the worst
that can be adopted. True wisdom, so far as gem
eral is concerned, consists in energetic determlDa
/ ton.
There are certain things in war of which the
commander alone csmprehends the Importance.
| Nothing but his superior frmness and ability can
subdue and surmount all difficulties.
To authorize generals and officers to lay down
their arms by virtue of a special capitulation un
der any other circumstances than when they con-
stitute the garrison of fortified place, would un
questionably be attended with dangerous consequent
ces. To open this door to towards, the men want
ing in energy, or even to misguided brave men, is
to destroy the military spirit of the nation. An ex-
traordinaTy situation requires extraordinary reso
| luton. The more obstinate the resistance of an
armed body, the more chances it will have of being
succOred or of forcing passage. How many things
apparently impossible, have nevertheless been per
formed by resolute men who had no alternative but
DEATH E
No sovereign, no people, no genera can be Sc
cure, if the officers permitted to eapitulate
the field and lay down their arms by virtue of an
agreement favorable to themselves and TO the troops
under their command, but opposed to the interests
| OF the remainder OF the army. To withdraw from
| peril themselves and thus render the position of
| their comrades more dangerous, is manifestly an
act Of baseness Such conduct ought be prescribed.
pronounced infamous and punishable with death
The generals, officers and soldiers who IN battle,
have saved their lives by captivating ought to be
| deemated. He who commands the arms to be sur
reHdered and they who obey him. are alike traitors
and deserve capital punishment.
| There is but one honorable way of being made
prisoner Of war; that is by being taken separately
and when you can no longer make use of your arms
Then there are no conditions for there can be none
consistently with honor-but on are compelled to
surrender by absolute necessity
To be familiar with the geography and topogra-
pny OF the country TO be skIiful making recon-
Rossdnce to be attentive to the despatch of orders
to be capable Of exhibiting with simplicity the most
complicated movements of an army these are the
qualifications that should distinguish the officer
called to the station Of chief of the staff
general of artillery should be acquainted with
all the operations of the army, he is obliged TO
supply the different divisions of which it is conn.,
posed with arms and ammunition. His commune
cations with the artillery officers at the advanced
posts should keep hun informed of all the move
ments OF the troops, and the management Of his
great park must be regulated by this information.
To reconnoire rapidly defes and fords to OBJ
tain guides that can be relied upon to interrogate
the clergyman and the postmaster to establish
speedily an understanding with the inhabitants tc
send out spies to seize the letters in the mails
translate and make abstract of their contents
in short, to all the inquiries of the general
inchief on his arrival with the whole army such
are the duties which come within the sphere of a
good general Of an advanced post.
Commanders-inehief are to be guided by their
own experience or genius. Tactics evolutions. the
science of the engineer and the artillery officer
may be learned from treaties but generdLSip is &C
CURED only by experience and the study Of the
paigns of all great captains. Gustavus AdOlphus
Turenne, and Frederic. as also Alexander, Hanni-
bal, and CesaF, have all acted on the same pFinci
Piles. To keep your forces united to be vulDers,
BILE at no point. to bear down with rzpidity upon
important points-these are the principles which
insure victory.
1t is by the fear which the reputation of your
arms inspires. that you maintain the fidelity of your
allies, and the obedience of conquered nations.