Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-21
HORSE OR MULELIrrERs.

For ia ing Hp and e0HUsyixg to A1lbuLaRcss
or 'HosPitIL, the Wounded on Fields of
Battle -. . -
We are informed that Mr. George Kohler, of
New York, has made an offer to the Govern
ment OF his greatly improved horse and mule
ambulance for taking up speedily and convey
ing 70 she hospitals or to wheeled ambulanoes
stationed en- the highways nearest to the field
Of battle, the wounded who may fall on such
fields. -
THIS mule ambulance has been adopted as a
great improvement, ana as possessing many
advantages over the wheeled ambulance in
most OF the European armies 1t was used ia
the Crinean war, and is recommended by Capt.
Delaheld in his report founded sn observations
upon that war. - .-....-.
The defect of the wheeled ambulance is that
1t is confined to practicable highways, and il
liable TO block up the said roads and, impede
the progress of trains, troops, and artillery
upon them and IN this way to Promots nartos,
as at Boil Run. II cannot penetrate wood
lands, ravines, rocky heights, or broken, rough
and uneven grounds on which battles are usual
ly fought. The mule litter, on the contrary,
consisting OF an iron-framed saddle placed
on the back Of q sure-foOted animal, to which
are attached, on eash side of the animal sa-
curely fastened sacking- bottoms or cots, can
peaetrate every part Of the most difficult bat
tle-feld. and furnish in the most prompt man
wounded soldier or officer depends, and with
out which many must perish and do perish on
every battle Geld where this modern invention
is notadopted.
In the Hcissitudes of large battlefield, the
hand-litter, carried by men, cannot be relied
upon Footmen, enoumbered with a heavy
hand-llttcr, can neither approach the wounded
on varying field of battle, nor retire with
them TO place Of safety with the confidence
and facility OF men mounted on strong sure
footed animals; hence the wounded will often
not be approached at all, or if taken up on
hand-litters will be abandoned and left to
perish 1t may be mile, or even miles from
the place where the wounded fall to the nearest
ambulance or hospital, and the intervening
country wooded, rough, broken, or rocky. II
IS In vain to suppose that two men with a hand
litter and the weight Of a wounded soldier or
ofhcer, viii often successfully oTercofne these
obstacles, while the mule ambulance would
possess much greater chances OF success, and
would save two wounded men with much mora
certainty than enc could be saved by the
haud-litter
Our daily experience in war admOnishes US
that 1t Is bad policy to reject such obvious i'm
provements in the art of war because they are
neE, or at least new TO Us The art of war is
progressive like all other arts, and our enlight-
ened GJvernment should not be the last to
avail itself Of those improvements which the
experience Of the. world commends to our
adoption, especially in matter Of saving the
lives of our gallant soldiers who may be
wounded in battle.
All Nj kOhler asks, we understand, is that
a board Of practical disinterested men mot af-
ficted with the chronic prejudices of habit
may be appointed TO examine the advantages
OF ms Invention. This We hope the Govern
msnt wiz eheerfully accord, in view of the
vast Importance TO the army of the conse-
quences depending upon its action. Every
life that may be saved by the adoption of this
improvements will be trophy to the enIight-
ened policy OF the Government which adopts
lt,-h 10 possesses the advantage which seems so
OBVIOUS The New York Times, whose editor
was spectator Of the late battle-feIds in
Italy, called the attention of the Government
70 this subject in its number of the 23d ultimo.
InteilIrsRcsr.