Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-04-03


ei, s, 'hro~ins up sartheorks and plant.
ing Batteries, destroying or building bridges,
rendering TO- ds impossible, establishing bnr
riosdes or 'mpedinents, ard lhs establish
ment u ir.sns Of communication between
the co!umns.
' 4. Ohtsining c"uria,s 10. giving nfaa
tion and conducting ofBcsEs.
. 5. Piscing the troops in the positions, as
also The ressyyus.
6. Chcic" e places for ,hs b'g,sgs, o. di-
Iectious Whi:ks- it shall be conducted in
irna'iens for transporting the wounded, end
whishn7, Sc ws'l US ;i,e 1-s;Snatian Of places
lo- field aospisa's.
Moreover, every Gs& &s'sl S!a Fl Officer must,
Besides being ready for the execution Of
special commissions, during Ike 6attls turn
his attention ic rl.e fc!lowirg objects:
!. To tte arrival s,d depioymsnt .: thc
enemy forces,
3. To the coneinnr knowledge cf 4he IN.
ployrpnt Of mis- own forces according t. tho
ceder Ct fh,:,e
:. II 'he knowledge Of adjoining nooios
- '. cups.
q. To toa ccnsife e:s,ioa ot rhe course Of
ops:aiiors on both sides.
S. To tto psttins tcgcthes @, in: -:salss
from advices snd infof natioa s6ceived.
6. Tha. changes in the disposition src Ia2 g
knnwa to al troops erein ccnc.rned.
:. To tsks messr rs fer meeting the shock
Of the eneUy's reserves.
8. Ralisirg scd bringing agsir into POSI-
:ict, troops ~iihdIas" f'ou Tie iold.
g. Providing ammunition for tie troops.
With regard to the indtriiual and personal
conduct Ct toe General Staff Officer duricg
b.t'ie, it E.ay be Te:uar kcd thst--
/: i; bis da,J 10 CAREY orders; bur no
Eus. jadse .: shsso according to oircuu-
stances, sud, 10 csss Of necessity, modify OF
change them OH h's own responsibility.
.. When O dared TO bring into engagement
fie=i o y. 20 must aoGuaint the leader Of
the c3'vmo 8 i!h :he State nt -fairs along the
f:cos inc.
3. His influence IL recoGneacin- he @ mt
is intimately oan:c:sd With the foregoing.
4. Correct appreciation CT what is observ-
ej ard notes Tor :e?orts .rs extremely i'm.
poran5, If only
s For stain, ti.s instantaneous condition
If sif4irs 20 the General succeeding In COM
maGd il tho e7cut Of tic killing or wounding
OF the Commanding General.
At1er the 5a.t's. tss duties 81 ,hs Gc.oIzl
Staff officer arc tie following:
!. His 6,st c,re is for tho wounded.
2. Superiatendins tho collection of the ma
serisls Of war scattered on the battlefield.
3. Dare fo- tho burial of tee dead.
4. D1sught Of the b,stle asld (; designation
.aereoD Of tho positions # the chief bodies
of troops.
s. Preparation u ;hs rep5.: 9 .nc os:;lc.
In this wii hn conisi5al: Tha strength of
both siio;; shc Fasisions Of Inc chie' bodies
Of trocpn; tho plan Of attack; toe prosFess Of
the hn,,l, with .esrcnco 60 lie principal
forces :rgas,Gi the result oc inc t.shi: and
the cause Of the lossoi.
3. Training Of Generul staff Officers vitS
,cith reference 70 the subsistence OF froops.
Not only must the General Stat, OE:er be
acquainted wis eli the se.>;cs n connection
With the troops, hut he mu.t slse be per-
.rctly tsni!ia- wi:a ,ho manner of subsis:iyg
the ssne, e2d wish ne bess nesns and Ways
Of sttainirg this object Tie General Staff
Office. has his place a. sne hosd of the svant-
gua,G; 10 is the an!enne cf his Command 'ng
Genera; ne is acquainted with the plaas and
otject, Of tho operations; makes the detsch-
me1ts, caniucis tie Ipa 'cbes, and has here
every oppar;unity 70: pSovias his usefulness
Tbs statistics af fiS couat'y tho condition OF
his v=u s,ny, and the capacity Of the Com.
uiss4,y Department, are we'll known to him;
be uust. therefore undssstand what plan to
follow, and what ways and means &C adopt ss
the best.
In the foregoing sTeiclcs IL ;f= "Eaqarer'
on "G.ner.l Staff" it has been intended to
give only nu outline Of shs nature aud I'm
portanoa Of the Gennal Staff Of hr army
and We have chosen to illustrate this by G
brief description Of the organization OF Tx
Gsnsrsi S:sff Of the Prrssian amy. Tht
need 81 such branch OF ths service hss
| beer e.vsrely felt ia tie Confederate
States sTmg NOR wouid it be sny
exsgyeraii1n &c stata, that ths absence Of j
has COS, the Confederate Government sevsra
millions CT dol!srs, tesidea the losses in othel
| respects which it might hcvo prevented. II
modern army is we'll organized without 1
General Staff; and now that the Congress
seem disposed TO establish enc, It is to o.
hoped that the sur ject will be fully spprc
cieted, and our amy thus rendered 1nore ef
6cient."
'Thoss disposed to examine question of a
&C General Staff more specisily are ,eFsrrci
to The folloHiog works, containing the bes
literature on the subject:
General &a5sgescaasfs. Il. ron BoshDs
Possdstr, 1867 Tois author We have had GO
csson to consult quite ftcque7tl?, ~ shc Ia
test wrtor Of importance.
Froh.tscke General !-Stcss~:sseasch char. 9
F. Decker. Borlia.
Considerations ssr TART &c Ia gssr's. Rog,
Mart A book Of great value ias its jassi
with reference to the organizing OF Genera
Staff.