Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-24

SUBSISTENCE OF GREEK AND ROMAN ARMIES.

After giving, some days ago, minute descrip'
tion Of the means employed by Aerxes ana Han
nibnl for subsisting their respective armies we
stated that we might on future day recur 10 the
military Institutes of the Greeks and Romans
under this head Little, it is true, remains TO be
said on this score in addition to what we have
written with some PARTICULARLY on the system OF
Xerxes and Hannibal, for where the means of
transportation were the same, we might expect
that the s.me general rules would obtain among
the Greeks and Romans as we're observed by the
Persians and Carthiginians in providing for the
subsistence of their troops.
Hence we remark that Aristotle, in the Second
Book of his Economics, where he reduces the in
stitutes of different military commanders under
this head, quotes equally from the practice of Per
sian and Grecian Generals in supplying the COM
missariat of their armies, as affording examples
worthy of consideration and record. Didales, the
Persian and T,motheus, the Greek, equally fur
nsh their contingents to his generalization on this
branch of military economy
According to the general army regulations of
the Greeks distinction was made between the pay
proper Of soldier and his suJsis'ence-money 1t
was common for the soldiers to purchase their sup
plies as furnished either by the State or by indl-
yduals and whether the subsistence was furnished
in kind or in money it was the duty and care of
the General to make ample provision under this
head before setting out on any expedition. Usu-
ally large market was established at points
where armies were stationed or expected, and from
it the soldiers supplied themselves with the neces
sary provisions, while their servants "a numerous
retinue) aud the beasts of burden conveyed the
same after them On their march. The Greek army
at Plataa was followed by great conveys OF proyi-
sions from Peloponnesus, the care of which be-
longed to the servants and other camp followers
Before Nicias started out on the Siciau Expedi
ton he estimated for necessary stores of wheat and
barley to be sent from Attca to Sicily, and i'm
pressed the requisite number of bakers to prepare
bread for the consumption of his troops.
Among the Romans the conditions of subssting
their armies may be said to have turned on two
great principles-that of making the war support
the war in the enemy's country, and that OF open
ing military roads in connexion with depots OF
sunplie. These roads radiaed from the city of
Rome as their centre, and no conquest s con-
.idered secure until such line of communication
was opened with the metropolitan seat OF Roman
civil aud military power. We learn from VGge-
thus, who wrote a treatise the " Military lns-
tutes" of the Romans in the time of the Emperor
Valentinian, Commonly supposed to have been
the .cond Emperor of that name,) that, as OF the
present day, detschmcnts of infantry and cavalry
were used for the protection of supply trains.
He SAYS in his Third Book:
at partcuarly incumbent the General to provide
for the protecon OF the pas End Of the conveys Of
corn and other provisions either in camp or garrison ard
to secure the wood water and forage against the incur
sions az the enemy This can be Effected only by posting
detcba ageousy in the cities walled castles
on the roads along which ihe nvoys advance and If no
ancient Notifications are to be met WITH 'ignt iors must
be hu in pr1 per situations surrounded wbarge dItches
for the pon o deachnenso Of h"rse and loot whereby
the couyoys w be eectusly covered for enemy will
scarce ven far into unry where h. knows hs ad-
verssrys troops disposed to be ready to ene"-
pass hiul on all rides"
che importance of making ample provision Tor
the commissariat of the army is thus enforced by
this ancient Roman military writer. We quote
agaiR from the Third Book of his Institutes:
Famine makes greater havoc in army than the enc.
nv and i more terrible than the sword. Time aud op
portunty may help to retrieve other msfortunes; but
where forage snd provisions have not been carefully pro
vde1 The evil without remedy. The main aud principal
pout in war is 10 plenty Of provisons and 10 de
stroy the enemy BY famine An exact calculation must
the efre be made before the commencement of the
o the lumber Of troops ard the incident thereto
thai The provinces may furnish time the forage, end
All ottcr kinds Of provisions demanded at them, to be-
TRANSPORTED, in thsn sufficient quantity, into the
ana most convenient ches before the opening
of the campaign IL the provinces cannot raise their
quotas Ia kind mSt compound for them IN money
10 be employed procuring al things requisite for the SER
vice. for the possessions Of the subject cbn no otberwe
be- secured than by the defence Of These precau-
Ii ~ cen become douby necessary e ge is some
lines pr,tracted beyond expectation; the pes egers
resolving suffer Themselves all the inconyeUi pc1s oi
than raise the siege, II they have ay nDes
OC reducing the place by famine Edlcs should be sent
out requiring the country people 10 convey their cattle
grain wine and all kinds Of provisions ihs may be oi ser
vice to the enemy into garsoned Ortresses into the
ssest ciiies and il they do not comply with the order
proper officers to be appointed to compel them to 1t
The inhabitants Of the province must likewise be obliged
retire with their fleets ntn fortified pace, before
the rruptOn Of the enemy The Notifications and al the
machines of different kinds must also be examined and
repaired in time for II you surprised by the
enemy before you IN proper posture OF defnce
thrown into rrecOverable confusion, aud you can
longer draw any assistance from the neghbonng places
ali communication with them being cut "h But faithful
management Of the magazines, and frugal distribution
o the PROVISIONS With proper precautions taken at hrst
will ensure sufficient plenty when provisions once begin
6cui; expeditions the anccnts dstnbut the provisions
rank and when the emergency past the Government
fttv rtIapa he ashnu