The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-15
Napoleon's Judgment on Hen and
Things.

INC sHe
The presence Of the gem raj en- the field Is abso
luteiy nee" "ssary-he II the head. he Il the whole
armv II was not toe Roman army that c0nquere,
the Gauis II was Cesar Ii was Ids thR Carthag,
nian army that threw terror among sbe Romans al
The gates Of Rome, II was Hannibai. sA was moi
the Macedonian army that mach ID - In. Indus, il
was Alexander. 1t was MT the Fredtsa army Tint
carried war on the Weser sud Oh the tnns II Was
Turphne. twas not the PFussian army thai defend
ca Prussia during seven years agsisst the three
grt a.ess powers of Europe, 1t was frederick the
Great
Generals In chief are guided By tssrif cwa expe-
iience or their genius. Tactief, ovotnsions, the
seierce Of the engineer and the artlIsri l. may be
learned from books, treatises, Ike gsometEy bat
the knowledge of the high parts ef wsr Is only
qulred by experience, and by the sthy Of the hsto
~ of and battles Of great capfatas. The stud
Of grammar oOu d not teach any one hew 10 write
the Iliad me of Carneiiic's tragelsfes.
The first q tsIiiy of genera-in-ctsicf Is n cool
head which receives gust impressions. of things,
which is never excited nor flushed, nor discouraged
by good or bad news. The senSatloaF, either sue
cessive or simultaneous, which he receives i'm tl
course of one day, must class Themselves la his
head and occupy no more place IN shis thought,
tisan they respectively deserve; Tor, good sense,
reason, are the result Of cOHl'arison between sew
eraI sensations taken under equal consideration.
There are men who, by their physical and moral
constitution, see everything as picture. What
ever may be the knowledge, wit, courage, OF other
good qualities OF such men, nature fsas not destined
them I, the command of armies OF 10 The direction
of grea: operations of war.
All the qualities necessary TO fern !. great gen
erai are very rarely combined; tho st dsirabie Is
perfect equi bfiHm between the Hlt,it or talent,
and the coursye: faF, II the css age pre-
dominates, the general would mpradentiy under
take things beyond his power: whilst on the other
hand II his courage was not equal TO his genius,
he would not dare to accomplish the great things
which his mind would conceive. Mach was said
about physical ard NOR courage. Oh that subject
Napoleon said that it was impossible to have more
courage than Ncy or Murat; hut it was also inpos-
sible to have less brains than they had especially
Ney.
AS to moral courage, Napoleon remarked thai,
there were very few meNwhe possessed moral our :
age at two o'clock in the night; that is 10 say,
age without time 'Of rejection, and which, In the
face of the most sudden ev,n;s, retains the same
lib erty of mind, of Judgement, of decision. Ma
pOleOn did not hesitate presume that he was
the one that possessed the greatest amount of that
courage of two O'Clock at night rs he called il; and
that he had but very few who DID not remain
FIR behind himself on that point.
He also remarked that II WAS difficult to conceive
the strength otmnd necessary 10 give one of ihos,
great battles on which depends the fate of m army,
of q country, of throne 1t was for the reason
that Generals were seldom anxious to give battle.
They would take position, fix it, ueiiate al their
pans-b;it then would commence ih'ir iade .i'ion;
and nothing more necessary dnd more diiiicu'i
than 20 Know when and how to decide.
Speaking Of some OF his Generals, Napoleon re
marked: '.k,eher was gifted with the greatest tai
cnt. But ne was Dniy ite MA ot Inc iDoHHHt--
lie sought glory the only route To pleasures; he
had patriotism, and would, without hesitation,
have taken service with any toreig poser In his
yosith he had served Prussia, and he had remained
very much attached to that poser
Desaix possessed to an eminent degree the dc
sirabie equilibrium spoken of above. M"re2u d.d
not deserve De placed among the first generals
Nature with him. had not completed lis creation
he mad more instinct than real genius.
With LaRneS courage at first carried II over the
mind But his mind rose every day to regain the
equilibrium. Tie possessed superior ability when
he pcrished. took him riginy; when iost ir!nl
be was giant.
Speaking of bravery, courage, the Emperor said:
There is 10. one of my Generals whose draft, as
! call il, Is not known IL mc. Some 50 il UP tn
their waist; Others to the chin and some plunge
In overhead. l.ut the fast, assure you very
few in number Massrna very superior
general, who, ty singular siit, only posSeSsei
The desired equilibrium II the time OF danger. Ii
grew on him n the midst nt danger and fire.
The responsibility OF a general In chiei is not
covered by an c.ier from miu.ster, or 'sa!:l a
prince who is not present on The field of operations,
and who knows but inpcf;ectly, or even does not
know at all. the last state of things.
lst. Every general who undertakes TO execute Il
plan which he considers had or disastrous Is csiini
nal. He must remonstraie, insist to have tue plan
changed, and finally resign rather than be the in
struulent OF the ruiu of his own people.
I'd. Every general who, in consequence ot supe-
rIOr ORDERS gives battle when he is certain 10 lose
1t, is equally criminal.
Sd. A general ia chief is i:ic first o.icer of the
military hierarchy. The mintater, li,e prince, give
instructions which the general nust faithfully toll
low. But such Instructions are nrver consil lrfed
as military orders, and are not to be pasNvely
obeyed.
4th. Even military order is only to ha passive
iy obeyed when 1t s slven by 4 superior officer
who, being present at the time he gives 1t, has Il
full knowledge Of the state of i!iinDi, AID who can
listen to objections and give explanation to the
one who has charge of the execution.
CAPITULATI0E.
A body Of troops in iine mast neg.r capitu'ate