Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-10-31
What Makes q General
Like Michael yassiO, Ne may be one
"Ehss never set 4 !qladron in the he!d'
Nor the diIiion OF a battle knows


UEbs, never set .q1adron in the held,
Nor the diIision OF = battle knows,
More than sPins:er";-
", believing that study AID observation may cradle Us
70 comprehend soue of tie cardinal matters inVoVsd
IN the conduct OF greA: military operations IN modern
tmss We shall adventure the sstme1t 10 our readers
If What We regard IS some Of me leading requisites OF
= .uecsssrul military eOuUaudsr-and without the
,.D;s. possession Of which man shsIld be sntru't
ed with important comuan5.
Theirs in hs review Of zoe Waterloo canPlgl, lock-
ing st it from the heights OF bis intellect, age and re-
search and a. the distance Of two score years, main
tsna stoufIy after shAt has been said in controversy
chat the military conduss Of NAgo throughout that
eaupaizn was above criticism. h alo attributes TO
the French sSldery engaged ell possible "a and err
thusasm for their chief and country. Yet there VA
eosp.ee disaster, for Wheh he 6nds e'uso in the fac
rbs, certain high commanders, though really aNla AID
f.l,hfuL had failed TO Solre the eOr6isnes OF the
troops From this be logic ly argues that, 10 tbs ABB
sence of suoh e9udiance the bglssi spirit Is uureil
be bscauSs e6Tie and subject to reVusion depression
and panie We may accept these conclusions ~ iudis
pu,abe ana assert as our first con on, that the COM
auders Of divisions eorps and arm IS should be men
Who possess tbs entire confidence Of tie soldiers under
them-otherWise the highest capacities will be wasted.
"a manisn net born Ct nsndsr, be must Dec one one"
trulv ssys Montecccul or, the Arch Duke Charles
.atss the sane proposition; A great captain can only
.. be formed by long experience and intense study;
neither is bis experiences enough fer whose lite
ia there Sufficiently fu fGl OF events TO render hi
knoslsdge uuiversAI' Hence it Vas tIst Napoleon
urVed on al sspi ants fer conulnd the obi cation 10
psruse again aud again the oAnpAi7ns Of AleIAnde,
., H,nnibsl, Ar, GustaTus Ado paus, ElSere, Ta-
81 rsnne and Frederick"
valiant energy doss not alone qualify q Hodisr for
tbs o)mmand in CHEZ Of an army corps or diVIop.
We THEREFOR sre Of the belief that one can DO safely
Ha,sued 10 high comm and, the conduct Of military
operations, when practicable, Woo has 10: had a. I'll
l,rRed field Of experience AID shawn uIq IesJioues
CAPACITIES for the hArdn Of masses Of troops in the
said Mere e1sc1.iVe ia! eIuno. invest General with
g mes for command. He nusI possess a large meI
sre Of pAeros ingsnu AID fer.,y Of ressu COS ard
combinations, viii the nicess Adjustment OF COURAGE
AID discretion. "Hs muss have" says Nlpolson, "a
STOOL head Slicl saVss jul. Impressions f tbings
,v,,ch is never 1ctsd shed nor Discouraged BY
..yosd or bal COWS" I. s,y ng alec OF sh. grsa
master of tie ast OF var that vas 20. the Roman
Car .bsRerIAu army Wlicb terrified R)ue bat Hmm
ba; n,s the n osconiAn paaaiG thls marched to the
I.dus b4s A.exAlds,; and essentially may Ne declare
4, vss DO. the Prussan forces which for seven YEAR
d,f aided Prussia % les. hlee Of the greatest poHers
10 EIrop-, /. E4s Fsslerick the Great. There have
bean. in5ssd, vhlt arc known as 'sol5ieIs'
v,stor.ss," IN which the conduct and Rmper
Of the men, tiOugb badly banded by Their
VsnersL have fooled superior tSctics aad Vrtnched
ys:Oly rem &C s adversary; aud o. cccasOas, dOub!
lssu. brave men fgadlg ia an en1O5lus cause, have
t,Iumohsd over he highest military skl. NsVsrthe-
lees all history proves shat he issue Of will in the
Aia depsrd on he gsnsralsap developed and brought
20 bear in ths SODducs Of operations qualified Of course
Iader government like ours by The capacities Of the
msl charged with military administrator, aud upon
whom arc made to depend aosOlu ely the resources
both of men and material which placed a. tho dis
position Of QUE general, xi.bOu; any control by tie
latter. 10 an utterly sromalSus d:gseo in ancient or
modern mii.ray organ z1,iOns, except in Austria.