The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-27
American ana EurOpean FIgheIng.


city exhibited in all the great battles
of this war by both armies, are equal to
any exhibitions of the same qualities
recorded in history--in some respects
are superior. Scarcely any conflict has
been decided by single trial At Cor
NTH, at MurfreesboIO at Chattanooga.
at Vicksburg at Knoxville, in the
South and West, in the seven days
fighting on the Peninsula, in the series
Of battles during Gen. Pope's campaign,
in the conflicts eliminating in the vic
tory of Antietam, at Fredericksburg,
in the memorable three days at Gettys-
burg, the armies Of both combatants
have shown the moral power which is
inherent in the American character.
The same invincible resolution has gen
orally enabled the beaten combatant to
retire with some order and has given
to SO many battles only partial results
The superior perseverance and energy
of the Northern armies are now begin
ming to tell; but IN those Of the South
there is doubtless much OF the unyield-
ing quality yet remaining, which will
vigorously contest with us the soil over
which we are gradually marching
Many of the peculiarities of Ameri-
can Warfare-particularlv the often in
decisive character of battles. and the
impossibility Of following up success
ses-are OF course attributable 10 the
nature of the country, its forests, its
streams, its facilities for defence, and
the vast extent of rear which is at the
command of both parties in this war.
In Europe a single battle often decides
the fate of an empire, by deciding that
of its capital or of some prominent
strategic point But on the vast arena
where American armies operate, a num-
Der OF battles must occur in order to de-
termine the destiny even of single
State, as in Tennessee, or Of a single
great line of communication, as Of the
Mississippi river.
a third prominent cause for the diff
ference between American and Euro
pean warfare, is the difference in the
of the armies When q
European standing army is demolish-
ed, the state is left without protection
when an American army is beaten, its
losses are easily supplied from the body
of the Nation. IN this respect there
has been no parallel to the constant re- !
constitution Of the armies in both sec
tons Of the country, except in the case Of
the French Republic, which, during the
early periods of its existence, sustained
defeats IN every quarter, and was obl-
ged to contend with instructions in
La Vendee and in the south; yet with
powerful energy it recruited its armies,
until the course of eventsswas changed
and it became everywhere victorious.
1t is a great mistake, however, to as
sert, as is so frequently done in the
general newspapers, that European his
tory does not present instances of con-
tinuous fighting, and of battles con-
tinuing for several days Without re-
ferring to siege operations many cases
can be mentioned of campaigns includ-
ing numerous conflicts, and of great
battles that were decided only after
several days of fighting. Indeed it has
rarely happened that any great battle
has been fought without various pre-
limininary affairs, though as these are
not specified in history, and attention |
is permanently given to the chief and |
decisive engagement we fall into the |
conclusion that only this occurred. We !
doubt however, if, in the whole history
of warfare since firearms came into
general use, any parallel can be fur
nished 70 the seven days fighting on
the Peninsula, and the recent engage ]
ments in Virginia. Such battles in I
Europe would have involved the de- |
struction Of one or the other army, |
with all its nsatcTieL In this country. /
however, from its physical peculiarities |
above alluded to, the losses are proper |
tionaAy small, and the results some |
what indecisive
We naturally seek for comparisons
to our own battles in those Of the Cri- |
mean and the Italian wars. But the 1
former was mostly comprised in the /
siege operations, and in the latter. the 1
French we're so immeasurably superior 1
to the Austrians that the drama closed /
with the two great acts Of Magenta 4
and Solferino, without much bv-play.
or accessory incidents, II is 70 the
wars following the French Revolution
therefore, that We must turn for paral-
lei incidents. 1t VIII he interesting to
recall them, in the first place, as mat
tiers OF history, and in the second place,
to show how much similarity there is
notwithstanding the changes in tactics
and weapons-in the methods by
which great hostile armies come into
For it is well known that
the principles on which battles are
fought do not yary-although there
sre such innumerable combinations of
details. Strategy Is the same now as
u the early stages of history The
in arms make differences in
the modes of arraying troops and of
Lighting, but such movements. for in
stance, as flank attacks and attempts
10 break line in its centre have al
Ways been among the grand msnosu-
gers Of commanders.
In 1898 the Austrians under the Arch
luke Charles attacked the French on
the FIRST of March, and the battle
was continued on the "a; the French
being defeated, the Austrians fought
hem again on the 4th, and again de-
Seated them. A few days afterwards
he Aussgians captured the city Of Ton