New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-17
On THE LEADERSHIP OF THE AUSTRIAN ARMY
IN THE NORTH

on the causes Of the iii success OF the
North in the with Prussia in the year 1906 The subject
is ia itself 50 interesting aud the paper written with such
thorough knowledge Of the matter treated or that cannot
fail 70 be acceptable to every reader
Ths Austrian army up position by
itself at Olmbs Prussia kept the principal army
two army corpsin Sesa The Austrian leader had thus
gained great advantages First the enemy ives in the
dark TO the real intentions Of the Austrians namely
they intended invade Sesis, march through Bo
hena Secondly, this uncertainty obliged the enemy to
The marchngs and counermsrchnes ths Prussans be-
tween the Ebe and the Oder and the collecting the guard
regiments in Sesa prove the uncertainty they were H. Ss
we'll as their belief that grand attack would be made
Sssia The Prussans had 1t is true nearly three parallel
railways and roads Tor communication WITH and Tor
the eventual o. their but the distance
between them was so great ha tne Aus,Ian ~ tGe sn p
hem than would have been possible Tor the Russians
have been gained for the at the decisive moment
OF those German troops on the Side oil the Diet which we're mo-
billing
the great battle would have been fought The
ton Of TIE Prussian troops by taking Of
but not to be looked dispersion OF the
forces this dispersion related only TO snanot TO time
II even the Austrian army Immediately emerged from Bo
hema the passage OF the bordern0untans would sun nave
means Of the numerous railways could concentrated
their forces end faced the Austrian army with superior num-
they had their choice of themselves
and Of invading Bohemia With prePonderating force.
Had Austrsns ady toward Sesia which Yves only
trains tho different RAILWAYS could just
easily have concentrated elk army cops at
than the Ausran Who in order not to expose Their e hank
would have been Obliged to consSefspe ioes 70 e
border uountaius In the direction OF Glaz Sberoerg
Nc reren tbereforefore that the position at Omaz.
tenOn forcing him TO divide his prinrpa force and enabling
ma 10 gain time in order TO bring connection the
opeTsons Of the Austrian army Bohemia with those
OF the German allies so as to be able 10 operate Win tae
Let Us look at the facts sfler somo time had elapsed
the beginning Of June thought in Berlin that the
Aifisn General would o0noentrae bis forces IN Boneua
PTpssians therefore
~ Fifth and Sixth Army Corps to Sesia and endeav
Lausz in order ready offensive movement against
Saxony al we'll IS to cover Berlin . .H
to Bohems carried the assembling OF troops
Onus On June TO- the chief Tmyswas there
caused divide their orees It was seen that the
Aastrans we're IL the strong es an a1S s
son tho West attack on Sesa seemed certain
rsrs ordered for n. ses Austria had
no intention Of attaching The First Army Corps was sent
0s sss. The second Army Corps had to 20 as com,
mon Lower Seso. Beside all the railway means
inc 81 tae troops were pui Ia requstion An moneys belong
III those Of the communes and even OF private
FrtJes Posen In the Fortress Neisss pulled
down Others unroofed feed ke &c. Proofs sufficient
that ar were entertained for the entry OF TIE Au'ns IN
TIE Austrian army remained inactive in onaE from the
10Th 10 the h oJune This immOyabty cannot be looked
uuon waste VI On the 0th OF JUNE the troops were
concentrated 1t bat the ntendsnts saw there we're
lime too was gained for mobilization Of the German
troops II was on 18th II June only that Prussia declared
st. ssS.d Iron for help ron the Diet sd was only the
sh that in Bavaria the Chambers voted credit Tor
Prassa also bstWesn the and Of June Of
Ia.trans and in accordance with space and numbers
divided lis principal force IN ssii higher geggee
ard sdSsossd Win the First Sixth Army Corp:
more tie south to Upper slesia between kaoo sad
Nse headquarters being removed IRON fhsenstein TO
Nesse The Sesian army to which the First, Fifth and
th Army Corps and the Guard belonged end which was
sea had the principal part assigned to IL the First
Army Corps the Lauss had now TO play an Inferior part
II was already the 2st that the whole Of Sea
alarmed by the tear Of invasion Of Nesse aud
thought the Ausans great force we're about to enter
While thus the principal the two armies remained
as far apart possible the Austrian army IN weordered
flank movements much indeed that within two days i
might eyerywbere have been brought togeheradysnced
nom Mofsya toward Bohemia The movements Of the army
on the nth Of June the 18TH Gen. Won enedek was
enabled 10 greet the Saxon comrades already united with the
army Of the On the 2st the headquarters
The operations Of the Aus,rians bamtess On the d
OF June the divided Psan armies made econn0iterngs
the First army by L'aa toward Bohemia ana the
Second army many points the direction Of Austrian 81
csa but nowhere we're divisions Of Infantry to be seen mo-
where we're the border stations othed the light eayy on
the retired; the conviction was obtaned that no
need be entertained for sesa but that the Te SIee
SLAMS FASTENED 10 operate aBsnst IobeGla ds
only the Sixth Corps remained to keep watch IN Upper
The course Of operations both sides entered into
The Prusiens saw two divided parties suddenly rise up
aQanst them the east the Austrian army ready for
d NON SI eTmsp Inc as yet uoorsansed forces that were
an side Of the German Confederation According the
aS that when IN. OGSs % oTs s nS an Ss
hat The nearest powerful should be first attacked with
10 throw themselves bret on the in Bohsms
The Austrian should have acted accord n to the same
prcips II succeeded by its formefoperaons In heep
Jog chief Of the Prnssans Gin the Leuss and Upper
Siesa divided and the endesyor ought TO have been
K 9 oSsr eors SSSeS could b sS and e III
upon another part II great activity is shown and the time
from many examples which history has shown u.s. In this
wise Bo1oPee was victorious in sn M the ar.Gdpse
on This time however the double circuitous march OF the
manned inactive and acted in reality contrary to the most
simple rules aud lessons OF experience
TGe Austrian army had the intention to assemble
K6ngnho TO the north Josephsad the Goth the head
quarter sNwere moved to Josephstadt - - a..
army and penetrated into Bohemia with all energy 10 two
places. the a. 3d. ath aud 9Th Corps besides division
S and, PeIchenbera towards Tduau MHnchengIaz and
Jungbunzau tohe ler and to the Esst o. ne heeooeg
with the lat 5h 9th and the Corps OF Guards by Leoenan
towards Trantoaa and by Brannau and Reiners towards
Nachod. o-,, ....t 80 -.
the ser and in the other nights the frontier without
either force being retarded long BY fothcatons deene
us. or on The Ser Tin tie could be attacked by the
whole strength Of the enemy and oyerxneined linus me
of each other and might hope 10 DO united as the Austrian
.rm In ia sow mehodica advance had not competed on the
Ssth its soeaIled strategic assembly Of the troops
Tha snal rule such strategic march Is undertaken,
~ bs Zoe s really Your 'front.' that during the march
OF hs chief force tanks should DO covered BY detached
CORPS from the wings need not rave been carried out or
10 DO carried out In the present instance as the
ts ~ things was quite different What should have been
I"e here was 10 STRIKE decisive blow with brepond
stng force against the parts Of the .enemy army The
Prussns fret army ought 70 have been prevented from ad
yancpg by possible and their second armythat
one have been attacked With superior
Sorce before the intended assembling of.roops.
t instead OF ttit intended TO make the grand iront
march M near knignh beweenho PTussinn armies and
r his purpose separate ordered to cover the
nank-ths eleventh corps nameywh the Saxon troops TO
the vest away IRON the Ier and on the cast the sixth
If The tenth tOMards