Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-07-27
BY W. A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON.
From the London Times. July 4.
MILITARY EXPERIENCES.

From the London Times. July4.
MILITARY EXPERIENCES.
DREEcH.LoAD1Ne RIFLES IN ACTION, AMI
VAST SUPERIORITY OF THE PRUssIAN
SMALL ARM.
The great lesson TO be learned by mill
tary men from the present war in Ger
many, is the irresistible superiority o.
breech.loading rifles in action. The Aus
trian armyin Bohemia was supposed tt
be numerically stronger than the Prussian
1t contained a far larger proportion Of vet
eran soldiers and probably of scientific Of
ficers, it was commanded by man second
in reputation to no general in Europe, il
was fighting on the defensive for a cause
which, as against the invaders, is good
one, and in a country of which the popula.
ton is loyal to the House Of Hapshurg
and yet it has gradually been driven back
aoith q loss estimated by the Prussians al
thirty to forty thousand men, and is uoao
said to be greatly dispirited by the series
Of reverses ,0hieh 1t has sustained. 1t was
for some time supposed that "strategical
reasons" Of an unexplained and mysterious
nature might have induced Marshal Ben
edek to fall back. point by point, towards
a aposition selected by himself for general
engagement. This supposition is no longer
tsnable. 1t is altogether incredible that
such resistance as Was offered by the Aus.
trians at Skallez, Trsutenau, and Nun
chengratz was feint, after all, or that
Gitschin was allowed to be stormed, and
Priocc Frederick Charles to effect a juno
ton with the Crown Prince, in the hope
ofEdrawiug the enemy to the battle-ground
between Koniggratz and Josepthstadt,
where nothing but decisive victory could
avail Austria, and where crushing defea.
might open to the Prussians way to
Yienua. In .hese sanguinary conflicts the
Austrian troops fought obs'instely and
we'll, but they wsre fairly 6eaten-and
, tAey soere beaten, according to all the &C
counts that have reached rs--by the more
rapid fire Of the Prussiam ii::fa"try.-
! From 6rst to last it is the needle Gun that
has apparently carried the day, ano The
needle gun is-sipply breech-loading riht:
. OF very Indifferent quality. In principle,
as we'll as in CONSTRUCTION, it is not to be
compared with several breeeh loading ri
raes mspufactpred by English makers; out,
, imperfect es. it is,, it, has proved quite good
enough TO- secure, victory for the .Prussians
in almost every. speoupter. If we refer to
: the letter of our correspondent at the
headquarters Of the First .Prussian army,
we find ample proof. of Its extraordinary
effect. 1t was this which mainly enabled
the. Ptussians to force the passage of the
bridge over the lser at lPedoil.- between
'fTurnau and Mupchengra!z. The Aus,rians
had occupied the village through which
the road passes towarde the bridge, and
commanded :a4l.the approaches from win
.dQws and barricades thrown up across the
street. But the Prussian riaemen sfired
about three times before the Austrians,
armed only with muzzIe loading rifles, were
able 10. reply" This more than compen-
sated for any disadvantage in numbers or
position, and the Austrians seem to have
been completely overmatched. "In the
street, the Austrian soldiers, huddled to.
gether and encountered ,o;th clumsy ram.
rods, were unable to load with ease, and
could return no adequate FIRE to that of the
Pussians, xhile these, from the advantage
of better arm, poured their thick volleys
into an almost defenceless crowd" 1t
was the same at the railway bridge. abou.
two hundred yards distant, where like
struggle was going on simultaneously. -
!sAere too" says our. correspondent, !"athe
neaale gun showed its advantage over the
old fashtoaed weapons Of the Austrians,
for TIE lattar fell in the proportion Of six to
nne P'ussian."z A. last the former retreat
ed, leaving most, If not all, Of their killed
And wounded on the field; and 1t was found
cthat not only waa the number Of Aust rian
dss4 machs greater, but that in the. hospi.
.faIsf.lks z',opprtion Of poa,,des Aus
ito iaqundsd Prassians aaas as fire
70 oss!" :, ;.cestf' = 49,: < = ~.
These are estastiing Jesulte, and yet thew
arsno more ethan any one pnfettsrsa BY mill
tsty. prejndtces would bsye. sbticipsted
Thsssinaa be:still more lingering doubt
.tsn1ong old hands - toawhe.hsr breech-