Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-08-20
From the New York Herald.
10. JOHNSTON ON THE WAR.
Won MOItke an OveFFated Man
\ Comparison of the Opposing
Troops and Generals.

%NCAl W OcHcThl Lee, ueneEuI
Joseph E. Johnston is about the
most celebrated OF the surviving
Generals of the Confederacy, aud
in this view it may be interesting
TO lay before our readers the opin-
ions OF that officer on the Franco
German war. Toward the close of
last month General Johnston was
at the Sweet Chalybeate Springs, in
Virginia, and is represented as
speaking very freely there upon the
pending struggle. The slowness Of
the opposing armies, he incIlnes 10
think natural aud necessary result
ofthc plan of the caupaign adopted; /;
that plan, in his opinion, being one
resolved on by both the French and
Prussian forces, aud consisting sim
ply in nm advance upon the soil of
the opposite party. To successful.
ly inaugurate such Il campaign
would, ofcourse, require, first con-
centratiOn Of troops, aud, second,
an accumulation OF war material on
very large scale, aud, even with
European facilities, no little time
would be required TO make such
preparations, AS to the rank and
file of the two armies, he was in-
clined TO suppose that the Prussian
troops were The better trained, bas-
ing this view on the fact that, as the
Prussian cOnscription is but for
three years, while the French is for
seven, the Prussian ranks were
more constantly changing, and the
diffusion Of military knowledge
among the people was therefore
greater than in France. AS to the
generals, however, he gives the su-
periority decidedly 10 the French.
They have been thoroughly tried in
the Crimean and Italian wars, both
of them contests Of great magni-
tude, not to speak OF the constant
practice afforded in Algeria. The
Prussian generals, on the other
hand, had not had an opportunity
to show their merits, the Austrian
war Of 1866 being devoid OF actions
and movements sufficient TO afford
q test OF military ability. Won
MOltke, in particular, he thought,
did not merit the reputation he
possesses, his renown being based
on defeating an old and incompe-
tent general at Sadowa, when, SO
defective was his plan Of battle
there, he would have been utter
ly defeated, had his antagO-
mist been q general of tact or abili.
ty. To instance: the Prussian
plan Of battle was to advance two
columns from two different points
upon Benedek. There being no
communication between these col
umns, il was the first dictate of
genOralship to advance the whole
Austrian army upon the nearest
column aud crush II before the Sec
ond could come up. This done it
would have been easy to turn upon
the remaining column and defeat
that, instead of which General Ben
edek calmly awaited the juncture
of the columns, and suffered him
self to be engaged in. front by one
while the other took him in the
rear. Napoleon the First would
never have done this, or "our
own Jackson" They would have
advanced rapidly in full force
on the separated columns, en-
gagged and defeated them seyidtiBa.
An "irreConCilable" here observing
that Won Moltke then was, after |
all, an overrated man, and as little |
deserved his reputation as did |
Grant, General J Johnston replied that |
Grant would never have remained
still as Benedek did, but would have |
advanced and engaged the hostile |
columns separately. Passing from |
the mere strategetical view of the |
case, the General remarked that he |
was surprised to know Of 80 much |
sympathy In the South for Prussia.
Napoleon is regarded as q wise and
sagacious ruler. who had made
France one of the finest countries
in Europe, and that nowhere could
q man find better protection for his
life and property than there. The
sympathles of Europe would be
with him, as certainly II the French
armies were defeated the result
would be The dethronement Of The
Emperor, and such an event would
convalso Europe fof 4 long lime 10
come Aa % Prasslai The govern