The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-22


being named by the various military authorities
In the States whose contingents were placed under
his orders These several c0ntingens varied In their
words OF command, In their system OF maneuvrinR,
In the calibre Of small arms, In their artillery sys
assemblage Of troops from which excellent material
might have been selected, but which would have
to mould It into the homogeneity necessary for sue
cessful military action. No of1cer or man OF the
Whole body save Of the Austrian division, nad ever
corps had been assembled What results could he
hoped for from such defects in the essentials Of
A useful warning is given to us in the FORE
geing passage, as well as in several others
scattered over this book, which show that
success in war can only be obtained by care
full preparation in time of peace.
Among the most regretable episodes of this
war is the treatment of the free City of
Frankfort by Generals Won Falkenstein and
Manteuffel. In giving an account of this
instance Of Prussian brutality, Sir A. Malet
relates that of which he, being on the spot,
was personally cognizant. On less authority
than this we should hesitate to accept the
confirmation of the newspaper statements Of
the time.
1t would be painful to attempt detail of
the various acts of ill-treatment which Frank
fort, which had been entered without opposi-
ton, suffered at the hands of the imitators of
the ruffians Of the Thirty Years War It is
firms all that was stated at the time, and to
mention merely that General Manteuffel
threatened pillage and bombardment if
G2 100000 were not paid by the citizens
within twenty-four hours It is pleasant to
be able to state that this exaction was ulti-
mately remitted at the personal intercession
of the kind-hearted Queen of Prussia.
In his chapter on the Prussian army, the
author tells us little which those who have
tudi itoru lrY,o l.
The history of the progress and development
of the Prussian military system is not, how
ever, without interest to the general reader.
The principal change effected in the system
of Scharnhorst is that by which the service
in the reserve is extended from two to four
years, and the forming of the landwehr into
separate army, instead of placing it in divi-
sion as formerly with the regular troops.
With regard to the extension of the service
in the reserve, General Won Moltke gives the
following weighty testimony in favor of thor
oughly trained soldiers
ION our side, we heard everywhere the CRY, where
is the Captain? what said the Captain as 30 where
we should goY This instinct OF hanging together
under all circumstances cannot be drilled into
1t must be the habit OF his lfe."
The advantages of the localization of corps,
which has been recommended for our own
service, are urged in passage which we'll
merits the attention of Mr.. Cardwell:
call Esprit de corps Is nowhere better understood or
maintained than in the Prussian army. Zach regi-
meDt is indeed localized, and has its own peculiar
recruiting district, and its own Landwehr, wherein
serve me tme-expred men of the line regiments
and OF the Guard"
The system of calling up the reserve ap-
pears admirable, and may furnish worthy
example for us in the organization of our re-
serve force:-
"a telegraphic signal from headquarters puts the
whole machinery in operation at once. In the Land
wehr offices Of every village the summonses for
sem bly, lie constantly ready, and have only be dis
tributed. Every individual attached to the commis-
sariat, the hospitals, or field post Offices any
other employ in case Of war, knows his destination
beforehand and only requires notice to present him.
SELF"
We will conclude this necessarily imperfect
review of valuable book by giving an ex-
tract which it would be, perhaps, we'll if our
military authorities would reflect on
Gin squad and company drill and in gymnastics
which are carefully attended to, the subaltern of-
GERS and captains invariably discharge duties left in
the English army to the under officers. BY this sys-
tenn men and officers become more famarzed
with each other, and this is immensely in favor of
the Prussian system in the wear and tear OF actual
service"