Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-10-01
GEN. BEAUREG RD on THE WAE.


The En- COnGed rate Soldier inter-
vicwcd,
A correspondent of the INnchburg
Republican, writing from Allegheny
Springs, Virginia, r1lates a CONVERSE
ton With Gen. Be uregard about tie
war in Europe. Some of the General
views are Of interest
The question was asked: what is the
matter with France? Consider her
former military fame hat of the first
warning nation in EuJope-considerhe her
patriotism, the devol d and readiness
with which she wen to the field, her
noble, unsurpassed postponement Of
e cry political question, of every fac
ton in her legislative body to win the
safety of her country, even the . I'M
p~racticales," like Favre and Theirs,
shouting resistance to the death "
Look at her ready and even excessive
loans to the Government her public
spirit risen to a height that disdains all
compromises, and hurries to offer all
possible sacrifices. Then why her de-
feat, and her defeat continued and ag-
grayated on every field? Why success
sion of disasters? Is it not possible
that there may have been t~reachery in
the French camp, as when the Empe-
Tor is reported to have made the excla-
ton that che was betrayed and in
deed you noticed in the last accounts,
" the French soldiers in Belgium turn
ed upon their officers and massacred
them.n
CAUSE OF THE FRENCH FAILURE.
Gen. Beauregard replied at length,
and with a clearness and detail of con-
versation that l do not pretend to re-
port, but in the third and distant per-
son. The hypothesis that had been
named, the suspicious Of treachery, or
of gross incompetency thrown on par
ticular French officers were possible;
but they were not necessary to answer
the problem of the French defeat. At
ter all, it might be found in slight
causes. War, modern war, had got to
be such an elaborate competition, one
so close and exactiDg, that the least
shade of superiority in any one respect
might incline the balance, The French
system of attack was a traditional one.
They relied on momentum, dash. He
referred to an article In the Pail Mall
Gazette, which compared the military
systems and practice on the field of
France and Prussia. The latter had
the advantage in the close and scrupu-
lous circulation of everything calculat-
ed to give advantage to the single SOL
der acting as a c0mbatant, and inspir-
ed with the idea that ON his individual
effort depended the fortune Of the field.
Here was a government that had stud
led the military efficiency of the man
almost exclusively, to the highest
point. A government more eXacting
than the Oriental despOtism but more
intelligent than these. The whole So
ciety Of Prussia was Il vast, elaborate
organization, a camp; the supreme
idea everywhere visible that the man
belonged to the government. Form,
severity was the feature Of the civiliza-
ton popular education vas enforced
even its -Ocial industries were organiz-
ed in Prussia no mar could pursue a
trade unless he had served an appren-
ticeship, or performed certain public
conditions. The idea of the great FIRE.
derich had been constantly cultivated
since his time, to make q nation of SOL
diers; organization and discipline in
every department Of life; and to-day
we see its results in the most perfectly
trained armies, and soldiers the most
enthusiastic, having hat peculiar COM
bination of steadiness with spirit, that
makes the best soldiers in the world
and that is the end, the elimination
of all Military education.
ATTACKING IN CLOSE COLUMN.
Whoo-and Gen. Beauregard spoke
with a suffused face" could doubt the
courage Of the French soldier? III e
bravest people in the world may fall
under the complications of science-the
force of a single fact overlooked in the
grand and elaborate competition of
war; He had noticed, as far as any,
thing could be discovered from the CON
fused dispatches of the newspapers,
that the French had adhered to their
favorite, traditional practice 4 the
field, that of attacking in close column.
On the other hand, the Prussians de-
ployed their lines, seemed to have the
constant idea of developing the largest
front of fire, and all the newspapers had
invariably remarked the slOwness and
deliberation Of their fire. 1t was a cir
cumstance noticedwith curious unanim-
ity by all the wal correspondents. An
article in the Virginian, under his hand,
read: "The Prussians never attack in
squares"
THE ARMS OF PRECISION.
What the General designated as the
arms of precision had charged the
whole character Of modern war, and he
feared that the French had not sufli-
GENTLY accommodated themselves to
the important and radical innovation
made i'll small arms. Their favorite
idea OF attacking in close column, and
, carrying the field with a rush, was good
+ In former circumstances; brilliant
| supplied the two conditions Of ply sicai
momentum and moral inspiration
: But the arm Of precision has changed
all that.
: BEAUREdARD's INTERVIEW WITH THE
EMPEROR.
- had all interview said Gen
0 beauregaard, with the Emperor Ma.
poleon in 1867 The fact, as know
to the writer, and obtained by him, no
/, nom Gen. Beauregard, but from !,
n MeMpef OF the press, of Paris, Is tina
Gen. Beauregard visited the Frencl
y capitol IN 1866, was received there-a
a the Grand Hotel-with an ovation tina
: surprised his modesty, and was invites
to q special Interview with the Empe
y ror, who, with characteristic and, In
deed, noble desire to acquire informa
han-askednl great Southern genert