Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-27
AMERICAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AT THE SEAT OF WAR.
Distinguished Army and Navy OETi-
GERS Ordered TO Europe.

Distinguished Army and Navy OiGi-
GERS Ordered to Europe.
The Government has concluded to send
to the Continent boards of army and navy
officers to witness the operations of the
great armies on the Rhine and the naval
movements in the North Sea and on the
Baltic.
In this the Government follows old pre-
cedents. During our late war scientific
officers were detailed by the leading Eu-
rOpean powers to accompany our great
armies and tojoin our fighting squadrons.
The headquarters of the army of the Po-
tomac was always thronged with distin-
guished foreign officers of the scientific
branches of the service, and the fruit of
their observation was not lost upon the
commanding Generals of the armies en-
gagged in hot conflict on the banks of the
Pc and on the plains of Bohemia, in
1867. During the Crimean war Gen.
Mcclellan and other distinguished officers
visited the Crimea during the operations
of the allied forces near Sebastopol.
Others were enabled to visit the Russian
army of defense, where they were re-
ceived with all possible attention and con-
sideration, which is more than can be
said Of the treatment they received at the
hands of the allied forces
1t is already well known to our readers
that Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan, with other dis
tiDguished officers, arc to leave in q few
days for the scat of war to observe opera
tons either on the French or Prussian
side, as the case may be. The Emperor
has announced officially that no foreign
officers or civilians will be permitted to
accompany the imperial or corps head
quarters. This determination will doubt
lees be changed when Gen. Sheridan, the
second officer in command of the United
States Army, and one of the most bril-
liant fighting men of the age, presents his
credentials to the French Minister of
War, endorsed by Mr.. Washburne. If
Gen. Sheridan should fail in attempting
TO reach the French headquarters he will
doubtless find no difficulty in joining
those of the Prussian army, where he will
unquestionably be able to witness plenty
of fighting under the most eminent mill
tary leaders of the times.
The Navy Department will send out
board consisting of commodore, cap
tain, commander and lieutenant com
mander, TO observe the naval operations,
which are likely to be of great importance
on the North Sea and the Baltic. The
! officers to be selected will represent the
elite of our naval service, gentlemen of
the highest scientific attainments, of great
experience, and possessing powers of the
lleenest observers. As our navy will be
represented at the scene of the conflict,
some of the officers may accompany our
own vessels; but generally, they will be
expected to unite their fortunes with the
COmbatants on their respective ships.
Commander Edward Simpson has al
ready been detailed for this special duty,
and the names of others are still under
consideration, since the department. de-
sires to send out the very best men for the
specific duties to be assigned to each one.
1t is not improbable that a rear admiral
will be placed at the head of the COM
mission, and eventually vice admiral POr-
ter will proceed to Europe in person.
Rear Admiral Radford is likely to leave
his flagship (the Franklin) abroad and
return to the United States by a mail
steamer, as the Franklin is just now great
ly needed in foreign waters.
The naval commission will probably
sail for Europe by the last of the month,
and will be able to arrive at the scene of
operations before any serious naval blow
has been struck.