The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-19
Playing Mt Soldiers.

much TO condemn and something 10 PRAISE
but the general opinion seems to be that
the English army, in its staff department, is
unfit for active service, whatever TIC pluck
and muscle of men and officers. 1t is better
to learn these things now than on the eve oil
Battle of Dorking. War is not child's
play, and the patriotic volunteer who thought
it awfully disgusting not TO get "a wash
'for four days." while the mimic vancouver
ing progressed, will be the better able, if the
crisis comes, to treat soap with disdain and
to regard "boiled shirts" as al unattainable
luxury. The Saturday Revieac has careful
ly and candidly criticised the conduct OF the
campaign, and its conclusions are doubt
less those OF the average Englishman. The
Saturday Rerieu says it was questionable
wisdom to invite severe critics like General
Blumenthal to be present. 1t is always
wise to wash dirty linen at home, and on
this occasion there were obvious reasons for
obeying the prudent proyerb. And the set
tied opinion OF the reviewer is that tile
English army, even leaving numbers
out OF the question, is mot, at the
"present moment in o fit state to take
sthe seld against any Of the leading Eu-
'ropean powers, but that II we know how
Ito profit by recently gathered experience,
sit NAV in course OF time be made fit" The
army is sin urgent need OF reorganization
.rhe military system must be entirely recast.
"But the tactical units, the raw material,
ssare excellent" What they require is "a
s'more practical and intelligent training
s'better and more systematic organization
The Saturday Repieao thinks that the mil
itary system, the generals and both the COM
| batant and administrative staff are all lar
from efficient. Want Of practice, the cramp-
ing influence OF obsolete traditions, incapac-
ty to recognize the recent notifications in
the art of war, and want both OF careful
study and reflection are everywhere appar-
ent. The Duke OF Cambridge has raised
his reputation greatly, and the nation may
now, with confidence, entrust TO him the
task OF creating an army. But as rule The
generals require instruction, instead OF being
fit to impart it. AS TO the staff departments
the Saturday Reo,eac says:
wThe staff labored under considerable dis
advantages, being hastily collected on the very
eve OF the campaign. 1t, for tne most part,
obviously stands IN great need Oh practlcal IN
struction. having displayed considerable topo-
graphical ignorance, want OF power to COM
6ine the movements of troops, neglect in the
matter OF carrying out proper baggage arrange
ments, ignorance of outpost duty, and inca
pacity to obtain intelligence. On Inc occa-
sion of The first fight of the campaign, Ste
phenson's brigade, we are tod, & iost ,o, Its way,
and Carey's division was late. The latter was
! again too late to take q substantial part In the
| battle which followed two days afterwards.
The marches were none OF them really long,
yet the number OF hours during which Inc
troops were on their legs bore no proportion
movements to be performed. AS to the bag
gage, nothing could have been worse. owing
| 10 The want OF staff supervision, the line OF
wagons was far longer than was necessary,
| constant blocks took place, the escort was not
properly distributed, and, in addition 10 their
proper loads, the wagons constantly casr,eu ARE.
| not only arms and knapsacks, but even ehect-
| i've men. An enterprislng enemy could have
captured or destroyed the baggage over and
| over again. -.-..---
LAS 10 outpost duty, The quartermaster gen
erals staff is in great measure responsible ior
the ludicrous-we can think oi no mere nttlng
| term-manner in which 1t was performed. IL
| Is, indeed, not too much to Say that IN the
British army the knowledge OF that important
| branch of military science Is In its Infancy.
| Grand guards were in the recent campaign
generally Ignored, though the advanced posts
| were at such q distance from the main. oody
| that support was absolutely necessary. In
fantry we're posted in front of cavalry picquets.
Infantry picquets occupied ground where cav.
| alry pcurlets ought to have been placed, and
| rice rerSa Cavalry videltes were frequently
| single, often dismounted, In ONE instance seat.
ed on the ground, and, as rule, they had
| their carbines slung. There was no systematic
communication between the different picquets
| or between the latter and the main body On
one occasion, the outpOsts were so placed that
| they could see nothing but their own camp.
and in many instances large iorce could
have easily pierced the line before being dis
covered. The staff failed conspcuously in col
lecting intelligence, as was shown especially
in the last day OF battle, when absolutely Gen.
eral Staveley did not .Or some time know
whether General Carey had succeeded in
eludng him and reaching Aldershot without
collision. Yet the Two conteuding armies
could al no time have been more than seven
miles from each other. -.
"The control department decidedly broke
u.
ranization and training must a. once be seen
| 10 il we wish 10 secure ourselves against d
| repetition oil Crimean msmanagemeIt On
the present occasion only inconvenience anu
discomfort ensued; but had we been engaged
in real war the consequences might have Oeen
most disastrous As 1t was, discipline was
much endangered by the failures Of the sup
ply sub. department. 1t is at all times difficult
10 maintain discipline amongst hungry sol
diers; but the task becomes especially difi1cult
when those hurgry soldiers are Englishmen.
We learn That the troops were sometimes us
many as sixteen hours without food; that fuel
was several times not forthcoming; that bis
cult was lallerly substituted for bread. though
The latter was cheaper and more palala0e
than the former; that at least on one occasion
ONLY a half ration was served out; that TINS OF
preserved provisions which had been objected
10 by the navy were issued TO the troops; and
thai tin OF boulli, which was calculated Tor
seven men. was given To thirteen. This bouilli,
we NAV observe, was really little more Than
soup. there being only two ounces OF meat tO
} every five ounces OF gravy and vegetables.
Seven ounces Of this mixture constituted one
, mans ration. SO disguised We're the troops
with the tins OF preserved provisions that al
least one regiment threw away those which
| were served out to ii. ii is idle TO Say that the
coutroi vas 10" the first tine tested, and that
under The circumstances, il did very well. The
deraItmen, had, lur months past, been under
uo;uy a complete theoretical and parl ial
lrac,ica! trailing. Tic test WAS of the mild