, 1877-05-03

THE ART OF WAR. |
GEN. suEnMAAss FLAX or BENDING CoMMss. |
SION or AMERICAN oFFlcKR8 70 tTUpY Tta
EUROPEAN WAR.
From Our onen Corrt,pondenf.
WAsHisaEoS, d. C., April 2o.-Geu. Sherman |
Is rery an1lous that a number Of competent army
Officers should be sent To Europe. under the ats
pires Of the Government, and with full authority
10 etudy the European war. In 1861, when Je6cs.
son Davis was Secretary Of War, II army commits.
sLon, consisting Of Maj. Il. Delaneil, Mai. 4. |
Motdeea!. and Capt. @. q. Mcclellan. was sent,
By order OF the Ecerctsry Of VAR to the then the
atse Of var Ia Europe, Of which tho cr.mea was
the cthtfe. Thst report MAS published shortly
before cur own war began. aad 10 ead 10
have been Of great servlce 10 our MILL.
tasy authorities in tho War Of tho Rebellion.
Since that day number Of military officers Of
high rank, including Gcna. Sherman. Sheridan, and
several othots harc vsitcd Huropo somo In m
Official o,hcss In m unofficial capacity. Tbs rc.
porte Of those who went since tho Ffanco.Gctman
war havc noscs been published. The DclaGuld
"Report On the Art Of WARM Europe In tho Years
1854. 1855. and 1885," Was not published until
1890. 1t Ia = soyal ocs4yo volume Of about COO
pages, and contains etAborste sketches Of tho
principal points In tho then theatre OF war. The
report Is long since out Of print, and 10 now
almoat unattaInable, tho copies which exist
being In the possession OF tbs Government. and
Of libraries. Some Of the Information ID even yet
timely. The Commission started early in 1855.
under lnalructlons from this War Department TO
inspect thu European military eyste in lis mInut"
est details The ComnlsBlon waa furnished Wtth
letters 10 tho American Ministers IN Europe,
and received permission from most Of tho
foreign Governments 10 inspect the principal
military points IN their disesetion. Tho officers
composing the Commission were plAetd under
special obligations f atr'et neutrality The
nnh. RrAH 4n<$1 1
Those wsse tho days when Jetf Davs was secre.
tAry Of War, Jamca buchanan Minister At London,
and Count walcwesky French Minister Of Forci!u
Affairs. Politics hare ~ much changed since then
"a tbe art Of wnf fIaelf. Tho French doTcsnmeht
| made serious objection to the work Of !he Com.
mission. Tho ground Of the opposition was that
The Commission must ''cngago not to visit the
could, ~ right, ask the privilege Of going to
lid been fetnsod. without assigning any rea.
| his good disposition towards The United States,
would r'aey to or ES.nf hsse on IT,
son ehoss to 10 50 @ rss 70 the Ka.ssa sids Wa no
eoucern Of ths French. Count E.,ewesky stated
that the impstst:e tnle established BY tns French
| Government Psccludcd going to any Ruesan rost
1!s!isd tic allied army operating IL tha. qs.rtsr:
. re sas oRa ap app pss T.
tho W.r Department in visiting croastal;."
ernasa u sesp H. q
French camp With the conditions attached 10 Il,
hit 10 connne tta sequett fcr, authority to v!sit
only. Tor the purpote Of collecting inflammation
shat might prove nsefal 70 our military service.
There are sppreasns'ons that eaonia saar en
like difficulties.
The nussisn Government, too, fnterposed OBJ
i !eetioas to ths v1st Of aeAmsrteaa conmIsaioa.
and tho ofncer having chstEe Of tho mattel
on H. subject q ses%s.sHo', sws.ee1s,
and 1tcsels he mnst spcak with stankness ana a!i
information on military sc!cncs to withhold tsor,
Ms, .: We had seen By tho nannss Ia which their
es e !. hs a'es sae
nandlnr o1ecrs Of theso places had requestca saat
sssansess. or 9shes pessons not sono1noa IN m
saens, ~ sacb vlain oees,ioned them great deal
Of en,barraaan,ent that rtas.4an on1ess tas pa.'
nssn; ,a the 70 81. ;s.s ID .as. !.
@ s Eps'9, !s h si o
ereneo to tha Views and wishes Of hs commander,
placed In such responslble poct!ons, and thsFafore
| 0nr 1e1uest conld not be Grauted."
counrEsr or GREAT miriam.
The Commission dnatly succeeded IL reaching 7.
the C.imea through the eeu.tes5 Of dttst btatn;
permission authoriz.ng sae Commission t9 Walt shs
r. sae "oea soaa.toa It ''' TIT ~
should Themselves, after hsttng visited thcss
works no, T. *s nu., S az
| the United StAtea Officers did not fecl themaetse'
1t liberty to accept it, and II eanssqaontly hap
sccng 6en. PelllsIeE, tho Hero Of Maskon, Or sce
Ing the French camps and Army under Sommsnd q. e
M,ha The m eomnain ns - taS
Win ths Frcnch army va thwatted bJ thsss un'
toward foF1na,ts'ee of diplomacy Ths r.. T..
diassn, and Turkish armies, aud never entered the
s.fs e ns is@ssa Il i Ea'o
AsH IL conmis.ton did not nnd a. many m.tsrl.l
changes In the art OF war slnce tho day. o. Nspo.
@ wa found lou mainly ID tbs increased msgnttudo q
hs, asas sesa % bsoqsss f "a pps.
iion.of talent and kill u thetr tmprotsein,ent;
b ;, '9 II
tho preocui aaJ. They fnuad that tew new pstn'
: | cIplcs wcrc introduced with much sueccss.
i | MILITARY CONDITION or THE UNITED aTA1hs
!. nEyoHH TILE REBELL1oN.
: Ths report contains = nriet description OF th'
t1s H. essoD Ssiiss a ~heh ssts
ssl4: '0ur 1e.oufes. a. s.e unaue.:.os.hly ets..
t msns. % knowledge u Tho ~ Of war, snd Sths
mean: e dtf'n.e aiws,s taa osss1 9sa4
Ass nation. other than Fesousees and general 10
t seiltgsnee OF our people, we ase Without tho els
: sudden emergency; while no nation On earth ca
eert.tnly PIT it.slf 1n a. condition 70 sst ~
= 81 military tnowleaso ia sns sountsy. . bases
rsacc, without facilities for ptacticing tho arts
ths .e;etal arms. o. mems m Of forming. creating Y
: ths ohicor. Tho auxiliary branches are u
/ provided tot: Our II, sea:eoast detsusea =.
~ IN individual bestows In building res'dcnce &
hIs family; tbs lalts! 70 many !nsanees sapsndia
4uthorizt 10 be o1psn led In tho same time for y
u defense Of = city. i y undeniatle th.t Of y
. coast ths nation does not contAln, including u
. whole standing army. msu enough that know ho
{ 70 hTe lot and hollow shot to psaylde single ma
( ] foE sixth part Of the guns.
s +.Ths lzts European contest hAs shown ho
i. rapidly tho Continental Powers could march 70 th
it coast snd smba,k attachments Of from 10, 900
!, | .o, 600 disciplined troops ia ateam tram
|. ports, accommodating !. 900 men each. With saI
piles for voyage equal to crossing u our shotc