Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-11
Mark Twain ON WAR

l., Clements. mark Twain responded as fol.
lows:
Let but the though;fsl civilian Instruct tie
so.cIes 10 BIS duties. aud the victory Is sure. -
Mann fa'q"hdr IuT'7seT on Tie AZ ~ Va.
M, Ci,035 mani gladly joiB VITA my fellow
to~Dsmen In extending q hearty welcome 10
these iiustrious generals and these war-scarred
solcters or The republic. This is proud day for
US, and, II the sincere desire OF our hearts has
been fulfilled, IL has not been an unpleasant
day for them. | am In fun accord, sir, With tue
sentiment OF the toast, for have always naln-
taiDtd with enthusiasm that the only wise ana
true way is for the soldier TO ight The battle
aLo the unpn JUDGED civilian 10 tell him how u
90 Il. let When was invited 10 respond 10
this toast, and furnish this advice aud
Instruction, was almost as much EN-
baIrassed as l was gratlfied, for l could
pIing 10 this great service but the one virtue OF
absence OF prejudice and set opinion. sui but
one other qualification was needed and IL was
u onis miior Importance. mean. knowledge
CT The subject Therefore / was not dtsheart-
ened. for could acquire that there being two
weeks 10 spare. A general OF high rank In THIS
Amy OF the Potomac said two weeks was really
nIore than would need for the purpose. lie
mad known 6ople or my style who had learned
enough In Is hours TO enable them 20 advise an
airy. ASIDE from the compliment, this was
gTatIf! Ing, because II confirmed imp ssion
hao had before. He told me TO 10 10 the United
States Military Academy az West Point, and
said, In bis liowery professional way, that the
CaCetS would load me up" i went there and
stay ed two Gays, and his prediction proved cor
rect. / make no boast on my own account
none. All know about military matters got
from the gentlemen al West Point, ana 10 them
btlongs The credit. They treated me win
courtesy ftom the first, but when my mis- sion
was revealed, this mere courtesy blo5some1 into
wafmeSt zeal Everybody, officers and all put
| down their work ana turned their whole atten-
| ton TO giving me military Information. Every
| question | asked was promptly ana exhaust
| lively answered; therefore feel proud Il state
| that ia the advice which am about 10 give you
| as ioders, am backed up by the highest mill
| tafy authority In the land-yes, In the world,
II al Amt rican Goes say it-West Point
/ 70 begin. gentlemen, when ali engagement is
meGltaJed IL is best 10 feel the enemy rr5t that
| Is, II II Is night, for, as one or the Cad u
| p!aintd to me, you do not need 70 feel him In
| The day time, because you can see him then. 1
| never should have thought OF that but Il Is
| Unexpectedly true. In the day time the
/ methodS OF procedure are various, but the best.
| IL seems 10 me, is one which was introduced by
/ Gen. Grant Gen. Grant always sent al active
| ycuDg man reooubt 10 reconnoltre and get The
| eiefnJ s bearings. lgot this from nigd officer
| al tue Point, who tod me he used 70 oe a re-
| doubt on Gen. Grants staff, and had done &c
often. When the hour for the battle is come
| move TO The field with celerity-fool away no
| tine. Under this head was told or a favorlls
maxim or Gen. Sheridan's. Gen. Sheridan
| always said, IF the siege train isn't ready
| don't wait-go by any trains that are,
| handy; to get there is the main thing"
| Now, that is tie correct IDEA AS you approach
| The Held it Is better 70 get out ana walk.
| This gives you better chance 10 dispose or
| your forces Juciclously for the assault Get
| your artillery Ia position ana throw out stra.-
gieTs TO the right and LETT 10 hold your lines OF
| communication against surprise. See tina.
| every hod carrier connected with mortar bat.
| tefy Is at his post. They told nae al the Point
mat Napoleon oeSt lSed mortar batteries. AID
| never would use them. lie said That Tor real
/ efficiency he wouldn't give hatrui OF brick
bais Tor ten OF mortar. However, that Is all
ne Knew about It. verifying being ready for
| tie assault you WANT 10 enter The neld with
your baggage TO the 'front.' Tnis lcei Was 1
NeLtea oy Cur renowned guest, Gen. Saerm IL.
IN mo faf sL.ara
! The trunks aid baggage make COCA proiec-
! ton Tor the soldiers, but that chiefly tney at.
tract the attention and riYeL the Interest or Tie
| enemy, ana this gives you az opportunity
10 whlr the other END OF the column
around and attack him Ia the rear. 1
| have given good deal or study 10 this tactic
since Learned about II, and IL appears 10 me
Is rafting good Idea Never fe.ca
On your reserves at The start. This WAS Napo-
leon S 1rst mistake at Waterloo. Next he as
Saulted with his bomb proofs aud ambuiances
and einbraSures, when he ought 10 have used q
heavier artillery. Thirdly, he retired his right
oy ftcocfet-wnich uncovered his piekets-waen.
his only possibility OF success lay In doubling
| up his center, flank by flank, aud throwing out
his cl,eUaur ne mise by the left oolique 10 re-
l1eve The skirmish line ana confuse the enemy
| II such maLGuvre would confuse him. aud at
West Point they said &c would. It was about
| this time that che Emperor had two horses shot
under him How often you see the remark that
battle, had two or three horses shot
under him. Gen. Burnside and many
great European military men, as L Was in-
formed by high artillery officer at West Point,
have justly characterized this as q wanton waste
or proJect1IeS and he Impressed upon me con-
yersation In the tent OF The Prussian chiefs al
Grayelotte, In the course or which our honored
guest just referred to-Gen. Burnside-ob-
served that II 'you can't aim horse so as TO
Lit the general with It, shoot IL over him, and
you may bag something On the other side.
whereas horse shot under a general does no
sort OF damage" l agree cordially with Gen.
Burnside, ana Heaven knows shall rejoice 10
see the artllerists OF this land ana or all lands
cease from this wicked ana idlotic custom. AT
West Point they told me OF another mistake
at Waterloo namely that the French were
under f1re from the beginning OF the hight ull
The END OF lt-which was plainly a most
enemlnate and ill-tlned attention 10 com
fort and foolish division OF military strength;
FOR lt probably TOOK as many men to Keep up
the nres as it did 10 do the lighting. IL would
have been much better 10 have had a small ire
In the fear. and let the men go there by detach-
ments and get warm, aid lot Try 10 warm up
the Whole army al once. Ali the cadets said
that an assault along the whole line was the
one thing which could have restored Napoleon's
advantage at this Juncture, and he Was actu-
ally rising In lis stirrups 10 order it, when a
suffer burst at his side and covered him with
dirt and debris, and before he could recover
Wellington opened tremendous and degasta-
liz G lire upon him from monStrouS battery or
vivandieres aid The star OF the great captains
glory set TO rise no more. the CADET Wept
While he told me these mournful particulars.
When you leave the battlefield always leave
IL In good order. Remove the wreck and rub
Dish, and tidy up the place. However, In case
of drawn battle IL Is neither party's business
TO tidy up any thiDg. You can leave the nel1
looking as II the city government or New YORK
had bOssed the hight. When you are tfayersing
the eEemys country, In order 10 destroy MS
supplies and cripple Ills resources. You want 10
take along plenty or camp followers. The more
the better. They are tremendously elective
arm OF the service and they inspire In the foe
the uveliest dread. West Point professor
told me that the wisdom or this was recognized
as far back as scripture times. He quoted the
verse. Re said IL was from the new revision
ard was little different from the way II reads
In the old one. i do not recoiect the exact
wording or IL now, but ! remember that it
wound up with something about such and such
devastating agent being as terrible as an
army with bummers." ! believe have noth-
ing further TO add but this: The West Point
ere said private should preserve respectful
attitude toward his superiors and ssouid sell
com, or never, proceed SO FAR as to offer sug-
gestions TO his general 10 the field. II the bat
tie iS not being conducted TO suit him. IL Is
better for him TO resign BY the etiquette OF
war II Is permitted TO none below the rank OF
newspaper correspondent 10 dictate 70 the gen.
eral Ia the feld.
MOTHER AND FIVE CHILDREN DROWNED
A rain storm Of unusual severity occurred IN
the vicinity OF Wheeling West Va, about MID
night Tuesday night, by which considerable