Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-06-30

the enemy, and this gives you an on.
portunity TO whirl the other end Of tho
column around and attack him in the
rear. have given good deal Of study
to THIS tactic since | learned about IL,
and II appehas 10 me IL is a rafting
good idea. Never fetch on your reserves
at start. This was Napoleon's first
mlstake at Waterloo. Next. he assault
ed with his bomb. proofs and ambu.
laaces and emhrasufes, when he ought
To have used heavier artillery. Third.
ly, he retired his right by rtcochet-which
uncovered his pickets--when his only
possibility Of success lay in doubling
up his centre, flank by flank, and
throwing out his chevdDr de trise by the
left oblique tp relieve the skirmish line
and confuse fhe enemy--if such ma.
noevre would confuse him, and at West
Point they said il would. IL was about
| this time that the Emperor had two
horses shot under him. How often you
see the remark that General So and 50
at such and such battle had two or
three horses shot under him. General
burnside and many great European mil.
itary men, as | was informed by high
| artillery officer at West Point, have
justly characterized this az a wanton
waste of projectiles, and he impressed
| upon me conversation in the tent Of
the Prussian chiefs At GrsvelOtte. in the
course Of which our honored guest lust
referred to-Gen. Burnside-observed
that II you can't aim a horse 70 az to
hit the general with ii, shoot il over
him, and you may bag something on
the other side, whereas a horse shot un.
! der general does no sort Of damage"
! agree cordially with Gen. Burnslde.
and heaven knows shall rejoice 10 see
the artIIleries OF this land and OF all
lands cease from this wicked and idiotic
custom. AT West Point they told me
OF another mistake at Waterloo. name.
/ ly, that the French were under fire
from the beginning Of the FIGHT till the
end OF it-which was plainly a most
! efieminate and illtimed atten ton to
comfort, and foolish division of mill.
'ary strength for it probably took as
many men 10 keep up the fires a. it did
10 do the fighting. II would have been
much better to have had small fire in
the rear, and let the men 20 there by
detachments and get warm, and not
/ try To warm up the whole army at once.
! All the cadets said that an assault along
the whole line was the one thing which
could have restored Napoleon's adyan.
taee st this Juncture, and be was actu.
ally rising IN his stirrups TO order il.
when sutler burst at his side and GOV.
cred him with dirt and debris. and be-
| fore he could recover Wellington open.
ed a tremendous and devastating FIRE
] 4
vIyAndIeres, and the star Of the great
captains glory set 10 rise no more.
/ The cadet wept while he told me these
mouruful particulars.
When you leave battlefield ALWAYS
leave 1t in good order Remove the
wreck and rubbish, and tidy up the
place. However, in the case Of drawn
battle 1t II neither psrty's business TO
tidy up anything. You can leave the
I held looking ss II the city government
"f New York had bossed the fight.
/ When you are traversing the enemy's
country, IN order to DESTROY his supplies
and cripple,his resources. you want TO
take along plenty of camp followers.
he more the better. They are a tire.
mendously effective arm OF the service
and they inspire in the foe the liveliest
dread. A West Point professor told me
that the wisdom OF this was recognized
~ far back as scripture times. He quot.
Ell the verse. lie said il was from the
new revision, and was little different
| from the way il reads in the old
one. do not recollect the exact
wording Of 1t now, but remember
that II wound up with something about
I such and such devastating agent be.
ing as terrible a. an army with bum.
mers." believe | have nothing fur.
ther TO add but this: The West Pointers
said private should preserve a re-
I spectiul attitude toward his superiors,
and should seldom, or never, proceed so
far as TO offer suggestions to his general
in the field. II the battle is not being
conducted 10 suit him, il is better for
him 10 resign. BY the etiquette of
war it is permitted TO none below the
rank OF newspaper spondent 10
dictate to the general in the field.