The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-06-17
MARK TWAIN on THE ART OF WAR.
Loading TN ut West Point to Rcspon,l
to Toast ut n Soldiers Banquet.


Potomac this evening, Mr.. Samuel L.
Clemens, mark Twain) responded, to
the toast: "Thc Benefit of Judicious
Training" Hesaid that he had been to
West Point and had loaded up with
military Information and, in what he
said he was backed by the highest
military authority. lie added:
Tobcgin, gentlemen, when an engage
rncnt is meditated, it is best to feel the
enemy first, that is if it is night, for, as
one of the cadets explained to mo, you
do not need to feel him in the daytime,
because you can see him then. l
never should have thought of that, but
it is true, perfectly true. In the day
time the methods of procedure are
various, but the best, it seems to me,
is one which was introduced by Gen.
Grant. Gen Grant always sent an
active young man rcdoubt to recon-
noitrc and get the cnemy's bearings.
l got this from high officer at the
Point, who told me he used to be q re-
doubt on Gen. Grants staff, and had
done it often. When the hour for the
battle is come, move to tho field with
celerity-fool away no time. Under
this head l was told of favoritc
maxim of Gen. Shcridan's. Gen.
Sheridan always said, sIr the siege
train isn't ready, don't wait-go by
any trains that are ready. TO got there
is the main thing" Now that is the
| correct idea, as you approach the field
it is better to get out and walk. This
gives you Il better chance to dispose OF
your forces ju,liciously for tho assault.
Get your artillery in position and
throw out stragsicrs to the right and
left to hold your lines OF communities
ton against surprise, SEQ that every
hod carrier connect with 4 mortar bat
| terry is at his post. They told me at
tho Point that Napoleon despised NOR
tar batteries and never would use them.
IIo said that for real efficiency he
wouldn't give II haifui of bricks for a
ton of mortar. However, that is all he
knew about it.
Everything being ready for tho as
sault, you want to enter tho field with
your baggage to the front. This idea
was Invented by our renowned guest,
Gen. Sherman. They told me that
Gen. Sherman said the trunks and
baggage make Il good protection for tho
soldiers, but that chiefly they attract
the attention and rivct the interest of
the enemy, and this gives you an OPP
portunity to whirl the other end of the
column around and attack him in the
rear. 1 have given Il good deal of
study to this tactic since 1 learned
about it, and it appears to me that it is
Il rafting good idea. Never fetch on
your reserves mt the start. This was
NapOleon'S first mistake ut Waterloo.
Next, he assaulted with his bomb
proofs aud a,nbulanccs and embraSurcs
when he ought to have used Il fcavi cr
artillery. Thirdly, he retired his right
by lticcchct--which uncovered his
pickcts-whcu his only possibility of
success lay in doubling up his centre
| flank, and throwing out his chcruur tie
Prise by the left obliquc to relieve the
skirmiSh line and confuse the enemy,
if such Il ni,nnuvrc would confuse
him, and ut West Point they said it
would. 1t was about this time that
the Emperor had two horses shot I'M
der him. How often you sec the
remark that General So and So, in
such and such Il battle, had two or
three horses shot under him. Gen.
Burnside and many great European
military men, rs ] was informed by
:, high military officer ut West Point
have justly characterized this as Il
wanton waste of projcctiIcs. and he i'm :
pressed upon mo 4 conversation in the
tent OF tho PruSSian chiefs ut Gr,veluttc
in tho course OF which our hOuOrcd
guest lust referred to-Gcn. Burnside
observed that if you can't aim ut a
horse so IA to hit the General with il
shoot it over him and you may bag
something on the other side; whereas
u horse shot under Il General does no
sort of damage. l agree cordially