The Portland daily press., 1881-11-30
TEJE, PRESS.
Count Won Moltke.
A Sketch OF the Career OF Germany's s
Greatest General.

&c. Grenville Murray writes of field mar
shal the Count Won Moltke:
To understand tho greatness OF this man, one
must remember that all of the pest engineers
of Prussia during the last two centuries have
been given to things military; that it is ma
.ioa of soldiers such as the werld has not seen
since the days of Sparta; that in this splendid
army Moltke is universally acknowledged 10
have no equal or second. Nor must one forget
that to the accomplishments of first-rate gen.
eral Moltke joins the culture OF German pro-
fessor and-so far as the world knows the ex-
emnlarv lieo a Lutheran pastor. And that
thonyh of technically 'noble' birth, be started
IN life with none of the advantages that power
ful connections or that wealth can supply; and
one is bound to confess that nature does not
often turn out such specimens of humanity as
this.
Hellmuth Won Moltke was borne just eighty
one years ago, having first seen the light on the
26th, of October, 1900 HIS parents were not
ss has often been erroneousiy stated, Danes,
but good Germans, of the Mecklenourg stocS
The mistake arises from the circumstance that,
soon after Hellmutns birth, they migrated TO
Hostein, then subject to the Danish crown;
and the boy actually commenced bis studies
at Copenhagen In his early youth Prussia
was the least of all the powers; not only vaI-
ouished but contemplate in defeat, happy
even to be employed by its conqueror as tool
AGAINST its old allies But the period of humi
lia,ion did not last long. Lit Mol'ke was SIX
wears old at the time OF the battle of Jena, aud
thirteen when that OF Lelpsic showed now Well
of SehArnhOrAt
Moltke entered the Prussian army in 1922,
some three Years after the death OF Blucher,
with whom he is said TO have once conversed.
The story is improbable though one would like
10 believe il true, for the old marshal had held
Frederic's commission before the Close OF the
seven Years war; and an interesting personal
link would thus be eS' S'aDllshed between he
heroes of Leuthen, of KatZbach and of Sedan.
The abilities OF The last were soon perceived
and utilized, though honor aud emoumehts
were but spariDgly doed out to their possessor.
After thirteen Years OF constant scientific study
and such service as be Seen in peace,
Noltke obtained leave to travel in the east, and
remained several years in Turkey, where Sui
tan MahmoDd made him some maan icent
Offers alterward 'enewed b. Abdnl-Medjld, to
induce him to accept command III the U tta-
man army. The reason which. more than any
other induced him to decline these offers may
be little suspected by those who know the sold
ier only and ignore the man.
Moltke who is an old-fashioned Christian
with strict ductrInal notions, did not care to
cast in his lot with state which must, Ia the
nature OF things, be more or less opposed to his
own religion. He considered il, however, per-
fectly fair TO give Mahmond some sound advice
as to the reorganization of bis army, and To take
part in a campaign against Mehemet All.
Then he returned home, published clever
book OF his experiences, and stepped at once
into the position of a high authority on mill
tary questions But years rolled on, aud it
must almost have seemed to him that his
chance would never come. The disturbances
of NS produced no lighting in which lauiels
could be won. AT length the 40 years peace
was broken. but irussia held aloof from the
conflict Another Napoleon declared was
against German prince, and still his own SOW
ereigu declined to draw the sword Then can Q
the Danish business, and Moltke ground the
helpless Danes to powder, only this was poor
spoIt.
Finally the hour struck. The man had long
been ready. In his sixty-sixth year he first
held command worthy of his genius. The
opportunity had arrived late enough but the
use he made of il was unparalleled in military
snnals Never was mighty enemy more
quickly and completely crushed. Coniggratz
is indeed a MASTERPIECES; but it is the Campaign,
taken as whole, which is most astonishing.
The popular name given to it of the seven
weeks war, unlike the generality of such terms,
states less than the truth. The event was really
decided in Is days from the declaration of hos
till les. Honors came fast enough now to the
man who had placed himself above them. Iu
the space OF little more than four years he be-
came baror, count, knight of the black eagle
field marshal; receiving, borrower, that species
of reward of ~hich his country is most niggaru-
ly, in the shape OF large grants of money.
The reasons Of bis amazing success are not
far 10 seek. 1t has been suggested that the
military art may be no very profound mystery,
that sits principles ar the principles OF piain
good sense, and that quick eye, cool head
and stout heart will do more 10 make gem
eral than all the diagrams OF Jomini." These
dtlTl IN Ifa fba ac1hI
but there is no doubt that the above natural
qualifications, combined with the serious study
OF tactics, are pretty ce tain TO produce great
captain, fortune moderately favoring him,
And Moitke has at least taken care that fof-
,une should as rarely possible be against MIN.
'From Saarbruck To Sedan, - il said of him,
"be left hing TO chance" According 10
story which explains much, a frieno OF Moltkes
encountered hlm III the streets OF Berlin on
amsm.rable morning in the second half OF
July, 1870
Tue French ultima,um had just been re-
ceived, aud the friend, after hasty greeting,
was mnving on. "Whlther away SO iast?"
asked Motke, "Ob, know you must be busy"
''Nol al ali. Everything is ready" And Ger
maI-wlse, the famous strategist carried off his
com, ,,anion 10 cafe TO talk philosophy over a
glass of Bavarian bser. AT versailles the
French wondered to see him SO often doing
nothing" as il appeared to them. Evening
after eveniI G he strolled into the restaurant he
bad chosen, as leisurely as any rich soung Off
Ger in a crack cavalry regiment, and stay ed as
long at table as others not that he is anything
of an epicure his tastes reing Of the simplest.
Il was noticed that avorite dish of his was
roast goose.
he had so thoroughly mastered his work that
he has no need to be fussy over 1t. But another
element of his success must not be omitted
Even in Prussia man with the capacities OF a
Hannibal may be left all his lite IN more
brilliant post than that of adlutaDt of a
battalion In the land of bureaucrats Jun
kers and Serenites, knowledge OF tactics win
avail nothing without knowledge OF hie and the
utmost pains TO avoid giving otfense. Nov here
is the saying tFuer, that by indigniJies men
come TO dignities. The safest rule, Motke
found in his younger days, was that of silence
and when he become great he found II equally
wise to be reticent. He can talk uncommonly
we'll, butas rule he "hods his tongue in ten
languages"
Among the frank opinions which he has
been enJrapped into giving. is the curious one
that the purchase of grades was the best feature
in the English military ystem. Not that this
was rudely meant. Moltke, who married
an Englishwoman, likes the countrymen Of his
wife and to a pessimist British critic he
observed: Your army is much better one
than you fancy" One would like 10 see the
plan which he has in his desk for the Invasion
of England though that other plan for the
second invasion of France would be still more
interesting, nearer to the province OF actual
ities But be will hardly direct the operations
of another army, and most assuredly has no
wish TO do so, either against France or any
other nation.