The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1882-03-11
Modern Warfare.
In. o. Times-Democrat.1

bility OF a general European war. grow
ing out of the present excited condition
of affairs there, and the hostile manner
in which each power. regards the mill
tary preparations of it's neighbors, is
worth considering. The United States
would be very little affected by such a
war, and. if affected at all, it would be
advantageously. We would sell arms
and munitions of war to both sides.
and there would be an increased de-
mand for our wheat and provisions
abroad. As soon as the war was ended
moreover, there would be au increased
immigration to this country.
1t has been mere than half century
since We have hadsa general European
war. There have been half dozen
minor affairs in the meanwhile, duels
between France and Austria, between
France and Germany, etc, but no gen
eral conflict involving all the great
powers. Should this come now, the
world would be treated to picture of
the progress of military science and
the complete change of military meth
DDS that have taken place since Napo-
Icons days, change as great almost
as that between the eras of Caesar and
Napoleon. ..-.
A war to day would be fought on
new principles and ia accordance with
the new discoveries that have been
made in the military art. The com
mandant would not lead his armies to
the field as Murat, Soult and Napoleon
did, but from some central peint, far
distant from the battle field, Berlin, St.
Petersburg or Paris, direct the move
meuts of his troops by telegraph.
In the army a thousand things which
we have been accustomed to asso ciate
with war as absolutely necessary to it
will have disappeared. The drum has
been discarded by the French army,
and the regimental band will soon fol-
low. These were the inventions of
Frederick the Greats time, when mar
tial music was deemed absolutely me-
cessary to instil courage and enthusi
asm into the soldiers There is no need
for this music now. The modern soldier
is not expected or required to charge
His place is behind breastwolks, or
building entfenchments and firing at
the enemy; enthusiastic is no loBger
needed
For a similar reason the bayonet has
been discarded, and it will never prob
ably be heard of again. It's place has
been supplied by the spade.
The day of the cavalry also is doom
ed. We found little advantage from
cagalry during the late war, except to
scour the country or destroy the tele:-
graph. Such charges as Murat used to
make are over. The cavalry force
the most dashing portion of the ar
mics of old, is being reduced by all the
European powers.
Bright uniforms go with them. The
French military authorities now recon-
mend the adoption of uniform of the
most sober tints, approaching, as near
40 possible, the tints of the country in
which the soldier fights. Anything
brilliant is condemned, as it is wasteful
of life by presenting mark for the
riflemen of the enemy.
Thus will war be robbed of all its
picturesqueness-the prancing steed,
the charge of the cavalry, the martial
music and the hand-to- hand conflict
with bayonet and sabre. tt will be-
come more prosaic affair where the
principal dug of the soldier will be to
keep on irins as fast as he can and
where there is very little glory to be
won. There is this much consolation
in this. however, that under the present
system long war is impossible. and
that the disasters and losses which fol-
low years of hostilities will be prevent
ed.