The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-03-18

Fsw persons yersel in the changes of re.
cent date In the ant of war are aware that the
sharpshOoters and of the skrmishng order which ha,
recently secured great extension from the increased
range Of rihs IRE really had Its origin in the work OF
our farmer and backwoois miiitamen In the Ameri.
can Revolution. our soldiers only put In practice
against the English the lessons they had learned IN
their Indian 1t is well known that the irregu-
lar fire from conceament behind walls and tree,
seemed like new and very unpleasant revelation Il
the British regulars when they rereating from
Concord and Lexington. The American rihemeI
were always the strong point In our RevOiutiunary
armies and the achievements OF Stark's raw leyles al
Bennington and OF Morgan riremen, picked corps
formed by Washington himself, have often been mar
rated by chTonicers who dld not perceive that new,
era In warfare had arrived and that before fire OF
trained marksmen in dispersed order close ranks
with bayonets were helpless. biographer Of
Gnesenau, the friend and guide OF Butcher shows that
he learned the skirmshlug art in America where he
came lieutenant Of the Ansbach- DayTeuth CLas-
hired by the English to night against the ndepeu
dence Of the colonies, but which did arrive early
enough 10 see service. Berlin letter, speaking OF
the just published life OF Gneisenau, say:
The war having practically been ended, Gneisenau
never saw the enemy, aud spent his time studying
and observing the character ui the American war ana
In daily intercourse with experienced anl officers
Here he first became convinced Of the great impOr
tance OF the skIrm,hlng and sharpshootiup mole or
hghtng, which formed of the characteristics nf
the American war. II was the method best adapted
to the colonsts, aad consequently hevvlnned by them
into the formation Of light infantry batanns op-
position 10 the close lines and masses which were still
In vogue during the Seven Years War BY their en-
gagemeuts with the Indians they accustomed to
Isolated and scattering fighting, aud in the RevO-
tiOnary War, aylling themselves of every advantage
Of ground, they gained final success over the close
masses OF the English. Burg0Yne's surrender at
Saratoga was caused in great degree by this system
Of lighting, the masses OF skiTmshers having decided
the fate Of The day. guard against similar isasters
In future, the English increased the number OF their
light troop, and exercised their light infantry In
sEirmish ing and lighting in extended lines ON the
American side steuban picked the best and most
tried soldiers and, light infantry, made them
the model corps Of the entire Army Foreign
and masters Of the art OF at appreciated
the great value 81 this hsEprOvemeHt and trans planted
1t from American to European soil. Frederick the
Great first In Europe laid the foundation of light iG
anry In the last years OF his reign by the creation
Of three light Infantry regiments and tine employment
Of several brunswick, lieSSan, and AnsbaCh Officers
who had taken part IN the American war. His sue.
cessor EXTENDED the formation in l7s7 to twenty
battaiious, under the name OF Fusleer Battallong,
and gave them, IN l5s,:5, the first written Tegula-
tlOns on rife prlrtlcing ana skrmishing for which
the examples Of the American war served as basis