The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-02-04

That we may be able to keep pace
with the rapid and unceasing improve
ments of modern military science, and
adapt them to our peculiar needs, it is
absolutely necessary that we should
have permanent est blishment where
officers devote themselves entirely to
the military profession, while the non
commissioned officers aud men remain
long enough in the service to acquire
thorough discipline and instruction.
In measuring the value of such per-
manent establishments it is to be borne
in mind that not only can it perform
certain duties, such as the control of
the Indians, very much more efficiently
and economically than any temporary
force. but that, il maintained ut sui
ficiently high numerical standard, il
stands ready to bear the first brunt of
hostilities until new troops can be or
ganized and constructed, that it affords
the means of infusing discipline and in
struction among these new troops, and
that it furnishes the robust frames of
the various staff corps, whose business it
is to direct the movements and supply
the needs of both old and new troops.
1t is impossible to exagerate the impor-
lance Of these staff corps of the regular
army, and it is one of the unavoidable
necessities of our position to maintain
them on a larger scale than is demand
ed by the current needs of the army on
q peace footing.
Our ability to increase the strength
of the army with rapidity, and to i'm
provise new armies, depends chiefly
it may perhaps Justly be said entirely
upon our maintaining in time of
peace large and thoroughly trained
staff corps. Far from having too many,
our organization is still deficient in the
lack of something corresponding to the
magnificent General Staff Corps" of
the German army-a corps composed
OF the ablest and most highly trained
officers of the most perfectly organized
army the world has ever seen, and
forming the most admirable and eff
cient military instrument of which his
tory bears record.
1t must not for moment be forgot
ten that the mere drill in the tactics
and the use of arms forms q very small
although very essential-part of
the instruction required to prepare
troops for war.
The proper feeding and clothing of
the men, the care of their health, the
collection of the various supplies re-
quired, together with the formation
and management of the requisite de-
pots and trains to insure their being on
hand ut the right time and place, the
determination of the most efficient arms
and ammunition, the establishment of
hospitals and ield-hospital trains, the
provision of the means for crossing
rivers, the use of heavy and light ar
tillery, the conduct of sieges, the at
tack and defense of posts, the colIee-
ton of information as to the theater of
war and the supplies it affords, of the
movements and intentions of the enemy,
guard and outpost duty. reconnais-
sances, marches, handling troops on the
field of battle-in other words, the
means required to put troops to the
best possible use, or, in fact, to any
use whatever-all this requires for it's
proper execution combination OF
theory and practice, of education and
experience, that can be acquired only
through q regular establishment More
over, it must be remembered that never
before has technical science played so
great part in war, and never before
was thorough scientific knowledge of
the art of war, in al its branches, 50
necessary to insure success. -Georye
Il. Mcclellan, in Harper's MagGa5ne