Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-08
THE FUTURE OF WAR,
MODERN GUNS WILL NECESSlTATE A
RADICAL CHANGE IN TACTICS.
Defensive rattlos VIII BE At Premium
and Defensive Warfare Simpliiied
toa Marked Degree, Accord
ing to Gen. Eitzhugh Lee.

The modern guns will make great
changes in the art OF war. and the plans
employed in former campaigns by the
great commanders will receive many mU1-
ifiCations. Defensive battles Will be at a
premium and defensive warfare will be
simplined Armies will manoeuvre Tor po-
sition. and the generals commanding them
will gain fame by movements skiltuiiy
conducted TO concentrate they scattered
battalons at the proper time. with the
purpose Of forcing an antagonist to give
rather than to accept battle. If a cam
paign with dehnitive objective point Is
planned, and the strategy is offensive on
the part of one OF the commanders, ii
possible his tactics Will be defensive.
Hostile armies will keep at greater dis
tanccs and i'm open country out of sight
of each other. unless they can take up a
line at night and intrench, and direct
flank movements will not be attempted
where troops are visible before the as
sault. Field balloons will locate the po-
siton, and photography mark the lorna
tion of Contcndng forces, while tele-
phones and electricity will play impor-
tant parts in the war drama. Night
marching and night attacks will be more
frequent and columns Of troops organ
lied to charge stationary positions vii
te moved under darkness to close points
so that the charge at dawn viii occupy
the shortest time possible.
Raging battles will he fought by infan
try and artillery, and one of the prob
lens will be the protection of the horses
that draw the guns. Temporary holc
works cannot shelter them, and unlos:
hills afford protection they will perish :,
the leaden hail. Cavalry will not be EN-
ployed on the main field of battle, but OF
the tanks of armies, against cavalry
Cavalry chieftaus will no longer assai
infantry or artillery and no more charges
tt-il IA, e. pf "A
Waterloo or Nlurat at Jena. This arm
will still be effective In reconnaissanCes
picketing, guarding trains, and as IS
corts; but except in small bodies it's us'
for advance and rear guards Will be di
unfinished. The target presented is toe
large to be rskcd before field guns firms
with great rapidly, even if several miles
distant as well before infantry rifle
necessarily flashing a mile away.
ManseuVreing a cavalry corps with, say
10000 horses on IA future battlefield woul,
be a high type of cruelty to animals bu
the regiments, bI1gades, ana division
composing it can still render good service
They can be moved with celebrity lon
distances, and the troopers, except tn
horse holders, can be dismounted and use
as infantry, their modern carbines beiu
nearly as effective az the magazine riff
OF the infantryman; but IT Will be mos
difficult to protect the horses while locat
ing them in such "A position as to reaC
their riders or be reached by them quiCk
whom necessary.
Perhaps the most interesting problcr
to be solved by those who organize armie
In the future is the disposition and man
agement of the immense ammunitio
trains The greedy guns must be fec
and great will be their rapacity. Mex
to the commanding general and his prl
cipal assistants Will rank in importanc
the field chief of ordnance. who has tn
location of the supply depots and tn
management of the transportation {
large and small cartridges to the con
batants. The continual replenishing c
caisson and timber boxes, the smalle
charges for infantry during actual COZ
fct, and the safety and efficiency
vast trains where electric or steam roaC
cannot he constructed, will require
brave, enterprising, cool, vigilant Office
of conspicuous ability and executive C;
paotY.
The medical departments too, must |
reorganzed and enlarged to convey IL
disabled TO field hospitals. for field ambl
lances cannot be placed close to bait
lines, ana the numbers of the woundC
will be greatly increased.
The great captains of future wars wi
be those who fully comprehend the d.
structive power of improved cannon al
small arms and whose calm and ferti
intellect will grasp the Importance of
manoeuvreing as to force the antagonist
give offensive battle, and who will new
be without clear conception of the o
jeCt to be achieved and the best way
achieving it, They will parry and fem
like great swordsmen but they will thru
only when the enemy rushes upon ther
Gen. Ftzhugh Lee in the July Centur