New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-01

curious weapon was not all Of leather Inc
central part was copper tube reinforced WIN
bands and rings Of iron, then bound win ropes
set in cement. the whole being covered win so'e
leather The copper tube could be unscreweu
and taken out when heated. But the hlhs
own light four-pounders soon made the ieather
Gun needless The former were still popular
down to the time OF Frederick the Great.
All Europe admired the quickness with which
Gustavus could get his batteries about and the
number of times they could be charged and fired
His artillery In masses and with the regiments
was factor of vast Importance In giving MS
small armies success Finally at the Battle OF
Brehenfeld nc showed the enemy how to use his
own guns The movement was one that was
initiated afterward by Cromwell at both Marston
Moor and Naseby. Gustavus was supported on
the left by a body OF Saxons. but these holiday
soldiers all ran away al the first fire. Marshal
Tilly. the opposing commander. swung his right
wing around to take the Swedes in the left flank.
This was not mere cavalry movement like that
of Cromwell but comprised also nearly half Of
the masses in Tilly's army known battles.
The Swedes on the left turned to face this new
danger and at the same moment Gustavus gath
cred ND the cavalry on his right wing and sent
IL at n furious galop against Tillys left. Ex-
ac;ly the same movement was TO scatter King
Charless English infantry, but in this case II
only served to complete Tilly's change Of front.
One thing more-his batteries were captured and
the Swedes in moment turned them on the
foe and served them with promptness which
had never been shown with them before. Colonel
Dodge has to pause, however to admire the skill
with which TYlly moved the heavy masses Of his
troops so that a part of his heavy line of bat
tie was able 10 march obliquely to the right
make partial wheel to the left and still advance
in serried ranks against the Swedes. This was
a problem which Gustavus had solved long be-
fore. His infantry fought in three ranks and was
capable of a swiftness in movement TO when
the deep Spanish battles were strangers.
The only serious blot which anybody has ever
attempted to fix on the memory of Gustavus re-
lates 10 the historic siege and massacre at
Magdeburg Colonel Dodge strenuously defends
his hero The question is simply whether Gus
tavus could or could not have reached the place
IN time TO drive the besegers away. Colonel
Dodue points out the numerous obstacles that
hampered the movements Of Gustavus but he
also seems to show a defect In the military
character Of the Swedish conqueror. 1t Is always
pointed out as a special excellence In general
If he makes accurate differences from. the known
peculiarites Of opposing commanders. CORONER
Dodge, for example, remarks over ana over
again how clearly Turenne OWNED the purposes
Of his opponent AS ore follows his narrative of
the French Marshals campaign one feels that
such a man cannot rightly be set down in the
second class OF great captains The enthusiasm
OF the author himself carries the reader past the
accepted tradition. Almost every point In the
science of war. he says. cah be Illustrated by
fact In Turennes career. Yet Turenne was con-
tinually hampered and thwarted by those above
L,.t ha a,,cn nf
his time which only permitted battles when
battles were unavoidable. But n the game OF
military manoeuvres Turenne, according to
Colonel Dodge, was perfect. simply because he
studied the man opposed to MIN. II there was
any defect In Gustavus Il was in the failure to
infer what lilly would do given case from
what he had been in the habit of doing in the
past Colonel Dodge's plea aside from an
enumeration OF the difficulties that beset Gus
tavus seems to admit this lack of acuteness in
studying his opponents Immediate designs III
credits Gustavus with Exceptional power or cal
culatng correctly by the existing conditions
what course would most certainly tend to the
eventual success Of the whole scheme The
difficulty here is that the rescue Of Magdeburg
was essential The fall of the town almost para
lived the Protestant cause. and Gustavus's gen.
eral plan was hindered not helped. by his failure
to reach the place in time.
AS to another commander. Marlborough. Colo
mel Dodge takes issue with most historians who
write in English. He reckons Prince Eugene as
in every way tn equal Of the English General.
In this he follows Continental critics. The vic
tory of Blenhem was due much 10 the stead
mess with which for hours Eugene repeated his
attacks on force superior to his own as 10
the work Of Marlborough. But all these COM
manders who followed Gustavus to be reck-
oned as belonging to his school, because they
only expanded and perfected the science and art
of war as he laid these down in word and act.
They completed what he began in destroying the
ancient confidence in fortresses. "Benheim,"
Colonel Dodge remarks. though the tactical
combinations by no means perfect, was
worthy successor of Breitenfeld and Lutzen, was
one of those object lessons in war which teach
even the obstinate and which here showed the
world that intrenched lines. fortresses heavily
garrisoned and other defensive devices are DIS
nothing compared to offensive energy and skill
on the battlefield"