The National tribune., 1897-10-28

covered lines 10 asSall the enemy II
position or on retreat. Even our skin
naishers were In the habit OF rolling log
together or OF making a lunet of rails
with dirt in front, to cover their bodies
and. though it revealed their position,
cannot sav that it worked a bad effect
SO that, as a rule, it may safely be lei
to the men themselves.
On the " defensive" there is no doub
of the propriety of fortifying; but in tn
assaiiing army the General must watci
closely to see that his men do not neglec
an opportunity to drop his precautionar,
defenses and act promptly ON the "of
fensive" at every chance.
| have many time crept forward tx
the skirmish-line to avail myself of the
cover of the pickets' little fort" to OBJ
serve more closely some expected result
and always talked familiarly with the
men. and was astonished to see how vel
they comprehended the general object
and how accurately they were informed
Of The state of facls existing miles away
from their particular corps.
Soldiers are very quick to catch the
general driit aud purpose of a campaign
and are ALWAYS sensible when they are
well commanded or well cared for
Once impressed with this fact, and thai
they are making progress, they beal
cbeerfully any amount OF labor anc
plivation.
In camp. and especially in the pres
ence of an active enemy, it is much
easier to maintain discipline than III
barracks in time of peace. Crime and
breaches of discipline are much less fre
quent, and the necessity for courts-martla
far less. The Captain can usually in
fict all the punishment necessary, and
the Colonel should always. The field
officers court is the best form for war
viz. one of the field oficers-the Lieu
tenant Colonel or Major-can examine
the case and report his verdict and the
Colonel should execute it.
OF course, there are statutory offenses
which demand a general court-martial
and these must be ordered by the divis-
ion or corps commander but the pres.
ence Of one of our regular civilian Judge.
Advocates in an army in the field would
be a frst-class nuisance, for technical
courts always work mischief Too many
courts-martial in any command are evi
dence of poor discipline and inefficient
officers.
THE TELEGRAPH IN WAR.
For the rapid transmission of order;
: in an army covering large space OF
ground, the magnetic telegraph is by far
the best, though habitually the paper
and pencil, with good mounted Order
lies, answer every purpose. have little
faith in the signal service by flags and
torches, though We always used them,
because almost invariably when they
: were most needed the view was cut of
by intervening trees or by mists and
fogs.
There was one notable instance in nv
experience, when the signal flags carried
a message of vital Importance over the
heads of Hoods army, which had inter
posed between me and Allatoona, and
had broken the telegraph wires, as re-
corded in Chapter XIX; but the value
of the magnetic telegraph in war cannot
be exaggerated, as was illustrated by
the perfect concert of action between
the armies in Virginia and Georgia
during 1864 Hardly day intervened
when Gen. Grant did not know the
exact state of facts with me, more than
1900 miles away as the wires ran.
So On the field thin insulated wire
may be run on improvised stakes OF
from tree to tree for six or more miles
in a couple of hours, aud | have seen
operators so skillful that by cutting the
wire they would receive a message with
their tongues from a distant station
As matter Of course, the ordinary com.
mercial wires along the railways form
the usual telegraph lines for an army
and these are easily repaired and ex.
tended as the army advances, but each
army and wing should have a small
party of skilled men to put up the field
wire, and take it down when done
This is far better than the signal flag,
and torches. Our commercial telegraph
lines will always supply for war enough
skillful operators.
The value of railways is also full,
recognized in war quite as much as, i
not more SO than, in peace The Atlant;
campaign would simply have been i'm
possible without the use of the railroad
from Louisville to Nashville-185 mile:
from Nashville to Chattanooga-15.
miles, and from Chattanooga to Atlant
-137 miles. Every mile of this singl
track was so delicate that one man coul,
in a minute have broken or moved
rail, but our trains usually carried alon
the tools and means to repair such
break.
PROTECTING BRIDGES.
We had, however, to maintain stron
guards and garrisons at each importan
bridge or trestle-the destruction c
which would have necessitated time fc
rebuilding. For the protection of
hriGoa npa ~ f,,o lox lla.1- bouco, -.