New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-12
COUNTING MEN IN BATTLE.
EXPERTS ONLY ABLE TO JUDGE OF
THE NUMBERS ENGAGED.

pYOC
speaking soldiers have been engaged in the last
thirty years the question presents itself to the
locker on: How far do these dispatches pre-
sent clear and definite idea to the minds of
those whom they interest so much?'
III read in the morning paper" said a citi-
zen with an inquiring turn of mind who was
discussing the war news one evening last week
that six policemen were brought up and repri-
mandad by the captain of the precinct yester-
day. that gives me what you may call a clear,
palpabe idea l know what policemen look like.
and what six OF them in row would look like
could look at the six and tell at a glance that
there were six and not ten. But when you come
10 talk about six hundred the case is altogether
different l doubt whether anybody at this table
could look at six hundred men in a crowd and
say right off that there were six hundred and
not five hundred or seven hundred. And when
the dispatches tell us that twelve thousand
British are fighting the Beers at Ladysmth |
very few people. except military experts get
anything more definite out of the statement
than that a whole lot of British are engaged in
the fighting"
This with the saving clause except military
experts seemed to present an interesting aues- |
ton Of fact for military experts Is the power of
has to acquire as part of his professional equip
ment? If it is, how is it done?
Major General Merritt being a cavalry vet
.ran. is particularly well qualified to speak on
this topic. for a very large part Of the work OF
cavalry in actual war consists in observing the
enemy's strength as well as his movements. |
and keeping tho staff posted accordingly. 1t
was The high efficiency of the famous T-hlans in !
this dir 'tion that made them 50 valuable 70 the
German army in 1870 General Merritt said in /
answer to the inquiry: When you speak Of es- !
tmatlng the numbers Of crowd YOU must re- |
member that there is vast difference between
a crowd and an army. Armies in the field take |
regular formations which it is the business Of
military men to familiarize themselves with. !
Taking the formation into account. il is quite
possible to judge of tn" number by the ground
Cyered You can do that at considerable dis
2nce If you have good field glasses. 1t is one
the things which have to be acquired by
ractice."
The general formula which a military pupil
General Upton at West Point received from
hat famous tactician for estimating the num-
ers Of a column on the march was 5000 men
10 mile in length" The usual allowance for
he space occupied by man in line is ~ inches,
and this space remains the same when the line
iaces night or left forming column The space
between companies is supposed to be IL feet.
These figures. of course. are based upon the
tactical regulations of the United States Army,
but the difference between these and those in
force in other armies is now slight as to be
no practical importance in forming rough
siimates Of numbers.
Of course this leaves the difficulty Of guess
ng at the number Of men who may be be-
Ind those in sight but. as General Merritt sig
ancanty remarked. troops never get under
ofe nowadays in any formation that will allow
'ne bullet % go through a man and then reach
another man behind him" The difficulty of
making an estimate. il appears, is much greater
action than when the bodies of troops under
observation are either halting in line in close
"oer. under cover or are marching in columns.
IN The latter cases the ru'cs for judging numbers
"space occupied can be applied with some sue
'eSS there being certain formulas in this con-
aecuon having in view the usual close forma-
luis which officers are supposed TO know BY
'eaft Rut IN action. when the front is con-
SANITY changing shape and the intervals be-
"een men are always increasing or diminish
Is Il would be hard TO apply any rule and look
W even fair results
M''ner expert whose IDEAS were asked,
mayor General Francis Ninton Greene, said that
We Santiago campaign there was never any
aN'e u telling the numbers of the enemy iur-
/ ~s Inc progress Of an action. because they
l nc always out Of sght"-that is, they in
/ @Oy hf-d from the cover Of trenches or OF
/ and IN same was true in the Philippine
/ 4s"''hs But IN the Russo Turkish War; In
/ INN General Greene represented the United
/ ~s WIN the Russian army, one way OF tell
/ . we numbers Of body Of Turkish nfan-
/ vas by counting the flags, it being
| "n mat they generally carried one flag