Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-20

the battle-the attack of infantry In
force upon the main body of the
enemy. No matter how successful the
cavalry and artillery may be. If the
infantry attack fails the battle Is lost.
Now, the introduction of long-range
and rapid-flre guns has compelled the
total abandonment of the old-fashfoned
methods of infantry attack. The day
of the spectacular charge is gone. No
longer can troops martial themselves
in the open in close-drawn lines In full
view of the enemy-but out OF range OF
his guns-in preparation for an as
sault, and then, to the beat Of drums.
go roaring up to and over the enemy's
trenches. No longer can a great mass
of soldiery, spread out in full view.
strike terror to the foe by show Of
numbers. Such movements as these.
common enough half century ago,
Perhaps the best way to get clear
idea of modern infantry charge Is to
compare it tor rather contrast 1t
with-similar movements in the civil
war, and note the differences.
r
TN those days the cannon we had
were not effective at distance greater
than 500 or 1000 yards. 800 was bet
ter The muskets and rifles used were.
for the most part. muzzIe-loaders and
were effective no more than 200 or 800
yards, If. indeed, that. Furthermore,
it took from three to four minutes to
load and fire cannon. After firing it
had to be swabbed out, pushed back
into position from where the recoil had
flung it, loaded, primed and aimed.
The muskets and rifles could not be
fired oftener than once q minute. and
owing to the lack of uniformity in the
ammunition the matter of sighting at
anything more than 100 yards was a
matter of guesswork.
Under these conditions an infantry
attack upon the enemy's lines was
simple thing, compared to modern at
tack. Take, for instance. the most
celebrated charge in the civil war
the charge Of Pickett,s division at
Gettysburg. Here $4,000 Confederates
formed themselves in three battle lines
al distance of about mile from the
Federal lines and marched, with
front a mile In extent, over open fields
that afforded no kind of cover or pro-
the Union soldiers. Here, after re-
manning for fifteen minutes, they were
driven back Their loss was but five
or six thousand. The whole battle was
over in less than an hour.
IT do not mean to detract from the
bravery of those daring men, whose
fame has gone down In history, but
merely to note that, compared to what
such a body of attacking troops would
have to encounter today under the
same conditions, their work was at
least possible, as the result showed.
The enemy's cannon could not play
upon them with effect until they were
well on their march, and the rifles of
the Union infantry could not reach
them until they were within 300 or
400 yards OF the trenches, nor did 1t
become highly effective until they were
well within 200 yards. Moreover. the
defending rifiemen could only load and
fire two or three times before the at
lacking troops were upon them"
How would a commander attack
such a position with infantry today"
was asked the officer.
HE would not attack it." was the
reply. "Such an order would be in
slant murder of every soldier in the
attacking force. While such an act
is without precedent. I should say
would, in all likelihood, refuse to obey
such a command on the ground of the
insanity of the commanding officer.
With the rapid-firing cannon and rifles
be killed half dozen times before he
had gone 100 yards across those open
fields"
But battles are fought and infantry
do attack intrenched positions today,
do they not?" was queried.
Yes" replied the officer, but in
vastly different manner. Let US sup
pose a modern campaign, such as is
taking place in France. The confront
ing lines, with their hosts of men,
stretch for countless miles and the
battle is really made up of a series of
battles along these lines. The outcome