Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-11-27
FIGHTING IN WINTER
Warning Nations Have Still Anoter
Foe to Face.


Foe to Face.
When a new factor enters the Euro
pean war-the cold of winter-the field
! armies will find a more persistent, Il
more formidable enemy than the trol
more formidable enemy than the troop
of opposing nations. The first advance
Of winter has been felt already by the
soldiers intrenched along the river
Aisne. Chilly winds, following a wet
week, sent a shiver through the lines
Of both forces.
More than anything else, says the
Kansas City Star, cold weather will
hamper the mobility Of the armies
Their already heavily taxed transport
trains will have the added burden of
winter supplies. Troops will not be
able to cut loose from their advanced
bases even for brief periods. Shelter
and warmth will have to be provided
at each stop Of a marching force, no
battle lines.
Undoubtedly the general staffs OF
both sides have elaborate preparations
made to keep the suffering necessarily
caused by winter at minimum, but
the greatest human endeavors cannot
eliminate all hardship even if an army
is given a permanent station and no
movement until spring.
Winter Dull Time in Former Wars.
Whether the science of war has pro-
gressed to the point where winter can
be disregarded in a measure is yet an
undetermined factor. In almost all the
wars since history began the coming
OF frost has heralded a period Of de-
creasing activity by field armies, while
winter has forced generals to eStab-
lish permanent camps and wait fol
| warmer weather before any extensive
operations are started.
Washington had one brilliant sue
cess in the Revolutionary war by dis
regarding the extreme hardships OF
winter and attacking the Hessians al
Trenton. His army remained active
several weeks after Christmas tina,
year, but ultimately was forced into
inactivity. The sufferings at Valley
Forge show the formidable enemy
winter can be.
In the Crimean war fighting practl-
| cally stopped with the battle Of Inker-
man, Nov. 5, 1854. The Russians re-
tired into Sebastopol, and the allies
| built a permanent camp of investment
around it.
In our civil war considerable fight
| ing was done in the winter months
| but all the more important campaign.
| began in the spring and were suspend
| ed when cold weather came.
! Sherman'S march was made in the
| yviptar months and aven in that SOuth l.
ern climate the suffering from colo
among his troops was intense. Grant
campaigned against Fort Henry anC
Fort Donelson in February, 1862, and
| the following winter was active ir
| Mississippi
| The Japanese advance on Mukden ir
| 1904 was halted about the 1St of Sep
| tember by severe cold. Neither army
| was prepared to withstand winter 81
for month the fighting forces lay in
active almost within striking distance
A few engagements were fought in Oc.
tober: then operations practically
halted until Feb. 10, when the Japan.
ese army swathed in overcoats ant
padded leggings, began to advance.
| The investment of cities has beer
less affected by cold weather than the
operations of field armies. The reason
is obvious. Investing armies can builc
permanent earth huts, where a small
fire and the bodily warmth Of a squad
of men will keep them nearly as com
| Portable as in their own homes. The
Japanese assault on 203 Meter hill wa:
made on Nov 80. Port Arthur capitu.
| lated, after a series Of assaults, Jan. 2
1905.
Wars Begun in Spring and Summer.
| The war between the Balkan allie:
| and Turkey, contrary to usual custom
began in the fall. Most all wars have
been inaugurated in the spring or sum
mer The troops of Bulgaria, Servia
Greece and Montenegro started to wal
with complete winter kits, heavy over
coats, thick blankets and shelter tents
The fighting in northern Thrace dur
ing October was trying period on The
Bulgarian invaders. Their descent OF
| Turkey carried the troops into now
came expert in constructing wind shell
tiers and huts in which bodily warmth
took the place of furnaces. The sol
diers besieging Adrianople and alsC
the field armies when they reached the
Tchatalja lines near ConstantinOple
| constructed lean-to-hutS, thatcheC
with reeds and straw. Rolls of thick
blanketing were wrapped around the
legs Of men on duty. Caps were pulled
| down over the ears.
None of the armies now in the field
except the Russians and Belgians
probably, have headdresses that viii
afford adequate protection for the win
ter. All probably will be able TO with.
stand cold fairly well until the first OF
the year, when winter will begin tC
make inroads unless protection i:
given.