El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-27

W YASHINGTON. d. C.. May -. -
~ Trench warfare saw the first
beginning of its development.
81 lar as field derences are concerned.
in our own civil war.
10 was. OF course. conducted on
principles FAR more sin pie than now
adays- There were no covered
trenches. and there was no question
o. rendering them habitabIe in
domiciliary way. for troops did not
live in them. But there were Ger
tain rather striking likenossss Of
method in the style Of fighting Even
the wire ENHANCEMENT. for trapping
and holding back an advancing enemy.
was known and used
At the outset Of tut civil war nothing
was known or the trench as means OF
defense in the field Indeed. during
the first two years Of that memorable
conflict no defensive field work Of any
kind were employed Battles were
fought in-the open.
First Field Fertilization.
The first field Notifications. If such
tie4 may De termed. were utilized by
the Union army at Chicl amauEa. dur
ing the fighting OF sept Is and 20
100 The Federal forces. driven back
were thrown on the defensive. and part
OF them, the situation being fairly
desperate. piled up logs. rails stones.
ana eartl. seeking protection from the
enemy's fire behind tie barrier thus
constructed and successfully with
came TO retire
After that. and especially during the
campaigns Of 1854. the Union troops
could scarce halt for as much as an
HH1aHnu ina rUan
lenses They SCARED the whole Con-
tederacy with riflepits. Advancing
as rar as possible. they would dig
themselves in" each mau for nimseit
II opportunity offered. the rifle-pits
were developed into trenches. and every
means that ingenuity could suggest
Vas employed 10 render the latter de-
tensively safe.
Thus, for example. great numbers of
trees were cut down and laid in heaps
Win their branches toward the enemy
T ais by the way. is n device commonly
used in the European conflict Of today.
the branches being Invested OF their
foliage and sharpened to points. most
encouraging 10 attackers In the
civil war il was CUSTOMARY To fasten
The trees together with wire forming
ntauglements-the object in view be-
ing, as IN present day warfare 10 hold
the Zoe as long as possible under thRi
fire Of the defenders
No Barhed Wire Then
OF course in the days Of the civil
war there was no barbed wire. The
only wire available for such purpose
was telegraph wire Perhaps the first ?
use OF the ENHANCEMENT. pure ana
simple. was made by the Union troops Q
hesieGing Fort Sanders. at Knoxville. .
Outside the fort was a smooth slope. f
" hich the Confederates had covered 9
with a defensive chevauN-Ce-frise OF D
pine-tree. But the cutting Of the
trees. IN the near neignoorhood OF the .
works. had left a corresponding num- T.
Der OF stumps q foot and a half high .
clever soldier boy suggested the 3
idea of stretching wire between the .
which was done. the result Z
being that Longstreets men. attempt .
ng a sortie. were caught by the wire
and thrown into confusion.
IL was either ON this occasion or .
elsewhere under similar Circumstance 3
hat q Yankee artilleryman. firing his
gun Just at the moment when an at
IN cking force Tell PROSTATE over an un-
expected wire ENHANCEMENT. cried out