STRATEGICS.
As no military enterprise can well succeed without a knowledge of the country in which the operations are to be carried on, it is necessary that we should say some thing respecting the best means of obtaining this infor mation. The knowledge of a country embraces three things, viz. its political, economical, and military circum stances. All the three are in some measure useful to the soldier ; the last may be considered as indis pensable.
This information may be obtained by means of print ed, manuscript, or verbal descriptions ; maps, charts, or drawings ; or by personal enquiries. There are few printed descriptions of countries, indeed, so minute and accurate in their military details as is requisite for war like operations; but. in other respects they are often ex tremely useful ; and should be studied, on account of the other material points of useful information which they contain. Historical works, especially such as are writ ten with a view chiefly to military operations, and also the lives of celebrated generals, are of much use, and should be studied with great attention.
No opportunity should be neglected of collecting written and oral accounts of lands, whether in time of war or peace. It must be observed, however, that during war the sources of oral accounts are frequently suspi cious, and little to be depended upon, either from igr.b ranee or design in the individuals from whom the infor mation is obtained. To expiscate the truth, therefore, requires much care, skill, and knowledge of human na ture.
Mips and charts, plans and sketches, are of singular us, in a military point of view. Their value must de pend much on the greatness of the scale upon which they are constructed, and the accuracy and minuteness with which the objects are laid down. Maps afford a view of entire countries, their limits, the position and distance of the principal towns, the course of the rivers, &e. and are indispensably necessary towards obtaining a general knowledge of the relative situation of all the parts. Plans and sketches are 'nor: limited ; and when accurately constructed, they should give a faithful por trait of the objects. A good military sketch should re present every object in its real position and proportion ; it should distinguish the nature of the ground, the posi tion and form of the heights, the size of the plateau, the woods, rivers, with their windings, bridges, fords, &c. Also the roads, defiles, towns, villages, churches, and even single buildings, Stc. The name of each individual object should likewise be marked. The more minutely
the nature of the several objects is described, the more useful will the sketch be ; because an apparently trivial circumstance is frequently of importance in a military point of view.
Individual investigation may consist in the preparation of a sketch or description of the district, or merely in making a reconnoissance. In both cases, a practised eye, and a knowledge of the military application of ob jects, arc essentially necessary.
Before an army takes the field, it is necessary to draw up a general plan of operations, otherwise much time would be lost at every step in deliberating upon what was to be done next. The perfection of a plan of ope rations depends almost entirely upon an accurate know ledge of the country in which the war is to be carried on.
War may be conducted either offensively or defen sively. The former plan is generally adopted by the stronger power, the latter by the weaker.
The strength and composition of the army to be em ployed must be determined according to the strength of the enemy, the nature of the undertaking, and also the nature of the country. If it be intended to act offensive ly, the force employed must be stronger than that of the enemy—the more so the better. But even in a defensive war, the force employed ought never to be so small as to be incapable of contending with the enemy. In an open champaign country, it is necessary to have a con siderable force of cavalry, especially, to enable us to carry on defensive operations with success. In moun tainous districts, on the contrary, a numerous and, effec tive infantry are required ; and a light infantry will be found particularly serviceable. In general, accordingtocir curostanees, the cavalry form from an eighth to a fourth par: of the whole army. The quantity of artillery must depend upon the nature of the undertaking. If there are many fortresses, a large battering train will be re quired ; and in a country possessing many tenable posts, it is necessary to have a numerous field train, which must be drawn by good horses, in order not to detain the army in its movements. An army should always have a large body of light troops ; and although the na ture of the ground may make some difference necessary in the proportion of these to the troops of the line, yet it is not easy to determine the proportion according to any precise general rules, because light infantry are useful on many occasions, and light horse may be extremely serviceable even on broken ground.