Review of Military Books. had known, as well as the French, how to maintain the most complete uniformity in their movements in order of battle, by establishing, between their head-quarters, and the different wings of the army, such a continued and entire correspondence, as that the commander-in-chief may be informed of what passes throughout the whole extent of the line, a communication of so essential a nature, that, without it, it is impossible for a commander-in-chief to make any salutary movement. "If the generals appointed to combat the armies of Buonaparte, were to join to the use of this active correspondence the employment of a body of reserve, and, in imitation of the French, instead of keeping it often too far in the rear, they would place it close to the main body, and oblige it to manœuvre for the purpose of exercising it, and that it may be a check on the enemy by its threatening attitude, they will possess the means which have most powerfully contributed to the military preponderance of Buonaparte. "I repeat it, these are the means which must contribute most effectually to the success of an army. Frederic II. has lost battles for which he had made the best and most judicious arrangements; the evil arose from the circumstance of his making with his right wing, for example, prodigions efforts to conquer, while he was ignorant of the false direction his left wing was taking, and from not acting conformably to his views, they rendered the attempts of the right wing useless, and soon fatal. Now, whence did this originate?-Evidently from a misunderstanding. Frederic was too skilful to have neglected giving to the left wing orders to conform its manœuvres to those of the right; but the order must necessarily have been ill-communicated or misconceived; or, affairs having in a short time changed their posture in the left wing, without the King of Prussia being apprized of it, his dispositions became of necessity false, and he was beaten. Therefore, in the communication of orders on a day of battle, too much care and activity cannot be exercised; and it is an incalculable advantage to a commander-in-chief to be surrounded by a great number of staff officers always ready to communicate orders, capable of conceiving them well, and, like himself, possessing accurate information of the respective positions of all the corps of the army. "What is there, in fact, more notorious than that a corps of reserve is employed; and what more simple than the use which the French make of it? They excel by their celerity, and the harmony of their movements in general! You generals, who search in vain for the cause of such an advantage, or who pretend not to perceive it, retrench your bag. gage; order your subaltern generals to study their manœuvres, to fight at the head of their divisions; your captains of infantry to be on foot at the head of their companies; change the organization and composition of your staff, and you will then be masters of the grand secret. Practical Instructions to Young Officers, relative to the interior discipline of a Regiment of Foot; by Major T. Chamberlin, of 24th Foot. (Continued from page 336*.) THE sixth chapter of this work contains some good moral advice to subalterns of companies. It is, perhaps, too general and cursory. In the seventh chapter, under the head of regulations for messes, Major C. gives some very useful hints. He suggests that the serjeants of a regiment should have a mess to themselves, separate from the corporals and privates, Review of Military Books. for the purpose of exhalting their estimation of themselves, and by the men; that they should be present, and superintend the meals of the men, and insure their decent and orderly conduct. There should be six men to a mess, to supply whom with vegetables for dinner, and milk, or some substitute for breakfast, there should be the following stoppage of pay-i. e. one shilling and five-pence halfpenny per week for breakfast, and ten-pence halfpenny per week for dinners. Each mess should have three coarse table clothes; each man a knife, fork, spoon, and plate, and should be made to sit orderly and decently. The soldier's wives should be employed in cooking and washing, and the cheerful compliance with these duties in their turns be made the condition of their being allowed to remain in barracks. The married men should be equally distributed amongst the companies, that each may have the requisite number of women. The eighth chapter contains some general directions. A soldier ought not to marry without the approbation of his officer, and any one so doing should be denied the indulgence of lodging out of the barracks, and his wife should be prohibited from entering them. This regulation may at first appear harsh, but when we consider how lightly most soldiers think of marriage-the kind of women they generally obtain--the melancholy sight every beach presents after an embarkation of troops, and how heavily parishes are subsequently burthened by these women and their children, this character of the measure disappears. The ninth chapter recommends that a regimental school should be established in every regiment, which all the boys and younger men should once a day attend, and where reading, writing, and accounts should be taught. A steady and patient non-commissioned officer should be selected for the school-master, and excused from any other duty. The scholars should be ranged in classes, and small premiums occasionally given, to be raised by subscription amongst the officers. I doubt the utility of this. Every one should know how to read and write, but I would have nothing farther. The tenth chapter contains-but I cannot deny myself the pleasure of giving the whole of it."Upon the subject of public worship the compiler must be permitted to be peculiarly urgent, having witnessed its beneficial tendency both at sea and on shore for many years; it induces a wholesome gravity and orderly demeanour, both in officers and men; and your women, recollecting former times, and their peaceful homes, are sure to appear in their best habits. At sea, in particular, it's performance has a most delightful effect, for 'round a holy balm diffusing,' vexations are forgotten, offences pardoned, and we feel in perfect charity with all mankind. The regular charge of this duty is therefore strongly recommended, and the compiler has solemnly to declare, that he never performed or attended it without feeling that he was a happier and better man." The eleventh chapter contains some general remarks on punishments; the author has a just aversion to flogging. When an officer finds it necessary to Review of Military Books. reprove a serjeant, let him do it in private, as this is a rank which should never be lowered in the men's estimation; and the serjeants themselves are never rendered better men for having their pride and feelings hurt. This is good advice, and should be particularly remembered. Corporals and privates committing offences, should be sent to the guard house, the crime stated to the officer of the guard, and a written report made to the commanding officer of the regiment. After this, no man should be released without the authority of such commanding officer The substance of the 12th chapter is, that the quarter-master or a serjeant, on a march, should always precede the battalion, in order to procure billets, or take up barracks. All officers should ride or march with their companies, and see their men properly quartered. The men, during the march, should be kept to their files; no noise, nor indecent, nor blasphemous language allowed, but sober merriment not checked. Should a man have occasion to fall out, a non-commissioned officer must be left with him, till he is able to rejoin his division. The thirteenth chapter, upon barracks, observes, that the name of each company should be posted on the outside of its barrack-room, with that of the senior non-commissioned officer in it. Every man should also have bis place in the arm-rack, with his name beneath it. An arm chest should be provided for the spare arms and accoutrements; these are to be duly inspected, and kept in complete repair. The fourteenth chapter treats of guard-mounting and parades. When the warning drum beats, the non-commissioned officers should march their men to the place appointed for the private parade of the company, where an officer of it should inspect their arms, clothing, ammunition, and accoutrements; he should then tell them off, and march them to the place of public parade. All orders should be read by an officer of each company, previously to the regiment being formed for evening parade. The fifteenth chapter enumerates the books to be kept in a regiment.— The adjutant should keep the seven following. 1. A book for entering all general and standing orders. 2. Another for official letters. 3. For duplicates of all returns. 4. A description book, containing the name, age, size, town, county, trade, and length of service of every man in the regiment: this book is also to contain notifications of deaths or desertions, &c. 5th. A book for the daily detail and orders. 6. A register for the duties of officers. 7. A register for leaves of absence. Each company is to have a book in which the men's accounts are kept; and another for the insertion of orders, &c. The serjeant-major keeps a register for the duties of non-commissioned officers, and the non-commissioned officers one for those of the men. The quarter-master must keep an entry of all the clothing received and delivered, &c. in fact, of every thing he receives for the use of the regiment. The sixteenth chapter, on hospitals, contains one good practical remark; that the surgeon should make a weekly inspection of every man in the regi War between France and Russia. ་! ment, and should be particular in his inquiry upon two points, whether any of them have the venereal disease or itch, two disorders which they are very apt to conceal. WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND RUSSIA. OFFICIAL FRENCH BULLETINS. SEVENTH BULLETIN OF THE GRAND ARMY. Wilna, July 16.-His majesty has erected upon the right bank of the Vilia an in trenched camp, sarrounded by redoubts, and constructed a citadel upon the mountain on which was the ancient palace of the Jagellons. Thus, two bridges upon piles are being constructed. Three bridges udon rafts are already established. On the 8th, his majesty reviewed a part of his guard, composed of Laborde and Roguet's divisions, commanded by Marshal the Duke of Treviso, and the old guard under the orders of Marshal the Duke of Dantzic, in front of the intrenched camp. The fine appearance of these troops excited general admiration. On the 4th, Marshal the Duke of Tarentum set out from his head-quarters in Rossien, the capital of Samogitia, one of the handsomest and most fertile provinces in Poland; the general of brigade, Baron Ricard, with a part of the 7th division, to march upon Poniewicz; the Prussian General Kleist had been sent upon Chawle; and the Prussian brigadier de Jeanneral, with another Prussian brigade, upon filch. These three generals have arrived at their destinations. General Kleist was only able to reach a single Russian hussar; the enemy having hastily evacuated Chawle, after setting the magazines on fire. General Ricard arrived early in the morning of the 6th, at Poniewicz. He had the good fortune of saving the magazines which were in it, and which contained 30,000 quintals of meal. He took 160 prisoners, among which were four officers. This expedition does the greatest honour to the detachment of the Prussian death hussars, who were charged with the execution of it. His majesty has bestowed the legion of honour to the commandant of it, to lieutenant de Reven, to sub-officers Werner and Pommeroit, and brigadier Grahouski, who in this affair distinguished themselves. The inhabitants of the province of Samogitia are distinguished for their patriotism; they were free, their country was rich, but their destinies changed with the tail of Poland. The better and finest parts of the country were given by Catherine to Sonbow: the peasants, free as they were, were compelled to become slaves. The flank movement made by the army upon Wilna having turned this fine province, it will be of the utmost utility to the army. Two thousand horses are on their. march to repair the loss of the artillery. Considerable magazines have been preserved. The march of the army from Kowno upon Wilna, and from Wilna upon Dunabourg and Minsk, has obliged the enemy to abandon the banks of the Niemen, and rendered this river free, by which numerous convoys arrive at Kowno. We have at this moment more than 150,000 quintals of meal, 2,000,000 rations of biscuit, 600,000 quintals of rice, &c. The convoys succeed each other with rapidity; the Niemen is covered with boats. The passage of the Niemen took place on the 24th, and the emperor entered. Wilna on the 28th. The first army of the west, commanded by the Emperor Alexander, War between France and Russia. is composed of nine divisions of infantry, and four of cavalry: driven from post to post. It now occupies the entrenched camp at Drissa, in which the King of Naples, with the corps of Marshals the Dukes of Elchingen and Reggio, several divisions of the first corps, and the cavalry corps of Counts Nansouty and Montbrun, keep it. The second army, commanded by Prince Bagration, was, on the 1st of July, at Kobren, where it had collected. The 9th and 13th divisions, under General Tormazow, were still farther off. On the first intelligence of the passage of the Niemen, Bagration put himself in motion to march upon Wilna; he effected his junction with Platoff's Cossacks, who were opposite Grodno; arrived upon the top of the Ivie, he learned that the road to Wilna was shut against him: he discovered that the execution of the orders he had received would be rash, and cause his ruin; Soubotnicki, Troboue, Witchnew, Volojinck being occupied by General Grouchy's, General Baron Pajol's, and the Prince of Eckmuhl's corps; he therefore retrograded, and took the direction of Minsk: but, arrived mid-way towards that town, he learned the Prince of Eckmuhl had entered it; he again retrograded: from Newig he marched upon Slousk, and from thence upon Bobreusk, from whence he will have no other resource than that of passing the Borysthenes. Thus the two armies are completely divided and separated, there being between them a distance of one hun dred leagues. Prince Eckmuhl has seized upon the strong place of Boresou, upon the Beresina: 60,000lb. of powder, 16 pieces of besieging artillery, and some hospitals, have fallen into his power. Considerable magazines were set on fire; a part was, however, saved. On the 10th, General Latour Maubourg sent the division of light cavalry, commanded by General Rosnieke,advanced towards Mer. It met the enemy's rear guard at a short distance from that town. A very brisk engagement took place. Notwithstanding the inferiority of the Polish division in number, it remained master of the field. The General of Cossacks Gregoriow was killed, and 1500 Russians were killed and wounded. Our loss, at the utmost, was not more than 500. The Polish light cavalry fought with the greatest intrepidity, and its courage supplied the want of number. The same day we entered Mer. On the 13th, the King of Westphalia had his head-quarters at Nisvy. The viceroy has arrived at Dock chilsoui. The Bavarians, commanded by General Count G. St. Cyr, were reviewed on the 14th, at Wilna, by the emperor. Deroy and Wrede's divisions are very fine. These troops have marched on Slouboku. The diet at Warsaw, being constituted into a general confederation of Poland, has named Prince' Adam Czartorinski for its president. This prince, aged 80 years, has for 50 years been marshal of the diet of Poland. The first act of the diet was to declare the kingdom of Poland re-established. A deputation from the confederation was presented to his majesty at Wilna, and submitted to his approbation and protection the act of confederation. To the 7th bulletin is subjoined the speech of Count Palatine Wybieski, upon presenting the act of the confederation to Buonaparte, with the reply of the latter. The following are the most material passages in Wybieski's address:— "SIRE-Your majesty labours for posterity and for history. No nation in Europe can misunderstand our rights, no more than we can misconceive our duties. A nation free and independent from the earliest ages, we shall not lose our territory and our independence, neither by a treaty nor by conquest, but through perfidy and treason. Treason never could constitute a right. We have seen our last king dragged to Petersburg, and there perish in obscurity; and our nation, now torn into pieces, and parted among princes against whom she had not made war, and who had not conquered her. Say, Sire, The kingdom of Poland exists,' and that decree will, to the world, be equivalent to the reality! We are sixteen millions of Polanders, among whom there is not one whose blood, whose arm, whose fortune is not devoted to your majesty. Every " |