cause they will give him activity, endurance, and presence of mind in difficulties. Let him be taught to fence, because, as Jackson judiciously observed, "fencing, more than anything else, sharpens the eye-sight, increases active power in gen eral, tries the temper, and teaches decision in seizing occasions for acting offensively with effect, and defensively with coolness and resolution." Above all, as the whole power of infantry is in its fire and the bayonet, let the soldier be perfected in the use of both. Let him have practice enough to become a good marksman,—a quality soon acquired by Americans, and of which the importance is greater than it ever was. Let him be taught to use the rifle and bayonet as a weapon of offence and defence, to parry and counterthrust with it; to attack in "prime," "tierce," "carte," and every other thrust that can be made with it, springing at the same time forward, right, or left, as circumstances may require. Teach the soldier these things, and you will restore to him his individual value and self-reliance, of which the Prussian system has stripped him. His activity, skill, intelligence, his personal strength and bravery, will again become available.

Some persons may suppose that the new system of arms and instruction may do for light infantry, but not for troops of the line. This is an error. All infantry must adopt it. and in a very few years none other will be used. Nothing can be lost by it; for if troops can perform evolutions in the accelerated manner which we have described, they can perform them, a fortiori, as slowly as may be desired. So that the martinets of the old school may yet indulge occasionally in the "common time," if they think the "double quick" or Shanghai trot" too undignified for their years and ponderosity.

It will perhaps be urged as an objection to the new system, that it will be much more difficult and will require much more time to form soldiers under it than under the old one. This is undoubtedly true. But if the soldiers take longer time to become perfect, they will be

worth ten times more; and, besides, there is no option. Europe is now at our doors. The ocean can hardly be called an obstacle, and it would be easier, so far as mere transportation is concerned, to throw a large army on our coast than in the Crimea. If we are attacked by a foreign foe, it will be with troops drilled under the new system. We must therefore keep up with the rest of the world in this department as well as in all others. It is true that the new drill cannot be learned from the book; and that even volunteer companies can never learn to perform it with the little practice that they can have. The only sure way to obtain a supply of efficient officers, able in time of necessity to organize and instruct troops rapidly and properly, is to establish and encourage military schools. If soldiers can no longer be made in a month, it is only by a regular and daily training of a year or two, that thorough officers can be formed; and this the volunteer organization can never afford.

The new system is especially suited to the genius of the American people. It is in fact the bush-fighting of the American rifleman, rendered ten times more effective by the regularity of action which discipline produces, by the improved weapon and its bayonet, and by the capability of the men to perform the battalion evolutions when necessary. The importance of adopting this system becomes still more evident when we reflect that the progress of civilization and the disappearance of the red men, have caused the almost complete extinction of that hardy race of pioneers, skilled in Indian warfare, which rendered such efficient service in the early days of the Republic. The extirpation of large game in the old States must also diminish the aptitude to the use of fire-arms, which our people formerly possessed in such a remarkable degree. The skill which was once acquired from childhood from the necessity of the case, must hereafter be taught in the camp. But withal, Americans, taking the mass of the people, are infinitely superior as marksmen to any other civilized nation. If the French have derived such advantages from the new system,

what could not be expected from Ameri

cans trained in the same way? If the Western riflemen have acquired such a reputation for marksmanship with a weapon whose extreme accurate range is less than three hundred yards, what could they not do with the Minié? We have no hesitation to say, that a battalion recruited from our border population, and instructed and equipped by the new method, would surpass in efficiency any troops that the world ever saw. If the Arabs of north Africa, formidable in all the means of offence, could not stand before the French Chasseurs, how much more quickly would the Indians give way before the Americans!

The effect of the new arms upon the tactics of the battle-field must be important. If what Saxe and Frederic the Great said in their day of regular marches, slow firing, and methodical warfare, was true, "that the power of the soldier is in his legs," it is more evidently so at the present day.

Increased rapidity must characterize the movements of all arms of the service. Troops will be deployed as skirmishers to a greater extent than ever. As to cavalry, of course, all its value in its shock which will be greater according to the speed with which it can charge without breaking. But we look for great changes in the artillery. The range of the Minié is much greater than that of a six pounder. A battery of field pieces can be speedily disabled by the fire of a line of skirmishers who pick off the men and horses as fast as they can load and fire.

It is probable that the six pounder will have to be replaced by the twelve pounder as a field piece. The French have done so with great success; and, in fact, the twelve pounder of the present day is hardly heavier than the six pounder of former days. In this way, the battery, instead of being composed of two kinds of guns, of which part may often be useless, is composed only of one kind, which can all fire solid shot or shells as occasion requires. This would enable field artillery to act from a distance, which would render the fire of the Minié rifle much less dangerous. It is

very likely that artillery will be compelled to cover itself, at least partly, in action by some quickly constructed breastwork; indeed, it is natural to suppose that temporary redoubts will be used more extensively than ever on the battle-field, in order to shelter all troops from the tremendous effects of the new arms, until the decisive moment of immediate action. Finally, never more will be seen massive columns like that of MacDonald; but positions will be attacked by a number of converging columns, each formed of one battalion played on its centre division, and preceded by swarms of sharp-shooters. This is the method advocated by Jomini, the greatest expounder of military science, who says that in his long experience he never saw an attack fail which was made in this

manner.

These views and reflections may seem out of season to those who think that the days of warfare have gone by forever. But it would be a grievous error to act upon such a belief. The nature of man has not changed; and although clearer views of their interest, and the progress of Christianity have made modern nations more reluctant to draw the sword, no man can say that to-morrow, circumstances may not arise involving us in war with the most powerful nations of the world. It is the part of wisdom to be prepared. No one can estimate the loss of life, treasure, and national glory which may be the consequence of improvidence in such matters. Under whatever circumstances we might be invaded, we would always succeed finally in driving back the aggressor from our soil. But if our armies, badly armed and incompletely instructed, had to meet veteran troops trained and equipped according to the latest development of military service, perhaps victory would not crown our standard, until disastrous campaigns and bloody reverses had taught us a dearly bought experience. God grant that this may never be the case, but whatever may happen, let us be ready!

We will close this discussion with a suggestion of the highest importance to

our own State. We have in Virginia about sixty thousand muskets or rifles deposited in nearly equal proportions at Richmond and Lexington, without counting the arms now in the hands of the volunteer corps of the State. If the citizens of Virginia depend upon these arms to repel a foreign foe, or to vindicate their own rights in case of necessity, they are relying upon a broken reed. Such as they are, those arms are worth just their weight as old iron. They are furnished with the old-fashioned flint lock, which is so obsolete, that flints are no longer made or imported. It would be impossible to get flints enough to supply them for a whole campaign, for a flint is worn out after twenty shots. But if this objection were removed, it would be sheer madness to oppose such arms to the Minié rifle. A very simple transformation can, however, change these useless arms into very efficient weapons. 1st. The flint lock must be changed to percussion. 2d. The barrels must be grooved according to the mode adopted in the United States Armories. 3d. A breech-sight and hausse must be adapted to the barrel. Then a proper number of Minié ball moulds must be made, and ammunition prepared for future use. If at the same time sabre-bayonets could be substituted for the old bayonets, it would be an advantage, but this is not indispensable. The transformation indicated is now going on with regard to the United States' arms. It was made several years ago in the French service, and it is probably completed in the English service. The transformed weapon is the Minié musket, inferior to some extent to the Minié rifle, but nevertheless an excellent weapon with an effective range of nine hundred or one thousand yards. It is probable that by using the facilities of the Richmond Armory, and establishing a temporary workshop at the Virginia Military Institute, the arms of those

two places can be transferred at an expense of $1 50 apiece, or even less. The arms belonging to the State of New York are now undergoing this change; and some of the regiments of the New York volunteers are armed with the Minié musket. Numerous experiments at the United States Armories have shown that the musket barrel has abundant strength to allow the rifling, especially as the grooves ought to decrease in depth from breech to muzzle. The subject is well worth the consideration of the Executive and the Legislature. The South ought to keep ready all her means of defence, not only to protect herself in case of aggression, but to prevent her being compelled to use these means. Those who are well prepared are but rarely assailed. As the best means of preserving peace, let us make ourselves too formidable to be attacked with impunity. We have laid aside the old militia system, and with good reason; for if it was of little use in the days of slow evolutions, it would be worse than useless at the present time. Our volunteer force is but small; and from the nature of things, it cannot furnish in the moment of necessity officers who will at once be ready and qualified to instruct troops in the more difficult and complicated manoeuvres of the new system. None can do this but those whom long and daily experience has made familiar with the practice as well as the theory, and has accustomed to command as well as to obey. Virginia has in her military school a nursery of infantry officers, upon whose military skill she can safely rely in time of need. Let us hope that if that time should ever come, her sons will not be compelled to oppose the most formidable arm ever placed in the hands of men with the obsolete weapons of a by-gone period.

R. E. C.