Strategy depends upon circumstances fixed in
their nature, and is the same always and everywhere; but tactics must be
modified to suit degree of skill, arms, and manner of fighting of the
combatants. Hence, "much instruction in strategy may be derived from the
study of history; but very grave errors will result, if we attempt to
apply in the armies of the present day the tactics of the ancients. This
fault has been committed by more than one man of merit, for want of
reflection upon the great difference between our missile weapons and
those of the ancients, and upon the resulting differences in the
arrangement of troops for combat." Our own military leaders have not
entirely avoided mistakes of this kind in the conduct of the present
war.
The treatise before us elucidates the general principles of strategy and
tactics, and applies them to the different classes of field--operations,
without entering into details, or describing the minor manoeuvres,
which belong more appropriately to another class of works.
The first chapter treats of bases and lines of operations, strategic
points, plans of offensive and defensive campaigns, and strategical
operations.
Pages:
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387