Military Discipline

An army ia the most powerful yet the most delicate and complex of machines, id every one knows that the work for which it is intended is of the utmost diffioulty and importance. Ita importance is measured by the faot that, under Providence, a war, a oampaign, or a single battle may, and often does, determine the fate of a nation for centuries, and thus affect the liberties and happinesg of families and individuáis yet unborn. The task is difficult, because it requires every member of an army to submit cheerfully to the extremes of privation, fatigue, and danger ; to devote all his faoulties to his duties ; to give up his own will and opinión for those of his superiors ; and to be ready to exposé his life at any moment. It is clear that a mere form of an army organization, no matter how perfect in theory, will not suffice to produce good lesults, and that the frame-work must be animated by a moral forcé which shall impel and euable every man to do his best. This moral forcé which is often callod " the military spirit," includes the varioua military quaüties or virtues, and must be accompanied, guided, and to some extent produced by instruction. Among the highest military virtures - indispensable to all ranks and grades - are devotion to the country and the flag, moral and physical courage, and subordination ; besides these quaüties, honor, courtesy, and truthfulness in all the relations of life come within the category of military virtues. Bearing in mind how widely individuáis differ in respect of moral qualities, it is plain that the exercises of the military qualitios referred to cannot safely be left to individual impulse, but that Borne standard rule must be established for the guidance of all, and which shall teach all how to use the qualities they possess or may acquire. This is discipline, whioh, in its widest and most correct sen8e involves the knowledge oí tactics, regulations, etc., so that a " well disciplined army" should mean one that is not only Obeüient, but also well ea in au military auties. ne term aisoipline is sometiines used in a narrower seiiae, as about equivalent to subordination, and then means that habit of mind which should lead every member of au army to yield prompt, cheerful, and intelligent but unquestioniag obedience to all orders ooming from his superiors. This frame of mind is not natural with all men, nor is it equally easy of attainment with all nations. Some individuals and some nations acquire it more readily or through different means than others. Some natures require harsh measures to produce the habit of discipline ; but it may safely be said that, as a general rule, the more intelligent men are, the more readily do they perceive the necessity of discipline, and the more readily do they acquire it, especially when they can trust and respect their superiors. The habit of obedience is acquired in the squad, at drill, and in the various duties of the interior service - thus within the company, and under the eye of the captain. Kewards and punishments must both be used according to circumstances ; but the better the olass of men, the less of the latter. In support of this, the German soldiers are no doubt the most intelligent in Europe, and the Germán army is the best diciplined (in all senses of the word) in the world, yet the proportion of punishment in that army is less than in any other. "With such men as those who compose our armies in time of war, and with competent officers, discipline is best established through a kind and considérate, but perfectly firm and just conduct ; but to establish and maintain an entirely satisfactory discipline among Americans it is quite essential that they should respect and have entire confidence in the knowledge and skill of their officers. With good offlcers, there are no people more amenable to intelligent discipline than the Americans, none who can so rapidly be made good eoldiers, and none who will form a better fighting army. In another generation, after the men who served in our last war have passed from the scène, should it ever again become necesaary for our country to raise large armies to meet a sudden emergency, the main danger and difficulty will always lie in the lack of a suffiüient number of competent offlcera and mncommissioned officers. The duration of our last war, as well as its costs in blood and money, -would have been vastly reduced had we possessed a sufficient suppLy of good offlcers at the outbreak. Fortunately for us, our antagonists were in nearly the same situation ; fortunately again for us, we have noneighbors in a condition to oppose highly organized and numerous armies to the hastily formed battalions we will too probable rely