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Post by quincannon on Jun 5, 2015 22:41:59 GMT -6
David: He belittles professionals because he was found wanting by those same professionals and his dreams of glory at Uncle Sam's expense went down the toilet. He is the same, well maybe worse, today as he was then, and just like yesterday he resents the professionals who are still telling him he is not good enough.
So what does he do. He dresses in costume and pretends he is a soldier. He thinks his costume is a uniform, but alas it is a costume for a uniform is only a uniform when it is worn by a soldier. His is a world of dream and fantasy.
I hope he keeps it up. I hope he dreams up even more of the bizarre. He is the best favor that can ever be done for this board.
There is a very famous officer evaluation report that you first hear of in one of those how to be an officer administrative classes in the basic course. Nearly everyone in the commissioned ranks of the Army has heard about it at one time or another. It reads
"This officer is more suited to carry the hod, than wear the shoulder strap"
That says everything that needs being said about this matter currently under discussion.
I truly believe that I descend from Jesus Christ and that I am the true Holy Grail. Knights of the Round Table have been looking for me for what, fourteen centuries. Then the dream ends and with it all my Grail gravitas, you know fair maidens swooning, palms being thrown in the road to smooth the way for my horse, Red Seas parting, all seem to slip down the toilet, reality sets in, I realize morning has come, and another day of fun and fantacy lunatic perusal begins.
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Post by fred on Jun 6, 2015 5:07:02 GMT -6
PS. Billy Markland helped me find the telegraph trail of the planning for the campaign. The links are all dead now, and I did not print them off. Any idea how to find these? Will, Tell me exactly what you want and I will have Billy send it to you... or at least post it here. Best wishes, Fred.
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Post by Yan Taylor on Jun 6, 2015 5:59:51 GMT -6
The effect of field artillery fire on any column either it be infantry or cavalry was devastating, a cannon ball fired a column was usually aimed to land in front of the formation, then it bounced its way through the mass ranks for up to 100 yards or even more, once any column got within 50 yards or so then canister was fired, which ripped horse and man to pieces.
Ian.
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Post by quincannon on Jun 6, 2015 7:46:33 GMT -6
That is why Field Artillery is called the King of Battle Ian. It puts the balls where the Queen wants them.
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Post by Yan Taylor on Jun 6, 2015 11:57:02 GMT -6
Yes Chuck, the artillery made column a death trap, but so did British musketry, here is a section from a book of mine (and yes I typed it out with my own nimble fingers (well two of them).
It was written by the French officer Marshal T.R. Bugeaud;
The English generally occupied well chosen defensive positions having a certain command, and they showed only a portion of their forces. The usual artillery action first took place. Soon in great haste, without studying the position, without taking time to examine whether there were means to make a flank attack, we marched straight on, taking the bull by the horns. About 1000 yards from the English line the men became excited, called out top one and other, and hastened their march; the column began to become a little confused. The English remained quite silent with ordered arms, and from their steadiness appeared to be a long red wall. This steadiness invariably produced an effect on our young soldiers. Very soon we got nearer, crying “Iive ‘I Empereur! En avant! A la Baionnette! Shakos were raised on the muzzles of muskets; the column began to double, the ranks got into confusion, the agitation produced a tumult; shots were fired as we advanced. The English line remained silent, still and immovable, with ordered arms, even when we were only 300 yards distant, and it appeared to ignore the storm about to break. The contrasted was striking; in our innermost thoughts we all felt the enemy was a long time in firing, and that this fire, reserved so long, would be very unpleasant when it came. Our ardour cooled. The moral power of steadiness, which nothing can shake (even if it be only appearance), over disorder which stupefies itself with noise, overcame our minds. At this moment of intense excitement, the English wall shouldered arms; an indescribable feeling would root many of our men to the spot; they began to fire. The enemy’s steady concentrated volleys swept our ranks; decimated, we turned round seeking to recover our equilibrium; then three deafening cheers broke the silence of our opponents, at the third they were on us, pushing our disorganised flight.
Ian.
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Post by quincannon on Jun 6, 2015 12:19:20 GMT -6
And in that you see the falsehood the pretender attempts to peddle.
The column the French were in was effective against their lesser opponents. In essence it was a huge moving block of men, meant to intimidate. The formation was so dense that only the front rank or two could fire, while Brits in line could bring all their firepower to bear. Once that Brit firepower was applied liberally and with effect, the French column would collapse upon itself.
There may have been some control issues that prompted the French to adopt a column. They were a largely conscripted army, particularly in their Infantry. The Brits were highly disciplined regulars. Long service vice short service. It does make a difference in everything you do.
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Post by Beth on Jun 6, 2015 13:49:48 GMT -6
And in that you see the falsehood the pretender attempts to peddle. The column the French were in was effective against their lesser opponents. In essence it was a huge moving block of men, meant to intimidate. The formation was so dense that only the front rank or two could fire, while Brits in line could bring all their firepower to bear. Once that Brit firepower was applied liberally and with effect, the French column would collapse upon itself. There may have been some control issues that prompted the French to adopt a column. They were a largely conscripted army, particularly in their Infantry. The Brits were highly disciplined regulars. Long service vice short service. It does make a difference in everything you do. Isn't a great deal warfare about finding a most effective way to deal with your opponent's tactics? When you go in with the mindset that the enemy always does A so you will do B, you are locking yourself into inflexible mindset. It is also a disaster when you come across an opponent that decides to do C. I believe with French and their columns was because they had the numbers. Napoleon was able to call on the men of all the countries he conquered into conscription. Britain and her allies didn't have the same luxury of a steady stream of young men so they had to come up with a different tactic. You know it strikes me that Napoleon borrowed a lot of his playbook right from the Roman legions. Beth
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Post by quincannon on Jun 6, 2015 14:56:03 GMT -6
1) On the mark.
2) A column is easy to control. A line is not. Armies largely consisting of conscripts usually opt for easy. Good beats easy every time.
3) I think the legions more flexible in application. The French column was a one trick pony.
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Post by Yan Taylor on Jun 7, 2015 6:50:40 GMT -6
Chuck, you are correct about the French attack column, apparently it served the French well against Austrians, Prussians and Russians for nigh on a decade. Apparently these countries had no defence against the French use of light Infantry as a screen, this screen would harass their enemy as they deployed into line, as the Austrians, Prussian and Russians were notoriously slow and ponderous in manoeuvring on the field, so when the French column hit their line they were usually disorganised.
But what the British did was to learn from what happened to them in the Americas and one of the lessons learned was the value of Light Infantry and after the American War of Independence the British formed their own Light Division which went on to gain recognition in the Peninsular war.
How we used our Light Infantry was to send them forward to engaged the French Voltigeurs and prevent them from doing their role as a screening force and giving our Battalions time to form line, so this would result in the Column being exposed to an intact firing line.
This line was another of Wellingtons ideas as every other nation formed a line three ranks deep, but Wellington couldn’t see the point of having a line of men who couldn’t bring their muskets to bear so he choose to adopt a two ranked line, this allowed him to cover a longer area and bring every gun to bear.
Ian.
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Post by quincannon on Jun 7, 2015 7:46:00 GMT -6
Splendid Ian. You bring up without naming him my favorite Brit officer of the period, Sir John Moore.
It was this same "Eliteness", although I don't like the word, that we tried to instill in our light divisions back in the 1980's, and somewhat modeled on the superiority of the individual rifleman, his field craft, and unique way of working the problem, that was also found in the light infantry of the British Army in Moore's day.
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Post by Yan Taylor on Jun 7, 2015 12:57:42 GMT -6
Yes Sir John Moore suffered the same fate as Wolfe and died victorious on the field of battle.
Ian.
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Post by quincannon on Jun 7, 2015 13:37:54 GMT -6
Are you familiar Ian with the story of Sir John being involved with the construction of the barracks somewhere there in England? As the story goes some one or other came to him asking where to install the pathways/sidewalks. He told whomever it was to go and look to see where the soldiers were walking, and install them there. That is all anyone needs to know about Sir John and his common sense approach to all military matters.
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Post by montrose on Jun 9, 2015 13:41:33 GMT -6
archive.org/stream/thirtyyearsofarm00marc#page/n9/mode/2up1866 book on Army frontier. A lot of focus on field craft. Note the discussion of revolvers and the problem of accidental discharge. I find the winter march of Chapter 8 interesting. If they knew in 1857 to use a mare to lead mules, how did they forget in 1876? I am looking for the origins of a common saying from this period. It is said repeatedly in books and articles of this era that a single Indian lodge represents 6 to 15 people, of whom on average 2 are warriors.
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Post by Beth on Jun 9, 2015 13:58:27 GMT -6
I don't think they 'forgot' it. I think that that in the Dakota territories in the summer of 1876, someone didn't want mules, possibly didn't like mules, felt mules would slow them down and therefore never bothered to get the most out of the mules. From everything I've learned from talking to people who deal with mules a lot, they are smart critters and if you treat them like a beast, they are going to be a burden. Mule completing in dressage
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Post by dave on Jun 9, 2015 14:25:41 GMT -6
Here in the south mules are still sought after, especially matched pulling mules. Competitions are held annual in several states. In Mississippi until the late 60's mules were used by the state hwy department to grade, mow and still used at penal institutions. Regards Dave Below is an example of mule competition; muleday.org/
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