Elements of Military Art and Science

VI. MILITARY POLITY.--The Means of National Defence best suited to the character and condition of a Country, with a brief Account of those adopted by the several European Powers. 135

VII. DEFENCE OF OUR SEA-COAST.--Brief Description of our Maritime Fortifications, with an Examination of the several Contests that have taken place between Ships and Forts, including the Attack on San Juan d'Ulloa, and on St. Jean d'Acre. 155

VIII. OUR NORTHERN FRONTIER DEFENCES.--Brief Description of the Fortifications on the Frontier, and an analysis of our Northern Campaigns. 210

IX. ARMY ORGANIZATION.--Staff and Administrative Corps.--Their History, Duties, Numbers, and Organization. 235

X. ARMY ORGANIZATION.--Infantry and Cavalry.--Their History, Duties, Numbers, and Organization. 256

XI. ARMY ORGANIZATION.--Artillery.--Its History and Organization, with a Brief Notice of the different kinds of Ordnance, the Manufacture of Projectiles, &c. 275

XII. ARMY ORGANIZATION.--Engineers.--Their History, Duties, and Organization,--with a Brief Discussion, showing their importance as a part of a modern Army Organization. 300

XIII. PERMANENT FORTIFICATIONS. Historical Notice of the progress of this Art.--Description of the several parts of a Fortress, and the various Methods of fortifying a Position. 327

XIV. FIELD ENGINEERING.--Field Fortifications.--Military Communications.--Military Bridges.--Sapping, Mining, and the Attack and Defence of a Fortified Place. 342

XV. MILITARY EDUCATION.--Military Schools of France, Prussia, Austria, Russia, England, &c.--Washington's Reasons for establishing the West Point Academy.--Rules of Appointment and Promotion in Foreign Services.--Absurdity and Injustice of our own System. 378

EXPLANATION OF PLATES 409

PREFACE

The following pages were hastily thrown together in the form of lectures, and delivered, during, the past winter, before the Lowell Institute of Boston. They were written without the slightest intention of ever publishing them; but several officers of militia, who heard them delivered, or afterwards read them in manuscript, desire their publication, on the ground of their being useful to a class of officers now likely to be called into military service. It is with this view alone that they are placed in the hands of the printer. No pretension is made to originality in any part of the work; the sole object having been to embody, in a small compass, well established military principles, and to illustrate these by reference to the events of past history, and the opinions and practice of the best generals.

Small portions of two or three of the following chapters have already appeared, in articles furnished by the author to the New York and Democratic Reviews, and in a "Report on the Means of National Defence," published by order of Congress.

H.W.H.

MAY, 1846.

ELEMENTS OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.