BOOK REVIEWS.

Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, by William Milligan Sloane, Ph. D., L. H. D., Professor of History in Princeton University. Volume III. New York: The Century Co., 1897. Complete in four volumes; per volume, cloth, $7.00; half morocco, $8.00; three-quarter morocco, $9.00; full morocco, $12.50.

The third volume of this splendid work is quite equal in style and contents to the two preceding volumes; indeed, the illustrations comprise the most beautiful battle pictures in the world's history, while the subject-matter includes descriptions of Napoleon's grandest conceptions.

The account opens with the devastation of Prussia, following Jena and Auerstädt, and closes with the evacuation of Moscow. Eylau, Friedland, Eckmühl, Wagram and Borodino are here added to the list of his victories, while the liberation of Poland, the treaty of Tilsit, the protectorate of Portugal, the awakening of Spain, the peace of Schönbrunn, the Austrian marriage and the Confederation of the Rhine are the great political events here recorded.

The dramatic events crowded into the six years covered by this volume, 1807-1812, follow one another in rapid succession. The contest between the strategist and the statesman lead at one time to the weakest combinations, at another to the finest efforts of genius. The weakness of the battle of Friedland is explained by the fact that Napoleon desired merely to satisfy his army's eagerness for glory, and yet leave Alexander in a humor to unite with him for the gratification of his oriental ambitions, while Eckmühl stands out as the master-piece of this master-mind.

While the great schemer was planning the empire of the world the causes of his final overthrow become apparent. The devastation of Prussia led to the regeneration of that land, the humiliation of Spain caused an awakening of that country which ended in the retreat of the French, the Austrian marriage gave rise to the disastrous Russian campaign, and all these factors and others entered into the causes of the array of the nations against France.

Amid all these great scenes the biographer, true to his task, keeps before us the man, physically, mentally and morally.

The chapters on the leading events in state policy show the author in his best light, for his knowledge of the history of the time is second to none, and his understanding of the philosophy of history, his grasp of the true meaning of the scenes enacting is remarkable.

But the accounts of battles, while sufficient for the biographer, are unsatisfactory from the standpoint of the military student. Thus, the battle of Eckmühl, Napoleon's greatest, is thus briefly described:

"Charles, strengthened by this reinforcement had determined to take the offensive, and at noon his advance began. Vandamme seemed destined to bear the force of the onset, but in the moment before the shock would have occurred, appeared Napoleon's van. Advancing rapidly with Lannes, the Emperor rode to the top of a slight rise, and, scanning the coming Austrians, suddenly ordered Vandamme to seize Eckmühl, and then despatched Lannes to cross the Laber and circumvert the enemy. Davout, having learned the

direction of the Austrian charge, threw himself against the hostile columns on their right, and after a stubborn resistance began to push back the dogged foe. In less than two hours the French right, left and center were all advancing, and the enemy were steadily retreating, but fighting fiercely as they withdrew. This continued until seven in the evening, when Lannes finally accomplished his task."

The illustrations in this volume include the finest in the entire collection, and among them may be mentioned Meissonier's "1807-Friedland," Detaille's "Vive L'Empereur," Royer's "Napoleon decorating the Prussian grenadier at Tilsit," Delaroche's "Napoleon in his study," Prudhon's "Josephine" and Gérard's "Joseph Bonaparte."

J.P.W.

Strategisch-taktische Aufgaben nebst Loesungen. Von H. v. Gizycki. Heft 1. Leipzig: Zuckschwerdt & Co., 1897. Pp. 88. 2.50 Marks.

This, the first number of this excellent series of tactical and strategical problems is already in its fifth edition, the latest changes having been made by the Felddienst-Ordnung of July 20, 1894.

The subject-matter of this number is the establishment of outposts, the advance across the border, the changes made in consequence of new information regarding the enemy and finally the defense of the position or the attack of the enemy; the whole discussed nnder seven separate problems.

The troops directly involved in the first problem are a battalion and a halfsquadron, in the second problem an infantry regiment, a squadron, a battery and a pioneer company, in the third, fourth and fifth problems an infantry brigade, a cavalry regiment, three batteries, a pioneer company, a bridge train and an ambulance section, and in the sixth and seventh two brigades of infantry, a regiment of cavalry, six batteries, a pioneer battalion, a bridge train and an ambulance section.

The problems have been freely criticised by able officers and the solutions are therefore worthy of careful study.

The author says in conclusion:

"The problems which we have discussed are sufficient to show that no military situation can be met by formations according to fixed and definite models. If that were the case war would be a trade, not as it actually is-an art. In war the first step must be to subject the particular situation to careful investigation, and then to develop the decision as to the measures to be adopted from the conclusions arrived at, irrespective of the particular wording of any tactics or regulations."

The work contains three sketch maps and a general staff chart.

J.P.W. Tactical Studies on the Battles around Plevna, by Thilo von Trotha. Translated by C. Reichmann, 1st Lieutenant, 9th Infantry. International Series, No. 3. Edited by Captain Arthur L. Wagner, 6th Infantry. Kansas City, Mo,: Hudson-KImberly Publishing Co. 1896. $1.50. The particular interest which attaches to recent wars is largely due to the fact that in them the later developments in the art of war are put to the test, and therefore valuable data for present use are obtained.

The Turko-Russian war of 1877-8 was the last great conflict from which important military lessons are to be learned, hence the work before us has a special value. The great standard on the campaign, accessible to English

readers, is the work of Captain F. V. Greene of our Engineers. Captain von Trotha's work, here presented in English for the first time, forms an excellent supplement to the former, and as such it is worthy of careful study.

After a brief review of the Danube Campaign and the operations around Plevna, the author takes up the subject of Plevna itself, the actions and battles in its vicinity, its assault, investment and final fall.

The Turko-Russian war developed two new factors of modern fightingfire of masses and field entrenchments—and three great military commanders, -Skobeleff, Gourko and Kuropatkine.

In the battle of Plevna (July 30) the tactics of the Russians was remarkably faulty on account of the want of co-operation of the three arms.

"The possibility of co-operation of the three arms in unfavorable terrain is demonstrated by the small left flank detachment under General Skobeleff. "The conduct of the action by this general shows a rare combination of prudence and rashness. His personal and thorough reconnaissance of the ground; his careful arrangements for guarding the rear of his detachment, and for maintaining communication with the main army; the bold advance of his small detachment close to the enemy's position, attracting disproportionately large forces of the enemy and rendering the attack of the main army correspondingly easier; his stout defensive action, in which infantry, artillery, and cavalry (both mounted and dismounted) supported one another with great skill; lastly, upon learning of the beginning of the main attack on the part of Shakofskoi's troops, his energetic offensive, for which he employed his heretofore carefully husbanded small infantry reserve, and the skillful and successful retreat under difficult circumstances-are certainly worthy of great consideration and thorough study."

The author has the same high praise for Skobeleff's conduct in the assault on Plevna (September 8-12).

The task of the Russo-Roumanian cavalry on the left bank of the Vid (September 7-19), to prevent reinforcements and supplies from reaching Plevna, failed entirely until Gourko took command. In regard to the Turkish attempt to break through the lines the author says:

"As long as a so-called relief army stood at Orkhanie, Osman's retreat, if difficult, was possible; but the fate of the army of Plevna was sealed as soon as Gourko's bold operations in the passes of the Balkans compelled the Turkish army at Orkhanie to fall back to Sophia."

Kuropatkine was Skobeleff's chief of staff, and was charged with the posting of the guns in the attack on Lovtcha. He has since risen to the rank of lieutenant-general, and is regarded as Skobeleffs natural successor.

It is remarkable how distinctly Skobeleff and Gourko stand out as able commanders among their brother officers.

The entire work, when studied in connection with Greene's completer history, furnishes a valuable commentary on the events. The translation has been excellently well done, but the one map accompanying the volume is not adequate. The importance of these tacticai studies is sufficient to warrant their having a place in the International Series.

J. P. W.

Journal 14.

Historischer Rückblick auf die Verpflegung der Armeen im Felde. II. Lieferung. Oberstlieutenant Otto Meixner, des Generalstabs-Corps, Lehrer an den Administrativen Militär-Fachcursen. L. W. Seidel & Sohn, Wien, 1897. Pp. 196. 2 Maps.

The second part of this unique work on the history of the supply of armies in the field, opens with an account of the Russian army and its system of supply up to 1853. then takes up the Crimean War, 1853-1856, and closes with the campaign in Italy in 1859.

The first subdivision of the subject forms the connecting link between the Napoleanic and the more recent wars. Up to 1812 the Russian troops entered the field with little or no system of supply, and the latter was usually limited to supplies of money and orders on the inhabitants. Whenever the Russian troops took part in European wars their supply usually fell on their allies. Between 1812 and 1815 they were enabled to draw from the inhabitants directly. In the Turkish campaigns, however, a system of supply had to be organized, and of this the author gives us a brief but interesting description. The Crimean War is described from the Russian standpoint, and this adds an element which is of great interest to us, since the literature of the subject is not easily accessible. Although the earlier operations on the Danube are of secondary military importance, the system of supply developed was quite remarkable. There were ultimately forty-three supply magazines in Wallachia and Moldavia, with a main supply base on the Pruth and supply stations farther to the rear on the left bank of the Dneister. During the evacuation of the occupied district, when the supplies had to be taken behind the Pruth, over 1500 wagons left Buzen, Focsani and Tekucin daily for a period of one month, and there were on the road continuously four columns of wagons moving to and fro between the two stations. The Crimean War proper gives rise to still greater problems of supply on account of the great extent of the position occupied, the poor communications and the length of time the army spent in the same locality, and it is estimated that 180,000 wagons were in constant use in rear of the army for this purpose. Of all these systems of supply the author gives us detailed accounts.

The campaign of 1859 in Italy is presented from the Austrian standpoint, and in a more complete and thorough manner than the others, so far as the system of supply is concerned.

The difficulties of supply were greatly enhanced by the lack of energy in conducting the war, the army acting on the principle that the enemy should first develop his plans, and the measures necessary to meet him be then taken, in other words, giving him all the advantage of the initiative, resulting in many and unnecessary movements in advance and in retreat, and causing continual changes in supply stations.

The same systematic treatment of the subject, and the same clearness and conciseness of expression which characterize Part I, hold true for Part Il. The completed work will form the standard of authority on the subject, and the parts thus far published are certainly of exceptionally high quality. The material heretofore scattered through the pages of large works on the campaigns considered, or appearing in fragments in various journals and magazines, has been collected and arranged in excellent form by the hand of one who has fully mastered the subject.

J. P. W.

Graphische Logarithmen-Tafeln von Anton Tichy, 1897. Wien: Verlag des Oesterr. Ingenieur- und Architekten-Vereines.

These graphic logarithmic tables consist of a number of columns separated alternately by heavy and light lines, two adjacent columns, separated by a light line and inclosed in heavy lines, constituting a pair belonging together, the left hand column corresponding to the numbers, the right hand to the logarithms. On the light line separating the two columns two scales, one from either side, meet, in appearance something like a scale of any kind and its vernier. Each scale has only such numbers as are necessary for quickly reading it.

Taking ten numbers, of five places each, I found the logarithms to five places by the graphic tables in eight minutes, while it took nine minutes to find the logarithms of the same numbers to six places by the ordinary tables. When it is remembered that I have used the ordinary tables for a number of years, while this is the first time I ever used the graphic tables the advantage of using the latter is apparent.

For the fifth place the scale in the graphic tables is subdivided by the eye. The ease and accuracy with which this can be done is shown by the fact that had the six place logarithms been expressed in five place logarithms, they would have been identical with those obtained from the graphic tables.

The first page contains the logarithms of numbers from 1 to 1000 to four places; the next ten pages the logarithms of numbers from 1 to 10,000 to five places. Then follow the usual tables of logarithmic sines, cosines, tangents, etc., all arranged on this same graphic principle.

These tables are exceedingly convenient for rapid work, and will be of inestimable value to the computer.

J.P.W.

A Young People's History of Virginia and Virginians. Dabney Herndon Maury. Richmond, Va.: B. F. Johnson Publishing Company. School Edition $0.75. Library Edition $1.00. Parlor Edition $1.50.

The author of this interesting school history is a man of varied experiences and accomplishments: Graduating from the Military Academy in 1846, he served in the Mexican War, where he was twice brevetted, and was severely wounded at the battle of Cerro Gordo. For five years he was on duty at the Military Academy, first as assistant professor of Geography, History and Ethics, then as instructor in tactics. After eight years of frontier duty he was appointed assistant adjutant-general, and at the breaking out of the civil war he went South. In 1887 he was sent as U. S. Minister to the United State of Colombia.

He is the author of several works. "Skirmish Drill for Mounted Troops" (1889), "Recollections of a Virginian," etc., which received deserved encomiums and had a large circulation.

The history is concise, accurate, convenient for study and reference, and very well illustrated. Its style is happy and interesting, and the important is carefully separated from the unimportant, and brought out so forcibly as to strike the youthful mind and make a lasting impression. It is written in a fair-minded and unprejudiced spirit, and its teachings are those of patriotism, courage, fortitude and integrity. The cause of the South is presented in a just and reasonable light, and the events of the war are recorded fairly for both sides. In this connection the author says in his Introduction: