Valuable Hints in battle.
The suggestions under this head, lately published in this journal from a Mississippi captain in the Army of Tennessee, are of the highest importance. He says that every man in the army should be directed by his company officer not to deliver his fire until within the enemy's range, and then to fire as if he were firing at a target. He feels sure that if the company officers will impress this upon their minds, and the value of coolness and collectedness, one volley fire in this way would scatter any number the enemy can bring against us.Instead of this at present, the writer declares he has often seen "company commanders charging around with their swords flourishing above their heads, crying out, give it to them, boys, give it to them," so excited themselves, and causing such excitement in others, "that they would miss an elephant at ten steps." He has seen "whole regiments and brigades deliver their fire when he was sure they did not wound even a single man!-- Of course such firing emboldens the enemy, enable them to fire with more accuracy, and is not only a waste of powder, but of life, and often of the battle.
There are no better marksmen in the world than the soldiers of the Confederacy. They are accustomed to the use of the gun from their childhood. But of what avail is their peculiar excellence as shots if they are not trained to deliver their fire with the coolness and precision which will make it tell. The Generals of the army should give heed to the suggestions of this Mississippi officer, and impress upon the commanders of every company the necessity of overcoming all excitement in themselves and their men, and of firing as if they were firing at a mark.
Ten thousand men firing in battle as Southern men are accustomed to firing at game, would be a match for fifty thousand random shooters. The enemy, however numerous, would be intimidated and appalled by the havoc that would be worked in their ranks. Why should not ten thousand shots, well directed, wound and kill ten thousand men or at least half that number? A half a dozen such shots would decide a battle.
Of scarcely less importance is the other suggestion of the gallant Mississippian, that, after routing the enemy, soldiers, instead of seeking to secure the spoils of a few haversacks and greenbacks, should keep each and every man in his place, ready to follow up advantages and secure the fruits of victory. Failure to observe this obvious dictate of common sense and military duty has robbed us of the fruits of many a glorious triumph and indefinitely protracted the war. What can be gleaned from the wreck of a battle-field is a pitiful price for the expenditure of so much valuable blood, and the hazard of a country's independence. Let us hope that there will be no more indecisive battles. Let our soldiers enable our Generals to follow up their victories. Joshua prayed that God would stay the sun in Heaven to enable him to follow up his enemies, and although we cannot expect its light to be arrested, we may at least exert all the precaution and energies in human power to reap the results of our success. Gaining a battle is but the means to the end, and that end is the destruction of the enemy's army. Let that be the aim and object of the Confederate leaders and Confederate soldiers in every future battle of this war.
