Report on the Art of War in Europe in 1854, 1855, and 1856

585 Pages·1860·37.333 MB·German

by  Richard Delafield

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36th Coxuress, ) SENATE. ( Ex. Doc.
1st Session. J i No. 59.
EEPORT
THE ART OF WAR IN EUROPE
AND
1854, 1855, 1856,
MAJOR RICHARD DELAFIELD,
'
CORPS OF ENGINEERS,
FROM HIS NOTE! AND OBSERVATIONS MADE A3 A MEMBER OF A
MILITARY COMMISSION TO THE THEATER OF WAR IN EUROPE."
UNDER THE ORDERS OF THE
HON. JEFFERSON DAVIS, SECRETARY OF WAR.
WASHINGTON:
GEORGE W. BOWMAN, PRINTER.
^1860.
lis-
"i r»r.& e ;rom
U. S.Soidier's Home Uby*
Oct.28.1931
In- the Senate of the UnitedStates,
June 16, 18G0.
Resolved, Thatthe Reports ofMajors Dclaficld and Mordecaiupon tlic Crimean War bu pniilcd, and Urn ihousand extra
ropies; two thousand ofwhich tor the use ofthe War Depnrlmcnt.
ASBURY DICKINS,
Secretary.
5776
m-

INTRODUCTIOJN
A telegram ofthe 3d ofi^April, 1855, from the War Department, required Major Delafield,
ofthe Corps ofEngineers, then superintending the defenses ofthe harbor ofNew York, to repair
to Washington immediately and report in person to the Secretary ofWar. The first conveyance
that oflered enabled him to do so on the morning of the 5th, wlieu, after an interview with the
Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War, the following order was received constituting a
Military Commission to the theater ofwar in Europe
:
> War Department, }Vashington,April2, 1855.
Gentlemem: You have Ijeun selected to formacommission to visitEurope, for tlie purpose ofobtaininginformation with
regard tothe militaryservice ingeneral,andespecially the practicalworking ofthe changes which have been introduced oflata
yearsinto the military systems ofthe principal nations ofEurope.
Some ofthe subjects to which it is peculiarly desirable to directyourattention may be indicated as follows:
The organizatioit ofarmies and of the departments for furnishing supplies of all kinds to the troops,especially in field
service. The manner ofdistributingsupplies.
The fittingup ofvesselsfortransportingmenand horses,and the arrangements forembarkingand disembarkingthem.
The medicaland hospitalarrangements, both in permanenthospitalsand in the field. The kind of ambulances or other
meansusedfor transportingthe sickandwounded.
The kind ofclothingand camp equipage usedforservice in the field.
The kinds ofarms,ammunition, and accoutcrments used in equipping troops for the various branches ofservice, and their
adaptation to thepurposes intended. In this respect,the armsandequipments ofcavalry ofallkindswill claim yourparticular
attention.
The practicaladvantages and disadvantages attending the use of the various kinds of rifle arms which have been lately
introduced extensively in Europeanwarfare.
The nature and efficiency of ordnance and ammunition employed forfield and siege operations, and the practical eft'ectof
thelate changespartially made in the Fi'enchfield artillery.
The construction of permanentfortifications,the arrangement of new systems of sea-coast and land defenses, and the
—
kindsofordnance used in the armamentofthem the Lancastergun,and otherrifle cannon, ifany are used.
Thecomposition oftrains forsiege operations, thekind and quantity of ordnance, the engineering operations of a siege in
all itsbranches,both ofattack and defense.
The composition ofbridge trains, kindsofboats, wagons,&c.
The construction of casematedforts,and the effects produced on them in attacks by land and water.
Theuse ofcamels fortransportation, andtheiradaptation to coldand mountainous countries.
To accomplish the objects ofyourexpedition mosteflectually in the shortest time, it appears to be advisable that you
shouldproceedas soon aspossible to the theaterofwarin theCrimea, for the purpose of observing the active operations in
thatquarter. Youwill thenpresentyourselves to thecommanders ofthe severalarmiesandrequestfromthem such authority
and facilitiesastheymay be pleased tograntforenablingyou to makethe necessary observationsand inquiries.
You may finditpracticable to enter Sebastopol and to proceed through Russiato St. Petersburg, with the viewofvisiting
the works and seeingthe operations which may be carried on in the Baltic. Should it not be possible or advisable to enter
Russiainthisway, you may be able toaccomplish the same object bypassing through Austria and Prussia. In returning
from Russia, youwillhave an opportunity ofseeingthe military establishments ofPrussia, Austria, France, and England.
The arrangements ofyourjourney mustbe regulated in ageneral measure by the state of aflairs existing on yourarrival
in Europe and the information you may acquire there.
Lettersare herewith furnished to you forourM'mislers in Europe, requesting them to afford you the aid in their powerin
accomplishingthe objects ofyourmission.
Funds fordefrayingthe expenses of your journey are placed in the hands of Major Mordecai, whowill disburseand
accountforthem. Youara authorized to use aportion ofthese fundsinpurchasingfor this departmentnew books, drawings,
and patterns ofnrms and equipments, which you may consider ofsufficient ^'alue in ourservice to warrant the expenditure.
VI INTRODUCTION.
Reserving uiilil your return lo the United Statesa full account of yourexpedition and tliu information you may obtain,
youwill reportto the Secretary of War from time to time, ns opportunity may oflcr, the progress of your journey, ond
remarks on the subjectswithin llie scope ofyour instructions which you may wish to communicate.
All correspondenceofthis kind, proceeding eitherfrom the Commission jointly or from any member of it, will be for-
warded,accordingto military usage and regulations, through the senior officer present. (Major Delafield was the senior
member ofthe Commission.)-
Itisdesirablethatyou should return home by the 1stofNovember, 1855. Ifyou should find itessential foreffecting the
objectsofyourmission in asatisfactory manner to remain longerthan that time, you will report the circumstances, soas to
give timeforan answer, in due season.
Relianceisplaced on yourjudgment and discretion to conduct your movementsin such a mannerastogive no reasonable
ground forsuspicion oroffense to the militaryorothergovernmentauthorities with whom you may have intercourse.
Very respectfully, yourobedientservant,
JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Secretary ofWar.
Major R. Delafield,
MajorA. Mordec.h,
Captain G.B. McClell.\x,
United StatesJlrmij.
On the 9tli ofApril, tlic Secretary ofWar wrote to our Minister in London, informing liiin
that the President had been induced to dispatch these officers to make observations on the
armies and fortifications of the belligerents as to wliat is now valuable that application was
;
made to the diplomatic I'eprcsentatives of Prussia, Austria, Russia, France, and England, for
such letters as miglit be agreeable for them to give.
Favorable and satisfactory replies were put into tlic hands of the Commission at once by all
these dij^lomatic authorities but the French, the Minister of which government first desired to
inquire ifby the words "seat ofwar" the Secretary of War intended "the camp of the Allies
in the Crimea, and no other place whatever?" To this inquiry the Secretary replied, that he
intended by the phrase "scat of war" to include the whole field of active operations, so that
useful observations might be made wherever opportunity offered; that the first point to which
the officers will be instructed to i^roceed is the camjj of the Allies at Sebastopol ; they would,
ofcourse, announce their arrival to the commanding generals, and do nothing whilst there
without their consent, and when about to retire would take leave and pursue the same route
by which they had approached, or some other to which no objection existed that the second
;
jjoint which it was projiosed to visit is the Island of Cronstadt, and here they would observe
towards the commanding general ofthe Russian forces the same course which had been followed
in the camp ofthe Allies that if other fields should afford opportunities to imi:)rove our knowl-
;
edge ofthe science ofwar, it was the wisli ofthe Secretary that they should be made available
for the advancement ofour own service that the characters of the officers selected for this duty
;
gave him full assurance that they will in nowise forget the obligations of strict neutrality, nor
depart from the path of nicest honor, or fail in military proprieties so well understood by
educated soldiers. He hoped that M. Sartiges would feel that no obligation was imposed on
him by his polite suggestion when last he had the pleasure of an interview with him, as then
he (M. S.) only anticipated the request whicli the Secretary had previously determined to make
ofsending a commission to Europe.
To this communication the French Minister replied " Votre liaute recommendations et le
:
merite personnel de Messieurs les officiers charges de cette mission vous sont un sur guaraut de
I'accueil honorable que leur sera fait en France par le gouvernement de I'Empereur auquel je
m'empresserai de transmettre votre lettre. N'ayant pas d'occasion d'entretenir des rapports
direct avec son Excellence M. le Ministre de la Guerre, j'ai I'lionneur de vous envoyer pour etro
remise a MM. D., M., ct McC, unc lettre d'introduction personnelle addressee a son Excellence
M. Drouyn de L'Huys, qui pourra fournir a ces Messieurs les indications qui leur scront
necessaires, ce queje regrettc de ne pas etre a m#me de faire moi-m§me."
;
INTRODUCTION.
vii
Our Miuister in Paris was in like manner inlbrmecl oftlie object oi'the Commission and tlic
wishes ofthe President.
With these letters ofthe diplomatic functionaries, and those to the American Ministers in
Europe, the Commission sailed from Boston on the 11th ofApril, 1855. On the 2'7th of April,
through the courteous attention ofour Minister at London, Mr. Buchanan, the Commission had
a personal interview wuth Lord Clarendon, who, on perusing Mr. Crampton's letter of intro-
duction, remarked that the object of our visit had been communicated by the last steamer, in
dispatches from Mr. Crampton. The Commission stated its wishes to witness the practice of
the armies now in the field, as well as the fleets engaged in the war, and desired letters from
his government authorizing such facilities to be extended as would secure the object, and so far
as the commanding generals in their discretion should see fit.
Lord Clarendon at once replied, that, so far as he could answer, ever)- flicility would be
extended to the Commission; and tliat, although he could not speak for Lord Panmure authori-
tatively, we might rely upon our wishes being acceded to that he would see Lord Panmure,
;
whose business it was to give the necessary letters, at an early moment, (Lord P. being then
confined to his bed by indisposition.) In the course of this interview. Lord Clarendon stated,
tliat as to going from their camps to that ofthe enemy, he could see no objections in our case
that the character and honor ofofficers ofthe American array was of itself sufiicient to justify
Lord Raglan in acquiescing thereto.
On the 29th, Lord Clarendon inclosedletters ofintroduction to Lord Raglan and Sir Edmund
Lyons, adding ifin any way he could be useful to Major Delafield and his brother officers, or
assist the mission with which they were charged, he begged that they would freely command his
services. Introductory letters to the Admiral of the Baltic fleet and to the officers in command
at Constantinople were requested, which received the like courteous attention.
Changes in the ministry in France caused some delay in obtaining an interview with the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of that government, to whom the Commission could alone make
known its wishes and obtain such an official recognition as would secure to it admission to their
military establishments. Through our Minister, Judge Mason, we had an interview with Count
Walewsky, the successor to Drouyn de L'Huys. Count Walewsky at once and promptly stated
that Judge Mason had explained to him that the Commission wished to go to the Crimea that
;
lie would be very happy to give letters to the Commanding General there which would procure
us the necessary facilities, but that there was an imperative rule in the French military service
that no foreign officer could be permitted to go into their camp and afterwards to pass into that
of the enemy; that therefore it would be necessary for the members ofthe Commission to give a
promise to our Minister that we would not go from the French camp to any other part of the
Crimea. The Commission stated distinctly such was not its purpose^ and showed him the letter
of the Secretary of War, of the 5th of April, to M. Sartiges, as the best explanation of our
intentions, and that the Commission had no intention of going directly from their camp to their
enemy's or from the camp of the Allies into Sebastopol, but that it was quite as interesting to
them to see the defense as the attack, and that they did propose, after visiting the allied camjj,
to go into Russia, and after visiting the places on the Baltic they might wish after some months
interval to visit Sebastopol. CountWalewskyreplied that such anarrangementwould not affect
tlie question; that the Commission must engage not to visit the Crimea after going to the allied
camp; that no one could, as a right, ask the privilege of going to their camps; that it might be
refused and had been refused without assigning any reason but that the Emperor, wishing to
;
show his good disposition towards the United States, would willinglyconsent to our going there
on the conditions which he had mentioned; that if the Commission chose to go first to the
Russian side it was no concern of the French. Count Walewsky requested the Commission
would consider the matter and inform him of their determination through Judge Mason.
The Commission then stated there were many establishments and objects of interest in a
VIU INTRODUCTION.
military puint of view in France, wliich it would be glad to see on itsjouruej' out of the country
or returning to it. To which CountW. replied, that on that subject therewouldbe no difficulty,
and the permission would be accorded with pleasure. In the course ofthis conversation, Count
Walewsky stated that the imjicrative rule established by the French government precluded
going to any Eussian post or army in the Crimea at any time ai\er having visited the allied
army operating in that quarter, and that the rule would ajiply to entering the Crimea after
conforming with the instructions of the War Department in visiting Cronstadt.
Under these circumstances the Commission determined not to. accept the favor of entering
the French camp with the conditions attached to it, but confine its request for authority to visit
.specified military and naval establishments in France only, for the purposeofcollecting informa-
tion that might prove useful to our military service. This determination was communicated to
Count Walewsky through our minister. Judge Mason, with the request he would forward to the
Commission by mail the authority of the French government to visit such of the enumerated
estahlishments as it might be pleased to grant.
On the 28th ofMay, tlie Commission left Paris with the determination ofproceeding as fast
as practicable to the Eussian camjD in the Crimea, via Prussia, directing its movements first
upon Berlin to confer with the Eussian minister in that city, to whom the Eussian minister in
Washington had given a letter. This letter from Baron Stoeckl to Baron de Budberg stated:
"Ces officiers ont ete designes par le Presidentpour aller en Europe, afin d'etudier les perfection-
nements qui ont ete introduits recemment dans I'art militaire. Us ont Tordre de se rendre a
Constantinople et de la a Sevastopol ou a Odessa, ou bien de partir directment pour St. Peters-
burg en passant par Berlin. Dans ce dernier cas, je vous prie Monsieur le Baron^ de vouloir
bien viser les passeports de ces officiers et de leur faciliter les moyens de continuer leur voyage."
While in Berlin, through the kindness ofour minister, Mr. Yroom, the Commission had an
interview with Baron Manteuffel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Prussia, who, in the most
prompt manner, stated that he had in some measure anticipated the wishes of the Commission
and written to the Minister ofWar in relation to obtaining information in Prussia on the art of
war as practiced by them, and, in conformity with our request, he would give us authority to
visit all such places as the Commission would name on its route into Prussia on returning from
St. Petersburg, it having been explained to him the intention of first going to the Crimea via
Warsaw, and thereafter to St. Petersburg; and that he would give authority to visit any other
ofthe military establishments of Prussia on making known the wish to do so, after returning to
Berlin.
Through Mr. Vroom, the Commission in like manner had an interview with Baron de
Budberg, who informed it that he had received orders from St. Petersburg in relation to the
American officers constituting this Commission, and would indorse the passports and give letters
to facilitate the object of the mission. This was in answer to the expressed wish to proceed to
the Crimea, via Warsaw and Kiev, on the Dniper. The same evening Baron de Budberg called
upon the Commission and delivered a sealed package to M. de Krusenstein, Directeur de la
Ohancellerie, &c., a Varsovie, together with the passports indorsed by him in person.
On the 4th of June, immediately after arriving in Warsaw, Baron de Budberg's commu-
nication was delivered, and the following letter written to him on the Gth:
"I have thehonor to inclose heijewith, forthe information of Marshal Prince Paskievitch, the copy ofaletterfrom the
Secretary ofWarofthe United States to M. de Stoeckl, Charge deAfiairesofthe EmperorofRussiaatWashington,andalso
of an open letteraddressed by him to Baron de Budberg, atBerlin,given to the undersigned in the United StatesbyM. de
Stoeckl, by request of the Secretary of War.
"We had the pleasure of seeing Baron de Budberg, in Berlin, on the 1stinstant, when the letter ofM. deStoecklwas
delivered to him. Hetheninformed us that he had previouslyreceived instructionsfrom St. Petersburg in relation toour
mission; thathewould cause our passports to be speciallyindorsed by order of the Emperor,and wouldgive us lettersto
yourself, requesting the necessaryfacilities from MarshalPrice Paskievitch to expedite ourjourneyand the object of our
mission. We had the honorofhandingyou Baron de Budberg'sletter on the 4th instant, and nowinclose th«withintomake