_“In every situation the principal strategical requirements must
clearly be defined and all other things must be subordinated to
these considerations.”--Frederic the Great._
* * * * *
_“One should seek to obtain a knowledge of causes, rather than
of effects; and should endeavor to reason from the known, to the
unknown.”--Euclid._
_The province of Grand Reconnaissance is exactly to determine the
relative advantages and disadvantages in time, numbers, organization,
topography, mobility and position, which appertain to hostile armies
contained in the same strategetic plane; and to designate those Corps
d’armee by which such advantages are materially expressed._
Those processes which appertain to the making of Grand Reconnaissance,
necessarily are argumentative; inasmuch as all the facts never are
determinate.
Consequently, talent of the highest order is required for the deducing
of conclusions which never can be based upon exact knowledge, and which
always must contemplate the presence of numerous unknown quantities.
The responsibilities inherent to Grand Reconnaissance never are to be
delegated to, nor thrust upon subordinates. Scouts, spies, and informers
of every kind, have their manifold and proper uses, but such uses never
rise above furnishing necessary information in regard to topographical,
tactical, and logistic details.
The Commander-in-chief alone is presumed to possess knowledge and skill
requisite to discern what strategetically is fact and what is not fact;
and to ascribe to each fact its proper place and sequence.
Lack of military talent and of Strategetic knowledge, never is more
strikingly shown than by negligence or inability in this regard.
Incompetents, ignorant of this truth, and oblivious to its importance,
devolve such vital responsibility upon subordinates; and later, these
legalized murderers palliate the slaughter of their troops and the
national shame by publicly reprimanding men serving at shillings per
month, for failing in a service, which were the latter able to perform,
would entitle them to the gold epaulets and general’s pay, of which their
commander is the unfit recipient.
* * * * *
Knowledge of the number, organization, position and movements of the
enemy’s troops is the basic element for correct calculation in campaign
and battle.
Such things to be accurately estimated must be closely inspected.
All speculation and all conjecture in regard to these matters is but
frivolity.
It is by being precipitate and hasty in making such conclusions, that men
are deceived, for to judge rightly of things before they become clearly
shown is most difficult.
_To act on uncertainty is WRONG._
We do not know all the facts and a single iota of light later on may
oblige us to condemn that which we previously have approved.
* * * * *
In the making of Grand Reconnaissance, one always must be wary of placing
too much confidence in appearances and in first impressions. Especially
must care be taken not to magnify the weaknesses of the hostile army, nor
the efficacy of the kindred position.
Also, one never should underrate: