[The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan<br> Vol. II.<br> Part 6 by P. H. Sheridan]@TWC D-Link book
The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan
Vol. II.
Part 6

CHAPTER XX
18/19

Then, too, it must be borne in mind that, as already stated, 'campaigning' in France--that is, the marching, camping, and subsisting of an army--is an easy matter, very unlike anything we, had during the war of the rebellion.

To repeat: the country is rich, beautiful, and densely populated, subsistence abundant, and the roads--all macadamized highways; thus the conditions; are altogether different from those existing with us.

I think that under the same circumstances our troops would have done as well as the Germans, marched as admirably, made combinations as quickly and accurately, and fought with as much success.

I can but leave to conjecture how.
the Germans would have got along on bottomless roads--often none at all--through the swamps and quicksands of northern Virginia, from, the Wilderness to Petersburg, and from Chattanooga to Atlanta and the sea.
Following the operations of the German armies from the battle of Gravelotte to the siege of Paris, I may, in conclusion, say that I saw no new military principles developed, whether of strategy or grand tactics, the movements of the different armies and corps being dictated and governed by the same general laws that have so long obtained, simplicity of combination and manoeuvre, and the concentration of a numerically superior force at the vital point.
After my brief trip to Versailles, I remained in Paris till the latter part of March.

In company with Mr.Washburn, I visited the fortifications for the defense of the city, and found them to be exceptionally heavy; so strong, indeed, that it would have been very hard to carry the place by a general assault.


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