SECT. V.

OF COMMAND.

l. There is no knowledge so useful as that of the human heart.

2. There is nothing more necessary for the support of subordination than a perfect knowledge of what is pleasing or disgustful.

3. Whatever is ridiculous or absurd forfeits its importance.

4. Nothing renders things sooner disgustful, than an unnecessary use and application of them .

5. Those, who want capacity for essentials, will ever adopt trifles.

6. Affability alone contributes more to the advantage of the service, than even judgment without it.

7. All officers are to make themselves an example of good order and discipline to all those subordinate to them.

8. All officers should study to acquire the affection, confidence, and esteem of those subordinate to them.

9. It is an unhappy circumstance to be feared for being just and beloved for being good. [259]

l0. All officers arae mutually to support the consequence of each other.

ll. There is nothing more necessary to observe, and yet more difficult to effect, than an equal degree of authority and indulgence.

l2. Indulglence should be cautiously granted, lest it be made a precedent, and afterwards claimed as a privilege.

l3. There is nothing more pernicious in its consequence, than an injudicious concession.

l4. He, who properly divides his cares and functions, makes his authority more active, extensive, and decisive.

l5. All events, whether good or bad, generally depend upon the degree of understanding in the commanding officer.

l6. No officer can well acquit himself, who is ignorant of the duty of those subordinate to him.

l7. No proficience can be acquired, where application is wanting.

l8. He, who is ignorant himself, can never instruct others.

l9. Every man is ignorant before he is instructed.

20. Those men acquit themselves best, who are most instructed.

21. The less complex any operation is, the sooner it will be learned, and the more accurate will be the performance of it.

22. That discipline is best, which is most calculated for times and circumstances.

23. The more simple and comprehensive any discipline ism, the better effect it will produce.

24. Where the principles are not good, the system must be bad.

25. A proficience in any science depends upon a perfect knowledge of its rudiments.

26. The sooner any operation is performed, the more time is acquired for other purposes.

27. Dispatch is the soul of action.

28. That theory is best which approaches the nearest to practice.

29. Where there is not method, there must always be confusion.

30. Where things are distinct in tghemselves, tghere can be no confusion.

3l. Whatever is regular is always best.

32. The character of the officer is often described in the conduct of the soldier.

33. Very little more is requisite to be known of an officer’s capacity, than to be informed how he has employed his time.

34. Avoid whatever may reduce those subordinate to you to acts of disobedience or disrespect.

35. There is nothing more difficult, than to respect the man who renders himself an object of contempt.

36. The more an officer’s conduct borders on good sense, the greater deference will be paid to his commands.

37. No government can be supported by caprice.

38. He forfeits his authority who does not support with spirit his own consequence.

39. There is nothing more hurtful to authority than too intimate an intercourse with inferiors.

40. Justice and power can only support each other.

4l. Nothing is to discourage a man in the discharge of whatever is necessary and proper.

42. He who is brave and generous will suffer nothing to come in competition with his duty, or with what he owes to himself. [260]

43. Whatever you determine upon that is just, let it be prosecuted with vigour and resolution.

44. There is snothing so difficult to reclaim, as authority once parted with.

45. Command admits of no equality.

46. No officer can surrender the privilege of his rank.

47. No man can have any other authority than what is prescribed by law.

48. He that does what he will, frequently does what he ought not.

49. All power is calculated for public good.

50. No authority can extgend to the doing an injustice.

51. Nothing renders authority more odious than spite and malice.

53. There cannot be a greater reflection upon the conduct of an officer, than when good men dread to be under his command.

54. Authority is an index of the man.

55. He is the best officer who is the most serviceable.

56. Every offic er is to inspect, direct, and see things done.

57. Superiority in office is only the superintendance of it.

58. Nothing is beneath an officer to know or to do, which can contribute to the good of the service.

59. Nothing is inconsiderable which is necessary to be done.

60. The good of the service is to have the preference of all other considerations.

6l. Cases of necessity have rules peculiar to themselves, though opposite at other times to the discipline of the service.

62. Let no jealousy or disgust induce you to hurt the service.

63. In matters of moment never rely on your own opinion, but seek the advic e of others.

64. It is no reflection upon the understanding of a superior to be informed by his inferior, but it is a very great one, should he discourage such information.

65. Let advice be estimated as it is, but not as from whence it comes.

66. No man will advise where he does not regard.

67. He acts with the greatest caution, who thinks his conduct is exposed to view.

68. Never delay the doing of that which the present time requires to be done. No work is finished while something remains to be done.

69. He can never be much burdened with business, who transacts it as it occurs.

70. He who is the most expeditious, acquires time for other purposes.

71. Revolve well on whatever you have to do

72. He repents most, who deliberates least.

73. He, who can temporise mostm, accomplishes his purposes with the surer success.

74. He who is too deliberate frequently loses the opportunity, which he that is too hasty never waits to gain.

75. He who is prepared can never be distressed.

76. Resolution and perseverance conquer most difficulties.

77. He, who accustoms himself to overlook small affairs, will in time habituate himself to neglect matters of the greatest importance.

78. Punctuality is the offspring of habit.

79. Appearance is that index which conveys an idea of what men are in themselves best calculated for. [261]

80. That which constitutes the great character, is an happy union of genius and profession.

8l. Nothing cramps more the genius, or contracts more the ideas, than too minute an attention to small objects.

82. Issue no order before there is a necessity, not before its consequence is well weighed.

83. An order is a law which must not be violated, even by him that makes it.

84. Nothing is more hurtful to the importance of authority, than the necessity of repealing what imprudence has effected.

85. He aggravatges an offence, who perseveres in an error.

86. Every order must signify the authority by which it is given, otherwise it is no order, but a recommendation or a desire.

87. Whatever order you shall have occasion to issue, let it be always delivered in the stile and language of a gentleman and a soldier.

88. That rule or order is best, which is the most simple and comprehensive in itself.

89. No man can obey before he can comprehend.

90. Whoever is appointed for any duty or service, let him be amply provided with all necessary instructions.

9l. Never suffer any order you shall issue to be treated with the least inattention.

92. The most judicious order will lose its efficacy, where all alike will not support and enforce it.

93. Avoid the discovery of an offence, where authority can have no effect.

94. Justice is the parent of good order.

95. A man renders that submission to justice and moderation, which force or violence could never extort from him.

96. Actions founded upon pique or prejudice too often become pernicious precedents.

97. No precedent can justify an improper conduct. All customs which are unjust in themselves, however made venerable by time, should never be suffered to continue.

98. Where reason does not justify, custom is a poor pretence.

99. Remove all causes of murmur and discontent.

l00. He excites mutiny, whose misconduct provokes men to reject all order and obedience.

l0l. No disrespect or breach of discipline can be comprehended in a desire of justice.

l02. No man is to be treated with particularity.

l03. Never seem to censure or to find fault with an officer in the presence or hearing of one subordinate to him.

l04. The greater the respect shown to an inferior officer, the greater deference will be paid to his authority.

l05. Never countenance an inferior in a disrespectful behaviour to his superior.

l06. He, who does not discountenance, doth always encourage.

l07. He promotes discord, who countenances party.

l08. Whatever complaint or dispute comes before you, which you cannot redress, or examine well into yourself, let the consideration of it be referred to a board of enquiry.

l09. That duty is the best performed, which is the most controled.

ll0. Nothing can justify a neglect of duty.

lll. No superior must do the duty of his inferior. [262]

ll2. All men must be countenanced and supported in the execution of their duty.

ll3. He who insults another upon his duty, insults the office, but not the man.

ll4. Where different corps continue in the same place, all to have equal duty and like usage.

ll5. Wilful misconduct, not errors in judgment, can only be construed a crime.

ll6. Censure no man before you shall hear his defence.

ll7. He who is not willing to hear a justification, will ever be desirous to condemn.

ll8. In all controversies, whatever makes for one party makes against the other at the same time.

ll9. Let punishment or resentment be like the law; not to gratify revenge, but to deter offenders.

l20. Let punishment be as much as possible the effect of a judicial process.

l2l. The greater the example, the more powerful the influence.

l22. It is a barbarity to punish others, for those crimes which we ourselves exemplify.

l23. Let crimes be considered as they are, but not according to the rank of the criminal.

l24. Let no misconduct escape with impunity, nor any merit go unrewarded.

l25. An injudicious lenity is the greatest cruelty.

l26. The putting up with one offence, is the granting a licence for another.

l27. Like causes will ever produce like effects.

l28. Men are sooner reclaimed by lenity than severity.

l29. There can be no faithful soldiers who are too much accustomed to tortures and punishments.

l30. Omit nothing to preserve a soldier’s spirit, but use all means to restrain his licentiousness.

l3l. Where reason has not time to exert herself, the passions will ever predominate.

l32. There is nothing more essential than a minute attention to the abilities and capacities of men, and to employ them according to their several talents.

l33. The more experienced the inferior, the greater advantage will result to the superior.

l34. No commander can be too nice in his choice of men, since his own reputation depends so much upon their conduct.

l35. Nothing sooner qualifies an inferior, than the understanding of his superior.

l36. When a worthless person is advanced, it is ever to the disgrace of him who recommends or appoints him.

l37. He who is not worthy of preferment, is not fit to serve.

l38. Take all opportunities to inculcate and excite emulation.

l39. It argues depravity, where officers are not jealous of the dignity of their respective corps.

l40. Be always an advocate for those under your command.

l4l. Let nothing tempt you to conceal tghe merit of another.

l42. The merit of an action, is not to be considered by the degree of the person who performs it.

l43. Where praise is due, let it be ever given. [263]

144. He wings his fame, who shares his glory with those concerned.

l45. Great minds are ever pleased with the excellencies of others, but barren faculties are ever provokeed at them. Merit gives birth to envy, but it is merit alone that must overcome and destroy it.

l46. He is a foe to merit, who arrogates to himself the genius of another.

l47. All men are pleased with regulation and instruction, but no man can endure the disgrace of being the instrument of another’s caprice.

l48. Nothing should be introduced without the sanction of authority.

l49. Every establishment merits the highest deference.

l50. Every improvement must be held presumptive till approved by proper authority.

l5l. Every alteration should carry with it a testimony of improvement.

l52. Never change one insignificant form for another.

l53. That cannot be called an improvement which is not worthy of the alteration.

l54. Let that which is most commodious be always preferred.

l55. Observe form, where it does not clash with essentials.

l56. Nothing engages the attention more than formality.

l57. No officer can be in command, who is not at his post.

l58. It is a greater honour to command, than to be commanded.

l59. When different corps meet, the senior officer commands the whole.