“I can't say exactly,” was the embarrassed reply; “only I think strategy is a good deal bigger than tactics, and means more.”
“There's one more syllable in it, anyhow,” said Jack; “but that doesn't tell the whole story. Here comes Mr. Fayel, the correspondent of the Missouri Democrat; lets ask him.”
Harry agreed to it, so the momentous question was propounded to the good-natured gentleman, who had been with the army since its departure from Springfield.
“Harry was right,” said Mr. Fayel, “when he thought strategy was larger, and included more than tactics. Strategy is the art of moving armies through a country and conducting a military campaign. It is the science of military command, or the science of directing great movements. On the other hand, tactics is the science of disposing military and naval forces in order of battle and performing military and naval evolutions. It was strategy to bring the army here from Rolla, and to fall back to the position on Sugar Creek and get everything in shape for fighting. The general showed his tactics in handling the troops on the battlefield, and by winning the fight he showed himself a successful tactician.”
“Ever so much obliged to you for the explanation,” said Harry, to which Jack added his vote of obligation.
Harry was about to ask another question, but was interrupted by the sudden arrival of an orderly, who said the youths were wanted immediately at General Vandever's tent.
Wondering what the sudden summons could mean, they started at once to obey it.