"I can do nothing with the enemy save observe him"
About this Quote
A seasoned cavalryman speaks through these words, revealing both frustration and discipline. John Buford, one of the Union Army’s most perceptive commanders, understood that the first duty of cavalry was not glory-seeking charges but intelligence: to find the enemy, learn his strength and intentions, and shape the field for the main body. The sentence turns on the stark verb can. It names the limits imposed by numbers, terrain, orders, or mission, and it accepts them without bravado. When direct action would squander men or compromise a larger plan, observation becomes the highest form of action.
The line also captures a shift in military thought during the Civil War. Cavalry entered the conflict with romantic reputations, yet the realities of rifled muskets, trenches, and massed firepower pushed mounted troops toward screening, scouting, and delaying. Buford excelled at this modern role. At Gettysburg he read the ground, watched traffic and dust, judged columns by their cadence and flags, and used that knowledge to fix the enemy long enough for Union infantry to seize the heights. Even when he could not drive the enemy, he could define him, and definition is power.
There is a moral intelligence at work as well. Restraint is not passivity; it is choosing the fight that matters. Observing denies the enemy surprise, buys time, and converts uncertainty into advantage. It also acknowledges responsibility. A commander does not spend human lives to satisfy impulse. He keeps his men in being, preserves maneuver options, and feeds the army the one commodity it cannot improvise under fire: reliable information.
Beyond the battlefield, the line reads as an ethic of leadership under constraint. When resources, timing, or risk make bold moves reckless, the task is to watch closely, think clearly, and wait for the moment when action will decide rather than waste.
The line also captures a shift in military thought during the Civil War. Cavalry entered the conflict with romantic reputations, yet the realities of rifled muskets, trenches, and massed firepower pushed mounted troops toward screening, scouting, and delaying. Buford excelled at this modern role. At Gettysburg he read the ground, watched traffic and dust, judged columns by their cadence and flags, and used that knowledge to fix the enemy long enough for Union infantry to seize the heights. Even when he could not drive the enemy, he could define him, and definition is power.
There is a moral intelligence at work as well. Restraint is not passivity; it is choosing the fight that matters. Observing denies the enemy surprise, buys time, and converts uncertainty into advantage. It also acknowledges responsibility. A commander does not spend human lives to satisfy impulse. He keeps his men in being, preserves maneuver options, and feeds the army the one commodity it cannot improvise under fire: reliable information.
Beyond the battlefield, the line reads as an ethic of leadership under constraint. When resources, timing, or risk make bold moves reckless, the task is to watch closely, think clearly, and wait for the moment when action will decide rather than waste.
Quote Details
| Topic | War |
|---|
More Quotes by John
Add to List
