MILLER (Franz).
Reine Taktik der Infanterie, Cavallerie und Artillerie in Zwei Teilen verfaßt.
Uncommon, RLIN records one copy only at the University of Minnesota, no copies on OCLC or in NUC, KVK locates only six copies of this first edition and one of a French edition of 1788.
Set up by Duke Karl-Eugen of Württemberg at Schloss Solitude the Karlschule was originally essentially a Military Academy. In 1775 it was incorporated into the newly established university, the Karlshoheschule, in Stuttgart. Famous students include Schiller who did not thrive in the harsh environment and was considered an “indifferent” scholar. Part of what is described by Gat as “… the emergence of the new idea that the military profession could be studied theoretically, and therefore required academic instruction…” [The Origins of Military Thought p.59]
Miller is described on the title page as a Lieutenant in the Württemberg Ducal Hussar Regiment and “öffentlichen lehrer” - public lecturer in tactics at the academy. Although described as an essay in “Pure Tactics”, the present work partakes more of the character of a general course book for young officers, covering all aspects of the work of all arms of land forces. It does appear, however, that Miller was deeply influenced by the “geometrical military school” in his analysis of battle formations and deployments and this work was criticized by Scharnhorst in the Neues Militärisches Journal on the grounds that mathematics could not be applied to the conduct of operations.
