The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-04-25
Military Aoadsrniss.

The remarks which we made few days ago on
the subject of Military Academies and the useless
ness, if not worse, of training up class Of men
for soldiers, seem to have awakened the ire, and
called down upon us the hostility of Col =: ~.
Johnson, superintendent of the Western MIL
tary Institute" and protector of another Military
Academy, supported by Government, and = located
of course somewhere in the Valley OF the Mlssls-
sippi'' The Colonel is not only gallant soldier,
but he is besides logician and wit; and, while
he evidently feels desire to spit us upon the point
of his raper or annihilate us with coup de f1si,
he has restrained his temper so far as to let us es
cape with an assault from a number of biting sar-
casms and questionable syllogisms, marshalled in
half column of the Picayune. We fear that the
Colonel has overestimated philosophy, when
he places us far in advance of the age. We are
not altogether members of the Peace Society OF
Boston, nor yet pretend to rival =" the little
preacher in the uplands,'' whom he notices in so
complimentary manner; but there was, though
the Colonel has perhaps not heard of him lately,
a preacher who wandered about the uplands, and
along the banks of the rivers Of Judea, little more
than eighteen hundred years ago, whose doctrines
upon the point in controversy, though probably in
advance of the age, were much stronger than any
which we have ventured to put forth. 1t is true
that his opinions may not, in the estimation of mil
itary men, have the same weight as those of the
illustrous persons whom the Colonel cites in aid
of his project, but there others, not altogether
welded to military life, who may prefer the max
inns of peace and love to the "sonorous commands
of war.
We will acknowledge, if it will crafty our mar
tial opponent, that we have no " idea of military
science, the smell of gunpowder, the bristling of
bayonets, and the flashing of sabres y; that we
know but little about military architecture, that
we are about as wise as the old farmer who was
afraid to teach his son engineering, because so
many engineers were blown up by bursting boilers !;
and, while we acknowledge the correctness of all
these imputations of Ignorance and stupidity, and
admire the wit and taste with which they are made,
will the Colonel so far subdue his rage as to permit
the inquiry, What has all this to do with the SUBJ
ect! Is it proved thereby that it is either neces
sary expedient for Congress to establish another
school to educate class of for officers in the
army! The Colonel thinks it is; because he can
find as many merits in a " military education as
Don Quixote did in the ancient and renowned
order of Knight Errantry. We think differently;
and the Colonel flies into rage. We have given our
reasons for our opinion. Now hear his. He says:
Gas to military education, it is admitted by all
that it is the best system of physical training
ever devised by man and no liberal-minded Chris
tan, who has closely observed its tendency, will
deny that it is, next to religious motive, the best
system of moral tain'ng."
We do not believe that all men admit the merits
of a military education as the best system of
physical training" In the organization of the
Roman Legion, the physical powers of the man
may have been fully developed by the nature of
the exercise to which he was subjected in the
predatory warfare of the Spanish and Mexican
guerrieros such strength and activity of body are
acquired but in the movements of armies at this
day little attention is paid to physical education,
that Marshal SAKE, one Of the best of Generals,
entertained and expressed the opinion that it was
enough for a soldier to have the proper use of his
legs If such be the fact in actual service, how
much better will the condition of things be at a
school where grown-up boys make it a serious bust
ness to play at soldier % They may be taughtto
hold up their heads, to rest the weight of the body
upon the balls of the feet to wheel upon the heel,
to take regular steps of twentyeght inches, and to
go through the manual of the musket-this, which
is all that is peculiar to the military physical edu-
cation, is not so good as half an hours romping on
ing gallery. Every other exercise which it may be
pretended is part of the military system may be
taught just as WELL or better, without the soldering
nonsense connected with it.
But the Colonel in his fervor for military schools,
refers to every hberal-minded Christian, to bear
witness that military education is, next to reli-
gious motive, the best system of moral training"
There is nothing like boldness to insure success in
a doubtful assault, and the gallant officer has
determined to capture the understanding of his
readers, he does not stop at half measures, but
PUSHES forward with an impetuosity which is cal
culated to sweep all before it. The military school
is but the miniature of the army; the nearer the
approach in organization and discipline the better
for lis purposes The education of the school is
but preparation for the higher steps in the profess
sion-it is to the army, what the academy is to the
college. We may judge then, of the moral advan.
tages of military education, by noting its moral
effects in its highest state of development. And
we doubt much whether &c liberal minded Chris
tians will be disposed to rank the "school of the
company - with the Sunday school, or regard the
moral teachings of regimentai drill with quite as
much favor as those of prayer meeting. Ii the
gallant, witty, logical, and enierprsing Colonel
were correct IN his opinions, war which would |
subject many TO this military education - would
be great moral revival; and cold soldiers - |
would be the best exemplars and teachers of |
morality.
In conclusion we advise, if so stupid philoso-
pher might presume to advise, our military friend |
not to let his zeal outrun his discretion, and not,
or the mere love of assault attack an article with.
'ut understanding it. Ifhe had followed this course
heretofore, he would never have concluded his arti-
lie with the following paragraph:
How is it that our editor cannot see the benefits |
conferred on the country by the Military Academy
LEI MIN look at the graduates of that institution Sin
cnurch and state, in college and school, in hall and
orum, informing the public mind, and working in |
Inc public business; faithful citizens, industrious
men, here useful laborers and there shining lights
always and everywhere yielding to their co5ntry
run Tor Its seed in all the service which can in
reason or conscience be demanded.' %
For he would have found in the article tho s,rono
EST expressions of appreciation for all the bene6,s
which the West Point or any other Academy conld
confer in preparing men for the proper discharge of