Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-02-20
resolutions on high questions Of state,
would break loose from Ill control

would bresk loose from I'll control,
would ceass to form an army. and wo'd
become the worst and most dangerous Of
mobs. Nor would it be safe in our
time, to tolerate in any regiment, relg.
ious meetings, at which a. corporal vers.
ed in, scripture should lead the devotiops
of his less gifted colonel, and admonish
a bscksliding major. But such was the
intel igence, the gravity. and the self.
command Of the warriors whom Crom.
we'll had trained, that, in their camp. q
religious and political organization
could exist without destroying military
organization. The same men, who, O.
duty. were noted as denlagogues and field
preschers, were distinguished by stead.
mess, by the spirit Of order, and by
prompt obedience on watch, on drill,
and on the field Of battle. ral .r4
In war, this strange force was irresist.
ible. The stubborn courage, character.
istic Of the English people, was, by the
system Of Cromwell, at once stimulated
and strengthened. Other leaders have
maintained order as strict; other leaders
have inspired their followers with zeal
as ardent but in his csmp alone the
Most rigid discipline was found in com.
pany with The fercest enthusiasm. His
tro ops moved on 10 viclo.y with the pre-.
cision of machines. while burning with
the widest fanaticism Of crusaders
From the time the army was remodeled
Ito the time it disbanded. it never Hound
either in tho British Islands or on the
Continent, an enemy who could stand its
onset. In England, Scotland, Ireland
Flanders, the Puritan warriors, often sur
rounded by difficulties, sometimes con.
tending against three fold odds, no. only
never failed to conquer, but never failed
to destroy and break in pieces whatever
force was opposed to them. They a,
length came to regard the day Of battle
as the day Of certain triumph, and march
ed sgainst the most renowned battslions
of Europe with disdainful confidence
Turenne was startled BY the shout o
stern exultation with which his English
allies advanced to the combat, and ex
pressed the delight Of true soldier wher
he learned that it was ever the fashion
Of Crom wells pkemen 10 rejoice greatly
when they saw the enemy and the ban
ished Cavaliers felt an emotion Of ma
tional pride when they saw brigade o
their countrymen, outnumbered by foes
and abandoned by allies, drive before il
in headlong rout the finest infantry ol
Spain, and force passage into coun
terscsrp that had just been pronounce'
impregnable by the ablest Of the Mar
shals Of France.
But that which chiefly distingushe.
the army OF Cromwell from other armie
was the austere morality and the fear o
God which pervaded all ranks. 1t i
acknowledged by the most Jealous roy
alists that, in that singular camp, NJ
oath was heard, no drunkenness or gam
bling was seen, and that, during the Ion
dominion Of the soldiery, The property Q
the peaceable citizen and the honor @
woman were held sacred. If outrage
were committed, they were outrages {
a very different kind from those Of whic
: a victorious army is generally guilty
No servant girl complained Of the roug
> gallantry Of the red coats; not an ounc
2 Of plate was taken from the shops OF tn
goIdsmi,hs but PeIagian sermon, q
a window on which the Virgin and Chill
|. we're painted, produced in the Purita
ranks an excitement which it require
the utmost exeriions Of the officers I
quelI. One OF Cromwell's chief diff
;. culties was TO restrain his pikemon an
:. dragons ftom invading by main fore
+ the pulpits Of ministers, whose discour
:, es, TO use the language Of that tim
" were not savory; and many Of our c.
n thedraIs still bear the marks Of the hi
ii ,red with which those stern spirits rega
= ded every vestige Of popery.
at King, Lords, and Commons had no
~ been vanquished and destroyed, an
Cromw we'll seemed to be left sole heir
no the powers OF all three. Yet there we
~ certain limitations still imposed on hi
no by the very army to which he owed t
n immense authority. That angular boz
~ OF men was. for the most part, comPos
q. Of jealous Republicans. In the act
Il. enslaving their country, they had d
he C6tVou tuCluoCltOc INV III" VSitSA ~
,r. they were emancipating her. The Bo
ce which they most venerated furnish
n. them with a precedent which was Oft
ofl in their mouths. Il is true that the
in norsnt and ungrateful nation murmu'
ara against its deliversrs; even 80 had
he ether chosen nation murmured agai
ce. the leader who brough, il by painful 9
yss dreary pathss from the house Of bonds
he into the land flowing with milk and
"A. ney. Yet had that leader rescued
40. brethren 10 spite Of themselves;
by had he shrunk from making terrible,
,pe smples of those who contemned> =
nks proffeted freedom, and sighed for
ons Aeshpots Of Egypt. Ths object Of
The warIike SANTA who surrounded CIR
,or. we'll, was the settlement o. free
act, pious commonwealth. For That, 4
moi they were ready to employ without q
oys pie, auy msans, however violent 1
.rts lawless. 1t was not impossibls there
ous| 70 establish by their aid an abso
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