Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-11-08
YOUNG BLOOD.

Young 81, I'd, says that too many grave
nlisfortunes have occurred in cur OWN and
other nations histories from TIE en-
lloymcnt of Geacrals in whom Tic FIRE ard
energy of youth had burned out, to per-
nit Us in the present emergency to hazard
victory in this way, Many Of Napolcon's
most overwhelming successes were obtain
ed when he was opposed by such men as
Beaulieu, who was then eighty years Of
age, Wurmser, an octogenarian, and Al
yinsi, who was over seventy, in the cam
paign of 1896. These men had all dis
tingu:s' ed themselves in carly tife, but
they had now lost that youthful prompti-
tude and activity which are absolutely es-
scntial for ,litary commanders. 1t IS Gu
rious to follow up this list little turthe: /:
In 1900 the Aust ians had for comman-
der in chief, Melas, an old general Of the
Seven Years War, who had been fifty
years in the army, and was no longer able
or efficient In 1905 the French were OF
Fosed by Mack, then fifty three, and Ku-
tusof, sixty, Tie plan Of cFesatioLs was
drawn up by council of generals more
aged still, who took ne active part in the
campaign. In 1905 Napoleon beat the
Duke of Brunswick. then seventy one. Ho-
henlohe, aged sixty, aud Mollendsrf,
Kleist, and Massenbach, generals wEo had
served under Frederick the Great; men,
says Jomini, exhumed from the Seven
Years War, whose faculties were frozen
by age. In 1907 the Allies still sent
against Napoleon and bis young and Wig
oreus officers. such men as Kamcnski, aged
eighty, Benningsen, sixty, and Buxhowden,
fifty six. But in 1909 the Austrian army
was led by the young and energetic Arch
Duke Charles, and though be was fettercd
and thwarted by the foolish projects of the
old generals of the Aulic Councils, this
campaign proved the most glorious in the
Austrian annals Of the wars of the Revo-
luton, In subsequent campaigns the Al
lies were led by young men who proved
themselves more nearly match for Napo-
leon. Alexander of Russia was only tLir-
ty FIVE when he headed his army in 1912 !;
and be surrounded hiaself with young Of
fcers and placed as commanders Of his d.
visions such men as the Archduke Constan-
tine, then thirty three, and Shouvalof,
thirty five. The Austrians were led by
Schwartzenberg, then tlirty the Prus-
slams by York, Bulow, and by Butcher,
who, though himself advanced in life, had
tie wit to surround himself with Y ung
aud energetic aids, to whose entcrl rise he
gave full rein. Wellington was of the
same age as Napoleon, and in the last
campaign of the emperor it is well known
that most of Wellington's officers were
younger men than Napolcon's, who, says
a military writer, exhibited in this cam
paigu less than in former ones the ardent
energy and restless activity which had
characterized their younger days The
same authority continues, Never were Ma
poleon's plans better conceived, never did
his troops fight with greater bravery; but
the dilitary movements of bis generals en-
ablod his active enemies to parry the blow
intended for their destruction Most Of
our disasters in the war of 1872 we owed
to the inefhciency of such old veterans Of
the Revolution as Hull, Armstrong, Win
chester, Dearborn and Wilkinson, men who
had once done good service, but were now
deficient in everything but the desire to
again take the field. 1t was not until thew
were set aside and such men as Scott,
Wool, jackson, Harrison, and others ap-
pointed, that our armies achieved victe-
ries. Scott himself was Major General at
twenty eight, and it is noticeable that in
the present war the eyes Of the people are
turned with most hope upon such men as
Mcclellan, Fremont, Butler, Banks, and
Rosenerans, men who are yet in the yigo,
of their days.