Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-12-11
.rvs.s t4.leI For the stanaara.
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE CHIEF STRENGTH
~ 90 OF AN ARMY? g..

OE AN Ami q
Is it numbers? No: instance Xerxes against
Greece Darius against Alexander. Is it great and
skilful leaders? No: witness Saul against the
PhiIistines, Hannibal against the Romans, Santa
Anna, Kossuth. Is it superior military equip
ments? No: look at the Revolutionary struggeand
the recent battles of the present war. These are
excellent elements in well constituted army but
its chief strength consists in the high moral cour-
age the good discipline, the intelligent patriotism
of the common soldery. Without these our armies
may be swelled with fulness Of numbers; they may
be led on by the abest generals; they may be fur
nshed with the most apr roved equipments, and yet
our efforts be unavailng. With these, the want OF
numbers may be supplied, the mistakes of unskil-
full leaders may be corrected and the disadvantage
of inferior equipments may be overcome.
How are these sentiments to be best cultivated
among the soldiery? By military despotism! By
total disregard of the individuality OF the soldier
as a thinking being and free moral agent? By
the tyrannica exercise of authority and indulgence
in abuse? By degrading the common soldier =
Most certainly not. 1t is a mistaken notion that as
soon as one becomes private soldier, he is to lose
his individuality and become mere piece Of mech
ansm, to be wound up at o'clock, A. NJ, and to
run down at 81 o'clock, P. M. He may be, and Of
ten is an intelligent gentleman and should be treat
ed as SUCH man by nature true gentleman, is
always and under all circumstances gentleman,
whether he be the King on his throne, or the peas
ant at his footstool; be he the leader or the pri
vate, the Senator or the constituent.
1t is claimed for armies that they possess bet
ter material for soldiers than is to be found at the
North that we are superior in courage and en-
DURANGO And it is so; not because we have greater
numbers, or better generals and equipments, but
because we have in our ranks more genuine gentle
men-men of high moral courage, who fight, not
for the love Of strife for pay but from sense of
duty. Many of these are gentlemen of education
and refinement brought up in the highest schools
of honor and independence. And because the num-
Der was so great they could not all obtain places of
preferment, (nor did they all seek them) many of
Them rather than not contribute their active indi-
vdual aid to the cause of their country nobly took
their places among the rank and file. This is diff
ferent material from that which usually constitutes
the armies of nations and should be treated differ
emily. If we are superior to Our northern enemies
because of higher moral courage, a loftier patri
otism and more refined sense of honor then ought
these sentiments to be cultivated not only in the
schools and Senate hall, but in the camps Also
Aye. especially in the camp; for the camp is the
school Of the soldier.
In camp the soldier should learn that he is to
some extent Individually responsible for the issues
of his country's battles. Not that he is mere
tomaton to he blindy moved by invisible hand, but
that he is an intelligent instrument in his counrys
hands to he used for her acknowledgements
thus used because of his intelligence.
Much of the success of our armies depends upon
the soldiers selfrespect So use him as to destroy
that and you have destroyed the main pillar Of
strength And yet with regret say it, the con-
duct of some of our officers tends to this end For
while many perhaps the greater number. "use their
authority not abusing IT." there are others nm
fitted by nature for places of power and trust who
either because they do not know what is right or
"St the wrong pursue"
seem to esteem themselves absolute monarchs over
those placed under them and that the latter are de-
void of all sensbility. These petty camp tyran:s
to be found in every place from the Corporal to
the General, unnecessarily abusive to those below
them; fawning sycophants to those above. will
describe them so they may be known. In the low
grades of office they are heard giving commands
in loud abrupt tones accompanied with oaths and
froth-they great fellows to find out little petty
misdemeanors among the privates, which they re.
Captains, they are constantly inhicting some de-
grading punishments upon their privates for very
trifing offences. Should they grant favor, it is
done with so i'll grace that the benefit conferred
loses one half its charm-shoud they refuse favor
the manner makes the disappointment double
They are famous for condemnng in others things
which they practice themselves. Strong teachers
they are by precept-weak ones by example.
In the officers of higher grade these would-h
tyrants may be generally known by their utter
| want of military skill and all the accomplishments
usually supposed to be necessary to a great com
mander, by their habit of making their authority
conspicuous on very triAing occasions Some o
! these are in what shall denominate the stay-a
home board ofmilitary advances. They in vari
situations of the circumlocuton Office and they
are noted for never knowing anything exactly, ant
! - A. :-c.- Al.
right place. They send applicants on business frou
one post to another until they are worn out befor
they learn that nothing is to be learned from thos
who know nothing themselves. These LilliputiaI
giants affect tone Of abrupt austerity-they frowl
heavily and stamp with the foot, and by these an,
the like subterfuges expect to impress ignorant peo
pie with superative idea of their courage and I'm
portance. But let me assure these epaulette gentr
that one who has tasted of genuine gentleman vii
never swallow them down even by mistake, for any
thing but coxconb. The contemplation of sue
characters reminds US anew of the excellent conceE
ton which Shakespeare must have had of them whe
he penned those remarkable lines in "n,easure 70
measure," beginning
| "On Is excellent to hare a giants strxnath
But tyrannous to use it like giant" dc.
But let me turn to the contemplation of a chara
ter more pleasing>I mean that of sensible ger
tlernanly commander or officer He knows that b
superior rank Is temporary anu aCClQenIal-tns
though raised for while above them, he is in fat
but the equal of the soldiers of the ranks. He r.
members that though he is the commander he migl
have been the commanded-that he was chosen
place not to Cypress but to protect his men. Il
willingly relieves them from all hardships that
can, and knowing that their burdens at best al
hard to bear, he lightens them whenever he can
so without injury to the service. But notwithsts
ding all these things, his discipline is always str
: when necessary, because he knows that subordin
ton is necessary to our great undertaking, as We
as for the good Of the men themselves. He is
humane man he knows that cruel and frequer
punshments degrade the soldier, by destroying
selfrespect and pride Of sprit-that loss of these
. loss Of courage and patriotism-hence loss of Il
main element Of strength in an army. He
E learned that mildness and firmness may go toget
, er-that wholesome subordinaton is not INSOFAR
t BILE from gentleness accompanied by firmness-th
soldiers obey none the less cheerfully, because t
order is given in kindness.