Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-31
HOW OUR ARMY Is NOT AN ARMY

tnpAuepce ana demand that Mcclellan should
attack the enemy, indicate, / am inclined to
think, how little the public yet appreciate the
tremendous character Of the war in which We
are engaged and the immensity of the work
We have undertaken. No loyal man would
wish, Of course, that we should attack the enc
my without q reasonable prospect Of success.
The war, which is likely to continue several
years under the most favorable circumstances,
would be heightened at least one year by an
unsuccessful general attack. My own opinion
Ii that IL We held our own into the winter,
having secured Kentucky and Western Vir.
ginis, and not lost Missouri and Maryland,
while recruiting our army and navy, We shall
have abundant ground for Thanksgiving.
1t Is universally believed by well-informed
men, think, that the enemy is in larger force
on the Potomac than We are He has TINS far
shown better generalship than We have. His
position with respect to rearward communica-
tions Is superior to ours. The only advantage
which We have over him is in the justness of
our cause, in q superior generslship (which re-
mains TO be sroved) and in the superior equip
ment and discipline Of our forces. Probably
We are better disciplined and equipped on an
average; yet considerable part of our force is
very insuhciently equipped, and q much lar
ger part Is composed entirely Of raw recruits
not at all disciplined. Tiers IS not one really
soeH atSespltHsd regiment IN the country
Not one, regulars or volunteers, and the whole
army Of the Potomac is yet much more mere
There are almost no soldiers here as vet.
Soldiers are not made in day, nor in month
nor IN two months with such officers as we
have; and the majority Of this army two
months ago were civilians, without the remotest
conception Of the habits Of soldiers Itis i'm
possible to state too strongly the unftness and
inadaptstion to the business Of q soldier which
seventy years Of peace have wrought in the
habits Of the people. Neither among officers
nor men do you yet see anything Of the air
and carriage which, when a traveller sees in
Europe, he learns to say, /" There is a soldier"
I speak Of regulars as we'll as volunteers. I
don't mean that Gen. Mcclellan is not q prom
ising young general, nor that since he has been
here there has not been, under his guidance,
rs much improvement in discipline as was pos
sibls for Americans under the circumstances
There has been most gratifying progress and
the troops that were here in July are compare
lively exceedingly well disciplined now But
with reference to q true standard Of discipline
the European standard or the American at
the close Of the Revolution-thsrs are no dis
apIiHsd troops at Washington, officers or
men.
give utterancs here only to q civilians
judgment, or, as / said in former letter q
travellers snap judgment formed upon the most
superficial observation. But is il not true, and
does not any travellers experience confirm it,
that you can tell we'll disciplined soldiers at a
glsncel Being no soldier yourself. you say of
one man, de is every inch soldier" and
Of another, "There Is no appearance of the
soldier about him." with considerable conf
dence; without having seen him in action, and
upon the most superficial observation; and in
similar manner judge the army of the Po-
tomAo.
I showed you how the regulars exhibited
themselves at generals funeral some weeks
since. To-day We had . similar exhibition of
the volunteers. A full programme of the form
Of q general order from the headquarters of
the Provisional Brigade was published in the
morning papers 1t was, therefore, to be a
strictly military funeral. To begin with, it
was ordered to march at IL O'Clock. It was
II when, walking westward from the Patent
Once, discovered regiment Of volunteers
detailed ss escort, In line, at rest, not few
OF the men sqEattrng on the ground-not dig
nihed attitude for guard Of honor, thought
There were all sorts Of Irregularities of dress,
OF which will only notice that among a thou
sand pairs Of leggins there was no evidence
that any one had ever been properly cleansed
since they were first worn; many had lost
buckles, which had not been replaced. hope
their musket locks are better looked after but
don't believe it. I wanted to see Mcclellan,
who, the order stated, would take place in
the column, for though they say he is out
In his rides. To get good position stood
upon HORSEBACK. on and near which was al
ready group Of Down-East volunteers and
teamsters, who perceived In q moment were
yet far more at home with handspikes than
with muskets. Yet some Of their observatio
were shrewd and critical. A tall man, dressed
in Q suit Of civil clothing, without straps, and
his black cloth pantaloons rumpling up half
way 10 his knees, but with military cap on
his head, rode up and down the line, appa.
rently giving orders or instructions to the
mounted ofhcers. He was in q military saddle
With military trsppings. I report the dialogue
First Down-Hastsr.-who's that chap7
Second Doun-Easter.-Guess he's the Colo
First Down-Easter.-what sort of a way IL
that for Colonel to rig himself?
Second Dovn-Eastsr. rig,
Third Down-Easter.-Hs amt no Colonel:
he's one Of the new Brig gadier- Generals that
hain't got his uniform yet.
First Down -Easter.-Half General and half
Minister. IN te darnsd If that amt a Brig
antine General.
Second DOwn-Esstsr-WslI, said he was a
morphodite.
TIE body Of the slain officer was brought ont
Of the house, borne BY six CoIonsls-one of
them Col. Wilson, in full dress, the rest in mil
itary deshabile; the line saluting with solemn
music. Standing in salute many of the men
turned their heads and looked over their
shoulders, some were talking aloud, some
lounglng on one leg, some Wriggling some
scratching, some held their pieces In one way,
some II, ,anotner, not u Few rs X they were fish
poles, the whole ceremony being thus made
more ridiculous than dignffed. The guiding
sergeant II mean the man at the extreme left
Of the hns) stood with his legs open; and toes
turned in-in the attitude Of . man warming
himself by IRE In his rear-every now and
then ersmping his head forward to see what
was going on at the other end.
Bat win say no more Of this regiment; I |
don't know what enc 1t was; it may have ar |
rived yesterday from the recruiting ground, |
and 1t certainly was fine lot Of men, and the |
ofneerssere Of sort 10 make uncommonly fine |
ones in three years. The funeral march COM |
mencsd, and then . part Of an Irish funeral /
strsyed In; rickety hackney coaches with spay. /
ined and foundered and blind old Washing gton /
sack-strest jadss with black and white drivers,
Two fellsus always on the box, lolling and spit
nngi then q regiment Of recruits in dirty gray /
jackets and trowsers, and without q really /
ciean-iooking thing on them, hurried by mostly /
four deep, but some all in huddle; they were /