Worcester daily spy., 1861-11-04
1Q1urtester DaiIg SPY.
BRAVE MEN NEVER SURRENDER.

L he pcllCTdl OTucf recently ISSUED by Brig
adler General Sumner, on the Pacific division
of our army, has delighted many hearts in the
nation. We have grown tired of surrenders.
aud though, of course, not an Ota of blame
rests on any commander who has surrendered
his post to the rebels, we have had such a
number OF misfOrtunes of this kind that the
terse order OF General Sumner, ono troops of
the Pacific will ever surrender to rebels has
cheered and inspirited many downcast heart
Reading these brave words, we remember that
Gene al Sumner was he who accompanied
President Lincoln on his journey from SPRING
field TO Harrisburg and who was reported to
have shed tears of rage when Mr. Lincoln was
induced by more cautious advisers TO complete
his journey to Washington in the famous
Scotch cap and Highland plaid Doubtless
Mr.. Llncoln's advisers were right; but the
heart OF the nation was with the stern soldier
who would not abate one jot of the presidents
dignity to avoid any possible danger.
We wish there were a few more such men
as General Sumner i'll the army. Before we
suppress the southern insurection we shall
have use for all OF that spirit which the nation
affords.
The English once shot an admiral because
che did not do his uttermost" The morale
OF the English navy was at that time 50 low
that it had become theme for the contempt of
the French; and Voltaire exclaimed, with bit
ing wit "they shoot one 10 encourage the
others" Poor Admiral Byng was really
blameless. He met French fleet superior to
his own, and, like good cautious admiral as
he was he thought it not prudent to engage
the enemy lest he might not gain an easy vic.
tory. So he let the Erenchmen pass uncha.
lenged, went home, and was shot. English.
men did not need to be encouraged then more
than now but the tate of Admiral Byng had
most important influence on the morale of the
English navy. 1t gave officers to understand
that their countrymen expected of them not
prudence, but victory-not cool calculation OF
risks, but success-nOt merely bravery, but
skill, endurance and energy, which united, are
better and tar rarer than mere passive cour-
age. The people, who are the final Judges OF
all merit, do not demand success so much as
the spirit which, whether beaten or not evi.
dently deserve success. Lyon defeated and
dead is more loved today by Americans, and
will hold higher place in the esteem OF our
children, than any merely luck commander
who may turn up i'll the course OF the war
and galantfy and enterprise, such as were
displayed by Lieutenant Robbins, in burning
the dry dock at Pensacola, or in the cutting
out of the Judith, or the destruction of the
schooner by the Louisanas crew in the Chin
colleague Inlet, warm the nations heart more
than a dozen slow and cautious retreats The
Fabian policy is useful only when, as in Wash.
iDgton case, it is interspersed at frequent in
tervais with brilliant and dashing exploits such
as those at Trenton and Princeton
A few samples OF what has been done in the
defence of a post will be oil interest, and may
be OF use to the public to enable ii to measure
more correctly the merits of defence The
first we shall cite is the defence OF Garden
Hill, in the revolution, by the British Colonel
browne, against a superior force OF his own
troops-an exploit SO gallant that our own off
GERS spoke OF it with admiration.
In 1880, Lieut.. Col Browne was in com
mand OF Augusta, Georgia He was perfect
type OF an astute, uncompromisng soldier
With his qualities as a man this article has
nothing whatever to do. HIS force consisted
OF one hundred and fifty provincial troops and
a few friendly Indians with two small brass
pieces of artillery. This was not sufficient TO
enable him TO hold the town against the able
Col. Clarke, who with seven hundred lrt sb,
hardy, vigorous mountain men was Fastening
to invest the place. Cark's troops were from
the mountain districts of the CarolinaS and
those now constituting the eastern counties OF
Kentucky and Tennessee. They were men Of
the same type as the gallant army which beat
Bulldog Ferguson at Kings Mountain.
Augusta was even then place Of mpor-
lance, the seat OF a lively Indian trade, and
one OF the incentives OF Clarke's attack upon
Brown was the hope OF seizing the annual
Indian presents winch Browne had received
10 distribute. Why Browne abandoned the
town of Augusta is mooted question. One
account states that The place was entirely in.
detenslble, ard, therefore, she sought better
strategic position another that he made
sally and was cut off, and took refuge in the
position he SO abl" defended. AT all events
the post he assumed he selected, took, and held.
the famous revolutionary Col. Lee, "Light
Horse Harry" tells the story SO well that we
give it in his own words -.
"Augusta being untenable with his weak
force, Browne retired towards Garden Hill
In front ot the latter position he was vigor
ousy attacked by Clarke, at the head of seven
hundred men but, under cover OF his artillery
he at length dislodgcd his enemy, and forced
his way to the hill at the point OF the bayOnet.
SO soon as he had gained the hill, Colonel
Browne began to tortiiy himself i'll the best
possible manner, being determined to hold out
to the last moment, in order TO give time to
Col. Cruger, who commanded at Ninety-siX
and was informed OF Brownies situation and
views, to relieve him.
"Among the expedients to form suitable de-
fences Col. Browne put in a reqGisitOn all the
bales of cloth, osnaburgs, blankets, &c, found
in the store at Garden Hill, and converted
Them with the assistance OF rails and paling,
into breastwork proof against musketry.
Clarke, nevertheless, perseVered in his at
tempt to bring the enemy to submission,
which he would have certainly accomplished
by avaiing himself of the TWO pieces of arti
lery gained in the first conflict, had not the
ammunition belonging TO them been nearly
exhausted. Deprived of this aid he resorted
to other eXpedients, and at length succeeded
in depriving the garrison OF water. But, un-
luckily, his adversary was no less fertile in
mental resource than intrepid in battle. To
remedy this menacing evil, Col. Browne or
Gered all the earthern vessels in the store 10
be taken, in which the urine was preserved !;
and, when cold, it was served out with much
economy to the troops, himself taking the
first draught. Disregarding the torture OF a
wound in the side, which had become much
swollen from eXerton, he continued booted at
the head OF his small, gallant band, directing
his defence, and animatng his troops by his
presence and example. Thus Browne coura.
geously supported himself until the fourth
day, when Col. Cruger appeared on the oppo.
site bauk of the Savannah river. Col Clarke
Immediately withdrew, leaving his artillery
behind, and disappointed by the invincible
prowess of his enemy OF reward which, with
less perseverance and gallantry, he might have
Justly expected to obtain"
Such is the testimony of patriotic Ameri-
can officer OF the highest merit, character and
position Let us now transport ourselves to
another continent, and consider how troops of
another nation behaved under still more des-
perate circumstances.
In 1910, the Arabs, who had been damned
up for time in their Businesses of the Atlas,
burat the barriers of French troops, poured
Il. lid al