Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-14
THE Use OF ARMS.

One thing developed by this war deserves the
earnest attention Of the Free States generally
Tbi, il the lamentabls ignorance of the use OF
ans which prevails among large numbers OF
tbs people. It has long been fsvorite sup.
noEitiou that our target companies and held
morris accustomed 30 many to the use Oh nre-
.rns a 10 be Of great use to the country In o
miIitary way With the first experience, how
.vsr hi, notion has proved to be fsllacious-
the trained gunners either not to any extent
volunteering or enlisting, or being TOO lew 10
hs of much account in 30 great a war: AS
natural consequence, our armies no" lncluae
among the raw recruits very many VINO know
nothing about firearms, and have to be taught
sysn the first rudiments.
Now that We are plunged into great ana
tsrrible yar we begin to see the folly Oh all
this We find our soldiers often lnemcient In
eonseouence of it, and calamities come upon US
from their greenness, compared with Wnlcn sli
the accidents of civil life are as child's play.
The soldier who Il unskillful with his musket
IL Like sheep to the slaughter house when
placed in conflict with an enemy. His gun has
few terrors for his foes. They see his inefect-
i've efforts at defense, and recognise his raw
ness You send your untaught son out thus to
fight the battles Of his country, expecting that
his officers will instruct him in all that is need
ful for soldier to know. Active service pre-
vents them from doing 30, and the young man
must pick mp q knowledge Of arms in the stern
hard ordeal Of war. Necessity, Of course, may
do much for him, but how wrong it is for US to
neglect the tuition of the boys at home.
Certainly, il % many Of our troops were so
green but short time since ss to sndanger
their own lives and those Of their comrades. by
their ignorant or reckless handling Of their
arms, they cannot be Of much service in active
operations against the enemy. In battle, the
sIci tement would be very likely to make them
lose their self possession, and FIRE wild at any
rate, even II they were usually good marksmen;
bat how they would answer being tstally new,
both to arms and to battle, We can easily
imagine.
We referred recently to the absolute need of
ubjecting raw troops to actual trials in Skin
nishes and light attacks before sending them
into serious battle, and we had reference to
this fact among others. However good marks
men they might be in civil life against birds or
wild game generally, il would be vastly differ
snt to IRE when in actual peril Of their own
lives. There is no game in our woods in the
slightest degree dangerous to encounter, and
We 20 far into the remote western wilderness
before We can find any. Our excessive mild
ness Of morals and life has frowned down every
amusement in which human life could be VOL
unfairly staksd, and thus it happens that
physical courage in front Of actual danger has
been discouraged. We have been in the habit
Of regarding those things barbsrous which In
other ages and chimes were the incentives to
heroisn. But for every human life we have
thus saved in the long run Of peace, We shall
now have to lose ten in war.
We should encourage field sports more than
We de- The sentiment which has grown up
against them Is very mawkish, and ought to be
diseountenanced. While our men Of fortune
have been wasting their lives in European dis
sipation, the noblemen and gentry of Europe
traverse thousands Of miles Of sea and land to
encounter danger in our own western wilds, in
the pursuit Of game. 1t Is no uncommon thing
also for them to seek sport in the depths Of
Africa or In Indian jungles.
Already we have slain well on to q thousand
men by accidents resulting from ignorance and
csrelessnsss in the use Of pistols, rifles and
musksts, and ten times that number will not
Ill up the measure Of those who are destined
in this to fall victims in battle to that ter
rible deficiency Of training at home which has
left rs with q vast multitude of men and very
few soldiers How many men we meet every
day in this great city who either have never
shot of q gun at all, or not for many years.
The wealthy, the learned, the dignifed or
reserved seem to consider it vulgar or boyish
TO 70 out cunning. Yet the greatest statesmen
Of England, the noblest Of the aristocracy, the
vsslthiest Of her capitalists and gentry, all
engage srdently and regularly in field sports,
and neither position nor age prevents them
from doing it. The example thus set has its
influence upon the people to q great degree
Philadelphia U. y. Gazftts.