The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1862-06-18
From the ~ Y Journal of Commmsrce.
The Conduct of Our Soldiers.

mas ever seen, VIC may Also VIII safety di-
/ firm that it is an army OF men who have
/ personal pride and the spirit and conduct
of gentlemen Exceptions may indeed be
pointed out here and there and we have
/ from time to time evidence of gross viola
tions on the part OF our men Of the rules Of
right and wrong, aside from military disci-
! pline. Bni these exceptions form no suffi
( cient number 10 change the general truth
that the army is army of self-res pecting
men, ard That wherever they go they will
/ prove The truth af the character given them.
( We recur to an illustration OF this, which
/ ii was impossible to publish at the time of
/ lis occurrence, two months ago, in conse
1 qUence of the regulation forbiddng any
public allusion 10 the army movements
across the Potomac at Washington par
! ty oil ladies' and gentlemen had visited Ma
| nassas, aud returning TO Alexa andria TOO late
for the last boat, were brought by rail to the
/ Virginia end of the Long Bridge. Ii was
I the intention oil Col. M'Calum, the able
railway chief, 10 cross the bridge with The
car, but the head OF division of the army
was Just coming off from the bridge, and ii
was necessary 10 wait It's passage The
Long bridge has narrow carriage track a.
the side of the rail track, the latter being
laid as usual on cross ties. Hour after hour
| passed and the division poured on, an end
less train OF regiments and wagons. Al
nearly nine O'Clock il was said the entire
body would not be through ill midnight,
III lad ipd nv
gentlemen, started 10 cross the bridge
foot. large wagon overturned on the
road, and The small party taking the rail
track, proceeded or foot towards Washing
ton
For the entire distance, more than mile,
the bridges were crowded with soldiers,
most of whom had thrown themselves down
on The ties for short sleep during the de
lay. The Two ladies' were al first some
what alarmed al the prospect, bu in few
moments the cheerful shouts OF the men
showed Them that they had nothing TO fear
my, and that every man was their natural
and sworn defender Make way for the
ladies'" was the cry as they advanced
"Ladies, God bless Them, yes" was the an.
swer hundred times repeated. A lhous-
and CHEEKY solutations were exchanged, all
in the mos, chvalric style II seemed at
times an absolute delight to The men 10 be
rouse up from their brief rest TO do grace
inl act OF polteness 10 two ladies who had
trusted themselves 10 their good conduct -
Bat one solitary growi was heard and that
from poor fellow (nol an American) who
was sound asleep on. the track, wesried,
doubtless, and needing his rest, aud who
not hall awake, said, in reply TO shouts and
perhaps kick from a comrade Damn the
ladies'" whereuPoa rose around him a
email tempest of commission, and cries of
'pu, him out" "ihrow him overheard, D
and the like, which thoroughly woke him
ms good nalured and polite as all the others.
The scene was picturesque enough,
The night was cloudy and intensely dark.
The bridge was thronged with an impetu-
ous army advancing for the first time TO the
sol! OF Virginia, and 10 the battle fields on
which they have vince fought 80 gloriously
But every mat as an American gentle-
man, or il he was foreigner was ike his
comrades in self-respeci and calm, quiet de-
meahor They look and behave ike men
who had a work 10 90 and were going to
do it, carrying with them the memories and
habits of home just as closely as il the work
was n home corn field or factory. MOI
few spoke OF home-gaily telling the la.
, dies that their presence made them think
OF those they left behind them. But every
+, phrase was respectful, as gentlemen would
speak 10 ladies in any other plocs, the diff
ference being in the freedom to speak at all
which the scene and the circumstances
gave them.
!, We say with on, hesitation that in any
other army in the world it would have been
impossible, without a strong escort and
high protection, for two ladies', attended on.
ly by two gentlemen and guide, in dark
night TO cross bridge of more than a mile
in length, crowded with thousands of sol-
, diers eager for battle, and This without in-
, suit Much less would it be possible for
them 10 cross did these ladies, with the
exchange of cheerful salulations, and al
impression after reaching the end OF the
bridge that they had been walking for hall
hour through an army of gentlemen. II
may be that American readers will not fully
appreciate the force of this illustration, bu,
those who have seen armies of British,
French, Austrian, Italian, Russian or Mexi-
can soldiers will understand the high proof
this little incident gives 10 the character Of
our army.
CARVING politeness 10 excess is said TO
, be raising your hat 10 young lady in the
streei and allowing a couple oil dry collars