The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-04
Eewspaper.made Military officers.


Eewspaper.made Military Officers.
The reckless laudations bestowed on
military officers, by many Of our public
journals, constitute one Of the crying sins
of newspaperdom. In almost every
newspaper we receive, some Lieutenant,
Captain, Major, Colonel, or General, who
never did any military feat Of impor-
lance, and perhaps never accomplished
any thing Of consequence in civil life, is
made the unfortunate subject Of fulsome
eulogy and flattery By some foolish friend,
who fancies that a soldiers fame can be
made by pg6s Just as if they were a
quack's life-elixiF, or patent cure-all.
pill. Each successive day, for eighteen
months past, has brought US the intelli-
gence, sometimes in the guise of leader,
sometimes in the form of army CORES
pondence, and sometimes in a Geographic
dispatch, that Colonel So-and-so has
been appointed to certain command,
and that rebellion already begins to
tremble in its shoes; that Major Whip,
the well-known and popular omnibus
driver, will leave with his regiment in a
few days for the enemy's country, and
that traitors are already wsiling in an
ticipation of destruction; that General
Quill driver, executor Of the Blue Blazes
Of Columbia and Lightning Lance Of
Freedom, has started to assist in keeping
things quiet on the Potomac, and that his
trenchant sword will be even more awful
to the foe than his eloquent pen. Men
who may be decent, clever, honest menin
civil life--and perhaps not--but who do
not know one-half as much of military
affairs as their soldiers;
"who never set a Squadron in the fold,
Nor the divisions Of battle know,
More than spinster."
Are pulled so incessantly, and so extrav-
agantly by their friends, that if military
regulations could be made by newspa-
pers alone, CESAR, WELLINGTON, NAPo-
LEON aud scu1r might we'll lament the
eclipsed lustre of their stars We have
been behind the curtains and know some
thing of the manner in which these
things are done; and grieve to say that
the putting is done by some military
sub. who hopes to rise by the elevation
of his Landed idol, or by some speculat-
ing gentleman who is fishing for fat
contract, or an office where thieving from
and swindling the government can be
INDUCED in with comparative impunity.
How many men who rose as stars since
the beginning of the rebellion have turn
ed out to be nothing bui sky rockets, and
descended from their aerial fight mere
black and dirty sticks, a good deal
worsled for their undeserved elevation?
War is prominently practical business,
and people will be satisfied with nothing |
short Of results. Newspapers may blow
their trumpeis long and loudly in behalf
of epauletted P1rvaues who have done
nothing, and the public viii only turn
away from the clamor in disgust, not
only at the object of unmerited praises,
but at the one who bestows them. After
all the volumes Of eulogies which have
been written upon these prospective heroes
who are forever claiming TO have their
promissogy notes, endorsed by mercenary
scribblers, discounted at the Bank Of
Fame, how few prominent officers Of
merit and capacity have achieved a repu-
tation by brilliant and useful deeds.
But officers Of undoubted ability and
talent are often injured by the excessive
eulogies Of their friends, and Of this fact
a most striking instance has been lately
given in this Department. General BU-
ELL, without doubt, has few equals while
ieitlsa his army; he is superior dis
ciplinarian and gOodplanner. But his
partisans were DESTROYS to elorify him
for qualities which he did NOT possess,
and TO make him out another NAPOLEON,
and abuse every body as radical who did
not see that General BUELL. was a soldier
of action as well as of theory. The re-
suit was, that thousands ultimately were
led TO doubt that BUELL. was good for
anything and fell as far below the truth
as his culogists did above it. The Army
Of the Potomac may yet show us paral-
lei case There is philosophy in the
saying; "saye me from my friends"
The worst enemies to the permanency of
a mans fame are his buffers, who excite
public expectation 10 such a height that
il is hardly possible for mortal strength
90 equal il by its achievements Quit
praising your friends 90 death, Oh We