The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-03-11
For the Perrysburg Journal
THE SOLDIER In BATTLE.


Ihayc often heard persons attempt to describ,
the feelings of the soldier in batte--some, from er
pcricncc, aud others from notions of imagination
pictured at the quiet frcsidc, whore naught dis
turbed the equilibrium of thought, or safety of per
sou. Yet experience has never realized to mo those
descriptions, which seemed to make the soldier
altogether transformed being.
have frequcnuy--while reading Of the splendid
and irresistible charges led by that great prince Of
ohoN alters and "beautiful swordsmen." Marshal
hurat-telt my blood heat and military aspirations
OF gigantic nature, followed by n momentary
urll Of highly-wrought courage aud animated am
bihon, as followed that destroying avalanche to
the battle of the Pyramids, where tho brave Name
lukes were ridden down, sabered and slain by
thoussnds--to tho Bay of Aboukir, where again
that plumcd chicftain led his flying squadruns
against the Turk, scattering carnage and destruc-
tiou on all sides, until the sea is described as a
sea Of turbans,"
But with me, time has brought about events that
leave no doubt in my mind, that freside view at
distance is t@iy ns agreeable as the thing itself
and the notion that men march up and face the
Soching storm of muskctry, with the many other
(not agrecablc) concomitants with uniform feelings
and impressions, is not exactly In accordance with
human nature, nor with close observation Scarcely
any two men feel or act alike at such q time
Witness party of young people on a sleigh
riding excursion, when they upset sleigh and all
promisouous,y in snow-bank. Some will Scream
some laugh, some cry, some swea., md some say
nothing at all, but keep up great thinking. In
most respects this contrast il not wide from that Of
-. .4vthu - -.
the discipline of soldiers, might favorably draw
this comparison further. That any man is SO ut
terly reckless of lio to feel perfectly Indifferent
amid the bursting and crashing of tho destroying
missiles of war, have yet to be convinced.
Some men are naturally endowed with great
courage, and 20 to battle without apparent doubt
MS to their safety. have seen such become wild
and frantic, MS with mad frenzy, and while in the
greatest danger, were the most violent and deter
mined-yet this was the impulse Of excitement
Anthony Wayne and Benedict Arnold belonged to
this class of fighting men,
have stood beside men of mild gentle tempera-
ment who when in times of quiet and out of dan
ger, have tmid and retiring disposition, and seen
them stand firm and fearless, load rn1 fire coolly
and deliberately. | have seen them mortally
wounded, and carried from the bloody field, and yet
without All expression Of fear or pain.
My own experience on the battle field only CON
vinces me that thorough discipline and active scr-
vice, as in any other trade or department of busi-
ness, is all that will mpke trusty battalions and
tried soldiers. AS seaman becomes familiar with
the hight of the mast and the dangers of the Storm
so will the soldier with the terrors OF the field.
In such an immense army as ours, it must be re-
membered that only small proportion are natu-
rally possessed OF belligercnt qualities, and al
though made of the best MATERIAL when brought
into battle array, like the newly ymade blade, they
are untred and cannot be depended upon, as many
of our engagements testify. For the short time of
discipline, our troops have astonshed the military
world. In endurance hardihood and perseverance,
no army ever excelled the one led by General Bu-
ell in his fall campaign of 80. ! am not sec
tional in feeling; speak only of that which know
The army ofthe East has done wonders.
Old troops avail themselves of many advantages,
which new troops, equally brave, do not For in
stance new troops are very apt to scatter and each
fight on his own hook, imagining that the battle
rests upon his individual excrtiOn, and that when
he is whipped the battle is lost, for he has no one
to help him. The soldier who stays in the ranks,
has not only the advantage of his own prowess. but
a man to help him on his right left and rear, and
can whip nation of wildcats.
Another very bad way of getting out of dan
ycrous scrape is, to turn the back the enemy. If
he soldier must come out backward, let him back
cut with his face to the music.
The ears are sometimes bad counsellors. They
lend fright to the understanding, and wings to the
heels The eyes are the better soldiers by far. |
have tried both. My ears frightened Inc badly
once, when We were fighting on the single-stylc
fashion. learned lesson--I shall remember il
long 1t is one all soldiers will learn sooner or
later. These few observations | have derived from
experience, hoping, with my fellow soldiers, to
learn after while the true secret of success in
battle COUNTRY jim.
MuRFREEsDoRo, TENN, February, 1862.
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