Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-23

tifcations, and all the principles and theories
of military science. But to think and deter
mine, not in the recitation-room, or the pa
background, but on the field, amidst the
thunders of artillery and the flashing of mus
kerry to toresee and forefend dangers and diff
ticulties; to supply unexpected deficiencies
to observe with a sure intuition and strike with
timely impetuosity; to rise above ordinary
Jules in extraordinary contingencies to know
and to influence human nature, and to hold
the affections and wills of men, as well as
their bodies, in the hand-hese are qualities
indispensable to the great commander, and
which West Point can no more bestow than
she can make racer of dray-horse.
We are willing to go further and say, that
it admits of serious doubt whether the almost
exclusive mathematical training of West
Point does not operate as a positive injury to
all the higher commanding qualities. The
profoundest philosopher of the generation,
Sir. William Hamilton, declared that San en-
cesSire study of the mathematical sciences not
only does not prepare, but absolutely incapa-
citates the mind for those intellectual energies
which philosophy and life require" Proba-
bly, this is too strongly stated. But it is GER
tain that the most successful generals of our
revolutionary war were men of little or no
scientific training; that the most successful
general of the last war with England was the
civilian Andrew Jackson; that the most diff
cult and memorable battle of the Mexican war,
the battle where the odds against us were four
to one, was fought and won by Gen. Taylor,
an officer of no book-science whatever; that
the most successful of Napoleon's marshals
were originally unlearned soldiers from the
ranks; that Wellington himself could hardly
have solved a problem in Euclid and that the
two men whowere more Instrumental than any
other fifty in suppressing the gigantic Indian
rebellion were the civilian Sir John Lawrence
and the soldier, Henry Hayelock, who made
up his lack of book science by will that sent
him like a thunderbolt through rain, sun and
fever, and countless hosts OF Il disciplined and
desperate enemy.
We by no means intend to disparage the
value of complete military education.
Where there is the genius to command, it
aids it. Where there is no such genius, it at
all events can make the Thoroughbred sub
altern. But to render West Point what it
ought to be, greater care should be taken
to supply it with the best natural endow-
ments to be found among the rising genera
ton. Then there should be an assurance that
the course of study there is in all respects
adapted to its aims. This, to say the least, is
now very doubtful We must suppose the
government itself has such a doubt; otherwise
it would not have enlarged the curriculum
from four years to five, as was done two or
three years since; which arrangement, we sup
pose, would have continued but for the rebel
lion. Our own full beliefs thatthe education at
West Point has been too strictly professional,
and consequently too narrow. The divine,
the lawyer, the physician, has or may have
the benefit of a four years. college course, and
then enter upon his professional studies prop
er. which occupy three years further. The
military aspirant, on the other hand enters
upon his professional studies at once, with no
base but the elementary branches and ifthese
studies remain strictly professional, the result
almost necessarily is very one-sided sort of
discipline and culture. To this professional
narrowness in thought and reasoning, more
than to any other one thing, is to be ascribed
the extraordinary moral phenomenon of so
many graduates of the institution dsregarding
the most sacred dictates of honor and duty,
in treason to the government that had edu-
Gated them to be its special defenders.