Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-05-27

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vain. With true friends behind TO a
and encourage us, with an object befo
US dearer than life, we are content to /
Dor on until the banner of freedom ..tor
though flying" shall stream out on III
winds and be acknowledged and respect
ed everywhere. CEYLON
.@Op.~
From the New York Times. April 81
Suggestions Regarding the COnscrIp
tiOn. PeriIS Of the Future.
Ii is to be hoped that whenever lin
draft Is made, enough men will he calle,
Tor not simply 10 supply the actual want
OF the army IN the field, but 10 form
large and efficient reserve, to he kept un
der instruction as 1t is requiem. We be
heve this war is the first great war o
modern times in which the whole arm,
has been sent to face the enemy as fast
as II was raised, without the slightest pro
vision for the subsequent filling up of the
gaps caused by casualties or disease
The first large which was raised after the
fall OF Fort Sumter was sent to the seat
OF war ca DlaSSe, in the belief then prey
alent that the rebellion could be crushed
by one great blow. The possibility that
another army still might be required be-
fore the struggle was over, or even that
the one then going to the field
would ever need reinforcements. did not
occur to anybody. So we went through
the hrst campaign expending men with a
sort OF oriental extravaganza. There was
nothing OF which we We're not more care
full than Of soldiers. Every battle saw
thousands disappear from the ranks, ev-
cry march Its hundreds, by bullet, by de-
sertion, and by disease. The result was
at the end of the first campaign we need
ed, not reIntorcementS, but new army.
ana accordingly called 600, 900 fresh men
into the field.
II Is not too much to say that if 300. 900
OF these had been under arms for wear
previous, and been well drilled, Injured to
camp life, and TO long marches, the would
have been more valuable addition to
to the national forces than double their |
number OF raw troops, such as took the |
held. They would have done as much |
service In better manner, and have cost
at least one half less in pay, food, trans
Portatlon, and hospital expenses The
slaughter in every action, to say nothing
OF the purely military aspects OF the mat
ter, Is prodigiously increased 10y the pres
OF raw troops, and particularly when. as
Is generally the case with our raw troops.
they are commanded by inexperienced
officers. Want of familiarity with the
use OF fire arms, and want of dexterity
IN maneuvering, constantly exposes reg
lments and brigades to wholesale deftruc
ton, which the bravery of the men, in {
standing their ground, only renders more
horrible and shocking. The Government !
which can call out man in January and \
tram and drill him quietly in camp for l
nall year, preparatory to using him in {
the held, yet does not call him out till =
august, and then sends him into action I
resh tfom the plow, is guilty of some
hing worse than negligence.
Ihe fact Is we cannot go on using up
'ur men at our present or past rate. We I
laVe already consumed our purely super 81
iuous material. All the waits and stravs II
II society, all the men whom the COM II
nunlty can easily spare, and great ma el
~ besides, are already in the ranks.-s 81
'hese we got by volunteering. But now d
Ee are compelled to resort to conscrip- a
ION, we must economise life and courage n
nd skill. The men who will march un- II
Ter our next levy will be men whom we u
|! spare-the absence of every one of N
HON Will be felt in the factory the field g
nd the counting room. To say nothing dt
'hateyer of humanity, the commonest Pt
egard for the national strength and re- 10
lrces demands that we should be mig 10
ard as misers of their blood; that not th
ne drop of it shall be split which prep dc
ration, discipline, training, and good Of pc
cerlng can save. There are countries in m
inch men are drug, in which half a az
llllon might frll under the cannon. and II
1ly leave the survivors more room, bet NJ
r food and better clothing; but we are id
ot IN that condition. Large as our pop oa
atlon Is, our resources are larger, and i'm III
cry man who falls, we lose an instru- VIC
ent IN the creation of happiness and m'
mfort for himself and others. on
Sound policy as well as the highest hu- tul
anlty, demands that enough men should In'
drafted now, not merely to fill up the In
hts IN the field, but to create trained da
serve, which shall, fIom time to time. ~.
Iniorce the regiments in actual service. ole
d, what IS of still more importance. Iou
llch shall form an army ready for in us
mt ana effective service in case of an res
expected, overwhelming disaster. Our MOI
tiles, or at least all our reverses i'm this sur
T, have extraordinarily indecisiye in ma
elr character. We have never either l
med complete victory or suffered a III
nplete defeat. We ought to remem- this
that we are, in every action, in spite lnol
The valor of our men and in spite of ''ar
sklll OF our officers, however great it neg
pe-hable.in consequence perchance priv
mere accident, to a defeat involving If t
the destruction of the whole army clus
out like Jena, or Austerlitz, or Water thei
The only safeguard against catas- argl
phe IS a reserve; and if such catas- for
phe found us without reserve, there God
no military critics who wonld not de- infe
e us to have deserved our fate. four
lou-s