Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-06-09
Tge yntellwerter.
The Bayonet.

AhO
The magnificent charge of Hancock
by which he captured a whole divis
ion of Lees army, and that the Stone
WALL Division, was made with the
bayonet alone. Our troops advanced
through the woods in silence not a
gun was fred, they did not stop to
fire, but charged at once with the
bayonet s..n-.....
This is not the first time that the
bayonet has been found, in the hands
of men of the free States, weapon
fatal to the rebels. Wherever it has
been used by our commanders, it has
been shown that for Northern troops
it is the best weapon. The foe may
beat them with musketry ; lie is our
superior. perhaps, in woods firing !;
though 10 the battles of Thursday and
Friday, which began this campaign,
he was defeated even in this his
strongest point of fighting. Lee,
taught by Stonewall Jackson, knew
how to mass his troops against parts
of our line with marvellous rapldIty,
and TO use the column OF attack, the
favorite of Napoleon, and of the Rus
slams in the Crimea according to Mr.
kinglakc. But the long, thin line y
of bayonets they could never stand
against; and wherever, in the crisis
Of the battle, our Generals have found
themselves on such ground as to be
able to order bayonet charge, the
rebel troops have invariably given
way
The bayonet has always been held
the severest test of excellence in
troops. Men who can make a charge
in good order, and drive the enemy,
and who can themselves stand a
charge, are held to BIZ perfect in cour-
age and in discipline. Now it is no.
torious that in this respect the troops
of the free States have on fifty fields
proved themselves superior to those
of the slave States. Nor is this diff
cult to account for it is the effect OF
higher culture, the fruit OF our free
schools and of the honorable position
of working men in the North, where
labor is rewarded and respected, in
stead ofbeing enslaved and degraded.
The most intelligent men are capable
Of the best discipline, and in the word
discipline is included every soldiery
quality, because all 60 to make up
that.
The greatest Generals have been
fondest of the bayonet. 1t was We'll
lington's favorite weapon. Taylor, in
Mexico, used to say to his volunteers :
1.-The bayonet, my jolly boys, the
bayonet's the thing" and we have Of
ten heard the same opinion from the
best officers Of our present armies.
The lamented Gen. Rice used to
say that if New EDgland men could be
deprived of cartridges, and trained to
depend upon the bayonet alone in ac-
tual battle, they could march from one
end to the other Of the continent. He
knew whereof he spoke for he used
the bayonet wherever he could, and
was never 30 certain of success as
when leading charge. As an in.
stance Of what discipline and courage
can effect with men: In charge OF
the 44th New York at Malvern Hill
General, then Colonel Rice, halted his
men four times under the fire of tn,
enemy, and as carefully aligned then
AS though they had been on dress pa
rade. He charged a brigade of rel
els took their colors, and more pris
oners than he brought men of his ow
alive out of the charge. 1t was hi
opinion and we have the same from
others, that the moral effect Of firI
and steady charge is irresistible b,
the enemy, who must-break
In the West, at the battle Of Mil
Spring, if we mistake not, a Colonc
was in similar manner observed, il
the heat Of battle, cooliy putting hi,
regiment through the manual of arms
in order TO restore their composnre
lost in the excitement of the fight
Such examples of discipline are giori
Gus to the troops who can eudnr,
them and they show that Northern
mudsiIls,' as they are the most vir
tuous, the most Industrious, the mos
ingenious, the most prosperous, ane
the happiest people on this continet
so they make t,e most trustworth,
soldiers.--N. Y. Ereaiag Post.