Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-20
bo- iaooA t..s.iF could We iasks ~isA all Ties.

- pose the measure, anu mere 'eou-' ~ ~ ~ -
=. est dfhcuty that they will not night IN our cause
:. Here again let US 20 to that highest Of al auhor
.. ties-Napoleon. He says In one OF his msxims
:. of war, q good general, good oficers' eommh-
=. stoned and AFOREMENTIONED, good instruction
a. and strict discipline, make good troops without
9. regard 10 the cause in which they fight BY
:, cause we are TO understand the particular SEN
q timents or preferences Of the troops. This Is
.stse broadcast and most positive enuncistion OF
nruciple which goes TO the very foundation of the
:. whole matter Il is strictly true, and proceeds
8. from the very nature of army organization and
tt discipline 1t will be observed that he sssnm es
90 the two higher orders, officers ana noh-eohiinS-
81, stoned officers, To be good. Such would DC
B.. the case in the plan proposed. The truth Is,
troous always hold the sentiments and opinions oil
their officers. whatever they may DO. Even the
O.. Dasroes that have served with our armies as
=. cooks ard transfers are thoroughly enlisted
e. in our cause as are their masters and III many
:. cases have been known to fight as calamity as
. they. Ii is altogether mistaken notion TO sup
pose that it is pay or bounties that men 10
- fight. These considerations may cause them 10
enlist but once made soldiers, they lind the m
selves in the hands OF giant that leaves them no
power 10 eseape-diScipine. One VINO Is not
= liier can hardly understand this but 1t is mol
the less true Nor il il patriotism, nor any other
=. sentiment that holds soldier at his post Give
.. our troops-braye and patriotic as they are-ho-
erty 10 20 home to-day-remoying all influence ~
e. of,icers-aud how much oil an army would you
- nave tomorrow The negroes, however, should
- be given pay, etc.
.. The best troops in the Fyench service are not
Frenchmen-the Zouayes and tho Turcos. What
patriotism had the hesSians aud other mercenarles
that fought against the colonies They did not
fight voluntarily. They were soldiers, and had no
s.. ontlon A still more tOrcble example u to be
found in India There we see the extraordinary
spectacle of people held la subugation by troops
- COMPOSED of natives Indeed, voluntary service
e. is the exception IN the military world. Wars are
not conducted on that principle, as we have our
selves found in this. The armies Of Europe are
- to-day composed OF men who are in arms entirely
=. against their will Who ever heard OF the seris
OF Russia refusing to fight because they are not
freemenf All that IS required, then, 10 make
soldier is good physique, without regard TO his
inclinatons and do assert that the more simple
minded, the more faithful and obedient he will be
and obedience is the foundation, top and middle
50 Of a soldiers education.
.. ! speak now Of heavy infantry. With other
/ arms a somewhat different rule holds-since more
- individuality is reQuired-but the same is sub
stantialy true throughout. Thus the negro is ex
oelently adapted for a soldier.
:: The negro does not fight for the enemy because
be is free He has bsen tricked and forced into
81 his service, and he cannot help it. Those who
have been re-captured say they would rather fight
on our side, because we knew Better how to treat
" them.
"lt is not true, then, that 10 make good soldiers
Of these people, we must either give or promise
- them freedom. On the contrary, it ismy firm
conviction that 20 do either would be TO impair
their efficiency and tractability. But the great
est possible advantage can be had by skilfully
using their desire for freedom. The President
should have power 10 declare free such of them
/ :" as NAV from time 70 time be recommended for
such reward, by their oficerr for gallant meri-
torious conduct. This would act ever
present spur 1t should not be to take effect at
- the end Of the war, but he declared OF once in
general orders, and the soldier should be given
honorary cheveronS to distinguish him du ring the
remainder of his service. To say that all should
he free at the end of the war would have little
- effect. The uncertainty and vsgueness would al
" together fail TO impress a simple minded negro
beyond week. As well might one promise to
free ones cook at some indefinite period with
the expectation of thereby securing good dinners.
| But ii i, be held ont boon within his imme-
date grasp, and which he sees conferred upon
others every day, 1t must have most excellent
| effect. Besides, 10 either give promise tree
dom Wholesale, would have most pernicious in
fuence upon the whole race. 1t is wholly unne-
scessary, and should not be done, as matter
- OF expe dency.
:. But, it is alleged he would desert. No SOL
der who understands the potency OF discipline
could hold such opinion. Whenever the OH
GERS and n N commissioned off GERS of guard do
a. their du1y the sentinels do theirs also. Remem-
"a berng that there would be many roll-calls day
by whtes-that they would not only have to pass
their own lines of sentinels, but through the
picket and grand guards, (white,) it will be seen
how difficult escape would be-. Those who at
| tempted it would be 50 severely and certain
..ly punished that few would make the expert
| ment
E. But, it is urged, they would desert in the day
:. OF battle. This would be far more impossible
than the other. There is altogether too much
danger in that direction. They would receive
the fire from both parties. The line OF file
cIosers would, however, be quite sufficient to
. hold them, whatever they might wish.
=. 1t is said, again, they would revolt. Nothing
could be more impossible. No scheme could be
kept from the non-commssiOncd officers
stsntly at hand. Even il regiment were TO sue
coed sufficiently to come to outbreak, others
could not act III concert, and would be brought
q to crush the refractory ones at once. Besides,
the cavalry al artillery (white) would be ever
q at hand to destroy any that might attempt it,
Mutiny is scarcely known where discipline Is
n,nlntnined In the rrnaf Srnnv at le mnt dis