The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-21
TRocHU ON VAR.
The French Commanders Views OF the
Mission OF the True Soldier.

Now that the approach of the German ar
mics to Paris brings with each day into greater
prominence the name of Trochu, the general
whom the French Empire rejected, but upon
whom the Republic has imposed its grea1est
task, 1t will be interesting to see just what
manner Of man he ls, and In what spirit he Is
likely to administer one of the most solemn
and trying trusts ever con1ded to soldier
In remarkable passage Of his very remark
able book on the French army-a book which,
In the light Of recent events, assumes an al
most prophetic charactel-Trochu thus speaks
of the temper In which war must be Viewed by
soldiers who are also citiZels II must bear
my Witness" he says, Ito truth with which
my own experience has deeply impressed me,
when l declare that nothing less resembles
war and battle than the common descriptions
of both. War, which imposes so many sacri-
fees In men and money on the people who en-
gage In 1t, and upon the armies which make it
SO many trials and efforts, breeds, especially In
The countries over which 1t Is waged, most in
evitable misery aud disorder. Those ofold time
always degenerated, and in our own times
often still degenerate into outrage, violence
and devastation, wreaked upon the Innocent
and habItnally inofenslve populations which
are trampled under foot by the contending
hosts. Here are the real, widespread, terrible
evils of war. They are little spoken of, If
they are spoken Of at all, for the cry of these
ruined people Is stihed by the emotions otthe
battlefield and Of politics. But the spectacle Of
these dumb and helpless sufferings Is heart
breaking to every soldier who possesses the
least magnanimity. ALI such soldiers are
amazed that modern civilization, which Is so
proud Of having supplanted force jn the deal
ings Of man with man by principles and by
the law, should still be attempting to settle In.
ternati0nal disputes by letting loose the
scourges Of war. The souls OF such soldiers
sicken with scorn at the aspect Of the carpet
knights who invoke war, and celebrate Its
glories in conventional jargon which betrays
their vanity, their ignorance, their ambition
and their pretension. But, at the same time,
the duties and the responsibilities OF high COM
mand cannot fall to elevate the sentiments OF
all such men, To lead, then, troops, by the
authority of character and Of example, into
adopting the habits and accepting the rules OF
discipline; to dispose them to consideration
and Kindness towards non-combatant popllla-
tlons; 10 inspire the soldier with respect for
himself, with respect for the mission con6ded
to him by his country, and with such devotion
to the high interests represented by his coun-
try's flag as shall make 1t easy for him to lay
down his lie In their behalf-what work can
be more worthy than this Of the noolesc heart
and the loftiest spirit? From this point OF
view, firmly believe that wars which bear
the double stamp OF right and OF necessity ex-
alt the temper of nation, snatch COM
munity from the enervating enjoyments OF a
long peace, and reconstruct its manhood by
temperlng anew In the ordeal OF peril and OF
endurance Its character and Its SOUL
These are the words, and this Is the spirit OF
no ordinary captain, and there can De Dtue
doubt that, under such commander, tne de-
fence of Paris and OF France, whether 1t be
successful or unsuccessful, will ct least be
worthy OF great people and of civilized
age.