The New York herald., 1876-02-26
AMERICAN soLDIERsHIP.
NEw YORK, Feb. 25, ls7a

To rnE EDITOR HERALD:-N
In the Saturday Rerieto for the Goth Of January
1s76 there appeared an article which purported bo
a review Of two American military works. which ia
nothing than resumption Of the stereotyped
English abuse aud misrepresentation Of the military
achievements Of the American Army prior the rebel
lion and OF the Northern Army during that war. 1t
unworthy Of people who have done grandly to
tort in like strain. All that is necessary is TO
deavor to present the truth and allow English prejudice
to reooil upon itself In verify this Saturday Rerie0
article would be unworthy OF notice not for the
standing ofthe paper in which it appeared
In the first place, it is simple justice TO take into ac
count the natural difficulties overcome in every war,
as well the number of combatants engaged
The American Indians through the crimes
OF individuals, have been almost as well, II
not as well, armed AS the American troops,
and the Indians Of tho Plains far better mounted
for service The difficulty has never been to whip the
Indians, but to get them The antagonists of the
English meet ihem. whereas the opponent Of
the American troops had to be hunted down. 1t Is
exaggeraton declare that the American cavalry have
made campaigns in which they overcame difficulties
and underwent sulerings such as never entered the
minds Of English troopers Is the writer in the Saturday
RevieV utterly ignorant of the past that he orges
the immense amount OF organized life expended by his
government in various against savagcs or demi-
savages-for instance ST. Domingo? Has he forgotten
Whtelocks failure at Buenos Ayres or the disasters
Cabul or tho Maroon war lor TO go back little fur
ther English failures in North America among these
Braddock's defeat2
sentence this-There is therefore, certain ante
cedent feeling OF contempt in the British mind for
American soldership, &c
As a set of TO this we present the counter testimony
OF an English officer accepted an expert OF the first
order by the English He speaks, in preface 10 ono
OF his recent works as follows-Of the essays here
republshed the last four relate TO the great war in
America the military excellence displayed IN which
has been unduly deprecated by comparison with late
events the Continent There is disposition 10
regard the American generals and the troops they led
altogether inferior 10 regular soldiers. This preju
dice born out OF the blunders and want OF coher-
exhibited by undscplned volunteers at the outset
faults amply aoned by the stubborn courage displayed
both sides throughout the rest of the struggle while
If mans claims to be regarded at veteran are TO be
measured by the of actual lighting he has gone
through tho most seasoned soldiers OF Europe but
conscrpts compared with the of that
hct. The conditions Of war on u grand scale were
illustrated TO the full much in the contest
IN America as in those more recently waged
the Continent In all that relates to the art of feed
ing and supplying army the Americans displayed
quite as much ability as any Continental Power while,
II the organization and discipline of their improvised
troops inferior, the actual lighting was in fact
more stubborn, for European forces have expert
enced the amount of resistance in combat which
North and South opposed to each other. Neither
the frequently indecsive result OF the great battles
fought in America any proof that they formed exccp
tions to the ordinary rules OF military SCIENCE These
actions nconclusive-1rst, from deficiency in
cavalry, and next because the beaten side would not
break up The American soldery IN thus refusing to
yield 10 panic when losing the day, retiring in good
order and keeping good front to the victorious
enemy, displayed let us venture to believe an in
horited quality In order 10 pursue there must be
some away, and, TO the credit of the Amer
cans the ordinary conditions of European warfare in
this respect were usually absent from the great battles
fought Atlantic, Hence, partly, the frequent
repetition of the struggle. almost on the same ground
of which the last Campaign OF Grant and Lee is the
crowning example. Nor have those who study the
deeds wrought by Farragut and Porter, with impro
vised means, any reason 10 hold American sailors
Ifrhf flV af thQ
hat raised the fleets they led Nt
1t all sufficient to vndicate the magnificent soldier
ship OF people IN Mexico TO contrast II with what
the French accomplished IN the same country, for /
which two of their generals were made field marshas
without obtaining single success to compare with |
either of the principal trumphs OF the American
arms. Forey made marshal Tor capturing COM
paratvely open town. aiter ong siege WITH every ad
vantage in his favor whereas Scott took Vera Cruz,
strongly fortified and garrisoned, after siege OF low
days with the advantages largely IN favor OF the I
enemy.
Again he speaks of Northern successes as due alone
to superior numbers In "the open' or comparatively
open," on equal terms, the rebels cannot boast oi
Al Gettysburg the armies were about equal If
either was stronger it was the rebels, the eder
ais AT Nashville the real superiority OF strength was
with Hood At Shiloh PtLsbarg Landing the rebels
enjoyed advantages which the vIctors lacked These
were the three truly decisive battles of the At
Chattanooga the Union army stormcd and took posi-
tons which should have been mpregnable and tue
vicors had nothing like the odds in their iayor to
which they were entitled
There never has been such downright hard fighting
and honest dying in harness exhibited by North
erners our four years conflict To deny the same
manliness the rebels would be taking exactly the
course followed by the English writer No Ameri- I
can gentleman has denied imperturabe /
courage TO British troops; and Americans very !
seldom seek throw discredit their achievements.
Nevertheless, there were numbers OF American reg-
ments that lost in single collisions than the
English in the Baaklava charge, without making any
fuss about it The Northern troops displayed much
calm courage in their attack on Lees lines at Freder-
icksburg, although il ended in defeat, as English troops
any OF their most distinguished fields OF victory.
The English column at Fontenoy did not suffer
severely or retire more gloriousy than Humphreys |
division which came OF the slaughter pit singing
to testify that IL physically they could succeed
morally they not beaten. The First Maine Heavy I
Artillery in an assault at Petersburg more men in
few minutes without shrinking than oil the English at
Balaklava.
The British failed at Bergen op Zoon and at the
Redan, and yet Americans. ever cast a stone at /
them. In the late Ashantee war; If the report of dis
interested eye witness is correct the victorious Eng
lish very glad to get out of that" and back TO
the coast as soon as possible.
II Is utterly impossible for generous mind to COM
prehend a certain class OF English military writing. |
These always seem TO ertcse in spirit Of malice or
envy, some such feeling II is only since Prussia |
has become very great and strong Power which is
dangerous TO abuse that English writers have begun
70 put just estimate upon the decisive influence OF
Butcher at Waterloo.
They seem to write Of the United States-and espe-
cialy of the Northern Statesin spirit of deprecia
ton, for fear that the OF collision honest
appreciation American vaor might take the edge or
their own peoples appetite for fighting.
While thus reviewing this reviewer American SOL
diers can afford to look down with contempt on re-
vIval of system which ii to be hoped that COM
sense had buried beyond resurrection.
In the royal nagnidcence Of grand results without
example a nation like the United States afford
pass in silence the barking which might
noy but has long since lost its power to excite any
other feeling than pity for such prejudice and igno-
And with the sincere desire that duh eyes may
clearly and perverse hearts judge justly
IL is 10 be hoped that American officers will demon
strate their appreciation Of the class 10 which this
belongs by letting them severely alone and not
extend to them any courtesy beyond the strctest line
OF duty Such articles this the Saturday ReUeto
been too often the reward Of American magnanm-
ity and hospitality. ANCHOR
Essays in Modern Military Biography by Lieutenant Col
onel G. CheSney, Roy al Engineers
ARMY AND NAVY CLUB.