New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-30
ARCHIBALD FORBES on AMERICAN SOL
DIERY.

From an InerUeo In The Charleston Ee'es and Courier
Speaking OF these Connecticut troops, SAID he l
could not but be struck with that miraculous gut OF
talk which is the attrbu of the American citizen.
We Englishmen have habit OF looking down upon
a talking man and to agree with carlisle Wheh lie
saws the able man is the silent man. And am
bouud TO say that the first night was here.
when heard those Connecticut men get upon their
hind legs and crate freely, with good deal OF pun
combe thrown in, said 10 myself: Much that am
fold | will see tomorrow Will be promise without
fulflment. But II came about quite the other way.
And am free to say that 1t seems 10 me tat II tere
are great many regiments ike tlat ConhectlcuI
regiment which saw here on parade IN NATION, IL
don't want any standing army at ALL as they would
constitute far cheaper ana more eIecuVe loIce
than any standing army would be. have seen all
the armies III the world believe, from the Afghan
scalawags To the Russian Imperial Guards, ana
have never seen greater precision ana SonutE lhan
those men manifested On that dress parade; 10 me
il was a revelation and rather dlsagreeable reVe-
lation simply from this point of view, which you
can e1slIv understand, that | became palnfuly
aware that here was another factor III the world
capqbe Of beating us. man never llkes 10 ma
ont that the mum er of men stronger than hlnselI Is
ON IN, increase. We Eng.lshmen have been lndulg-
ing IN tine satisfaction that however the contlheha
countries might grow with their millions OF reserves
against our hundred or two hundred thOusahd
trained troops, we were yet capable OF sWaSL-Tln
over the United States in the matter OF drill and
discIuliue and puuctlllouS performance OF ey0lu-
lions But what | s&w yesterday proved 10 me JhaI
such was not the ease. These men lnarched anu
wheeled unite equal 20 our Grenadlcr Guard and l
don't think / have seen anything TO equal the pre-
cision IN the manual IN that dress parade III seemed
to ma, that the commanding officer. VINO went to the
front aud moved rs a piece OF mechanism and not
like creature with bowels in HIM at all, had ms
foot on an electric wire which co umuncated with
The REGIMENT and with every man IN the regiment,
and that each man was a mere autolnaton, nor
moved by ;he word OF command, but by their
rnlourrs foot ON the concealed wire IN the ground.
And what | admired most of ali was the absolute
rIl.i,lity of accuracy that was preserved III the
miuutcsf detail ::
m, ten lency of republican country like tins IS
q, d.u-r accuracy which does not bear frut right
away. Bu. the accuracy in military affair which
nnnGlrs GOOD To outsiders Is really tine means 10 an
rnf II n, lie evidence of that discipline which In
tune of danger may be found 10 have no other stable
reliance than by that cuusuctuGe when rigorous
drill and practice the intuition OF dlscIplhe' carries
with it. Discipline becomes second nature 70
soiti,--alnost first nature. The weak point OF all
volunteer improysed forces is that they have not
Thai amount of discipline that bc.olues engrailed
mo lie very nature OF the old soldier; But those
men seemed yesterday 20 have been that way SO
long that what they did was not tho result oil
thoughtfulness. il was not the result on a nrst
rrhr.rsal r second rehearsal, bu the performance
If a thing by rote. And they had come to that per
fecton MS naturally the taking OF cocktail All
tni. seems 10 come out OF an Innltc capacity lOf
taxing pains in these Connecticut people.