Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-06-16
Mark Twain's Respo{ss

~ iitA lttNtiAA- VI Aiit -AEnA Nl the I u
omlc in Hartford last Teck Mark TWAIN
was called on to respond TO the regular
toast, The benefit of judicious uauing.'
He responded as follows
let but the thoughtful civilian instruct
the soldier in his duties, and the victory is
sure. Ma,tin FaquLar Tapper on the
/ AT of' Mar.
MK CHAIRMAN: ] gladly join with my
I feilow-townsmen in extending hearty vel
come 10 these illu>'rious Generals and these
I war->carred soldiers OF the Republic. This
is a proud daN for uS. and. If the sincere de-
sire Of our hearts has been fulfilled. it has
not been an unpleasant dan for chem. ! am
in full accord. Sir, with the sentiment of the
toast. for ! have liWN, maintained With
enthusiasm that the ouly wise and true wa,
is ioI the soldier to fight the battle and the
unpsejgGiycd civilian 10 tell him how to do
n. Vet when ! was invited TO respond 70
th.> joa>, and furnish this advice and IN
>;rlc;ion. was almost A. much embarrassed
a, | was grs,Ihcd. for | could bring go this
great service bat the one virtue 81 absence
Of prejudice and st opinion. sui. but one
other qualification vas needed and It was
Of only MINOR Importance. ! mean. kuowl-
edge of the subject Therefore ! was not
di>hcar'eucd. fer could acquire that. there
being two weeks go spare. \ GENERA. of
high rauk in This Arm, Of the Potomac
sad two weeks was really more than ]
would need for the purpose. lie had known
people of my stlie who had learned enough
in - hour, TO enable them to advise an
army. Aside from the compliment. this was
gratifying. because il confirmed an impress
sion had had before. lie told me 10 20 to
the United States Military Academy at
West Point and said. in his iowcry pro-
feSsinnal way that the Cadets would load
me up" | went there and stald two DAYS.
and HI, prediction proved correct. make
no boast on my own aCcount-uone. All
know about military matters ! got from the
gentlemen ar West Point. and To them be-
longs the credit They treated me with
courtesy from the first. but when nv mission
Wa revealed, this mere courit>, hiu>somcd
into warmost zeal. Everybody. officer, and
all, put down their work and turned their
whole attention 10 giving me military intJg-
nation. Every question asked was prompt
Is aul oAhaus,.,tiv au>scrcd therefore !
feel proud To state that IN the advice which
! am about 10 gi,c YOU D. soldiers. am
backed zap by thc highest mi3iar, Authdui,
in the laud-sc>. iu 'hr world. If an Amer
can does >al it-Nr>i Point
To begin. gentlemen. vncn an engage
mcui il mcal;Iied. Il i> best 20 feel the rnc-
my hrNi. that is. Il q Is night. for a. one Of
the Cadets explained 20 me. loa d" uo: need
10 ir'. ham Iu The daytime. hecau>, YOU can
see him then. never should have thought
OF that. but IL >, true perfectly true In
the dat -imt itr methods Of procedure ar,
Various. hai ;3r br>' !; seems 9" m,. j. one
which VAS introduced hN Gen. Grant. Gen.
brIni a!NAAs sent au active Young man re-
doubt 10 rrcUuHa.irr and got The enemy
bearings. ! got tA4~ from "a aicl officer AZ
The FONT. "Ag Todd ne he used 90 be ge-
doubt on Ge. GRANT = staff. and st. done
X "'ttA. When 'lr hoat i"r %, battle is
come, move 10 the mead With C,.,rtN foo,
aHal no time nArr This head ] ~a> told
% ia'orl'c maxim ~ Gea. >arroau' 8.
Nrh- sheridan a."at> sad. III 'te siege
tram !,n ready. dnaf W4t--u at aa1
trans that are handy tn ct th,rl Is TIE
main thing. Nov. that j, THE correct ilrA-
~ You approach TOE held il e better 90 get
out and wax. IHl' gives Nou a better
chance 10 dispose OF Your forces judIologsh
Tor the assault. Get YOUR artillery ~ posi-
ton aHd throw ont slTasglyr, 10 tie uEh'
ana leit 10 hold l"ur lines Of rrmmCEl,A-
ton against surprise. See That every bod
Garner connected "uh mortar battery Is
a, hl> post. lhtt told me al the Point That
Napoleon ae~pl>'1 mortar batteries. aat
never would Use Them lie SAID TIA; iur
re.A tih@tuet tc Wu-...n give haitu. It
bf'NHa'N lur ton ~ mortar. h1"eNcs.
mat l. aA Ar Anc" about IT, lNrn lhiu-
beng ready ioF 'ne assault. You Want :"
enc! 'ar L,.. VIII A"HE baggage 10 the
h""'. lA!' '"'a Vs. .n'ei.ic4 log n"r re-
h""A'd guest '''n- SHERMAN lAeN '".l
nc ihat ''h. sherman ~AiI That the trunks
an" pA--.'-' maze " GOOD protection Tor tAr
>"Iu4'I'. "4l ti4Ii eA'eAk ta'A attract the Al
t'-t4"H anu Ti''' lhe interest 81 iLr enemy,
ana 'h'> Ellc' You 4u opportunity q" "hr.
'i' "'A'I ti4 ol Inc column aIouha anu AL
lAtA "lu1 I'D the rear i nave gwen good
e,-' oil >'-4N la 'hi> tactic since learned
ABOUT H. anu il appears (" me X j. d !A'-
"."S goo" '4'a- Never tich on Your r.
SERVES al Inc start MS Na> Napoleon
HL> instant Al a''io". Next De assault
ca WIN h!> u1h'b-pEool> And amhaiAneo>
ana eh"Ta>uFe>' when he ought 10 have
u>t- u heavier @il!itTl. IAi4!t, ne Ictl'ta
Ms FSht by ut"rhd-"hich uncovered Ills
P.'Ae'> "htH Ms ON! p">'!b..IiN OF success
Jay III uOuo''ilS up ms 'tILe' NAM hl ndAh'
ana throwing out ms '.srahL de frise 10y
Inc lcit oo-Ique TO relieve the >Airhi>h line
ana confuse me ehemN-h such d man"uNr'
would confuse nm ana al West Point they
SAID IL would. II was about TINS time that
me Emperor h-a NO horses shot under him.
10" "i'eh you Sc tnf remark that Gen.
H"-"hS-Ho d, sueH ana SUCH 1d'tt HAD
Two or thFee horses shot under HIM Gen.
BURNSIDE and MANY great European military
men, a. Ma> informed by high artillery
ofhter al west FONT nave lust! character
i@rI ms as "ah'"" waste oi pryecitie>.
/ ana he impressed upon mt d conversation IN
+ the Tent OF TIE FFaN>!an chiefs al hT4'e-
! lclie, IN TIE course OF which our honored
guest Ju,t referred to-Gen bu.n'gle-ob-
served that 4 YOU can't aim a horse 80 a.
/ 10 mt the General Win II, shoot It over hun.
and You ma! bag something On the other
| slHe' whereas morse shot under GENERAL
~ CO ~ sois ~ t-i'''i'e !, aT'ee 1oiLi''i
si' ~ 1',u ii,a,'H N"o"s
I S.-' '.i' a 'iiie!iN'' ot I'M
60 ~. -' .1.i'' Va o'i' II'-s 80
. a'-u 49, SIN 4: g. v.il. t''e.