The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-07-06
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The Uharantar Of the SnlGier.

Inc SOlGlefy, OF course, paftOOk OF
al the varied, Kaleidoscope character
If our population, and whether or not
Is = general rule they become worse
m orally in consequence of their army
experience is not easy to determine.
! Men who get the mining fever and con-
gregate in large numbers, separate from
home, wives, children, and refining So
.ety, are apt to present no very com
forting phases of human nature. The
hunters, the fishermen, the seamen, the
| iumbermen, and all men drawn togeth-
! ar away from the society and influence
! Of ladies become comparatively rough
/ In manners, habits and language. Sim
! liar effects do we find in the army, but
there is in the service a counteracting
discipline. Wrong-doing is discouraged
and punished. while good conduct is en-
couraged, good deeds commended and
/ conspicuous acts rewarded. From per-
sOnal knowledge | can testify that many
men become better [ remember Nc
/ Donald, of the Fourth Rhode Island
always faithful to his soldier duties.
| lie abandoned drinking and profanity
! i'll the army. l cannot forget his last
words to me: "How glad am, Gener-
! al, that | am wounded, and not you"
| recall Harry Stinson, Of the Fifth
! Maine, who learned to look more and
more to his Heavenly Father for strength
while a prisoner of war. He was after
ward promoted by several grades to a
! Lieutenant Colonelcy. and till his death,
| some years after, exhibited all the
! graces of a pure, constant and sef-de-
nying life.
A visitor to an army hospital speaks
I e Al. y u.
| his right arm close to the shoulder
/ ebay by day l found him CHEEKY and
| uncomplaining. At first he was over
! flowing with fun all the time, but at last
+! the terrible heat and strain upon his
| system so much reduced his strength
that there was only a mere twinkle in
his eye when l came in. and a word of
| cordial greeting. When he
| dropped his musket and reached round
/ to take his useless arm tenderly in his
| left hand and walk Off the field under a
| shower of balls, it was his first time off
| duty, after thirteen battles, since he en-
| tered the service. Low spirits
or complaint seemed impossible to
| him.
The Hon. F. p Smith, once Commits
| sioner of Indian Affairs, is responsible
! the soldier name Take this as type
of our soldiers loyalty to the country's
! flag and of unseltsh devotion to the
very end. During the charge up the
| Ridge missionary four soldiers were
seen bearing back comrade on blank
ct. When they laid down their burden
! | knelt down by him and said: Ser
geant, where did they lit your Most
| M f},o. CT, II Go,.rraoI,+
where did the ball strike you?' With
| in twentylyards of the top op-almost upr
| No, no, Sergeant. think of yourself for
wounded And throwing back the
blanket, I found his upper arm and
! shoulder smashed and inangied with a
shell. Turning his eye to look for the
first time upon his wound, the Sergeant
said: That is what did it. | was hug
ging the standard to my blouse and
when that ugly shell knocked me over.
If they had let ME alone a little longer
two minutes longer-I should have
| planted the colors on the top almost
up, almost up His own reg
iment. rallying under the colors that
had dropped from his shattered arm,
| was NIlcuJ Iilc 1cI
which the poor Sergeant had given his
life, but of which he was dying without
the sight.
| could multiply instances, but these
few are sufficient To suggest that in this
country we may find morality andre
ligion in the army; that q soldier is not
depraved to proverb; that virtue and
piety are not so rare as to be simply
I of ,.,I hot
! iibertineism, and intidelity are not by
any means necessary partof soldier S
uniform;' that profanity, drunkenness,
infidelity, and dueling are not the spec
ial characteristics of our army. These
crimes, it is owned with shame and sor-
row, prevail in our land, and more or
less atflict and curse the best regulated
company, but the army is not cOnSpicu-
Gus in this or any other vileness. The
Grand Army can easily furnish the rec
ord proof of soldiers, who like Thomas,
Candy, Fisk, Mitchell, Chamberlain,
Sewall. Whittlesey, and host of 9TH
ers. have been conspicuous in deeds of
Justice and beneficence, securing and
advancing human happiness; of soldiers
who, ike Greble, Camp, and Stinson,
have carried comfort to Wretchedness
and dried the tears of sorrow" of SOL
diers who, like Miles, Tillson, Saxton,
Swayne, Sprague, and Griffin, ''have
relieved the unfortunate. fed the hun
CRY. clothed the naked. dealt Justly, and
enlightened the ignorant of soldiers
who, like Grant, Hancock, Rosecrans,
Palmer, Sherman, Sheridan, Pope,
Meade. jameson, Butler, and multi
ftude of others, ''unfastened the fetters
Of the slave, and let the captive 90 free"
| From Gen. O.. O. HoUQrtfS Decoration
Dag address IN LeWistOn, he.