The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-03
OUR FIGHTING FORGE.
Ts. L. Powers, in Exchange.I

In the four years that followed the up- rising of the south, the people of the north furnished to the armies of the Union nearly 900 GOO of men and the south gave to the armies of the Confederacy over 600 GOO more. From less than B 900 900 of inhabitants, and within the space of four years, 1000 900 of men were under arms in that terrible conflict Contemplate the fact that one in every eight of our entire population, or one tn every four of our male population, was actually engaged in that contest, and you get some idea of the terrible drain that the war was on the flesh and blood of our couptymen. In the entire military history of the world there is nothing to be compared to that martial enthusiasm of our countrymen. The celebrated up- rising of the French people in I7os, and that of nearly century later in thelr war with Germany, sink into insigniicance when compared with the tide that moved southward and northward to join the armies of the Union and Coufederacy It is the boast of Germany, the greatest military nation of modern times, that with a population of Al ooo, GOO, she can in eiaA'~ SA " oA ASAhAoA d4 my LII Z1O COO men but in the war of the reoeilron the north, with population of only 23 GOO. oco had in actual service, at the olose oi that contest, more than I 900 GOO men. The heIo of Appomat'ox, dunng the cam paigns of 1864 and S. commanded more soldiers than any other general since the fall of the Roman empire. We are &C., customed to think of Waterloo as the greatest battle of modern times, but in six engagements of the war of the Rebel. lion the loss upon one side or the other was greater than that of Wellington and the allied forces at Waterloo. The loss of the Union army in the battle of the wilderness nearly equaled the entire loss ot both armies on the field of Waterloo No battle has ever been fought in the continent of Europe with greater deter imitation or with as much loss as that of Gettysburg. But the sacrifice of blood kept pace with that of treasure. Our war expenses during the last year of the Re bellion exceeded Sf 900 GOO GOO The ex- penses of the great war between France and England dGring the career of Ma poleon and the French revolution bore no comparison to that of our war. The greatest sum of money expended during single year was by Great Britain in 1915, when it amounted to $I3I 900 900 or less than two-thirds of the expenditure of the north during the year ending in 1865. For half a century Waterloo had stood in history, song and story, without parallel. It was reserved to the descendants of the men who fought under the duke in that famous engage ment to convince the world that couY age and tenacity had not degenera,ed since the days of Waterloo. Gettysburg may fairly be said to be the greatest battle of modern times. The numbers engaged exceeded those of Waterloo the duration of the battle longer, and the loss greater More than one-ihird Of the Union army, and nearly one-haf the Confederate, were killed, wounded or missing in that en- gagement. The famous charge by Pick cit on the third day, and Its subsequent repulse, will live for all time in military history. The famous Old Guard" vet ersns in the service of France, victors on many hard-fought field, possessing the courage and spirit peculiar to their nation | and race, wavered before the first volley | from the English batteries at Waterloo, | and at the second fell back in confusion | But Pickett division at Gettysburg, with less men than composed the "Oid Guard" advanced mile under the gall ing fire of our batteries, its lines unbrok. en, the living stepping into the place of the dead, and engaged our forces in hand hand fight for the possession of Cemetery Ridge.