The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-11-26
[From Treasure Trove.l
The Fighting Force of America.

ut TUECc VI
In the four years that followed the
uprising of the South, the people of
the North furnished to the Union
nearly three million Of men; and the
South gave to the armies of the Con-
federacy over one million more. From
less than thirty-two million of inhab-
itants. and within the space of four
years, four million of men were under
arms in that terrible conflict. Con-
template the fact that one in every
eight of our entire population, or one
! in 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 countrymen. In the
entire military history of the world
there is nothing to be compared to
that martial enthusiasm Of our coun-
trymen. The celebrated uprising Of
the French people in 1893, and that
of nearly a century later in their war
with Germany, sink into insignificance
when compared with the tide that
moved southwark to join the armies
of the Union and Confederacy.
It is the boast Of Germany, the
greatest military nation of modern
times, that, with population OF
forty-one million, she can in time OF
war furnish an army of a million and
a Quarter men; but in the war Of the
Rebellion, the North, with popula-
ton of only twenty-three million, had
in actual service, at the close OF that
contest, more than one million men.
The hero of Appomattox, during the
cam paigns of 1854 and '65, command
ed more soldiers than any other Cen
eral since the fall of the Roman En-
pire.
We are accustomed to think of
Waterloo as the greatest battle Of
modern times, but in six engagements
of the war Of the rebellion the loss on
one side or other was greater than
that of Wellington and the allied
forces at Waterloo. The loss of the
Union army in the battle Of the Will
derness nearly equaled the entire loss
of both armies on the field of Water
loo. No battle has ever been fought
in the continent Of Europe with
greater determination or with as
much loss as that Of Gettysburg.
But the sacrifice of blood only kept
pace with that Of treasure. Our war
expenses during the last year of
the Rebellion exceeded one thou
sand million of dollars. The expenses
of the great wars between France and
England during the career of Napo-
leon and the French revolution bore
no comparison to that Of our late war.
The greatest sum Of money expended
during a single year was by Great
Britain, in 1915, when it amounted to
less than two-thirds Of the expendi-
ture of the North during the year
ending in 1865.
For half a century, Waterloo had
stood in history, song and story, with
out a parallel. It was reserved for
the descendants of the men who
fought under the Duke in that IA
nous engagement to convince the
world that courage and tenacity had
not degenerated since the days of
Waterloo. Gettysburg may fairly be
said to be the greatest battle Of mod
ern times. The numbers engaged ex-
ceeded those of Waterloo; the dura-
ton Of the battle was longer, and the
loss greater. More than one-third of
the Union army. and nearly one-half
Of the Confederate, were killed,
wounded or missing in that engage
ment. The famous charge by Pickett
on the third day. and its subsequent
repulse, will live for all time in his
tory. The famous "Old Guard" vet
Grams in the service Of France, victors
on many hard-fought field, possess
ing the courage and spirit peculiar to
their nation and race, wavered before
the first voliey from the English bat
terry at Waterloo, and at the second
fell back in confusion But Pickett's
division at Gettysburg, with less men
than the "Old Guard" advanced a
mile under the CALLING fire Of our bat
teries, its lines unbroken. the living
stepping into the place Of the dead,
and engaged our forces in hand to
hand fight for the possession Of Gem
etery Ridge. S. L. POWERS.
Near Jefferson Barracks are several
high-license saloons kept by men of