The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-21
SHAM MILITARY REGULATIONS.
The Men Who Really Won the Victory in the
War for the Union.

The Men Who Really Won the victory In the
War for the Union.
Frank wilkeson. in New York Sun.
AS we, year by year, grow away from the war,
and the number of men who carried a rifle or
swung sponge staff among ..inls guns grows
smaller, the country is flooded with mythical
accounts OF this or that officers wonderful dis
play of courage on such and such fields and the
| rising generation is called upon to admire the
gallantry of the warlike commanders of their
ancestors. Iprotest against the further manu-
facture of sham military reputation. / have
seen some of 1t manufactured. | know, and all
soldiers know, that the greater portion OF the
stories now current must be false
An officer dies, ard at once the newspapers
and magazines are filled with accounts of his
bravery, and of the valorous deeds he per-
formed, and how he saved the Union such a
battle field. We are solemnly told that his pres
ence inspired his troops, just ready to break,
already in flight and they, nerved by glance
OF his blazing eyes, reformed, and rushed
madty on the foe and snatched victory from de-
feat This is rot. unmitigated rot. The dis
tingushing characteristics OF the American vol
unteer were his independence of thought his
want of reverence for those in authority, and
his ability to take care Of himself IN battle and
to correctly judge of its tide. He had no respect
for any general whom he did not believe to pos
sess the qualifications essential to great COM
mander. Therefore none of our general officers
inspired him at all. When the volunteer fought on
the offensive he fought well and steadily as long
as he thought there was prospect of success. On
the defensive he would fight to the death ii he
knew that it was essential to the safety of the
army to hold the position he occupied. He
would assault earthworks it mattered not how
strong they were, savagely, and carry them
if it was possible But having once seen
the work at close range, and having
thoroughly felt of its defenders and realized
that the line could not be carried, he would not
again make determined assault In one in
stance, at Cold Harbor. in 1864. the
Army of the Potomac openly refused to make
a second assault on works they had been ND to
in the morning The privates had seen the con-
federate works, their general officers, Of whom
we hear so much in these days. had not, and the
privates considered themselves just as well quail
fed to judge OF their capacity to carry earth
works by assault as any general officer, it mat
tered not how high his rank, who had not seen
the works, and who evnced no burning desire
to inspect their strength at close range. 1t is
true that the troops who refused to renew the
assault at Cold Harbor cheerfully sprung to the
assault at Petersburg few days later, but they
had not seen the latter works. and they had
sufficient confidence in General Grants ability
as commander to believe that he would not
have ordered an assault unless there had been
some prospect of success-and that is where
they fooled themselves. None of our generals
could have forced their troops to make another
determined assault on the confederate lines at
Petersburg
At present we hear of how such and such gem
heroes are pictured to the youth of our land as
going into action on horseback, waving sword in
hand and far in advance of their charging line
The gallant officer Is popularity supposed to have
impregnated the air, his brigade, or division or
corps breathed with his dauntless courage and
the inspired privates eagerly followed him to
victory or death. | have seen many charges de-
livered by both Union and confederate troops
have seen our men, with blanched faces and
set jaws, and their eyes blazing with battle
If0hf cfp tfaa 1x.1
full speed at earthworks behind which Lees
veteran infantry lurked, and almost always get
whipped. Then have seen the line in gray
charge Union earthworkS or Oattle-lineS, and
have seen them melt away before the heat of
our fire; but never the recklesslv brave gen
srel officers we hear so much about at present
lead any of these troops into action. have seen
them closely followed by their brigade officers but
/ never saw them lead In truth, what business
would an officer have In front of his men when
they were in action9 He would be in the line of
their fire, and would surely be killed. The youth
of America should understand that matter
how far into an action an officer thrusts himself,
by mistake or intention, thousands of privates
were, OF necessity fighting far in advance of him.
1t matters not how courageous the officer was,
every full regiment Of American volunteers con-
tanned hundreds of men equally brave. and who
always fought in front of him.
All privates have seen divisions, and corps and
army headquarters, and none ever saw them
pitched among the troops in place of danger
No one ever heard of a general officer being
killed in camp. We are told that these gallant
men habitually rode the Dattle-line or line of
trenches, and that they smiled at humming bull
lets. and laughed solid shot and bursting shells
to scorn. 1t is true that brigade commanders
were the battle-line. Division commanders
were conspicuous by their absence and
the presence of a division commander
among his troops was so unusual that il at
tracted the attention of the soldiers. and was
always remarked upon. What business has an
officer commanding from ten to forty Thousand
men to be in tho heat and smoke Of . battles