The National tribune., 1888-12-13
IGNnRANCE o. - wAR.

AN@ANefA+A~~A
if people thoroughly understood the his
tory Of the war. Americans are a very CRATE
ful people, and disposed to be generous to
those who have suffered for them or done
them a service. Wherever one of them thor
ougbly understands just what service during
the war meant-where he compIehends the
sacrifices, the bardships. the courage of the
soldiers, and the deadly perils they encoun-
tered, be is sure to feel that the country
cannot do too much for them.
The trouble has been to have this knowl-
edge generally difused. This is more
difficult task than anyone who has not
attempted it can imagine. In spite of the
voluminous writing on the subject since the
war, there is yet the most astonishing lack
Of knowledge as to the real cost of the war
TO the men who actually fought it through.
There is an abundance of reasons for this.
The greater part of our war literature is
merely descriptive of the great campaigns,
or the achievements of prominent Generals.
1t tells that such an army or such corps
moved from this point to that point, and
back again to some other point, and lost so
many men killed. wounded and missing,
while inhicting a greater or less loss upon
the enemy.
1t hardly touches the sympathies or moves
the feelings of the reader more than the
statement of an equation in algebra. 1t
does not picture to the mind that every mile
of that forward OF backward march was
probably made either through apparently
fathOmless mud under drenching rains, or
in sitting dust under blistering suns, and
that every man IN the long columns had to
have the unquailing soul of a hero and q
patriot to carry him forward through all
these difficulties to encounter the enemies of
his country in mortal strife What, for ex-
ample, would induce man of to-day to wade
through the mud and rain from Washington
TO the Rappahannock, carrying his tent, ra-
tons and gun, and join in deadly assault
upon fierce Toes In their lair upon the river
banks? Yet the men of the Army of the
POtmac did that not only once but several
times, and that was only a small part of
their whole experience. Few people think
Of this, because it is rarely written about in
detail.
The veterans themselves are to a certain
extent responsible for the lack of popular
appreciation of the terrible character of that
service. When they meet together in Re-
unions, at Campfres, or elsewhere, they never
dwell on the awful storms, the frightful
strain Of the marches, the terrible discom-
forts of every hour. the sickening perils, the
gnawing anxieties, the anguish Of defeat,
the crushing sorrows of mangled and slain
comrades. SOldier-Iike, they put these I'M
happy things as far out of sight as possible,
and talk Of the fun, the excitement, the
larks of soldering, until their hearers are
Inclined to think that three years service in
the army was merely prolonged picnic
TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE is the only
publication in the country that attempts to
tell what soldering really meant-to give a
faithful picture of that prolonged and awful
mental and physical strain which the men
who wore the blue underwent from the day
Fort Sumter was fired on until Appomattoz
crowned all our banners with glory. II
presents realistic pictures of what the wal
actually was to the men who sacrificed every
thing to save the country. 1t is constantly
telling the plain, unvarnished tale of the
days which tried mems souls.
Boys, We all know that war is simply
he'll" said Gen Sherman in his usual incis
i've way. TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE teaches
the people that this was no exaggeration
and though there were occasional CLEANS 0
fun and pleasure in the soldiers life, mucl
F the greater part was really internal in it
misery and its cruelties, and that no amour
of money can properly compensate thos
who endured it all to gain for the countr.
the peace and prosperity she now enjoys.
This is why the comrades should all exer
themselves 10 extend our circulation. Ever
paper is a missionary in their behalf, spread
r ing true knowledge of their services an
, sacrifices and teaching the forgetfuI peopl
! a proper appreciation of what is due then
e If every man in the country could be
: reader of the paper, there would be no ques
ton about the speedy enactment of a
5 proper pension legislation. The peopl
q would demand that the Treasury be emptie
] into the pockets of the men who at sue
4 fearful cost to themselves made the countr
what it Is to-day.
e THEY DO NOT APPRECIATE.
I" How many men were killed on the UniC
side at Gettysburg?" asked middle-age
i