The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-06-13
A Talk With Sherman.

This is from a recent issue of the Gin
cinnati Commercial Gasefte General
sherman" asked Captain Matiox, do
you think If there was another war that
as good material would offer itself as in
the last war-material like Grant, sher-
man. Thomas, and Others"
"Why, certainly replied the General;
"there are as many good men in the
army now as there were when the war
broke cut, and they'll make as good gem
erals, too. What they want is the OPP
portunity. That is what makes men great
Why, in '6l out of the two thousand Of
ficers of the army there wasn't one wao
would put his hand on Grants shoulder
and say, Here's the greatest General Of
the war; They didn't know then. IL
takes the opportunity to bring men out
There is the making Of as great generals
now in the army as there was then. There
always viii be men who will come TO the
front in times of great emergency, and
there always was"
"The next war; said General Sherman
later. in answer to a question from Capt.
w. G.. Smith, :" will be a terrible slaugh-
ter Men won't be able to come together
and fight. These machine gunsare terri
BILE things, and with them war viii be as
bloody as . big slaughter house. War
won't be fought ever again as il was in
6i -G5. and in 20 across the water
Those were hand-tO-hand engagements
almost Men fought close 70 one anoth-
er, and physical strength and prowess
counted for a good deal, but in the next
war all that viii be changed. Then it
will be a slaughter with these terrible
machines that fire thousands ofbullets in
a minute or So
General asked an inquisitive young
man, do you think that the strong, ro-
bust young fellows from the country made
better soldiers than the young men from
the city?"
"The late war" replied the General.
demonstrated the fac. that the boysfrom
the city could stand more fatigue and
hardship and marching than the country
boys The boys from the country were
stronger always, but they were used to
regular life, and when they got into the
army the irregularity of the life, its hard
ship and exposure, weakened and finally
I-;llaI ,,,op,- o. c,r,r,, ,-ot.,,r f.rfuar hon
while the boys from the big cities, being
used TO irregular hours. irregular living
and unmethodical ways of life, could,
stand any amount of hardship without
going under This was proved by the
war. saw it proved in many cases my
self Young city chaps were tougher in
every way They weren't so strong
physically as the country boys. but then
they could stand the irregularity of army
life better
If there's ever a war in this country
againI think the greatest army will be
made up of the railway men. In the
first place, they are strong physically. In
tht secVhu psdeef tieY nave iedfheu
obedience, and have learned to obey all
orders without questioning them. This
wasn't so in the late war, tnen men had
to be taught obedience. and their lesson
was bitter one sometimes. But as was
saying, the railway men will make
grand army. They, above all others, are
Injured to life ofirregularity. Of They are
used to fatigue and the hardships of long
hours of work without rest. This irregu-
larity oflife, which all railroad men know
is fact, more than anything else will
make them the best soldiers in the world
but hope they will never be called upon
70 shoulder a gun