The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-06-13
SoIoirrs' Column.
General Sherman Answers Some
Interesting Questions.

General Sherman" asked Captain
MattoX, " do you think if there was
another war that as good material would
offer itself as in the last war-material
like Grant, Sherman, 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 out, and they'll
make as good generals, too. What they
want is the opportunity. That is what
makes men great. Why, in '61 out of
1000 officers of the army there wasn't
one who would put his hand on Grants
shoulder and say, Here's the greatest
general of the war; They didn't
know then. 1t takes the opportunity
to bring them out, There is the max
ing of as great generals now in the
army as there was then. There always
will 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
question from Captain w. G.. Smith,
"will be a terrible slaughter. Men
won't be able to come together and
fight. These machine guns are terri
BILE things, and with them war will be as
bloody as big slaughter-house. War
won't be fought over again as it was in
'61-'65 and in 10 across the water
Those were hand-to-hand engagements
almost. Men fought close to one
another, and physical strength and
powers counted for good DEAL but in
the next war all that will be changed
Then it will be slaughter with these
terrible machines that fire thousands
of bullets in minute or So" Gen
eral," asked an inquisitive young man,
:" do you think that the strong, robust
young fellows from the country make
better soldiers than the young men
from the city?' "The late war; re-
piled the general, " demonstrated the
fact that the boys from 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 killed many strong young
farmer boy, 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 myself. 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 again l think the greatest army
will be made up of the railway men.
In the first place, they are strong
physically. In the second place, they
have learned obedience and have
learned to obey all orders without ques-
tioning them. This wasn't so in the
late war, for then men had to be taught
obedience, and their lesson was bitter
one sometimes. But, as l was saying,
the railway men will make grand
army. They, above all other things,
are Injured to life of irregularity. They
are used to fatigue and hardships, to
long hours of work without rest. This
irregularity of life, 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 to shoulder a gum
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