Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-02-01
.1ewlu and wonhded d. klnednlnetccn Of

LOWS and wounded or rkinednlnetcon Of
his companions. .,..I.. .l..
have heard wounded soldiers gropn-
ing under great pain, but ncvor heard
them crying out or using profnne Ian
\ gmgc. When hnlting on horseback on
the right Of the Thirty-foimth Massa.
ehusetts, In the battle OF Now Market,
tho regiment was under fire at close
range for about forty minutes, losing
two hundred mon in killed and womd-
cd, but not loud cry was heard from
those who were wounded. I
As n general rulo, our troops consist
cd of good men individually, who woro
not willing TO leave their positions
without showing fight But oven tho
best troops have given way by having
been attacked unuwnrcs or on account
OF other extraordinary circumstances
that created momentary confusion and
u panic. One of tho most common
causes was the want Of preparation re-
sulting in tho surprise Of the men OF
whole armies or smaller independent
| bodies of troops and detachments. Tho
surprise Of an army consists in this, that
1t allows another army 10 approach un.
awares until so close that IL can throw
itself with full force upon its antagonist.
Such was tho case at Shiloh when the
whole Southern army was in limo OF
bnttle ready for attack only three miles
distant from our own lincs--or rather
incohcrcnt encumpmcnts. The result
was sanguinary contest under great
disadvantages, dissolution and 'pap-
icky' retreat OF part OF our troops
who were ignorant of what was OK
pected, and were not advised as to what
they had to do. They we're moments
urily paraly2ed. But then came the
change the arrival OF new troops on
The same evening and next day This
also changed the morale OF tho b dly
scared forces and led them TO victory.
Thus troops will break or fight, accord
ing to the bad or good circumstances.
There were many instances OF sur
priscs during the war, such as the at
tack ON Casey's divi sion and the attack
OF Jackson on the right wing OF tho
Army of the Potomac during The seven
days fighting in tho Peninsula; tho
attack on Popo's right wing by Long
streets corps in the second battle of
Bull Run, and the attack on the Fif-
tecnth Corps in the battle Of Atlanta,
whore General Mcpherson fell.
Another cause which has sometimes
changed the serricd ranks of brave
men into panic-strickcn locks is that OF
MISLEADING hostile troops for our own.
As, for instance, in the battle of Cor
inth, when Southern brigade consist
ing OF the Second Texas and Nineteenth
and Twenty-iirst Alabama, under the
personal direction of General Hardee,
moved forward with careful warning
that breckenridge was in their front
engaging the enemy. But this said
Colonel Moore, of the Second Texas
was II mistake, because when the
brigade was advancing the right was
received by most murderous fire. So
sudden was the shock that the whole
line gave way in utter confusion. The
regiment became so scattered and
became fruitlcss.
There were many revcrses during
the late war, and many mistakes-evcn
blundcrs-but in most cases they were
not owing to the rank and file. In re-
gard to individual character, i. G., man
hood and bravery, and in regard TO ay-
crage intclli ence there was no better
soldier in the world than the Ameri-
can. Considering his poorpreparation
and lack of experience, especially dur
ing the first period OF the war, we
might say that heshqs. done wonder
ftllywdll. He always did we'll provi-
ded he knew for what purpose, against
whom and under whose command he
was fighting. General Franz Sigel, In
MY. Mail aud Express. fFk4s