Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-10-18

NSA3
[crectly stated, he knew what he was
imposed to be fighting for. Hence,
side from the necessary obedience of
riders and subordination to discipline
imposed by his position as soldier, he
vas independent in his views, disposed
b be critical of his superior officers on
afe occasions, and was sometimes
,iven to pointing out the mistakes of
treat generals and telling how cam
,aigns that had been attempted could
ave been very much better conducted.
This criticism was not-all of it as
uredly was not-ignorant and weak.
General Sherman has told us in his
>ook of personal memoirs of his visits
advanced posts, his free talk with
he private soldiers and of their very
requent shrewd guesses at contem-
plated future movements, and their
ensible observations upon movements
progress This is readily accounted
or by the intelligence Of the soldier,
by his habit of keen observation, by
his facility of picking up information,
and by his close reading Of the current
newspapers. He kept himself we'll
posted as to the general situation in
this way, and was often quite as COM
petent to criticise or advise as those
who were in authority over him.
The private soldier had an effective
way of sizing up" his officers. From
Generals down to Lieutenants, he was
hever deceived nor misled by show or
blllster. Deeds and not words We're
most convincing with him. The Gen
era 1c whom, ba o,,,,ovo1 ,,oro of tho
fighting kind. He had a secret, often
decidedly expressed, contempt for
the paper-collar and general-order style
OF commanders, who were heard from
everywhere but at the time of battle.
| am not losing sight Of my subject.
but the suggestion of the relation Of
the private soldier to his officers re-
minds me at once of the immense adj
vantage that the Union cause had over
the Confederate in the popularity Of
President Lincoln with the army.
From the first call to arms down to the
day Of the assassination, the President
had the love and the confidence Of the
Union soldier. His plain, simple char
acter, his common-sense expressions,
aud his heartiness to thousands OF the
soldiers whom he met, both after great
reviews and at the White House, as
we'll as on his frequent visits to the
hospitals, fixed him firmly in their
affections as their friend. There never
Was a time when he could appear
before even single regiment without
receiving a spontaneous outburst OF
cheers. The soldiers loved him; they
talked of him around their camp-tires
III strain of affection and pride; there
was not an incident occurring in those
Stirring days showing his tenderness
10 the soldier-and such incidents were
Plenty enough-but it quickly came to
'he field and was talked OF amcog the
soldiers. This quality Of the Chief
Executive of the United States OF WIN
mig the armies to him, was OF the
steatest service to the cause. No man m;
sall tell what it did not do for us: Inc
naents and dement's of Mcclellan, OF
burnside, Hooker, Meade, even Grant,
were earnestly and sometimes fiercely
aeoated about the camp-fres. AS to
escA there was always strong minority
:" o opposition, but when the question
n was mooted as to "Old Abe" there
were no two opinions. In the judg
h nent Of the soldiers, freely expressed,
IT. ", was the man to have at the head OF
aahaslrs; he was one whom they could
a aauerstand and appreciate, and they
saye him their perfect confidence. >,
" NOW cast glance at the other SIDE.
We make the parallel in no invidlous