Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14

paiga, he might be called again to the head
of the armies of the United States in case Of
war with trst-class foreign power
Next to him would naturally, among the
living generals, come General j. M. Scho-
held, who is the present Commander in
Chief OF the Army. General Grant loved
him, hrst, because he so cheerfully CO.
operated with Grants own field operations,
even to the stripping himself of needed
forces. General Sherman trusted him, be-
cause he not only had the heart to help, but
as Sherman always said, ''an ability never
disputed to make large combinations"
QUALITIES OF THE SOLDIER.
One more question-What are the real
qualifications for military life? They do
not differ from the qualifications essential
TO any sort of outdoor work. We have over
6oO, 600 men on our railroads; they are under
the best possible discipline; never did an
army obey with more promptitude than does
the railway subordinate. can conceive of
no better fitting for all the hard work of an
active campaign, than that of the great mass
OF railroad workingmen from conductors to
switchmen, from the mechanics to the con-
structors and repairers of the track.
Notice again the vast armies of men
working in the mines-coal, copper, iron,
gold, silver, and SO on. Their muscles have
developed, they are capable of endurance,
and they are well fitted for hardy life, for
such is their own. We found many regi-
ments during the war made up of men who
were accustomed to too great regularities in
their eating and sleeping, always having
had three meals day and always sleeping
in bed at night. These men were not, if
may so speak, acclimated to their new life
when they came into camp or devoted them
selves to the activities of a military
campaign. Many of them became ill and
were particularly open to prevailing
diseases; if anybody had the measles, they
were the first to catch them; pneumonia and
typhoid fever often tripped them up.
ACCUSTOMED TO IRREGULARITY.
But city men, who were accustomed to
all sorts of Irregularities as to sleeping and
dieting, did much better. Western men,
who in planting new farms had been called
to endure all things in the way of privation,
exposure and hardship, made up regiments
of magnificent health and strength and
fitness.
Even the bravery of our young men is
called in question by some writers. There
is no reason whatever for such an assevera-
tion. Young men of different races, as a
general rule, are about the same in this re-
have any fear of regiment made up of
young men, white or black, who are born
and bred In this country; if their officers
have reasonable courage and good sense,
their men will 60 where they will lead.
With regard to drunkenness and immortality
charged against soldiers, have seen no
signs of it to any extent in our National
Guard. There is some wine drinking at the
festivals of the officer, but 1 do not think
that there is any more of wine drinking
among military men than among the other
social organizations which l have CHANGED
to observe.
DRUNK IN THE RANKS
Drinking is bad thing 1t is always a
hlndrance in any company, regiment or
brigade. A head clear of all confusion,
able to take in the situation, give the proper
commands and exact the proper obedience
TO ORDERS is much the best head for any,
thing touching military life. Drunken
leaders, drunken engineers, drunken artil-
lerymen or drunken cavalrymen bring only
confusion and loss 1t is as necessary to be
free from all the excitement and depression
of strong drink in the army as elswhere.
In the regular army few, very few
officers and soldiers, who occasionally be-
come intoxicated, being seen by multitudes
of our fellow-citizens, bring disgrace upon
the uniform, but the majority are as we'll
behaved and as sober men as those are with
whom they have TO do in civil life. 1t Is a
great mistake to impute drunkenness or i'm
to man because he is an Ameri-
can soldier. We have tried hard to be rid
Of all such blots upon our escutcheon.
OLIVER Otis HOWARD.