The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-03
CoLD-BLooDaD GgNE aALs.
Great Captains Who Were Celn Under
Very Trying Circumstances.

Great Captains Who Were Celnn Under
Very Trying Circumstances.
From the Youths Companion.
The great general should have a double
nature. In order that he may make prompt
and well-reasoned decisions he should be
calm and incapable Of excitement in great
and sudden emergeaeies. But, in order to
animate his soldiers and keep them up to a
high moral pitch, he should be capable of
enthusiasm and high spirits. IL is needless
to say that the two qualities are not often
| perfectly united, and that when they are
found SO Joined the result is a military
| genius. EspC-
Gen. Grant was one Of the coolest men in
the world, but his splendid confidence and
| cheerfulness often partook OF the nature OF
enthusiasm and inspired his soldiers, as well
as in after years his civilian fellow-citizens,
with ardent admiration and sympathy.
1t Is a somewhat strange thing that
France, the nation Of hot blood. should have
produced long line of generals who showed
the completest sang frold on the field of
battle. Napoleon sometimes assumed a GER
tain ardor, but nothing could excite him if
| he did not choose to be excited. Murat,
Napoleon's dashing chief Of cavalry, whose
| splendid enthusiasm won many desperate
charges, could be as cool as his master upon
occasion.
| At the taking Of Moscow, while the troops
sat In their saddles under a murderous fire,
Murat received dispatch to which an
| answer was required. Though his mettle.
! some horse was trembling, Murat laid the
/ reins upon the horn Of the saddle, took his
notebook in one hand and a pencil in the
other and began to write a response
Suddenly she'll fell and exploded on the
ground close by. The horse leaped into the
air and swung wildly around. Murat sim
| ply transferred the pencil to the hand that
held the notebook, Gained the horse with
the other hand, and then went on writing
his dispatch as if nothing had happened.
A shout of admiration went up along the
line. Murat saw that the enthusiasm
aroused by his trifling act had created a
| favorable moment for a charge. He gave
the order and his men swept clear through
the enemy's line.
IL is said that Gen. Reynier once saved
the French army in CaIabria in 1906 from a
| complete rout, simply by the manner in
which he smoked cigar. The English in
fantry fire had compelled the French TO re-
treat. Reynier, fearing panic, remained
to the last and brought up the rear. Though
the English nre was murderous he had
| lighted cigar, aud his retreating men
noticed that the puffs Of smoke went up, as
his horse moved slowly on, with absolute
regularity.
Puff A wait. Puff Another wait.
| Puff! The enemy were pouring on, firing
vigorously as they advanced, but nothing
could accelerate Reynier's smoking. His
soldiers rallied under the inspiration of
the queer spectacle, and got off in good
| order
Perhaps the most cold-blocded COM
mander who ever lived was the French GEN
erRl, Saint-Cyr. He was great tacticiau.
but totally neglected the morale of his men.
He was never seen on horseback and never
showed himself before the lines. On one
occasion, when he was simply a general of
division, the impetuous Marshal Oudi iot,
puzzled to know what to dc in an emer-
gency, asked Saint-Cyr's advice, frankly
telling him that he was "nonplussedn
You, monseigneur," said Saint.Cyr
ARE a marshal of the empire, and l am a
general of division. Ishall Faithfully carry
| out your orders, but it would not be becom-
ing for me to advise YOU"
Later on Saint-Cyr succeeded to the COM
mand Of the army, and then adopted a
peculiar method OF generalship. He formed
his plan of battle clearly, precisely and with
admirable foresight Then he sent his
| orders to his suhordinates, and shut him
self up in his quarters, absolutely forbid
ding entrance to a single soul Then he took
out his violin and went to studying a hard
piece OF music as TRANQUILITY as if he had
been in the midst of profound peace.
The battle which won Saint Cyr his baton
as marshal Of the empire was fought
while he was f1ddling in his tent, He had
| apparently foreseen everything, and the
carrying out Of his plans completely crushed
| the enemy.