The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-03
FEAR IN BRAVE SOLDIERS.
Some of Them Discuss Whether It
Can Be Classed as
Cowardice.
Brave Soldiers Not Without Fear.
But They Do Not Shrink
From It.
Men Who Would father Flight Than Eat
towards Are Very Scarce
In tho Army.

So 'sC Hhhy
The question whether a bravo soldier ex-
periences the sensation of fear ia one ON
which there 10 great dive -sity of opinion.
Yet no authority can have moro weight
b the statement OF wnrriors themselves,
aud here a'e tho opinions OF many Of our
famous southern fighters. Gen. Jubal
Early, whose bravery has made his name
illustrious. says:
I'm response TO the inquiry. 'Is fenr in a
soldier cowarliceT would say that while
cowardicc is the result of excessive fear ii
does not follow that fenr is always coward
ioe. We are told In the Bible. Psalm CT, 10,
and In several other places, that 'ths fear
of the Lord Is the beginning of wisdom
That of course ia not cowardice. Fear Ia a
word that has a variety OF definitions,
among them being 'anxisty. solicit
tude. reverential regard, respect mingled
with ave. Viewing it in the sense of an
apprehension OF danger. l do not know how
l can better express my opinion on tho sub-
iect than by referring TO tho adjective
brave in Worcester's dictionary. In dsin-
ing 1t he quotes from tho Scotch poetess,
Soannn Baltic, as follows:
1.-THE brave man is not he who feels no fear.
But he whose noble soul M fear subduss.
From my own experience and observa-
tion l can say that the b -avast solder in
action ia never without fear or npprehon-
sion of danger, but he encounters that dan.
ger without shrinking. u follows. there-
fore, that fear il not always cownrdice in q
soldier"
General Bradley T. johnson. who, under
the immortal Jackson won unfading laurels
for himself, writes:
The question. Is fear in a soldier cow
ardice?' answers itself in the definition.
Far, cs I understand 1t, ia the physical
shrinking from physical struggle with op-
posing physicnl force. Cowardice il tho
refusal of the hysical and intellectual ma
tn o OF man TO face opposition. either phys
ical or intellectual. Fear IL controlleblo by
superior will either of the man himself OK
and directs him. Cowardice ia I'M.
fenr are physical as we'll as
moral conditions. Some mon nrs
unconscious of fenr-th0y are actually ma
ware of what danger is-nnd in the renl
actually delight in the fierce excitement Of
the fight. I really | elievo that Minor Jim
Breathed, of the Stuart horse artillery, and
Major Harry Custer would rather fight
than eat. Stuart enjoyed battle. so did
Stonewall Jackson, and my analysis of Lee
was that when his blood was up. and the
smell of punpowder always fred him, he
was az fierce a. my farctf Morse ancestor.
Though I know nothing personally Of
Giant. ! am of the opinion that the scent
of blood drove his pulse up. l know Han
cock blazed all over with enthusiasm at the
nnrn6 IF tho 1nna mud thu nhao,a ~ n
charging line. ! have no doubt that many
mon facing death have felt their flesh
shrink and their nerves give way and were
sorely afraid. But pride of character, re-
gard for the respect of those at homo and
the presence and example of thousnnds
around them crushed ont fear and made
them as firm and self controlled as the
brnvest.
II do not recollcct ever haying seen a
cownrd-that is,'a man whose fear over
came his sense of duty. personal pride and
regard for reputation. I have seen ines Of
battle afraid. seen them wnver in font Of
hostile batteries. seen them hesitate to
meet the coming shock, but / hava seen
these very lines spring up at once. ami
mated BY the brilliant example OF personal
dash of their commanding officer, who,
riding to the front, would swing his saber
above his lead and shout. Follow me,
men, And the thousand men who a mo-
ment before weto afraid were thrilled by
the electric shock OF enthusiasm and went
forward with a rush that was ir. esistible.
The best veterans have been seized with
panic. When tie nerves have been braced
for hours, tho constant tension exhGusts
the endurance of human nature, and the
most trivial incident will throw them off
their balance, lose their self control and
send them senseless into panic like a herd
of Luffalo. N piee records IN incident Of
the Peninsula war. Sir John Moore's army,
fhnn whnVn rnra ann0nVaI Ur1Hynen
bore musket, was resting by the roadside
md broke into utter confusion when q loose
horsa came galloping down the ranks
Fear is physical md intellectual dread.
Cowardice il fear uncomfortable.
Gen. l.. l.. Lomnx, than whom drawer
man never dew sord, gives his sentiments:
I'm reply to the question, is fear in a
soldier cowardiceT / would say it ia not.
1.-The beat soldier is ono who knows and
fears the danger and marches bravely for
wnrd to meet 1t.
II believe the excitement We anw in MANY
on the field was n cloak for real cowardioe,
and if not successful in tho first dash thoy
often give up. A brave soldier is cool and
pe'severinQu under fire.
Every intelligent and educntcd man
fonrs the contest, but is by no means for
this reason Il coward"
Gen. Wright. a doughty warrior now in
cont oil of tho WIZ records office, expresses
his opinion as follows:
lyon ask from mo an answer to the cues
tinn, is fear in n soldier cowarlicef' NV
division commander IN the late civil war.
General b. +. Cheatham. who was a hero
OF I'VE great wars. once said to me: The
man who says he goes into battle without
fenr ia either nm idiot. q luuntic or n linr.'
On the owe of an engagement. rs far as my
observation and experience 90. there Ia al
ways percsptible n fearful looking forward
of the consequences. IL is said OF Tanner
lima that M fhn W ~ m HATH. r. -
heard to exclnim. I wish l wers a shepherd
boy | agree with General Choatham that
nc snne man ever engaged in n battle with
out n sense of fccr. But this fear is not the
fear of a coward. The brave man Ia no
who goes into battle with a full knowledge
of it's pc lis, which he wishes to cscape, hut
risks his life for his cause and country
Richmond Dispatch.
1t Should DO in Every House.