Evening journal., 1893-04-24
DO BRAVE MEN FEAR?
VARIOUS OPINIONS OF VETERANS OF
uNDoUeTEo VALoR.


Man who Says He Goes Into Battle
without Fear Is Either an Idiot, Luz
matte or a Liar''--F Fear Is Not Cowardioc.
The question whether bravo soldier ex-
periences the sensation Of fear is one on
which there is great diversity OF opinion.
Yet no authority can have moro weight
than the statement Of warriors themselves,
and here are the opinions Of many Of our
famous southern fighters. General Jubal
Early, whose bravery has made his name
illustrious, says.
"ln response to the inquiry, Is fear in a
soldier cowardiceY / would say that while
cowardice is the result Of excessive fear it
does not follow that fear is always coward
ice We are told in the Bible Psalm cx,
TO- and in several other places, that the
fear of the Lord is the beginning Of wis
DOM That Of course is not cOwardice.
Fear is a word that has variety Of deiini-
tions, among them being anxiety solicit
tude, reverential regard, respect mingled
with awe Viewing it in the sense Of an
apprehension of danger, do not know how
! can better express my opinion on the sub
ject than by referring to the adjective
brave in Worcestcr's Dictionary. In dein.
ing it he quotes from the Scotch poetess,
Joanna Baillie, as follows;
"The brave man Is not he who feels no fear,
But he whose noble soul no fear subdues
From my own experience and observa.
tion can say thnt the bravest soldier in
action Is never without fear or apprehen-
sion Of danger, but he encounters that dan
ger without shrinking. It follows, there
fore, that fear Is not always cowardice in
soldier"
General Bradley T. johnson, who under
the immortal jackson won unfading laurels
for himself, writes.
"The question, Is fear in n soldier cow
nrdiceY answers itself In the definition.
Fear, as | understand, is the physical
shrinking from physical struggle with op
posing physical force. Cowardice Is the re.
fusa Of the physical and intellectual nature
Of man to face opposition, either physical
or intellectual. Fear is controllable by SUI
perior will either Of the man himself or Of
another, who for the time dominates and
directs him. Cowardice is uncomfortable
Both cowardice and fear are physical as
well as moral conditions Some men are
unconscious of fear-they are actually una
ware Of what danger is-and in the real
gaudium certaminis, the JOY of battle, they
actually delight in the fierce excitement Of
the fight really elieve that Major Jim
Breathed Of the Stuart horse artillery and
Major Harry Crtner would rather fight
than eat Stuart enjoyed battle, so did
Stonewall Jackson, and my analysis of Lee
was that when his blood was np-and the
smell of gunpowder always fired him-he
was as fierce as any faroif Morse ancestor
Though know nothing personally Of
Ttrtuf l ut,, Of fhn auiuf4rT fauf t1ta canrf
Of blood drove his pulse up. ! know Han
cock blazed all over with enthusiasm at the
sound OF the guns and the cheers Of a charg
ing line. have no doubt that many men
facing death have felt their flesh shrink
and their nerves give way and were sorely
/ afraid But pride Of character, regard for
| the respect of those at home and the pres
ence aud example Of thousands around
| them crushed out fear and made them az
firm and self controlled as the bravest.
~ do not recollect ever having seen a
| coward--that Is, a man whose fear over
came his sense OF duty, personal pride and
| regard for reputation. ] have seen lines of
battle afraid, seen them waver in front OF
hostile batteries, seen them hesitate to
meet the coming shock, but l have seen
these very lines spring up at once animated
by the brilliant example Of personal dash
Of their commanding officer, who riding
10 the front, would swing his saber above
his head and shout, Follow me, men, And
Che thousand men who moment before
were afraid were thrilled by the electric
shock of enthusiasm and went forward
with rush that was irresistible.
"The best veterans have been seized with
panic When the nerves have been braced
for hours, the constant tension exhausts the
endurance % human nature, and the most
trivial incident win throw them OF their
balance lose their self control and send
them senseless into panic like a herd Of buf
falo. Napier records q incident Of the Pc
ninsnlar war Sir John Moores army, thar
whom more seasoned soldiers never bort
musket, was resting by the roadside and
broke into utter confusion when a loos,
horse came galloping down the ranks.
'Fenr is physical and intellectual dread
Cowardice is fear uncomfortable"
General i. L. LomaX, than whom byave
man never drew sword, gives bis senti
monts
"In reply to the question Is fearin sol
dier cowardiceY / would say il IS not
"The best soldier is one who knows an,
fears the danger and marches boldly for
ward 20 meet IT,
Z utlltNe NuetAclleuenL we saw IN man
] on the field was cloak for real cUwardice
and II not successful in the first dash the
often gave mp. a brave soldier is cool an,
persevering under Ere.
Every intelligent and educated mai
fears the contest, but is by no means TO
3 this reason a coward"
] General Wright, a doughty warrior nov
{ m control OF the war records office, e1
presses his opinion ns follows.
8 You ASK lrlm me an answ, rto the oues
tion, Is fear in "a soldier cowardiceY NJ
division commander Ia the late civil wai
General b. T. Cheatham, who was q her
4 Of two great wars, once said to me: 'Th
= man who says he goes into battle withou
q fear Is either an idiot, a lunutic or liar
; On the eve Of an engagement, as far as IN
$ observation and experience go, there Is a
d ways pcrceptible a fearful looking forwar
a 10 the consequences IL is said of Tame
Z lane that on the eve Of a battle he ,ya
& heard TO eNclu.n, i wish / were a shepher
4 boy. agree with General Cheatham IT,,
p no SINE man ever engaged in battle will
& out a SENSE Of fear But this fear is notti
b fear of a coward The brave man is hewl
3 goes into battle with a fan knowledge
d its perils, which he wishes 20 escape, b.
e risks his life for bis cause and country. -
D Richmond Dispatch.