Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-08-11
BRAVE MEN FEAR A FIGHT,
Nearly All Our Great Generals Confess to
Weak Moments.

Nearly All Our Great Generals Confess to
Weak Moments.
Ask any man who ever followed Gen.
eral Sheridan in one of his dashing
charges, and he will declare with all
the emphasis at his command that no
Drawer man than "Little Phil" ever
wore sword or went into battle. One
enthusiastic admirer speaks of him as
the typical American fighter of his gen
eration, and all laud the daring which
ton him such rapid promotion and such
signal victories.
Long after the war Sheridan sat
beside the late Charles A. Dana at an
evening dinner party. General" said
Mr.. Dana, with his wonted directness,
"between ourselves, were you ever
afraid in battle?"
"My dear fellow" came the immedi-
ate reply, II have never seen the begin
ming of battle without fear, and had
followed my first impulse would have
run away every time. The men who
say they have never known fear are
liars and humbugs!'
General Grant, of whom a grizzled
old veteran said that he hadn't nerve
in his body or a cowardly drop of blood,
used almost precisely the same language
as did Sheridan and always distrusted
a man who loved to vaunt his own fear.
lessness. Hancock, with his magnificent
figure, his martial mien and his gallant
conduct, was the idol of his men, who
called him 1.-THE Superb" Net he said
III his own impressive way that there
were times Immediately preceding q
general engagement that it was with
the most determined exercise of will
power that he overcame his sense Of an.
prehension.
Stonewall" Jackson, whose title ev.
cry soldier that ever fought with him or
against him knows to be we'll earned
one, said that he depended upon moral
rather than physical courage and that
on the days that he fought with the
most intrepidity it was not the excess
OF his own spirit that moved him so
much as the desire to inspire his men
by an example Of courage. Sherman had
the heartiest contempt for soldiers who
declared that they feared "nothinp or
nobody" and it was the opinion of this
same general who made the famous
march to the sea that they were respon.
slble for much Of the Incompetence.
confusion and disgrace in 1851.
rarragut was our greatest naval hero
d the war, and his exploit while dashed
70 the rigging Of the Hartford in Mo.
bile bay has given him a place among
me immortals Of history, yet he was a
soldier upon principle. He never did
'nythlng for dramatic effect. He was
ma hammered and good tempered and
lld his bravest deeds from sense NJ
iuty rather than animal courage. When
10 came down from his perilous n,aco
loft ON the Hartford, where he had
Won the fame that will live forever. he
Vept as woman would over the Moor
elbows who had been killed and were
aid out on the deck.
'ellerson. who was physically timid.
hought that Washington was horn
sense Of fear, but those who
re closer readers of character attr;brto
ne bravery OF the great leader to that
nore exalted courage which can over.
ONE !ear 1t is conceded on all Sides
liat MAD Anthony Wayne was some.
mug Oh q daredevil, yet he was mich
~ u same stamp OF man as Sheridan. and
knew what fear was. The lat.
H. with Sherman in council, once est;.
i"teo mat one soldier out of four in
10 volunteer service would prove n
oWaro and fail to meet tho den,o,,,
laue upon him when the greatest nerro
~, consistency were required. They
u ,,n cover when things became hot
ney would fall to the ground, pretend.
x 20 be SICK, wounded or exhausted ~
etroit Free Press.