The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-22
REGULARS GET NO GLORY.
People Are Interested Only in the
Fighting OF Volunteers.

stephen Crane IN New Ork World.
siboney July 9-Of course people all
over the United States are dying to hear
the names of the men who are conspicu-
Gus for bravery in Skaters army. But
as a matter Of fact nobody with the army
is particularly conspicuous for bravery.
The bravery of an Individual here is not
a quality which causes him to be pointed
out by his admlring fellows; he is, rather,
submerged In the general mass. Now,
oowardice-that would make a man con-
spicuous He would then be pointed out
often enough, but-mere bravery-that is
no distinction in the Fifth Corps of the
United States army.
The main fact that has developed in
this Santiago campaign is that the sol
der of The regular army is the best man
standing on two feet on Gods green earth
This fact is put forth with no pretense
whatever of interesting the American
people in 1t. The public doesn't seem 10
care very much for the regular soldier.
The public wants to learn of the gal
lantry of Reginald Marmaduke Maurice
Montmorenci Sturtevant, and for goodness
sake how the poor old chappy endures
that dreadful bareback and bacon
Whereas, the name of the regular soldier
is probably Michael Nolan and his life
sized portrait was not in the papers in
celebration of his enlistment.
Just plain Private Nolan, blast him
he is Of no consequence. He will get his
name in the paper-oh, yes when he is
killed" Or when he is "wounded." OR
when he is missing" If some good
Spaniard shoots him through he will
achieve a temporary notoriety figuring in
the lists for one brief moment in which
he will appear to the casual reader main
ly as part of a total. a unit in the inter
esting sum of men slain.
In fact, the disposition to leave out en-
tirely all lists of Killed and wounded reg
ulars is quite rational one since no.
body cares to read them, anyhow, and
their omission would allow room for oil
paintings of various really important per-
sons, limned as they We're in the very
act of being at the front, proud young
men riding upon horses, the horses being
still in Tampa and the proud young men
being at Santiago, but still proud young
men riding upon horses.
The ungody Nolan, the sweating, swear
ing, overloaded, hungry, thirsty, s.eep-
less Nolan, tearing his brooches on The
barbed wire entanglements, wallowing
through the muddy fords, pursuing his
way through the stiletto-pointed Tickets
climbing the fire-crowned hill-Nolan gets
shot. One Nolan of this regiment or that
regiment, a private. great chums in time
OF peace with a man by the name of
Hennessy, him that had a fight with
Snyder Nearest relative is a sister,
chambermaid in a hotel i'm Omaha. Hen
messy, Old fool, is going around looking
glum, buried in taciturn silence, silence
that lasts two hours and eight minutes;
touching tribute to Nolan.
There is a half-bred fox terrier in bar
racks at Reno. Who the deuce gets the
dog now? Must by rights go to Henes-
sy. Brief argument during which Corpl
jenkins lnterpolates the thoughtful re-
mark that they haven't had anything to
eat that day. End of Nolan
The three shining points about the
American regular are his illimitable pa
tience under anything which he may be
called upon to endure, his superlative
craftsmanship and his ability in action
to go ahead and win without any example
or leading or jawing or trumpeting what
soever. He knows his business, he does
He goes into battle as if he had been
fighting every day for 300 years. If there
is heavy firing ahead he does MOI even ask
a question about il. He doesn't even ask
whether the Americans are winning or lOs-
ing. lie agitates himself over no extra
neous points. He attends exclusively TO
himself In the Turk or the Cossack this
If a combination of fatalism and wooden
headvdness. " need not be said that
these qualities are lacking in the regular
After the battle at esure-if he gets
any-the regulars talk Is likely to be
complete essay on practical field opera
lions. He will be full of views about the
management Of such and such a brigade
the practice of this or that battery, and
be admring or scornful in regard to the
operations on the right flank. lie viii be
ureiess critic, bcsterlng his opinion with
technical information, procured heaven
only knows where. In fact, he will alarm
you. You may say: This man gabbles
too much for to be a soldier"
Then suddenly the regular becomes i'm
peuetrable enlgmatic. 1t is a question
of orders. When he hears the appointed
voice raised in giving an order, he is a
changed being When an order comes he
has no more 70 say; he simply displays
as fine q form of unqestionlng obedience
as there is TO be seen anywhere il is his
sacred thing, his fetish, his religion
Nothing now can stop him but bullet
In speaking OF Reginald Marmaduke
Maurice Nontmorenci Sturtevant and his
Nfe-sized portraits, IL must not be sup