The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-11-26
GENERAL SHAFTER.
WHAT HE TOLD A NEWSPAPER
CORRESPONDENT.
Received His Education in a Public
SchO0l-Never Was Ambitious For
Classical knowledge,

Classical knowledge.
General Shafter was in his room at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, with
hundreds Of letters to read, dozen people
to talk to, and numerous other things to
take up his time. hesitated about inter-
rupting him, and stood doubtiully in the
doorway. had about decided to retire,
when he turned around in his chair.
"Well," he said, "what can 1 do for
your"
81 want to ask you about your boyhood,"
l said.
"My boyhood 2" echoed the General:
"why, 1 don't believe l can remember
much about that it's so long ago, YOU
know"
But were you at school much, and did
you have good education ~
"Only fair, suppose, but have always
thought it good enough. l have never
been ambitious for classical knowledge. T
don't think it is necessary for everyone to
know all about Greek and Hebrew"
81 suppose you had what they call
common school education %
ayes, | learned all know in the public
schools, and they weren't as good then as
now; not by any means. 1t was a little.
log schoolbouse, With hard benches, and
no desks to write On.'
You must have been strong boy, then.
having gone through so many hardships."
eyes, hut it seems to me that all boys
were stronger then than now. They had to
learn to depend on themselves in those
days, and sometimes it was all the survival
of the strongest, instead of the best edu-
Gated"
What were your youthful ambitions,
General ?"
"From my earliest recollection my
ambition has always been to be a soldier. II
always seemed to me that nothing else
could he so grand as to fight in battle, and
believe one of the happiest days OF my
life was the day first joined the army.
think that, when man once finds the
thing he likes, and for which he is best
fitted, he is bound to like it always, and
stick to it. There is no military success
unless you do stick to it, and are content
with slow promotion. Except in time of
war, there are no rapid rises to fame, and
no great promotions. Being a soldier is
like any other business. One must work
hard, aud be content, and be satisfied with
slow profts-or promotion"
'But in time Of war;" | said, mo one
enlsts simply rs a means Of earning liv-
ing"
mo, of course not. Most of our volun-
teers enlist from pert patriotism, and they
make good soldiers.'
us there much opportunity to rise in
the army? Didn't you find it hard to
bring yourself before your superiors enough
to make them notice you, and give you
promotion ?''
Not at all. The officers, as 4 rule,
know the character of every man in their
company or regiment and no good or bad
deed goes unnoticed. Many men come
into the regular army expecting to do as
they please, because they think it impos-
sble for the officers to know the actions of
every man, but they usually find out their
mistake"
DO you think that man enlisting in
the regular army as private has much
chance OF Advancement"
ale may not have as much chance as in
civil life; but if he is uniform in his be-
havior, and KEGS clean record, he is bound
to rise. Many Of our best generals started
in the regular army as privates, and
worked up in the very same way that men
work up in mercantile pursuits
During the latter part Of our interview,
he busted himself with the letters and
papers on the table in front OF him, and
arranged. them all in piles, each class by
itself. ''You believe in method" 1 re-
marked"
''That is one Of the first duties of SOL
dier. He must learn to be orderly about
everything. And if the generals didn't
practice what they preach, it isn't likely
the men would follow our instructions"