Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-06-30
The American as a Soldier.


career in ordinary times is not the
highest that man can attain to, not
withstanding that most of the great
names in history are connected with
military affairs. The American citizen
has never looked upon war as pro-
fession of the highest rank, as have
nearly all the other nations past and
present. The American has looked
upon war as disagreeable necessity,
that comes along about once in gene
ration, and which is to be met, not by
maintaining large standing army, but
! by depending upon the bravery and the
aptitude of our people for military SER
vice. This dependence has never been
| in vain. There has never failed the
American people sufficient of her citi-
zens, either by hundreds or millions, to
come forth at the proper time and de-
fend the country against the assaults of
| the enemy.
We have just passed through the first
battle of the war on land. Judged by
| former combats, it was but skirmish,
but it has made a profound impression
upon the American people. On Cuban
soil, in the midst of almost insurmount-
able difficulties of topography and eli
mate, an American army has landed on
foreign soil and in q few hours has
driven a strongly intrepched enemy
from its position and, as appears, is
now in sight of Santiago, where the
final conflict will take place. Few as
the casualties have been, they are not
able. Those who have fallen are of the
best blood in America, whether officers
or privates.
We do not wish here to discuss the
war from a strategic or tactical stand
point. The point to be made is that it
isAmerican volunteers-menw who few
months ago were active in civil life,
who have accomplished so much with
so few casualties, but not without great
bravery and tremendous exertion under
trying circumstances. Even half the
so-called regulars were civilians few
weeks ago. The landing of the American
marines at Camp McCalla was the first
invasion of Cuban SOIL Here few
hundred men just from civil life held
position for seventytwo hours under
constant fire from an overpowering
enemy. Few examples in history are
more heroic. Bereft of water and pro-
visions, the untried marines fought
three days and drove off the enemy.
When Shafter landed his troops Euro
pean military experts looked for long
wait preliminary to a scientific expedi-
ton. These experts forgot Saltillo and
Cerro Gordo. The troops which landed
Tuesday pushed through the under
brush and defiles, driving out the
enemy, rushed the Notifications and
hurled the enemy back to Santiago,
most of the work being done by volun-
teers who three months ago were
butchers, bakers, clerks, professional
men and even mlllionaires in Fifth
avenue club houses. 1t is true that all
these operations cost a score of men,
but the death roll of the whole war is
less than that of the accident Detailing
the launch of British battleship early
last week.
Do the Americans bear charmed
lives =? Not at all. The American
soldier is no machine. He is not
drawn from the dregs of society. He
is not drilled to the extent that he is an
automaton. No; he is a patriot and a
man of intelligence. When he fights it
is for his country, and to love ones
country is better than three years of
service as conscript.
1t was the yeomen of the country
who hurled back the trained soldiers of
Great Britain twice at Bunker HILL 1t
was the Ohio and Kentucky volunteers
who crushed the British at the battle of
the Thames. 1t was the rifemen of
Kentucky and Tennessee who defeated
the British at New Orleans in compara-
lively the bloodiest battle in history.
1t was the raw volunteers who had
never been under fire who threw back
an overwhelming force of Mexicans at
Buena Vista.
The American is not trained soldier,
but he is born patriot. He knows by
instinct and education how to fight for
his country. Roosevelt's Rough Riders,
whether Fifth avenue millionaires or
Western cowboys, fought together and
died together in Cuba for the great
American principles of liberty, equality
and humanity.
Nothing in our history is more char
acteristic of the American people.
When the call came to arms there was
| M liotipnt;n,, of DP 80