The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-09
Soldiers and Drink.

Sir Garnet Wolseley, in letter to Mr.
john Bailey. President Granthan Temper
ance Society , on April 81, 1881, wrote:
THE cause OF temperance Is the cause OF
social advancement. Temperance means
less crime, and more thrift, and more COM,
Tort and prosperity for the people. Near
ly all the crime In our army can pc traced
to intoxication, and have always found
that when with any army or body ottroops,
in the field there was no issue OF spirits,
and where their use was prohibited, the
health as we'll the conduct was al thar
could be wished for" 80
On another occasion, in 1881, he wrote:
"About ninety per cent. OF the crime n
our army Is owing to drunkenness, ana,
when our men are removed from the temp
tation Of intoxicating liquor crime Is prac-t
tically unknown among u.s."
After lie had become Lord Wolseley ne
wrote, III 1894: There are yet some great
battles to be fought, some great enemies
But the most pressing enemy Is drink. II
kills more than all our newest weapons Oh
warfare, and not only destroys the body,
but the mind aud soul ALSO"
On another occasion he said: "The SUI
perstitions about grog are only maintained
BY those who mistake the cravings OF
habit for those Of nature. The experiences
OF our armies all over the world show thafi
the health, character and efficiency OF our
men are improved by substituting other
beverages for strong drink" In support OF
the last quotation.given might be used What
he said in regard to his experience, which
vas as follows: "During the operations
conducted in South Africa, In 1873, my
own personal escort was composed almost
exclusively OF teetotallers. They bad very
hard work to do, but grumbling was never
heard from them, and better DenaVeo
set OF men I was never assisted With, q
fact attribute to their being almos: all
total abstainers."
Sir Evelyn Wood, In 1882, said: Through.
out the Crmea those were the best and
most healthy soldiers and sailors who did
oot touch intoxicating drink" He also
served three years In India, including the
last ffteen months OF the mutiny, and no
could positively state that those who drank
nothing were the best men. He went to
the Gold Coast, and, during the 150 days
they were 10 one place he put In l46 days
service, only to find himself beaten BY .
man who was teetotaller. During the
last three days he had rounded the cape
OF Good Hope four times, and he found
that the stokers who had to work IN the
heated stoke holes Of the large ocean
steamers never drank anything but barley
water in the tropics.
Sir Henry Havelock says that "at the fali
Of Ghuznee, in the Afghan war, the selt.de-
nial, mercy and generosity OF the soldiers
arose from the fact that they had no spirit
rations," and he added: "Since then 1t has
been proved that troops can make forced
marches Of forty miles and storm fortress
in forty-Ave minutes, without the aid OF
rum, behaving after success with a for
bearance and humanity unparalleled II
history"
Stonewal Jackson declared "He was
more afaid OF brandy than bullets In the
army"
C,Ionel Dawes, OF the Bengal Artillery,
say: my experience Is that nearly all the
crime affecting our European troops In
India has originated In the use OF spirltu-
ous II Iuors"