The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-12
GRAY HEADS IN BATTLE.
o.IJ4NT DEEDS OF AMERICAN OFF
GERS ALONG ~ YEARS.


Gen. George Sears Greene. who died at Nor
rIstoyn. n. j., recently, In his ninety-eighth
rear, belonged distinctly to a bygoDo era.
While many Of his contemporaries on the Vir-
ripia and Tennessee battleneljs have been ac-
lively cam paigniag from 1855 up to the present
day, this representative OF the old army and OF
the armies of 1851 was compelled by age TO
put away the sword more than q generation
AGO, When he waved it In front oil his thin
but intrepid line on Culp's Hill. Gettysburg. in
1883. he was ~ years old. or within two years
OF the retiring age for army officers.
Strange as it may seem to readers unfamil-
far with the subject, the case of Gen. Greene ia
but one Of many in the annals OF the American
soldier. The present commanding General OF
the United States Army, Gen. Nelson A. Miles.
fought his first battle almost thirty-eight
years ago. but he is to-day the youngest OF the
more distinguished survivors OF the civil war
now in harness, Brooke, Merritt. Shafter.
Merriam. Otis and Henry will reach the ago
limit ahead of Miles. Lee and Wilson are his
seniors. and so Is Wheeler. who Is a marvel OF
activity at ~. When the army was marshalled
for the war against Spain. all the Major Gen.
erals OF the line. except Wade. and not fewer
than q hundred subordinate officers were old-
or than Miles.
Threescore years or an age approaching IL
IL q common one for American leaders. When
Winfield Scott stood upon the dome OF the cas-
lie Of Chapultapec. directing his battaiions in
the attack on the City OF Mexico. he could look
back thirty-four years to the day OF his first
battle wound. And Gen. Zachary Taylor. who
initiated the Mexican war with all the fiery ar
dor OF youth. was B2 when he crossed the Rio
Grande at the head Of the American army.
marching to Buena Vista and Monterey. And
It was only last year that all the world ap-
plauded the spectacle OF Dewey, in his
siIty-lrst. year. smashing Spanish sover-
signty in the Philippines. but he was
simply bringing to fruit. late in life, les
sons that he had himself learned back In the
sixties, sailing under Farragut. then q veteran
II moro than threescore. having u record Of al
most fifty years OF active warfare behind him..
Readers OF history know that these martial
veterans have not played the role of conserva-
tive counsellors merely while younger men bore
the brunt OF battle. Farragut was 90 when he
was lashed to the shrouds at the battle Of Mo-
bile Bay. juniors about him shouted warn
ings that the flagship was leading the line Of
vessels into a nest OF submarine torpedoes, but
with an excusable oath. considering what 1t has
done for the American Navy. the gray headed
Admiral cried out: Damn the torpedoesl Go
ahead" And the old hero didn't stop with
mere words, but Immediately drove his wood
en- flagship upon the low forward deck OF the
ram Tennessee in an effort to sink her with
superior weight. although he knew that his
own vessel must GO down in the general wreck.
In the Same spirit Gen. Zachary Taylor acted
when his juniors appealed to him to fall back
at Buena Vista. for the safety Of his army.
"No." said he firmly. I'm never pass my
wounded alive" He stayed on the hard fought
field and was rewarded the next morning by
seeing that the Mexicans had retreated in a
rout, although they outnumbered his troops
four to one.
Scottdisplayed equally aggressive viRor when
the American army lay In front OF the forbid
ding heights Of Chapultepec. After meeting with
q bloody reception at Molinos del Rey he asked
the younger Generals about him to suggest
a plan for the capture OF the City OF Mexico.
which lay beyond the heights. All Of them
said that the army should go around Chapulte-
pec-"avold' it. was the military term-and ap-
proach the 3ity from the west side. After
each had spoken and given his reasons Scott
ended the council by saving: Gentlemen.
we will first storm Chapultepec. then look to
the city gates on the west side" Chapultepec
was stormed and won and the city fell without
any defence OF its gates worthy the name.
l dLb aIo ullllld Will Iu6
episode In the Wilderness when Robert Z. Lee.
then approaching threescore. wished to lead
q charge OF tho Texan brigade. Albert Sid
ney Johnston. the brilliant soldier upon whom
the South rested her high hopes at the Begin
ming. was 30 when killed at Shiloh in the heat
Of \ charge. This Johnston. had he lived.
might have become the General in Chief OF
the Confederate Army. and at the close Of the
war would have been 02 years old. Joseph j..
Johnston was SO when he fought the last bat
tie In the Carolinas. and Lee was the same age
At Appomattox.
1t Is interesting to contrast the ages OF the
distinguished leaders In the civil war. Gray
hairs were on the side of the Contederates in
those commanders who fought brilliant cam
paiRns. When the conflict began Grant was
o. Burnside. ~: Mcclellan. 30; Sherman. 40;
MEADE. 40; Hooker. 40; Thomas. As; Rose
Grams. AZ; Buell.. AZ; Sheridan. 30. OF tn fore
most southerners Lee was "a A.. Sidney John
SION Oh; Joseph L. Johnston. "a; Stonewall
jackson. 81: Longstreet. 40; Beauregard. "A:
Bragg. 40; Hood. 81: A. P. Hill. SO; ]. E. B.
stuart. %: Forrest. 40. The crime OF being a
Young man was not lightly passed over in
Washington. surely. for It was held that Sheri-
dan was too youthful to be appointed Colonel
OF o cavalry reRlment.when he was 81. Miles
received the same sort OF rebuff at the Boston
state House when he asked to be commits
sioned Captain OF a hundred patriots who had
elected him their leader at the age OF 81.
ioung men were coming to the front In 1865
because OF the immense armies in the field
ana the lack OF trained old heads to take the
lead For that reason the HIGHEST battlefield
naIor has been associated with names like
sheridan, Stuart, Custer. Fitzpatrick. Wilson.
me merry Cleburne. and John b. Gordon. who
were all under the average age for commits
.Nhed Officers as 1t stood In the last year OF
the war.
but long before that the gray locks OF lighting
warriors had been conspicuous on scores OF
pioody battleGelds and the bullets OF Yankee
ana confederate spared them not. Gen. L.
on'das Polk. the:ex- Blshop.known as tho sur
pneel warrior OF the South. was killed In the
oe,shce OF Atlanta at the age OF SO; Mans
Aeu' In his sixtieth year. fell at Antletam
~hne depIoyinG his army corps. regiment by
regiment, for q grand charge. and Gen. Wads-
worm vas 81. whom he leaped his horse over
W. confederate works at the battle Of the
"noerhess and fell dead within The enemy's
Sne'' But ths Oldest hero OF them all was Gen.
sumner Tho led tho fighting Seconl Corps OF