Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-04
GENERALS SIZE AND RANK.
Most FAMOUS Commanders Moderate
sized Men-"Little and WISE,

Sized Men-"Little and WISE,
From the London Express
Inc above three words convey a fact that
requires evidently some explanation. For 1t
cannot be denied by any one we'll acuuaint-
ed with history that by far the greater
proportion of the most renowned leaders of
armies, both ancient and modern, have
Deen men whose stature was below rather
than above the average 1t might well he
supposed that, in fighting, the man who
mad a gigantic and most striking person
would, other things being equal be the
one most likely to leave the greatest i'm
preston as a soldier of note In his own
day. But this has ever been far from the
truth, and just as much so in olden times
MheIi the struggles were more hand to
hana as now, wien war has become sci
ehce OF tactics and fve-mile guns
All through the ages downward the men
VINO nave left their names to the world as
the greatest generals of various generations
nave been, almost uniformly little men
Today our chief leaders in this country are
Roberts and Wolseley. Both these cele-
prated generals are men whose height
reckoned IN inches, is well below the ordi-
nary man, and much below what is con-
s-dered a fine soldierly height But this
"hlch some people would consider a great
oisadvantage has not proved so in their
cases. 1t is difficult on looking at the wiry
frame of Lord Roberts to believe that that
quiet-looking. thin little gentleman in morn
ing dresS Is the same man who has dame
such fine work upon fields of battle In so
many countries And when one stands nv
LORD Wolseley and notices that he too
Is far from being of the regulation army
height, one again sees that it is not great
ness measured by inches that makes
the general French. too, who has been the
most consistently successful of all leaders
IN the present war. below the two Chiefs
is only five feet six inches in height
Harking further back in the history of
our land, We cannot forget, though it is a
1act not go well known that the finest SOL
uler TINS country, and probably any other
mas ever seen, the Duke of Wellington
the great duke-WaS a man whose height
considered by ordinary measurement was
almost insignificant. Arthur Duke Of We'll
Hhslon. was man who, far as tallness
went, would never have been noticed in
any everyday aSsemb v And had he been
thus noticed 1t is certain that one regard
ing him would have set him down as of
niue niue account viewed from the point of
view OF what soldier should be- But the
minds the standard of the man" and his
small stature did not interfere with the
"onderful military qualities of the victor
of Waterloo.
Here We may notice also that his great
rival: Napoleon himself, was a man very
iar below the average height and was
lndeea universally known among his off,
GERS Tor many years lie Petit Can
ora! being thus nlcknamed owing to his
lack Of inches. Napoleon may Justly claim
TO own place among the six greatest SOL
diers this world has even s.en-st Ieast
such is the verdict of authorities Vet mis-
great leader of fighting men could not Law
claim to any greater height than some five
feet five inches or so
W Washington was not a tall man hating
ratheT below than above the common
Etlsht OF soldiers under him Yet he was
by FAR the finest leader that America has
produced: among her military men in par
Gcu!ar; W nat America is today she un-
denlabiy owes to George Washington And
again smallness of stature or ar any rate
me medl9cr!ty of stature. made itself fell
Tar above the gigantic height. possessed bv
the generals in the war of independence
IL mas !oEg been a disputed point whether
the Duke of Wellington or the "great''
Duke of Marlborough Of Blcnheiu fame
should stand at the head of English pen
erds OF al! time Some have thought that
lile nilIitary genius Of Marlborough was
superior TO that of his rival In fame Rut
IN any case it is worth noting for the mr.
poses OF THIS article that Marlborough was
also a man whose height was somewbat
uHHer that OF the average soldier of his
time me conquerOr Of Rienhrim of Nal
piaquet, of Oudenarde, of Families was a
50 DER OF most engaging presence of n
me exterior, but he was just little want
ing IN statelineSs that comes from the mos
session of a talIness rather over what is
usually found
Is there any explanation of this curtous
phenomenon OF little men" thus constantly
coming to the top as military leaders? Only
one can be given. and that is scarcely fully
SATISFACTORY The man who lacks inches is
probably put more upon his mcttle To shou,
MS supe riOrs what he Is really worth. he is
perhaps moved to use his brains more in
order TO prove that even if nature has
denied him great size, she has NOT heen
lacking in granting him superior ability RI
make up for It. 1t will ever be noticed Thai
little men are invariably active nusbinp
men in any work they undertake and, after
an! THESE qua lties have a vast deal to do
world. ''' ''ie