Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-08-08

1 - BlunderS OC-
cured after Bull Run, blunders with
far less excuse and with no fortunate
results whatever Bull Run was good
practice, good Initiation and valuable
lesson. If green soldier doesn't finch
In his first battle, 1t is no guarantee
that he will not in the next and per-
haps keep Ii up for steady thing. But
IL he Is not the hero of his Imagination
the first time under fire, II he wonders
why he ever enlisted, If he braves dis
grace and punishment In the rear sim
ply to get out of sight and hearing of
the enemy who is looking for him-him
distinctly and especially among 10000
others as like him as two coons are
alikc-he Is Just the man for daring
deeds ever after.
Frederick the Great few from the
first battlefield where he commanded
an army as fast as his horse could car
ry him He put miles and miles be-
tween himself and danger, but even
Napoleon took off his hat In respect for
the courage of the great Prussian who
on countless fields led desperate
charges; the more desperate the better
he liked It, Courage In battle Is a
strange thing. 1t has to be put to test.
1t grows In n man by exercise. The
best hacker for Individual courage Is
universal courage. The Bull Run troops
had been told to keep up touch OF ell
bow, to preserve order in the ranks. TO
be steady and await commands. Every
precept was violated that day some
time or all the time, and the army went
to pieces, an awful example of want OF
training and discipline. Then the fel-
lows who had enlisted for the fun OF
the thing kept on retreating until they
crossed the Canada border or were hid
I den In the crowds of the great cities,
the army being well rid Of them. But
the men of sand" those who enlisted
to see the thing through II they died
for Ii, took the lesson to heart and
went back to the A b G Of soldering
That was the day when the army
schoolmaster took his innings. A few
officers, few men, few companies
and few regiments had stood with
their feet by the mighty torrent of pan
ic stricken troops. The cool headed and
brave spirits were marked for guides
and teachers, and the army gave high
er promise for the future In the day Of
Its humiliation than II had shown while
marching forward with music and ban
ners.
Napoleon said, 81 date from Rivoi,"
battle by no means his first Some OF
the great soldiers of the civil war
might have dated from Bull Run had
they cared to. There was goodly
company of them there on both sides.
Besides the leaders Johnston and Beau
regard the Confederates had Stonewall
Jackson, Longstreet, Ewell, Early,
"Jeb" Stuart, Wade Hampton, Fltz-
Hugh Lee and others. The Federal ros-
ter included Mcdowell, Sherman, Burn
side, Hunter, Howard. Franklin. Slo-
cum, Hunt, Sykes. Keyes and Wads
worth.
One soldier who dated from Bull Run
was General ]. B. Ricketts,, the artil-
leryman. His was one of the two bat
teries which fought SO gallantly for
Henry House hill In sight Of the whole
army. The cannoneers gave the yolun-
teers an example of dying In your
tracks," and but for an accident a
handful Of men might have turned the
tide. All was going well in the battery.
Regiment after regiment Of Confeder-
ates had been repulsed. Finally regi-
ment clad In cadet gray marched up on
the flank, and just as Ricketts, gun
ners were about to let loose volleys OF
canister the chief OF artillery declared
that the strangers were friends, and as
some Of the Federal troops were in
gray uniforms the artillerymen held
their fire. Battles are decided in mo-
ment. The men In gray had the chance
they were looking for and peppered the
battery at close range, cutting down
every cannoneer and many of the
horses. The lieutenant Of the battery
was killed and Captain Ricketts, terri
bly, wounded.
Then the battle ragged over Ricketts,
guns. Sherman tried to retake the hill
Colonel Cameron OF the New York
"highlanders" was killed while trying
to clear the battery Of enemies. The
Confederat, General Barlow had al
ready been -illed in a charge upon
these guns, a. \ 1t was there that Jack
son got the nicA name "Stonewall." His
brigade had not begun to fight yet and
was making bold front on the edge OF
the field. Barlow led the Eighth Geor-
gia against the hill and was repulsed.
To steady his retreating men he point
ed to Jackson's line and exclaimed,
''There stands Jackson like a stone
wall"
Slocum was wounded at Bull Run.
He also had the unique sensation Of
reading his own obituary In the pa
pers. Colonel Slocum OF the First
Rhode Island was killed, and, the New
York Slocum being among the wound.
! ed the names were confused In the dis
patches. and the home papers printed
the usual laudatory notice OF Colonel
Henry w. Slocum. As he promptly tel
egraphed his friends from Washington
no harm was done beyond the Joke on