Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1904-03-10
The Man Whose Defeats
- y We're Victories!

death, he heard the booming OF the
enemy's cannon, unable to partake in
the peril, he agonized with doubt and
modification. Bitter were the tears he
shed; but, with fearless spirit, undaunt-
ed courage, and under the hands Of in
visible conservation, It was reserved for
him to take his command.
A little while after this, the memor-
able retreat through the Jerseys began,
in which Green was the companion Of
Washington, and must be permitted to
share with.him.the'glory, as he endured
with him all the trials and mortitica-
tons of that Fabian warfare Of which
| both were the masters.
The long retreat Of Green's from the
river Cataba to the Dan, is one Of the
greatest in history. \ retreat Of two
hundred miles, lasting four weeks;
marching over frozen ground, through
drenching rain, without tents at night
his men without shoes, would leave
their footprints in blood. Aided by
Providence though, his mission was &C
complished, and in less than one year
he had cleared three states Of the enemy
with the exception Of two towns.
Green's military talents had been Sc
verely tested during this campaigns;
never was he equal to his enemy's force,
but he never fought a battle that did
not result more to his advantage than
to that Of the enemy Their very vic
tories to them were as injurious as ordi-
nary defeats. Ii Is not strange tina, he
was the favorite officer Of the Com
mander in. Chief.
Under the blessings of God, and the
wisdom, prudence and bravery Of the
great and gallant General Green, the
glory OF the British army was brought
to the dust. Seemingly defeated many
times, driven from place to place, yet, I.
by eternal vigilence he compelled the |
enemy to- surrender or evacuate every [.
post held in the South.
These are the kind OF men America
most needs today Men who will pluck .
the very spear out of their wounds and
Stay their adversary with the same
weapon.
No man is really great unless at some [
time in his life he has had defeats and
discouragements. They tend to give J
him strength, and make his life more
solemn and wonderful Take any Of the
great characters Of history, and you
will find that they had discouragements
and defeats, yet they proved in the end to
be victories. 1t was the poverty of Ger
vantes that gave to the world "Don
Quixote,', and If Washington Irving had
been successful in business and not
crossed ID love, We might never have
had the Sketch Book" or Knicker-
bockers History Of New York, - books
that were born out Of adversely and SUI
fering Men like these are making the
world what it is today; men VINO climb
from peak to peak, have first stumbled
yet pushing ever upward until their
goal is reached, Luxury and ease are
an almost unsurmountable bar to mod
ern mastery. Let us not forget that
luxury has never been conducive to lib
erty. Stretched on the rack Of too easyi
chair, one man will let opportunity go
by and lose the birtnrigbt Of his soul;
while another, encompassed by want
and woe, will leap from his pallet of
straw and go forth, like Peter, the Her
init, to fire the age with enthusiasm.
They are men whose lives are glorious
service, and whose memories are a dene-l