The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-04-28
STILL AT THE HEAD.
An English Army officer Says the
World May Still

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Turn to American Battlefield TO.
Examples of the Highest Mill
tary Efficiency and Valor.
1t takes long time to size up the
merits and results OF a tremendous
conflict like the civil war, and it is
not surprising that the verdict Of
foreign military students Is CONSTANT
ly changing and drawing closer to a
true estimate Of the facts. a fresh
review OF the last stage of war, from
Gettysburg to Appomattox, has just
appeared in England from the pen of
Captain Battine Of the kings huss s.
In writing OF the most critical phase
Of the contest In America Captain
Battine has in mind the recent great
military events, and he holds that
the world may still turn to American
battletields for examples OF the high
est military efficiency and martial
valor. He says:
THE history Of the Amrican civil
theme for the student and the states.
man because 1t was waged between
adversaries OF the highest intelligence
and courage, who fought by land and
sea over an enormous area with every
device within the reach OF human in-
genunitY and who had to create every
organization needed for the purpose
after the struggle had begun. Justice
has hardly been done to the armies
which arose time and again from san
culinary repulses and from dsas ers
more demoraliziDg than any repulse
In the field because they were caused
by political and military incapacity
In high places, to redeem which the
soldiers freely shed their blood, as 1t
seemed, in vain. II the heroic en-
durance Of the southern people and
the fiery valor OF the southern armies
thrill us today with wonder and ad.
miration, the stubborn tenacity and
courage which succeeded in preserv.
ing intact thu heritage Of the Ameri.
can patton and which tyiumphed over
foes sc formidable are not less worthy
Of praise and imitation. The Amcri.
cars still hold the world's record for
hard fightiug."
The valo1 of the southern soldiers
has long been eXtolled at home as
we'll as abroad, and at one time the
eulogists seemed to forget that valor
in any army prcsupposcs equal valor
in the foe. The fighting records Of
the combatants In that great war do
not rest upon mere speculation. They
were written In blood, and the books
are open to the worlds inspec ion.
And every elite rtg!ment and elite
corps on eitiler-ssi3e must uncl-oan
Without loss Of prestige stand c)m-
parison with an elite equivdlentin the
ranks Of the fee. The North had
more regiments in tee field than did
the South, but the ratio VI hard fight.
ing r, ginnents was the same. TDere
were seventy northern regimentS
which lost from SO to 50 per cent. Of
their streng til in single engagemanuS
and tfty-three southern regiments iu
the same class.
Figures showing losses in actual
battles are eloquent witnesses OF The
valor of individual organization. TT
highest brigade loss recorded in Il e
confederate arnly WAS that Of Greeg's
South Carolina brigade, wh.ca is
credited with l 279 killed in title.
In the norJhern army q Vermont
brigade takes highest place, With g.
loss Of LIP killed and the Iron nj
gade Is close second, With l,l32
deaths on the battlefield. AS the
northern regiments were regularly re.
cruiLcd, the loses fell upon grca or
numerical strength than was TIE ca e
II the South, where recruit were
scarce. The famous "Kantucky
Orphan" brig de OF the Soutp, being
made up Of eXpatIiatcs from the iand
Of fighters, was never recruited and
literally fought i.Ielf TO a "frazzle, 1"
as tile soutbcrners expressed it,
Gregg's brigade had the banner regi.
meEt in the South for loss In battle
during the whole war-the First S u b
Carolina. It's record was 2Sl killed,
and the banner regiment Of the North,
the Fifth New Hampshire, went q
notch higher with loss OF 295 dead
Oh the tielG Of honor.
And when 1T came to losses In single
engagement Balaklaya and all the
old world records were outione both
by "Yenk" and "Jhonnie." In q
single charge at Gettysburg the First
Minnesota emerged with less OF 80
per cent killed and wounded, while
the First Texas at Antietam lost 80
2 Ler cent In the highest numeri-
Cal loss sustained in a single engage.
ment the lighters OF the North and
South also SAoWad their common line
age and equal valor. At Gettysburg
the Twenty North Caroiina went
into action July with $40 men and
lost $50 killed and wounaed. AT Cold
Iarbor the First Maine heavy artil.
lerY charged an tntrCnct ed line with
S32 rank and file and lest $50 killed
and wounded in the space OF seven
minutes. Both Of these regiments
continued lighting in the Salne cam.
paiGns until the end Of The war. Il
Is q singular fact that over the whole
field and throughout the war every
phenomenal di6plaY OF valor, tenac ty
and stubborn courage on one side wa.
duplicated at some time by the Other
side. For the Bloody Angle" helt
by Lee at Spottsy,vania, there was
the Horseshoe Ridge" defended 10y
Thomas at Chiyakamauga, and 70,
PIckett's charge at Getty sbmg there
was the rush for the stone wall a
Fredericksburg. In the long ruI
neither side was ou5fought. Boil
sides sustained the prestige OF Ameri
cars in battle. -Spartanburg Journal
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