Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-08
THE DULL UNIFORM

Confederate General First TO See Disad-
vantage OF Glitter.
New Orleans lines Democrat
"Gen. Robert h. Lee was the first
man who discovered that all armies
we're improperly uniformed. 4" observed
a weilsknoWn army oiicsr," and be was
so strongly convinced that he was
right that he abolished the blue uni
form worn by the CADETS at " est Point
and substituted gray, which has been
worn ever since Ia lie place. Gen Lee
was in command Of the Military Acad-
envy at u est Point some years bslore
the Civil War, and il was here be put
bis ideas aud reforms into operation.
de was, according 90 the records, the
frst officer in any army who favored
inconspicuous uniforms.
The khakis, drab and blue, which
are universally used by the armies OF
the world today as campaign uniforms
are the direct results of his original
thought and consideration. Other
officers msy have thought alongthe same
lines with him, but he was the first
20 start the reform. OF course, he met
with violent opposition, for soldier
people as a rule are 10 favor Of az
much display as possible, but be never
let up. The first organization that
adopted bis suggestion was the famous
Seventh Regiment of New York City,
ana which has worn gray since, fol-
/ lowed soon by the equally famous
Fifth Regiment Of Baltimore, Mary
/ land National Guard. Others soon fell
| into line.
"Only recently, in studying over the
reports on this subject on file in the
! War Department, at Washington, ran
acIoss the report Of then Major Lee.
/ His only fault in the matter, like those
OF all pioneers, was that he was 90
years ahead of his times, which always
has been, and / presume always will
be, an unpardonable sin. In these
reports Major Lee not only urged the
abolition OF conspicuous uniforms for
campaigns, but be went even further
IN recommending that arms, accoutre-
ments, cannon and all the things used
IN the business Of war should be with
out polish OF glisten.
"His idea has been universally
adopted by all the armies Of the world
ard today il would be violation Of
All rules fol a soldier in a campaign
to havs anything about him. even to a
hutton on his clothing, which has even
/ cAlEnANaN EAAAAA - NNNA 1aeAoEAA-
BILE of polish. For play soldiers aud
dress parades fancy oolors. polish aud
Rlisten will do we'll enough, but for
campaigns it is a thing of the past.
Had the armies of Europe discovered
this years before they did their lists Of
killed and wounded would have be- o
considerably less than what they we're.
"Nine-tenths of the people Of the
North and South think that gray hac
some connection with the South on iti
own account, never dreaming that gray
was first worn in the North by the
cadets OF West Point, where 1t is still
used as dress uniform, and by the
leading military organizations OF the
North, notably in New York and bos
, ton. Gen. Lse, when called upon &
organize the army of the South, pu
into practical operation the ideas b.
had formed long before he had eve
dreamed of the Civil War. This ex
plains also the reason why be was les
I strict in having the soldiers Of th
j Confederate Army wear their prett
4 clothes during .he war. lie had toun'
e out by bis study and observation tina
! the less shcw and display meant tn
e less casualties, and be sought tn
latter The campaign uniform OF to
: DAY the world over IN hi ideal, an
I be did all he could 20 carry It int
s / affect -