The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-09-03
HFROISA., WAR and GREAT WARRIORS
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.


CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
soldiers, killed and captured the in
habitants, sometimes refined an,
cultured) and sold them to bar
barians, as at Tyre and Thebes
Caesar once allowed his legions tt
cut to pieces quarter of a million
of poor, homeless and defenseles
German men, women and children
fleeing for their lives, because of {
small and, perhaps, accidental of
fense. Even Rome lifted up hel
hands in horror at such bruta
massacre.
Alexander, Caesar and Napoleon
| G will not mention Washington
whose whole career was on the side
of freedom, justice and God) in theil
| tremendous and Notwithstanding ca
reers all did the human race great
service, in advancing the cause OF
| liberty, justice and civilization. And
| it is no doubt true that they all pos
sessed deep in their hearts an honest
and patriotic desire to serve the
world in some such way; but to say
that they were not also ruled in
their terrific courses, and often driv-
en- beyond justice and mercy, by
their own lust for gains, power and
glory, would be to make wide
blunder. They heaved the world
forward, no doubt, more than they
could foresee, and knew not all the
good they wrought; but the evil
they did (and it was enormously was
most emphatically, either directly or
indirectly, their own. They deserve
much, but not full credit for all the
good they did, and some, but far
from entire, exoneration for their
great crimes.
Great warriors all have genius
for military life; for organizing,
equipping and training armies; for
building Notifications, bridging riv-
ers, crossing mountains and exc
cutting difficult campaigns; for OBJ
tanning certain results by stratagem
for Inspiring confidence and enthus-
iasm in men; for manipulating armies
and taking advantage on the field
querable will, galvanic energy,
granite-like calmness amidst widest
scenes, and readiness for any
emergency. But we must under
stand that all that calls for an ener-
getic, gifted and judicious, rather
than a deep and lofty exercise OF
mind and soul; it requires an exer-
else of mind on a purely physical
field of action, which does not neces-
sarily call forth the nobler facul-
ties of the mind or the sublimer
moral sensibilities of the soul.
The successful military leader is
apt to be quick witted, ready
thinker and expedient. When Will
liam The Conqueror went to invade
England, in stepping from his ship
onto the English shore he accidently
slipped and fell, and fearing that it
would be regarded as bad omen
by his soldiers, he clutched a handful
of dirt, and rising quickly, exclaim-
ed, "See! by the splendog of God, |
have taken possession OF England.
being cooped up in a deep
ravine by the Romans, tied lighted
torches to the horns of some cattle
and hurried them off across the
country. Whereupon the Romans,
the torch-bearing cattle
for the Carthagenian army fleeing
by torch light, began the pursuit.
Hannibal then led his army out in
safety, while the fortunate Romans
perhaps had the beef the next day
for dinner. We are all acquainted
with Washington's famous feat of
crossing the Delaware one cold win
ter night, amidst floating ice, and
the enemy and gaining
an important victory in few hours,
at Trenton.
But the great general, as gen
eral, never requires and seldom pos
;esses refined and elevated tastes,
The power of profound penetration
md understanding, requisite to deep
deductions, or a large
intuition and imagination-does not
'equire, and seldom possesses in
arge degree, those more exalted en-
lowments of mind and soul, that be-
ong to the constructive, rather than
he destructive, genius, and the
most conspicuous, enlightening and
lights of the human race.
JuI Oh MS CAMP, JHGT6lOT0y LIE IS-
lowned general is often a very or
linary, if not very low, fellow.
Paul Jones is far from an admirable
nan, apart from his brilliant naval
casts and battles; so also is Nelson, |
t appears, and l will not mention
Benedict Arnold, whose ability and
,ravery as a general, we must all
.dmire. Accordingly" says Chan |
ling, great generals away from the
amp are often no greater men than |
he meckanician away from his
hop" Many mechanicians, l will
id, are very honorable gentlemen.
'he fact is, the greatest and noblest
nd wisest souls do not, and cannot,
ind their proper sphere of activity |
n military life. Intellects of the
rst order or magnitude naturally
eek nobler and broader fields of
hought and activity, which are |
lore nearly commensurate with the
each and scope of their powers, and
lore congenial to their nature. As
he condor delights to spread his
normous wings and soar around the
ofty peaks of the Andes, so the.
laster minds delight to spread the
rings of mighty thought and soar
round the lofty peaks of intellect