The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-05-27

which tended to arouse all the meaner
and baser passions of men, yet there
is scarcely an instance of the uni
formed warriors of either side viclat-
ing the rules of civilized warfare or
desecrating the ethics of humanity.
There was no casting of poisonous,
stupyfing gases into the ranks of op-
posing foemen that they might p be
bayoneted in cold blood while insensi-
BILE and unconscious. There was no
dropping of deadly bombs from the
clouds upon undefended and unforti-
fled cities, destroying helpless civil
ians and the slaughter of non-combat-
ants, without regard to age, condition
and sex were not decorated with iron
crosses and medals of honor. Like
men they matched gun with gun, man
to man, bayonet met bayonet and sa-
Der crossed saber in a fair field with
out fear or favor.
Great vessels carrying only pas
sengers were not ruthlessly destroyed
without note of warning, hurting their
human freight into watery graves
without the slightest effort at succor
Even "Bloody Semmes" with his Ala
bama, "the scourge of the SEAS" who
committed Unreasonable damage up
on Northern commerce and was re-
garded as pirate, never destroyed
vessel without giving it's unarmed
civilian passengers an opportunity to
escape and furnishing facilities for
escape if they possessed none.
The outlaw bands of disreputable
guerrellias, who ranged the border
, states plundering friend and foe alike,
recognizing no authority but their
own desires and guided and controlled
only by their own unbridled passions,
seldom or never outraged or destroy
ed helpless women or children.
We recall the thrill with which we
listened to the story of gentle gray
haired lady years ago, as she told of
the most dastardly outrage of the
war, the wanton destruction of Law
renee Kansas by "Black Quantrell,"
and his murderous band. How,
beetle-browed desperate laid aside
his accourtments of war and plunged
headlong into her blazing dwelling
and at the imminent risk of his own
life, saved her two baby girls from
the flames he had kindled with his
own hand.
The chivalric character of the war
bred mutual respect and admiration
in the ranks of opposing armies; the
hot hatred that characterized the be-
ginning of the war between the
"Yanks" and "Rebs" was toward it's
latter end supplanted by reciprocal
regard and mutual respect.
Consequently it is not strange that
the spirit of animosity and anger be-
tween the contestants died at the close
of the war almost as quickly as it
sprang into existence at its beginning,
and that right speedily from being a
nation divided, we became a nation
united.
That in the legislative halls of the |
nation the aggressive Sickles of New
York and the gigantic Berry of Ar
kansas, who each lost leg fighting
on opposite sides in the same battle,
at the close of each session could be
seen walking down the aisle, with
but two good legs between them, and
fastening to the nearest refreshment |
hall, over convivial glass, would re-
call the incidents of that great con-
fiict. Or that Bishop, of Michigan,
who lost his left arm fighting under
the Stars and Stripes, and Talbert of
South Carolina who had his right arm
Topped off in a sabre charge while
fighting for the Stars and Bars,
should be bosom friends and cronies,
and when they needed a new pair of |
gloves, would go together to make
the purchase and return chuckling
that they had made one pair of gloves
do for both. #S| |
So OIL Memorial Day when we shall |
tell again the story of the soldiers and
their deeds and accomplishments, let
us not fail to impress upon the minds
of those that come after that it's
greatest glory, and a glory that can
be shared in common by the wearers
of the Blue and the Gray, is that it |
was "A Gentleman's War;"