The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-01-20

Let me give You an illustration
contrasting the effects of discipline
with some other training. The news
paper accounts of a Sabbath School
Picnic going from San Francisco to
Haywards, 20 miles, and return show
ed more hood,umism, rowdyism and
malicious mischief than was display
ed by 5000 regular troops travelling
from Omaha to San Francisco.
Our histories give us the impress
sion that, except in rare cases of
panic, troops are brave. Yes, some
are, but bear in mind that in every
company there are some who can
hardly overcome their cowardice, UNI
less they are made to fear their com.
pany, commander more than they do
the enemy. Skulkers there always
have been and always will be. They
fail to advance, run IL not prevented,
especially IL they can hide. With
poor company officers, especially IL
| any are weak kneed, almost whole
| companies will disappear and turn
up after the fight with some excuse.
In all wars they have been terrible
source Of weakness and cannot be
too harshly dealt with. Officers espe-
cially should be dismissed for the
moral effect, and not allowed to re-
sign.
All, or nearly all men, know what
fear is and
"Cowardice is fear yielded to;
Courage is fear vanquished,"
And upon discipline, moral training
and the bearing upon their immediate
leaders depends in a great degree the
percentum who will vanquish fear
and upon that per centum depends
victory Or defeat.
You often hear men tell of the he
roic deeds OF policemen who do theii
duty at the eminent risk of life; OF
hremen who enter fiery hell tc
save life; of engineers who stood al
the throttle with death staring them
in the face, as being equal to any
thing shown On the battlefield. but
they don't know what they are talk
ing about. I honor the courage o.
these noble men and admire them FOL
1t, but their trials are Of short dura
ton; they are in excellent physica
condition; each had square mea
and a good sleep only a few hours
before performing his brave, sci
sacrificing deed. while the soldier II
generally in the worst possible con
dition physically and mentally.
Terrible Conditions Of Civil War
Take the Army of the Potomac II
the Wilderness Campaign for exam
Pile: The night of May 3, the mel
we're breaking camp, describing tn
impedimenta collected during tn
winter, stripping for the march, writ
= ing farewell letters; May 4, tire
some march and the first night OF
the ground May and 6, fighting II
the wilderness and surrounded D.
me wounded, some OF whom wer
burned to death within hearing
watchful waiting, a little fighting
during the day and marching al
night the 7th; maneuvering skirmisf
ing and fighting May 8, 8, 10 and l,
wet to the skin or broiling under
] scorching sun, short rations, broker
sleep, almost worn out; yet May j!
. for twelve mortal hours, witnesse
some of the most desperate chargfn
and hand to hand fighting this cart
ever saw. 1t was the morale suprem
above the physical; the troops wer
!. veterans, led by officers who had wo
D their commissions on the red mel
: OF war, rather than In demoraiizin
|. political campaigns.
4 The first time a certain regimen
5 was under fire lieutenant who ma
: hardly a speaking acquaintance VIII
! fear, and held the prestige of valo
on other fields, led about thirty me
8 through the woods in an attempt I
|, flank and capture battery. The
ran into a Confederate regiment an
both sides got busy. The ueutenar