The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-10-04
NINE soLDIERLY QUALITIES.

AhC llIGS JdSlC. QudllLIeS, LOyUlly,
Obedience and Physical Fitness, were
treated IN the preceding lesson. There
is another group of three sOldierly
qualities that are especially needed
during the periods of training, march
ing and waiting between combats.
They are:
Intelligence,
Cleanliness,
CheerfulneSs.
Although these qualities are assOci-
ated chiefly with camp life, they are,
of course, scarcely less helpful in all
other phases of military service.
Intelligence does not necessarily
mean education, but rather quick OBJ
servation and willingness to learn.
There is plenty of need for intelligence
In modern warfare. The National
army will be forced to absorb within
few months training which would
ordinarily extend over a period of two
or three years. Those who intend to
mt themselves for promotion should
study thoroughly the manuals and the
drill regulations which affect their
duties. In time they should learn
something about map-making md map
reading, the construction of field en-
trenchments, training and care of
horses. signaling the handling of COM
plex pieces of machinery, and many
otlEr subjects.
Cleanliness is important everywhere,
but most of all in the army where large
bodies of men are brought together.
In its true sense, it includes not only
keeping your body clean, but also your
mind and your actions. Fortunately,
1t is virtue in which Americans gen
orally rank high. There should be lit
tie difficulty in setting a satisfactory
standard in the new army. This is
subject more fully treated later in this
course.
CheerfulneSs is always a prominent
trait of good soldiers. Here again
Americans may be counted upon to
make splendid showing, even in the
face Of any unexpected hardShips or
difficulties that may be ahead of us.
In January, 1868, the Union army lay
in camp at Falmouth, Va. About
a month before had occurred the dis
astrous and bloody defeat of Fred
ericksburg. In the North it was the
darkest hour of the war. Everywhere
outside the army there was depression
and fear. On January 81 the COM
handing general ordered the troops
to break camp and move forward. AT
the same time "a cold drizzling rain
set in; the ground speedily became
like sea of glue; everything upon
wheels sunk into the bottomless mud;
it took twenty horses to start a single
caiSson; hundreds of them died in har-
ness; but still the general persisted.
But the rain persisted also, and it soon
became a simple impossibility to go
forward" After two days of effort it
was necessary to have the men strug-
gle and founder Through the wilder
mess of mud back to their camp"
Picture the situation: Recent defeat
with heavy losses; retreat; a cherries
midwinter camp; rain; cold; mud;
Encouragement at home long march
under the most trying conditions end
ing in a return to the same camping
ground from which the troops had
started. A little grumbling might rea-
sonably have been expected. But the
men of 1868 were too good soldiers to
draw long faces. The historian goes
on: 1.-THE march was made in high good
humor, the soldiers laughing and jok-
ing at their ill-luck with that comic
brightness characteristic of Americans
in difficult circumstances"
Finally, there are the three battle
qualities of the good soldier:
Spirit,
Tenacity,
Self-reliance.
Unless a man has these three quail
ities-even though he possesses all the
other six in good measurable is after
all only campfire soldier.
Spirit-fghting spirits far from
being mere hatred of the enemy or
blind fury, on the one hand nor is it
mere passive obedience to orders, on
the other. 1t means cool, self-con-
trolled courage-the kind of courage
which enables a man to shoot as
straight On the battlefield as he does
in target practice. However, it even
goes step beyond that point. Deci-
sive victories cannot be won by mere
ly repulsing the enemy. "Only the Of
fensive wins" Infantry Drill Regu-
lations, paragraph 51D.
Like all the other qualities of
soldier, spirit can be cultivated. An
entrained army seldom possesses it.
But 1t can be developed. You can and
will develop it until it becomes as much
a part of yourself as any of your easy
going civilian habits are now.
Spirit carries body of soldiers for
ward. Tenacity is the quality that
makes them "stick." The thorough
soldier is never ready to stop fighting
until his part Of the battle is won.
Tenacity was never better expressed
than in the words of John Paul Jones.
Standing among his dead and wounded
on his sinking ship which was 'leak
ing like a basket" he replied to his
adyersarys invitation TO surrender,
"Sir. / have not yet begun TO fight"
Two hours later the battle came to a
sudden end when the colors of the
enemy's vessel were hauled down.
Self-reliance is characteristic of the
American, whether he is serving as n
soldier or in some civil occupation.
Much the same quality is sometimes
referred to as initiative" 1t is a