New Britain herald., 1917-08-13
LESSON I. Your Post of Honor.

LESSON l.
 Your Post of Honor,
 You are called to serve as a soldier in the National Army, because that is one of your obligations as a citizen of the United States. The citizens of a re- public must always be ready in the hour of need to leave their own homes and take up arms in defense of their rights and principles. Otherwise the republic could not long continue to exist The men who now enter mili- tarv service deserve the gratitude and resnect of their fellow citizens
 You are doubtless making a heavy sacrifice in order to perform this duty to your country. Hundreds of thou sands of other young men and their families are face to face with similar sa sacrifices. All our citizens, will sooner or later be called upon, each to bear his or her share of the burden. Men and women, rich and poor, all alike must do whatever is necessary and must give up whatever is necessary. For no personal interests or feelings can be permitted to stand in the way at a time when the safety and honor of the country are at stake.
 As a citizen soldier you are chosen for post of special distinction. America is justly proud of the sol- diers of the past who have won for us the rights today denied and put in serious danger by the high-handed at- Jacks of the German government. America will be no less proud of you, as you fight to uphold these rights.
 Your personal responsibility Is great AS warfare is today conducted, the individual soldier counts more than ever before. Your own skill and bravery, no matter how humble your rank, may easily be important factors in deciding whether an engagement is to be won or lost. You can not de- pend upon anyone else to carry this personal responsibility for you; you must depend upon yourself.
 Some American Soldiers. Americans are well-fitted to meet this test During the Civil War; at the battle of Antietam, the 7th Maine In- fantry lay, hugging the ground, under a furious storm of shot and shell. Pri- vate Knox who was a wonderful shot, asked leave to move nearer the enemy. For an hour afterwards his com panions heard his rifle crack every few minutes. , His commanding off, cer finally, from curiosity, "crept for ward to see what he was doing, and found that he had driven every man away from one section of a Confeder- ate battery, tumbling over gunner after gunner as they came forward to fire. At the end of an hour or so, piece of shell took off the breech of his pet rifle, and he returned dis consulate; but after few minutes he gathered three rifles that were left by wounded men and went back again."
 In the Confederate armies individ- ual soldiers were no less skil1ful, cool and brave. On both sides they were Americans.
 Here are few cases quoted from official records. You must read be- tween the lines to get the full benefit ness and courage.
 On June g, 1862, Private John Gray, 5th Ohio Infantry. mounted on an artillery horse of the enemy and cap tured a brass 6-pound piece. in the face of the enemy's fire, and brought 1t to the rear."
 On October 12, 1863, Private Michael Dougherty, 18th Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, "at the head of a de- tachment of his company, dashed across an open field, exposed to 8 deadly fire from the enemy, and suc- ceeded in dislodging them from an unoccuppied house, which he and his comrades defended for several hours against repeated attacks, thus pre- venting the enemy from fianking the position of the Union forces
 From May 8 to II, 1864, Private John B. Lynch, Sd Indiana Cavalry, "carried important dispatches from the president to General Grant, pass ing through tn enemy's country, es- caping captures delivered his mes- sages and returned to Washington with replies thereto
 On April 27, 1899, Private Edward White, goth Kansas Infantry, during a fight with insurgents in the Philip pine Island, "swam the Rio Grande de Pampanga in face of the enemys fire