New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-09-12
Lesson No. 20.
SOME NATIONAL TRADITIONS.

Camp. 7. Your Health. 8. March !!
ing and Care of Feet. 9. Your +
Equipment and Arms. TO- Recrea- !!
ton In Camp. II. Playing the ;
Game. ~. Teamwork in the Army.
10. Grouping Men into Teams IA.
The Team Leaders Is. Fighting
Arms Of the Service. 16. Staff
Branches of the Service, I. IT. Staff ,
Branches of the Service, II. IS.
Army Insignia. 10. The Army Sys-
tenn of training. 20. Close Order
Drill. Fl. Extended Order Drill.
%. Guard Duty. %. Getting Ahead
in the Army. "a. Army Courtesy.
%. Discipline and Respect for the
Colors.
This course should include back
ward glance over the military history
of the United States. 1t is worth
while for the soldier to recall why
and how the men before us fought for
American principles and rights. You
are representing today the same ideals
and fighting for many of the same
things they fought for in 1776, 1898.
1912, 1846, 1861 and 1898.
In 1875 our forefathers refused any
longer to submit to the demands Of a
tyrannical government and declared
themselves independent. The farm
ers and shopkeepers and mechanics
and fishermen who rushed to arms
at the beginning of the Revolution did
not at first realize they were forming
a new nation. But before long they
saw clearly that in order to enjoy lib
erty they must shake off the rule Of
the autocratic government which had
its seat in London.
Our First War.
In their attitude they had the sym
pathy of a great many Englishmen
who were broad enough to see that
the American colon1sts were really
fighting for the right of all free peo-
pies. In the British Parliament Pitt
and Burke and other great English
men openly defended the American
patriots. IF I were an American as
I am an Englishman," said one of the
great parliamentary leaders, while
foreign troop remained in my
country I would never lay down my
arms" 1t was not the English peo-
pie who were seeking to suppress lib
erty in America, but a small body Of
court politicians-an autocratic gov
ernment-which presented the
people,
The Americans of that day on their
part did not hesitate to take up arms
for their rights, even though they
came into conflict with the seasoned
troops of great power-even though
they had to meet invasion and. par
tial conquest of their own country.
Nor did they long hesitate to break
completely away from the moth erland
land which many of them still loved.
In 1898 we found ourselves in
state of war with the French govern
ment. This is not usually thought of
as an American war since there was
no fighting except for a few encoun-
tiers on the high seas. There was no
declaration of war and 1t was all set
tied within a few months. Yet the
fact is that a state of war actually ex-
listed. Here again we had no quar-
rel with the French people, whom W.,
admired and loved for the help they
had given us during tho Revolution.
We were really at war with a little
group known as the Directory. who
had seized the Government Of France
and misrepresented its people.
In the War of 1912 with Great
Britain, the principal question at is
sue concerned the freedom Of Ameri- !
can ships and the rights Of American /
sailors on the high seas. For the most |
part the American Army was poorly |
trained and equipped and had little |
success. 1t redeemed itself, however. |
at the Battle Of New Orleans, where
Andrew Jackson led the western
militia to well-earned victory. The
British government tacitly recognized
the soundness Of the principle for
which the Americans fought
The Mexican War.
Americas next war was with Mex
leo. The Mexicans had not been very
careful of American rights either in
Mexico itself or along the frontier,
and the disagreement as to the owner
ship of a certain large strip OF land
along. the Rio Grande easily led to
hostilities In the war that followed
the armies Of Scott and Taylor won
victory after victory against over
whelming odds and eventually Mex
leo sued for peace. One result of the
war was to establish more definitely
the right of American citizen
abroad to a reasonable amount of pro-
lection and support.
Less than a generation later came
the great Civil War. Never was the
fighting spirit of the citizen soldier
better shown than in this unhappy
and bitter struggle, when Americans
were pitted against Americans Both
sides were fighting for principles of
Government, the North for the prin-
ciple of union. the South for the prin-
ciple Of the right of states to secede
from that Union. Today, with the
war half century behind them, there
are probably few Americans, either
North or South, who do not rejoice in
their hearts that the principle Of
union was upheld and that we are
able today to meet our new foe as a
united nation.
We entered the Spanish War to put
an end to misrule in Cuba. Again