The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1917-08-15
Intelligence,
Cleanliness,
Cheerfulness.

SuccTIulQSSS.
Although these qualities are asso.
ciated chiefly with camp life, they are
of course, scarcely less helpful in all
other phases of military service.
intelligence
Intelligence does not necessarily
mean education, but rather quick OBJ
servation and willingness to learn
There is plenty of need for intelli.
gence in modern warfare. The Nation
al Army will be forced to absorb with.
in few months training which
would ordinarily extend over a per-
iod OF two or three years. Those who
intend to fit 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
and map-reading, the construction OF
field entrenchments, training and
care of horses, signalling, the handling
of complex pieces of machinery, and
many other subjects.
Any practical knowledge that you
may now possess will surely be useful
and helpful to you in the army. Capt
Ian Hay Beth, Of the English Army,
points out that in the first British
forces of the present war the previous
trade or training of every soldier was
sooner or later utilized.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is important everywhere
but most Of all in the army where
large bodies of men are brought to-
gether. IN its true sense, it includes
not only keeping your body clean, but
also your naiad and your actions. For
tunately, it is a virtue in which Ameri.
cans generally rank high. There
should be little difficulty in setting a
satisfactory standard in the new army.
This is a subject more fully treated
later in this course.
cheerfuIness
Cheerfulness is always a prominent
trait of good soldiers. Here again
Americans may be counted upon to
make a splendid showing, even in the
face of any unexpected hardships or
difficulties that may be ahead of US.
There are numerous episodes in Amer
lean military history to justify this
confidence.
In January, 1863. the Union Army
lay in camp at Falmouth, Va About
a month before had occurred the dis
astrous and bloody defeat of Freder-
icksburg In the North it was the
darkest hour of the war. Everywhere
outside the army there was depres.
sion and fear. On January 21, the
commanding general ordered the
troops to break camp and move for
ward. At the same time "a cold driz-
cling rain set in: the ground speedily
became like a 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 harness; but still the general per-
sisted. But the rain persisted also,
and it soon became a simple impossi-
bility to go forward" After two days
of effort it was necessary to have the
men struggle and founder through
the wilderness of mud back to their
camp -...
Picture the situation: Recent defeat
with heavy losses; retreat; cheer
less mid-winter camp; rain; cold;
mud; disbursement at home; long
march under the most trying condi-
tons ending in return to the same
camping ground from which the troops
had started. A little grumbling
might reasonably have been expected.
But the men of 1863 we're too good
soldiers to draw long faces. The his
torian goes on: "The march was made
in high good humor, the soldiers