Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1917-05-17


BON the volunteer military system.
! capture OF Burgoyne at Saratoga, an
the capture OF CORVALLIS at yorktown
the latter event made possible onl
: by the cooperation OF 4 French arm
and French feet!
1t is far cry from the days Of tn,
Revolution to this day, but--just As 1
was done then-eminent civilians
legislative halls can substitute thei
own imperfect conclusions for thu
judgment OF men of military knowl
edge and wisdom, and by doing SO MAJ
decree their countrymen to needless
death and their nation to years OF war
In the War Of 1872
The volunteer system failed In the
War OF 1912 even more signally than
in previous years. Great Britain had in
Canada at the declaration of war $500
effective troops; our standing army
was STA strong, and widely scatter
ed. Congress had authorized an army
OF $4,000 six months before, but the
measure did not succeed. We were
unable therefore to take advantage
OF the enemy's weakness. Adequately
prepared, we could have ended the
war in one campaign of six months
against SO small force. In theory
and In legislative action we had abun-
dant troops, but in reality we had no.
thing.
The militia ingloriously surrendered
at Detroit; 1000 suddenly broke into
panic at the sight OF a. prairie Are in
the West and rushed home In disor-
der; and Cen William Henry Har.
rison's army Of 10000 was ineffective
and rebellious.
On the Niagara frontier &.few regu-
lars and militia crossed to Queens.
town, drove the British out, and later
lost the battle because the rest Of the
militiamen refused to go out of the
State.
In 1912 we had $4,000 Soldiers"
under pay, while the British had but
1900 men In upper Canada. The
American loss in killed, wounded and
prisoners in the various actions OF the
year was about 1900. almost two vic
Tins for every one Of the enemy in
upper Canada!
The disgraceful failures at the be-
ginning Of the war were added to and
eliminated In the capture and burn
ing of the capitol at Washington in
1914, after a force Of militia. supposed
from its numbers to be adequate. had
fed before the invaders.
All the mistakes of the Revolution
had been repeated, and new mistakes. |
were made in the conduct OF the
struggle in 1912.
The System Was Wrong
Civilian judgment in military mat
.ers had once more prolonged a war,
ost an opportunity, and ignorantly
sent many men to their death
Throughout the War OF 1912 we en-
oloyed from beginning to end 527,654
roops to cope with the enemy's force
" less than $500 men for two and
'ne-half years;
The United States can never main
ain its place in the sun by relying
Ipon volunteers. Now 1t is at war
With nations who know that the vol
nteer system is a dangerous and
anciful policy. We must meet them
Nth system as good as their own
Lessons From Civil War
The volunteer system failed in the
'ivil War and prolonged that struggle
Jpton declares that II the Government
ad had 10000 regulars at the first
attic of Bull Run the Rebellion would
ave ended with that battIe-there
'ould have been no four years of
ivil War. Instead the Federal Gov. {
had 28,56S raw troops, men ;
nlisted for 80 days, who were sent \
Ito battle because the North desired
} get some service out of them before
ley were disbanded!
Upton makes no criticism against d
le valor of the individual volunteer G
ut against a system which wasted G
YES Of men whose personal bravery
nd patriotism Is unsurpassed. [
The bounty which rose to its great
1T height during the Civil War testi- >
es in another way to the failure of
le volunteer system. It sprang from 0
policy that was organically wrong In v
lat 1t failed to impose military duty >,
,uitably upon all men of military age. +
The volunteer system compelled the II
itriotic man to sacrifice his time for
e benefit Of others no more liable to h
'rvice than himself and It put the y
'vernment In the position Of pur- o
lasing what 1t has always had the n
ght TO demand. :.