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


Whether or not an enormous an
Unnecessary sacrifice Of life an
treasure will attend the prosecute
OF the war upon which we are mo-
entering depends in a large degre
on whether or not Congress is guide
BY the mistakes made in other war
or whether 1t follows the mske-Shii
courses that civilian judgment s.
often substitutes for military know
edge.
The volunteer system was 9 fGilur
in the Revolution because men wer
enlisted for short terms of service
sixty and ninety days, q period to'
short to enable them to be moulded
into disciplined soldiers.
The weakness OF short enlistmenti
crippled Washington from the Very
moment he took command at Cam
bridge. He had 1900 men before
him; but as their terms OF enlistment
did not cover the time required to
turn recruits into disciplined soldiers
one of his first duties was to have
provision made for another army to
take the place of that which should
soon leave him!
From the beginning to the end OF
the struggle almost 100000 men were
called out; yet Notwithstanding this
formidable number-on paper--the
most men that washington could get
together for any one battle was 1880.
kha Goh 90 0fh
Of his command was so far below
that number that an alert and aggres-
stve enemy had many opportunities
to terminate the war at one stroke.
II, for illustration, Howe had struck
at Boston, the cause would have been
lost. Washington fully expected the
enemy to take advantage Of his we'll
known weakness and to strike .
crushing blow.
Many Enrolled; Fow Ready
Blind to the difference between men
enrolled and men developed into SOL
diers, Congress pursued Its weak
policy; and though in one year It
summoned $4,000 men, Washingtons
fighting strength before Princeton and
Trenton was only 1000!
This failure to have a properly or
ganized army was the result of mill
tary legislation by "a body Of citizens
who in their individual experience
were totally ignorant of military az
fairs"
The cost Of this mistaken policy
in money and in discipline was enor-
nous. Men came and went, consumed |
public stores, created a spirit of in
subordination, often INDUCED in
shocking lawlessness, and presently |
returned to their homes, having done
little besides taking up the time Of Off
GERS and being a charge upon the
public treasury.
But deplorable as was the waste In
money, it was nothing in comparison
with the evils 1t spread. Two of the
disasters are sufficient to show the
effect of the mistaken
policy.
In the campaign Of 1775 the only
important offensive movement under
taken by the Colonists was the inva-
sion of Canada. General Montgomery
crossed the frontier and invested Mon
treal. General Arnold marched '
through the wilderness Of Maine to
Canada. They Joined forces. attacked
the stronghold Quebec, and the as (
'ault failed. Sixty Americans were
killed or wounded; between 300 and
100 were made prisoners; Montgom- |
cry lost his life. |
The failure was due to the circum- ,
stance that the attack was made at {
IN inopportune time. The terms OF {
enlistment of nearly all of Montgom- G
RVS men were about to expire, and i
e knew that they would Immediately t
cave him: hence he determined upon t
final stroke ere his force dissolved.
hough his military judgment would t
ave dictated otherwise had he been h
Master of the situation. l.
The second misfortune occurred in a
777 when the American commander
7as unable to grasp the great fruits Q
I the American victory over Bur f
oyne at Saratoga! t
Inc IdIteT 5 army Oh O,IJI men was q
lvested by a total American force T.
( 13,200 and surrendered. e
Why the War Was Prolonged
Ordinary military wisdom would =,
ave suggested the immediate trans. =
,r Of this army, flushed with the In. >
,iration of victory, to Philadelphia, :,
here the British army had establish y.
itself; and had this been done there -
every reason to believe that Howe
ould have been defeated and the revo. !
tion would have ended there instead
dragging along for five more years.
be transfer was not made because
o army was again dissolving.
Tho continuation of the war for
lother five years cost at least $780,
0,000, exclusive OF the loss OF lives I
ID the interruption OF industry. Yet 4
Is mistaken policy was destined to (
repeated in another generation and (
larger and more destructive scale.
Notwithstanding the employment by (
g Colonies Of almost 100000 men,
VS. IIntnn thaPa Uaro hut t-o x,.{l;