Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-02-22
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the wounds which my feelings as an officer nave
received by thousand things that have happened
contrary to nv expectations and wishes; the ell
feet of my own conduct and present appearance
of things so little pleasing to myself as TO renue,
it matter of no surprise to me II shouid stanu
capitally censured by congress lnduce
thorough conviction in my mind that II Will Nc
impossible, unless there is thorough change ~
our military system, for to conduct matters ~
give satisfaction to the public which IS al 'ne
recompense aim at or ever wish for
This unhappy state of things was almost Wnoiiy
due to the feeling manifested in several sectlohs
of the country persisted in to the nampeflhs - -
Washington's campaign and to the detrlinene -, -
tho cause. Congress was finally prevailed upon py
Washington's representations ana lpe eatuA,.
dawning consciousness that war was lhevl'aDl
and that. being so unpreparedness meant ca
lamity. a,7on4
on December 20, 1776 he wrote to the preslueht
IF congress-: "Short enlistments and a mlstaken
dependence upon militia have been the oiisl.s
of all our misfortunes and great accumulalion -
our debt. peg lease ~ sis 80 - ,soans
humble opinion that 88 battalions are by no means
,,o1 ~ tho onnosition YOU are to make, and tnat
not a moments time is to be lost In raising
greater number not less in my opinion ana tnat
e - ~ of5icars than 10. In my judgment
This is not a time to stand upon expense; our
finds are not the only object of consideration.
IT NAV be thought that I am going a good
deal out of my line of duty to advise thus freely.
A character to loose, estate to forfeit, the IN
estimable blessings Of liberty at stake and NE
devoted must be my excuse
Far from holding himself aloof and wanting to
keep all power in his own hands, Washington
welcomed cooperation.
After ne had been invested with the dictatorial
powers necessitated by the emergency OF pubic
.sa:1 n 0F0+ry Of OxxY VnrlY
gized for certain measures they had taken In re-
gard to New York troops which were later dis
covered to have been infringement on his au.
thority. Washington replied: Il should be un-
happy in the belief that any part of my letter to
YOU could be construed into the slightest hint
that YOU wish to interfere in the military line.
Heaven knows that I greatly want the aid OF
every good man. and that there are not such
enviable pleasures attending my situation as to
make me too jealous of it's prerogatives. Rather
than complain Of your late efforts in the military
way you deserve the thanks of us all, and feel
myself happy in this opportunity of returning yen
mine in the greatest truth and sincerity"
At Valley Forge, where Washington's troops
were almost naked, had few blankets and scanty
food. he was moved to resentment against "the
gentlemen without knowing whether the army
was really going into winter quarters not
reprobating the measure much If they
thought the soldiers were made of stocks and
stones and equally insensible of frost and snow
and. moreover, as if they conceived it easily prac-
ticable for an inferior army under the disad-
vantages I have described ours to be to conf1ne
a superior one in all respects well appointed
within the city of Philadelphia and to cover from
depreciation and waste the states of Pennsylvania
and New Jersey can assure these gen
tlemen that it is much easier and less distress
ing thing to draw up circumstances in d com
Portable room by good fireside than to occupy q
cold bleak hill and sleep under frost and snow
without clothes blankets However although
they seem to have little feeling for the naked and
distressed soldiers, feel superabundantly fol
them, and from my soul l pity those miseries
which it is neither in my power to relieve nor pre-
VENT
Washington made persistent efforts to get .
guarantee of half-pay for his officers after the
war, himself having personal interest in the
measure; he had declared from the first that he
would never profit by it to the amount of single
penny He deprecated constantly the jealousy OF
the military part of the government by the civil
department.
'H we would pursue right system Of policy
he wrote to member OF congress, "in my opinion
there would be none Of these distinctions We
should ALL congress and army be considered as one
people, embarked in cause, in one interest
acting on the same principle and to the same end
In 1893 Washington, in his second term as pres
dent, wrote to congress that while he sought
peace and urged faithful discharge of every duty
toward others, he recommended prompt measures
not only for defense but for enforcing just claims
''There is rank due the United States amone
other nations which will be withheld, If not alb.
solutely lost, by the reputation of weakness. II
we desire to avoid insult we must be able to rene
it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most
powerful instruments of our prosperity 1t mas,
be known that we are at all times ready for yvsr
he wrote.