1G THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. succeeded in overcoming the obstacles placed in their path. Sometimes an oilicer of the regular army, desirous of distin- guidung himself, ami having intluencc enough in his State, raised a regiment and obtained from it an admirable result. Thus, a young lieutenant of engineers, named Warren, was marvellously successful with the Fifth New York regiment, of which he was colonel. This regiment served as engineers and artillery at the siege of Yorktown, and, having again become infantry, conducted itself like the most veteran troops at the battles of the ('liickahominy, where it lost half of its forfe. And yet these were volunteers—but, they felt the knowledge and superiority of their chief. Generally, however, the chief is simply a comrade who wears a different costume. lie is obeyed in every day routine, but voluntarily. In the same way the soldiers don’t trouble themselves about him when cir cumstances become serious. From the point of view of American equality, there is no good reason to obey him. Besides, in the eyes of the greater number this title of volunteer docs not signify the soldier who devotes himself generously and voluntarily to save the country or to acquire glory, but rather the well-paid soldier, who only does what lie wishes and pleases, This is so true that, ^though the fly and time of service are the same for volunteers and regulars, the re- ernitjng of regulars has become almost impossible. All that class of men who enlisted when regulars alone existed, from a taste for camp life, now join the volunteers. On one side is license. on 1hc other discipline—the choice is easily made. The habits created by universal suffrage also play their part an i are reproduced on the field of battle* By a tacit agreement the regiment marches against the enemy, advances under lire and begins to deliver its volleys; the men are brave, very brave; they are killed and wounded in great numbers, and then, wnmi by a tacit agreement they think they have done enough for military honor, they all march off together. The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=