The American Regular is a type of his own, and no description of him
is necessary. He was the fighting strength of the 5th Corps. Only
three Volunteer regiments participated in the charges of July 1st-the
71st New York, the 2d Massachusetts, and the 1st Volunteer Cavalry.
The Volunteers presented many different types: some good, some
otherwise. There should be no sympathy with that servile truckling to
popular sentiment which speaks of our brave Volunteers indiscriminately,
as if they were all good and all equally well instructed. There were
Volunteers who were the equals of the Regulars in fighting and in
leadership. And there were some who should have been at home pulling
on a nursing-bottle or attending a kindergarten. To praise them
indiscriminately creates a false impression on the public, and works a
rank injustice toward those who were really good and efficient in the
service. It does even worse than that: it fosters the popular idea
that all there is to do to make soldiers is to take so many laborers,
clerks, hod-carriers, or farmers, and put on them uniforms, arm them
with rifles, and call them "gallant Volunteers"! Out upon such an
insane delusion!
Fighting is a scientific trade.
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