north america-1-第38章

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　as　common　soldiers　who　were　so　manifestly　fitted　for　a　better　and　more　useful　life。　　To　me　it　is　always　a　source　of　sorrow　to　see　a　man　enlisted。　I　feel　that　the　individual　recruit　is　doing　badly　with　himself　carrying　himself；　and　the　strength　and　intelligence　which　belong　to　him；　to　a　bad　market。　　I　know　that　there　must　be　soldiers；　but　as　to　every　separate　soldier　I　regret　that　he　should　be　one　of　them。　And　the　higher　is　the　class　from　which　such　soldiers　are　drawn；　the　greater　the　intelligence　of　the　men　so　to　be　employed；　the　deeper　with　me　is　that　feeling　of　regret。　　But　this　strikes　one　much　less　in　an　old　country　than　in　a　country　that　is　new。　　In　the　old　countries　population　is　thick　and　food　sometimes　scarce。　　Men　can　be　spared；　and　any　employment　may　be　serviceable；　even　though　that　employment　be　in　itself　so　unproductive　as　that　of　fighting　battles　or　preparing　for　them。　　But　in　the　Western　States　of　America　every　arm　that　can　guide　a　plow　is　of　incalculable　value。　　Minnesota　was　admitted　as　a　State　about　three　years　before　this　time；　and　its　whole　population　is　not　much　above　150；000。　　Of　this　number　perhaps　40；000　may　be　working　men。　　And　now　this　infant　State；　with　its　huge　territory　and　scanty　population；　is　called　upon　to　send　its　heart's　blood　out　to　the　war。　And　it　has　sent　its　heart's　best　blood。　　Forth　they　camefine；　stalwart；　well…grown　fellowslooking；　to　my　eye；　as　though　they　had　as　yet　but　faintly　recognized　the　necessary　severity　of　military　discipline。　　To　them　hitherto　the　war　had　seemed　to　be　an　arena　on　which　each　might　do　something　for　his　country　which　that　country　would　recognize。　　To　themselves　as　yetand　to　me　also　they　were　a　band　of　heroes；　to　be　reduced　by　the　compressing　power　of　military　discipline　to　the　lower　level；　but　more　necessary　position；　of　a　regiment　of　soldiers。　　Ah；　me！　how　terrible　to　them　has　been　the　breaking　up　of　that　delusion！　　When　a　poor　yokel　in　England　is　enlisted　with　a　shilling　and　a　promise　of　unlimited　beer　and　glory；　one　pities；　and；　if　possible；　would　save　him。　　But　with　him　the　mode　of　life　to　which　he　goes　may　not　be　much　inferior　to　that　he　leaves。　　It　may　be　that　for　him　soldiering　is　the　best　trade　possible　in　his　circumstances。　　It　may　keep　him　from　the　hen…　roosts；　and　perhaps　from　his　neighbors'　pantries；　and　discipline　may　be　good　for　him。　　Population　is　thick　with　us；　and　there　are　many　whom　it　may　be　well　to　collect　and　make　available　under　the　strictest　surveillance。　　But　of　these　men　whom　I　saw　entering　on　their　career　upon　the　banks　of　the　Mississippi；　many　were　fathers　of　families；　many　were　owners　of　lands；　many　were　educated　men　capable　of　high　aspirationsall　were　serviceable　members　of　their　State。　　There　were　probably　there　not　three　or　four　of　whom　it　would　be　well　that　the　State　should　be　rid。　　As　soldiers；　fit　or　capable　of　being　made　fit　for　the　duties　they　had　undertaken；　I　could　find　but　one　fault　with　them。　　Their　average　age　was　too　high。　　There　were　men　among　them　with　grizzled　beards；　and　many　who　had　counted　thirty；　thirty…five；　and　forty　years。　　They　had；　I　believe；　devoted　themselves　with　a　true　spirit　of　patriotism。　　No　doubt　each　had　some　ulterior　hope　as　to　himself；　as　has　every　mortal　patriot。　　Regulus；　when　he　returned　hopeless　to　Carthage；　trusted　that　some　Horace　would　tell　his　story。　　Each　of　these　men　from　Minnesota　looked　probably　forward　to　his　reward；　but　the　reward　desired　was　of　a　high　class。　The　first　great　misery　to　be　endured　by　these　regiments　will　be　the　military　lesson　of　obedience　which　they　must　learn　before　they　can　be　of　any　service。　　It　always　seemed　to　me；　when　I　came　near　them；　that　they　had　not　as　yet　recognized　the　necessary　austerity　of　an　officer's　duty。　　Their　idea　of　a　captain　was　the　stage　idea　of　a　leader　of　dramatic　bandittia　man　to　be　followed　and　obeyed　as　a　leader；　but　to　be　obeyed　with　that　free　and　easy　obedience　which　is　accorded　to　the　reigning　chief　of　the　forty　thieves。　　〃Waal；　captain；〃　I　have　heard　a　private　say　to　his　officer；　as　he　sat　on　one　seat　in　a　railway　car；　with　his　feet　upon　the　back　of　another。　And　the　captain　has　looked　as　though　he　did　not　like　it。　　The　captain　did　not　like　it；　but　the　poor　private　was　being　fast　carried　to　that　destiny　which　he　would　like　still　less。　　From　the　first　I　have　had　faith　in　the　Northern　army；　but　from　the　first　I　have　felt　that　the　suffering　to　be　endured　by　these　free　and　independent　volunteers　would　be　very　great。　　A　man；　to　be　available　as　a　private　soldier；　must　be　compressed　and　belted　in　till　he　be　a　machine。　As　soon　as　the　men　had　left　the　vessel　we　walked　over　the　side　of　it　and　took　possession。　　〃I　am　afraid　your　cabin　won't　be　ready　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　said　the　clerk。　　〃Such　a　body　of　men　as　that　will　leave　some　dirt　after　them。〃　　I　assured　him；　of　course；　that　our　expectations　under　such　circumstances　were　very　limited；　and　that　I　was　fully　aware　that　the　boat　and　the　boat's　company　were　taken　up　with　matters　of　greater　moment　than　the　carriage　of　ordinary　passengers。　　But　to　this　he　demurred　altogether。　　〃The　regiments　were　very　little　to　them；　but　occasioned　much　trouble。　Everything；　however；　should　be　square　in　fifteen　minutes。〃　　At　the　expiration　of　the　time　named　the　key　of　our　state…room　was　given　to　us；　and　we　found　the　appurtenances　as　clean　as　though　no　soldier　had　ever　put　his　foot　upon　the　vessel。　From　La　Crosse　to　St。　Paul　the　distance　up　the　river　is　something　over　200　miles；　and　from　St。　Paul　down　to　Dubuque　in　Iowa；　to　which　we　went　on　our　return；　the　distance　is　450　miles。　　We　were；　therefore；　for　a　considerable　time　on　board　these　boatsmore　so　than　such　a　journey　may　generally　make　necessary；　as　we　were　delayed　at　first　by　the　soldiers；　and　afterward　by　accidents；　such　as　the　breaking　of　a　paddle…wheel；　and　other　causes；　to　which　navigation　on　the　Upper　Mississippi　seems　to　be　liable。　　On　the　whole；　we　slept　on　board　four　nights；　and　lived　on　board　as　many　days。　　I　cannot　say　that　the　life　was　comfortable；　though　I　do　not　know　that　it　could　be　made　more　so　by　any　care　on　the　part　of　the　boat　owners。　　My　first　complaint　would　be　against　the　great　heat　of　the　cabins。　　The　Americans；　as　a　rule；　live　in　an　atmosphere　which　is　almost　unbearable　by　an　Englishman。　　To　this　cause；　I　am　convinced；　is　to　be　attributed　their　thin　faces；　their　pale　skins；　their　unenergetic　temperamentunenergetic　as　regards　physical　motionand　their　early　old　age。　　The　winters　are　long　and　cold　in　America；　and　mechanical　ingenuity　is　far　extended。　　These　two　facts　together　have　created　a　system　of　stoves；　hot…air　pipes；　steam　chambers；　and　heating　apparatus　so　extensive　that；　from　autumn　till　the　end　of　spring；　all　inhabited　rooms　are　filled　with　the　atmosphere　of　a　hot　oven。　　An　Englishman　fancies　that　he　is　to　be　baked；　and　for　awhile　finds　it　almost　impossible　to　exist　in　the　air　prepared　for　him。　　How　the　heat　is　engendered　on　board　the　river　steamers　I　do　not　know；　but　it　is　engendered　to　so　great　a　degree　that　the　sitting…cabins　are　unendurable。　　The　patient　is　therefore　driven　out　at　all　hours　into　the　outside　balconies　of　the　boat；　or　on　to　the　top　rooffor　it　is　a　roof　rather　than　a　deck　and　there；　as　he　passes　through　the　air　at　the　rate　of　twenty　miles　an　hour；　finds　himself　chilled　to　the　very　bones。　　That　is　my　first　complaint。　　But　as　the　boats　are　made　for　Americans；　and　as　Americans　like　hot　air；　I　do　not　put　it　forward　with　any　idea　that　a　change　ought　to　be　effected。　　My　second　complaint　is　equally　unreasonable；　and　is　quite　as　incapable　of　a　remedy　as　the　first。　Nine…tenths　of　the　travelers　carry　children　with　them。　　They　are　not　tourists　engaged　on　pleasure　excursions；　but　men　and　women　intent　on　the　business　of　life。　　They　are　moving　up　and　down　looking　for　fortune　and　in　search　of　new　homes。　　Of　course　they　carry　with　them　all　their　household　goods。　　Do　not　let　any　critic　say　that　I　grudge　these　young　travelers　their　right　to　locomotion。　Neither　their　right　to　locomotion　is　grudged　by　me；　nor　any　of　those　privileges　which　are　accorded　in　America　to　the　rising　generation。　　The　habits　of　their　country　and　the　choice　of　their　parents　give　to　them　full　dominion　over　all　hours　and　over　all　places；　and　it　would　ill　become　a　foreigner　to　make　such　habits　and　such　choice　a　ground　of　serious　complaint。　　But；　nevertheless；　the　uncontrolled　energies　of　twenty　children　round　one's　legs　do　not　convey　comfort　or　happiness；　when　the　passing　events　are　producing　noise　and　storm　rather　than　peace　and　sunshine。　　I　must　protest　that　American　babies　are　an　unhappy　race。　　They　eat　and　drink　just　as　they　please；　they　are　never　punished；　they　are　never　banished；　snubbed；　and　kept　in　the　background　as　children　are　kept　with　us；　and　yet　they　are　wretched　and　uncomfortable。　　My　heart　has　bled　for　them　as　I　have　heard　them　squalling　by　the　hour　together　in　agonies　of　discontent　and　dyspepsia。　　Can　it　be；　I　wonder；　that　children　are　happier　when　they　are　made　to　obey　orders；　and　are　sent　to　bed　at　six　o'clock；　than　when　allowed　to　regulate　their　own　conduct；　that　bread　and　milk　are　more　favorable　to　laughter　and　soft；　childish　ways　than　beef…steaks　and　pickles　three　times　a　day；　that　an　occasional　whipping；　even；　will　conduce　to　rosy　cheeks？　　It　is　an　ide