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Show officers, will force them to the conclusion conclu-sion that offenses involving apparent or real disobedience to orders, originate oftener with officials than with men in the ranks. An instance is recalled to mind where most serious consequences would have resulted from the impulsive, but wrongful act of an officer, had military regulations been strictly udhered to. A German ollicer of the line, finely educated, and a splendid swordsman, but of quick and fractious temper, irritated at the blundering manner tn which his nien on drill obeyed orders, made a uuddeu rush at them with his drawn sword. Instantly, In-stantly, and without a thought except of self defense, he was met by half a dozen levelled muskets with lixed bayonets from the men more directly threatened. Infuriated beyond measure he dismissed the company and tiled charges against the men for mutiny, an offenso, in titne of war, punishable with death. The colonel of the regiment, an old army ollicer, rigid as an iceberg in the matter of discipline, approved the arrest and was intending to have the prisoners tried by court martial. A few days elapsed and sober second thought sufficed to present the mutter in a different light But the old veteran would not go back on his military resolution. Ho was detailed de-tailed to command the military district he was in, and the writer was temporarily temporar-ily in command of the regiment. One of his first acts was to visit the guard bouse and set all of these true men and good soldiers who had fought through long years under the black Hag at liberty. lib-erty. The strict letter of military law would, at least, have sent the poor fellows fel-lows to the Dry Tortugas for a number of years, with forfeiture of pay and disgraceful dis-graceful dismissal from the service. THK ARMY ANI NAVY. The country will await with some in-terenl in-terenl the result of the court martial in the case of Lieutenant Steele, charged with abusing, by word and blow, Private Wild of the troop uuder his command. The McCalla aud llealy cases of investigation tit New York and San Franrisco show that attention is being be-ing called to the discipline of the nrmy and navy. Always and ever, iu both thet active departments, where strict discipline and almost despotic authority are necessary, there will be found officers unfitted to command, and men of the rank and tile as poorly qualified to obey. Military regulations aim to do justice to ail, but the best of orga-niaations orga-niaations fail in the presence of human imperfection and depravity. Especially is this true, when the devil of whisky enters and takes possession of officer or man. The nrmy is a sovere training school even in time of war, when active service and personal risk and danger occupy the attention and bring men of the ranks and officers of tho line nearer to a common level and to a more fraternal feeling. But tie experience ex-perience and observation of the thousands thou-sands of men who in the Itist war served in the ranks ' as well as commissioned. |