He is blind indeed who fails to recognise the unselfish patriotism displayed by the citizen-soldiers of America, the stern resolution with which the war was waged; the tenacity of the Northerner, ill-commanded and constantly defeated, fighting in a most difficult country and foiled on every line of invasion; the tenacity of the Southerner, confronting enormous odds, ill-fed, ill-armed, and ill-provided, knowing that if wounded his sufferings would be great—­for drugs had been declared contraband of war, the hospitals contained no anaesthetics to relieve the pain of amputation, and the surgical instruments, which were only replaced when others were captured, were worn out with constant usage; knowing too that his women-folk and children were in want, and yet never yielding to despair nor abandoning hope of ultimate victory.  Neither Federal nor Confederate deemed his life the most precious of his earthly possessions.  Neither New Englander nor Virginian ever for one moment dreamt of surrendering, no matter what the struggle might cost, a single acre of the territory, a single item of the civil rights, which had been handed down to him.  “I do not profess,” said Jackson, “any romantic sentiments as to the vanity of life.  Certainly no man has more that should make life dear to him than I have, in the affection of my home; but I do not desire to survive the independence of my country.”  And Jackson’s attitude was that of his fellow-countrymen.  The words of Naboth, “Jehovah forbid that I should give to thee the inheritance of my forefathers,” were graven on the heart of both North and South; and the unknown and forgotten heroes who fought in the ranks of either army, and who fought for a principle, not on compulsion or for glory, are worthy of the highest honours that history can bestow.

Nor can a soldier withhold his tribute of praise to the capacity for making war which distinguished the American citizen.  The intelligence of the rank and file played an important role in every phase of a campaign.  As skirmishers,—­and modern battles, to a very great extent, are fought out by lines of skirmishers—­their work was admirable; and when the officers were struck down, or when command, by reason of the din and excitement, became impossible, the self-dependence of the individual asserted itself with the best effect.* (* The historical student may profitably compare with the American soldier the Armies of Revolutionary France, in which education and intelligence were also conspicuous.) The same quality which the German training had sought to foster, and which, according to Moltke,* (* Official Account of the Franco-German War volume 2 page 168.) had much to do with the victories of 1870, was born in both Northerner and Southerner.  On outpost and on patrol, in seeking information and in counteracting the ruses of the enemy, the keen intelligence of the educated volunteer was of the utmost value.  History has hitherto overlooked the achievements