intelligence of the educated volunteer was of the utmost value.
History has hitherto overlooked the achievements of the scouts, whose
names so seldom occur in the Official Records, but whose daring was
unsurpassed, and whose services were of vast importance. In the Army
of Northern Virginia every commanding general had his own party of
scouts, whose business it was to penetrate the enemy's lines, to see
everything and to hear everything, to visit the base of operations,
to inspect the line of communications, and to note the condition and
the temper of the hostile troops. Attracted by a pure love of
adventure, these private soldiers did exactly the same work as did
the English Intelligence officers in the Peninsula, and did it with
the same thoroughness and acuteness. Wellington, deploring the
capture of Captain Colquhoun Grant, declared that the gallant
Highlander was worth as much to the army as a brigade of cavalry;
Jackson had scouts who were more useful to him than many of his
brigadiers. Again, in constructing hasty intrenchments, the soldiers
needed neither assistance nor impulsion. The rough cover thrown up by
the men when circumstances demanded it, on their own volition, was
always adapted to the ground, and generally fulfilled the main
principles of fortification. For bridge-building, for road-making,
for the destruction, the repair, and even the making, of railroads,
skilled labour was always forthcoming from the ranks; and the
soldiers stamped the impress of their individuality on the tactics of
the infantry. Modern formations, to a very large extent, had their
origin on American battle-fields. The men realised very quickly the
advantages of shelter; the advance by rushes from one cover to
another, and the gradually working up, by this method, of the
firing-line to effective range--the method which all experience shows
to be the true one--became the general rule.

That the troops had faults, however, due in great part to the fact
that their intelligence was not thoroughly trained, and to the
inexperience of their officers, it is impossible to deny.

"I agree with you," wrote Lee in 1868, "in believing that our army
would be invincible if it could be properly organised and officered.
There were never such men in an army before. They will go anywhere
and do anything if properly led. But there is the difficulty--proper
commanders. Where can they be obtained? But they are
improving--constantly improving. Rome w