mies.

The rebellion made some progress at first, and offered effective
resistance for a long time, simply because the Southern authorities
manifested greater military wisdom than the Northern. The difference
in preparations and in military training in advance was quite
insignificant. The North had many more educated and competent
military men than the South. The difference was that the South
used the few they had to the best advantage, while the North so
used only a very few of their many.

The lesson next in importance taught by our experience is the
necessity of general military education in a country having popular
government. No man can be fully qualified for the duties of a
statesman until he has made a thorough study of the science of war
in its broadest sense. He need not go to a military school, much
less serve in the army or in the militia. But unless he makes
himself thoroughly acquainted with the methods and conditions
requisite to success in war, he is liable to do almost infinite
damage to his country. For instance, the very first success of
the Union armies--the capture of Fort Donelson--was quickly followed
by a proclamation of thanksgiving and an order to stop recruiting.
That one act of "statesmanship" cost the country untold millions
of dollars and many thousands of lives. It was necessary only to
take the ordinary military advantage of the popular enthusiasm
throughout the country after Grant's first victory to have made
the Union armies absolutely irresistible by any force the South
could raise and arm at that time.

A POOR USE OF THE EDUCATED SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY

There has been much irrelevant discussion about the ability or
inability of commanders in the North and South. The fact is that
political instead of military ideas controlled in a very large
degree the selection of commanders in the Union armies; while for
three whole years the authorities in Washington could not see the
necessity of unity of action in all the armies under one military
leader. It required three years of costly experience to teach the
government that simple lesson, taught in the military text-books!
As experience finally proved, there was no lack of men capable of
leading even large armies to victory; but, with few exceptions,
they were not put in command until many others had been tried.
Information as to military fitness was not sought from military
sources. If a lawyer is wan