Produced by Al Haines
J. WALKER McSPADDEN
Copyright, MCMXIX
by
The World Syndicate Publishing Co.
Printed in the United States of America
So much has been written about the great soldiers of the world, that itis a matter of considerable hardihood to attempt to present anothervolume on the subject in any sense "new." But the Great War has notonly brought to the center of the stage a new group of martialfigures—it has also intensified and revivified our interest in thoseof a bygone day. The springs of history rise far back. We can thebetter appreciate our leaders of today and their problems, by comparingthem with the leaders and problems of yesterday. Waterloo takes on anew aspect when viewed from Vimy Ridge.
The present book includes a round dozen of the great soldiers ofyesterday and today. The list is about equally divided among British,French, and American leaders, and is confined to the last twocenturies. Each man selected is typical of a particular time and task.His life story contains a message of definite interest and value.
In telling these stories, however, in the limits of brief chapters, wehave carefully abstained from the writing of formal biographies. Sucha treatment would have resulted merely in a rehash of time-worn databeginning "He was born," and ending "He died."
The plan of these stories is to give a personal portrait of the man,using the background of his early life—to trace his career up fromboyhood through the formative years. Such data serves to explain thegreat soldier of later years. Every schoolboy knows, for example, whatWashington did after he was placed in command of the Colonial Army—butwhat he did in the earlier years to deserve this high command is astory not so well known. Yet it is both interesting in itself, andserves to humanize its subject. The stately Washington steps down offhis pedestal, and shoulders again his surveyor's tripod of boyhooddays, while he invites us to take a tramp through the Virginia wilds.
The writing (and, we hope, the reading) of these life stories brings anespecial message. We discover that in each instance the famous soldierwas not a pet of Fortune, but was selected for his high and arduoustask, because of the training received in his formative years. Hispeculiar gift of leadership was merely an expression of his indomitablewill to forge ahead. He exemplified in his life the Boy Scout motto,"Be Prepared."
"Turn your guns around on them! Stop them!"
The command was given in peremptory tones to a demoralized group ofsoldiers. Not waiti