Willpower in Camp and Field

Oh, what miracles have been wrought by the self-confidence, the self-determination of an iron will! What impossible deeds have been performed by it! It was this that took Napoleon over the Alps in midwinter; it took Farragut and Dewey past the cannons, torpedoes, and mines of the enemy; it led Nelson and Grant to victory; it has been the great tonic in the world of discovery, invention, and art; it has helped to win the thousand triumphs in war and science which were deemed impossible.

Oh, what miracles have been achieved through the self-confidence and determination of an iron will! What impossible deeds it has accomplished! It took Napoleon over the Alps in midwinter. It took Farragut and Dewey past the enemy’s cannons, torpedoes, and mines. It led Nelson and Grant to victory. It has been a great source of strength in discovery, invention, and art. It has helped win countless triumphs in war and science that were thought impossible.

The secret of Jeanne d'Arc's success was not alone in rare decision of character, but in the seeing of visions which inspired her to self-confidence--confidence in her divine mission.

Jeanne d'Arc's success came not only from her remarkable determination. It also came from visions that inspired her confidence in herself and her divine mission.

It was an iron will that gave Nelson command of the British fleet, a title, and a statue at Trafalgar Square It was the keynote of his character when he said, "When I don't know whether to fight or not, I always fight."

An iron will gave Nelson command of the British fleet, a title, and a statue in Trafalgar Square. That will was central to his character, as he showed when he said, "When I don't know whether to fight or not, I always fight."

It was an iron will that was brought into play when Horatius with two companions held ninety thousand Tuscans at bay until the bridge across the Tiber had been destroyed--when Leonidas at Thermopylæ checked the mighty march of Xerxes--when Themistocles off the coast of Greece shattered the Persian's Armada--when Cæsar finding his army hard pressed seized spear and buckler and snatched victory from defeat--when Winkelried gathered to his breast a sheaf of Austrian spears and opened a path for his comrades--when Wellington fought in many climes without ever being conquered--when Ney on a hundred fields changed apparent disaster into brilliant triumph--when Sheridan arrived from Winchester as the Union retreat was becoming a route and turned the tide--when Sherman signaled his men to hold the fort knowing that their leader was coming.

It took an iron will for Horatius and two companions to hold ninety thousand Tuscans at bay until the bridge across the Tiber was destroyed. It took an iron will for Leonidas to stop Xerxes' mighty advance at Thermopylæ. Themistocles showed the same will when he shattered the Persian fleet off the coast of Greece. So did Cæsar when, finding his army hard pressed, he seized a spear and shield and turned defeat into victory. Winkelried showed it when he gathered a bundle of Austrian spears to his chest and opened a path for his comrades. Wellington showed it when he fought in many lands without ever being defeated. Ney showed it on a hundred battlefields, turning apparent disaster into brilliant triumph. Sheridan showed it when he arrived from Winchester as the Union retreat was becoming a rout and turned the tide. Sherman showed it when he signaled his men to hold the fort, knowing that their leader was coming.

History furnishes thousands of examples of men who have seized occasions to accomplish results deemed impossible by those less resolute. Prompt decision and whole-souled action sweep the world before them. Who was the organizer of the modern German empire? Was he not the man of iron?

History offers thousands of examples of men who seized opportunities to achieve what less determined people thought impossible. Quick decisions and wholehearted action sweep the world before them. Who organized the modern German empire? Was he not the man of iron?

"What would you do if you were besieged in a place entirely destitute of provisions?" asked the examiner, when Napoleon was a cadet.

"What would you do if you were trapped in a place under siege with no food?" the examiner asked Napoleon when he was a cadet.

"If there were anything to eat in the enemy's camp, I should not be concerned."

"If there were anything to eat in the enemy's camp, I wouldn't worry."

When Paris was in the hands of a mob, and the authorities were panic-stricken, in came a man who said, "I know a young officer who can quell this mob."

Paris was in the hands of a mob, and the authorities were panicking. Then a man came in and said, "I know a young officer who can stop this mob."

"Send for him." Napoleon was sent for; he came, he subjugated the mob, he subjugated the authorities, he ruled France, then conquered Europe.

"Send for him." They sent for Napoleon, and he came. He subdued the mob and the authorities. He ruled France, then conquered Europe.

May 10, 1796, Napoleon carried the bridge at Lodi, in the face of the Austrian batteries, trained upon the French end of the structure. Behind them were six thousand troops. Napoleon massed four thousand grenadiers at the head of the bridge, with a battalion of three hundred carbineers in front. At the tap of the drum the foremost assailants wheeled from the cover of the street wall under a terrible hail of grape and canister, and attempted to pass the gateway to the bridge. The front ranks went down like stalks of grain before a reaper; the column staggered and reeled backward, and the valiant grenadiers were appalled by the task before them. Without a word or a look of reproach, Napoleon placed himself at their head, and his aids and generals rushed to his side. Forward again over heaps of dead that choked the passage, and a quick run counted by seconds only carried the column across two hundred yards of clear space, scarcely a shot from the Austrians taking effect beyond the point where the platoons wheeled for the first leap. The guns of the enemy were not aimed at the advance. The advance was too quick for the Austrian gunners. So sudden and so miraculous was it all, that the Austrian artillerists abandoned their guns instantly, and their supports fled in a panic instead of rushing to the front and meeting the French onslaught. This Napoleon had counted on in making the bold attack.

On May 10, 1796, Napoleon captured the bridge at Lodi. Austrian batteries were aimed at the French end of the bridge, with six thousand troops behind them. Napoleon gathered four thousand grenadiers at the head of the bridge, with a battalion of three hundred carbineers in front. At the tap of the drum, the leading attackers turned from behind a street wall. Under a terrible hail of grapeshot and canister, they tried to pass through the gateway to the bridge. The front ranks fell like stalks of grain before a reaper. The column staggered and reeled backward, and the brave grenadiers were appalled by the task before them. Without a word or a look of reproach, Napoleon placed himself at their head. His aides and generals rushed to his side. The column advanced again over heaps of dead that clogged the passage. A quick run of just seconds carried them across two hundred yards of open space. Hardly an Austrian shot hit them beyond the point where the platoons turned to begin their charge. The enemy’s guns were not aimed at the advancing troops. The advance was too quick for the Austrian gunners. The attack was so sudden and miraculous that the Austrian gunners immediately abandoned their guns. Their supporting troops fled in a panic instead of rushing forward to meet the French assault. Napoleon had counted on this when he made the bold attack.

What was Napoleon but the thunderbolt of war? He once journeyed from Spain to Paris at seventeen miles an hour in the saddle.

What was Napoleon but a thunderbolt of war? He once rode from Spain to Paris at seventeen miles an hour.

"Is it possible to cross the path?" asked Napoleon of the engineers who had been sent to explore the dreaded pass of St. Bernard.

"Is it possible to cross the path?" Napoleon asked the engineers sent to explore the dreaded pass of St. Bernard.

"Perhaps," was the hesitating reply, "it is within the limits of possibility."

"Perhaps," came the hesitant reply, "it is possible."

"Forward, then."

"Let's move forward, then."

Yet Ulysses S. Grant, a young man unknown to fame, with neither money nor influence, with no patrons or friends, in six years fought more battles, gained more victories, captured more prisoners, took more spoils, commanded more men, than Napoleon did in twenty years. "The great thing about him," said Lincoln, "is cool persistence."

Yet Ulysses S. Grant was a young man unknown to fame, with no money, influence, patrons, or friends. In six years, he fought more battles, won more victories, and captured more prisoners than Napoleon did in twenty years. He also took more spoils and commanded more men. "The great thing about him," said Lincoln, "is cool persistence."

When the Spanish fire on San Juan Hill became almost unbearable, some of the Rough Riders began to swear. Colonel Wood, with the wisdom of a good leader, called out, amid the whistle of the Mauser bullets: "Don't swear--fight!"

When Spanish fire on San Juan Hill became almost unbearable, some of the Rough Riders began to swear. Colonel Wood showed the wisdom of a good leader. Amid the whistling Mauser bullets, he called out: "Don't swear, fight!"

In a skirmish at Salamanca, while the enemy's guns were pouring shot into his regiment, Sir William Napier's men became disobedient. He at once ordered a halt, and flogged four of the ringleaders under fire. The men yielded at once, and then marched three miles under a heavy cannonade as coolly as if it were a review.

In a skirmish at Salamanca, Sir William Napier’s men became disobedient while enemy guns fired on their regiment. He immediately ordered a halt and had four of the ringleaders flogged under fire. The men obeyed at once. They then marched three miles under heavy cannon fire, as calmly as if they were on parade.

When Pellisier, the Crimean chief of Zouaves, struck an officer with a whip, the man drew a pistol that missed fire. The chief replied: "Fellow, I order you a three days' arrest for not having your arms in better order."

Pellisier, the Zouave commander in the Crimea, struck an officer with a whip. The officer drew a pistol, but it misfired. Pellisier replied: "Fellow, I order you confined for three days for not keeping your weapons in better condition."

The man of iron will is cool in the hour of danger.

A man with an iron will stays calm in the face of danger.

This was what Roosevelt said about his pushing on up San Juan Hill ahead of his regiment: "I had to run like a cyclone to stay in front and keep from being run over."

Roosevelt said this about charging up San Juan Hill ahead of his regiment: "I had to run like a cyclone to stay in front and keep from being run over."

The personal heroism of Hobson, or of Cushing, who blew up the "Albemarle" forty years ago, was but the expression of a magnificent will power. It was this which was the basis of General Wheeler's unparalleled military advancement: a second lieutenant at twenty-three, a colonel at twenty-four, a brigadier-general at twenty-five, a major-general at twenty-six, a corps commander at twenty-seven, and a lieutenant-general at twenty-eight.

The personal heroism of Hobson and of Cushing, who blew up the "Albemarle" forty years ago, expressed magnificent willpower. That same willpower was the foundation of General Wheeler's unparalleled military advancement. He became a second lieutenant at twenty-three, a colonel at twenty-four, and a brigadier-general at twenty-five. He became a major-general at twenty-six, a corps commander at twenty-seven, and a lieutenant-general at twenty-eight.

General Wheeler had sixteen horses killed under him, and a great number wounded. His saddle equipments and clothes were frequently struck by the missiles of the enemy. He was three times wounded, once painfully. He had thirty-two staff officers, or acting staff officers, killed or wounded. In almost every case they were immediately by his side. No officer was ever more exposed to the missiles of death than Joseph Wheeler.

General Wheeler had sixteen horses killed under him, and many more were wounded. Enemy fire often struck his saddle gear and clothes. He was wounded three times, once painfully. Thirty-two of his staff officers or acting staff officers were killed or wounded. In almost every case, they were right beside him. No officer was ever more exposed to deadly enemy fire than Joseph Wheeler.

What is this imperial characteristic of manhood, an iron will, but that which underlies all magnificent achievement, whether by heroes of the "Light Brigade" or the heroic fire-fighters of our great cities?

What is an iron will, this noble quality of manhood? It is the foundation of all great achievements, whether by the heroes of the "Light Brigade" or the heroic firefighters of our great cities.