WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1863
336
breach, there lay the Texian ! The soldier of liberty died for her sake. "Leaving in battle not a blot on his name, He looked proudly to Heaven from the death-bed of fame." Such men cannot be conquered. Massed together, they would have checked the foe wherever he has a gained foothold on our soil. To speak of their valor is not to detract from their comrades in arms. The nation recognizes them as the bravest of the brave. Generals aspire to command them, and the army sleeps secure when the Texian guards the camp. Believing that, if united and actuated by the same high resolve, which now inspires the people of the South their independence of the North is certain, I pray for that wisdom in our councils which will direct the willing energies of the people aright and firmness and skill in our Generals, worthy the valor of our troops. If we fail of success, want of statesmanship and generalship will be the cause. We have resources to sustain us, claims to the notice of the world such as no new nation has produced in these times, and we have armies whose wonderful achievements are the admiration of all the generals of mankind. Men of genius must be their leaders. The hopes of the nation have been too often already blasted by the imbecility of educated chieftains, who could lead our armies into danger but knew not how to pluck victory from it, or extricate them when necessary. We have Generals who are worthy of the name. We have others whose sole claim to position is West Point, and the sooner such are put into ranks the better. Education improves the true soldier. Lee, Jackson, Johnson, Magruder, and their compeers, whose names shed such lustre on our cause, have added to strategy the science of books; but nature made them Generals. If nature has not stamped the man with her.high signet of genius, all the military academies in the world cannot give him strategy and the power of combination. The General must come forth like Minerva from the brow of Jupiter, all armed for the conflict. The hand of Deity alone can mold him. Look at the illustrious heroes of our revolution. Washington, whose strategy soared above the alembic of books; Greene, who quit the plow handles to take the lead of armies, and who outgeneralled the best chieftains of Britain. Look at the host of heroic names who, from all ages, attest the fact that God makes the General.
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