Give The Privates A Chance

From the N . Y. W-.ill. It i.s a remarkablo circumstance tb at, 8Ínce this war cominenced, bravo and ireritorions couduct oa the part of privates in our volunteer anniea has rarely or never been noticed in the rep rts ot' the gener:il and line officers. Credita liave been quite liberally awarded U) all manuur of üfficers, lrüin Lieutenants up, but the bravo men who compose our rank and file aru never heard of outside of their own regiuients. This has not büeitheca-e in the regular service. It has alwüys been the practica to notiee officially the good conduct of men who speeially distinguished thein selvea. Thut the opposite courso is wrong - all wrong - is too obvious for argument. Aiuong tha many omUsions of Congrens, o:ie was in not providiuj: gomo oidor of morit for tlu brjve com ïuou soldier, similar to tho Freueh Legion of Hotior; it vrould havo boen a giaceful recognition of the servicesof'tens of tho:isa:ids of héroes, who in'ust otlier wise live uohi'iiored and dio unknown. Anothur wrong is done our conimon soldiera. Promotions from the ranksaro muofa too raro. Iustead of suppl)'ing oIBcera for tho new regitnents from the men who have aeen isrioa in the field in the old ones, we aro about to organiza a ncw corpa of civiliau offijers - thus adding enonnöusly to the expense of our armics, and impairing their efficiency. - Previous to the w r Congress passud an act authoriz.ng commissions to be given to meritorious non commissioned officer.s in the regular army. Twenty five of these were thus honored previous to the war, but since then not one. It is true provisión was mide for promoting more of the privates iu the new regular regiments, but tliese have not buen fi.led up, nor will they be. This matter otight to attract more at tention. Discipline, patriotism, sclf-ro speet - all havo their uJ in making an army fight, luit a promiso of promotion for gooJ conduot 13 the most powerful incentive for bravo deeds on the buttle field.