Young Men for Action

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 5, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 42.

Young Men for Action.

THE current belief that the world's greatest soldiers have won their most notable victories when comparatively young, will be strengthened by the fact that when General Grant begun his wonderful military career he was but thirty-nine years of age, and was but forty-three when he had fought one of the greatest wars in history through to its close and fully established his reputation as the greatest military commander of the age. His two ablest and most distinguished lieutenants, Sherman and Sheridan, were, on the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, respectively forty-one and thirty. The world's greatest military heroes have won their fame while comparatively young men. Marlborough was fifty-three at the battle of Blenheim, but he entered the army at sixteen. On the other hand, Napoleon was but twenty-three at the siege of Toulon, and but twenty-seven when he began his wonderful campaign in Italy. Clive was but thirty-two at Plassey, and Wellington's reputation was made when only thirty, when he won Assaye, in India. Herr Frederick the Great, when he came to the throne of Prussia, and began the military operations which gave him his name, was only twenty-eight. Cromwell was but forty-three at the battle Marston Moor, and Charles XII. of Sweden, it will be remembered, was killed at thirty-six, after having spent eighteen years in command of his army. Gustavus Adolphus II. was but thirty-seven at the great triumph at Leipsic. Prince Eugene was but twenty when he entered the service of the emperor of Austria, and he won his great victory over the Turks at Zenta when but thirty-four. Charlemagne was forty-eight when he was crowned emperor of Germany, but this was preceded by more than twenty years of victorious warfare. William the Conqueror was thirty-nine at Hastings. Going back to classical times, the military heroes were, as they have been later, comparatively young men, Julius Cæsar being, perhaps, the chief exception. He had had comparatively no military experience when, at the age of forty-three, he undertook the subjugation of the Gauls, and he was fifty-two at the battle of Pharsalia, the crowning event in his career. Hannibal was only thirty-one at the battle of Cannæ, and but forty-five when finally defeated by a commander thirteen years younger than himself, at Zama. Alexander was twenty-three at the battle of Granicus, twenty-four at Issus, and only thirty-three at the time of his death.—Boston Traveller.