Quote Of The Day

May 27, 2013

Comments

I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting—its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands and fathers … tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated … that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation

— William Tecumsah Sherman, United States General during the Civil War, Commanding General Of The United States Army (1869-1883)

6 responses to “Quote Of The Day”

Donald Sensing

May 27, 2013 at 5:28 pm

That and other thoughts in “Courage, an essay for Memorial Day.”
michael reynolds

May 27, 2013 at 6:29 pm

tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated … that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.

How to explain a certain former naval aviator, shot down over Vietnam, and held prisoner for many years?
steve s

May 27, 2013 at 8:16 pm

senility?
gVOR08

May 28, 2013 at 7:29 am

We don’t learn.

WIKI has a “Timeline of United States military operations” I count 238 military operations since the end of the Civil War, including eight during Sherman’s tenure as Commanding General. (To be fair, most look like Navy/Marine operations.) This does not count the Indian wars (some during Sherman’s tenure), slave revolts and other insurrections, private range wars and feuds, etc. listed separately.
gVOR08

May 28, 2013 at 7:36 am

@michael reynolds: I expect you know:
– being a drama queen
– media whoring
– starting to worry about a primary
– fear of not being on the teevee every Sunday morning
– Syria looked bright and shiny
– orders from AIPAC
And what @steve s: said.
dmhlt

May 28, 2013 at 8:19 am

A very small nit to pick:

It’s T-e-c-u-m-s-E-h