Most of them won hard-earned and well-deserved fame as able soldiers before the war was over.

In an armed struggle which grew out of a great political contest, it was inevitable that eager political partisans should be among the most active in the new volunteer organizations.

They called meetings, addressed the people to rouse their enthusiasm, urged enlistments, and often set the example by enrolling their own names first.

It must be kept constantly in mind that we had no militia organization that bore any appreciable proportion to the greatness of the country's need, and that at any rate the policy of relying upon volunteering at the beginning was adopted by the government.

It was a foregone conclusion that popular leaders of all grades must largely officer the new troops.