Jocko Podcast - 103: Human Will is a Super Power When Called Upon. "Recollections of Rifleman Harris"

Episode Date: December 1, 2017

0:00:00 - Opening 0:07:13 - "Recollections of Rifleman Harris" 1:28:23 - Final thoughts and take-aways. 1:42:00 - Support: JockoStore stuff, Super Krill Oil and Joint Warfare, Origin Brand Apparel and Jocko Gi, with Jocko White Tea,  Onnit Fitness stuff, and Psychological Warfare (on iTunes). Extreme Ownership (book), The Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual.  2:04:08 - Closing gratitude.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jocko-podcast/exclusive-content

This is Jocko Podcast number 103 with Echo Charles and me, Jock Willink. Good evening, Echo. Good evening. Whilst lying at Winchester, young as I was in the profession, I was picked out amongst others to perform a piece of duty that, for many years afterwards, remained deeply impressed upon my mind and gave me the first impression of the stern duties of a soldier's life. a private of the 70th regiment had deserted from that core and afterwards enlisted into several other regiments indeed i was told at the time that 16 different times he had received the bounty and then stolen off

being however caught at last he was brought to trial at portsmouth and sentenced by general court Marshal to be shot. As the execution would be a good hint to us youngens, there were four lads picked out of our corps to assist in this piece of duty, myself being one of the number chosen. Besides these men, four soldiers from three other regiments were ordered on the firing party, making 16 at all. The place of execution was ports down hill, and the different regiments assembled must have composed a force of about 15,000 men, having been assembled from the Isle of Wight, from Chichester, Gosport, and other places.

The site was very imposing and appeared to make a deep impression on all there. As for myself, I felt that I would have given a good round sum had I possessed it to have been in any other situation rather than the one, which I now found myself. And when I looked into the faces of my companions, I saw by the pallor and anxiety depicted in each countenance, the reflection of my own feelings.

When all was ready, we were moved to the front, and the culprit was brought out. He made a short speech to the parade, acknowledging the justice of his sentence and that drinking an evil company had brought the punishment upon him. He behaved himself firmly and well and did not seem to flinch at all. After being blindfolded, he was desired to kneel down behind a coffin which was placed on the ground and the drum major of the depot giving us an expressive glance. we immediately commenced to loading.

This was done in the deepest silence and the next moment we were primed and ready. There was then a dreadful pause for a few moments and the drum major again looking towards us gave us the signal agreed upon before a flourish of his cane and we leveled and fired. We had been previously strictly enjoined to be steady

and take good aim and the poor fellow pierced by several balls fell heavily upon his back as he lay with his arms pinion to his sides i observed that his hands waved for a few moments like the fins on a fish when in the agonies of death the drum major also observed the movement and making another signal four of our party immediately stepped up to the posturate body and placing the muzzles of their pieces to the head, fired, and put him out of his misery. The different regiments then fell back by companies, and the word being given to march past in slow time. When each company came in line with the body, the word was given to mark time, and then eyes left in order that we all might observe the terrible example.

We then moved onwards and marched from the ground to our different quarters. And that is from a book called Recollections of Rifleman Harris, who was an enlisted soldier for the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. And that was his welcome to the army. He'd been in for about three weeks of service when he had to stand and execute a fellow soldier for basically. being drunk and disorderly, not doing what he was supposed to do. Essentially, he was being executed for being a human being. And that was the introduction to military service for Rifleman Harris.

Rifleman Harris's full name was Benjamin Randall Harris. He enlisted in 1803. He fought all over Europe in the Peninsular War, which posed Bourbon-Spanes, the Kingdom of Portugal and the British Empire against Napoleon's French Empire and Bota Partist Spain and also the Duchy of Warsaw and this is a war where they have daggers and swords and bayonets and mounted cavalry charges they have cannons and they used a lot of muzzle loading rifles, which a skilled rifleman could load and fire about three times per minute, accurate,

out to about 200 yards, very different from the weapons that we have now, which can fire three rounds in a second, and are very accurate out to 800 yards, a thousand yards, and some sniper weapons way further than that. But even though these weapons are different from the weapons, we see in modern warfare. As always, in the end, it is men. It is human beings on the battlefield, bleeding, sweating, starving, suffering,

killing, and being killed. Let's find out a little bit more about Rifleman Harris, going back to the book. My father was a shepherd. and I was a sheep boy from my earliest youth. Indeed, as soon as almost I could run,

I began helping my father to look after the sheep on the downs of Blanford in Dorsetshire where I was born. Whilst I continued to tend the flocks and herds under my charge, and occasionally in the long winter nights, I learned the art of making shoes. I grew a hearty little chap and was one fine day in the year of 1802 drawn as a soldier for the army of reserve.

Thus, without troubling myself much about the change which was about to take place in the quiet of my routine days, I was drafted into the 66th Regiment of Foot, bid goodbye to my shepherd companions, and was obliged to leave my father without an assistant to collect his flocks, just as he was beginning more than ever to require one.

nay indeed I may say to want tending and looking after himself for old age and infirmary were coming on him his hair was growing white as the sleet of our downs and his countenance becoming as furrowed as the plowed fields around however as I had no choice in the matter it was quite as well that I did not grieve over my fate my father tried hard to buy me off and would have persuaded the sergeant of the 66th that I was of no use as a soldier from having maimed my right hand by breaking the forefinger when I was a child

the sergeant however said I was just the sort of little chap he wanted and off he went carrying me amongst a batch of recruits he had collected away with him sheep her dad's getting old Army comes and gets you.

That's the way it works. England, 1802. Now, he travels around a little bit and eventually ends up in Dublin. And here we go back to the book, whilst in Dublin, I one day saw a core of the 95th rifles and fell so in love with their smart dashing and devil-may-care appearance that nothing would serve me until I was a rifleman myself. So on arriving at Cashel one day,

and falling in with the recruiting party of that regiment, I volunteered into the second battalion. This recruiting party were all Irishmen, and had been sent over from England to collect, amongst others, men from the Irish militia, and were just about to return to England. I think they were as reckless and devil-may-care a set of men I had ever been beheld, either before or since.

So these riflemen, I would say, from what I read about them, they're almost like a special ops unit. And one big difference is they're wearing, instead of wearing red jackets like the Brits would wear it this time, they wore green. So they were a little bit different. And they had more accurate rifles and they would fight,

they would do what they're called skirmishing, which is fundamentally cover and move. They'd shoot and they'd maneuver and they'd, they'd act like a little special officer. operations troops out there. And of course, it's interesting to me. And when I hear this guy talking about the first time he saw someone that looked a little bit like a special operations troop, he said, he actually says, I fell in love with it. You know, that's, that's very much how I felt as I was growing up, the more I saw, you know, the special ops. And he actually didn't even

need to be special ops. For me, it was just someone in the military. But then he was, already in the military, so now he's looking for the next thing. What's the next thing going to be? And here he ends up as a rifleman. So he's now a rifleman. He joins, he moves over to their regiment. And here we go back to the book. The next day we marched for Ashford and Kent, where I joined the 95th rifles. And about six months after my joining, four companies of the second battalion were ordered on the expedition to Denmark. We embarked at Deal and sailing for hostile shores landed on a little place called I think Scarlet Island the expedition consisted of about 30,000 men and at the

moment of our getting on shore the whole force set up one simultaneous and tremendous cheer a sound I cannot describe it seemed so inspiring this indeed was the first time of my hearing the style in which our men give tongue when they get near the enemy though afterwards my ears became pretty well accustomed to such sounds. As soon as we got on shore, the rifles were pushed forward. And he says the rifles, he's talking about his guys. The rifles were pushed forward as the advance in chain order through some thick woods of fur.

And when we had cleared these woods and approached Copenhagen, centuries were posted on the roads and openings leading toward the town in order to intercept all comers and prevent all supplies. Such posts were occupied for about three days and nights. whilst the town was being fired upon by our shipping. I rather think this was the first time of the Congreve rockets being brought into play, and they rushed through the air in the dark. They appeared like so many fiery serpents creating, I should think,

terrible dismay among the besieged, the Congreve rockets. They basically look like giant bottle rockets in a way. And they got, at this time, they were getting their range out to 1,500, 2,000 meters. So it was a pretty crazy weapon and I can tell you Rockets in this day and age have become fairly accurate but in those days Probably about as accurate as a bottle rocket is my guess Back to the book as the main army came up we advanced and got as near under the walls of the place as we could without being endangered by the fire from our own shipping so what's happening right there is cover move the shipping is bombarding and these guys are advancing as close as they can

where they were not going to get killed by their own fire from the ships. We now received orders ourselves to commence firing and the rattling of the guns I shall not easily forget. I felt so much exhilarated that I could hardly keep back and was checked by the commander of the company who called me by my name to keep my place. About this time, my front-rank man, a tall fellow named Jack Johnson,

showed a disposition as though the firing had an effect on him the reverse of what it had had on many others of the company, for he seemed inclined to hang back and once or twice turned round in my face. I was a rear-ranked man and porting my peace. In the excitement of the moment, I swore that if he did not keep his ground, I would shoot him dead on the spot. So that he found it, he would go on, so that he found it would be quite as dangerous for him. to return as to go on. I feel sorry to record the want of courage of this man, but I do so with the less pain it gives me the opportunity of saying that during my many years of arduous service, it is the only

instance I remember of a British soldier endeavoring to hold back when his comrades were moving forward. Indeed, Johnson was never held again in estimation among the rifle corps, for the story got wind that I had threatened to shoot him for cowardice in the field. And Lieutenant Cox mentioned to the colonel that he'd overheard my doing so. And such was the contempt. The man was held in by the rifles that he was soon afterwards removed. There you go.

First time under fire. It's interesting how Rifleman Harris, first time under fire, he wants to get after it. He is ready to charge. And only one guy out of their whole crew is looking like he's going to hold. back and they talk about reputation here and that's definitely something that is when you get to the seal teams as you're a new guy someone tells you they'll say hey your reputation is everything and it's totally true and it's the same in any military organization what your reputation is because because in the military you think ranks all important right yeah but but the reality is

there's something that completely trumps rank and that's reputation and if you're and if You're, I mean, I always talk about the fact that relationships are more important than chain of command, but you're not going to have a good relationship with people. If you don't have a good reputation, it's not happening. Yeah, yeah. So, makes sense. Same thing back in 1803. Yeah. Back to the book, whilst in Denmark, we led a tolerably active life, the rifles being continually on the alert, ordered hither today and countermanded the next.

occasionally also we had some pleasant adventures among the blue-eyed Danish lasses for the rifles were always terrible fellows in that way I think that doesn't need too much explanation they I'll say this as I always say I have to fast forward through this book I'm not reading the entire book even though the entire book is awesome in this point this point here they're embarking for Portuguese we have another campaign to go on. Back to the book,

I wish I could picture the splendid sight of the shipping and the downs at the time we embarked with about 20,000 men. Those were times which the soldiers of our own more peaceable days have little conception of. So this book was written before World War I.

And really, this was the last big war is the wars that he went through, the Napoleonic Wars. So he's kind of saying, you don't even know what this is like anymore. You don't know what it's like. You don't know what the, the soldiers of our own more peaceable days have little conception of what it's like to embark 20,000 troops to get ready and go get some. Back to the book, we sailed majestically out of the cove of Cork for hostile shore where we were safely arrived and disembarked at Mondago Bay. The rifles were first out of the vessels.

before we were indeed always in front of the advance and always in the rear in retreat. Like the Kentish men of old, we claim the post of honor in the field. I tried to figure out what that. Kentish man, Kent is obviously a place. And the best I could figure out was that the people in Kent stood up hardcore

against the Norman invasion. I think that's what that references to. I'm sure somebody will correct me and I hope somebody does. Back to the book. Being immediately pushed forward up the country and advance of the main body, many of us in this hot climate

very soon began to find out the misery of the frightful load we were condemned to march and fight under with a burning sun above our heads and our feet sinking every step into the hot sand. The weight of the weight I myself toiled under was tremendous. And I often wonder at the strength I possessed

at this period, which enabled me to endure it. For indeed, I'm convinced that many of our infantry sank and died under the weight of their knapsacks alone. For my own part, being a handicraft, I marched under the weight sufficient to impede the free motions of a donkey. For besides my well-filled kit, there was the great coat rolled on its top, my blanket and camp kettle, my haversack stuffed full of leather for repairing the men's shoes together with a hammer and other tools. ship biscuit and beef for three days. I also carried my canteen filled with water, my hatchet and rifle, and 80 rounds of ball cartridge in my pouch.

This last, except the beef and biscuit, being the best thing I owned, and which I always gave the enemy the benefit of when the opportunity offered. It's interesting. He knew how to work on shoes, and so he carries stuff to repair shoes in the field. Think about that.

That's just a lost art, isn't it? But think about where you are in the field when you have to march 15 miles a day and you have no shoes. If there's someone that can fix your shoes, that's a godsend. Back to the book. The next day we again advanced in being in a state of the utmost anxiety to come up along the French. Neither the heat of the burning sun, long miles, or heavy knapsacks were able to diminish our ardor. Indeed, I often look back with wonder at the lighthearted style, the jolity, and the reckless indifference with which men who were so destined in short time to fall hurried onwards toward the field of strife, seemingly without a thought of anything but the sheer love of meeting the foe and the excitement of battle. He wrote this book 20-something years after this happened, after this experience.

I want to say he wrote it in 1930 something, 1938 maybe is when it came out. And you can see that, so my point in saying that is that looking back, he knows, because he's going to go through hell. He's going to go through hardcore combat. But even knowing how horrible combat is, he still looks back and is amazed.

at how they were ready to go. Going back to the book, The 29th Regiment received so terrible a fire that I saw the right wing almost annihilated and the colonel, I think his name was Lennox, lay sprawling amongst the rest. We had caught ourselves in it pretty handsomely, for there was no cover for us

and we were rather too near. The living skirmishers were laying beside heaps of their own dead, but still we had our own till the battalion regiments come up. Fire and retire is a very good sound, but the rifles were not over-fond of such notes. We never performed that maneuver

except when it was made pretty plain to us that it was quite necessary. The 29th, however, had got their faring hair at this time and the shock of that fire seemed to stagger the whole line and make them recoil. At the moment, a little confusion appeared in the ranks, I thought. Lord Hill was near at hand and saw it and I observed him come galloping up. He put himself at the head of the regiment and restored them to order in a moment.

There's some leadership, just full on leadership in action. So there's also fire and retire. What that means is cover and move. So you have some people shooting and some people falling back. That's how they retreat. And they use that whenever they have to retreat, you'll hear that. And I don't know if I did this, made this clear enough, but it's a bugle. It's a bugle signal.

So the bugle would play some certain number of notes or some pattern of notes and everyone would know, okay, that means fire and retire. So now we get that broad, that broad, the broad plan out to everyone at once, which is instead of advancing, which is what we were doing, now we're going to retreat. And as soon as you get everyone that information, now little elements can start to make it happen. That's decentralized command. But you have to have good communications in order for that to work. And what you need to communicate is the broad plan. And that's what they get done with a nice little bugle signal. Back to the book.

Pouring a regular and sharp fire upon the enemy, he galled them in return. And remaining with the 29th until he brought them to the charge, quickly sent the foe in the right about. It seemed to me that few men could have conducted the business with more coolness and quietude of manner under such a storm of balls as he was exposed to. Indeed, I have never forgotten him from that day. So yeah, it's important to also recognize that you have a you have a group of men that are about to fall apart and there's confusion and one guy I talk about this all the time one guy steps up takes ownership of the situation leads and it changes the entire outcome of the battle

Think about that one person. You got a thousand men versus a thousand men One person makes the difference so if you're in a leadership position think about that thing about what you're doing are you leading Are you stepping up? Are you guys? Galloping up on a horse and setting things right? Because that's what you need to be doing. Back to the book. At the time I was remarking these matters, loading and firing as I lay.

Another circumstance divided my attention for a while and made me forget even the gallant conduct of General Hill. A man near me uttered a scream of agony. And looking from the 29th who were on my right to the left, whence the screech had come, I saw one of our sergeants named Frazier sitting in a doubled up position and swaying backwards and forwards as though he had got a terrible

pain in his bowels. He continued to make such complaint that I arose and went to him, for he was rather a crony of mine. Oh, Harris, said he, as I took him in my arms, I shall die, I shall die, the agony is so great that I cannot bear it. It was indeed dreadful to look upon him. The froth came from his mouth and the perspiration poured from his face. Thank heaven. He was soon out of pain. And laying him down, I returned to my place. Poor fellow, he suffered more for a short time that he was dying than any man I think I ever saw in the same circumstances.

I had the courtesy to return and look at him after the battle. A musket ball I found had taken him sideways and gone through both. both groins. Within about a half an hour after this, I left Sergeant Frazier, and indeed, for the time, had as completely forgotten him as if he had died a hundred years back. The sight of so much bloodshed around will not suffer the mind to dwell long in any particular casualty, even though it happened to one's dearest friends. There was no time either to think, for all was action with us rifles just at this moment. And the barrel of my piece was so hot from continual firing

that I could hardly bear to touch it and was obliged to grasp the stock beneath the iron as I continued to blaze away. It doesn't even have time to think about it. James Ponton was another crony of mine, a gallant fellow. He had pushed himself in front of me and was checked by one of our officers for his rashness.

Keep back, you, Ponton. The lieutenant said to him more than once, but Ponton was to be restrained, but Ponton was not to be restrained by anything but a bullet went in action. This time he got one, which, striking him in the thigh, I suppose, hit an artery, for he died quickly. The Frenchman's balls were flying very wickedly at that moment, and I crept up to Ponton and took shelter by lying behind and making arrest from my arm. rifle of his dead body it strikes me that I revenged his death by the assistance of his carcass at any rate I tried my best to hit his enemies hard there were two small buildings to our front and the French having managed to get into them annoyed us much from that quarter a small rise in the ground closed before these houses also favored

them and our men were being handled very severely in consequence They became angry and wouldn't stand it any longer. One of the skirmishers jumping up rushed forward, crying, over, boys, over, over. When instantly, when instantly the whole line responded to the cry, over, over, they ran along the grass like wildfire, then dashed at the rise, fixing their sword bayonets as they ran. The French light bobs could not stand the sight, but turned about and fled and getting possession of their ground we were soon inside the buildings after the battle was over I stepped across the other house I have mentioned in order to see what was going on there for the

one I remained in was now pretty well filled with the wounded both French and English who had managed to get there for a little shelter two or three surgeons also had arrived at this house and were busily engaged in giving their assistance to the wounded now also here lying as thickly as in the building which I had left. But what struck me the most, but what struck me the most forcibly was that from the circumstance of some wine butts having been left in the apartment and having their engagement been perforated, having in the engagement been perforated by bullets and otherwise broken, the red wine had escaped most plentifully and ran down upon the earthen floor where the wounded were lying so that

Many of them were soaked in the wine with which their blood was mingled. I hate to even think about the medical care that these guys are getting. And the medical care that we had in Iraq was unbelievable. Not only from the speed that you would get assistance, but also the quality of care that you would get in the field from our own medics. and how quickly they would get you, get to you, and then get you taken care of,

and then get you evacuated to a full medical facility. And that actually changed during my time in the teams. For instance, the biggest change. When I first got in the teams, what we were taught was, if someone gets shot, you immediately give them an IV,

meaning, you know, a bag of fluid. Because they're bleeding, you got to replace that. And now, they don't do that automatically because your body has its own mechanisms when it loses blood to stop the bleeding. It pulls back in the arteries and veins

and it constricts them and it clots the blood that's there and when you give someone an IV the body thinks I don't need to do that so it opens up the arteries, it opens up the veins it doesn't constrict anything it doesn't get clots slower so there's like one example

and that that's during my time so that's the last 25 years that that changed has taken place so now you go back you know a hundred and two hundred years it's totally different totally different and they'll talk more about that the the basic the basic plan was if you get shot in the limb you're losing the limb that that's basically what's going on just amputations and nowadays they do an incredible job of saving, saving limbs. If they can be saved, they save them. I mean, they do an incredible job.

All right, back to the book. It was on the 15th of August when we first came up with the French and their skirmishers immediately commenced operations by raiding a shower of balls upon us as we advanced, which we returned without delay.

And I haven't said this yet, but the reason they're saying balls and said around is because these guys are shooting balls, the round balls of lead. And at this point, there was some rifling head started to come about, but what they basically just consider everything to be a ball of lead. And that's why they're not accurate.

That's why they're only accurate out to 200 meters, because they're not rifled. Like we have the tight rifling spinning bullets today. Back to the book, the first man that was hit was Lieutenant Bunbury. He fell, pierced through the head with a musket ball, and died almost immediately. I thought I never heard such a tremendous noise as the firing made on this occasion and the men on both sides of me I could occasionally observe were falling fast.

I do not pretend to give a description of this or any other battle I have been present at. All I can do is tell the things which happened immediately around me and that I think is as much as a private soldier can be expected to do. Soon afterwards the firing commenced and we had taken we had advanced pretty close upon the enemy Taking advantage of whatever cover I could find I threw myself behind a small bank where I lay so secure that although the Frenchman's bullets fell pretty thickly around I was enabled to knock several over without being dislodged in fact I fired away every round I had in my pouch whilst laying in this spot At length after a sharp contest, we forced them to give ground and, following them up, drove them from their position in the heights and hung up their skirts until they made another stand and then the game began again. The rifles indeed fought well this day, and we lost many men. They seemed in high spirits and delighted at having driven the enemy before them.

Joseph Cochan was by my side loading and firing very industriously about this period of the day. Thirsting with heat and action, he lifted his canteen to his mouth. Here's to you, old boy, he said as he took a pull at its contents. As he did so, a bullet went through the canteen and perforated his brain, killing him in a moment. Another man fell close to him, almost immediately struck by a bout. ball in the thigh. I saw a man named Simmons struck full in the face by a round shot and he came to the ground a headless trunk. When the roll was called after the battle, the females who missed their husbands came along the front of the line to inquire of the survivors whether they knew anything

about them. So the wives could travel with the soldiers. And again, that just seems crazy to me right now, but that's that's the way they did it and not all of them but if if they made that decision i guess as a family to stick together they'd get right on board the boats and they'd they'd march they march and they'd cover it in this book they'll they they wouldn't carry the weight but they'd march alongside and go from place to place and when the battle's about to take place they'd hang back and then you have the situation once the battle's over that i'm talking about right now amongst other names I heard that of Cochan called in a female voice without being replied to. The name struck me, and I observed the poor woman who had called it, as she stood sobbing before us,

and apparently afraid to make further inquiries about her husband. No man had answered to his name or had any given account to give of his fate. I myself had observed him fall as related before whilst drinking from his canteen. but as I looked at the poor sobbing creature before me I felt unable to tell her of his death At length Captain Leach observed her and called out to the company Does any man know what has happened to Cochan if so let him speak out at once Upon this order I immediately related what I had seen and told the manner of his death After a while mrs. Cochan appeared anxious to seek the spot where her husband fell and in the hope

of still finding him alive asked me to accompany her over the field she trusted notwithstanding what I had told her to find him yet alive do you think you could find it said captain leach upon being referred to I told him I was sure I could as I had remarked many objects whilst looking for cover during the skirmishing go then said the captain and show the poor woman the spot as she seems so desirous of finding the body I accordingly took my way over the ground. We had fought upon, she following and sobbing after me, quickly reaching the spot where her husband's body lay, pointed it out to her.

She now discovered soon all her hopes were in vain. She embraced a stiffened corpse, and after rising and contemplating his disfigured face for some minutes with hands clasped and tears streaming down her cheeks, She took a prayer book from her pocket and kneeling down repeated the service for the dead over the body Poor woman I pitied her much But there was no remedy whole new dynamic right there

Continuing on back to the book it was on the 21st of August that we commenced fighting the battle of Vimeiro The French came down upon us as a column and the rifleman immediately commenced to show sharp fire upon them from whatever cover they could get a shelter behind while star cannon played upon them from our rear i saw regular lanes torn through their ranks as they advanced which were immediately closed up again as they marched steadily on whenever we saw a round shot thus go through the mass we raised a shout of delight that's a savage image right there are ranks of men and there's cannon balls that are cutting lines through cutting lanes through them yeah and you're probably talking 20 30 people killed each one and the ranks just close in around them and that's what these guys are

seeing as this advance takes place they're continue through that battle they get into a position for another battle going back to the book as I looked about me while standing and ranked and just thought and just before the commencement of the battle I thought it the most imposing sight the world could produce our lines glittering with bright arms the stern features of the men as they stood with their eyes fixed unalterably upon the enemy the proud colors of england floating over the heads of the different battalions and the dark cannon on the rising ground and all in readiness to commence the awful work of death with a noise that would deafen the whole multitude.

Although the sight had a singular and terrible effect upon the feelings of a youth who, a few short months before, had been a solitary shepherd upon the downs of Dorseture and had never contemplated any other sort of life than the peaceful occupation of watching the innocent sheep as they fed upon the grassy turf. Talk about a dichotomy. No thought in his mind. other than watching sheep eat grass. I would think that that'd be kind of a good little escape, you know, from time to time, to notice those types of things. Yes, I think you're right.

And I think that happens. And, you know, there's a movie called The Thin Red Line. And that's portrayed very well. In all this chaos, he'll take cover and he'll be face to face with a flower. Yeah. Or he'll notice a bird. a bug and that's definitely, that's definitely something that people notice. I mean, I notice there's the sunset, no matter where you are in the world. And actually the sunset in the desert, it's a very

beautiful thing. And same with the sunrise. And so those are little things that you notice, even though you might not be in the mindset to notice them, you still notice them. Back to the book, the battle commencing immediately, we were all soon hard at work. The rifles, as usual, were pretty busy in this battle. The French in great numbers came steadily down upon us and we pelted away upon them like a shower of lead and hail. Under any cover we could find and lay, firing one moment, jumping up and running for it the next. And when we could see before us, we observed the cannonballs making a lane through the enemy's columns as they advanced as they were hazzawing and shouting like madmen. The battle soon became general. The sport. The

Smoke thickened around, and often I was obliged to stop firing and dash it aside from my face and try and vain to get a sight of what was going on, whilst groans and shouts and a noise of cannon and musketry appeared almost to shake the very ground. It seemed hell upon earth, I thought. A man named John Lowe stood before me at this moment, and he turned round during a pause in our exertions. Then he addressed me, Harris, you humbug? he said you've got plenty of money about you I know for you're always staying about and picking up

what you can find on the field but I think this will be your last field day old boy a good many of us will catch it I suspect today you're right low I said I've got nine guineas in my pack and if I am shot today and you escape yourself it's quite at your service in the meantime however if you see any symptoms of my wishing to flinch in this business I hope you will shoot me with your own hand. Low. So let's think about that. That's pretty awesome.

First of all, the attitude of they're basically talking smack to each other. Classic. Hey, I don't think you're going to make it. I know you got a lot of money on you. And if you don't make it, what do you say? Is that mine?

Yes. If I die, come and get it. I got nine guineas in my pack. They're all yours. And then this is classic. By the way, if you see me acting cowardly in any way,

you better shoot me. Yeah, yeah. It's legit. Lowe, as well as myself, survived this battle. And after it was over, whilst we sat down with our comrades and rested amongst other matters, talked over, Lowe told them of our conversation during the heat of the day and the money I'd collected, and the rifles from that time to time had a great respect for me. It is indeed singular how a man loses or gains cast with his comrades from the behavior

and how closely he is observed on the battlefield. Again, talking about reputation once again. The officers, too, are commented upon and closely observed. Everyone's watching the officers. The men are very proud of those who are brave in the field and kind and considerate to the soldiers under them. An act of kindness done by an officer has often during battle been the cause of his life being saved.

Got a little relationship. knowing. Nay, whatever folks may say upon the matter, I know from experience that in our army, the men like best to be officered by gentlemen, men whose education has rendered them more kind in manners than your course officer sprung from obscure origin and whose style is brutal and overbearing. So as I was reading through that, I at first I kind of got a little bit taken aback I said, oh, what are you trying to say? If you haven't been to college or you're, that, that's what you need. You need to be from this good upbringing.

But that's not, well, that might be what he's saying at that time. But the important part is, it's how you treat people. It doesn't matter what background you came from. You know, he says men whose education has rendered them more kind in manners. And rather than someone that's from an obscure origin, what I'm telling you is, it doesn't matter where you're from. And he would agree with this now if he was here to talk with me. Of course. But it's not, he's talking about the men like to work for officers that aren't brutal and overbearing.

No one likes that. And you don't perform well. You want to build the relationship with your troops. The kindness done by an officer is often during the battle been the cause of his life being saved. That means guys are trying to win. Back to the book. And let me bear testimony to the courage and endurance of that army under trials and hardships, such as few armies in any age, I should think, endured.

I've seen officers and men hobbling forward with tears in their eyes from the misery of long miles, empty stomachs, and ragged backs without even shoes or stockings on their bleeding feet. And it was not a little thing that would bring a tear into the eyes of a rifleman of the Peninsula Wars. Youths who had not long been removed from their parents' home and care, officers and men have borne hardships and privations such as in our more peaceful days we have little conception of.

And yet these men, faint and weary with toil, would brighten up in a moment when the word ran amongst us that the enemy were at hand. once again he's ragging on you haven't really been to war lately peaceful days and privations that these guys go through and yet they're still ready to step up back to the book it was just at the close of the battle the dreadful turmoil and noise of the engagement had hardly subsided and I began to look at the faces of the men close around me to see who had escaped the dangers of the hour I saw that the ranks of the riflemen looked very thin it seemed to me that one half had gone down. We had four companies of the 95th and were commanded that day by major Travers. He was a man much liked by the men of the rifles and indeed deservedly beloved by all who knew him.

He was a tight hand, but a soldier likes that better than a slovenly officer. Pay attention to that one. Don't be a slovenly leader. The troops prefer the tight hand. Back to the book I had observed him more than once during this day spurring here and there keeping the men well up and apparently in the highest spirits He could not have enjoyed himself more I am sure if he had been at a horse race or following a good pack of hounds

The battle was just over a flag of truce came from the French We threw ourselves down where we were standing when the fire ceased a Frenchman lay close beside me He was dying and called to me for water which I understood him to require more from his manner than his words. I need not say that I got up and gave it to him. Whilst I did so, downgalloped the major in front, just in the same good spirits he'd been in all day, plugging along, avoiding with some little difficulty,

the dead and dying which were strewn about. He was never a very good-looking man, being hard-featured and thin, a hatchet-faced man, as we used to say. But he was a regular Gooden, a real English soldier. And that's better than if he had been the handsomest ladies' man in the army. Legit. Legit. Back to the book, a French soldier was lying beside me at this time.

He was badly wounded, and hearing him moan as he lay, after I had done looking at the cavalry, I turned my attention to him, and getting up, lifted his head and poured some water into his mouth. He was dying fast, but he thanked me in a foreign language, which a... though I did not exactly understand, I could easily make out by the look he gave me. Mullins of the rifles who stepped up whilst I supported his head. Damned me for a fool for my pains. Better knock out his brains, Harris, he said. He's done us, mischief enough.

I'll be bound for it today. So Rifleman Harris is still a pretty sympathetic dude. Back to the book, Towards Evening, I posted upon a rising ground amongst a clump of tall trees. There seemed to have been a sharp skirmish here as three Frenchmen were lying dead amongst the long grass upon the spot where I was standing as I threw my rifle to my shoulder and walked past them on my beat. I observed they had been plundered and their haversacks having been torn off some of the contents were scattered about. War is a sad blunter of the feelings I have often thought since those days. The contemplation of three ghastly bodies in this lonely spot failed then. in making the slightest impression upon me.

The sight had become, even in the short time I had been engaged in the trade, but too familiar. And now there, another truce kind of happens, and he's observing the scene in this churchyard. The scene in this churchyard was somewhat singular. Two long tables had been procured from some houses near and were placed end to end amongst the graves. and upon them were laid the men whose limbs it was found necessary to amputate. Both French and English were constantly lifted on and off these tables. As soon as the operation was performed upon one lot, they were carried off, and in those waiting behind were hoisted up.

The surgeons with their sleeves turned up, and their hands and arms covered in blood, looking like butchers in the shambles. I saw as I passed at least 20, 20 legs lying on the ground, many of them being clothed in the long black gaiters then worn by the infantry line. The surgeons had plenty of work on hand that day, and not having the time to take the clothes off the wounded, they merely ripped the seams and turned the cloth back, proceeding with

the operation as fast as they could. Many of the wounded came straggling into this churchyard in search of assistance by themselves. I saw one man faint with loss of blood staggering along and, turned to assist him. He was severely wounded in the head, his face being completely encrusted with blood, which had flowing during the night now dried. One eyeball was knocked out of the socket and hung down upon his cheek. Another man I observed who had been brought in and propped up against a grave mound.

He seemed very badly hurt. The men who had carried him into the churchyard had placed his cap filled with the fragments of biscuit close beside his head and he lay and occasionally turned his mouth towards it got a hold of a piece of biscuit and munched it as i was about to leave the churchyard dr ridgeway one of the surgeons called me back to assist with holding a man he was endeavoring to operate upon come and help me with this man he said or i shall be all day cutting a ball out of his shoulder the patient's name was doubter an irishman he disliked the doctor's effort and writhed and twisted so much during the operation that it was with difficulty Dr. Ridgway could perform it.

He found it necessary to cut very deep, and Douder made a terrible outcry at every fresh incision. Oh, doctor, dear doctor, he said, it's murdering me, you are. Blood and hounds, I shall die, I shall die, for the love of the Lord, don't cut me all to pieces. Douder was not altogether wrong. for although he survived the operation, he died shortly thereafter from the effects of his wounds. Again, you just got surgeons mixing blood and not clean and not even cutting off clothes or sterilizing.

I mean, the amount of people that must have lost from infections after the fact is just crazy. Now, they weren't fighting all the time. and at this point they are quartered in a house in Spain and again Spain was divided at the time and there was friendly in enemy Spain Spain and so they're quartered in a house and there's a family there and here we go to the book the mistress of the house seeing that I was the head man occasionally came down and sat beside me as I worked bringing her daughter a very handsome dark-eyed Spanish girl and as a matter of course I fell in love We soon became better acquainted, and the mother one evening, having sat and chattered to me, serving me with wine and other good things on my rising to leave the shop, made a signal for me to follow her. She had managed to pick up a little English, and I knew a few words of the Spanish language, so that we could pretty well comprehend each other's meeting. And after leading me into their sitting room, she brought in her handsome daughter,

and without more circumstance, offered her to me for a wife. The offer was a tempting one, but the conditions of the marriage made it impossible for me to comply since I was to change my religion and desert my colors. The old dame proposed to conceal me, effectually, when the army marched, after which I was to live like a gentleman, with the handsome Maria for a wife. It was hard to refuse so tempting an offer, with pretty Maria endeavoring to back her mother's proposal. I, however, made them understand that nothing would tempt me to desert. And promising to try and get my discharge when I returned to England, I protested I would then return and marry Maria. Soon after this,

the army marched for Spain. The rifles paraded in the very street where the shop I had so long worked at was situated and I saw Maria at the window. As our bugle struck up, she waved her handkerchief. I returned the salute and in a half an hour had forgotten all about her so much for the soldiers love that I read that and I said I have to read this

this is to every 18, 19, 20 and 21 year old service member out there that you meet the girl your dreams and you think you're going to do some dumb stuff don't do the dumb stuff go back to your platoon and in a half an hour

you'll forget about her because that's what happens so much for a soldier's love back to the book every man in the rifle seemed only anxious to get a rap at the French again on and on we toiled I love to remember the appearance of that army

as we moved along at this time it was a glorious sight to see our colors spread in these fields the men seemed invincible nothing I thought could have beaten them now he's talking about a guy named Cardo. He was found to be a most gallant officer when we were engaged with the enemy in the field. He was killed whilst fighting bravely in the Pyrenees.

And amongst other jewelry he wore, he had a ring on his finger worth 150 guineas. As he lay dead on the field, one of our riflemen named Ore observed the sparkling gem and immediately resolved to make a prize of it. The ring, however, was so firmly fixed that Orr could not draw from the finger and whipping out his knife cut the finger off at the joint after the battle or offered the ring for sale amongst the officers and on inquiry the manner in which he had obtained it transpired or was cons or was in consequence tried by court-martial and sentenced to receive 500 lashes which sentence was carried into execution there's some significant corporal punishment going on here

with the lashes. And that's one of the cases. I mean, you know when you're executing someone for being drunk and disorderly, you're going to get some pretty severe punishment for cutting the finger off of one of your officers so you can steal their ring. Back to the book, it was during the heat of the day,

we were rather hotly pressed by the enemy after having advanced somewhat too near their force. Give and take is all fair enough, but we were getting more kicks than halfpence as the saying is. and their balls stung us so sharply that the officers gave the word to fire and retire. Doubtless, many got a leaden messenger as they did so, which saved them the unpleasant necessity of retracing their ground altogether.

Jock Gillespie and myself wheeled about and obeyed the order. Just as we had done so, I saw Gillespie limp along as though someone had bestowed a violent kick upon his person. however he didn't give up at first but continued to load and fire and make off with other skirmishers skirmishers till we halted and made another stand for we never went further from them when once engaged that we could possibly help i'm going to read that again we continued to load and fire and make off with other skirmishes till we halted and made another stand for we never went further from them when once engaged, then we could possibly help.

And what that means is, cover move. So if you are out on the battlefield and you get too far away from the other element where you can no longer support them, you've made a big mistake. So that's why they have doctrinal terms that mean,

I am in supporting distance. I won't go further away from you than what I'm. than where I can't help you. Yeah. All right. Now, speaking of lashings, there's another situation here.

There was sort of a ceremony where they were gathering and standing in the parade, sort of in a town square. And somebody basically threw, I think, like a brick. It's one of the soldiers from one of the windows that was watching

the other regiment. So there's one regiment standing on the parade field, handing out awards or something. The other regiment sitting up in the various rooms around looking down. And at some point, this, someone hucks a brick down and it hits the kernel. So this guy, Liston, was the guy that they grab and they think it's this guy, Liston. Back to the book, Liston was sentenced to receive 800 lashes.

The whole brigade turned out on the occasion. And I remember that the drummers of the ninth regiment were the infant. were the inflictors of the lash. Liston received the whole sentence without a murmur. This is him talking about, as he goes on to talk about how this strict discipline about it and how it kind of fits in with the English mentality. Back to the book,

they are a strange set, the English, and so determined and unconquerable that they will have their way if they can. Think about that. you got your soldiers they're so it's a great quality to have right you're you're determined and unconquerable but what does that mean it means you're gonna have your way

if you can and if you let them they're gonna get after it maybe in the way you don't expect indeed back to the book it indeed it requires one who has authority in his face as well as at his back to make them respect and obey him they see too often in the instance of sergeant majors that command does not suit

ignorant and coarse-minded men and that tyranny is too much used even in the brief authority which they have so again he's going back to the fact that even though you have to have he's talking about the dichotomy of leadership even though you have to have discipline you can't have tyranny back to the book a soldier i am convinced is driven often to insubordination by being worried by these little-minded men for the very the various trifles about which the gentleman never thinks of tormenting him. So the this the the the the little minded person that harps on these little trifling things that's what actually creates insubordination. Whereas the gentleman never thinks of tormenting them with these little things. Like these little things don't

matter. And then he goes on to balance this dichotomy of leadership back to the book the moment the severity of the discipline of our army is relaxed, in my opinion, farewell to its efficiency. But for men to be tormented about trifles, as I have seen it many times, is often very injurious to the whole core. So this is the perfect talking about the balance of the dichotomy of leadership. If you're too ultra-strick, your guys are going to rebel against you. And if you're not strict enough, if you don't impose enough discipline, they're going to not have any control. So you've got to balance these two. Back to the book,

War is a sad blunter of the feelings of men. He said that before, and he's saying it again. We felt, we felt eager to be at it again. Nay, I am afraid we longed for blood as the cheer of our comrades

sounded in our ears. And yet, amidst all this, softer feelings occasionally filled the breasts of those gallant fellows even whilst they were thirsting for the sight of the enemy. Some of the men near me suddenly recollected,

as they saw the snow lying thickly on our path, that this was Christmas Eve. The recollection soon spread amongst the men, and many talked of home and scenes upon that night in the other days of Old England, shedding tears as they spoke of the relatives and friends never to be seen again by them. As night approached, we became less talkative.

The increasing weariness of our limbs kept our tongues quieter, and we were many of us, half asleep as we walked when suddenly a shout arose in the front that the French were upon us. So guys are missing home. It's Christmas Eve.

Nice little dusting of snow on the ground. They have this skirmish with the French there and now that are continuing the first march and if you remember the march that we talked about with Napoleon's troops going into Russia and back, these guys are under the same basic conditions of if you want to move the army, the army's going to walk.

Back to the book. So he's now on this. Also, not only they have forced marching right now, they're starting to retreat. They're starting to take heavies and they start a retreat. Back to the book, a sergeant of the 92nd Highlanders just about this time fell dead with fatigue and no one stopped as we passed to offer him any assistance.

Night came down upon us. So let's think about that. And this, I highlighted that one, but throughout this book, he talks about people just dying. He says they died of fatigue. I don't even know what that means, actually. Maybe they're dehydrated. I don't know. But if you think about these guys who are risking their lives for each other, how exhausted are

they that when someone falls out during this forced march, they just leave them there. Back to the book, night came down upon us without our having tasted food or halted. I speak for myself and those around me all, and all night. long we continued this dreadful march men began to look into each other's faces and ask the questions ask the question are we ever to be halted again and many of the weaker sort were now seen to stagger make a few desperate efforts and then fall perhaps to rise no more most of us had devoured all we carried in our haversacks and each and endeavored to catch up anything we could snatch from a hut or cottage in our route.

Many, even at this period, would have straggled from the ranks and perished, had not Crowford held them together with a firm reign. One such bold and stern commander in the east during a memorable disaster, and that devoted army had reached its refuge unbroken. Thus, we staggered on night and day for about four days before we discovered the reason of this forced march, and they find out that they're marching actually towards England. They're trying to get away.

And this guy that I talked about, Crawford, he's pretty significant. And here's a little talk about Crawford. Crawford seemed to sniff the sound of battle from afar with peculiar feelings. He halted us for a few minutes occasionally when the distant clamor became more distinct and his face turned toward the sound and seemed to light up and become less stern. It was then indeed that every poor fellow clutched his weapon more firmly and wished for a sight of the enemy Before long they had their wish the enemy's cavalry were on our skirts that night and as we rushed out of a small village We turned to bay so even though they're retreating they're still having to fight and this again this guy Crawford is

Definitely a a powerful leader back to the book I remember one evening during the retreat he to two men straying away from the main body it was in the early stage of that disastrous flight and Crawford knew and Crawford knew well that he must do his utmost to keep the division together he halted the brigade with a voice of thunder ordered a drum head court martial on the instant and they were sentenced to a hundred apiece whilst a hasty trial was taking place Crawford dismounting from his horse stood in the midst looking stern and angry as a worried bulldog.

He did not like retreating at all, that man. They march a little bit further, and then back to the book, ordering a square to be formed, he spoke to the brigade as well as I can remember in these words after having ordered the three before-named men of the 95th to be brought into the square. Although, he said, I should obtain the goodwill neither of the officers nor the men of the brigade here by doing so. I am resolved to punish these three men according to the sentence awarded even though the French are at our heels. Begin with Daniel Howans. So these guys look like they were going to desert and they got caught and he had a court martial on the spot and

going to give him a hundred lashes or whatever the number was. And even though they're running and retreating. He's, all right, we're going to administer this punishment now. Even though it's not popular, I got to do it. Back to the book. This was indeed no time to be laxed in discipline and the general knew it. The men, as I said, were some of them becoming careless and ruffianly in their demeanor. Whilst others, again, I saw with the tears falling down their cheeks from the agony of

their bleeding feet and many were ill with dysentery and from the effects of bad. bad food they had got a hold of and devoured on the road. Our knapsacks, too, were a bitter enemy in this prolonged march. Many a man died, I am convinced, who would have borne up well to the end of the retreat, but for the infernal load we carried on our backs. My own knapsack was my bitterest enemy. I felt it pressed me to the earth almost at times, and more than once felt as if I should die under its deadly embrace.

The knapsacks, in my opinion, should have been abandoned at the very commencement of the retrograde movement, as it would have been better to have lost them altogether if by such loss we could have saved the poor fellows who, as it was, died strapped to them on the road. There was some difficulty in finding a place to tie Howans up as the Light Brigade carried no Halberts. However, they led him to a slender ash tree which grew near at hand. Don't trouble yourselves about tying me up, said Howan's folding his arms. I'll take my punishment like a man. He did so without a murmur receiving the whole 300. His wife, who was present with us, I remember, was a strong, hearty Irish woman. So don't worry about tying me up.

You hit me 300 times. We had a, you know, they do the whipping thing with the, when you get your belt. Do you remember Irish, John? He was tall, pretty lanky, and real good at Jiu-Jitsu. And he got his blue belt. And he walked through the whipping hallway to get his belt. The gauntlet. He walked through the gauntlet.

He just walked and stopped at each person and gave them the opportunity to give them all they got. Yeah. That was pretty legit. He sounds like my, he sounds like my boy Howans right here. More about Crowford right here. This is classic. They're getting to a river.

They got across a river on their retreat. Back to the book. Presently he spied an officer who, to save himself from being wet through, I suppose, and wearing a damp pair of breeches for the remainder of the day, had mounted on the back of one of his men. The sight of such a piece of effeminacy was enough to raise the collar of the general. And in a very short time, he was plunging and splashing through the water after them, Put him down sir put him down I desire you to put that officer down instantly and the soldier in an instant

I dare say Loth dropping his burden like a hot potato into the stream continued his progress through Return back sir said Crawford to the officer and go through the water like the others I will not allow my officers to ride upon the men's back through the rivers all must take their share alike here You can just go ahead and note that down as how to lead That's just that's a metaphorical and literal example Hey I'm gonna ride on the back of my Enlisted man so that I can stay dry What a savage I think that that guy should have gotten some of ashes

Back to the book general Crawford was indeed One of the few men who was apparently created for the command during such dreadful scenes as we were familiar with in this retreat He seemed an iron man Nothing daunted him nothing turned to him from his purpose. War was his very element and toil and danger seemed to call forth an increasing determination to surmount them. Now they are continuing to march and again it's it's a story we've heard many times on here and how harsh foot marches can be and at this point rifleman Harris he's he doesn't think he's going to make it. And he's

Fading fast. He's marching with a guy named Brooks. They're kind of broken up into pairs to try and stay together a little bit and he's trying to maintain Back to the book. I remember Sir Dudley Hill passing me on a mule this day He wore a Spanish straw hat and had his cloak on he looked back when he had passed and addressed me Harris said he I see you cannot keep up He appeared very sorry for me for he knew me well You must do your best he said my man and keep up and keep up with us or you will fall into the hands of the enemy as the day wore on i grew weaker and weaker and at last

spite all of my efforts i saw the main body leave me hopelessly in the lurch brooks himself was getting weaker too he saw it was of little use to urge me on and at length assenting to my repeated requests to be left behind he hurried on as well and he was able without a word of farewell. I now soon sank down in the road and lay beside another man who had also fallen and was apparently dead and whom I'd recognized as one of our sergeants named Taylor. Whilst we lay exhausted in the road, the rear guard, which was now endeavoring to drive on the stragglers approached and a sergeant of the rifles came up and stopped and look at us.

He addressed himself to me and ordered me to rise, but I told him it was useless for him to trouble himself about me as I was unable to move a step further whilst he was urging me to endeavor to rise up the officer in command of the rear guard also stepped up the name of this officer was lieutenant Cox he was a brave and good man and observing that the sergeant was rough in his language and manner towards me he silenced him and bade the guard proceed and leave me let him die quietly hicks he said to the sergeant I know him well he He's not a man to lie here if he could get on. I'm sorry here, Harris.

He said, to see you reduce to this, for I fear there is no help to be had now. He then moved on after his men and left me to my fate. A lot different than never leave a man behind. You've actually got people just saying, hey, you're not going to make it. I can see you're not going to make it.

I know you're a tough guy, and if you're not walking right now, we've got nothing for you. Dang. Now he lays there for a while and he actually once he rests for a while he regains a little bit of strength He eventually crawls to a house Gets in the house and gets a little bit of food gets a little bit of it and I would love to say water But isn't it water he gets food and wine

And he recovers somewhat he pretty much recovers Sleeps for a while wakes up recovers and now he can now he can now he can walk again and what do you think would happen now like in a case as similar to this as possible you know but just now where a guy can't make it what do you do carry him yeah I mean you try and carry him of course other guys yeah and I mean it's horrible to think of these situations where if we have to move these all these men and to sit there if we start let's let's weigh this you'd have to weigh this you'd have to weigh this If we try and carry it all of our wounded out,

none of us are going to live. Right. So that's what the, that's the situation that they're likely facing. Hey, you're either going to get out of here yourself. And people don't understand how hard it is to carry it down man. It's very,

very difficult to carry a down man, especially across terrain. And, you know, sometime in wrestling practice, you pick up and you pick up your partner and you do a couple laps, right? And, hey, you know, it's all good. You're on this nice, smooth surface.

The guy's cooperating. The guy's cooperating. It's not just dead weight. It's, yeah, when you start carrying bodies around, it's really, really difficult. Yeah. So you don't, it's not a one to one either. So if one guy is down, you can't, it's not just one person carries that guy. Yeah.

It actually has to be two or sometimes three. When you have gear on. Yeah. And we have methods of carrying guys. I mean, I can carry you a little while, right? Yeah. But after a little while, you know, be that 500 meters, a thousand meters. You're not gonna be your and also your combat ineffective you can't you can't utilize your weapon properly

Not for not for any length of time So you know in a situation like this that the decision that these leaders are making is hey guess what If we don't just keep walking we're gonna get overrun the French are gonna catch us and we're all gonna die Yeah, so Harris ain't got nothing for you So in contrar like now we'll say that if there was a circumstance like that where we're gonna lose more guys if we bring this guy with us or one big luxury that we have now is we have air support yeah so oh the enemy wants to keep coming at us cool we'll sit here and call drop bombs on them all day situations like that have happened over and over again in the modern wars in iraq and afghanistan where small elements are

out there in the field they're about to get overrun and the aircraft and air air fire uh air power comes in and completely saves the day and keeps the enemy at bay for extended periods of time. Yeah. So we have an option. Yeah. Another option. But in the, I guess ultimately it'd be hypothetical then. A case where-

Hypothetically, then you got to put someone in that situation and see what they're going to do. And that's a decision you got to make as a leader and on the spot. Yeah. I mean, you'd be weighing all these micro-situations. Yeah. are happening. How far away are the bad guys? Yeah. Well, how many of them are there? Do I have reinforcements coming? Is there any terrain I can take? Is there what, you know,

what can I do? How many people are down? Yeah. You have to weigh all these things out and make a decision. It's going to be a hard decision. Yeah, for sure. I mean, so you don't put like the concept, or should I say, like the action of at least trying to bring the guy with you ahead of like other guys' lives. So a circumstance like this where hypotheric, you don't have any content, you don't have any support, you don't have any other options. It's either other guys die or we leave this guy behind.

The fact that you tried to bring the guy doesn't trump like the lives of other guys. Where if the decision is to be made where it's understood like other guys would have died. if we didn't leave this guy here, that would be okay. It's not going to be okay, and you're going to have to live with one horrible thought or the other. Right, right. The thing that's powerful about we're not going to leave everything, anyone behind, the thing that's powerful about that is if that's your default mode,

your default mode is to fight. And that's what we train. That's when I say we, I mean like America trains, we're not going to leave you behind. And so when that's your go-to attitude, that's your go-to attitude. And all the thoughts about, hey, we'll weigh it out and all this and it's like, no.

We're going to fight, we're going to kill everyone and we're going to do everything we can to bring everyone back. That's what we do. And that is a powerful thing. Yeah. Man, these are savage times, bro. These are savage times.

Savage times. So like I said, he does recover though. Luckily, before the French get to him, he recovers enough to get out, start walking again, and he talks a little bit how he was clinging. I mean, he was clinging to survival. Back to the book, it is, however, indeed astonishing how a man clings to life.

I am certain that had I lain down at this period, I should have found my last billet on the spot I sank upon. Suddenly I heard a shout in the front, which was prolonged in a sort of hub-hub. Even the stragglers, whom I saw dotting the road in front of me, seemed to have caught something like hope. And as the poor fellows now reached the top of the hill were ascending, I heard an occasional exclamation of joy,

the first note of the sort I'd heard for many days. When I reached the top of the hill, the thing spoke for itself. There, far away in our front, the English shipping lay in sight. It's a view had indeed acted like a restorative to our force. And the men at the prospect of the termination of such a march had plucked up spirit for a last effort. Fellows who, like myself, seemed to hardly have strength in their legs to creep up the ascent, seem now to have picked up a fresh pair

to get down with. Such is hope to us poor mortals. So they obviously see the ships, and that inspires them and they start moving a little bit faster. Back to the book, there was, I recollect a man of the name of Bell, of the rifles, who had been during this day holding a sort of creeping race with me. We had passed and repassed each other as our strength served. Bell was a rather discontented fellow at the best of times,

but during this retreat, he had given full scope to his ill temper, cursing the hour he was born and wishing his mother had strangled him, when he came into the world in order to have saved him from his present toil. He had not now spoken for some time, and the sight of the English shipping had apparently a very beneficial effect upon him. He burst into tears as he stood and looked at it. Harris, he said, if it pleases God to let me reach those ships, I swear never to utter a bad or discontented word again.

Appreciation. And he did make it. to the ships and Harris rifleman Harris made to the ships and they got embarked on those ships and they sailed back to England for a few days and then get off the English shore and then finally back to the book one fine morning we received orders to disembark and our poor bare feet once more touched English ground the inhabitants flocked down to the beach to see us as we did so and they must have been a good deal surprised at the spectacle we presented.

Our beards were long and ragged. Almost all were without shoes and stockings. Many had their clothes and accoutrements and fragments, with their heads suave and old rags, and our weapons were covered with rust. Whilst not a few had now from toil and fatigue become quite blind. Let not the reader, however, think that now we were to be dead. despised as soldiers.

Long marches, inclement weather, and want of food had done their work upon us, but we were perhaps better than we appeared as the sequel showed. Under the gallant Crawford, we had made some tremendous marches, and even galled our enemies so severely making good our retreat. But our comrades in adversity who had retired by the other road, under General Moore turned to bay there, and showed the enemy that the English soldier is not to be beaten even under the most adverse circumstances. The field of death and slaughter, the march, the bivouac, and the retreat are no bad places in which to judge men.

I have had some opportunities of judging them in all these situations, and I should say that the British are amongst the most splendid soldiers in the world. Give them fair play, and they are unconquerable. For my own part, I can only say that I enjoyed life more whilst on active service than I have ever done since. And as I sit at work in my shop in Richmond Street, Soho, I look back upon that portion of my time spent in the fields of the peninsula as the only part worthy of remembrance. It is at such times that scenes long past come back upon my mind as if they had taken place but yesterday I remember even the appearance of some regiments engaged and comrades long moldered to dust I see again performing the acts of heroes and I think it's safe to call riflemen Benjamin, Randall, Harris, a hero as well.

At the same time, I think it's important to remember that these men, these heroes, they're not superheroes like we see today in movies. They don't wear a cape. They don't have any superhuman strength. They have no special powers. What they do have is they have will. To fight the will to drive on the will to live the will to win and I think That's the superpower and it never ceases to amaze me these are normal people

Rifleman Harris was a normal guy March They march to fight they fight and when called upon to rise up and overcome they do just that they rise up and overcome that shows us that we can do the same thing in the fall in the challenges that we face we can do the same thing rise and overcome that's all I've got for tonight so echo perhaps if you could let people know how they can support themselves and maybe if they want to support this podcast as well. It's crazy how these marches, right?

Brutal. Yeah. And this is, I don't know. I mean, from what I can remember, the worst one, especially how they talk about it with no shoes. Their shoes probably just fall off within the first, you know, a little bit. And then they're walking with no shoes or barely any shoes or whatever, crying straight up, just from the march, by the way.

Yeah. Not the war or anything like that. where the march is yet just as big of an enemy. He said his pack was his biggest enemy he had. Literally, though. Yeah. The kind where guys are straight. It's killing them.

It's killing them. So we just got back from Utah, obviously. And, you know, after every, we're doing that training where, you know, we brief, debrief, go down, exercise, breathe. And then, you know, we walk back and forth. Right, right. So. Okay. So echo, I'll just tell you because people have no idea what you're talking about.

about which is fine echo we just echelon front did a FTX field training exercise with the company we were in Utah we brought echo out so that he could get some footage and whatnot and so that's what's talking about so we're in the field we're doing basically urban combat with a group of let's call them regular people business people that are learning leadership through experiential environments. Yeah. It's an interesting one too.

It's a good one. It's like a, it's like a cond. You know how if you don't communicate with someone effectively, things fall apart. Right, right, right.

Or if you don't, you know, it's like, I know exactly what you're going to say. And it's this drawn out situation in life. But this is like a condensed version of that. Yes. So if you don't communicate with someone during an FTX,

you know within like, 30 seconds that something just went wrong. And now we're getting shot in the face with, with airsoft rifles. Yeah. Yeah. It's so, it's really fun to watch from the outside.

Yeah. Because do you see it? And I've been to another one too. And yeah, you see it's right. And it's interesting how in the beginning it's like, it's almost impossible. Like you don't.

Right. And immediately, communication breaks down immediately. Yeah. And then towards the end, you start to see people communicating, getting it, you know,

like where you kind of, a lot of times you got to over communicate. Yeah, for sure. And but the more you do that, the more effective it is. You know, it's so crazy to watch. It is and I don't know if you remember Dave saying this. Dave told them. He said, Jocko just told you the mistakes that you're gonna make.

You told you what you're going to do. Yeah. And you're gonna do it. Yeah, yeah, sure enough, every single one of them. Yeah. The funniest was the one individual that said they came up with a plan for something. And we said, you know, you're risking get a blue on blue there. Yeah.

and she said, she said, listen, I understand what you're saying, but it's not like we're going to walk in there and start shooting each other. That's not going to happen. And sure enough, that very girl was in a stressful situation

and they entered a building from two different sides at the same time. And sure enough, she dusted one of her teammates. And it was, you know, it's one of those things. I said, hey, remember what you said yesterday? She said, oh yeah, I remember.

Yeah, so interesting. And I had the luxury I've seen it from the outside. So did I. You can feel it though. Yeah, but you're in a different situation position than me. Anyway, the point is, so the terrain there was where the field

and where you actually do the field training part of it is like, well, what would you say what? 100 yards away from the where you do the briefs and debrief? It was about 400 yards, yeah. Yeah, so it's a little bit of a track. 300 yards, yeah. If you're doing it again and again. So we're going brief,

exercise, debrief, brief, you know, so kind of all day, really. So, and this was a situation where there was, it was a hill and rocky, you know, hill. So I'm walking, right, and I have my camera the whole time. And it's not,

it's lighter than my other camera, but, you know, it's something. And so I'm walking back and forth all day, all day, where my feet are starting to get, like, kind of tired, more tired than normal and I'm thinking every but every single time though every single time I'm thinking this is nothing compared to what you guys were going through yeah you know how nothing it was

I didn't that that thought didn't even cross my mind at all in any way shape or form you know what's interesting about that is while I'm walking this was like me after lunchtime I'm thinking I'm seeing you guys and everyone's cruising and I'm thinking is everyone trying to act like this isn't like kind of kind of tiring I literally didn't think of it until you said this to me right now yeah the thing is I was I was I I was totally acting like, this is nothing. I wasn't going to mention it. I was going to, bro, that's how I handle a lot of stuff now. And it helps.

Yeah, it is. But the fact is. Do you do actually better when you pretend that it doesn't bother this? That's saying? People got to remember that. Night and day. Night and night and day. So you start acting all tired, accepting it and showing everyone.

Yeah, it's true. But nonetheless, the fact is it wasn't nothing. It wasn't nothing. I felt it. And, you know, so, It's funny, I'm looking at you guys. I'm like, hey, I wonder if these guys are, you know. But no one said anything.

No. Nobody said, dang, these tracks are getting long. That's because they were 300 meters, bro. I feel. If that. Just saying. But nonetheless, so every time I feel anything like that, I think of like you guys first. And you guys were doing it in like crazy heat too with gear and like all this stuff.

And I think of this kind guys, these kind guys. Yeah. Rifleman Harris. Reifleman Harris. Feet all tore up. Starving. Starving. Starving.

No sleep. No water. No water. And people are trying to kill you. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's the point, man. Yeah. Is if these guys can rise and overcome that,

then what, think of your personal potential. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Think of it. Think of what more you could do. Yeah. That bothers you a little bit.

I just saw the look and bothers some of your eyes. Yeah. Yeah. That look also. You're like, hey, I made some dope video. though. I'm about to make a huge excuse right now too. Oh,

which I don't even know if it's an excuse, but it's a factor where these like hard, actual hard times kind of call on you to exercise this kind of will, you know? And I think a lot of times we're not like hard times don't call on us.

Like this anyway. I mean, hard times do, you know? Yeah. But you know what though? You know what though? It, you should put, I mean, technically and potentially you should be able to exercise as much will as it takes really now when you consider kind of the limits you know right these are the limits these are the limits this is interesting this is one of the stories where the guys like I'm done yeah he's

okay I'm done guys are saying hey if you stay here you're gonna die he's like yeah I cannot move anymore yeah I mean you think about you know what what point are you at when you cannot save your own life by walking you can't walk can't take another step oh man yeah And he came back from that. Yeah. Yeah. And they do a really good job in illustrating it. Or talking about it where, because he mentioned the no shoes thing a few times.

Yeah. He did. But again, I bet if, yeah, yeah. He does a great job. But you can't even begin to. Yeah. You can't even begin to really get the point across. Yeah.

The way it is. As the reader. I was talking to a guy the other day that went to buds and didn't make it through. Yeah. And I known him for a while. And I just said like, hey, man, you know, you're a good dude. You know, why did you quit? And he said, you know, it just sucked.

And I was like, okay, but didn't you know it was going to suck? And he said, yeah, I knew it was going to suck. but at the same time, you know, I watched on TV and I thought to myself, okay, yeah, that's going to suck. He said, so I thought I understood how it was going to suck. But I didn't understand how it was going to suck. And I was there. I said, this really sucks. And he quit.

And again, a good dude that I'm kind of, you know, thinking to myself, why, I'm trying to figure out why people quit. And that was what he said. He said, much like we're saying, like as much as you could imagine, and you think, say, yourself oh man yeah but I think I could make that one more step you don't know yeah you don't know until you've been dehydrated having people trying to shoot you cleaning up your buddy's brains off your jacket for weeks months on end you're dehydrated and now you have no shoes no stockings and you're march you're doing a forced march on this road for this they march four days without stopping what even is that no man dang yeah

Yeah, that's it. I mean, this kind of, that's not to mention, like, no medical care. No, like, no one's coming to save you. You know what, you know, it's really jacked up to think about this. Think if you have an ingrown toenail. Right, right, like a little thing that is, it actually bothers you in actual life. Yeah.

Think if you had that here. Or you have a, or you have, let's say you got a sprained ankle. Yeah. A bad sprained ankle. I spray my ankle really bad before. Sure. You can't walk on it. Well, now you don't have a choice.

You either walk on it or you die. Think about the little things that are, that caused you an inconvenience right now. And think about what an inconvenience that is in this situation. Think about you get a little infection in your fingers. You know, your finger, you ever had one of those little stupid like where your fingernail is? Get a little infection there?

Yeah, yeah. Think about that. And that, you don't have no medicine. You don't have any way of, That's the thing's going to turn into a giant infection. Yeah. You die. This is the little tiny things that annoy you are, will kill you back in the day.

Check. Yeah. So what we have to do is prepare for these hard times. Do you have any advice on how we could help prepare ourselves for these hard times? On top of referencing these scenarios. I reference your guys scenario. Like basically everything that you guys. guys tell me and talk about like how it's super hot how you don't sleep as much i'm not talking about

them talking about like i'm not talking about like i'm not about i'm talking about i'm about i kind of imagine that helps totally helps that's good because it helps me to think about rifle and harris yeah for sure you too speaking to help speaking to help helping yourself all right so you're in the way this is kind of a dichotomy here because you know like when your joints get sore i'm talk about cruel oil joint warfare real quick. You can be compelled to. This is the supreme luxury. Yeah.

If the Rifleman Harris would have had Crill Oil and Joy Warfare, who knows? Yeah, who knows? Maybe it wouldn't have stopped that time. Supreme luxury. Yeah, Supreme luxury, where now it's like, hey, my joints, I'm getting older, my joints kind of hurt.

I can't work out at the gym, you know, at my leisure as good. Let me take some joint warfare. you know improve my comfort while I work out function for sure function but comfort has a lot to do with it working out with sore joints is way less comfortable than not sore joints yeah I'm going to say though there's exercises that you cannot do when you when your joints aren't ready to rock and roll yeah so you can push yourself harder and be better prepared for the hard times if you're working correctly if your joints are working correctly yeah that's a dichotomy and there also is

no like concession there's no there's no reason to say hey my joints being less healthy is a good is fine is good that's a good thing you know so you have a choice should i should i maintain or improve the joint of my joint health the health of my body including but not limited to joints or should i not the decision should never be i'm not never be i think that's just my opinion anyway So the point is So jocco has some supplements Joint so it's for your joints To me best kind of supplements

As someone who with a level head Now As far as supplements goes Go I think the joint For your joints You know Bones

Maybe stuff that's going to basically Structure Structural Yeah Structural support Because again And I said this before Like if you're like going for some cool protein powder a lot of people that say hey what's a good protein powder?

Here's the thing you don't steak like how much protein do you like not get to need supplemental protein? Well people know people want that because it's going to have convenience. That's why people like those very very few I'm going to make one that's going to be both convenient and tasty and good. All right. There you go. Nonetheless, that's cool. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm saying as far as like the importance of focusing on a supplement the most benefit.

Okay, so you're supplementing your convenience that really. For sure. You're not supplementing protein. You're supplementing convenience. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that. We've got a lot to do. I understand.

But as far as like the, what do you call it, the hierarchy of supplements. Oh, dang. Jordan B. Peterson supplements are in the house. Dominance hierarchy of supplements. The chryl oil, omega-3s, like these kinds of things that help you directly. That's the main ones. Anyway. So your point in all this is, jocco supplements.

Legit supplements. Super krill oil. Jocko Super krill is what's called krill oil free joints and joint warfare. Where do you get them? Origin mane.com. Okay. Thank you. Brow, I'm telling you, these are these.

I feel like you're drawing this out way too much. If I was doing this, if you want to have good healthy joints, get some krill oil, super krill, and get some joint warfare from origin, main.com, M-A-I-N-E.

Yeah, but... And then we'd be good. We'd be moving on the next thing. Yeah, no, I dig it. And I wanted to do it. Because you're over here talking about the hierarchy. Well, here's a thing, though. Dominance hierarchy of supplements.

No, because look, look, look, remember, and this makes sense. This is relevant. Don't get all serious with your time. You can prove your point because you're not doing it. I'm going to prove a point because it needs to be proven. No, because back out of your element. Again, again, when I was, we'll say 23.

I don't know, take some phosphid something. Yeah, yeah. You know, one of those? I used to move. Yeah. So what if someone listening or group people listening? Yeah. Who have that same mindset.

And it's not because I knew both things and I just didn't know. Okay. So I'm going to say it now. So now we know. Yeah. Well, that's good. If there's someone. that doesn't know that.

Maybe they turned this off like eight minutes ago. Maybe, maybe not. Or maybe they're more educated now and maybe boom. Now they're looking into the joint situation. That's what I think is happening. That's my opinion. That's my prediction. I'm sure Twitter will let us know.

Anyway, origin, main.com on the top, click labs. Actually, it's right on the front page. I keep forgetting this. Right on the front page. Boom. Super curl. Jocco, super cruel. And joint warfare.

Get on it. There's also some geese and rash guards. People have been asking me. years now what geese should I get? I start jiu-jitsu, what geese should I get? We know now. We know now. 100% all made in America from the cotton

from the seeds of the cotton planted, harvested, processed. You're excited about seeds, did you? The seeds! Yeah, well that's an exciting thing. I'm just saying. Yeah. If you're into that kind of thing. But nonetheless,

you know, Pete makes it in Maine formulates the fabric. boom geese other stuff too by the way clothing Pete has more of like a stylish kind of twist on his clothing yeah in fact I always who was it oh Dave Burke yeah we're in Utah yeah had the origin the hoodie yeah and the hoodie has like I don't know if you know this kind of stuff but like there's certain cuts of like hoodies and stuff and even though it's like you know what my cutters XL yeah yeah see it goes beyond that no brother yes it does anyway Mike you know it's noticeable for people who want to notice it.

Did he notice that? I'm gonna, Dave Burke did. What? He was like, dang, that's a good, like,

that's a good hoodie. It's just a pullover one. You know what? Come on, Dave. Yeah. It's something. It's not nothing. It's something.

Nonetheless, it's all made in America. And there is a little stylish twist. If you're there to notice, if you care to notice, has some fashion style. It's baked in there. If you don't notice,

you don't notice, because you, you ever wore the, you wore the hoodie, right? Functional. Yeah. warm too kept me warm

I'm not used to 19 degrees like it was in Utah yeah you weren't used to that I don't think I've ever been in 19 I was but I had that hoodie on helped you guys had these big ass cortex jackets nonetheless all the stuff on origin main dot com is made in America from

seas of the cotton all the way to the final garment you're wearing yeah yeah it's good one check on the stuff on there good way to support also in your fitness routines. If you want to expand out of like just basic,

hey bench, squat, burpees, dead lifts. What else? Basic ones. Pullups. If you want to expand, do some like cool interesting stuff on it.com. Slash jacob, go there. They got some cool fitness gear.

Cettlebells, which are, they got all the kettlebells, including the artistic ones. Those are cool, I think. Those are all the ones I have just artistic ones. It makes it funner. Put a little twist on it. And you can mix up your workout as far as creativity,

which keeps it fun. For some people, not Jocko. Some people, though, if you vary the workout, like new movements, new functional movements, if you will, you're more likely to stick with it. Stay on the path. Make the path enjoyable sometimes. Don't just neglect the enjoyability of your workout.

If you want. on it.com slash jaco really good fitness gear on there um you know check it out see what you like and uh get something also when you are buying the book recollections of rifleman harris i'm going to make it easy for you we have made it easy for you go on the website jocco podcast dot com on the top menu says books from episodes boom is a list of all the books by episode click through there to get it. It takes it at Amazon. And boom, good way to support. If you want to do some other shopping while you're on there, like what, lawnmowers?

Golf clubs. Golf clubs. Podcast equipment. Recently, a lot of people have been hitting me up saying, hey, I'm going to start a podcast. What's the equipment, you know, I should get? They asked me that too when I say ask echo. Yeah. No wonder.

I just talk. Yes. You press record. Yes. And I got the equipment. So I have that knowledge. And excited about that, are we? So, hey, having knowledge is better than not having the knowledge in whatever regard.

Nonetheless, if you're going to buy podcast equipment, carry on, do that stuff. But yeah, click through this. Good. Good way to support. Also, subscribe to the podcast. If you haven't already on Stitcher, iTunes, obviously, Google Play, Spotify. Confirmed. It seems weird that I didn't know that for sure.

Seems real weird. Here's the thing. So many things. Not that weird. We need to talk about it for eight minutes. I'm saying this is, I guess, yeah, you know what? You're right. It's just me expressing myself.

Look, all you got to know, Spotify, confirmed. Troopers out there confirmed it to me. Yeah. And that's really the good thing about people interacting. Yes. It is. You learn a lot about yourself in your own situation. They know things that you don't know.

Yeah. things that I don't know. Because they're detached. And they have different expertise, by the way. In a lot of ways. Most ways. Anyway, subscribe. If you haven't already, also subscribe on YouTube.

There's excerpts on there. If you don't want to necessarily watch the whole episode, video version of this podcast, you can just get little excerpts that you can share, watch, or even come back to. That's a big one. Yeah, we've put out so much that it's too much. can't absorb it all the first time around yeah wait what do you mean like the whole episode you

no no no you what was on episode 63 right people people don't remember that thing they maybe so you just like jitza you go listen you learn it again and now you now it's more recognizable yeah so it's like drilling a little bit yeah so no i'm gonna come back i'm gonna drill some more yeah and something you know how like certain things just apply to you more like if your your advice on i don't know college that's easy one to remember about how to approach college right crash college or whatever it's going to apply to me more if i'm actually in college you know versus yeah unless you just apply that to other things in life which you can easily do you can for sure but that's going to apply to me directly we'll say um you know more than maybe the next guy so that kind of stuff where that one i want

to remember okay i'm going to come back to that one if i can constantly remind myself of the things that directly apply to me you can be more it's going to be more it's going to be more it's going to be more beneficial rather than just listening to all the podcasts and hoping you remember each one. Nonetheless, point there is that's a good reason to subscribe to the YouTube channel. So if you, in fact, if the excerpts or some excerpts resonate with you, you got them there at your fingertips and you can share them. Also, Jocko is a store. It's called Jocko Store.com. That's the URL there.

That's where you can get if you want shirts. People don't even know what URL is anymore. Of course they do. You think so? I think that's common language. No, actually, no, I think you're right. I just call it a website. Website, yeah, the website.

What does the URL stand for? What does the URL stand for? I don't even know. See? Here's the thing I knew, but I forgot. No, I'm actually not a tech guy. Yeah, but you knew what URL meant. I knew what it meant.

I don't know what it stands for. I don't know. Universal something? Ask your brother. I know. It's probably not even universal. so jade charles nonetheless

it's jaco the website is jocco store.com I know not that creative but easy to remember that's where you can get the shirts hoodies rash guards compression rash guards if you will for various activities where you're

maintaining range of motion jiu jitsu specifically in my opinion hoodies on their hoodies all the hoodies they're the same design but they're the heavy ones. People have been asking me like,

are these the heavy ones or where's the heavy hoodies? They're all there. We, like the non-heavy ones will call them. I thought they were heavy. Yeah. The first kind of iteration. Exactly.

Those were all sold out. They sold out last year. Yeah. And so I did another iteration with your request for the heaviest. They're the heaviest one. Actually, I think there might be some industrial heavier one. Maybe. No, because I think those, I don't know.

I forget. Nonetheless, these are the heavy ones. Confirm, double confirmed. Also, so women's stuff on there, I think I'm going to add a few things before Christmas on the store. That'd be good. So if you want, keep your eyes on that, that's a good way to support. If you want something, get something. Check them on.

Also, psychological warfare. If you don't know what that is, I'm going to tell you, it's an album with tracks. Jocko talking on these tracks. Basically, you listen to them when you are, you know, on the path, we'll say, on the path. And you get moments of weakness, days of weakness. You know those you're not feeling like it? You know how you always talk about it? It doesn't matter if you feel like it or not.

You just do it. Yeah. Okay. Just do it. Okay. So, and I respect that. And that's where we all want to be. We all want to be there.

but for some of us it's not like that 100% of the time sometimes when you really don't feel like it sometimes when I really don't feel like it I just don't do it sometimes I gotta be honest we'll put on psychological warfare and you'll do it

yes it's like a spot you know especially this is where it's like a no brainer like really easy when you're like contemplating I could just do this tomorrow right and you start making deals with yourself? You ever do that?

No deals with myself. No deals with the weak part of me. So you don't, so straight up, Jocko. No deals. Jocco, like, I don't feel like it. I feel like it, whatever. That actually makes me angry. I get pissed at myself.

If I start leaning towards, like, oh, maybe I just won't do anything. No, oh, really, really. Oh, is how it is. That's how? Okay, cool. We're going to go smash. You know, it's real funny. I that doesn't surprise

I've witnessed that with you Like we'll be talking about something Like I don't know if we can kind of do that Then you get this sort of look This kind of way about you kind of like So what Echos talking about is Echo's going on vacation And he's going to be gone for a couple weeks

And I've been real busy with all kinds of stuff And we were talking about If we'd be able to actually get all these podcasts done and I didn't think we could do it. And so I said, hey, Echo, you know, we're just going to have to take, you know, no podcast for a few weeks. And then I said, actually, like a day went by. And I sent Echo a text that said, actually, we're going to do it. I'm going to do.

We're going to record all the podcasts. I'm going to prep for them all. We're going to have an all-nighter and we'll just get it done. Bring some Red Bull and get some. Bring some jocco white tea. Yeah. what was interesting about that is when you said that

you had this kind of tone of like dang damn it we got to take a break we got to take a break after two years by the way every single week by the way we got to take a break that's what you said yeah and right when and I was like cool I dig it

I mean I'm not saying good I'm saying cool I totally understand and you know what that makes sense HBO big company takes huge breaks everybody takes huge breaks everybody everybody yeah apparently and you're over here two years in no breaks no breaks no matter what okay so they'll come a time when we are forced to for some reason yeah that's kind of part of the point bro so i'm like cool i dig it i totally understand jaco and

when i said that that's when your face kind of shifted like kind of you went into your own world and it's like it's almost like you sort of got mad real subtle but it was there. And I was like, oh, we're not taking a break. I know Joker's going to come back. Nonetheless, and I'm sure that. Okay, so I dig it. But back to psychological warfare,

if you need a spot or even want a spot with those times that you're like, maybe I'll skip the workout, maybe I'll slip on the diet. Just listen to any try, and the track is labeled, you know, where if you can skip on the diet, it's like, shoot,

Coded like wait what is it sugar coated lies but it's something something's sugar Coded lies sugar it's just a sugar yeah so you listen to that and then it what's good is it's not some inspirational you can do it it's not that it's like it's pragmatic I'm not here to do that Well here's the thing though you but just by nature your tone of voice kind of kind of like by happenstance inserts that concept in it So it's kind of a double double thing as it turns out but primarily it's just it's a it's a pragmatic thing Think about this. Logical stuff. And then at the end of the track,

you kind of conclude that, oh, yeah. I'm going to get after it. Yeah, exactly, right. That's what psychological warfare is. It is on iTunes, Amazon Music. Google Play. Whatever you get MP3s. True story.

Good way to support. Also, you get Jocka White Tea. And if you're having trouble deadlifting less than 8,000 pounds, if you get Jocka White Tea, that will be solved immediately. And your deadlift will then be 8,000 pounds, including Jordan B. Peterson, who can now deadlift 8,000 pounds. He broke through his 7,000 pounds. Yep. Barrier.

Barrier. Books. I got some books. Way the warrior kid. Number one, don't let your kid be a wimpy kid. Why would you do that? Why would you let your neighbor's kid be a wimpy kid? Why would you do that? Get him on the path.

Weigh the warrior kid path. Stronger, faster, smarter, better. Get some extreme ownership. The new edition is out. And thanks to you. all because we added questions your questions from this podcast into an appendix inside not every question but a bunch of them a good amount so they're in there there there's also new forward and some new color pictures color pictures interesting yeah because I don't like

color pictures I said no dichotomy they said well this is more premium I said no black and white is premiums it gets So anyways, if you want to see what I look like in color, then you can get the book. But to offset that, I said, okay, fine, you want to put color pictures in there? Make the whole book black. So that's what they did. Make the whole book black. And that was that.

And speaking of black also, the Discipline equals Freedom Field Manual is available. And I told you about that tagline that the publisher wanted to have like the, this book is a superb gift for the holiday season. and I told them no. The tagline is there's no better gift than discipline. That's the truth. You know, it's actually true. If you could give someone the gift of discipline, would you not be giving them the best gift in life?

Yes. Now you can actually give them the gift of discipline equals freedom, field manual. So you can do that. Now, this is important because people keep asking me, the field manual audio version, discipline equals freedom, field manual is, it is also on iTunes.

Amazon music, Google Play, other MP3 platforms. It's available right now. It is not on Audible. Audible is not with tracks. No. We wanted an album with tracks. That's why we did it this way. For something on top of the books and the podcast,

if you need leadership training and execution at your business or with your team, you can contact our leadership consulting company. It's me. It's J.P. DeNell. Laif Babin. Dave Burke. Info at Eschelon Front. And if you have questions for us or you have answers for us, a couple questions I asked today,

you can communicate with us on the interwebs on Twitter, on Instagram, and on da face. Echo is at Echo Charles and I am at Jocka Willink and to the service men and women out there right now holding the line, slogging through the mud and the heat and the danger and the fear and the fear. Thank you for defending us and our freedoms and to the police, law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, other first responders. Thanks for living the life that you live, which allows us to live the life we live. And to everyone else that's listening, just remember that you might not be wearing a cape. You might not have any magic powers, but you have the ultimate power, and that is human will. the power to march to fight to overcome and to get after it so until next time this is echo and jocco out