Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1837-03-11
vISL RICHMOND, IA, MARCH IN, 1897.


His brother hassened 10 assure him Of tho per
forgiveness Of bis parents, end that daily and
nightly he was menii0sed IN their supplications
- their loved. and absent. aad eui"g one.
AZ bis strength permitted, be told theao the sto
~ Of his wanderings and his su6erings He had
been in battles by sea and BY land. lie had
heard the deep ocean echo with the thunders O
wa.. and seen the ocean drink in the strange, red
shower from msngled and palpitaune bosoms. He
had stood in the lists Of Europe, and eoParded his
foreign power and he had pursued the Indian.
a. ing st midnight from bis flaming hut. He had
gone with the bravess. where dangers thicksned,
had sought in every place for the glory Of war,
but had found only misery.
That glory which dazzied me in my days Of boy
hood and which supposed vas always the reward
iOf the brave, continually euded melt is reserved
for the successful leaders Of armies. They alone
arc the heroes, while the poor soldiers, BY whose
toll the victories are won, eodvre the hardshps,
that others may reap the fame. Yet how light is
all tho boasted glory which was ever Obtained by
the greatest commander, compared with tho good
that he fosfets, and the that he inicts, in
order TO obtain u!
Sometimes, when we were ready Tor a battle, and
Just before rushed into il, have felt fearful
shuddering,an xpressbe horror at the thought Of
butchevng my feIlow-creatures. But in the heat
Of contest, such feeling vanished, and the mad
ness and desperation Of demon possessed me.
cared neither for heaven nor hell.
Of mercy, and shrink to give pain even to an AMI
NAL, can hardly imag,ne what hardness Of heart
comes with the life Of soldier. Deeds of cruelty
are always before him, and he needs neither the
suffcrngs Of the starving infant, or the esoans Of
its dy ing mother.
or my own varieties OF pain, will not speak.
Yet when have lain the field Of battle. and un-
able to move from among the feet Of tramPiing hor
ses, when my wounds stffened in the chilly night
air, and no man cared for my soul, have thought
Il no more than just, since my own hand had dealt
the same violence others, perhaps even inflicted
keener anguish than that which was appointed to
me.
But the greatest evil Of q soldiers life - no.
the hardship which he is exposed. the wounds
he NAV sustain but the sin with which he 10 sur
rounded and made familiar. Oaths, mr'ecat'ons,
and contempt Of every thing sacred, are tho eIe-
ments of his trade In this dened career though
II exertcd myself to sppea: bold and courageous,
my heart constantly m'sgave me. God grant that
] il may 10 purified ny repentance, before am sum-
moned to the dread bar Of Jndg nent.
j His friends filtered themselves that by medical
skill, and nursing, he might eventually be restored
to health. But he said, 1T can never be. Ny vi
tai energies wasted
i 'Brothcr,' he would say, you have been man OF
peace. 10 the quiet occupations Of hushantry. YOU
have served God, and loved your neighb"r. You
have been mercful 10 the animal creation. You
have taken the fleece. and saved the sheep alive.
Blu, have wantonly dsfaccd the image Of God, and
STONED that breath which l never can restore
You have taken the honey, and preserved the a.
boring bee. But 1 have destroyed man and his
ha bta,ion. burned the hive and spilled the honey
! on the ground. You cannot imagine how bitter is
now my sorrow for the performance Of such abon,-
nations
He declined rapidly. Ds1th came on with has'y
strides. LAYING his cold hand upon the head OF
the eldest little boy, who had been much around his
bed in his sickness he said, 'Dcar John, never be
sodicr Sister, brother, you have been as angels
Of mercy to me. The blessing Of the God Of peace
abide with you and UPON your house,
u So SAYING, he expired Such was the conclud-
ling scene in the life Of being who had fondy an
,cpaled in the soldiers career nothing but spendOs
and unfsding glory.