Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1846-03-14
BURLINGTON, IOWA SATURDAY, MARCH IA 1886

heart, and arlstocracy rotten to the core
crime and want linked hand and hand, ant
tempting men TO deeds of woe and death
these are part Of the doom and retribu
ton that come upon the English throne ant
the English people! l a
Soldiers--I look around upon your "a.
mlllar faces with strange interest! To.
morrow morning we viii 60 forth to the
battic-for need I tell YOU that your IN.
worthy minister will march With you in.
soking Gods aid in the fight-we will
march forth to LATHE! Need exhort YOU
to fight the good fight, to fight for Won,
l'omesteads, for your wives and children;
My friends | might'nrg you to fight By
the CALLING memories of British wrong
Wallon--l might tell YOU Of your f,the,
butchered in the silence Of the night or
the plains of Trenton might picture hi:
grey hairs dabbed in blood, might ring
his death shrek in your ears. Shelmire
might tell you Of a bntchered mother, and
sister outraged, the lonely farmhouse,
the night assault, the roof in flames, the
shouts of the troopers as they despatched
their victims, the cries for mercy and the
pleadings Of innocence ior pity. / might
paint this all again, in the vieid colors o.
terrible reality, il thought your courage
needed such wild excitement.
But know you are strong in the sight
! OF the Lord. You will march forth to bat
lie on the morrow with light hearts and
determined spirit, though the solemn duty
the duty Of the avengng dead-may res,
heavily oil your souls.
And in the hour Of battle when all
around is darkness, lit by the lurid can
non-glare, and the piercing musket flash,
when the wounded strew the ground. and
the dead litter wour path, then remember,
soldiers that God is with you. The eter-
nal God fights for you--he fights OH the
battle-cloud, he sweeps onward with the
march of the hurricane charge--God, The
awful and infinite fights for you, and you
will triumph.
"They that take the sword shall perish
by the sword"
You have taken the sword, but not in
the spirit Of wrong or ravage. You have
taken the Sword for voiir homes, for your
wives, and for your little ones. You have
taken the sword for truth and justice and
right, and to you the promise is--be Of
good cheer. for your foes have taken the
sword in defiance Of all that men hold dear,
in blasphemy Of God--they shall perish by
the sword.
And now, brethren ahu soldiers, bid
you all farewell. Many Of rs may fall III
The battle of Tomorrow. God rest the
souls Of the fallen-ma. n of us NAV live 10
tell the story of the figRFs ,o-mor row. and
in the memory Of all will ever rest and lin
ger the quiet scene Of this autlmnal night.
Solemn twilight advances over The val
ley; the woods on the opposite heights Hing
their long shadows over The green of The
meadow; around us are the tents of the
continental host, the suppressed hustle Of
the camp, the hurried tramp of the soldiers
to and fro among The tents. stiffness and
awe that marks the eve of battle.
When we meet again may the shadows
Of twilight be flung over peaceful land.
God in heaven grant it. Let us pray.
Great Father. we bow before ihee; Ne
inv oke Thy blessings, we deprecate thy
wrath; we return the thanks for the past,
we ask thy aid for the future. For i've are
in times of trouble, oh, Lord, ond sore be-
set by foes, merciles< and Implying. The
sword CLEANS over our land, and the soil
is dampened with the blood OF our neigh
bors and friends.
Oh! God o. mercy, we pray thee 10
bless the American arms. Make the man
of our hearts strong in thy wisdom; bless,
we beseech thee, with renewed life and
strength, our hope, and thy instrument.
even George Westinghouse shower thy
counsels on the Honorable, the Continental
Congress, visit our host, comfort our SOL
der, in his wounds and Affections, nerve
him for the fight, prepare him for the hour
of death.
And in the hour Of defeat, oh, God Of
hosts, do thou be our stay, and in the
hour oftriumph be thou our guide.
Teach us to be merciful. Though the
mem5ry Of CALLING wrongs be at our hearts,
knocking for admittance, that they NAV fiji
us with the desire for revenge, yet let us
oh, Lord, spare the vanquished though
they never Spared us in the hour Of BUTCH
cry and bloodshed. sttt1 s7E
And in the hour Of death, do thou guide
us 10 the abode prepared for the blest: SO
shall we return thanks unto thee through
Christ our Redeemer. God prosper lie
cause. Amen.