Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-07-02

81 FLOW ELK N TIE DESERI.'
A Few WoRDs FOR PEACE-Here is a
beautiful incident related by an officer at Mat
amoras, in a letter 10 friend in Providence,
which reminds us that
In the desert there still is fountain,
In the wide waste there still is airee,
Aud bird in the solitude singing
Our Army were marching into Ma,amoras,
and the officer writes
'''There was a little incident occurred which
contrasted so forcibly with what was going on
around me, that could not but be struck by it.
Under tree just on the river bank, and at
the point where the hustle and throng of the
passage was greatest, family OF Mexicans
had taken shelter who had re-crossed to our
side the day before, and had not time to move
TO their homes. There were some six or eight
children of various ages one Of these a beauti-
full black-eyed, graceful little creature of five
or six years | saw her, while tumult and
turmoil of all description rang around, while
arms were flashing, cannon rolling, men hur-
rying to and fro. horses dashing at wild speed,
the air filed with shouts and oathS. and all
was as if quiet and peace were banished from
the earth, half sitting, half lying on grassy
knoll, her head resting upon a white pet dove,
and one little arm thrown around the bird as
if to protect it from all harm"
What lesson is taught here! What pic
ture for the Painter and Poet! See Innocence
personiied in that sweet child See Peace
represented in that beautiful dove How they
stand out the bright, the glorious figures in that
scene, where War, with It's array of banners
and marshalled men, and gaudliy dressed Off
GERS on caparisoned horses, fresh from the bat
tie field, their hearts flied with the swelling
thoughts of the victory they have won, and all
glowing with the ambitious desires that become
the heroes they have shown themselves TO be
how that sweet child and beautiful dove,
shine with the light. that is from heaven, in
that scene, where War fills up and darkens
all the back ground!
Who that is man, can look upon this pic
ture, and turning from that which represents
War, all glorious as il is said to be, TO the calm
quiet, the joyous and happy contrast, and not
find his heart moved and the longingS for
Peace increase upon hlm2 Here he has be-
fore him the pomp Of war Here he sees he
roes OF his own country and kin, flushed with
triumph, marching TO take possession of that
city which their valor had won He hears
the fife and the drum; and in the distance ''the
dlapaSon of the cannonade" announces that
the banner of the Union floats from the staff
VI lllt HoASt VI lIlis 81 idNtl1 nus
tile town! 1t is an exhiliratng sight, II
moves the hearts of those who look upon it !;
and it warns up to a glow the pride that every
man feels in his country and his name. Ii is
the American arms, that have achieved this
victory-,hey are American soldiers who have
done this glorious deed.
We turn our eyes from this, and the glory
all fades away. We look upon the battle field.
where the wounded, and the dying, and the
dead are heaped up together We see here
nothing but the murderous assault, the deadly
charge, the work of the sword, and the can
non, and the gun and the bayonet! Here is
poor fellow with his head shot oh--there IS
another with an arm gone--what a terrible
cash has the sabre OF that dragoon made Ia the
head Of that soldier who now reels TO the eaTthi
Here are two men lying together dead they
killed each other--the bayonet of the one has
empaled the other; the sword of that other has
let the life blood out from the heart Of that one.
They had never known each other--there was
no quarrel between them-they had never met
until Just now, and they have killed each 9TH
er But they are dead, and are enemies no
longer They We're both marred-they had
wives who loved them. II may be, nay il is,
the Mexican soldier is the father Of that sweet
child who but now we saw nesting in its in
nocent bosom that beautiful dove!
We turn from the scene with horror Ist
any wonder Iii battle field and who can
gaze on one unmoved2 1t softened the heart
Of Napoleon as he walked over it; and he, who
had looked upon blood and carnage, and done
the work of blood and carnage, this almost ru-
Ter of the world, shed tears, when the smoke
of the contest had blown of, and he saw with
the eyes ola man the butchereddead before him,
and heard with the ears Of man the groans
Of the wounded and dying around him. We,
then, ali unused 10 such scenes, may not look
upon them with less Of sorrow than filed the
heart Of the French Emperor, and il is no inn
parchment of our manhood to say that we can