Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-04-09

reins TO Imagination and attempts a picture.
And what is the picture, pray tell me? You
see nothing but the tall and noble forces of
commanders, whose presence is courage, and
whose werd victory. You see the manly
bearing and courageous step of the brilliant
staf-all resplendent with lace, scarlet and
gold. Every where your eye rests upon nod
ding pIumes, ~prdncing steeds, banners flying,
and flashing steel.
There is a pause, and silence. The COM
mander's voice is heard clear and solemn on
the embattled field. Every eye is fixed
every ear strained. Not a muskel ratlIes-
not a sword clinks. In a few choice words
he brings before them their country, bleeding,
supplicating, yet still great! With a hero's
enthusiasm he halls them as her chosen, CHI
valrous defenders-poinis them to the forest
of b|ristling bayonets amid which stand the
waiting foe-and bids them be brave, bold
and patriotic. lie ceases. The drums be-
gin to rattle and the bugle strikes up a wild
and martial air. The ordnance is wheeled
around to the front and a shot is discharged.
IT'S a blank cartridge-the brave warriors
challenge. A second is fred-the ball goes
whistling high over the heads of the unnin.h-
ing combatants, tearing up the turf far back
in their rear. The C lnnon is slowly lowered
on its trunnions, and a heavy shot discharged.
1t opens a channel through the solid ranks of
the foe, and then the thunders of a thousand
pieces of artillery break the unearthly still
ness. You see those long waving lines of
advancing troops-in a moment they are gone,
and a broad sheet of lurid flame rolls over the
spot where they trode. Whole ranks 90 down
together like frost-work. The banners plunge
into the dense clouds of ascending smoke and
disappear. Bayonets flash through the thick
ming gloom and cannon shot plough the en-
sanguined field. Amid the lannon's roar you
hear the clash OF sabres and the din of muir
derous steel. Then comes the charge-the
tread of advancing battalions-the shouts of
the gallant cavalry dashing down upon the
hollow squares-the rout-the hasty retreat
the cry of victory-and all is over. The
sketch is done. The writer never takes you
over the hard fought field 10 look into the IA
ces of the countless dead-some livid and
powder-scorched-some mangled by broad
swords-some riddled with shot-some be-
s~pattered with smoking brains-some smear
ed with clotted blood-some biting the tongue
for agony, and some grinning in CHASTITY con-
v%ulsions. He never points you TO the scatter
ed masses of quivering flesh that lie all around,
. half trodden into the soil by the hoofs of hor.
: ses and the heavy wheels Of ordnance. Such
scenes mar the s~plendor of the description
During the progress OF the strife you did not
D observe the unhappy wretch pierced by a can
r lister shot, leap into the air and fall a disem-
boweled corpse. That man had a wife, whose
fond heart-pining in silent anguish, shall die
a thousand deaths. The smoke rolled up
gradually where he fell, so that you saw not
: his last look of despair. But his young chill.
dren shall weep bitter tears around the cold
cottage-hearth, for their father returns nc
0 more.
4 Here lies a dismembered trunk-some fel.
e bowman has hacked away those fine limbs
i which God in his kindness gave. There lies
a poor fellow whose warm blood is gurgling
from his heart. A brothers. hand withou'
provocation planted cursed steel in that man.
h ly bosom. Far, far away a gentle nader
8 awaits his long expected return. All! sor.
row shall change those auburn locks to grey
e before she shall again clasp the noble form
S that won her first pure love. Yolder yor
have what remains Of a youthful officer. Per
haps you did not hear that yell of agony wher
" a heavy slug of iron tore terribly through tn,
stout manacles of his frame. In the maenif
cent thunder Of battle that death-cry wa
drowned, yet a widowed mother shall ben,
over that d~isligured corse, and weep her liz
away
Yes, the tears, and prayers, and groans, an
cries, and shrieks, and curses that stir tn
&c peslilential air of the battlefield find no plac
! on the page of description. The glory Of vic
tory must not be sadly furnished Look no
l for such shocking details in the glowing ac
counts that tell the progress of your country
. arms on the free soil of your sister Republic
Think not that your brave Generals will cor
sent to have their names used in connectio
with carnage and blood, conlagration and pI
lage, wretchedness and ruin. They are nc
so careless of their hard earned %laurels.-
When you mention their deeds of prowesS
do not in the same breath speak of mangle
limbs, frightful wounds, headless corpse;
~ heaps of slaughter and pools of stagnar
p, blood. II is quite out Of taste. The Amer
can armies have been victorious, and occurs
81 ed be the traitor who would tarnish the fam
>" of those gallant heroes who have led GU