The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-06-24

fire at hand, leaped the pickets, and,
running at his utmost speed, thrust the
fire into the straw within the barn.
One who was an anxious spectator Of
the event we narrate, SAYS, "that al.
though volley upon volley was fred at
him, Butler, after making some steps on
his way back, turned to see if the fire
had taken, and, not being satisfied, re.
turned to the barn, and set it in blaze.
As the confagration grew, the enemy
was seen retreating from the rear Of the
building, which they had entered at one
end as the flame ascended in the other.
Soon after reaching the picket in safety,
amid the shouts Of his friends, he was
struck by ball in his breast. Believ.
ing, from the pain he felt. that it had
penetrated his chest, turning to Adju-
tant (now GeneraD McCalla, one Of his
Lexington comrades, and pressing his
hand to the spot, he said, Il fear this
shot is mortal; but while | am able to
move, will do my duty" To the
anxious inquiries Of Ibis friend, who met
him soon afterwards again, he opened
his vest, with a smile, and showed him
that the ball had spent itself on the
thick wadling Of his coat and on his
breastbone. He suffered, however,
for many weeks.
The little band within the pickets,
which Winchester had surrendered, af-
ter being carried himselfa prisoner into
Proctor's Camp, denied his powers
! They continued to hold the enemy at
bay until they were enabled TO capitu-
late on honorable terms, which, never
theless, Proctor shamefully violated, by
leaving the sick and wounded who
were unable to walk TO the tomahawk
of his allies. Butler, who was among
! the few Of the wounded who esca ped
the massacre, was marched through
Canada to Fort Niagara--suffering un-
der his wound, and every privation =
oppressed with grief, hunger, fatigue,
and the inclement cold of that desolate
region. Even here he forgot himself,
and his mind wandered back to the last
night scene which he surveyed on the
bloody shores OF the river Raisin. He
gave up the heroic part, and became
the school.boy again, and commemo.
rated his sorrows for his lost friends in
verse, like some passionate, heart.brok-
en- lover. These elegiac strains were
never intended for any but the eye Of
mutual friends, whose sympathies, like
his own, poured out tears with their
plants over the dead. We give some
Of these lines Of his boyhood, to show
that the heroic youth had bosom not
less kind than brave.
THE FIELD OF RAIsIN.,
/ The battle g o'er! the din is past,
Nights mantle on the field is cast;
i The Indian yell is heard no more,
/ And silence broods Ger Erie's shore.
At this lone hour 60 to tread
The fields where valor vainly bled--
To raise the wounded warriors crest,
Or warm with tears his icy breast;
To treasure up his last command,
And bear il to his native land.
Itmay one pulse ofjoy impart,
To fond mothers bleeding heart;
Or for moment it may dry g
The tear-drop in the widows eye.
: Vain hope, away! The widow ne'er
Her warriors dying wish shall hear.
Il The passing zephyr bears no sigh,
No wounded warrior meets the eye
II Death is his sleep by Erie's wave,
II Of Raisin's snow we heap his grave!
How many hopes lie murdered here
!. The mothers joy. the fathers pride,
The country's boast, the foeman's fear,
In wilder'd havoc, side by side.
Lend me, thou silent queen of night,
Lend me awhile thy waning light.
That may see each wellloved form.
That sunk beneath the morning storm.
Il These lines are Introductory to wha
may be considered succession of epi
: taphs on the personal friends who's,
/, bodies he found upon the field. |
would extend the extract too far to in
.. sert ,hem., We can only add the clos,
!. OF the poem, where he takes leave Of
group of his young comrades in Hart
company, who had fallen together:
And here see that youthful band,
+ That loved to move at Harts command;
Isaw them for the battle dressed,
|, And still where dangers thickest pressed,
lmarked their crimson plumsge wave.
d How many fill this bloody grave!
Their pillow and their winding.sheet
! The virgin snow--a shroud most meet!
: But wherefore do linger herel
al Why drop the unavailing tear'
8 Where'er Iturn, some youthful form,
Y Like foweret broken by the storm, 81
vi Appeals to me in sad array, h
ii And bids me yet moment stay, ss
Till could fondly lay me down
al And sleep with him on the cold ground.
\ For thee, thou dread and solemn plain,
Al Ine'er shall look on thee again; {.
Il b "a n !