Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-11-21
WILMINGTON, c, FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 81 1851
From the Democratic Review for November.
The Last of the Sacred Army.

he memory OF the warriors OF our ffeenOm let us
guard il with holy care. Let the mighty pulse which
throbs responsive in nations heart at uerance Of
that nations name of glory. lie langnid when
their deeds told their example cited. To him of
the calm grey eye selected bv the leader of the ranks
of heaven as the instrument for peoples redempton
to him. the bright and brave who tell in the attack al
Breeris 10 him, the nimble footed soldier of the
swamps of Santee -to the young stranger from the
luxnries of his native France ito all who fought in
that long weary fight for disenthrament from arbitrary
rule may our star fade, and good angel smile
upon US no more. if we fail chamber them in our
hearts, or forget the memory of their dearworn hon.
or.
For the fame of these is not as the fame of COM
heroes. The gaining of battles, the chasing
away of an opposing force, welding the great ener-
gies of bodies of military, rising proudly amid the
smoke and din of the Hg,tsnd marching the naughty
march of eonqueror: all this, spirit stirring il may
be the world would fail 20 command the applause OF
the just and discriminating. But such is not the base
whereon American warriors found their title to re-
nown. Our storied names those OF the soldiers
of liberty hardy souls ncased in hardy bodies, for
principles sake. and vending on through blood disease,
des uton and prospects of gloom, to attain the great
treasure
Years have passed. the sword clash and the thun-
derng of the guns have died; and all personal knowl
edge of those events-of the fierce incentives 10 hate,
and The wounds, and and the from The IN
ured and The waings from The prisons, lives now but
in the memory of few score gray haired men. whose
ner by death. HAPPY. long, long, will be The period
beloved country shall witness the presence Of
such similar scenes again Happy, too. the time is
arriving when war. with all IFS train OF sangninary
horrors will be discarded custom among the nations
of the earth newer and better philosophy, teach
ing how evil ii is hew down and slay ranks of fei
low men, because of disagreement between their
respective rulers is melting away old preudices upon
this subject. warmth in spring me- 5. the frigid
ground
TLo Ioro b;s ho oh in
the world. see millions whose swelling hearts all
crushed into the dust beneath the iron heel of oppres
sion did he behold how kngcraft and prestcraf
stalk abroad fair portions OF the globe, and forge
the chain, and rvet the yoke: and did he not feel
that it were better live in one flaming atmosphere of
carnage than slavshy thus? would offer up nightly
prayers that this new philosophy might prevail to the
utmost, and the reign of peace never more be disturb
ed among mankind
On one of the anniversaries of national indie
pendeDce, was staying al the house of an old farmer
about mile from thriving country town, whose in
hahItants were keeping mp the spirit Of the occasion
with great fervor. The old man himself thump
ing patriot Early in the morning, my slumbers had
been broken by the sharp crack of his ancient musket
looked upon that musket with reverence, for il had
seen service in the war; firing saues in the honor of
the day am free 10 confess my military propensi-
ties far from strong enough, appropriate as they
might have been considered at such time, to sup
press certain peevsh eXclamaons towards the dis
luTOeT Vi my sweet TPpOSe IL course Ol iIe lore
noon | attended the ceremonialS observed in the vii
age; sat, during the usual patriotic address. the
same bench with time veteran that had fought
in the contest now commemorated witnessed the
lutions of the uniform company; and returned home
with most excellent appetite for my dinner.
The afternoon warm and drowsy. I ensconced
myself in my easy chair, open window feel
ing in that most blissfu state of semi somnolency.
which it is and then, though rarely, given TO
morfals to enjoy. was alone, the family of my host
having gone on some visit TO a neighbor. The bees
hnmmed in the garden and among the flowers that cus
tered over the widow frame sleepy influence seemed
to imbue every thing around Occasionally the faint
sound of random gun-fre from the village wonlI
float along the Just percepble music Of the band
or the ira a ara of locust But these were far from
being jars to the quiet spirit have mentioned
Tnsensibly, my consciousness became less and less
distinct; my head leaned back and my senses relax
ed from their waking vigilance. slept.
How strange chaos is sometimes the out,
set to dream There the pulpit of the rude
church. the of The Grafton, and in it grotesque
form whom had noticed the drummer in the band.
beating awav though calling scattered forces 10 the
rescue. Then the speaker of the day pitched coppes
with some unshom hosiler buys; and the grave per-
sonage WHO had opened the services with prayer.
half stripped, and running foot race with tavern
loafer The places and the persons familiar 10 my
morning excursion about the country Town, appeared
as in life bu, in situations all fantastic and out of
the way.
After while, what beheld began 10 reduce itself
to method With the singular characteristic of
! dreams, | knew could not tell how--that thirty
years elapsed from the then time, and | among a
new generation. Beings by me seen before and
some with shriveed FORMS hearing odd resemblance
to men whom had known in the bloom of manhood.
met my eyes.
Mehought I stood in splendid city. 1t seemed a
gala day. Crowds of people were swiftly vending
along the streets and walks if TO behold grea,
spectacle or famous leader
Whittier do the people go ," said |, 10 shape who
passed me, hurryn with the rest.
know you not" answered he, ''that The Last Of
| the Sacred Army may be to-day %
And he FASTENED forward, apparently fearful lest he
might he late.
Among the dense ranks, I noticed many women,
some of them with infants in their Then there
were boys, beautiful creatures, struggling on, with
a more iniensc desire even than the men, And
as l looked up, | at some distance. coming to-
wards the place where ! STOOD troop of young fe.
males the foremost bearing wreath of fresh
flowers The crowd pulled and pushed so violently,
that this party OF girls snndereI from one
another. and she who carried the wreath being jostled
her flowers trampled to The ground.
80 hapless me - cried the child and she began TO
weep
Al that moment. her companions up; and they
looked frowning!y when they saw the wreath torn
g Do moi greve, gentle one, said ]. TO the weeping
child And you,' turning 10 the others. blame her
Dot. There bloom more flowers, fair and fragrant
as those which lie rent beneath your feet
! "No,' said of the little troop, I" il is now TOO
: late
! "What mean you - | asked
/ The children looked al me in wonder.
'' For whom did you intend the wreath - contin-
ued |.