Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-01-24
"MAY YOU DIE AMONG YOUR KINDRED

Soon after the declaration of peace between
the United States and Mexico, We were pas
senger on Il steamer from New Orleans to Gin
cinllai The cabin of the boat was crowded
with officers, who had served IN the war They
We're the miserable remnant OF large body Of
brave men, who had devoted themselves to the
service of their country. Their comrades slept
in soldiers graves in u foreign land They had
gone out TO fight the battles Of our nation, and
laid their bones beneath the walls of Chepullepec
aud Prru,e, Oh The plains of Bucna Vista, and on
the hillside of Cherubusco 1t WAS the fortune
of war, aud grateful country should embam
their memories in lis great heart of hearts,
Those who returned from the hard-fought
battles Of Mexico, who had passed through The
perils of siege aud storm, and The more terrible
onslaught of deatIly climate, were scarcely
more fortunate than they who won soldiers
bier, and left their bones TO bleach on the blood
stained plain. Disease had fastened It's insidiuus
talon them, and they were ut the mercy Of the
destroyer.
Among the common soldiers, who were piled
away like logs by The engine and boilers on The
main deck OF the steamer, there was scarcely
one who bore not the seeds Of disease and death
ip his ,frane. They were pale, en.lclaled-llt-
orally appearing 10 have one foot in the grave.
We cUnrersed with one whose cheek bones pro-
trudcd through the skin; who was, without ex-
aggeration, nothing but skin and homes He
assured Us that his hip bones, and those Of
other prominent parts of his body, were bare.
lie had. .slep;, on The passage from Vera Cruz, OH
the bare planks of the vessel. Probably he
long ago went down 10 his grave. No bet
ter duplication of the horrors of war could be
found, than this man.
When the steamer had passed Memphis the
weather, which had been oppressivcy hot, sud-
denly changed. The change was heralded by
severe tornado, which tore up trees by the roots
and blowed The boat ashore. cool, norlherly
wind sprung up, which produced i very marked
effect upon the poor, sick soldiers Many Of
them were suddenl and violently seized, after
the boat entered the Ohio, with IN alarming dis
ease The bOiler-deck resoundcd with the
groams of anguiShed sufferers, and the horrid
cries # the deliriUus. That day, three Of them
died. The ronito, or yellow fever, which they
had brought in their veins from the arid plains
Of Mexico, had done its work in sight Of the na-
live hills Of The victim. Home was at hand,
and they who had passed through the perils of
war, famine and disease, died alone. even while
the arms Of affection were outstrelchng 10 en-
fold lhem
1t was sad-that sudden dashing down of the
cup Of joy? The loved ones at home, to whom
the coming of the wanderers had been announ-
ced, were doomed 10 cruel disappointment.
Others died lis the charnel steamer wended her
way through the green hills
We buried them at midnight. The kind in
,enlion, of the officers to convey their remains
To Cincinnatl and give them the hono-s of a
marital burial, were defeated BY the rapid pro-
cess of decomposition. The steamer was haul
I'd up by the river side, and Swallowed grave
followed out, in which the bodies of the brave
soldiers were placed No prayer was said, no
solemn dirge rose on midnight air for the rcpose
of the departed.
" Not drum was heard nor funeral note"
1t was the saddrst funeral we ever attended
sad. because the hand of affection had not
laved the fevered brow of the dying men sad,
because in the midst of the land in whose cause
they had died, no loved one had closed the eyes
of The sinking sufferers. Home with wife, and
chidren-all that renders home The sanctuary Of
the affections, was almost in sight of their long
ing eyes; bu they closed them in death before
they realized the joyous hour, whose anticipated
joys had cheered their hearts through many
terrible struggle
MAY YOU die among your kindred" Never
till then could we realize the depth of meaning
which these words convey. The pen of senti-
ment is powerless, the inspiration of the pnet
utterly inadequate to convey il. They who
have groaned on the sick bed in fasgn land
who have faced death on camReouGl, who
have met the menacng glance grim mon
s,er away from the " loved oneseas-6ome," alone
can form an adequate conception of the idea.
May you die among your kindred"
When loving hearts are near,
Who will whisper hope and comfort,
| And love shall cast out fear.