Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-05-04

crowding years. The things Of politica
2 strife, who loved the old man, as a mise
loves diamond, not on account Of il.
pure and beautiful light, but from The
great 9uery--hop much riH it br,ngl-
! seem to have forgotten him. They have
lef. him to the Hearts OF the People.
, He PAGES the floor. and thinks Of the
days he has seen. Born in the Kevolu
tion. he grew up among its memories
and saw the greatest among ITS grsa,
men,
i Where are they now Where the
comr AIDES Of his arlier dayss Where
the compeers of his manhoods Where
the most gallant Of oil his foes. whese
soul, was warmed with fire, like tha,
winch gave his own heart its energvs it,
love aud its hate, where the Man oil New
Orleans and the Hermitage
| There is grass above his grave.
Like the the last column, standing
erect, in a desert Of ruins, the old man
is left alone.
You may take my word for it, ,ha,
his thoughts a, this still hour, are stran-
gled and contrasted in their hues, as the
Ghosts OF the Past come crowding up 10
him, their faces looking sadly ou, from
the shrouds of Memory.
The door is opt ned--a man appears
whose Scared lace and battle worn fig
ure speak of the land Of Mexico. You
gaze npon the old man. as he motions
the stranger TO seat. lie reads in that
face the volume of sad yet heroic his
tory. The stranger does not move. but
stands IN the sunset glow, his neither lip
quIverlng aintIy.
Advancing. he endeavors to speak. bu,
there is a.peli on his tongue.
lie can only place IN the old mans
hands par oI pistols.
"Basna VISTA he said, and turned
awny-unmiling 10 witness the tears and
agony OF the father.
When he looked again twiligh,
shadow was gathering fas, the old man
Stood near the window gazing silently
upon those eloquent memorials oil HENRY
CLAY, h son.
We lei, the young hero on his couch
OF stone, with twenty bayonets in his
breast. he fayine tar down into the
shadows, was lined with Mexicans, who
came s"arm'ng towards the .opmost rock
slt,erns III the sunset glow. From ev.
cry NOOK aud cavern, they poured. like
tlackals to a warriors corse, and-their
Overwhelming numbers. lighted the dark
pass, with an endless blaze Of steele
they advanced To the topmost rock aud
displayed IN battle order, along the SUN.
M, oi the ridge.
Blu, the battery yonder stationed on a
higher ridg -wna, doe. ii n,ean! Wash
,ng,on and his sturdy cannoniers, are
there. On the plateau you see the rifle
men Of M,sslpp,i, stand shoulder 10
shoulder, with the volunteers OF Indiana
with the cannon o: Bragg irowning
through the intervals Of their solid ranks
! The sun was setting, and that firm ar.
ray on the plateau, looked beautiful, as
II Stood prepared to receive the last on
set OF the Mexican horde. No, a shou,
: disturbed the silence. on the American
side.
The Mexlcans-you behold them BY
thousands, horse and loot, along the sum
mi, OF this ridge-iheir banners, spear.
and bayonets, forming one g.i,,erng pa
geant. as far a. an eye can see.
Look on them well. in this moment o.
their glory, lor a smoke rolls over the pla'
teau, and the hurricane OF death, is on
its way.
When the smoke rolls up the noun
tain side, you see the ridge heaped with
the dead, while far down the ravine
rushes the wreck Of that formidable force
retrea,ing from the las. charge Of Buena
Vista.
Night on Buena Vista
|, Twas sad, an awful night. The
stars shone serenely on the mountain top
. while ali beneath was dun and dark =.
Through the gloom at irregulsr interval.
. broke The glare Of torch light, oul,
making the darkness more sad and dis
NAL.
The Americans slept on their arms
) without fire. The night was bitter cold
the means Of the dying joined in chorus
from the depths Of the rasines; and ,h'
+. living moved silently along endeavorins
TO recognize their own dead by the ligh
Of the stars.
From afar the camp-6res Of SAINT,
Anna's army were seen. ever and again
as the battle vapor rolled aside. Th'
! Americans slept we'll on their tired arms
bu, in the passes Of the defle, upon tn
ridges and over the plateau. there wer'
, those who slumbered not
The women of Mexico, soothing tn.
agonies Of the dying strangers.
Their garments fiut,ered through ,h'
} darkness. as they went to and fro
> staunchins the blood, placing to the ie
verish lip the cup Of water, bending be
side the dying IN prayer. Prayer in
! strange tongue. prayer on a strange bat
tie field, in strange land-how it wen
{ 10 the hearts Of the American soldiers
and made them remember the Home
they should never sec again.
. There were others who slumbered no
al &.