Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1859-11-24


homestcads, and for your wives and
children /?
My friends, might urge you 10 fight
by the calling memories OF British
wrong. Walton, l might tell you of
your father, buichered in the silence of
midnight, on the plains Of Trenton-I
might picture his gray hairs daubed in
blood might ring his death shrek in
your ears. Shelmirc, might tell you
Of mother butchercd and sister
outraged; the lonely farm house, the
assault, the roof in flames, the shouts OF
the troopers, as they dispatched their
victims, the cries for mercy, the pleading
OF innocence for pity. 1 might paint this
all again in the terrible coiors OF the WV
id reality, it / thought your courage
needed such wild excitement.
But know you are strong In the
might Of the Lord. You will 90 forth
to battle on the morrow with light
hearts and determined spirits, though
the soIcun duty-the duty of avenging
the dead-may rest heavy on Your souls
AID 10 the hour of battle, when all
around is darkness, lit by the Iurid can
mons glare, and the piercing musket's
flash, when the wounded st,cw the
ground, and the dead litter your path,
then remember, Soldiers, that God is
with you.
The c:ernal God fights for vou-IIe
rides Oh the battle cloud-IIe sweeps
onward with the march Of the hurricane
chargc-God, the Awful and the Iniin-
lite, fights for you, and you will triumph.
"They who take tho sword, snail perish by the
sword"
You have taken the sword, bnt not in
the spirit of wrong and ravage. You
have taken the sword for your homes, for
your wives, for your little ones. You
have taken the sword for truth, for JUS
tice and right, and to you the promise
is, "Be Of good cheer" for your foes
have taken the sword in defiance of all
that man holds dear, in b'aspbemy OF
God-they shall perish By the s,cord.
And now, brethren and soldiers, | bid
you all farewell. Many of us may fall
il. the fight of to-morrow-God rest the
souls Of the fallen. Many of Us may
live to tell the story Of the fight Of los
morrow and in the memory Of all will
ever rest and lnger, the quiet scene Of
this autumnal night.
Solemn twilight advances over the
vallcy-thc woods on the opposite
heights fling their long shadows over
| the green of the meadow around us are
the tents of the Continental host, the
suppressed hustle Of the camp,thc hurried
tramp of the soldiers to and fro among
the tents, the stiffness and silence that
marks the era of battle.
When we meet again, the long shad-
ows of twilight will be flung oyer peace
ful land.
God in Heaven grant it
Let us pray.
| PRAYER OF THE REVOLUTION.
Great Father, we bow before thee :
We invoke thy blessing, we dcpree e
thy wrath we return thee thanks FL
the past, we ask thy aid for the future
For we are in time Of trouble, oh, Lord
and sore beset by foes, mercless and un
plying; the sword CLEANS over our land
and the dust of the soil is dampcncd with
the blood Of our neighbors and friends
Oh God of Mercy, we pray thy bles
sing on the American arms. Make the
man of our hearts strong in thy wis
dom; bless, we beseech, with renewed
life and strength, our hope, and Thy in
strument, even George Washington
Shower Thy counsels on the honorable
the Continental Congress; visit the tents
of our hosts; comfort the soldier for hi.
wounds and Affections; nerve him for tho
fight; prepare hin for the hour of death
And in the hour of defeat, oh God d
hosts, do Thou be our stay, and in the
hour of triumph be Thou our guide.
Teach us to be mercifuI. Though the
memory of CALLING wrongs be at oul
hearts, knocking for admittance, that
they may eli us with desires of revenge
yet, let US, oh !! Lord, spare the van.
pushed, though they never spared us, il
their hour of butchery and bloodshed
And in the honr Of death, do Thou guide
us in the abode prepared for the blest
so shall we return thanks unto Thee,
through Christ our Redeemer. Goa
prosper or cause. Amen.