Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-04-23
I For their affairs and their fires,
IS The green graves of their sirss,
God and their native land

They in the same patriotic spirit which ami.
mated the 'sFather of his country cherished q
cordial and habitual attachment to the Union.
and, with deep and heartfelt devotion, labored
with all the earnestness of their natures to pre-.
serve it as it had been bequeathed to them by
their noble and patriotic ancestors As long 81
there was ray of hope, they stood firmly as the
friends of the Union and the advocates of lust
honorable and peaceful settlement of all our ma
tional difficulties. When others despaired, they
still hoped; when others yielded, they still stood
firmly. They had the high moral courage tx
stand firmly where their convictions of patriotic
duty commanded, though their motives were i'm
peached and their loyalty distrusted by those
who did not appreciate their noble characters
But as soon as the last ray of hope had been ex
tinguished, as soon as they bad seen the Presi-
dents proclamation, the herald of civil war, and
heard the call to arms, they sprang to their feet
donned their military Dress shouldered theiI
guns, babe their fathers and mothers, brothers
and sisters hurried and affectionate farewell
and marched with speed to the place of rende.
vous. They did not stop to consider the eonse-
quences to themselves indvdually-they were
willing to sacrifice all they possessed-ther lives
and fortunes-in defence of their native State
Many left their families almost entirely unprovi-
ded for-there was 90 time to consider individu-
al interests when their State called for their
services Some left sick wives and children, and
some sick fathers and mothers, brothers and sis
ters. 1t was almost enough to melt heart of
adamant to witness such scenes as were presen-
call upon his physician and say: doctor, my
Dear wife is sick, hope you will attend her
carefully" Another would say, "Doctor, have
left two sick children, and request you to see
them daily" Another would say, 'Doctor, my
father is old and feeble. | fear may never see
him again, l desire you to keep him alive If you
can till return" Another would say, s'Doctor,
my dear mother is nearly heart-broksn, hope
you will console her SIS much as possible"
The same patriotic fires which glowed in the
bosoms of their noble ancestors in 1878, burns
brightly now upon the affairs OF the hearts of the
brave and ehivalric sons of Augusta. This coun-
ty, we have no doubt, will send more soldiers to
the field than any county in the State, though
Rockingham and Rockbridge will MOLLY do their
duty. These three adjoining Union counties,
we venture to predict, will furnish more soldiers
than any other three adjoining counties in the
State. We feel convinced that all three of these
strong Union counties will do their whole duty.
We are sure that the brave and patriotic Union
men of these counties win forgive those who, in
ignorance of their trpe characters, charged them
with being s'submissionists" and 'ssympathisers
with Black Republicanisn, and hope that those
who did so will have the candor and manliness
to acknowledge that they wronged as brave and
loyal citizens as breathed the sir of freedom
Let all feelings of alienation and party spirit be
buried, and all stand together in harmony and
as band OF affectionate brothers,
'sUnited we stand, divided we fall" In "Union |
there is strength" in division there is weakness
Let all stand together. We are still for Union
q Union of brave and patriotic men for the de-
fonoo of our State