Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-30
The Young S~eldier--An Incident Of
the War.
pr nrrn A. xoanrsox.


The SICK and wounded soldiers in the close hospital lay,
Afar from home and kindred. bIavely giving life away,
But above the tones deliriOus, or the grOans that burst
the air,
From stern bps that could not s-,ther, there arose the
For the nurses-gentIe woman ever first in scenes Of woe
AS the balmy breath Of spring time moved among them
70 and fro,
Twas the voice that spoke of heaven, she that raised the
To look up beyond the dying, to the deathiess in the
skies;
Twas her ear that caught the ~faIterins, and half-sPOken,
And the mnrmursd prayer for pardon, as the worn soul
went to rest
Bringing hope and bringing blessing, softly to and fro
they glide
Nursel one hears her name low spoken as she moves from
side to side,
lis a soldier young. but dying. with the short and husky
breath
That 100 surely tells the coming Of the Implying angel
Death;
As she stopped down low to listen, then his voice with
weakness fought,
And in firm, clear tones he begged her that his knapsack
might be brought
his prize,
Smiles his wan cheek family tinging, pleasure beamingin
One scarce could think death nearing, for his face flashed
up so bright
As he drew his hidden treasures to his rapid falling sight,
Not the gems from far GOlcOnda that his dying pulses
stirred,
1t was not for golden treasure that his eyes with tears
were blurred,
But, 'It is my mothers bible, when she gave it me she
said,
This,-my fathers parting present, It's our eOuntry's
fa~therswords,
His words of farewell to our country, would God, now we
To hate, to fierce dissentiOn, with wild will clashing
'gainSt wild viii,
That their wisdom might come breathing on the waves, a
Peace, be STILL"
And this''-his low voice faltsred, but words we're needed
not to tell,
The falling tear revealed it, twas her image loved so
God, his country, and the loved ones, it was heaven linked
TO dust
BY the patriots devOtions, by the christian soldier trust
All, the thoughts that came up gushing like a torrent
As the dying soldiers memory fitted backward to the
OF ri Pa'i long. bright summer morning in hi. boyhood'.
When his guiIeIess heart sang merry as a bird in rosy
bowers,
When he roamed to gather berries, gather nuts upon
Or with tiny skates he gIided with his mates upon the
when he caught the words of wisdom from his fathers
Or his mothers low breathed blessing, that made his boy
heart swell,
When he dreamed the dream that ~raptured, in his man
The sweetest dream that thrills us through all the course
Of time
Oh God, with heaven before him., almost winging to the
As he thought upon the loved ones the past seemed
paradise!
But the Dread One now hath caught him i'm his stern re-
lentless crap,
And his breath grows shorter, shorter, as each one would
be his last.
Then he begs that these his treasures, now may rest be-
meath his head,
And be sent to those that gave them when he lies with
the dead.
They are plsced-and as the dawning brightness TO the
perfectday
Calmly, joyful. that young soldier, patriot, christian pass
ed away
Bear him proudly comrades, bear him to his long, last,
dreaDleSs rest
With our heaven-born banner DER him, its bright stars
upon his breast.
the air,
Re the only sign Of sorrow for the brave one that you
bear,
From your muskets pour a voriey. let them ring out far
and wide
For the soldier, patriot, christian, scarce is dead, but
glorihed.