Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-09-04
Bake Tigers On Picket euara.

Burke Tigers on Picket Guard.
On Sunday morning, July 18th, myself
and thirty of the Burke Tigers, with seventy
OF other volunteers Of thu 9th Regiment, left
Valley Mountain to 90 to a point on picket.
This polnt was on Elk River, about seven
miles southwest Of Valley Mountain. There
no road to this place, only a mere path,
and this was mud halt leg deep might
also safely say two miles of this road was en-
tirely rock. But notwithstanding the bad
road, we went 1t in good spirits. There was
neae a mile ofthis path right down the bank
Of Elk River, and such a place as this was |
had never thought was in the world, much
less that should try to travel over such
craggy rocks, or be suspended on such pre-
options heights. The banks of Elk River !.
look like it would be impossible for u man to
travel over them, but we went over that
dreadful place and reached the point in view
by IL o'clock. Although many Of our vol
unteers forget Sabbath, | am glad to say for
myself that always know when that holy
day comes. | spent the most Of that eve
ming in examining the heights of those lofty
mountains on the banks Of the Elk river. |
went Co the top Of one mountain which was
very high indeed, and while on that noun.
tain top alone | thought on many things, and
among them thought Of wife and little one
at home. l thought that perhaps while [
was there alone in a distant land, that they
were sitting around their quiet hsme talking
OF me, and wondering where ! was and when
| should return to see them again. I also
thought of Jacob when he had fled from his
native land to the land Of Padanaram to
shun the wrath Of Esau, his blood thirsty
-. II
there in a strange land, alone, lying on the
cold ground with a stone for thy pillow, yet
the God of thy Fathers was with thee, to
keep thee from all harm. | also thought of
Moses while on the Mount, and while lead
ing the children of Israel out of the land of
bondage, andhow beautifully Miriam, A4ron's
sister, must have looked while playing on the
timbrel and leading in the dance on the banks
of the Red Sea, while King Pha: oah and all
his host were drowned therein. But, alas
for thee, Miriam, for thy name is no more
spoken Of in Sacred Writ from that time
But feel thankful to GOD, and to the Editor,
that | can still, through his paper, let all my
friends and the many friends OF this compa-
ny, know where we are, and how we arc do
ing. ! must now return to our adventures.
We remained at this point that night in
perfect silence, without any tents, and the
rain descended on us all night. Nothing
disturbed our quietude but the hooting of
the night owl, the bowling of the wolf, AMI
the roaring of the Elk. There are plenty of
bear, wolves and deer in this country. saw
one place on the Elk where the ground was
covered with pea vines and timothy waist
high | also saw bear and deer tracks in
that place plentifully. Our relief came to us
next day about l o'clock and we returned to
our camp all in good spirits.
| am sorry to announce the death Of one Of
our company. Private L. NJ. Franklin has
left these shores of affection and wars and
gone to a world of spirits. His complaint
originated from cold which settled on his
bowels: he lived but a few days after being
taken sick. ] had just returned from picket
and was very tired, but | went and helped to
dig his grave and lay his body therein.
sang the following hymn while the clods were
falling on his coffin and the floods Of rain
were descending from the heavens:
Why do we mourn departing friends,
Or shake at deaths alarm;
Ills but the voice that Jesus SENDS,
To call them to his arms.
Farewell, fellow soldier, we deplore thy loss,
but thou art at rest and we soon may follow
thy steps. Our friead never faced the mouth
of the cannon, but we can say lie died the
death ola soldier. Oh, reader, you can form
no idea how | felt when | saw my fellow sol
der laid in his grave, far away from frien3s
and home.
Far away from friends and from his native shore,
lie sleeps in death and hears of war no more.
We have a great deal of sickness here now
-measels and typhoid fever and pneumonia,
Death is abroad in the camp and nc hand ear
revoke the sentence-"dust thou art, and un
TO dust thou shalt return - and ere the wrl
ter may have Il chance to pen his thoughts
again, the hand of death may cause his hanC
to cease writing for the Spirit IF the Age.
But think, reader, that although you may
never face the mouth Of cannon, or undergo
the dangers of calnp life, yet death will come
to thee wherever thou art.
The princes high, and soldiers die,
And mingle with the dust;
The rich, the brave, the negro slave,
The wicked and the just.
! As | turned from the grave of our departe'
friend, the following lines come into m,
!. mind:
1 turned from the place where the lone soldier lay,
o., s%orrowing l turned from his grave,
;. When in a low tone, | pensively said,
How sweetly you'll sleep there alone.
The cause OF your country compelled you from home
A You babe your companions farewell,
: You blest your dear children who now for thee mourn
Is In the far distant west they do dwell:
r. And there ia q crown that doth glitter and shine,
- That you shall -foreyermore wear;
y Then turn to the Saviour, his loves all divine,
All you that would dwell with me there.
+ Yours in L. P. & F. t. c. C.
=.