The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-10-10
2oetital.
Upon the Hill Before Con-
trcNiIIc.
July 2lsT, 1861.

Boom after boom. Their sul,en sound
Shook al the shud,irrins air around,
And snook, Nh me- NV shrinking ear,
AMI downw ard shook the hingins tear
That. III despite of mInhoodPs pride,
Rolled DER NV face u >caidin-s tile.
AMI then PRAYED. o God prayed
As never stricken slint, who laid
His hot cheek - the holy tomb
Oi jesus, the midnight gloom.
"Wla; slw I?'' Little. Clouds of dust
Gie1t squares Of men. with standards thrust
against their course dense columns crowned
Wrh hiliowae steel. Then, bound on boun,
The long black lines of clnnon poured
Behind The horses, sreaked and sored
With sweaty speed. Anon shot by,
Like a lone meteor of the sky,
A single hoisemln and he >hone
His bright face on me, and was gone.
All these. with rolling drums, with chce:s,
With son-s famili ,r to my ears,
Passed under the far hanging loud,
And vanished /; anu my heart was proud
For mile on mile The line OF war
Extended and steady roar,
As of some distant stormy sea,
On the south wind came up to me.
And his h in air, and over all,
Grew, like fog. thnt murky pail,
Beneath whose sloom of dusty smoke
The cannon famed, the bOmbshcll broke,
Jrb.. -l.,r., x,,Ijov rapO
And shrapnell roared, and bullets sang,
And fierce eyed men, with painting breath,
Toiled onward ut ihe work of death.
/ could not see. but knew too well
Tint underneath that cloud OF hell,
Which still grew more by great degrees,
Man stroye with man in deeds like these.
But when th- sun had passed his stand
At noon. behold on every hand
TIE dark brown vapor backua ri bore,
And fainter came the dreadful roar
From the huge of striving men,
TINS spoke my rising spirit then:
''Ta comfort from that diving sound,
Faint heart, the foe is giving ground -
And one. who taxed his horses powers.
Flung ut me, - Iio the day is ours F"
And secured along. So swift his pace
| took no memory of his free.
Then turned orce again to Heaven;
All things appe ,red so just and even
So clearly f,on the highest Cause
Traced I the downward working laws
Those moral springs. made evident
In ih,. grand. triumph crowned event.
- hllf shouted and hall sang,
Like Jepilll's daughter, TO the clang
OF my spread. cyniI,al striking palms,
Some IL sments OF thanksgiving psalms.
Neanwhilc Il solemn stiffness fell
Upon the land Der hill and dell
Failed every sound. Nv heart stood still,
Waiting before some coming i'll,
The silence was more I'd and dread,
Under ilnt cnopv OF lea'.
Than The will tunuli Of the war
That ragged irtle while before
Al nature ~ her work of death
Pause. for onr last, deS. airing breath
AMI covering 10 the earth, drew
FROM itr strong breast my stresgth anew.
When arose, | wondering saw
Another dusty vapSr draw,
From the IA right. is sluggish wav
Towards the min cloud that frowning lay
Aran~t the westward sun;
And all the war WIS rebcgun,
Ese this f,e.h marvel Of nv sense
Caught from nv mind significance.
Aud then = why ask mel Oh . my God
Would | had Lain beneath the sod,
A patient clod. for many day.
And iiom my bones and mouldering clay
The rank field grass and flowers had sprung,
Ere the base sight. tn 1t struck and stung
Nv very soul. confronted me,
Sharned at my own humanity.
o happy dead, who early FELL
Y have no wretched tale to tell
Of esuscless fear and coward fight,
OF victory snatchei beneath your sight,
Of martial siren 9Th and honor lost,
OF mere life bought at any cost,
OF the deep, lingering mark OF shame,
Forever scorched on brow aud name,
That no new deel-. however bright,
Shall bani-h from mems loathful sight
Yet perI;hcd IN your conscious pride,
Ere this vile scandal opened wide
wound that cannot close or heal
ct perishcd steel to leveleI steel
Stern votaries Of the God of War,
Filled with his godhead to the core
Ye died to live these lived to die
Beneath the scorn Of every eve
How eloquent your voices sound
From the low chambers underground
How clear each separate tile burns
From your hiehsct and aurelcd urns
While these, who walk about the earth,
Are buShins at their very birth
And though they talk. and 20 and come,
Their moving lips are worse than dumb,
fe sleep beneath the valleys dew,
And all the nlton mourns for You
SO sleep. :;ll God shall wake the lands
For angels. armed with fiery brands,
Await to take you by the hands.
The right hand vapor broader grew
1t rose, and joined itself unto
The main clOnd with sudden dash.
Loud and more near the cannon's crash
Came towards me, and heard a sound
As il all hell had broken bound
a cry of sgonv and fear.
Gun the dark vapor rolled more near,
n Hat