Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-04-24
For the GallipOli. journal.

MR. HARPKR:-I wish to say few
words in defence Of that class Of young
s.en, styled by your correspondent,
Home Pets, and also to make q few
suggestions. which 1 hope you will not
consider smiss. i cannot sgree with
your correspondent in saying that all
unmarried men who have remained at
home, are towards, and should be
snubbed. treated to stale eggs, and
other like indignities. For I believe
many of them are as great, and per-
haps greater heroes, than some who
wear soldier clothes, and step to the
music OF the fife and drum Let me
relate the circumstances which kept
one young man at home land his is not
an isolated ease) and then call him a
eo'card il ye viii. Harry @. had Just
passed his 18th birthday. when our
flag was assailed by traitor hands, and
Fort Sumpter fell; and there was call
by the Government for volunteers
Young H. determined to 90, and give
his aid, and life il need be, in defend
ing the stars and stripes, that glorious
emblem of our independence and our
liberties. But his aged father plead
with him, with tears in his eyes, not to
leave him, for he had looked upon him
as a support and comfort in his old age,
and his two older sons had left him,
and be never expected to look upon
their faces again; and he told him he
thought he could be more useful to the
Government if he would stay and till
the farm, raise food for the soldiers to
eat, for il all go there will be famine,
and that is worse than war. His heart
was too full to say any more; he left
the house, but told the mother il Har-
ry will go, give him all the money Tve
got; can never see him start, it will
break my heart. Poor Harry, he had
never before been called upon to decide
so important matter. The struggle
was the 6ercest OF his life, but duty to
his parents triumphed, and be is now
engaged in raising the neeessaries Of
life, and think he is serving his coun-
try just as acceptably and honorahly,
as he who carries a knapsack and mus
ket.
I would like to suggest the idea, that
there is something which we can do for
our country as well as our fathers. our
husbands, and our brothers. Even
now there is call for nurses for the
wounded patriots, who fought so nobly
for our cause, in that terrible battle Of
Pittsburg Landing. OH how l love
and honor the name Of Florence Night
ingale. There is g most touching and
beautiful incident related of a poor sick
soldier, in a Crimean Hospital, who
kissed his pillow on which her shadow
fell as she was passing by on an errand
Of mercy. That must have repaid her
for every privation which she may have
endured; that was something which
neither gold or silver could purchase,
the homage of grateful heart. Have
we no Miss Nightingales in America?
Let not such thing be Published
abroad; II is too humiiating. For the
honor Of your country, rise up ladies
in the strength of righteous cause
and go forth, as did the good Samari-
tan, and show to the hardy sous OF the
North, that there are some women,
even in the 10Th century, equal to the
emergency; that the spirit of '76 still
lives. As this letter is already too
lengthy, forbear making other sug.
gestions for the present.
JUSTITIA.