The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-08

WulCu tucH ITleuuS SnOulu huOW tho'
they were not insensible to the merits of
the fallen. 1t is an ennobling sight, and
redeems much of the bad qualities Of
the soldier, to see him ever ready to res
pond to the dictates Of sympathy. l
know of nothing more solemn than a
military funeral; the low, muffled sound
of the drum, the plaintive tone OF the
fife, the slow measured tread Of the SOL
diers with reversed arms, all conspire to
give an effect, which once seen, can new
er be forgotten. No train of weeping
mourners are there to shed the tear Of
sorrow, no burial service is recited at the
tomb, no prayer is breathed from elo-
quent lips, no faces look with long low
ing gaze ere the coffin lid is closed for
ever. No flowers from the hand Of af-
fection are strewn over the sod, no mar
bic stone marks the patriots last resting
place The rude box is lowered into the
pit, ready hands grasp the spades, the
dirt rattles with its heavy, dismal hollow
sound upon the coffin, three volleys Of
musketry are fred, board bearing the
name and age of the deceased is raised
at the head of the grave, the drums beat
up livelier march, and the funeral COR
tege returns to camp. Beneath yonder
oak are a number Of newly made graves.
Some died from wounds received in bat
tie, others fell victims to insidous prey.
ing disease. Humane hearts and willing
hands have inclosed the sacred ground
with rail fence, and there must lie the
remains Of the brave sons of freedom,
whose loss will be deplored by loved
ones with the keenest anguish, and whose
memories will hencelorth be embalmed
with the host of saints and martyrs.
" We wither from our youth, we gasp away
Sick, sick-unfound the boon, unslakad the
thirst,
Though to the last in verge of our decay,
Love- fame, ambition, avarice-'tis the same
Each idle-and all ill-and none the worst.
For all are meteors with different name,
And death the sable smoke-where vanishes
the flame"
The evacuation of New Madrid by TIE
Confederate forces, must forever stand
Unprecedented in the rank OF hasty STAN
pedes-a result so unlocked for, that |
must proceed to describe it.
Upon our first arrival here we found
that light field batteries were insufficient
to cope with the heavier pieces ofthe en-
emy, protected as they were, by gun
boats capable of throwing thirty-two
inch shells, and accordingly Gen. Pope
sent back to Cairo after some large seige
pieces, which arrived on the l2th inst,
and were placed in position near the low
cr fort Of the enemy that night. Early
the next morning these grim persuaders
paid their choicest compliments to the
secesh, in the shape of good solid iron
balls, which were briskly returned, they
firing four shots to our one. Not much
attention was paid to the land forts dur
ing the earlier part of the engagement,
it being the intention of the General to
concentrate the fire upon the gunboals,
and disable them if possible, and we had
the JOY of seeing two OF them become so
disabled as to be unmanageable, and had
to be towed out Of range. The cannona-
ding now increased in fury. the fire oi
the enemy from the gunboats and forts
being principally directed toward the
federal battery. which was served by two
companies of regulars, A and b., Capt
Mower, One twenty -four FOUNDER was
struck at the muzzle by riiled shot,
killing one man and wounding six. In
order to direct the attention of the enc
my, SO as TO allow of some alteration be.
ing made in the disposition of the troops
drawn up in the rear Of the battery, to
act as support, Dodge's ed Iowa Bat
terry was ordered to make demonstration
on the extreme left. which would assal
the upper fort and town. Away they
went with the speed of lightning. and
choosing position near a large frame
house, commanding good view of the
town. unli mbered and went TO work in
earnest. The discharges were as regu.
lar and constant as the ticking of a clock
Up ises white heecy cloud Of smoke.
whiz goes the ball, PARTING, singing
through the air on its errand Of death,
smashing through the roof of secesh hou-
ses, knocking up volumes of dust, and
landing perhaps in the intrenchments.
This was more than the rebels bargained
for /; they could not stand that. and so
they commenced replying with their gun
boats, landing some shells in rather close
proximity to where Dodge's Battery was
stationed, whereupon no withdrew, hav-
ing accomplished what he desired. One
n A.