The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-08-15
"Gone TO the War"

Looking over some old notes and papers
the other day, took up a small, white,
folded paper, and opening it,I came upon
a beautiful golden curl Of softest hair
Marked on the inside Of the paper was the
pet name Of the lovely child from whose
head had clipped this sunny ringlet
years ago. l wondered where he nigh,
be now, and what he might be doing
A few days after, as il had sought for
the information, was told he had gone
10 the war.
"Gone TO the war p The words gave
me a strange chill. 1t seemed but few
weeks ago since the summer afternoon
when, tired with play, he had fallen asleep,
his cheeks rosy with heat, the very picture
of exquisite childish beauty, and l had
clipped this glossy curl from close 10 his
white neck, without waking the little
sleeper. And now he tolls over dusty
roads, through painless swamps, with gun,
and blanket, and knspsack his fair youth
ful face burned by the Southern sun, and
his young heart exposed to all the temp
tations of the camp-profanity, drunken.
ness and crime; or, wounded, he is tram
pied by friends and foes, perchance mu.
lilatsd and brutally abandoned 20 worse
than soldiers fate.
o, war, horrible, cruel war, that has
been forced, with all its horrors, on the
peace-loving and loyal sons Of the North,
by the ungrateIul, rebellious children Of
this once prosperous republic
"Gone to the war !" Another, our
quiet, darkeyed, undemonstralive boy,
who must be known TO be loved, so un.
obtrusve was he, and so retiring, but best
loved by those who knew him best ; but
the echo of Sumter's guns fred his North
ern blood, his dark eye flashed, he seized
a rifle and was gone. And SC, ,one by one,
and thousands by thousands, all over the
land, they have departed, and many 1
home and heart is desolate. From ont
home, the youngest, the pet, the darling
of the house, is reluctantly given up
from the next the eldest, the proud, nobl,
rst-born, on whom his old, gray hairec
father leaned; and from the next, the
widows only son and from acios the
, way, every son Of the household. o, whc
: but the recording angel shall estimate th'
agony, the untold sacrifice, called out b,
this cruelest of rebellions ? Yet shal
not their precious blood have been shet
in vain, if by i is purchased liberty 70
all, now and forever. Anything less thai
this in heartless mockery. If from thes
, bloody fields the remnant shall return Il
see the Union restored as it was, and hu
man slavery still protected by the banne
that we love, and would give our lives Il
) defend. then vainly have mothers, wive
and sisters sacrificed, and labored, al,
. prayed. and wept, and vainly have thei
beloved ones bled and died. But if from
these battle fields Liberty shall rise j
:, shining garments, with new glory on he
shield, If, one kindred and one people. W,
stand again with clasped hands of recon
ciliation, and the black stain upon our ma
tional honor purged out forever, thel
blessed shall they be who can count thei
best beloved among the heroes by who's
{ struggles the glorious result shall hav
been consummated. God speed the time
0 and shield our dear ones in the day Q
battle !--lndependsnt.