Natchitoches union. [volume] ([Natchitoches, La.]) 1859-1864, 1862-07-03

Rachal and others, lwounded) tho
dead and living rep. .esentatiyes Of the
patriotic chivalry of Natchitochcs pa
rish.
T :" And no slab of pallid marble
Rears its white and CHASTITY head,
Telling wanderers in the valley
| or the virtues of .he dead
The green grass bends above them
And dew drop pure and bright
Is the epitaph angel wrote
In the stiffness Of the night"
| Less than one short year ago, Nat.
cEitorhcs parish sent her patriotic
Rebels to the battle field numbering
some seventy odd men, today she
mourns over the graves of near half
their number !" 1t is painful to
contemplate death in any attitude:
when child dies, when it yields
up its gentle spirit, like the last fra
GRANGE of the crushed and dying rose,
we weep that so much innocence
should be carried to the cold earth
when a maiden, in the spring time of
OF her exis. cnce, perishcs in the midst
Of her gcntlencss and beauty, we weep
that so much lovclincss, seemingly
destined. for life and light should be
carried to darkness and the grave;
when young man dies, we weep for
him, that he should have been taken
from rs il the h@y-day of buoyant
existence but when u soldier dies,
when he comes to breathe ont his
mighty spirit upon the battle field Of
his country, tho the tears which bedcw
his turf be not so fresh, SO warm and
plcnteons as those which flow for the
untimely passing away of youth and
beauty, who perish II, the presence Of
family and friends. yet, thank God! Il
nation mourns, and history, as it pays
its last tribute to his memory. sigIrs
around the melancholy page, and
leaves garland Of immortal homage
lingering about the record Of his
death!
"Ah never shni the innd forget
How gusled the life bnoi of her brave,
Gushed with hone and courage yet
On shilohs sell, they fought to save"
But do those brave men who sleep
on Shiloll's plain, the very chivalry Of
our parish, need the pen Of the cnlo-
gist? No; their achievements on the |
ever memorable 9TH Of April vii soon
he woven by the fingers of GENTS into
the enduring songs and anthems Oi |
their countrymeu, for hcauty will |
breathe their praises, Innsic wi | mca- I
slIrc their career history and poe try |
will ap0theosisc their names, and ca sl /
heart of redeemed aud discntlralle1 1 t
country will be a throbEing monument
of their chivalay and daring.
The doom Of death will never shade
Or cast their away.
Of tliDse who fought and braycy fell
On Shiloh's bloody day.
In pcnning these lines, the writer
is but performing a pleasing bur me
lancholy duty He would not. if lie
could, individualze-that would be
inyidious-for the dead patriots sleep
in the same barrow home upon the
same bloody field Of their glorious
achievements. Would you snatch them
from the grading arms Of iamc2 There,
upon the battle field which they
fell defending, sleep the martyrs Of IL
bcrty and over their saintcd heads rang
the solemn requiem Of the cannonadc.
May the God Of battles avcngc them,
70 the friends, wives and parents who
freely gave their husbands and sons to
their country, and who now, III their
hour of dcsolation, must feel proud of
The glory they have won and the blood
bought claplet that wrcatho their
brows, we would ii earnest heartfelt
sympathy, say, mourn not for the dead
patriots, for they belong 70 the nation
! our grief is the peoples grief, and
grateful country will wear each name
upon heart, will avcngc their death
md hold their names sacred The
sweet songstress Of England, the ho-
H. L. L., has sung d propos
y the OCCASION:
:" am too proud by far to weep
Tho death had nought so dear
As was the soldier youth to inc
Now sleeping that bier ..
II were stain upon bis fame
Would do his laurel crown shame
TO shed one single tears
IL n blessed thing to die
In battle and for liberty" =
But let us pause a moment and drop
\ tear for the dead soldier. tho il fall !,
lot upon the new made grave, vet rcd
rs il it were weeping blood for the
'aintcd dead beneath it Yes; single,
car for the patriot soldier who sunk
Il a 4