The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-17
The Soldier.

ur1l condition vi man 70 ncKnOHlsu&e soulc Fu
ling power.
In barbarous nations, We see men uniting In
tribes and vessing their supreme power In a
chief these tribes uniting become nations. And
IN all degrees OF advancement, SEINE form OF
government is necessary, or each person acts for
himself and there is no security OF property or
life. Every government must have some power
to enforce its laws; and that power Is found I'll
timStely in the soldier. Ne believe there never
was, aud we venture the assertion that there
never will be people SO unanimously disposed
to do right, that penalties and punl.hments,
may, With safety be dispensed with.
True, there may be instances where alter
government has been established, the civil au-
thority may protect 1t till some powerful enemy
arises-as mas been the case In our own country
but then tine soldier is again brought INTO
requisiton.
And what is the character of the true SOL
der? We have been accustomed to regard the
soldier as poor, hard-hea.ted being, who
adopted this occupation because he was too ~
nurant or lndolent to obtain an honest livell-
hood. But is this correct idea! Have we
not been deceived by she long years Of peacs
which we have enjoyed? Have We not forgot
ton those revolutionary heroes and those scenes
II
lions WAS laid,
The true soldier is not composed of gay
Uniform, brass buttons, AMI moustache Meth
er ls he that low, degraded being with the stain
of blood upon his hands, which some have i'm
agined, but he Is man, with the soul and feel
ings of u man.
Lot us examine more closely; lot us look
deeper into the heart of the soldier, and see by
what motives he is xctuaed.
Observe the seifsacrificin9 spirit OF the true
soldier and by this term mean all such as
bear arms tor the projections OF their r, hts, for
the liberation of The oppressed, for The over.
throw OF tyranny and tor those eternal princ-
plies of justice and right, love of which the
Creator has mpanteu in the human breast.
He leaves home, friends, and all those scenes
OF peace ard quiet which are 90 dear to us all
sewers those ties which bind the human heart to
the associations and companions of youth tears
himself from the arms OF bis family 1t may be,
a, the call OF suffering humanity. lie think.
no. of himself, of personal danger, being will
ing to sacrifice his life toE the cause in which he
is engaged. He only asks What is my dut,?'
and where that calls he is ready to follow,
though tue path leads TO certain dealt. Actu
ated by none but the purcst motives, taking up
arms only to deiend his countrys honor, or to
protect her institutions, he is not IA mercenary,
but patriotic man. He bears no analogy to
the grey-eysd man of destiny, Rober. J.
Walker. His followers, though sometimes call
ed soldiers, had not the least shadow of claim
to that title; they deserve only to be called
banditti, pirates, and desperadoes.
But The true soldier never causes one drop Of
human blood to flow neede.sly never willingly
dssolates one hearth never ADDS one pang 70
the human heart, when 1t can be consistently
avoided Such in the present conflict are our
soldiers God bless them. See the devoted
spirit manifested by Lyon. who went to battle
discouraged because he had not been reinforced;
desperate, for ne was painfully conscious that
little less than miracle could save him from
defeat almost hopeless, tor he knew the over
whelming odds against him, Still the cause
forbade him to retreat without IL battle. He
obeyed the voice of patriotism, and went out to
danger and to DEATH that lovely summer morn
ing. His horse had been shot uDder him he
himself bad received two wounds, when raiiying
his wearIed but valiant troops for q desperate
bayonet charge. A regiment whose Colonel
had been shot, cried {" General, come lead us "
He obeyed, and while rushing upon the enemy
waving his sword aloft and cheering on his men
he received the fatal bullet, and died like true
soldier and hero dealing death to his country 5
foes.
Note the self sacrificing conduct Of Col Ba-
ker, who had grown old IN the service OF bis
country still he could not rest " bile the trai-
torous hand was raised against the Government
which he loved. Aud with IL firm conviction
that he should perish ere the rebellion should
be crushed, said " cannot afford to turn nv
face from the enemy and he died glori-
ously rather than take one step backw
How appropriate at his grave seem his own
worus, spoken over tho murdered Broderick :
Good friend brave heart gallant leader !
hail and farewell
Such spirits as these are now engaged in this
contest for us contrast them with those who
are;eagaged against US. Eternal infamy RESI-
upon their names Flends they are, marksmen
they may be, but their cause is accursed in the
sight OF heaven
We have u volunteer army of true hearts ;
men who have left their quiet pursuits of peace ;
men who have no taste for shedding blood still
when their country calls they will not be found
weak, They have lett the dear associations
OF home, parted from friends left the luxurlcs
and the comforts OF life for the hard fare of Il
soldier. They have lett all these to mingle IN
those fierce scenes of carnage and DEATH where
arms clash and cann0ns roar where the music
of whistlng bullets flying through the air i,
pleasant compared to the whz OF the cannon 3
larger shot, or the terrific explosion of shells
where the groans of the wounded and dying rise
above the internal noise and confusion of battle,
making the head dizzy aud the heart sick And
all this to protect the loved onet at home All
this to protect the free institution, which we
now enjoy. And il not death In such a cause
glorious? Gan we do more for humanity, more
tor the cause OF God than to sacrifice our live.
In this contest? No, 1t is the cons ummation OF
| glory and herosm. Then let eyary one who