Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-05-02

affirm that all our soldiers have been, and ar,
artiiated by high and noble motives; but SO fai
as have become acquainted with their views
aud feelings respecting the subject, believe
them to be unselish, honorable and right.
The circumstances seem to Justify a more ex-
tended reference TO the dead than il is my habit
to make at their burial. Chester Buckland de.
serves TO be remembered, for his principles in
general; and especially for the motives and
spirit with which he went into the army.
trust, and eau find no reason to doubt, that he
was true christian. During the religious in
terest which existed in this congregation three
years Hgo, his mind became concerned with the
subject Of personal religion. His reflections led
him to the determination TO be a follower ofthe
Saviour. He united with the church, on pro-
fession OF faith, together with thirty-two others
on the lst day Of May, 1859. Since that time
he has commonly been present-when in town
NOT only at the worship of the Sabbath but
also at the prayer-meeting, being ever ready to
take part in its exercises. He did not profess
to find the path Of duty always clear. He found
difficulties and discouragements. Yet he was
by no means without vigorous determination,
and held on in his way with good degree of
steadiness.
A composition written nearly a year since on
the subject "What is Life?" closes with an ex-
hortation--not exactly religious--to his fellow
students,-an exhortation, the substance of
an old, thoughtful, wise man. During a large
part of 1861, his diary contains daily note of
the number of chapters of the Bible which he
read. l am surprised at the amount of the rea-
ding Day after day and week after week, he
read from one to sixteen chapters daily. His
diary contains also scrapcut from paper en-
titled "Hints to young Converts, the hints
being seven in number, and the whole seeming
to have been used not little.
His interest in the passing events of the coun-
try is shown by his making a memorandum of
all important facts of battles, dates of secession
OF States, DC. He watched the progress ofevents
particularly and carefully. He seems to have
had desire to enlist long time before he did
do SO, and this desire was probably the fruit o
his close observation of events. On the 10th
of November, 1861, he wrote letter to his par
ents begging permission to go into the army
with his brother Henry. He pleaded that-be
ing small and compactly built, he could endure
the life of soldier well. He said he had
counted 'the COSTS the danger, toll and priva-
ton, he would have TO undergo, and would
gladly endure them all. He averred that his
desire was not sudden impulse, but bad been
long forming, and becoming stronger every day.
He wrOte:-"The more l see of the hardship,
pain, and suffering in this war; the more want
to go and help finish the causes of it.
think it my duty to go. There are none who
are dependent on me, and l can afford, as well
as others, to leave my home and all love, for
my couutry's welfare" He came home and
enlisted. l met him day or two after,-he
told me what he had done, and in reply to my
inquiry why he had done so, he replied shat he
thought it was his duty to go into the army"
As the Regiment was getting ready to leave in
day or two he stopped me on the street to say
Good bye. / was little surprised at his earn
estness which was unusual thought even for
him. But it only showed that he was soldier
not from romance or ambition. The truth
was his whole soul was in it. He went into
the army as to a mission TO which God sent him
He was in the skirmish of April 4, when the
Major was made prisoner, and in a letter receiv-
ed yesterday, describes how his company be-
came separated from the rest, and were about To
be charged upon by Il large body of cavalry
when they We're rescued by the Regiment com
ing up in the rear of the cavalry. He thought
that but for the timely arrival of the body
of the Regiment they would have all been
killed, but said it was their determination
to die fighting. The next day he wrote the let
ter to his mother, describing the struggle. This
last letter evinces unusual tenderness, while it
is expressive of his unhinching determination
to be faithful. When nature like his is tender
the tenderness is deeper than in others. The
letter closes in this language: "How soon we will
have another fight don't know, but any min
ute the long roll may sound for battle. We may
fight and die, but Mother, your sons will never
quail 1t is getting too dark to write, so l must
close. Good bye, dear Mother and remember
il / die, it is for my country" These, in all
probability, were the last words he ever wrote.
That night was hardly passed when he was
summoned to the conflict and the next evening
found him wounded and suffering. We know
little more. He was sent with other wounded
to Cincinnati, but died on the passage.
Now if l had all the eloquence of score of
the most eloquent men who ever lived, l would
not attempt to eulogise this young man, but
would simply say that this unostentatious, calm,
conscience-guided devotion to the welfare of the
country deserves grateful recollection in the
bosom of every one who knew him. He met
the wound which resulted in his death, while
following what he soberly believed to be his
duty. And, if he was mistaken in that, you
and and all of us were and are mistaken in
our Judgment of it. l am sure you all endorse
the sentiment when | say that these circumstan-
ces of the death of the deceased constitute us
all mourners to-day. There are no lockers on.
All the people are mourners for every soldier
who falls in the service of his country. The
sorrow in all our hearts is not merely sorrow
of sympathy with family friends. 1t lis per-
sonal sorrow for the fall of a brave soldier.
Others fell on the same day some from the
midst of us. All honor to their memory How
many more are to fall who can tell? God grant
that all these warlike scenes may come to a
speedy close
To the young men here present let me say,
there is nothing so safe as serious stcddfdSt con-
viction of duty in all that is done in life. No
principle is SO solid or so salutary as that which
consists in fixed determination to do that
which is right in the sighto God. No instruc-
tons are so healthful as those found in the word
of God. "I4ife is real-life is earnest"-as well
TO the young as TO those in middle life and TO
the aged. II is not melaneholy-as many seem
to deem tito consider seriously the problems
and duties of life, even in the young. That
composure and satisfaction must be unworthy,
which are destroyed by serious, sober thoughts.
Not death, even, should be an unwelcome sub
ject of thought to the young. But every one
ought to contemplate it with calmness and read
mess for it. And, you must permit me, my
hearers, to insist upon it-that it matters little
TO us how or when we die-if only we are found
conseentiously doing our duty to God and TO
the times. He may well quail at the thought
of death, who neglects to do his duties to God
and his fellow-men. But he who is ever gui-
ded by conscientious determination to be du-
tiful-as instructed by the Divine Word, is ever
prepared for the final summons. Will not the
heart of every hearer go with me, and adopt my
sentiment as ] say, could ask for myselfnOth-
ing better than, that when my last hour shall
come, it may find me at the post of my duty
Then, let the messenger of death be sickness OF
accident-or the rhe-bullet Of an enemy in
battle-let it find me at home or abrOad-in
peace or in war-it will find me ready, and /
shall enter upon my reward.
INcENDIARY LAEcUAGE.-The News Or
leans Crescent, Of tho 17th, says:
A man named George Leopold has been