The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-11-21
The Soldiers Dream /.
A STORY Fon THE TIMEs.

1t 10 the eloar mystic hour Of midnight.-
Clear and bright tho fui-orbed moon, look.
iug out frcm cloudless azure sky, pours a
food OF slavery light upon the encamp.
ment where tired soldiers arc sleeping uu.
easily, each with his hand upon his bsyonet
roady TO repel 90 tho frat cry Of, ITO Arms!'
tho toe whose "barbarons treatment Of the
wounded. dying aud dead on that day is
without parallel in tho history Of warfare"
For hours had they fought valianily con
tending with more than three times tboir,
humber who would not meet them openly
but skulking behind masked batteries and
forest hedges, poured their deadly fro into
tho ranks OF tho Union mon, who went
forth to battle for our free institutions, for
liberty, and to perpe,uate the nobiest gov
erumuut on which the sun over shone
Aud tho victory wus Oh tho side of the
Union until near nightfaIl, audithoueht to
have finally terminated in drawn battle.
yet the events Of the day proved tho daring
heroiSm of those who fought for the honor
of the Stars and Stripes"
Here and Iherc woru small groups of SOL
diers--too excited to WOO the goddess OF
sleep, and so thoy arc talking over tho events
OF the past few days.
Upon grassy slope overlooking the
calm water OF u Ioblo stream, Herbert Wal
lace and William Field are sitting; aud the
latter, who is suffering from a 6esh wound
n tho arm, half despondInRiy says:
Tho foe more stealthy than the uucivil-
lied Indians, and sometimes can but think
they will yet deVastats the fairest portion Of
our country"
'You are weary and weak from the loss
of blood OF your wound; nevor speak so
despondingly. Conquer us they never can!
and lot item attempt to iay waste our
towns, and millions of freemen will como
down upon them like sn avalanche, forcing
our enemies from their hiding places, AMI
planting our Gag on every hilltop in the
land J"
But, then, wo havo traitors in our midst
| in almost every town and city--sud il 10
their covert movements that W. need fear "
True, there lies our great danger, but
tho day will soon dawn when they, too, shall
receive their just dosorts, aud the punish
mont meted out to them will be commensu.
rate to their deeds. For more than ihree.
fourths of century has tho old ship Union
moved on msjeslically, escaping every ~hirl
pool, and now that she is manned by millions
OF valiant freemen, shall wo yield her to
treason? No, Heaven forbid Rather lot
us
snail to the mast her glorious flag,
! Set every thread. baTo sail,
Ard give her to tho God of storms,
The lightning and the gale r
"Of what valuo is life II our free institu.
tions are destroyed-if tho Union cannot be
preserved. give me death T. And rising
Herbert Wallace, with firm step aud dig.
ni6ed bearing, walked near the ontlines OF
the camp, and spreading his blanket upon
the ground. threw himself upon it.
But it was long ere soft Slumber closed
his eyes. Tossing aside bis cap aud throw.
ing back the mass OF brown hair from bis
broad brow, he lay thinking over the events
of the DAY, while his keen, liquid blue eye
wandered over the calm sky above him
How wildly did these scenes pass in review
before him. There was one whom all loveo
and, when mortAlly wounded, he took him
ienderly up 10 bear him from the battle
field. and ssidi
I "Esver mind ma. Herbert, but don't Iel
the stArs and Stripes 90 down." 40 the head
ldrooped and tho palloT Of death ovarspreod
the face Of the youth.
But the youthful hero Gas borus 10 /,
sheltered nook beside . purliog stream
where . skilltui surgeon dressed bis sounds
and spoke hopefully OF the future. for b,
could not tell him that bis hOurs wore uum
bored. But tho faiu.0ess Of his heart. aad