Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-07-24
From the Evening Post,
pECnMBE 26rH 1910,
RALLAp OF MAJOR ANDERSON.
ny MRS. J. O, II, poRR.

A BALLAD OF MAJOR ANDERSON.
ny MRS. J. o. r. poRR.
Come children, leave your playing this dark and
stormy night,
Shut last the rsttlipg window blinds, and make the
And hea- an old ans story, while loud the neree
winds b. ow,
OF gallant Major Anderson and hny years ago.
was Young man, then, boys, but twsnty-sisht
And all my comrades knew me for a soldier brave
and bold;
My eye was bright my step was firm, measured
And Knew not what it was to shirk when there
was work to do.
We were stationed at Fort Moaltrie, in Charleston
haIbor, then,
brave band, though small one, of scarcely sixty
And day and night we waited for the coming tn.
With noble Msjor Anderson, just fifty years ago.
Were they French or English, ask you Oh,
neitker, neither child
We were at peace With other lands, and ali the ns-
tion smiled
On the 'tars and stripes wherever they aOated far
and tree,
And all the foes we had to meet We found this side
the sea,
But even bet Seea brothers bitter feuds will some
times rise,
And twas the cloud of civil war that dark.ned in
the skies;
have not time 10 tell you how the quarrel first
began, Ill ...
Or how it grew, till DER our land the strife like
wildhre
| will not hard words my boys, for am old
And I've learned it easy thing for the best to
go astray;
Some wrong there was on either part, do no
doubt at all
There are two sides to quarrel-be it great or be
il small
But yet when South Carolina laid her sacreligious
hand
On the altar OF Union that belonged to all the
land;
When she tore our glorious banner down and
trailed II in the dust,
Every patriors heart and conscience bade him
guard the sacred trust
You scarce believe me, children. Grief and doubt
are in your eyes, '0
Fixed steadily upon, in wonder and surprise
Donn forget to thank our Father, when tonight
That an undivided people rule America to-day ..
We were STATIONED at Fort MOutrie, but about a
mile away,
The hattements of Sumter stood proudly in the
bay;
Twas BY arthe best position, he could not help
Our gallant Major Anderson, just fifty years ago,
Yes, ,tws; Just after ohrist9as, fifty years ago
The sky calm and cloudless, the moon was large
and bright
And not man suspected the plan that had been
laid.
But the first thing soldier learns is that he mus
And that when an orders given he has not word
SO when told to man the boats, not question did
weask,
But silently, yet eagerly, began our hurried task
We did deal OF work that night, though our mum
berswere but few
We had all our stores to carry, and our ammunition
And the gusrdshi '-'twas thelNina-set to watch
US in the bay sassaa s,s d
Never dreamed what we were doing, though twas
almost light as day.
We spiked the guns we left behind, and cut the flag
staff down
From its top should fost no colors II it might not
Then we sailed away for Sumter as fast we could
With our good Major Anderson just fifty years ago.
never can forget, my boys, how the next day,i at
noon,
The drums beat and the band paysda stirring mar
tal tune
And silently gathered round the nag staff strong
and high,
Forever pointing upward to Gods temple in the
SKY.
Oar noble Major Anderson was good as he va
And he knew without His olessing no banner long
could wave;
SO he knelt, Win neau uncovered, While CHap-
lain reao prayer,
And as the last amen said, the flag rose high in
air.
--------------------~ ..~,.----------s --.~--
Then our loud huZzas rang out, far and widely oer
the sea- t2 ysE t.as .,gsas sspssN5s3
Weshouted for the stars land stripes the standard
oftse free sa+5ai fs~.SsSA <y' Swsf III
Every was fixed upon it, every hoart beat warm
and fast,
As with cage lins we promised to defend 1t to the
last! as s..,sAeo. 34ssS s~sa
Twas sight to be remembered, boys-the chaplain
with his book,
Our leader hnmbly kneeling, with his calm, un-
dauntei look;
And the officers and men, crushing tears they would
not shed
And the blae sea all around us, and the blue sky
over head
Now go to bed, my chilnren, the old mans storys
told
tir up the fire before you co. tits bitter bitter cold
And Ill tell you more to morrow night, when loud
the fierce winds blow,
OF gallant Major Anderson and Atty yearsago.