Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-06-15
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IL tHeae-ttiet al their centre on 2 geg54le
pvas is hanks, where . white COT
tage ace stol c ahaweFeA among stately
tre =. NiaCs baGA,erei 0gcr tee tortlth and
ftssooned IA wirdtTsl and the carcf"ily.l ]
kept ward u as flied with bean.ifal sirGbI.e-
ry. i casss4l observer would havs thought
- lhnle uTege peace aad happiaess dwell,
al sHch it ~s.s Sorrow but selaha ont X
Tsac within these walls Fam would my l
fcn l'uso 'e 'eil of those happy days, Fsin +
wcllE + st~ire to 5elieve the scenes Of t-e.
past Near ha"5 been but a fearful dream
Rutthe sadn.ss resting on esch brow and /
tie fsl5l.s ,oaiag of own heart recall ue 70 /
t~a SIC ieli The shad1gS thar, dnriI:s
tie past yea 3ave darlenad SO many homer,
have ta8sn Gson our@ too.
One yea. g | had bvo;her, ayOnth of
tweatv suumers, named tElward. When
Virginia 1ole4d herself for the ccnfict and
ca..ed Her eohs 10 rally around her standard
bes 8 eas2ed thc sword, resolFed to q, II
need te, II. :icr def nee. Many Of his IrieudS
aal companions also volunteered: and one
Inorg3ng, fair with June sunshine and fra
oTanr with me Gre4th Of her roses, they babe
;.oiiee to home ana friends marched away 20
join tac little army that lay between Us ard
the he.
\ ser weeks after, tidings came that Cur
aru54 was falling back, before superior
kaaqpf tie enemy.
Ollly those vino have learned by bitter ex-
rerienco (alas how many such there are,
can realize the feelings oftbose VINO expect
te bsIsft 70 the mercy of our remorseless
foe ,.aD3 how doubly painful the fear and
\sus perse arc, when it iseknown there are in
tividual5 in the community willing, and
cSen deslrous, to aid the enemy in their deeds
ofN;eledness There v ere such among Us
and we could see their eZultant looks, as we
heard the slow, sulen retreat Of our small
force ird the boastful advance of the enemy.
Thu army made . stand few miles from
Cur village. and resolved to await an attack
theT6. The cr.eCny paused awhile, then be-
garto move forward again.
Putting car trust in Him who rules on
hTghaEe enleavored to asait the end calm
! ly. We knew our soldiers would fight as
men Ictending their homes should fight
-asAts sAserabled sonlAfsarr: zas-rr san'1f4
! @rod rs rast -1ct,tsa1fty Of force: for oui
fats hing upon the issue, and we knew no
what mig happen to our loved ones in tha
] lttle band. -.
One dag edward came to see US. lie wa
very cheerful and hopeful
''Donbt fc2T the result We will have al
have justice. err 0ur side, and think we vii
certainlg gsin the Tiatogy, uEiiess some ur
J fcteseon disaster occurs" were his partin
.rgords.
4 Thenext morning the rear of cannon an
! the rattle Of rusketry awoke the sleepin
Il echoes IL the mountains.
When the night closed our army was r.
treating. 0stf brave soldiers had fought 6
only they could fight, and notwithstandir
the immense odds against them, had covere
: the ground with yankee slain, AID migl
: have gained the victory, but traitor guide
the enemy to theinrear, and they could on
) save themselves by hasty retreat A few
) their heroic band were left dead upon the
| field of glory, but the loss was small con
e pared with that Of the enemy.
Ny brother Edward passed unhurt throu
the thickest Of the fight, and that evenr
, wearyand begrimed with the smoke a
e dust Of battle he paused to bid farewell
b the home that would know him no more
IS The.next morning we looked for the l.
n time upon cur home. It never appear
q more beautiful, never seemed more dear th
when we left it, not knowing whether
It would ever behold it again. We gaz
ee through binding tears, until the tops of
< lofty oaks were lost in the distance, thin
is ing how the feet of the foe would desecr
OF every spot, and his hands delight to SIP
,! whatever was dear to US
4, Wejhoped the eaemy would be driven bI
ne in fdE weeks; but weeks have lengther
ed into months, and months into year. and
OF still his possession Of our valley. 1t
s.. been lkade waste, and where our home
is now heap Of ashes.
A few months since fierce battle i
fough! in the western paftof our State;
there when the battle ragged hottest,
-es brothde Edward fell, pierced through
o breast bya bullet A short time after
I'm received the wound, comrade went to
IN side raased his head and spoke to him.
X. "Tell motlsy." EdTard said feebly,
-. | thar, Ii. 1nice sa...a- to- lnrr uh;cr.s.