The Shasta courier., 1863-12-19
A Soldiers Letter.

DEAR MADAM, I'm q soldier, and my speech is
rough and plain,
I'm not much used to writing, and hate to give
You pain,
But promised that I'd do it-he thought it might
If it came from one Fho loved. him perhaps twould
ease the blow
By this time you must surely guess the truth l
fain would hide,
And you'll pardon rough soldiers words while l
tell you how be did.
Twas the night before the battle, and in our crowd
A ed tent
More than one brave boy was sohbing, and many
aknee was bent -
For we knew not when the morrow with its bloody
j work was done, t#s..
How many that seated there should see the set
ting sun.
Twas not SO much for self they cared, as for the
loved at home,
And it's always worse to think Of than to hear the
Twas then we left the crowded tent, your soldier
boy and /, -'s.t-a4e
And we both breathed freer standing underneath
the clear blue sky;
was more than ten years older, but be seemed to
take to me,
And oft'ner than the younger ones be sought nv
company.
ne sefheu 10 want 10 talk OF home, and those he
held most dear,
And though I'd none to talk Of yet I always loved
to hear.
So then he told on that night, of the time he
away, ~
not let him stay;
And how his one fond hope had been that when
this war was through,
He might go back with honor, to his friends at
home, and you.
d his sisters one by one, and then deep
r. told6ne o. another, but did not speak het
..na>.a lid. Gear Robert, it may be that /
And will you write to them at home, how loved
and spoke of all.''
So promised, but did not think the time would
come so soon,
The fight was just three days ago-he died to-day
at noon.
1t seems SO sad that loved as be was should
be gone, Iv
While should still be living here, who had nd |
friends to mourn,
1t was in the m orrows battle, fast rained the shot
and shell, 81
He was, fighting close beside me and saw whea
So then l took him in my arms, and laid him on |
the grass el
Twas going against orders, but think they'll let
itpass- Ell
Twas Mimic ball that struck him, it entered al
the side, ES
And they did not think it fatal till the morning
that be died. III.
So vixen he found that he must 90 he called me TO
his bed.
And said, You'll not forget to write when you
has hot T
And you'll tell them how loved them, and bid
them all good-bye!
Say tried to do the best could, and did not fear
to die.
And underneath my pillow there's curl of golden
hair, - II
There's name upon the paper, send it to my
mothers care. -,r
Last night wanted SO to live, seemed so young
togo t"ir
LAST week passed my birthday was but nine
teen, you know,
" hen l thought of all I'd planned to do it seemed
so hard to die.
But then prayed to God for grace, and my cares
:. are all gone by
And here his voice grew weaker, and he partly
tn raised his head,
And whispered Goodbye Mother" and your
:, boy las dead
ed his cloak around him, and we bore him
sut tonight,
ID him by a clump of trees, where the moon
= was shining bright,
AnUwe carved him out head-b board as skilful as
we could
If you should wish to find it, 1 can tell you where
it stood.
send you back his hymn book, and the cap he |
used to wear, = II
And lock I cut the night before, Of his bright
curling hair.
send you back his Bible: the night before he
died, Il
We turned its leaves together, read it by his
side, T.
I've kept the belt he always wore, he told me to
do, 90
1t has hole upon the side it's where the balwent
through. :. -. 10
So now I've done his bidding, there is nothing |
more to tell, = a.
But shall always mourn with you the boy we
loved so well. \