The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-01-02
Communication.
For the Union and Journal.
The Parting Hour.

There ale hours that cause the tears to start,
And the spirit droops meath their crushing
power;
But Of all the hours that grieve the heart,
There are none more sad than the parting
hour.
II is ever with an emotion Of sadness that
We part with friends, even when they 90 to
meet other friends as dear to them as our
selves, and we expect to meet them again.
But sad, indeed. is the hour when those
We love most dcarly-who have peen our com.
panions from childhood, and shared our tolls
and pleasures by day, and our pillow by
night-lcavo us, and we are separated, "it
may be for years, and it may DO forever"
We lingcr long in their society. as If it were
swceter as its end draws near; and at last,
when VIC must lot them 60, we press their
hands, or their lips, aud bidding them sor.
rowful "good bye" We gaze after them until
their loved forms grow dim in the distance,
and our eyes grow dim with tears. A few
weeks ago carried loved and loving brother
away from our childhoods home, to 60 forth
in defence of that glorious old banner that
waved over his ancestors, on the crimson
fields of the Revolution. He with couJin
and other friends, had enlisted In company
of volunteers from Cornish, Parsonsfcld, Al
ton, Limington, and South Hiram, and they
werc about to exchange thocomforts and en-
dearments of home, for tho hardships and
deprivations of the camp.
The soldiers (Co. H. 9th Reg. Nc. Vols)
met at Cornish, and were placed under the
temporary command of Maj. j. NJ. Davis, OF
Parsonsfeld, to be conducted to their Reg
iment.
Rev. N. Cole. committed thom to the pro-
lection Of Heaven. after which, they took
leave of their friends who clustered around
them. But ere they went thcy gave three
cheers for the "bravo old flag, " that was
ripling in the morning zephyrs, and waving
its brave defenders q sad farewell.
The citizens gave three cheers for their
sons and brothers, and the soldiers sent back
their answering shout. The parting words
were spoken the farewell scene was ended,
and amid chords OF martial music, they star.
ted for their new homo, at Camp Lincoln. My
brother returned from camp to pass few days
wsth his friends, and look once more upon
the familiar scenes of his mountain homo.
At length the solemn hour arrived when he
must 60. and while farewell group stood
weeping" he bado them good by, and was
gone, yes, gone, perhaps never to return.
AS sat by his side, and rode by the play
ground Of our carly years, and the scenes OF
our manhood.s labor. memory unfolded" tho
record Of the past, and my thoughts roamed
back to long ago. Oh! the memory Of the
past. How pleasant! How painful! Had
dreamed Of this in those halcyon days many
of these recollections would not hayo been
and Others would have been moro pleasant
to think Of now. visited him at camp
shared his hard bread, and blanket, and OK.
perienced some of tho inconvenience of
soldier life. And one bright October morn.
ing, 1t was my sad, sweet, privilege to see
him and his comrades escorted to the "Forest
city,"b tho "gallant7th," and witness their
departure for the National Capital. What
painful thoughts must have throngcd the
memories Of those brave men, as they looked
back to the time when they, with buoyans
hearts, and waving banners went forth to tho
battle field at their Country's call.
All and perhaps those untried soldiers Of
the 9th, looked forward with sad forsbodings
to the time when, like their noble escort,
with decimated ranks, and torn and blood