The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-20
The Sleeping Sentinel.

dent. They form bret record of his life
home and in the field, and of his gloriou
death in defence of the Union.
This poem was first read on Monday. ia,
-, 1868, by Mr. James E Murdoch, the eel,
brated eiocutlonlst, to a select circle at tn
Executive Mansion, in the presence of tn
President and Mrs Lincoln. The arran %
ments tor this reading were made, we undel
stand, by our distinguished Senator Foo
On the evening Of the same day Mr. Murc
och read it in the Senate Chamber of tn
nItel States, which was specially appropr
ated for the purpose; and it has since bee
read IN other cities. Every Vermonter vi
read them with special interest :-Rutlon
UFMd.
Twas III the sultry summertime. as Wars re
When patriot armies rose to meet fratrcidal foe
" hen from the North. and East and West, lik
the upheaving sea.
NVcpt forth Columbias sons, to make our coun
try truly free
Within prison dismal walls, where shadow
vcllcd decay
iu fetterS. on Leap ofstraw, youthful soldie
lay;
Heart broken. hopeless. and forlorn, with shor
and tcverlSh breath,
liz waited but the appointed hour to die a cul
pri;'s death.
Yct, but few brief weeks before, untroubed witt
care,
H." roamed a: will. and freely drew his native
mountain air
And waving Gins and grassy slopes, give beaut,
70 Vermont
AAerc dwelling in an humble cot, tller of the
soil.
.ncirc,cd by mothers love, he shared father
III. borne upon the wailing winds, his suffering
cpvutry's cry
i.od his young heart with fervent ZEAL for her tc
live or die.
Then left he all "a few fond tears, by frmness
half concealed
\ blessing, ana parting prayer, and he was in
he held-
The field of strife, whose dews are blood, whose
breezcS Wars hot breath.
Anose fruits are garneered in the grave whose
hnsbandman is death
" acre sparkling streams leap messy rocks from
many woodland font
".t.out a murmur, he endured service new an
hard;
But, wearicd with a toilsome march, it chanceC
one night, on guard
tie sank, exhausted. at his post and the gre,
morning found
His PROSTATE forn-a sentinel, asleep, upon tn.
ground
-. in the silence of the night, aweary on the sod
sank the disciples. Watching near the suffering
Son of God
l'', Jesus. with compassion moved, bchcld their
heavy eyes,
And though betrayed to ruthless foes. forgiving,
Oadc them rise
Bat God is love,-and finite minds can family
comprehend
How gentle Mercy. in His rule. may with stern
Justice blend;
And this poor soldier, seized and bound, found
none to Justify,
While Wars inexorabe law decreed that he must
die.
Twas night.-ln secluded room, with measured
tread and slow.
\ salesman OF commanding mien, paced gravely
TO and fro.
OuptcSSed he pondered on land by civil discorC
rent;
On brothers armed in deadly strife it was the
President
The woes of thirty millions filed his burdened
h'art with grief;
Lmoattlcd hosts. on land and sea, acknowledged
him their chief;
And yet, amid the din of war. he heard the plain
vfthat pocr soldier, as he lay in prison, doomed
Twas morning.-On tented field, and through
the heated haze
Flashed back. from lines of FURNISHED arms, the
sun eifulgent blaze;
ale, from a soTbre prison house, seen slowly
u emerge,
sad procession. Ter the sward, moved to a
muifed dirge.
And in the midst, with falterng step, and pail
and anxious face
IN maa .ceS. between two guards, soldier haC
his place.
AFomh-led out to die and yet, it was no
death, but shame.
at >u0te his gallant heart with dread, anC
shook his manly frame
,... IN. before ,he marshalled ranks the trail
pursued its way
v 20 the designated spot whcreon a coffin lay
lis coffin. And. with reeling brain, despairing
.etc't MS station by its side, abandoned to hi
Ate
then came across his wavering sight strange pic
lures in the air;
D" saw his distant mountain home he saw hi
parents there:
lie saw them bowed with hopeless grief, through
fast declining years.
lie 81" I nameleSs grave; and then. the vision
c,oSed-in tears
Ut. once again. In double file, advancing, then
he saw
iNet1c comrades sternly set apart to execute tn
law
..a' saw no more his senses swam-deep dark
ness settled round
tut. Shuddc:Ing he awaited now the fatal yolley'
sound
Lien suddenly was heard the noise of steeds an
wheels approach
And, rolling through cloud of dust, appeared
stately coach.
On, past the guards, and through the field, it
rapid course was bent,
AL, hating, mid the lines was seen the nation
President
lie came TO save that stricken soul. now wakir
from despair;
".t from thousand voices rose a shout wbicl
rent the air
..s pardoned soldier understood to tones of jub
AID, bounding from his letters, blessed the han,
that made him free
Twas Spring Within verdant vale, wher
Warwick s crystal tide
i'caec,cd, DER its peaceful breast, fair fields o.
either side
here birds and flowers combined to cheer sy
van solitude
-"o threatening armies, face to face, in fierce de
nance stood
I"o threatening armies One invoked by il
jured Liberty
"hIch bore above its Patriot ranks the Symb
Of the Free:
ANA one. a rebel horde beneath Haunting fla
Of bars.
\ fragment, torn by traitorous hands from Ere,
dom's Stripes and Stars!