Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-02-10
Lines read at a Soldiers Festival, on the Re-
turn of the Third Wisconsin.

The following poem, composed and read by your
y Of Darlington at festival gwen in that village
,art OF the Sd Wisconsin regiment, their retur
furlough previous to entering the service for anotht
zee years, ha. been handed for pubIication-tt
tor pro tenn. of the Darlington paper having refuse
admit it in the independently
Gallant sons of old wisconsin
God has wilIed that should meet
Round the festaI board this evening,
In the midst Of home scenes sweet
joys you long have been deprived Of
Thickly crowd about You now,
Loving hearts Offering tributes,
Loyal hearts an1 true, trou.
Through the conflict, dark and danyerous
Der the war field strewn with slain
God has kept you, in His mercy
Brought you to your homes again.
And though scme-oh God forgive
II we murmur that they fell
Come not back ain to greet u.s.
Though we miss their faces STILL
They are with us-round about US
In the very air We breathe,
Spirits Of the dear departed
Mingle with us here this eve,
You have passed through many perils
Since parting that June morn,
Wsile your bosoms throbbed with visions
OF Nations coming dawn;
You resigned the many pleasures
That had made the light Of life
Went at call Of uobler duties
Joined the conflict and the strife.
Gladly would be the minstrel,
II were mine the poets word,
To rrhearse the glorious Victories
or mob veteran Third
or the dangers you have passed through,
Bravery at the battle 'front.'
How in many a fierce engagement
Yours has been to bear the grunt.
On the sixteenth Of October,
Where comrade first you lost;
How at Bolivar you routed
With your fstr, rebel host
Then the mast erly retreating
Through the Shenandoah vale,
Orderly, though rebels followed
Through c01rardice you failed.
Mid the mountains Of Virginia,
Fa removed from friends home,
You have left your comrades sleeping,
Though debarred OF slab tomb
And ain at Cedar Mountain
Many loyal soldier fell,
And the annals Of our history
or their gallHntry will tell.
On the blood stained field Antetam,
Man. a noble soldier died
There, alas! you left your comrades
Sleeping the rivers side.
In the contest fierce they perished
By traitors ball laid low
Many a heart was bowed with anguish
By that nfiict with the foe.
Charlottesville. where dreadful
Waged in contest aud in strife,
There, too, fighting Country
Yielded many a one their life,
And your bravery vel you've proven
Al Beverly and Gettysburg.
Thus the roll Of honor
In memoriam of the Third.
Now with happy hearts greet you,
Bearing many an honored scar,
Noble men and gallant soldiers,
Home again returned from war.
But Rebellion still is active
Treason. wounded, still survives,
And the War God. yet unssted,
Calleth still for precious lives.
So with many a sad heart throbblug,
We will send You forth again,
Knowing that Power OmnisCient
viii watch DER you the plain.
Though we cannot share the peTil5
And priYations Of the field,
Though ve miss the prize you're winning,
fet home prayers shall be your shield;
And when FAR from old Wisconsin,
When you've left our friendly care,
From the hearts Of loved ores riseth
Incense like, full many a prayer.