The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-12-21
The Soldiers Sacrifice.

uset,u, coffin from the front! Yes handle il
carefully do not insult the memory OF the aeaa
The case NAV contain tie remains Of only private
soldier. yet he IS the less hero. No ganiy
dress mark of rank perhaps decorated the form IN
life. vet more brave and gallant spirit has been sac
riced for holy cruise Arrnei loes denied country
dag and struck the life and liberties of nation
The fires If prriotsm burned brightly IN his breast
aul the thought of country became paramount TO all
others He tore himself from home friends, love, all,
and went forth to battle defense of freedom / he
sacrifice was not made for seliinterest, but for hui
manity No dazzling futurs 81 place, euAoluments,
or power Gred him and helped 70 mold his decision
Nc thoughts OF comfort and ease came 10 make less
sad the parting. With termination, proud because
formed in the consciousness OF right and with noble
hcruis M lie offered himself defender OF the Union.
In the sad adeu from home, burning thoughts sweied
too thick for utersnce yet he listened to the prompt
ings of duty and proudly brushed away the gather
ing What 70 him was home when the nag oil
freedom was assaulted, and nation tremnes on Tue
verge of destruction? In the ranks he Fought
matters where. that il well and calamity
done Yes handle the coffin carefully, for within
hero sleeps. The hands folded calmly across the
breast will they clutch the instruments OF
death 10 hurl destruction into the ranks OF the foe
The eyes closed, the light has faded from their
depths-no more will they fash the burning thoughts
OF the soul when the bugle sound. the alarum. The
lips are compressed indicating frmness, even in the
hour of death no more will they open to shout the
fierce cry the ieryor when loving ones
press the warm kiss in the ''welcome home. The limbs
STILL the brow is pale the form is icy cold Lit
him lightly Bow the head and drop tear. for to the
cause Of Union, the boon of liberty, to the sweets
of memory he is ever dear. His easy death
he fell far from home with only soldier companions
cheer HIM IN his last moments and receive the dying
message from his lips No soft hands closed his
or cooled the of his brow With the rude
OF field tent swaying over him, or with the broad
open sky above for canopy. perhaps, with stars pal
ing the misty light, he felt the shadows of death
steal him. and surrounded by the pomp and elsn
of var, he breathed his soul away. Tendery bear
the coffin! Friends are weeping for him in HI, far 9ll
home They sit BY the window in the dim twilight
hour and with eyes strained upon the distance from
winch flash the murmirs .! battle, muse IN sorrow
knowing that the darling boy, the manly youth who
so proudly forward when country called to
arms returning them, robbed of lifecold IN the
arms DEATH grave has been prepared in the little
churchyard and there the hero will sleep; and
loving hands will plant rarest flowers to grow blossom
and shed their fragrance Ger his tomb.
When such sacrifices daily made, is not the
Union worth maintaining Is not the cause OF liberty
just and is not the honor of the old flag above re-
preach The soldier fougat not for glory, but for
country. He hravei the storms of battle not for gold
pary gains, but for liberty and the common rights
Of The sacrifice checrfally made; his life
freely given And yet, in the great business and po-
litical world how few appreciate the soldiers suffer
iugs They into party contests, give way 10 the
chickering's of strife plot and struggle for peace gain
and power and, in their sOrdd eagerness, rudely
joste the mOurners who pause to drop tear of earn
the tile field be laid among the quiet
scenes Of youth and home. How little they appre
ciate the sacrifice how careessly heed the Offering
how codly acknowledge the services They have
love for counfryhave desire to stop the flow
of blood and bring back sunshine the land long
gains to them. and position lies within the
grasp of their ambition. oh that the desolatiug
scenes of this tragic the waiF of and
long cortee Of CHASTITY DEATH could awaken the peo
pie proper love Of country, to a Just appreciation
of the soldiers sacrifice and restore harmony OF
in the prosecution of the for the conguering
of an honorable peace
Law the coffin gently down and let the cars speed il
Northwari to the home where dwels .-koms-
rsRe Journal!