Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1864-02-09

when that enemy is fl countryman il
il impossible not to ks bed with the
triumlhG Of yictory-thes depressing con
sciousus4 khat your success hsAv been gain
ed at the psspo OF = brothsra Blood; but
Fwhen called UPON tSpwitness the death Of
yonr brother patriots il .isato me source
of unalloyed sorrow feels compare
lively little for the fan 81 comrades on the
battle field:
When charging hosts meet steel to steel,
liz - R&ngaiue ranks tumultuous reel,
" ~ Annens' pea
But % watch the gradual decay of COM
rades from wounds or disease 10 hospital
ITO hear their sad expressions Of longing
for home, that home which will know them
no more, brings the presence of death be.
fore one in form it is in vain to atteTapt
to gid by the false glitter that covers the
skeleton beneath the trappings of actual
warfare. These thoughts have been con-
siderably heightened in. me lately by the
death Of my dear brother III arms, VIM.
F. Crossley. The day before he died |
saw IN him those unmistakable signs that
mark the near approach of death. Ny
voice must have sadly belied my words as
i tried to encourage him with, " Cheer up,
Billy, cheerup old boy, you are worth a
dozen dead men yet" A phantom Of the
old smile lighted up for moment the bag
gard features Of lhs poor invalid as shak-
ing his head mournfully he answered, " Ii
wont do, Luke; ii cannot be that the long
roll is lee to which We must all answer
sooner or later, and | hope that God will
grant me to go to sleep at taps, like chris
tan and soldier. God has been mercifuI
to me, Luke, very mercifuI; nine times
have stood unharmed where bursting
shell and whistling minnie lbalD reaped
their death harvest; and on the bloody field
of Gettysburg. where thousands OF my
comrades were blotted from the roll of
time, without moment cry to an OF
tsndea God for mercy. A slight wound
alone bears record that was there, and
now that know death is near | humbIy
thank God for bis great mercy 10 granting
me time to prepare for the change" At
ter a short pause for death WAS already
impriQfei on his counteiauce) he added,
:. / would like to have died al home. Luke,
but COTS will be done, not mine. I am
yeadyn trie.l to enlivcn him with proc
poets Of recovery ana how happy we would
be when the demon Ut war bad ceased to
trouble our beloved country with bis desc
lating presence A sad smile and a shaks,
of tie head WAS my only answer. Making
him as comfortable az possible retired to
bed leaving bin under the kind care OF
the night watch.
WIN. Crosley and had been comrades
from boy hood aud age only served TO
strengthen our friendship. When our
country called upon her children to defend
her unity against the suicidal attempts Of
a yain-glorious and misguided fraction OF
our citizens, we were found shoulder to
shoulder in her defense. | was proud of
my freud he was SO brave, so manly, such
noble sample Of our citizen soldiers, moth,
ing short Of absolute necessity could pre-
vent his presence At his post during two
attacks Of the fatal disease 20 which \; lasi
he fell victim. He never missed a days
duty and even when wounded at Gettys-
burg be persisted in remaining with his
regim Mt until compelled by the surgeon
to 90 The hospital. As soon as he was
able to 90 around, conceaing the extent Of
his disability. applied to be sent TO bis reg.
iment. Shortly after bis return he WAS
again attacked with bis old disease (chronic
diarrhea) and vas sent TO Emory Hospi-
tai where | bad preceded him but short
time labori1g under typhoid fescr--here
he gradually sank until it was evident to
ali that his recovery was impossible.
slept but little that night after leaving
him and in the morning FASTENED to his
ward to see how he was getting along -
Upon meeting the wardmaster Ienquired
about Billy. hope be il better Gays |. bat
here needed be no answer, the countenance
OF that master could not be misunderstood
Billy WIS Dead 1t would be impossible
to describe nay feeling, although bad been
long prepared for the final result Ii was
sometime befare could realize the reality.
/ stepped gently 10 his Led of death as it
fearful to awake him, slowly rolled back
the sheet that covered bis beloved face and
took last long look At the cas''et that had
contaiued the soul Of q man--b's death
had been peaceful. After left him be
fell into 4 gentle sleep from which be awak.
ened amidst the joys Of PARADISE q
Farewell, Dear Billy, will ivein hopes
Of meeting thee where the eye rs never
dImned bv tears.
No. tell me not hissiSs 10 lost a8sS#.
Who BIZ disease DIS yield.
But write beneath fIis urnu
9 peo,s atado uH ta hpla ~