The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-03-09

self-sacrifice with which many youth and men
of the noblest stamp have left all that was at
tractive at home to give themselves to their coun-
try in the beautiful submissiveness and heroic
generosity of the homes that have opened their
doors, and consented to be robbed of their dear
| est treasures, that the nation and humanity may
be enriched; in the hopeful sympathies and
charities that have made every community and
almost every home among us holier; in the ex-
traordinary fortitude shown everywhere by the
wounded soldiers in the hospitals; and, finally,
in the triumph which, through all these sublime
qualities and deeds, is being achieved for the sa-
cred principles that the true inspiration of
the nations life.
Humanity in it's noblest phases is being glori-
fed in the life of this hour. have seen homes
which have sent forth their sons to the battle
field-only sons, it may be-and sent them never
to return. l have expected to find these homes
in need, perhaps, of some word of consolation
but have come away feeling that have moth
ing to give, that could only receive; for have
| found them enriched beyond all my poor possess
sion-hearts there with such tenderness of af-
lection that must think they would break
with grief, yet borne up by wondrous strength,
and resting in a wondrous peace-homes dark
ened, it would seem, by the loss of everything
that made them the dear spots they were, yet il-
1 went to strengthen 1 have come away morti-
fed by my own spiritual poverty, and feeling
with sorrow how little had entered into the real
grandeur of the life of this time.
AS an illustration of another of the high phases
of life of which have spoken--the forttude with
which soldiers endure suffering land it is
something which has been noted since the be-
ginning of the war)-let me quote the testimony
of an eminent physician, DR.. Bowditch, who
spent several days in one of the large hospitals
near the battlefield of Antietam. He says:
81 was amazed at the quiet, accomplishing
fortitude displayed by our suffering soldiers. 1t
was most interesting psychological phenomenon,
and it was all but universal. 1t raised my esti-
mate of human nature, and thereby raised me,
my own individual nature to a higher grade of
existence. The memory of those sufferings, so
nobly borne will ever be stimulus to me to
bear serenely the greatest ills of civil life.
"Among the bravest of the brave, one Ia young
! Zouave) was slowly but surely dying of CHASTITY
wound in the thigh. He had been lying nearly
motonless for about five weeks. He had pc
culiarly fine, intellectual countenance, pallid
with the approach of death. His TALL well-knit
form had the rounded, muscular development of
right manly youth His skin was of the purest
white and finest texture, and of almost girlish
softness; his department. eminently quiet and
dignifed. I never saw him smile but once, and
that when the surgeon in charge remarked that
the "Zouaves are always brave" He looked, in
fact, like young Christian warrior who felt that
he had fought bravely his last fight in a noble
cause, and now was quietly preparing for the
coming DOOM serenely waiting for death, as the
greatest boon that could be vouchsafed to him in