The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-03-10

Fresh crowned nth honors, proudly, pobly wonl
With gushing hearts, We bid you welcome hornei
Welcome, the nth The nobly greati
Who from the dangers Of the battle's striSo,
To the loved hrcsides oftheir bonnie State,
With streaming banners, drum end stirring ffe,
Bright wreathed with laurels, once again return,
To enjoy the respite they've go Justly earned.
Mid friends ct home, for whom they long have
yesrned.
Welcome, The 17thi Our honored brave
Who, like wall ofadamant, have Btocd
In giant strength, their own loved homes 10 savo
From the dark streams afthis rebellicus foodl
Firmly resolved, with undated zeal
To die or conquer ere they quit the field,
Ready to sut6eesSout beer 20 yleIdI
Welcome, the nth From many homes
Whose "loyed and and LOST will never NOR re-
tum
A mingling vail Of ansuished sorrow comes,
From hearts who long their fallen brave viii
mourn.
Tears to to their memory Brave boys were all
First to obey their honored eountrY's call;
And its sacred altar first 70 fall
Welcome, thel7th! with hopes and fears
Alternate blending, two long years have fowni
And now once more, as "Veteran Volunteers"
For three more STILL yon bid adieu to home,
With all its loved ones, and unfsltering 20,
Toguard its treasures from the invading foe
"God speeds you on" we dare not one, cay Not
Waleome, the 18th and now, farewell
Your deeds heroic long will treasured be;
Aud though you ne'er may come again to tell
ofall your struggling tolls for Liberty;
Yet bright on ihemory's tablet craven deep,
Your loved remembrance eer we'll sacred keep,
And oft the tear OffOnd affection weepl
Our glorious 18th Oh, how many
hearts swell with anguish, how many
eyes overflow with tears, as they look
upon the battle-thinned ranks, the
broken fragment that remains, and
ask, but vainly ask, for the loved ones;
for they have not all come back
Some came to us long months ago,
only to linger few brief days, to
clasp once more the profered hand, to
receive the warm kiss Of affection, and
look their last farewell, amid the
scenes of Ehome, sweet home, ere they
sank to rest | .ea.N bapJ ,.rr r,
Others came back, bright crowned
with glory and honors, yet cold, silent
and all unconscious; and they also
were tearfully laid to rest
Others came back to us, manned
and crippled, and Scared; yet wearing
the fresh laurel wreath, dearly Won,
none the less fOndly loved, none the
less noble or brave, because of their
wounds and scars.
Others have been borne by the
hands of their weeping comrades from
the bloody field where they fell, and
stranger footsteps alone now mark the
sacred spot where they repose,
Others have fallen amid the gayely
and joyousness of their young dreams.
in the full vigor and strength of lifc's
opening morn;.wtth its ardent desires
and high hopes all unfulflled, finding
burial amongst strangers, where
mono will ever know or tell their last
resting-placc
Some within the dark prison walls
are lingering still, shut out from the
bright sunlight, scarce clad, scarce fed;
suffering privation, anguish, and the
horrors of despair, daily dying by
inches, for no crime but that oflove Of
country and it's rightful cause
Nobly, bravely, gloriously they
have all accomplished their work! i
And now again, after this brief, but
well-earncd respite, they sally forth as
veterans" rallying around the dear
old flag with higher aims and more
exalted hopes and expectations than
before; and though it is like tearing
asunder our own heart-strings, we can
but say "Gol and God speed and
bless you'll Go once more to battle
for the right! Go again to stand be-
tween your own loved friends and
wars desolation Go! and the God
of battles go with, protect aad keep
you safelyl"