The free South. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864, 1864-11-19

WHICH telgned Del0re the signal h8n0
were hung out by ship after ship, which
was to be the moment for the start. And
like unhooded falcons, We sprang at the
quarryl And then the murderous con.
tents Of two hundred iron throats
belched forth at US, and the iron rams Of
the enemy waited behind sunken obstruc-
tons for our onset-watching like hungry
wolves for the approach of prey! And
in column on, onpard we dashed into tho
midst OF them, tearing and crashing,
overwhelming and crushing And many
brave heart was then stilled forever
fighting for the old flag they had neve-
deserted-fesr was unknown to them
nobly they fell!
And the whistling shell with its hideous
screech, and the solid conical shot, swept
over and around us as thick as the hail
the heavens hurl earthwards- telling tales
OF homes made desolate, and the weep
ings and wailings of broken hearts.
There was no soothing melody to attune
the senses. Here devildom was domi.
nant only harsh, disoordant noises fell
upon the ear, and, men who stood shoul.
der to shoulder were compelled to scream
to make themselves heard The hand Of
God had shut the eyes of stars, and
yelled the vision from the face of the
moon
Il was fierce and sanguinary specta-
Gle. Its grandeur was towering hight
was overwhelming! Those who wit
messed it, will never, I am sure, forget it,
cen should the Reaper suffer them to
pass the allotted three score years and
ten. The fight was over and the victosy
wonl AFTER tie battle tho Demon Of
Destruction rested from his labors, and
the MANNED and the dying wsre thought
Of. Shot and shell right well had done
their hideous work. And not onlyon
the decks Of the war ships, but in tho
houses and homes where mothers snd
sisters dwelt. By the hearthstone where
the wearied wife watches day after day
for the return Of the loved one When
he fell BY the side Of his gun, the shsit
winged its way TO fond mothers heart,
as she waited and prayed for the boy Who
viii meoer come back again
I looked that day on scenes which
made me shudder, and I shudder now
when ! Irevert to them, and others which
I have witnessed the Destroyer paint on
battle-felds. surrounded BY not half the
grandeur-but bathed in thrice the flow
Of blood! All ! there are wounds Of the
spirit and the heart that We reck not
OF ] Mother -love---wifs.love-- sister love |
Think ye what wounds are theirs Those
gentle mothers who were pictorial bibles
to tho childhood Of their sons, think 70
their hearts shed no tears for the slain =,
And yet sorrows urn is flling.--alling.-:
still filing with the tears OF these broken
hearts The picture is repulsive and
sad. Draw the veil over such harrow.
ing sorrow. Their grief is holy now
Side by side, place the two pictures
have drawn. On the one, smiles the
Angel of Peace, and the land and the sea
are wondrously beautiful Over the
other, broods the Death-dealing demon of
Civil War, and the frowns of God darken
the waters And scenes Aercer than this I
have looked on---when the yells of tho
blood.stained combstants.--fsthar arrsysd
against son, brother in league against
brother.-.were akin to tho shrieks
Of n,a6men...vhen 7 ,oour2s,.ed II khI