The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-01-10
Only One Killed,

Our loss was very smail-only one
killed and sixteen wounded"
"Only one killed" Every dsy we
see this little sentence in the columns
of the newspapers. Every day the
sunlight of some happy home is ex-
tinguishcd forever a breach made in
some family circle, a bright jewel stolen
from the treasury Of some fond moth
er's love All, yes, every hour some
sentinel falls at his post of duty, and il
thrown from the rampsrts of time into
the surging waters of eternity.
"Only one The careless reader
scans the words without pang
"Only one Who was that one p
Perhaps 8 boy in years, a mothers
darling; youth whose happy laugh
wss but yesterday as the gush of a
summer.rill in bower of roses; whose
young life was the crowning happiness
Of an aged mothers declining years -
Or it was one just entering manhood
years, hopeful and generous, whose
brow was crowned with fresh laurels.
whose path was streWn with flowers
where no serpent lurked one whose
great soul painted to do brave and no,
bic deeds in his country's defence. and
went forth early in the struggle, a very
veteran in bravery and daring. But
that lion heart is still now Victory
win never light that bright eye or flush
that bronzed cheek with love again.
Only one" A bridegroom, with the
image of his girl wife imprinted on his
noble heart, as she stood one short week
before at his side. The orange blossom.
not yet faded from her pure brow, must
be replaced by the sable garb of widow
hood Was her loss small
tall, strong man, high in his eoun-
trys favor, grit with the halo Of victory
won in many hard-fought battles, has
fallen in little skirmish, when our loss
was "only one" Who mourns for that
noble hero All his noble selfsacrifc.
ing heroism is forgot by the careless
reader, who rejOices that our loss was
small.
An aged patriot, bowed down with
care and old age, who shouldered a mus
ket and went forth in the defence of
his country, when the young and strong
needed not her call, has fallen At his
post OF duty. An, old man, your gen4
erOus sacrifice is not thought of when
" our loss is only one"
Daily our brave soldiers, who risk life
and happiness for our defence, are pass
ing away; hourly in some far distant
battlefield the soil is flung upon the
unknown hero. As often in the morn
we find some sweet flower that blushed
AZ sunset has withered UP forever. so,
daily, when the soldier rises from the
bivouac 10 stand again at his post, he
misses some brother soldier, whose
CHEEKY cry in the siege and struggle of
yesterday so encouraged the faint
hearted.
Let as then, when we read "only one
killed, give tear of regret to the fall
len, and thought Of sympathy to the
stricken mothers, wives, and sisters. the
JOY of whose lives has been so rudely
quenched
If the pearl that has dropped from
theJewelled crown of happiness, Is not |
yours, or the music that is forever hush, /
ed causes no gloom at your Preside, |
return thanks that you have been SPAR
ed, sorrow with the soIrowing, grieye /
with the afflicted, and remember that /
"only one" IS loss to deplore; if small |
70 our country, il is great TO some poor
bleeding heart-B. T. Taylor.