The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-02-17

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able iustauce Of criminal ingratitade. If
then, ingratitude be so unbeeoming and sin
f1l, We76re certainly engaged in most ap-
l-propripts exercise while to-day We eome-as' g
regiment before Him, and devoutly give Him
thsnks that 60 few Of cur number have fallen
in the series Of battles and dangers through
which we have SO lately passed.
Lneed not refer you 20 aBg PaItleular te1t
The history Of the past thirty days is text
enough for any sermon or volumne Of ser
mons. For customs sake, however, I might
refer you to the frst Of the IO5th Psalm where
the Psalmist about 70 record the providence
Of God over Abraham Jacob and Joseph, and
the IsEaelites in bringing them out Of their
bondage in Egypt, and preserving them IN
their marches and trials in the wilderness,
says: 80, qiVe thanks lrzt0 he Lord call up
ION his name /; make kaoWn his deeds aui9hg
the people. Sing unto him, sing Psalms unto
him; talk ye Of all his wondrOus works. In
/ another Psalm the same inspired poet and
successful warrior says: "The Lord TeiqHeth,
let the earth r{j0ice?y In another, "Let them
praise thee, Lord LEI all the people praise
thee. o let the nations be glad and sing for
/ JOY; for thou shalt judge the people right
eously and govern the nations on earth. He
/ is the Lord, strong and mighty, the, Lord
mighty In battle. Not unto rs, o Lord, not
unto u.s. but unto thy name be the glory"
Thus, in all his martial songs, this military
/ chieffain breathes q spirit Of dsvout thank
/ fulness to God for his preservation, and for
/ his victories He often reeOHHts BliHuteLy the
circumstances that call forth his songs Of
| thanksgiving 10 Him in whose hands are the
issues Of war. In this respect it may be we'll
/ for us to initiate him. What, then, are the
circumstances that demand your gratitude
D NJ, Abo n 1nff CHrauewi11a
| knowing that you we're going into battle
/ This only You knew Like Abraham of old
/ you knew not whittier you we're to 60, nor
I what was to befall you in the coming days Of
/ conflict. You set out like the Christian to
"walk By faith and not by sight. You,
I doubtless, felt the truth Of the text on which
I addressed you the Sabbath before We left
there Secret things belong to the Lord yOUr
God" You did not know what few days
would bring forth. 1 IoYerheard some Of you
/ saying, "Well, would give a good deal to
know whether at the end Of this fight ny
llams will be in the list Of killed, aOou7adsd or
missing. s -H.-
We all had more or less Of this una
Yoidable solicitude; for in the day Of
battle life hangs on the most slender
thread and even the tsfatber Of lies tod
one universal truth when he said, all that
man hath will be give for his life. No
man wants to die to-day or tomorrow,
aud yet no one knows when be starts into
the battle, whether he will come out alive.
You did not know but that to-day your
bones would be bleaching on some of the
rugged mountains, or in some Of the val
leys or dense forests of Georgia. This is no
touch of fancy. 1t is the plain, practical
and stern thought that past through the
mind Ofevery one Of you. But you went
forth with your armor on, with your
twenty days rations and sixty rounds of
cartridges, with many prayer from your
own hearts aud the loving hearts at home,
that God in his great goodness would
grant you victory and spare your lives.
You went forth, trusting in God, and re-
solved to do your duty, happen what might.
Come wounds or death, you would be in
your place. This was your purpose, and a
purpose which you carried out, and more
noble one In reference to this life could
not be formed and executed. Men who
never faced death in the wild roar and
terror of battle may TALK hippantly and
finely of patriotism and courage, but it is
quite ANOTHER THING TO ACT them out,
when the hour Of trial comes. Brass will
do for glitter, but only the pare gold will
stand the test Of the furnace. The high
est honors of a people, the most grateful
homage of a nations heart is not too great
a reward for the officer or private soldier
who takes his life in his hand, risking all
that Is dear In this world for the sake of
his country and government, for the sake
of doing his duty in his position, risking
all for this high and, holy purpose, and do
ing from this motive, what no other in
huence Of an earthly character would be
the slightest inducement for him to per-
form. Such deeds from such motives are
as sublime in proportion to the importance
of their results as the sacrifice offered on
Calvary. They are worthy the admiration
ofangels, and they exhalt human nature
far above Its common level of sOrdid ac-
tions and aspirations. @- u ..
Leaving RingOld on The 7thl0f May,
you struck the war-path, and commenced
moving in regular lines Of battle. From
that day forward you we're companions of
Death. You looked him in the face and
marched with him side by side. By day
and by night his black wings overshadoW-
ed you. When the mountain fastnesses
Of Buzzard's Roost were to be assailed,
you were among those selected to charge
the heights on the right The order was
given and received without question or
comment. Every soldier knows the in
describable feelings produced by such an
order. Many of Us said to ourselves, this
is the hour and power Of death. This
/ hour will lay many Of Uslow, and make
many wife and mother and sister mourn.
It was an hour full Of solemn destiny.
/ But you did not falter. You cody laid off
your kuapsacks for the conflict, regardless
as to whether you would ever put them
on again. Every man Of you rose superior
TO considerations Of personal, safety
Even your crippled Colonel forgot his
pains, and lead you asrif he had been the
strongest among you. Up we went at
almost double quick over the rocks and
rubbish, Soon we reached that point
where the engines Of death we're walked
up. There were batteries on the right of
US, batteries on the left Of us, batteries in
front Of US all at once belehiug out volumes
Of iron hail that came screaming and
whizzing and bursting, and striking every
tree and shrub and rock about us. You
could do nothing but look at the black
mouths of death, which, owing to their
peculiar position, it was impossible for you
to reach. Whenyou came back in perfect
order out Of the deadly range, and your
Colonel was complimented by his superior