Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-03-08

I stood there erect, with the death light in his
eye, faith can't give me back my honor
! Look ye priest, there, over the waves, sits
George Washington, telling to his camrades
the pleasant story OF eight years war
there, in his royal hall, sits George of Eng
land, beWailing in his idiotic voice the loss
of his colonies. And here am II, who
first to strike the blow against that king
here am [, dying like a dog -
The awe stricken preacher started back
from the look Of the dying man, while
throb-throb-be the death watch in the
shattered wall.
Hush silence along the lines, there -
he muttered, in that Wild, absent tone, as
though speaking TO the dead; silence a.
long the lines! Hark there, Montgomery,
we viii meet there IN victory or in death!
Hist silence, my men, not whisper, as
you move up those steep rocks Now on,
my boys, now on Men of the wilderness,
we will gain the town! Now up with the
banner of the stars; UP with the flag Of
freedom, though the night is dark and the
snow falls Now-now, shrieked the death
stricken man, towering there In his blue uni
form, with his clenched hands moving in
the air-''now, now one blow, and Que
bee is ours -
And look. His eyes grow CLASSY. With
that word on his lips, he stands there-ah!
what hideous picture Of despair, erect, Il
vid, CHASTITY There for IA moment, and then
he falls He is dead !! An! look at that
proud form, thrown cold and stiff upon the
damp Aoor. In the CLASSY eyes there fingers
even yet horrible energy, a sublimity of des-
rair.
Who is the strange man, dying here alone
in this garret, this man who, in all his crime,
still treasured up his blue uniform and faded
flag?
Who is this thing of terrible remorse-
this man, whose memories link something
of heaven and more of hell?
Let US look at that parchment and that flag.
The old minister unfolded that faded flag
it was the blue banner, cleaning with
thirteen stars
He unrolls that parchment. 1t was Col
onel 5 commission IN the Continental Army,
addressed BENEDICT ARNOLD
And there in that rude hut, while the
death watch thro6bed like heart in the
shattered wall unknown, unwept, in al the
bitterness of desoiation,l ay tbe corpse Of
tifat patriot and traitor.
O, tllat our own true Washington had
been there, to sever that good right arm
from the corpse, and while the dish0nored
body rotted into dust to brig home that
SOtl diiil. cil tliIDiitii IL Stiiipti5
holiest memories of the past.
For IL al right ar,I had struck many gal
lart blow for freedom; yonder at TicOndero
ga, at Quebec, Champlain, Saratoga-that
arm yoDier, beneath the snow white noun
ain, amid the deep silence Of the dead, first
raised into sight the banner of the STARS.
1t was during the renowned expedition
through the Wilderness to Quebec, that Ar
mold encamped for two or three days beside
the River Of the Dead, near snow white
mountain, which rose in lovely grandeur O.
yer all the other mountains into the autumn
nal sky A single soldier ascended the
mountain with the hope Of beholding from
its summit the rock and spires of Quebec.
When he came down, Arnold tookssfrom his
breast, where, for four days in rrivation and
danger, he had carried it, blue banner
cleaning with thirteen stars. He raised 1t
into the light, and for the first time the Con
tinental Banner foated over the solitudes Of
the Dead River This IS a fact attested by
history and corroborated by tradition.