Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-04-07
NUMBER l3.
Truth Well Told.

George Bancroft the historian, in his late
Grafton the anniversary of Lincoln's birth
day, said =" When it came to the conscious
ness of the Americans that the war which they
were waging was a war for the liberty of the
nations of the world, for freedom itself, they
thanked God for the severity of the trial to
which He put their sincerity, and nerved them
selves for their duty with an inexorable will
The President was led along by the greatness OF
self-sacrifcing example as child in dark
night a rugged way, catches hold OF the
hand of its father for guidance and support, he
cung fast to the hand of the people, and moved
calmly through the gloom. While the states
manship of Europe was scoffing at the hopeless
vanity of their efforts they put forth such mira
cles of energy as the history of the world has
never known. The navy of the United States,
drawing into the public service the willing
militia of the seas, doubled its tonnage in eight
months, and established an actual blockade from
Cape Hatteras to the Rio 0gahde. In the course
of the war, it was increased Eye-fold in men and
tonnage, while the inventive genius of the coun-
try devised more effective kinds\pf ordinance,
and new forms of naval architecture, in wood
and iron. There went into the field for various
terms of service, about two million raen and IN
March last, the men IN service exceeded-a million
that is to say, one Of every two able-bod'ed men
took part in the war and at one time every
fourth able-boded man was in the field, In one
single month, one hundred and sxty-fve thou
sand were recruited into service. Once, Within
four weeks, Ohio organized and placed IN the
field one hundred and forty-two regiments OF in
fantry-nearly thirty-six thousand men, and
Ohio was like other States in the East and In the
West. The we'll mounted cavalry numbered
eighty-four thousand of horses, there were
bought, first and last, two-thrds of million
In the movements of troops, science came IN aid
of patriotism, so that, to choose single instance
out of many, army of twenty-three thousand
strong, with its artillery, train, baggage and
animals, were moved by rail from the Potomac
to the Tennessee, twelve hundred miles in seven
days. In the long marches, wonders of military
construction bridged the rivers and wherever
an army halted, ample supplies awaited them at
their ever-changing base. The vile thought
that life is the greatest of blessings did not rise
up. In six hundred and twenty-five battles and
severe skirmishes, blood flowed like water. 1t
streamed over the grassy plains it stained the
rocks the underground of the forest was red
with it, and the army marched on with majestic
courage from one conflict to another, knowing
that they were fighting for God and liberty
The organization of the medical department met
its infinitely multiplied duties with exactness
and dispatch. At the news of battle, the best
surgeons of our cities fastened to the field, TO
offer the jealous aid of the greatest experience
and skill. The gentlest and most refined women
left homes of luxury and ease to build hospital
tents near the armies, and serve as nurses to the
sick and dying. Besides the large supply of re-
ligious teachers by the public, the congregations
spared to their brothers in the field the ablest
ministers in the land. The Christian Commits
son which expended five and half millions.
sent four thousand clergymen chosen out of the
best, to keep unsoiled the religious character Of
the men, aud made gifts of clothes and food and
medicine. The organization of private charity
assumed unheard-of dimensions. The Sanitary
Commission, which had seven thousand socie-
ties, distributed, under the direction of an un-
paid board, spontaneous contributions to the
amount of fifteen millions, in supplies and mon-
ey-a million and half in money from Cali
fornia alone-and dotted the of war from
Paducah to Port Royal, from Belle Plain (Virgi-
nia) to Brownsville (Texas,) with homes and
lodges