The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-21

Dawn Of pleasant morning In May
Broke through the widernost cool and gray,
mni'e peIEht IN tho tailest trce-tops, the birds
Were carolipg Mendolssohn's Songs without words
Far ON the haunts OF men remote,
The brook brawled on with a liquid note,
Anu nature ell tranquil and lovely
ahe smile OF the sprpg, as in Eden Of yoro.
Lite by little as daylight Increased
And deepened tue roseate flush in the east
Little by little did morning reveal
Two long glittering lines OF steel;
Where two hundred tn usand bag onots gleam,
ripped With the light of the earliest beam,
And the faces are su'len and grim TO seo,
In the hostile armies Of Grant aud Lee
All OF sudden. ere roso tho sun,
teaiea on the al ence tho opening gun
little white puff OF smok there came,
ana amen the valley was wreathed in 6'me.
Down on tho lefs of the rebel lines,
Wnere breastwork stands in n copse of pines,
Before tho robois their ranks form,
Lie Yankees have carried the place by storm.
Stars and Stripes Ger the salient wsve
Where many hero has found grave,
And the gallant Cor federates strive III vain,
Inc ground they have drenchd With their blood t.
reghnl
YET deadlier fire on their columns poured
slaughter Internal. rode with dspair,
furies TWAIN. through tho smoky air.
Not far of. in tho saddle thore sat-
gray bearded mau, with q black slouch hat;
NOT much moved by the are was he,
calm and resolute Robert Lee.
Quick and watohfui, he kept his eye
On two bold rebel brigades close by
reserves, that were standing land dyin.) at ease,
mhere the tempest OF wrath toppled over the trees
For still with their loud. Deep bulldog bay.
The Yankee batteries blazed away,
And with overy murderous second that sped
Adozen brave fellows, alas fell dead.
The grand old gray.beard rode to the space.
w ere Dea'h and his victims stood face to face
And silently waved his old SLOUGH hat
A~orid OF meaning there in thatl
Follow mel Steady Well savo tho day"
This was what he seemed to say
And to the Light Of his glorious eye
Ine bold brigades thus made reply
"We'n 20 forward, but you must go back
Ara they moved not IN inch in the perious track:
"Go to tho rear. and we'n send them to h-l'
Then the souno OF the battle lost in their yell
Turning his bride, Robert Leo
Rode to the rear. Like the waves of the sea-
Bur1t1ng the dykes in their overflow,
hadly his veterans dasted on tho foe.
And backward in terror that foe was driven
Their banners rent and their columns riyen,
wherever the tide of battle rolled,
over the wilderness, wood and wold
sunset out of crimson HIy,
steamed over field OF a ruddier dye,
And the brook ran on with purple stain,
from the blood Of ten thousand foemen slain.
seasons have passed since that day and yoar-
Again o'er its pebbles tho brook runs clear,
Where tho dead Of tho terrible conflict rest.
Hushed IA the roll of the Rebel drum
Tho Rabres are Bheathed, and the cannons are dumb
Ann tnta. with pittiless hand, has flrled
The flag that once challenged the gaze Of the world
But the fame Of tho Wilderness nght abides,
Ana down Into htatory grnndly rides.
Galmyand unfnoyed, as In battle he sat,
Sne gray bearded man. in tho black slouch hat