The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-08-17

Fog ne Haa 7sR,Nnlt Uaioh Flag.
ArmSdFssutant 20 tho government N NH
itary array dOep not now exist within TIE iim-
its Of the Uaised stptes, The last echo ofshs
caunons uhRelcOms thunder has died away
upon our Southern" wartsFr The tramp cs
cavalry and the %rumbling Of the artinery
wheel, NO longer invade the sciitudes 81 our
mountains > The drums muiaed sound no
longer breaks the stiffness Of the twilight
hour; the bugles shrill voice no more ava
kens the weary-EOrn soldier to mount his
faithful war-horse, that stands eager for the
charge banneredRnd %psnoplied armies that
80 lately met in wars deadly embrace, have
exchanged ,heaword and musket for the peace
rul implements of husbAndry, and the Stars
and Stripes, proud emblem Of freedom and
equal liberty to all men, with victory and con-
quest blazing upon its ample folds, to-day
floats proudly from the Capitol ofevery State
in the Union While the shreds of that rebel
rug remain only to illustrate Its glory and
publish to the world its triumphant achieve
nents. ..I e yllC-ra
We ask you, shNlltht freedom loving thou
sands who left their homes and all they had
lived to love on earth, and SO freely sacrificed
their lives beneath the folds Of the aAg Ofour
country, to defend this great fortress Of free.
dom, and to maintain the eternal and indis-
soluble union Of these StateS, and guarantee
to all her citizens equal safety and protection
in the enjoyment oftheir civil and religious
Liberties. e be forgotten ?" Like the seer and
yellow leaf Of autumn, shall such memories
ever fade All, no hui like the eternal god
of day, as high in azure vault be mounts his
rlittering throne and enkindles i%ntenser ra-
dance, they should continue to grow bright
or down 10 the latest suceessio rs Of posters
~. The hero and the latter sleep side by
side ia. the vast b rying ground ofthe South
Around the grave Of the traitor, ut the tWi-
light hour, may be seen delicate forms plant
ing the geraueum and jessanine, and water
ing them with tears, Just upon the o.her
side sleeps a solder, liz may be) from Eas'
Tennessee, who died there for his country
no kind hand has strewn flowers there. Moth
ing bu. purchAnce SOme wild-rose rud'iy
rears itself 10 weep it's perfume away over
the neglected dead. And again as we wan
der at the dusk Of evening and gaze for rev
moments upon those low mounds around LID
by, Salisbury and ArderSonVilie, beneath
which calmly sleep the heroes whom no bis
tory will name, aud no poet ever sing. our
mind goes back mournfully TO the scenes Of
the past. There we see the pale pincbed ia
css. stiaened limbs, the ~unclOsSd stony eyes
Of the thousands, who we're thrown into the
hungry trench wish a ride jeer or a coarse
oath. We think Of the mothers and sisters.
and even more loving ones, who felt the fall
ing of strange shadow upon their souls, as
the souls Of those dearest to them passed
away from the moorings Of time to the mys-
FERROUS and shoreless sea.
We think what is glory and what IS fame
What is the compensation for all this WOO
wha, 10 the reward OF loyalty to the Govern
meut Of the United States7 Where are they
who 80 nObly and 40 sadly died, leaving no
name behind to reap their reward As We
ask these mental questions and indulge in
these gloomy reflections, the evenings grow
Into the night, the stars blossom out like
flowers Of silver over all the blue field Of hes-
ven the breeze passes by with a Soi and
mystic music thnt soothts my spirit und dis
/. pels my doubts the STARS grow brighter and
the winds deeper, and We look again bpl
hopefully at all those dreary mansions Of the
dead, and feel that the stars aud the winds
whisper, " shall they be forgotten"
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