Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-07-10
Po.etieal.
OUR DEAD.
Bv eoLoNEL \. ). lohpY.


'My house shall be called of all nations the house
prayer; bulge have made it den of thieves.
''Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
Keeps clothing but inwardly they arc raveniug
olvcs.''
set was the worst work that Satan and sin under
'Ok IN this world and they that suffered in it were
OF martyrs in good cause, hut convicts in bad
ne. Who shall comfort them that sit by Gishon-
red gravcss''-SerHOTqf Henry yard Beeeher.
Vile brutal man and darest thou
Ia Gods amounted place to preach,
With lmpious tongue and vazen brow,
Inc lessons He'll would blush to teaehi
Ihs cruel tsnnt thy lips hath hissed
Is Iaise-as false as Iscariot's kiss:
Is ialse-as thod art vile and mean.
Arc these the lessons which He taught
And was His mission here in vain
Feacs and good will seem words of naught-5
Hell rules the earth with hate again!
And thou Its chosen nstrument,
Hyena like, with heartIcss tread,
Hast dared invade, with blood hound scent.
The sacred precincts OF the dead X Z : :
Not &v such from those dear; brave old South;
But IRON the coarse, polluted mouth
OF coward ours who feared to fight.
Dear, loved old South contcmn the curse
That those who hate sla II heap ON Won, :
You've wept behind Wars bloody hearse
1hat bore away your brave and true!
Their precious blood though vainly shed.
Long as thy shore old Ocean Iaves
" Ell DOW with reverence DER cur dead,
And bless the turf that wraps their graves.
From Mexico to Maryland
Those graves are etrcwn like autumn leaves
nat though no mothers tender hand
Upon their toint chaplet wcaves.
Nor wives, nor sisters bend above
The Honored Soldiers unmarked mound
They objects of eternal love
In consecrated Southern ground.
ltrecks not where their bodies lie
By bloody hill side. plain or river.
Their ma mes are bright on Fame's proud skv.
Their deeds otvalor live forever.
The song-birds of the South shall sing
From forests grand. and fiowery stem,
And genttcst wateTs murmurins,
Unite to hymn their requiem.
And Spring will deck. their haItowed bed
With types of rCsurtections's day;
And silent tears the Night hath she'd
The Mornings beam will kiss away.
Those heroes rest in solemn fame
On every field where Freedom bIcd;
And shall we let the touch of shame
Fall like blight upon our dead?
No-wrctch! we sco-n thy hatred now.
And hiss thy shame from pole to pole,
The brutcs are better, far, than thou,
And He'll would blush to own thy soul.
"Dshonored graves ?" take back the lie
Taot's breathed by more than human hate,
Lest Ananias-like, you die.
Not less deserving Ofhs fate
Our Spartan women how in dust,
Around their country's broken shrine:
True-as their soul's are noble-iust,
Pure their deeds have been divine;
Their Angel hanc:s-the wounded cheered =
Did all that woman ever dares-
When wealth and homes had disappeared;
They gave us tears. and smiles, and prayers
They proudly gave their jewels up
For all they loved worthless toys;
Drank to the drcgs Wants bitter cup
ToIeed our sick and starving boys.
Their glorious flag on high no more
Is borne fly that unConqucrcd band :;
It's turled upon the ''siIcnt shOre''.--
It's heroes still around it stand.
No more beneath its folds shall meet
The armies of immortal LEE;
The rolling CT their drums last beat
Is cchoimg in eternity.
Galveston. Texas, 1866.