The Portland daily press., 1866-10-20
s.DEaD ON THHE FIELD OF HONOR y,
GesL. Chunsbertain's Grafton,
DELIVERED AT THE
DEDICATION OF THE SOLDIERS &
.nr MONUMENT .I- H.
AT GoRHAM, OCTOBER IS


"Dead on the Field of Honori' You know
the story-that soldier in Napoleons Wars,
for whose inspiring heroism it was ordered
that his name should be called ON the roll till
long after death had set a glorious seal upon
his valor, and at the name saint Armand, +"
the sergeant Of his company stepped forward
two paceS Saluted 9nd gave answer in these
words. They are poetic words thrilling words
But standing here to-day and looking upon
this scene they come to me fraught with a So
berness and a sublimity of meaning such as
they scarcely had before. AS L give place to
the recolections that still throng upon nv
memory,-as think of the gallant spirits that
have not shrunk from the highest test of man
hood Tor the cause of man,-as 1 look on this
assembly, and search in vain for dear and ven
eraSed Iorms,-as l gaze upon these graves
ana comprehend what all this means I take up
these words, and if you call this sacred rolf
you ask Tor these fifty seven from Fogg to Adj
ANS L advanee-l salute you-I answer
De6d on the Field Of Honor! -, -
For is not the whole land a f;eld of bo,or e.,
those who have given their lives far it, daly-
erance! whether they fell under thc sharn
stroke that cleft at once from life to de.tb ~
WORE away uue et sile C. exposure, the priyations
by the mechanical routine of hospitals. or Lou
guished and starved in exile and in nriso, ."li
were so blessed as to be borne back to cherlsb
ing hearts and homes, that their last loot
might be upon their native skies, and tba;r
all, say, for them one broad field of honor?
LIS not the whole country-her bosom swelling
WIN fresh graves-an altar, wherein these
precious victims have been laid-the altar in
deed sancufylng the gift, but no less the gilt
glorifyihg the altar For is not the country
herself more sacred and more dear forever, be-
cause OF those VINO have returned to the bosom
which they have shielded with their own?
They who stood for her honor. and who fail for
her deliverance, shall they not sleen for ber
glory? Shall not these breasts. thonab re-
less still stand forever between her and h. ~,
1t is not that these men are dead. hut tbat
they have so died-not as if they fell by one Of
the thousand chances of this mortal lot, which
might happen to us all-but that they offered
themselves willingly to death in o cause vital
and dear to humanity; and what is more, a
cause which they comprehended as such, and
looking at it in all its bearings and its conse-
9uences, solemnly pledged to it all that they
nad and were. That is why we hold these
naines worthy of our commem0ration-th is
U MA. gives TO death glory life cannot wear.
Ooels, doubtless, of whom that last sacrifice
was not demanded, offered themselves as freely
W iale. Dut Jhey return; they walk among
US; they can take care of themseiyes--or rather
they can receive your care. and in vo,,r raoog'
milton and regard feel themselves Llessod a,esd
rewarded. But with these how worth;I1, anu anu
how completely the sacrifice is finshadi anu
sciously, deliberately, cheerfully; comnraboud
ing the cause, counting the cost, and hold;..l-
the dearest price as not too dear. For tlss
sake of man, man offers his life. Stern fate