Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-28
Written for the Sunday Appeal
SHELL ANNA OR. BORN ON TIE BAT
TIE FIELD.
An Ipeaaensof the Battle of JOnesbOro.
BY SERIOUS WILKINS.

Two armies had met in battle array,
The Fed'ral b.ue and Confederate giey,
The shock OF their meeting was ike ocean
When tossed by the storm on the rooky-boun
While he rosr Of the musket, the cannon
The thu udering hoo, the clashing OF steel,
The kissing OF shot and The screaming Of shell
Was Ike carnival &C ands OF demons in hell.
The grand Georgia Ia ndscape which one hou
ago
Was esim and serene "a moonlight on snow,
Was Wild with GisOI der and cumbeged witt
slain,
Itpure doyEers elou ie,I with lies bloody stain
While the shrieks Of he ylng as bleeding tAe!
Was fearful to hear, and fsarful to tell,
Aud naught could be seen either near or sfar
But the horrible scenes OF horrible war.
Twas in thick forest o. tall, stately trees,
Which had never known storms save heaven'
And whose green solemn Sepths no sound eve
NJ IRA Earifke then a-.e or Wild mountain bird
'FIl tbs p assl-ns Of man invaIei taeir shade
Win toe terrible storm Jlat amOlIion had
made
In the midst or this scsue. in tres-sheltered
Quite Rid I. ON the ,isw was a little rude cot,
Where two lonely women, a mother ana child
Lived all alone In thiA solitude wilu,
The elder, matrOn, rough, wr!nkled and grey
The younger. wife, hao sOs-@S cached ltfo's
Though watchiug and gr-eving had traced aeI
cneeks DER,
Her years, they had numbered as yet not a
sun iTssh were the flowers that crowned her a
bride,
When they tOge the young groom away from
And Tie couch Of the foud, blooming wife he
For a soldiers rough camp. ami soldiers
bed.
Long months had she waited, and waited in
For the arms that ne'er Will embrace her again,
How anxious shs watched for some greeting
TIL her hesrt siczened Ger with hope long de-
ferred-
Now on her bosom, fresh from Heavens hands
Lies Gods alresg work, mid the yIlest Work CT
A bate, Woe hrst welcome to Hfe's fearful
Was from wars CORY goddess. spectral and
wnoss Inst inhalation OF life giving breath
Was caught nom The wings Of an angel or
dsalh
For so hid from ths view was this little cot,
By foliage surrounding The quiet home spot,
That the gamers who charged The death deal
D7samed not Of endangeriug innocent ones.
30 on sped The shot through ibe rough cottage
Bringing terror hat might the bravest appaI
Another shot tears through the roof weak and
scat'rfEg fragments around ike leaves in a
Then another comes through the logs over
bead,
strewlng the splinters all over the bsd,
Whereon the yo1ng wi.e, still In years but
Lyy tTemb ing snd pale IN agony wild.
Mid this fearful seems whion romance might
" ar's carnage and slaughtsr-the baby was
born.
Could this walllng infant have then been en-
With that reason OF which grown man is SO
The red blush OF shame would have stained It's
To see what passions is had heIred from Its
TwouId have uned its tiny hands up in prayer
To 90 back 10 Jue being whJ sent II there,
Shrinking with sick horror from scenes OF
II they were all like these which greeted It's
birth
But 'Fwas only babe. born as .others are born,
With the same sad lessons of life yet 10 learn,
20. biissfully b ind 10 inherited s.rife,
Held win feeble grasp 70 its feeble life
As the sun was sinking and the Light turned
And The scene OF the conflict moved farther
away.
Came suddenly on 10 this lonely little cot,
Where each trembling mother, like some star
When The hounds Of the huntsInan invade its
Was palsiea with fear. lest the fate just es-
capped,
Had eoms back TO them there. more terribly
shaped.
But their fears wsre groundless; these rough
soldiers hen
Forgot they we're warriors, and found they
were meD.
For the scene here presented brought home to
rt,s,r own wives and little ones LEFT far behind
And the bronzed trooper, long used 70 raplne
wlld,
Grew gentle as woman Ger the mother and
They gave them kind words, alIayei their
And promised to shield them from danger and
harm.
Gave them such comforts as they then could
From The stors Of supplies they had there at
hand.
They pct the disturbed room in order once
more.
By removing the wreck thai Uttered the floor,
They patched the torn roof 90 keep OF the rain,
Aud tried ID make the place look hOme-ilks
When some one proposed the " "Heaven-sent
guest
should by book and the prizes: be christened
The grsndann and mother both gave their con-
sent
50 of for chaplain a ~ csssge was sent,
A General. 4 C5Icnel Invited 10 haste
As specs rs this strange cerenl Dnl lal graceu,
Then grav-ly the chaplain Ia solemn manner,
Christensd the bait e-b5rn child " SHELL
And he sound Of distant war-strise reached
Mingled with tie peaceful sounds o, Christian
Thus for 1he first time In the history o earth.
" As the scene OF a O.ttle the c7De Of a birth.