The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-02-04
For the Palladium.
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
A Reminiscence.
BY SosEEDNEH.

A "Reminiscences.
BY SosREDNRH.
TIE fall of night o'erhung the stream,
Unpierc'd as yet by daylight's CLEAN;
The calm before the fearful gale
Now brooded DER Antetam vale,
And as the night-hawk fitted by,
He paused to look, with boding eye.
Though reignd the stiffness OF the grave
The winding course along,
On each bank stood an army brave
One hundred thousand strong!
The rebel horde was brought to bay
BY huntsmen sure and bold,
And now drawn up in grand array,
They waited for the coming day,
That would the tale unfold.
Aha what means that thunder sound?
Brave Hooker opes the fight =
The western hills are golden crowned,
The sky is fecked with light.
With wild huzza and battleshout,
The horsemen mounted then;
Their swords were out, their hearts we're
stout,
For all were gallant men.
The rosy ray Of morning day
From natures drowsy face
Now kissed the gloomy clouds away,
Nor left gloomy trace;
And then ttN the sunbssms pa glancing through
Bespangled horse and rider too
With quivering carcanets.
Mid hell of smoke, and fire, and din,
And death-shots thickly raiLd,
Rose shrek and groan from wounded men,
Whose h1ood the hos thor jpad
The fash and crash Of heavy gun,
The musket's rattle too,
Were answered quick beyond the run,
By Lees secession crew;
Whilst here and there, and near and far,
As huntsmen COW the deer,
Peal'd forth the deafning cry of war,
And yell, and shout, and cheer.
The rebels could not face the heat
The steady, with ring blight
And soon began slow retreat
Of those upon the right,
Till re-enforcements came to meet,
And stop their brethren's fight.
And now the conflict hotter grew,
Twas work for gun and sword;
Whilst deadly missiles round them flew,
The fearless men in loyal blue
Awaited Hooker's word.
But Fighting Joe had felt the blow
Rebellion dealt that day,
And falling low before the foe,
Was bleeding borne away.
AS Mansfield then with bloody hand,
Fierce shook his blade, and led his band,
He fell-his noble life to shed,
Upon his country's sii.ar red.
A bridge of stone the river barrd,
Defended by a rebel guard,
But Burnside's warrio rs at his call,
Resolved to take the bridge or fall
They charge the foe with fierce assail,
But twice with loss their efforts fail;
The third is yet to come.
Now down the slope with madd ming yell,
And fierce halloo, they dash pell-mell;
The serried columns shake and reel,
The foemen fly, and fall, and kneel..
Mid ringing cheer, and cannon peal
And clangor, clash, and hiss of steel,
And noise of bursting bomb.
The valiant blues with fury fight
Their way across the bridge;
Behind the grays with weapons bright,
As like the wind they ply their flight,
They chase them Ger the ridge.
They reach the summit eft hill,
And "Halt!' the leader yels:
off on we go, or stand we still,
The enemy's batt'ries yonder will
Send forth their deadly shells !!
And true they fire, but that brave band
w III not retlfe WITHOUT COHuauuj
And mid the leaden hail they stand,
Nor draw a frightened breath,
While soldiers brave on ev'ry hand,
Lie arm in arm with death.
! The brave brigade will nof retreat,
/ Their gallant charges they'll repeat;
They'll storm the batt'ries o by one,
| Nor quail before Southern gun.
| Nor waving sword and musket bright
Shoot forth their CLEANS of lambent ligh
And ''Charge them p is the cry.
They forward rush like tidal waves;
THEY'LL triumph now or find their graves;
THEY'LL conquer or they'll die
Oh, bloody, bloody is the strife,
That on this spot is growing rife,
And many, many hero's life
Is now cut off by wars keen knife!
Yethand to hand, and face to face,
They lunge and plunge in bloody race,
And back and forward sway.
The nuskets flash, and bayonets clash,
AS when the lightning strikes the ash,
And cleaning broad-sword play.
One battery seized by onset fine,
Is scarce accomplish'd d when
Fresh forces large the traitors join,
To drive them back again.
Now Burnside DER the crimsonridge,
Falls back still fighting hard,
But calls halt hen near the bridge,
And stands the bridge to guard.
They stand though equal strength they lac
Ihey stand with many slain,
They meet the storm and fierce attack,
That NOW them down like grain.
They call for a'd IS round them dumb
The fallen hundreds lie,
But not single man can come,
And this the chiefs reply:
"Although assaied by odds immense,
Yet stand, whate'er the cost,
And hold the bridge at all events,
If ev'ry man is lost"
They hold the bridge, although the food
Below is dyed with patriots blood.
They see the foe in panic run,
They know the fight at last is done.
A loud hurrah the day is won,
Nor color lost, nor lost gun!