Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-06-05

ana seeking emblems while he lives, for praise,
They twino the nower-wreath and bostrew his
With flowers and when he falls asleep,
Flowers on his grave their soothing tendance
keep.
Let old and young approach with solemn tread
The silent city of the gathered dead,
And beauty join, with steps of maiden grace,
TO strew with flowers the soldiers resting place.
Then, as their fragrance fills the cncrcling air,
Memory and hope shall equal interest share,
And crowding come and pass in swift review
Tho vivid scenes these sleeping brave ones
Scenes that were shared by comrades, who to-
day
Survive to join these votive gifts to pay,
Bound to the sleepers by the closest tie.
Sharers in all things but to grandly die
Kin in the lineage which unites the brave
In bonds unseyered by the silent grave
The years return, and through this stricken land
Pass and repass each wild maraudng band,
The soil is dinted by the hoof of strife,
The steel is pressing to her very life,
Through her rich valleys rolls the invading
Her streams are crimsoned by .hor loyal blood.
Tracked DER the mountains, many patriot
Seeks the old flag at camp Dick Robinson,
The gloomy prison to repleton filed,
Grim famine threatening and her fields un-
She faltcred never, glorious mountain land,
Firm as the unrifted hills that round her stand.
Long the delay, but succor came at last,
Through her wild passes Burnsdes' legions
And homeward marched, whilo joy each bosom
fills,
Her loyal exiles to their native hills,
Long months of struggle yet remained to try
Faith and devotion, and the dead, who lie
In these low graves, tell many bloody fray
Whore carnage revelod in It's fiery sway.
There came morning, whose uprising light
Saw wild charge on yonder sloping height.
An assaultng surge rolled to Fort Saunders
And DER il hung cresting as if to fall
In volumed fury, on the little band,
Who's their posts despair;defying stand
What glowing annals shall in future toll
The crisis passed when rehuent broke and fell
That wave of fiery and intrepid life,
That sought the mastery in that desperate strife,
Showing field with gallant manhood strewn
AS Ger in Wars relentless swaths were mown
Il sealed the rescue of this loyal land,
Whose Frightening record shall forever stand
Undimmed and clear. And winding Tennes-
Chanting forever hymns of liberty,
The tone, of dashing. streams and crystal rills
Neining the sides of iron armored hills,
The pensive music of the mountain breeze
Tuned by the leaf-tongues Of the forest trees,
Shall all unite in songs Of choral rhyme
Rolling triumphant TO the end OF time,
Repeating ever 10 IA listening world
Her flag of freedom never shall be furled."
And not alone her children here find rest
A nations charge on natures peaceful breast.
The northern mother feels q soothing joy
That on the grave where rests her gallant boy,1
Rich Southern flowers with every coming
spring
Their bloom and fragrance to his grave shall
bring;
With floral wreaths his guarded place Of rest.
Still other graves should share our thoughts to-
day,
Filled by the foemen of that direful fray;
But foes no longer, on the other shore
They comrades yVaric of
Eternal truce has sounded. They unite
Errors no more obscure their illumned sights.
Shall living hearts preserve the hate that sprang
When through the land the din of warfare rang7
Shall it not pass by fowery breath dispelled
And by the power of peace each heart be held2
Not of the wrong for which they fought and
But of their acts of manly daring tell,
Which storied years that hasten on shall claim
To grace the archives of the nations fame,
| Whence deeds of living heroes and the dead
Halos of glory on their country shed.
There comes time, it flies on Fastening wings,
| Which thoughts fratornal and accordant brings;
As nature smooths the scars and frowns of strife
From the bright landscape and with fresher life
The flowers and blossoms clothe the furrowed
Where lay the gashod and CORY ranks of slain.
| | read the hope, in that brave men today
Join il this service honoTs meet TO pay,
| Who met in lines opposed in battles hour,
| Sternly eTerting very martial power,
| Under two flags, the rescued aud tho lost
! Learning the price the strifos Of brothers cost.
| Not long delays the happy fastening day,
| The nation chooses as q time to lay
| It's floral offerings with no partial thought,
| Under which flag the sleeping hero fought;
| The kinding memories OF an earler day
| Melting the latter enmity and rage eway
! And from the contest, the colossal strife
! That tried each fiber of the nsti0n's life
| There shall uprise more perfect bud and flower,
| More clear assertion Of the nations power
| As Engsnds sons in prosperous peace COM
bined
When York and Lancaster thoir roses tEined,
Let hope, prophetic Of the future, tell
| OF the great nation, which we love 90 we'll,
| The fairest structure e. er by man designed
| The shrine of freedom and aspiTiag uind
| Its base in blood of mRrtyred heroes laid.
| On truth ard justice its firm pillars stayed.
! No earthly power shall ever overthrow
| Their solid weight nor twining ivy CroW
| Upon tn ir ruins, while the stfrs shall rise
! And pass in beauty up the eastern skies. .
| So shall it stand. Far centuries TO be
! Its towering form of beauty yet shall see,
| And waving DER il, in the balmy dir,
| The starry banner still unEtaned and fair,
And the iree breezes, ms they softly play
Smoothing its folds, shall to the world display
| The stars still pouring on the raptured sight
Their blended beams of ooRsteated light
At the conclusion OF the poem, the song
| URraye Batterv Rows - VIVA rendared b7 tha