National Republican., 1873-05-06
A MAY DAY At MANASSAS.
tn 1890, In 1901 aAi In 1879.
ny GEORGE 3. WALLIS.

twas iar IN May, heavenly day
The skies were bright the fields were CAV
With blossoms, BUTTERFLIES and bees,
And singing birds in the cherry trees;
And the air from gardens, woods and bowers
Was sweet with the breath Of vernal flowers;
Aud the waving wheat fields seemed to me
The cleaning waves Of summer sea,
That May day at Manassas.
And nocks and herds, In pastures green,
Bnllvened far and wide the scene;
And and there, on hill and plain,
Stood clustering stacks OF hay and grain;
And near the old-time mansion played
Its piccanlnnies In the shade,
While the "heid hand" slave forgot his wrongs
OF bondage in his cheerful songs,
That May day at Manassas.
Abundance smIled on every hand;
Peace relgned DER the contented land,
And honest welcome stood before
The sun-browned farmers open door,
As on the noonide breezea borne,
Was heard the inviting dinner horn;
Aud dark-eJed beauties smiled within,
And graced the AospltAble scene,
E.#a. That May day at Manassas.
whIle musIng there, as in dream,
on the gray stone bridge which spanna the
stream,
OuI HulniuH uOIHgo pthhtNN uiohhf
Dom from the hill, merry throng
OF country bellies and rustic knights,
And noisy with the days delights
The escort OF groom and bride,
Upon their marriage morning ride
~ That May day at Manassas.
iso2.
Yet once again passd that way,
In the morning Of another May; b.. I"
po x.yh an n vVfr chan0a waa thHFR
Affecting even the light and air.
Are these realitieB7 They seem
The horrors Of hideous dream. I'...
look'd appald and In surprise
On the backenI earth and smoky akles,
That May day at Manassas.
No fields OF wheat the picture graced-
Their very landmarks were oifaced;
No nocks or herds, or atacts OF grain, OF s.
Were visible on hill or plain;
But pits, redoubts, and many mound, b
Where the bones OF men In the shallow ground
Lay buried from the battles toll,
Or partly whitening on the soil,
That May day At Manassas.
Where had roamed In fragrant woods
next explored the solltudes
OF soldiers cabins far and wide, 'H -.rn
On the hills and by the waters side, ..
In dismal villages arrayed-
TIL by their odors vile dismayed,
And sIckencd with q sense OF fear
OF deadly pestience broodlng near,
That May day at Manassas.
Aud the exhalatlona to the sun IN
From horses, with their tortures dons;yl
And from those dismal cabius, too,
Where he sunlight wore q sickiy. hue,
And from that gtastiy central post,
Uhere tho Fefuae Of a WarlIke hOst
stll smouldered and fermented, were
The perfumes Of the polsou'd air,
That May day at Manassas,
And the gray stone bridge In ruins lay,
And lts bridal group had pass'd away; ,s ..
And down the road another throng,
with Habres clattering, dashd along.
And then, contrasting the dark scene J esq
Before me with what It had been
Il Amazed, bewlldered, and dlstressI,
came away with an aching breast,
.H 3 P That Nay day from ManaSss.
a." 1872.
Yet, once more, on another day, MA.
/ In the earth-reyiying sun Of May,
crossd those fields Of blight and scar
From the wild ravases Of war,
And markd the change. The scene was fair.
Delicious odora nlled the air; "
i And on the soft winds came along
Tue robins and the pioughmans song, T'1
That May day at Manassas.
And DER the late ensanguined stream
I saw-and 'ts a happy theme
A a --..i--~ UslN <-sl~-ssa--
HIS homestead near the woodlands shade,
In country enaise, head for the MI
Which leads you up to Centreyille,
With Fairfax beauty at his side,
His captor in their morning ride,
That May day at Manassas.
Aud "the Boys In Blue" and their foes In gray
with the battle clouds had passd away;
Brothers who In deadly strife
OF war had sought each others life; .
And master and slave Of times gone by,
And whites and blacks ln council high,
As freemen stood, In free debate '.
On General Grant and things OF state
That May day at Manassas.
For the stranssenslgn which had nown
In triumph over those hills was gone,
And the green redoubts which there had been
Were raEed or yelled In verdure greeni y
And the "old nag" never shone more fair
Than In lts glory floating there
Emblem Of peace, law, union, and
OF liberty throughout the land,
. T.. That May day at Manassas. j
wAsusGToS. March, ls73.
lDr. Wallis, the author OF the above poem,
one Of the leading editors OF the New 70
Herald. The portion Of II relating to 1880 Al
1861 were published during the war In the Wssl
Herald. The verses In regard 10 1879 are nc
! printed for the INST tim e.-ED. RErl
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