The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-02-19

The Einss OF midnisht hovercd .iai ,na solemn
aEguu1 Cur any In ifs i-sr5 - .-says
DffdaI, ulo Wait6d forthe bloody dsv q lr.,.s
Al. who can tel the thoughts jast ere the battle
70 I'll ts se a , & s s6 ss u I'll S - s Sa
t. slay Chs hos's, o. BY The hosts Be sieias
Along he llne Esl's heavy. deep paissiiop
was fcli a. daylight sircah I'd the ca-tcFn ky;
The holy day tlrobbed. thstits desecrattan,
The roar % nnskets broke TIE sabbath nlurnin..
And kpsls q death ruHg 'mong ne =. bidding sses'
TlIc smoke % battle soon q crspresd the OWNING
And iiang dun yaPors 10 The April hreezst
The e5imson sup, like some mad God appealing
To Orient armies. rose upon the day,
And threw red light into the fray. revealing
The pitted ranks OF blue and sOmbre gray.
Yet heavier the lifting boom % cannon,
And shrfller muskets, TIL each friend and foe
Went into death with wars Sad, hot abandon.
Where life was but a diceman's hurried throw
They fought like men. our eray-elad earnest hcroes
With baied breath, and .ineys strung 70 stesl
Which made the columRaof the brayesi reel
Then back aEain came the hot missile showers,
And through the long long bloody day the hours
Were tOla 10 HeaScu by the piles % slain. 81
some hearts theus were beneath gray tattered wrap
which valued lie. not BY Its gain. but loss. st
Strong men Who loved occult blue guided trapNngs,
As the Reiner counts the worthless droea.
They asked no mark 81 aay man ~ hrother..
But fought relentless a. The hand 81 Doom,
With thought aIane a wife. and child, and uother
Made Eretehed wanderers from the olden home.
some souls were there who had lost en- but Heaven
And common country deadly were TIE bloWe
Which their hands dealt. and deep the swoul was
In veriest veneeance. au remembered woes . s
Came up 70 speak Of homes laid waste and burning
or lovednnes huuted % the bitter death -.
And shiloh saw their faces turn, fr,lm yeamlng
To darker thoughts iheir words 20 mnidefons
breath.
And some were there who fougla for deaihlcss honor
and would hnr back the foes which rnote upon her.
or meet them proudly, ever hand 70 hand, .
oh Southland fair, had truth cen yet been planer-
Had thy sons known their blood Was spilled IN vain
They yet had looked upon thy prond barred banner.
And given their lives that Il shOald know no STAIN
Yet whether vengeance, or our southlands glory
Neryed the strong arm they tonight the day fan wei.
And Shiloh's plain, at mldday's hour, was CORY,
All red with blood where many hero fell.
All, deep the roar, and quick the shifting rattle
Heard through the stifing canopy of smoke,
Till the fierce hour OF evening turned the battle,
And Southern voices the proud victory spoke. -
But bought so dear. when past the midday turning.
The tide bore down the legions where they stood,
When the loved tongue the slow advance was urging,
The NSun OF Shiloh" set IN reeking blood;
The Western Hero, IN meridian glory,
Far better then than at the awfnl close,
When lips grew pale 70 speak nations story,
And write in tears thousand bitterwoes
.
UpFose the last black volume Of the day.;
And gSzsg eyes through lifting smoke gazed starky
The sunset hour was redder than the daWning, ~
The blush OF pain was deeper in the west;
The Sabbath day, which broke on Shiloh's morning,
And h9shed the battle, save anon the jarring
OF sleepless cannon rolling on the alr
The Southern braves had ceased the bloody warning
When night came down without single Star.
On the damp night.wind rose the heavy morning,
The anguished pleading, and the cries of PAIN
And mid the broken prayers and stifed greaning,
The midnight wept It's surging tears OF rain.
Oh, night OF Shilohi Friends and brothers pleading
Blent with the foesl on, night OF April rain,
The plying God looked down upon the bleeding,
Aud send some death to stii the mortal pain.
Oh; might Of shilohl Dying forms that shisered
With wan, white faces TO the 6renching food,
Prayed long. tilt Kind Their heart strings, breaking,
And left the dead at rest IN pools Of blood.
Oh, night OF shiIoh Priceless were the treasures
Our army paid TO call thee once it's own !; 81 I'd
With truest hearts, and blood in untold measures,
The bloody day and moaning night were won.
Tho hard Won suerdon to tie ranks Of gray
Unfurled her wings and bore the gin away.
All who may tell the sadness Of that morrow
When victory took our heritage and He'd
The gallant gray At second midday ready
1 To-day Ills ours, and gratefully we read II
With other tears than we were wont 10 read
They could no more and mournfully we heed It.
While we strew flowers for the Shiloh-dead
And to the MANNED, who wear the scars Of Shiloh
In deep remembrance OF the day OF blood,
We bring our hearts TO wreafhe lustroua halo
Around the noble, Southland Brotherhood,
And lay heart offerings on our dripping altar
But the more sacred that It's broken now
And with the lips, which never knew 70 falter,
Repeat to-day proud honor's solemn vow.
.ts4 fGA Affassi Hf1H % ft1a
Aud In the West where the Great Heart Is sleeping,
Let Woman bnild the high memorial need
or Honor's marble, the pure record keeping
In fadeless words each high, heroic deed. ~ 4
Let WomfR this, who keeps the Southland'e story,
Who weHt the star which hasted from the sky,
The tribute true, which woman pays TO glory
The homage, grand, she yields 70 chiYalry. e
Blow, Western wind, DER the fair land OF flowers
Forever whispering the proud HerOs namei--
Bloom Of the West, come from the myriad bowers
With breath OF fragrance offered TO his famel
These TO HIS memory, while q better brightness
Rests, on his soul beyond the honOred tomb
Hearts, guard his grave TIL the tomorrow lightncss
Speaks to theduHt-"A better Shiloh come"