New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-21


believed that the federative pact, solemnly
entered into by . community of equally
sovereign States, was about to be violated
by the aggressive force and numerical su-
periority of the Northern section Of the
Union, and that. under the principles Get
forth in our Jeffersonian declaration Of in
dependence, they had an unquestionable
right to sever the political relations they
had hitherto maintained, and, through no
consent save their own, determine for them.
selves the form of government best calcu-
lated to advance their interests and facili-
tate their own pursuit of happiness.
In the maintenance of these opinions the
average soldier of the South was sincere.
and he proved his sincerity by his sacrifices
and the unaccustomed hardships to which
he unhesitstingly submitted. The more l
fought these men the more liked them,
and when the struggle ultimately termi-
mated was ready to shake hands At once
across the bloody chasm. In their attempt
to secede the strength of the Union had
been Incl eased and the phylacteries Of lib
erty enlarged.
Through providential Intervention they
had become, unconsciously to themselves,
the ministers of emancipation. In His own
mysterious way, God planned the war and
the result, 90 IS to make the wrath Of man
vocal with His praise, and where individu-
ais or sections assume all the credit for
what has been accomplished, they only
prove the vanity of their own imaginings,
and their own sad lack of faith.
The North can not say to the South, II
did it," nor the South to the North, IL did
it," but both can join hands and cay
Through our qusrrels the Eternal Ruler
has accomplished His Divine purpose, and
in doing 90, has removed the prime cause Of
dissension from our land and people,
Fortunately for myself 1 was never
wounded during chr protracted contest,
but Of the misery of war and the sad havoc
of war l saw far lore than ever wish to
see again. Men dying Of wounds undressed;
DO dies, uncofined and unknelled, fostering
in the sunshine; bones bleaching on the
wayside; homes plundered and burned, and
q thousand outrsges of which have not
the heart to write. When rapine and bes.
TALLY are presented under the dishonored
mantle of patriotism, the critics of human
conduct we'll may mock and the angels well
may weep. No man who passed through
the war with his eyes open, no matter to
which side he was attached, but has wit
messed acts on the part of his companions
in arms which he certainly could not ap.
prove. None Of Us are entirely good, nor
are we altogether evil. While 1 saw much |
during the war ut which my flesh crept |
with horror, / also witnessed deeds Of |
nobleet daring and acts of tenderness per- |
for Eed by rough soldiers which prove that |
the true man is at least the beginning of an
angel. If the demoralizations of war are
repulsive, the virtues and magnanimities of |
war furnish some of the very highest |
crowns of human glory.
If had space for the record might give
10 any touching incidents which from time
% time came under my individual obeerva-
ion. No history of the war contains them.
The best of our historic annals are partial
md imperfect and have little space for de-
ails of heroism not distinguished by off,
,ial rank. What is omitted is often more
important than what is recorded: but IS no
complete history has eve, yet been written,
We mnst accept hat We have, and, as best
ge can, imagine what is lacking.
One day, during the last year Of the war,
was wandering with a fellow soldier a
hort distance from our camp when dis
OveIed q dismembered skeleton, half COW
red with the waters of Virginia brook.
Twelve months before these poor osseous
emains had unquestionably furnished the
Importing framework of Northern or
southern soldier. But there was nothing
he'll; left to tell whether he had been friend
r foe. The flesh was all gone and there
vas not particle of clothing left, but the
high bone had been shattered with O. rife
'all and that alone furnished clue to the
ictim's fate. Evidently the deceased had
een wounded in one of the many battles
which had taken place in that vicinity, and
U |
his little brook in search of water, and
ossibly, quiet place of rest.
That the rest which comes at length to
II the weary, came to him, was apparent.
Ie had there, companlonlees and utterly
Exhausted, laid down the load of life-pos-
IDLY in despair unuttersble-possibly, with
II the faith of q grain of mustard seed,
'hich, though buried beneath the soil,
,oks and feels upward for the light of
eaven.
And that had been man. What is it
ow9 Bones. What will these bones soon
ecome T! Dust. The flesh, already part
nd parcel of the coil, had probably lost
,me OF it's particles to the vegetable, and
lsect life luxuriating around in green and
old.
But where is the animating principle
hich thought and judged, which feared
nd hoped, which aspired and dreamed
lat vital entity which sent it's commands
trough the. brain and nerve to muscle and
new. and made these now dry bones the
struments of its human needs and gu.
.eme conclusions If there be q God,
md that there is all nature cries aloud"
len, just as surely, the life of which these
mes were once q part, has been OK.
lsnged for higher life, as ever-durlng as
ernity itself.
A truce to these aggressive epeculations.
merely to relate an incident of
q earth. earthly. and have wandered away
'yond the stars.
/ have told how the skeleton was found ,
the brook. The skull, once the palace Of