Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-06-21
So in Advance.
DECORATION DAY--1szs.
Poem read on Decoration Day, 1873.
at AShtabuIa, ohio, BY G. W. WaIts,

- NHs0oaA13 OHAos W 0s W. w AIT
'Tis summer, and the Southern sun
CLOVIS In the clOud-hecked sky:
While meath its ray = hill, vale and run
In midday radiance lie.
There Gettysburg. with battle lines
Established once again,
AMmslts, upon its long inclines,
ne shock Of armed men.
ASoVe % the town, in slumber deep.
50 peaceful and so still
3S 0n clsy i9m.q qasi15 4, I,prefathers sleep,
Ai.d from this hill twin rance. s,-.,
SOUTHWARK With widening spread
And SUBMITS stretching far away
Beyond the dreamless dead.
Within the hallowed ehurch-yard stand
The Unions central ranks:
While down the rldge on either hand.
Are formed the OuIspead fanks.
Meath welded range and turf-elad mound.
"A narrow valley rests.
whose slopes beyond sweep far around.
In many wooded crests.
And m on this circling, winding height.
The Southern forces lie.
satheIe9 most, in sullen might;
prepared 10 win or die.
signal fash, and from the tbroats
Or scores Of loud-mouthed gunE-
deafening peal in thunder pofeS
Along the horizon runs.
From O'er the vale. in quick reply,
The shotted cannon speak
In answering tones that leap and hy
From crag and slope and peak.
The hills re-echo far and near,
With deafening, shivering crash.
Ike the neal that emffae h.
FROM the Hghtning's vivid flash.
The valleys depths with horror ouake:
ana each successive roar
Is that OF waves that dash and breaRr
Oh d Wild and rOek-b0und Shore
Above aseends gloomy cloak.
III dun ana deepening clouds
Hnle ieaplng, rolling, billOWy smoke
Each flashing knoll enshrOlds.
The bursting shell and moaning hall
Leap DER the narrow vale,
slower Of death, where brave men fall
Swept by the iron hail.
On either side, for hours. no signs
OF weakness are displayed,
iii strangely down the Union lines
Slaekensithe eannOnade.
Then from the hills, in long array.
With streaming hags o'erhead
Come forth the serried lines OF grey,
4sH LII anu Eaplu uedQ.
Adown the slopes they quickly pour,
The unknown fate to dare.
benlnd the booming cannon roar
And shell-scream high in ar.
And harkl a sound from far below.
Ascending. sinEs;and sWells
Along the slopes where now the foe
Charge with defiant yells.
The rebel cannon cease to play:
The wearied gunners rest.
And watch the lines that, far away,
Press toward the silelt cIest.
But seel IRON yonder summit gleams
A sheet OF vivid light;
While vollied crash and piercing screams
In discord strange unite,
Above the din aprises then
Command with mingled cheer
Close up the ranhsl Forward Brave men,
And victory is near.
With prompt and unabated zeal
They face the fiery Hood,
Though many dying heroes reel
In agony and blood.
Then back the Union rides fall,
In organized retreat;
And on the cannons' frOWning wall
The charging columns beat
A shiyerine crash then startling breaks
Upon the blinded sense;
And cen the solid mountain quakes,
In tremulOIs s1sPt nse,
How melt the lines! How fall the brave
Before he death 1Taught tide
As vessels sink beneath the wave
When storms in faFy ride. ..hrl-
The screechtng shrapnel, tearing, plough
Wide burrows through and through
The stricken ranks, that vanish now
As does the morning dew. o
No human courage can withstand
The scourge that hurries past
In vain the word Of stern command
Amid the murderOus blast.
The little remnant, teFrOr-sped,
In wild cOmmOtion hY;
And wounded thousands, mid the dead,
Have laid them down to die.
The evening shadows gently fall;
The three days fight is done;
Dark night unfOlds Its gloomy pail,
And Gettysburg is won.