Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-07
THE HEROIC DEAD.

Ii It should be announced that the
armies OF the United States had met in
battle an enemy's forces, and that over
one hundred OF our general officers had
fallen with their faces to the toe. their
sabres IN hand. gallantly doing their
duty. the whole country would be lost
in admiration. Professions would 60
about the streets with banners floating
in the air, upon which might be seen
inscribed the names of the heroic dead
Fair ladies would vie with Zach other In
doing honor to their memories. Brave
men. with hearts fired with the noble
deeds oil their noble countrymen, would
meet together aud offer up the incense
OF fame to their names and there would
be reared up in various parts Of the
country enduring monuments OF marble
and OF brass to perpetuate the recollec-
ton of the fact that one hundred Ameri-
can gentlemen. high in place, high in
scholarly attainmenlS and gentle breed
Ing. had tearlessly gone to their death.
For what? For the sake of duty in some
instances. and in others to satisfy a
craving Tor distinction. Why is it that
EeroiSm in one direction is deitied. while
in another equal valor and greater de-
v~otion, patience and endurance, go by
almost unnoticed? When. during the
past summer. the enemy was the loath-
some and deadly pestilence, hundreds
of Americas best blood and lineage.
men of culture and refinement, gently
nurtured, with soft white hands. stepped
from the ranks and otficered the oppos-
ing force. These leaders were physi-
cianS-doctOrS of medicine technically,
but how often i'll the horrible ordeal
through which they passed were they
called upon to prescribe for the soul as
well as the body ? How often. when the
of their art had failed. and
the grim reaper was waiting upon the
threshold to gather in another sheat, the
weary physicians. with swelling hearts.
bent over the forms of their dying pa
tients TO whisper words OF hope in 4
glorious immortality. where the curse
OF pam and disease does not exist? OF
the one thousand doctors who took their
lives in their hands. tor5aking friends,
family. kindred. for humanity's sake.
one hundred died the death OF martyrs.
inundated upon the altar OF their love
tor their tellowmen no peans have been
sung to their memory, no monument is
spoken OF, no pensions will be voted to
keep their families from want. and their
deeds are almost forgotten. When con-
tr!butiOns Wee asked Tor the sufferers
ut the south, no profession responded
more Literally than did that of medicine.
Is members gave freely, and did not
were making special contributions to
their fellows, hey We're contributing to
the genera! fund; generous to a fault,
they INDUCED no tavoritism with wha,
they had to give. We observe that the
medica! society Of the city OF New York
has started "a fund to be distributed
among the families OF the physicians
who died at their posts during the cpl.
demIC, and has collected about 81, 600
The Chamber OF Commerce OF the city Of
New York has put $1,000 more to the
credit OF the society tor the same pur,
pose, and 4 few hundred dollars in ad'
ditiUn have been contributed from othe,
sources. But the sum so far collected
Is very inadequate, and we think it but &
plain duty which the country owes to til
heroic dead, that this fund should be
Increased until it shall be amply sufii
Gent. First let US provide for the living
then learn the names of the departed
and inScribe them in letters of golc
upon a scroll OF honor, and finally cree
an imperlshabie which shall
Tot only keep green the memory OF thei
herolsm, bur testify that American!
know how TO appreciate bravery ant
devotion 10 duty at the bedside as wei
as upon the battlefield.