The National tribune., 1880-09-01
Giz

counted with its fields SO often after three days
battle held back from following up the victory had won
because it the Army of the Potomac and must not
WashE-ton-so often for this sake forced
to neck aud neck race with the rebesudicrous to
the locker but agonizng the actors in aong the
bases OF the Blue Ridge the plains of Manassasso
many times withdrawn by from 'front.' had foughta
day to wn holding the bitterness of their hearts unuttered
they tod reverenty in the darkness among the pale
upturned faces of their dead that had died in
many times crossing rivers in face and spite of the oe
thing hitherto rare in wariare-and having made the
heights beyond immortal with their blood hastily recrossed
for failure fault of theirs yet bearing the blame and
the shame
An army sometimes changing it's base and often it's
commanders but its loyalty its high resolve, it's
general devotion And in triumph too obedient still,
which is difficult masters of their enemies masters
OF themselves, which is noble No sacked city
against them from it's ashes no violated innocence
desecrated sancity outraged deencelessness
needless seizure wanton their honor;
but they bore themselves always those that had mothers
and sisters at home, and reverenced God Men whose
chvary scorned to do dishonor less than to suffer it.
And when its work done it mustered
the banks of the Potomac not Cesar with his victor
legi1ns paused the brink of the Rubicon
his resolution to seize the liberties of his country, but
return TO delivered nation her standards dimmed and
ton but bright and broad IN newness and Wilderness OF
meanngto lay down their at the feet of the
stitutiona authority with much respect, much sim
cely as much humility, as tDey mad seen IN the hostile
host that laid at their feet the and coor of its
Sefdenyng old army sehooed in the passive virtues
than the .cyediscpliued in patience fOrti
tude sellconrol-the highest lesson Of this echeerful
readiness to try again when it had little hope
that any proper results would flow from its best endeav0r
Dear old army Its tents struck--s fires dead
folded tie banners that lighted its swelling way-slent
the bugles that beckoned fame Deaths abysses
vanished the embatted hosts that shone in the morning
the friendly bands that shoulder shoulder
stonned the gates of glory.
But though sometimes the heart will yearn for the stir
ring duties and high companionshp OF the hed yet when
think of all the noble spirits passed in battle and in
Storm and how the oaely rivers still flowing to-
night, they did while those restless eyes gazed
their suen waters into the infinite OF manly, glorious
achievement needing not how many hearts still
which then beat stronger than their tide thank God that
bugle at omorrows dawn shall wake to reveille
4 of blood.
the message that fall from hippant and aunt
ing lips comes hushed to deepest music now, Al quiet
on the Potomdcn
There is beautiful belief that within the mortal body
there exists another, spiritual which, enwrappng the
subtle of being. preserves real Identity
dmmed and yeed to mortal view but clear and papable
in the realm OF soul So | gaze with swelling spirit,
other army which the Army of the Potomac; rising
like the mstS that enfoded there the banks
/ of the Potomac, Rappahannock, Chickahominy, and
James, its right upon the heights of Gettysburg and its
left upon the slopes that amphtheare the OF the
AppomattoX. marshaled for the rollca OF the last
great morning.
And hear voice, of mighty, redeemed nations
sounding down the coming years, This is the Army of
Liberty, forsvermore =! So rises and stands before
the glorious pageantthe ranks all ull you the living
they the immortal swelling the roll of honor; that great
company of heroic souls who and the Army of
the PotOmac Let borrow the Prophets tongue wTapt
with celestial vision These the living creatures that
under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar
And the likeness of their faces the ces which
saw by the river and they went every straight for
wardl