Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-01-27
.VIRGINIA-

Virginia! Erst with naughty p!umcd crest,
Why hangs dropping lead now on thy breast i?
Well vert thou known in nations story,
Foremost in stirring deeds, and first in glory
Columbla's selfsprang puissant at one breath
II live in Liberty-else give me Death!'
Immortal Henry! yet throughout this land
Rings out thy utterance, watch ord, and COM
mand.
Virginian, he! Aye, and Virginians led
In camp, as council, or for country bled
Where. when the Patriots voice overwhelmed
alarms,
And sent a people jubilant to arms,
Was Leader found, who midst most dire dis
tress,
Could guide thatpeople through its wilderness
immortal see, as statesman, warrior, one
Pure Patriot. wise and great, world-known
Virginian, "Washingtonr'
Before nations loving, wondering eyes,
These names like mightest pillars seem TO rise
Eternal fixed and piercing thro' the skies.
And round them too, group, majestic grand
More real than Egyrt's pyramids. forever
stand.
Why live these names, beloved, pure, ant
great?
Because before themselves they served tn,
State.
Long might Virginia boast perennial seed
Of statesmen, patriots, springing up at need,
Who ever on their countrys veal intent
With noblest motive their best efforts spent.
But comes a tlme-oh. dark, appalling woes,
Attendant ever on nations throes.
n hat rvofl 49,
Or guess at reasons for intestine wars?
From hidden sources, deep disorders spring.
And racklng agony, to man. or mankind bring
Dread Civil War!-when eacl, side claiming
right,
From stern convictions yet more fiercely fight
A feud from former friendship, swift outgrown
Hates with an abstract rancor all its own
And once again in deadly conflict here,
| We see the unyielding Puritan and fiery Cava-
lier.
| Well knows this country, well the whole world
knows,
Where stood Virginia and which side she chose
With most from war to lose and least to gain
She dared her honor, plighted word maintain
| Her Southern Sisters, spurned the Northern
| sway
She too, was Southern, and she Joined the fray
Long years have passed, since first the mutter.
| ing storm.
With sulphurous fury, took horrific form,
Then burst, and as the dread hurricane
Scatters dead leaves, so scattered living men,
What rage can equal furious human strife,
Such dire destruction bring to human life?
We read, and read appalled,, on Historys page
OF Natures fury, shown in many an age
Now red volcano pours molten torrent down
| Engulfs city, or licks up a town
The bowling tempests, devastating sweep,
And strike destruction over land and deep;
Or cold earth yawns and in it's hdeous NAV
Sucks in shrieking populace. But War!
The Tempest's force, Volcano, Earthquake
| rolled
In vast climax, yet its tales not told
And see this frightfui something War, thi.
three-fold force,
| For four long years, maintain its ruthless
course.
| Its seething surging whelming blllows rolled
Where best resisted, yet the least controlled.
Each furious onslaught crushed, but magnif1e
Its ire,
And fresh concentrates. tempest, earthquake
fire.
Astounding ordeal! How can human mould
Sustain such horrors-such agonies untold?
More firm than oak and triple brass the hearts
Which gave their life blood, or sustained thei
parts.
The withered Southern ranks still hold thei
ground,
Nor ever in those ranks, was traitor found.
And still where conflict ragged, and death fire.
ran
q ~ mi int ha
| At last an end.
| The shattered. suffering remnant of a host
Yields not to Destiny till all was lost.
Nor yielded then save at the grave command
Ofone who yearned to save his heroic band.
And brave men wept, like children. thus tt
yield,
Who smiled with scorn on Deaths red harves
field.
| Oh, noble spirits, valorous, tIue-snd great,
Because before themselves they served th
State.
Then, oh! the mourning Ger the countr,
| spread,
Victorious North bewails It's brave who bled
| Tie vanquished South mourns for lis cause,-it
! dead.
Virginia e'en in suffering foremost stands,
She mourns her dead, her cause, ner deVastate
land.
The world looked on. Still reGtss the thrlli1n
| story,
And ever will accord, Wars only need,
| To North, to South, and to Virginia-Glory.
Virginia mourned. All, she had deeply quaHe
The cup of sorrow, drained the bitter draugn
Upon her casque, now sable plume is seen'
Where brayely nodding. brightest piumes ma
been.