National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-04


bore it then; and never did fail,
In all that time, to fling il TO the blast,
Though leaden bullets fell around like hail,
And shot and shell rained on it thick and fast;
bore it on, and saw the marks offame
Engrayen on its folds by deaths right hand:
And saw, with grief how wars dark, lurid fame
withered the choicest fow'rs that decked our
land.
bore it at Antietam, where we stood
For hours and held the stubborn foe at bay
As fierce they pressed upon MS from the wood
Till suecor came, and then We gained the day.
At fredericksburg held it high aloft
To cheer US on, till, stricken in the breast
sank into dreamless slumber soft
Just ere we gained the hOt-eOntested crest
When swoke the flag was gone. The ground
Whereon lay was strewn with silent forms,
Wrapped in long repose-a sleep profound
That needs not pain nor conflicts widest storms.
But yet, the flag was saved. They bore it back
Across the RappahannOck's flowing tide,
Trailing its folds along ghastly track,
Made crimson by the blood Of those who died.
The flag was saved. But in prison-pen
LsBguished for months. while fev'rish visions
came,
JuLl LnOOlgnL pore IL once again
Against the foe mid carnage smoke, and fame.
At Gettysburg grasped its staff once more,
And felt its gentle swayings TO and fro
While zephyrs famed il, as in days of yOre,
And then gazed along the line below.
Twas sadly shortened; yet in firm array
1t stood. to meet the foes coming shock,
And dash them back upon that fateful day,
As waves are dashed by sdanantine rock
You see the shattered wood below the spear?
That wound it got when Gordons GcOTgiaHs
sought
Todrive us from the field. With cheer on cheer
We hurled them back, their Effort dearly bought.
When Pickett with his veterans struck US sore
went to earth again and as fell
l clutched the flag and kissed it Ger and Ger
Amid the fiamings of that earthly hell.
They took it from me moist with tears and blood
My seal Of fealty to its dear cause
And left me there to watch it stem the food
Which treason poured from wide distended jaws.
Amid the battles din saw it CLEAN,
Like glorious sun-burst, through the murky
cloud,
To quickly disappear like passing dream,
Enveloped in the conflicts smoky shrOud;
And well remember when the fight was Won.
They came and gently bore me from the field
To where, beside captured rebel gun,
That fag-ny iag-stood once again revealed
Three wounds were mine that day. My good
right arm
Lies buried somewhere on the field Of strlfe.
Yet I escaped, as through some subtle'eharm,
Though long the balance trembled with my life.
Scarce had my hurts all healed ere returned
To bear the grand old ensign; for my heart
With such devotion to its glOries burned
That could brook 10 crippled soldiers part.
They offered me discharge; east aside
The tempting parchment, and resolved to stay
While yet might, and guard my fsg-my pride
Until the darksome war-clOud rolled away
You wonder at it, boy? The anguished pain
The mother feels her offspring makes more dear;
And had suffered for the flag. That stain
Upon its field is blood. What child, tear?
see You take my neutrality-suspicious.
How felt your father on that day gone by
When once again he took the flag il hand,
Resolved to bear it to the end or die.
Throughout the Wilderness-aerosS the james
At Petersburg, and AppOmattox, too,
carried it while grew the scroll 0fnames
ofthose who fought and fell as brave men do
Then came the end. Ibore il in review
Before grateful Nations myriad eyes,
In Washington, ere yet doffed the blue
To peacefully enjoy the wars rich prize
heard the shouts of multitudes ascend
To Heav'n's high dome, and saw the banners
wave
Der halfa million men who helped defend
The Nations honor and that honor save.
But vet, nav boy, my heart was sad, indeed,
I fhOiioDt If comrades living low
Beneath the sod, and how some hearts would O-es''
Though we returned as yic:OTs DER the fec.
Between US as We marched were shadwy IONS
Pale, ghostly, all unseen by mortal eye;
Our comrades! whowent down beneath the S''-D'
Which overcast for them lile's cheerful sk!
We saw them-we who marched-we felt 'ieh
near;
And in our hearts their silent footsteps fell
Pressing int our eyes the burning tear
That, falling, stirred our souls like tunIai A-I''
We reached our starting at lsst. The V'''A
OF friendly cannon welcomed our rejufu
And shouts of joy reSOunded; yet . gloom
Hung like a sable pail DER meu'ry's nm
We had marched forth a thousand strong Oul l'''
\ gorgeous banner, bright and pure. eoilli-''
In all its parts. We brought il back nag
But, oh how proud We bore il mp me s--''''
We numbered scarce an hundred men anu ~
We felt assured to meet q world III arms
With that old tattered remnant Ger Is se-
To lead Us on amid the wag's alarms
We brought it back Il remnant. a. Yen see
But what history! Each >ilAeA NA-''
Is halIowed in the cause Of liberty.
And sacred to the mem'ries Of oU- dead-
We hung it on the wall, and uade taT7",I
To il and each. urfghting day "t.- -
But, boy, that flag, had it q tongue. tol-o S--
How well We guarded ii in days Oh !'-e'