Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-08
rebellion, which made e. soldiers. a

rebellion, which made esE soldiers, as
history
But to us who lived then, and saw
made, and helped to make, that, history
these soldiers reunions bring back TO Wv
id view the scenes, the incidents, the
thoughts and feelings of those DAYS, the
beginning of the war, its cause, its pro-
gress and its end.
We remember when President Lin
coin, fairly elected to that great office,
made his way to Washington in dis
guise, to be inaugurated; how the South.
long accustomed practically to rule, and
fearing for the permanence of their Sec
tional Institution of human slavery, led
On by their crafty and traitorous politi-
clans, often acting against the expressed
wishes of a majority of their people,
were precipitated into secession, state
after state; how the storm clouds of re-
bellion gathered, and grew heavier
darker, blacker, until finally their venge-
full wrath belched forth in fire against
Sumpter.
Again we feel the chill pail that fell
upon us when the last hope that war
might he averted, was dispelled, and
then again we see the mighty rousing
and gathering of the hosts Of the north
for the conflict. Again the recruiting,
the enlisting, the parting. the rendezvous
the drill. the march to the front; again
the camp, the picket line; again the cam
paign, the skirmish, the battle field, the
roar of the musketry, the laundering
cannon, The whistling bullet. the burst
ing shell the screaming grape shot, the
hurryina troops, the advance, the retreat
the char re, the rebel yell, the union
cheer.
And after the battle, again the bloody
field, the dead, the dying comrades,
buried where they fell; the wounded. the
weary hospital or may be the prison
pen. Again at home here, the anxious
waiting for the report of the killed and
wounded. Who are yet safe? Who have
gone down before the ruthless storm of
shot and she'll And then the mourning
weeds for those who never again will
return to home and loved ones.
We remember the soldiers aid socie-
ties in every neighborhood, where the
women made clothing, scraped lint, pre-
pared hospital stores, and put up and
sent boxes of good things to the boys in
the dreary winter quarters; boxes that
cheered many a homesick soldier lad
when the dismal dead march, drum
ming some poor fellow out of camp to
his last resting place, was often more
frequent than reveille or tattoo.
On the part of the North, four years
of the pouring out of blood and treasure
-four years of high resolve that this
government shall stand and be perpet-
uated according to the design of its
founders, who baptized it in their blood
and handed it down to us, to be pre-
served for the future generations. To
the South, four years of stubborn fight,
four years of devastation, ruin and car
mage.
Finally the right triumphcd. The re-
bellion was crushed. Slavery was blot
ted out Our land became free in fact
as well as in name. A great advance
in human progress was achieved. Top
ping tyranny received heavy blow.
Liberty, equality, fraternity, were de-
clared anew. The hope of the world in
free government was reasserted and
reestablshed.
The boys in blue came marching
home. All, not all of them How many
whose bones lie moldering where the
grass is all their monument. But it tells
a nobler history than pillarcd pile or
marble shaft.
Their lives did not end when they yielsaai their
breath;
Their glory illumines the gloom of the grave
We yet live to enjoy in peace and quiet
what they died to give.
This grand fabric of our free govern
ment, based on the consent of the gov
erned and aiming at the best good of
the masses of the people, still stems the
tide of time, and strong and staunch it
cleaves the quivering wave, full freight
with hope and joy to all the future mill
lions of our land. And yet