The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-10-05

3 QlueTeOs CQCEu HOW Guan LueH. INV
fast we all lived, and yet what hard
ships were cheerfully endured! The
Young man, surrounded in his home
with all that heart could wish, went
from his home of luxury to live in
barracks first, and soon learned to
sleep sweetly on the cold ground,
with no pillow better than old moth
er earth, and for covering a blanket
and the blue heavens above. Yet
even with such a change from luxury
to privation, they picked up many
crumbs of comfort. The story, and
the laugh could be heard by the even
ing camp fires. Army discipline was
a strange and new experience for the
young volunteer soldiery; yet soon
they became enured to oil the hard
ships incident to camp and field, and
theregrew up a fascination in the too
often dissolute life of the soldier.
In the days that were darkest
those who languished in hospitals
and prisons we're stricken with in
describable desolation Of spirit
| When danger was the nearest there
could always be found the full life
of boyish humor and hope. How
they kept track of all the movements
of the different armies. Our educa
ted soldiery! how they talked it ov-
er in the trenches, in the tents, on
guard, sometimes finding such short,
sharp, clear, passion-warm senti-
ments to express, calling up scenes
of pain and pride.
There went into the war from first
to last, in the various kinds of en-
listments, over 1000, 600 of men, or
about nine out of every twenty able
bodied men in the States and Terri
tories. In one single month there
were recruited 165, 900 men, and in
Ohio alone there were within four
weeks placed in the field fortY-two
regiments of infantry, or about 49,
900 men. From the commencement
to the close of the war there were
about 100000 horses and mules
used.
During all the early preparation
the thought that life is the greatest
of blessings did not rise up. There
were six hundred and twenty-five
battles and skirmishes, in some of
which blood flowed like water. Ban
croft says: at streamed over the
grassy plains, it stained the weeds,
the underground Of the forests was
red with it, and the armies marched
on with majestic courage from one
conflict to another, knowing that
they were fighting for God and lib
erty. The best surgeons of the land
gave to the army their experience
and skill. The gentlest and most re
fined women, left homes Of luxury
and ease to build hospital tents neal
the armies, and serve as nurses to th'
eick and dying. The Sanity Com
mission, which consisted OF upwards
, of seven thousand societies, distri
! buted spontaneous contributions t
the amount of SIS, 600, 600, either il
money or supplies, which dotted tn
I scenes of war with homes and lodge
from Paducah to Port Royal; from
Belle Plain, Virginia, to Brownsville
Q Texas"
Our great war had all the peopl
of the world looking on as anxiou
spectators. The grand battles @
; Fort Donelson, Chattanooga, Ma
i vern Hill, Antietam, Gettysburg, tn
Wilderness of Virginia, Winchester
ftNasnville; the capture 81 New On
leans, Vicksburg, Mobile, Fort Fish
, er; the march from Atlanta, and tn
capture of Savannah and Charlesto,
I all foretold the issue.
{ In concluding there is one featur
1 desire to refer to which has no
h been mentioned. In the outset, whe,
E the work was new, almost all tn
soldiers painted for battles, and Their
was an eagerness to push into tn
e fire and smoke of battle, but late
p days and experience brought
change, and to those who saw tn
/ most of blood letting, a peculiar sad
! ness which has hardly worn ava,
D even to this day. And between tn
{ men Of the Northern and Southeri
y armies the fierceness which charac
' terized the feeling in the outset wa
E gradually mellowed and tempered
r until, toward the last, there wer
scenes that called forth the best i'm
8 pulses Of mankind. Now, after sev
e enteen years have passed since tn
, war closed, the men who wore tn
: blue and those who wore the gra,
are mingling together in all the ave
e cations of life, each trying with tn
l other to do the best that can be don
{ to ~perpetuate the life of the Repuh
lie.
I cannot close without ~referenc
D to the disabled army of soldiers a
| the Soldiers Home in Dayton.
g many of them are weak in body an
| some shattered in mind, we shout,
E always remember the terrible scene
{ and suffering through which the
f have passed in fighting for this coun
try, and let every one deal kindl,
with them, even tenderly, unto ever,
> mothers son Of them shall have pas
sed over to the better land.
There are men at the Home VIII
would grace any station in life, mad
= helpless by the misfortune of wal
With these men TO oe cared for b,
the Government 81 long as life shal
| last, it is to be hoped that the terri
= BILE courage of war may be averte,
t in the future, and that the Natiol
may continue to be the greatest il
the great galaxy of nations, free iron
external and internal strife, and hav
a career of unthought of dignity ant
glory.
The chronological Journal and Scienc
tof H1o1@1 Co., nox~-