The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-06-02

AMI that the boys who wore the blue ar,
| now turning grey.
TIE BOYS IN ELrE ARE TURNING GRAY.
fBy L. 4. Barrett
The Boys in Blue are turning gray
l nm grows our ranks and thinner:
We played Death game full many a day.
But Death to-day is winner
Mid whstling shot and screaming shell,
When stoutest hearts must culver,
Facing the battery's belchiny hell
Some crossed Deaths silent river
some, mansled, moaned with tortured breath.
III Death in mercy freed them:
In prison pen some starved to death,
with only Toes to heed them.
And some Gods Country gained at last
Died mid the dear home faces
VI limbs torn OFT by wars fierce blast.
Their empty sleeves are traces.
We list no more the shrieking she'll
No more the bullets rattle:
But comrades fall while tolls the bell,
As once they fell in battle.
Then close the ranks as years roll on
As life dim sun grows colder:
Face death to come as death that's gone,
With shoulder ilrm to shoulder.
What though above our wasting ranks
No Batticfag is cleaning,
Gods red and white in morning light
Ger Heavens vault is streaming.
Though scant the muster roll below,
Above It's growing longer:
though ialnt on Earth our voices grow.
In Heaven they'll swell the stronger.
Gen. Horns remarks We're received with
great interest as almost every one prese mt
knew and honored Chaplain Brown in his
life time The band then played "The Red
White and Blue" after which the old flag
of the Sixth Maryland, recently presented
to Post No. 10 by Burns Post of Westmin-
lister, was unfurled and exhibited to the
audience by Sergeant Joshua Ash.
THE FLAG.
This flag was presented to the 9th Mary
land Regiment, in 1862, by the ladies of
Elkton and vicinity, (Mrs. DIR. Dunott
being leading mover in the raising of
funds for its purchase), and was carried by
the regiment till the winter of 1864, wht n it
was replaced by new ,et, presented by
Leiut-Colonel. VIM. a. McKillip, of West
minister, in whose possession it remained
till the formation Of Post No 10, of this
place, when its commander, j. +. Wilson,
Esq, opened negotiations for the return of
to accomplish it, but through the aid of
Colonies Hill and Mckillip, he at last sue
ceeded. In the meantime, Col. McKillip
had given the flag to the Burns Post, of
Westminster, who refused to give it up,
until another flag of the Sixth Regiment,
under which Lieut.. Burns, of that place,
was killed and which had got into the pos
session of Wilson Post, of Baltimore, was
given them. That Post then consented to
give up the flag to the Westminster boys
as rotten as paper, has forty-twe bullet
holes and the blue field torn into ribbons by
a shell at Winchester, at which place the
color-bearer was killed, the marks of his
blood being as plain upon it as though re-
Gently put there. Many OF Cecil's bravest
and best bled beneath its folds. AS a relic
of the war it is beyond price. This fact
rendered it 50 hard for the Cecil boys to get
it back.
After all had seen the flag, vote of
thanks was rendered Col. Hill for his aid in
securing it, and the meeting was closed
with the benediciion by Rev Mr.. White
The visiting members of Elkton post, the
Groome Guards and the band were then in
vited to the rooms of the post of that place
to partake of refreshments, and the remain
der of the assembly dispersed to their
homes. The Grafton of Col. Markell
which we give quite fully, was delivel in a
Il la hni
orator and Of pleasing, personalappearance