The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-24
He GRAND ARMY.
A Noble Poem by Mrs. Sherwood
The Departments.
THE GRAND ARMY.
By Kate Bromnlee Sherwood.

Written for the Grand Encampment Campfire.
Grand Army of the Republic, at Minneapolis, July
%, 1884, and delivered by Elizabeth Mansfield
Irving, Toledo, o.
Meseemed vision filed the night of strong men
mastering,
And two by two in solemn pride they strobe with
sturdy swing
/ stood upon the battlements and saw them man
the guns
And fling the halyards to the breeze where mad
mid-ocean runs
To the right of me, to the left of me they rally,
man and man,
Until, mescemed, the plains groves, the
groves like rivers ran;
heard the scream OF bugles and the throbblng OF
the drums,
AS the murnur of the thundcrs that portend the
storm that comes.
My pulses sting and tremble, my blood is all
To see the sons go stalking forth to battle with
their sire;
GOD keep my first-born darling" the mother
kneels 10 pray;
And SO our great Grand Army was mustered in
that day.
Up rose the staiwart Lncoln-God grant his spirits
neari
And as he calls the roll of States they rise and
Maine shouts to Minnesota, Vermont to Oregon:
" Who halls the sword of Bunker Hill. rise up and
put it on -
The flame has Lit the forges the engines pant and
And 10! upon the hill-tops the signal fires set
The shade of Ethan Allen is up and marching now,
And Henry fires the forum and Putnam leaves the
pillow.
Who stems the tide of battle, he does it at his
cost,
Who stays a hand where Freedom leads he is
forever lost;
The list of heroes lengthen. splendor gilds
the scroll;
And so our great Grand Army made up it's bat
tie roll.
o. there was brave manuver in sight of foe and
friend,
And toss of plume and feather and marching with
out end;
And there were banners waving, and there were
songs and cheers,
And for the patriot praises, and for the coward
jeers.
And here the splendid infantry Acquired bright
and blue
And there the cleaning trappings of cavalry in
view;
And fash of scarlet gunners and riders in the Iine
With gorgeous spreading epaulcts and sashes red
wine.
And To- the long professions of maidens draw
ing nigh,
With kisses and with flowers to say last good
bye;
And lol the wives a-lifting their babies to the
And so our great Grand Army beheld its work
begun.
turned me to the Southland and war swept into
With famine and with fever a-riding two by two;
And there clash and cannor and marshaling
for the fray,
And in the shock Of battle, they met the Blue and
Gray.
TITS brother met with brother, it's match of man
and man,
The jousts of peers and princes upon a mightier
plan
The red red tide OF battle is sweeping on its way
With hope and heart and fortune forever and day.
But not IN knIghtly crusade or quest OF Holy
Grail
We're purer hands uplifted, did holier vows
prevail;
Nor cen to good Sir Gallahad were saintier
visions sent
Than in our great Grand Army to dying eyes
were lent.
Play up, o fife and buglei play up, drum
The legions of disunion, they trembie ye come !
Play up the blue Potomac! play up along the
James,
Where patriot cheers are swelling, where rebel
laughter shamesi
Play up the slopes of Lookoutl play up both loud
and fast,
For Farraguts at Mobile and dashed unto the mast
Play up for APPROXIMATION, and let your tunes be gay,
For underneath the apple tree the Blue has met the
Gray.
Play up the flag of Freedoml Play up the
Stripes and Stars!
Play down the rag OF treasonl play down the
Stars and Bars!
Play up the March through Georgia." night
cannot always last!
Play up great Grand Arnyl God speed it,
first and last
With faded coat and feather, the thin battalions
come,
And here the dropping banner and there the nuf-
fed drum;
The gleam OF splendid trappings may nevermore
be told,
The scarlet and the crimson, the glitter and the
gold.
Within the awful prisons the ragged ranks are
mute,
With never a dirge lamenting and never a last
salute;
And many brave battalion goes down forever
more,
Since War has supped with Fever while Famine
kept the door.
And 10, beyond the prison, beyond the faded
lines,
The sad and slow professions go sadly 'mong
| the pines:
The maidens and the mothers a-Searching for
the slain
Who with our great Grand Army viii never
come again.
Unite your ranks. o comrades, consolidate bril-
gades
Call in vidette and picket! suspend your dashing
raidS
Take home your captured cannon and mold them
| into stars
To deck the breasts of veterans returning from the
wars
Swing out the tattered banners though riddled
through and through,
| With elbow touching elbow begin your Grand
/ Review;
Was ever seen such marching, say comrades, meath
| the sun,
AS army meeting army you made at Washington
4
| are wild,
! And the veterans heart is happy as the heart
/ ola little chidl
Cheers meeting cheers resoundng make up
| of sound,
/ That lauds our great Grand Army wherever
fame Is foundl
Play upl play up ye buges! play up, both fife and
| drum.
| But not from wars returning to-day our comrades
/ come
| Maine calls to Minnesota Vermont to Oregon:
Who halls the sword of Bunker Hill, rise up ant
! journey on I"
| The picket-guards of Freedom are on the outward
| line,
| And on the nights of victory their banners We
define;
They wage grander warfare than any has beer
told,
And prairie yields her treasure and mountain give
| her gold.
Play up play up the music to which our com
| rades fell,
The tunes that in hundred fights they loves
both long and WE'LL
/ Play up, where freemen gatheri Whereve
meets man,
i 'Tis there our great Grand Army Is ever In th,
van!
Play up o fife and bugle play up, sonorous drum
| Play up the hosts OF Freedom rejoicing as the,
4 come
| Play up the war-worn warriors wherever they ma,
stand
Play up the old Potomac! play up the Cumber
! land
The veterans are coming, be still my heart ant
hear,
1t Is the glad hozanna 1t is the Union cheerl
Heaven speed the fight they're making HEAVIER
give to each his due,
| Who bore the brunt of battle to keep the Uniol
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