The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-31


It is a strange upon which look to-day.
1t IS picture, tableau, panorama all comolned
In the Foreground veterans move slowly. with bent
forms and dim eyes, their HAIR streaked with gray
their faces wrnkled with years. This is picture it
is reality But far away, in dreamland march the
Quck-stepping bright-eyed, rosyfaced lads, who
sprang to nearly quarter of century ago
This, with its matehless mingIng of light and shadow
is wonderful picture 1t comes to the front and be
comes u reality, while the old sink into the back
ground The past is more real than the present The
sad pageant before eyes goes back into the dis
lance Ike vanishing vision. Outside the army OF
gallant youth is different scene The statesmen the
Union savers, the compronisers are there. Ihey
anche threatens. But all their strain and struggle Is
useless. question of morals will not down smut a
drop Of water in the center of the earth and under
certain circumstances. it will split the globe Fut
lid over the crater of volcano, grde the earth with
iron hoops, to quiet its quakings,, but ,rd do
| not crib, cabin or confne the right. The
voice of the FIRST gun at sumter taught
what statesman did not know and what libraries had
failed to ineueate, 1t scattered the clouds OF de
| spondency that had gathered over the land. The
stirring of patriotism lifted each out of himself
into realm not known before. 1t gave him new
feeling of responsibility. 1t made him strangely rich
To the farmer WHO forsook his pow to the mechanic
who dropped his tools, to the professional man who
abandoned his books it gave feeling Of ownership Tor
the whole country. 1t inspired the day labofer WIN
the heroic desire to suppress the mightlest OF rebel
lions 1t showed him that native land embraced all
mother, wife children-and that If the country was
gone, then all gone--f country and honor were
safe then all safe 1t assured him of his divine
parentage and gavea wonderful meaning to the words
HE that loseth his life shah find it." Moments or
years short or long, little great, only as they
contain experiences. Many bud has more fragrance
penses more beauty than months of gloomy monot
ny Many an hour has more of glorious
life than have ages when riches increase and men
diminish. The flag that had been the idle
decoration of gala days suddenly became thing of
beauty and of glory with power to start tears to the
eyes and to send the blood thrilling through the veins
We now have feeling of wonder look back and
see ourselves moved profoundly by the thought that
all is lost unless we lift and glorifv the fallen insulted
ensign That FAC raised boa the twinkle
of its stars is seen around the world.
You recall the fearful consent of relatives the good
byes that almost shook your resolution the first
campment, the immense size of the regiment as it
gayy marched to the railway station Fairly in Dixie,
the work of preparation began. Reveie and roll call
at dawn; company drill from to s. officers drill from
to 10; battalion drill from to A. dress parade at g,
tattoo at 9; taps at 10. Drill drill drill from day
light till dark Then at midnight often enough we
were half scared to death by the Internal din of our
drummers calling to arms, because scamp had
purposely carelessy fired his gun; were
aroused by the blowing down of the that left
to the 'pelting of the pitiless storm
"REMINISCENCES OF CAMP LIFE
In those days the post commanders gave instruc-
tons after this tenor: Tell your men TO beware
above all things of entering orchards cornfelds
ANY other instructions sirl" No! Well-yes, you
may also tell them to be the alert for Morgan. 1t
important to keep the from surprising
cornfeld a turnip patch than to keep Morgan
from surprising the men, And this while poor
fellows for want of fruit and fresh vegetables were
sickening daily unto death. These post-commanders
wore the blue, so let US bless their memories Heaven
have mercy their petty puny pusillanimous souls!
1t did not take us long to learn how to cook A
pint of water mixed in quart of -four, boiled in a
gallon of gravy, had mothers boil
crullers or doughnuts, made hapjacks. Then we
wTestled with the insolyabe problems of military life
Why is it that soldiers shirt shrinks till it becomes
rope around his neek Why do his socks stretch till
the heels hang out over the back OF his shoes =
does soldier with head about the size of your fist
always draw number eight hat while the man with
head as big a camp kettle gets a number fvel
Why do number eleven feet have to be crammed
into number six shoes! Why, in the
most narrowing crcum1,sianceS, IS 1t always
yell Grab root and another to below in response
"Hero's your mule' Only those who took part can
know Of the sickening horrors army endured while
it tried to wear the enemy out. Mosquitoes heas,
ticks lice, graybacks, LIZARDS snakes, spiders,
Our grievous affection was lying nigh after night in
the accumulated nastness that the miserable creatures
we were driving before inch by inch, had left be-
hind.
Are delicate friends Disguised by words that de-
scribe all too mildly the horrors of such campaign!
How do You suppose the private soldier from clean
and comfortable home, bore this thing through the
hot months of summer his skin eaten off by devilsh
disgusting insects his one suit of wooden clothing
reeking with filth, his tortured body target for bull
let's by night and day! His misery ended only when
his comrades envying his release covered him in the
sand
battle is terrible; but in all its terrors and in all
its grandeur it can be described. Not the wearing
out of enemy by evils only limited at here. The
language OF heds Is necessary Tor suitable descr1p
ton Bravery is the brilliant, the attractive virtue
but patience is the of many and to 1t
the supremacy must be given Bear III mind our sol
diers were but boys, enduring what might stagger
men. Whence came their selfdenying, uneomplain |
ing spirit? 1t grew these lads night after night
looked up to the holy light of the stars it spread
the reyeile bugle music from brigade to brigade
at each mornings dawn it deepened as in darkness
on lonely outpost the thought of home with |
heavenly sweetness; it increased in the of battle
till the STRIPPING became hero Back of bayonets |
must be men. 1t is iron in the blood not weapons of
IRON that WINS reverence Tor rlgnt Is what gives
dignity to That be found who do not |
finch but who quietly the ching through gives lie
its real grandeur Did theyouth become prematurely
old, uunaturally serious' Far from it. As long
he could keep with his company there was the |
uniformly cheerful Voice ringing out in merry |
laughter at call OF strange adventure or ludcrous
roundings. Sound of merriment is still only when |
fatal disease sends the dropping lad the dreaded |
hospital. We have seen the thrush on topmost tvig
Of taest tree, pouring fourth his song till vault above
and air beneath quvered with the melody, suddenly |
cease his minstrelsy forever the sporsmans cruel
shaft, sent him huttering with broken wing to dark
ened thcket and the shades of death What cheer
the gloom of the field hospital where the dying soldier
longs for home, and, tossing in feverish slumbers
whispers the of sister wife mother Sweet |
self-denyng patriotism inspired women TO come and
bend over these lowy cots and comfort as best they
could the last hours of the departing. The mental
service of bathing tine feet Of the tired boy whose
earthly march is well nigh ended, and who stands
the brink of a long journey, has in its ministry a
tender grace that makes know what angels
The light of heaven flooding the rugged landscape till
rock and bush and tree take celestial beauty, and
the roadside pool reflects the dome is but faint
y emblenatic of the wondrous power of womans
holy love-
THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
The burial of the first comrade something never
to be forgotten. The company marched with arms
reversed to the grave following the wailing fife and
mufaed drum, the wild melody of Pleyel's Hymn
trembed the air. In few days when the order |
No more funeral dirges, volleys over
the sleeping dust because of their depressing effect on
those who trenbngly tread the borderland of life and
death" began to learn the stern nature of war |
No place for the delicate attentions of affection,
place for signs place for tears. Let the dead bury
their dead. To-day recall strange grave, by which
of stood just twenty years age the hillside
of Resaca, 1t six feet long and forty feet wide
Into this side by side, wrapped in their blankets
lowered the forms of those who had just died for their
country. We tenderly dropped evergreen branches |
these Sleeping PATRIOTS to break the fall of the |