The National tribune., 1884-02-21
Thomas at Chickamauga.s


Thomas at Chickamauga.s
1.-THE incident upon which the following poem is
based Is related by General James B. Steedman,
occurring when he reported with four thousand
fresh troops TO General Thomas at Chickamauga.]
lBy Kdle Brownlee Sherpoodl
It was that fierce contested field when Chcka-
manga lay
Beneath the wild tornado that swept her pride
away;
Her dinlpling dales and circling hills dyed GRIM
with the flood
That had its sources in the springs that throb with
human blood.
Go; say to General Harker to REINFORCE his
In front the battle Numbered it roared both right
But like a rock Pap" Thomas stood upon the
crested cleft.
- Where win find you General, when return? y
Leaned on mis- bride rein to wait the answer
Thomas made;
The old chief like a lion turned, his pale lips set
And shook his name and stamped his foot and
fercely answered. 'Here."
The floodtide of fraternal strife rolled upward to
his feet.
And. like the breakers on the shore, the thunder
camors beat
The sad earth rocked and reeled with woe, the
earth shrieked ont in pain,
And hill and vale were grooming with the burden
of the slain.
Who does not mind that sturdy form, that steady
That calm repose and gallant mien, that courage
high and grand?
o God, who givest nations men to meet their lofty
needs,
| vouehsafe another Thomas when our country
PROSTATE bleedsl
They fought with all the fortitude of earnest men
and true
The men who wore the rebel gray, the men who
And those, they fought most valiantly for petty
state and clan,
And these for truer Union and the brotherhood of
man.
| They come. those hurting legions with banners
splashed with blood
/ They dash against our columns with mighty shock
and thud
Till meath the blistering iron hail the shy and
| Go scurrying from their forest haunts to plunge
in wilder fear.
Beyond our lines are broken, and now In frenzied
rout
The flower of the Cumberland has swiftly faced
about;
And horse and foot and .color-guard are reeling
and van,
And in the awful panic man forgets that he is man.
Now Bragg, with pride exultant. above.our broken
| wings
| The might OF all his army against Pap" Thomas
They're massing to the right of him. they're mass
ing TO the left
| All. God be with our hero who holds the crested
cleft!
Blow. blow ye echoing bugles, give answer scream
Go, belch your murderous fury. We batteries OF
hell;
Ring out, o impious musiet, spin on. o shattering
Our smoke encircled hero, he hears but heeds We
notl
Now steady men, now steady make one more
valiant stand,
For gallant steedman's coming his forces well In
Close up your shattered columns take steady aim
and true,
The chief who loves you as his life will live or die
with you
BY solid columns on they come, by columns they
are hurled,
As down the eddying rapids the storm-swep
booms whirled;
And when the ammunition fails, o moment dreal
The hero loads his musket from the rounds of com
rades dead.
! God never set His sgnet on the hearts of bravel
men,
Or fixed the goal of victory higher heights thar
With bayonets and muskets dubbed, they close tn,
rush and roar
Ahch o1cpPLuS StolSo W GioIy tutiI cOIuI1ue
gone before.
o vanished majesty Of days not all forgotten yet,
We consecrate unto thy praise one hour of deel
regret;
One hour to them whose days were years of glor,
r that shall flood
The Nations somber night of tears of carnage, ant
of bloodi
+ o vanished majesty of days when men wer
gagged by worth,
? Set crowned and lowered In the way TO judge tn
sons of earth;
When all the little great fell down before the rea
: unknown,
a And priest put off the hasnpering gown and COW
q ard donned his ownl
o vanished majesty of days that saw the sun shin
:
: The deeds that wake subimer praise than Chen
Marathon;
When patriots in honespun rose, where one wa
called for, ten,
IS And heroes sprang full-armored from the humhles
II walks of meni
+ o vanished majesty Of days, Rise type and moul
"A to-day,
), And teach our to follow on where duty lead
(, the way;
Is That whatsoever trial comes, defying doubt an
: fear,
. They in the thlcEest fight shall stand and proud
I, answer "Here!"
r. sRecited at Army of the Cumberland Reunion
a at Toledo Ohio September ~, $780,
81