The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-10
POST NUMBER THREE.
fisherman D. Richardson

We'll, Nancy, I've been to the village 10.
night,
To the Campfire of old Number Three,
And felt as young and my heart was as
light,
dee.
forgot that my hair had been touched with
the frost,
That had forty rounds of years;
And the old empty Sleeve on my blue ia cket
crossed
Was baptized with veterans tears.
Well, perhaps was foolish to laugh and
to cry
When met the old comrades again.
But you know another just as foolish,
when |
Was brought here from Antietam's red
plain
There's band between soldiers that ban
ishes pride,
And shows all the man in the man.
And their love overflows like the food of the
tide
AS it covers the she'll jeweled sand.
Who was there: Let me see. Why, brave
hearted Jake
Who saved me that night from the foe
When | stood on lone picket far down in the
brake
just twenty four summers ago,
And tins evening when he said, smiling, TO
me,
Come, John, we stand picket tonight
lreplled, sergeant John, our next picket
will be
BY the shadowless Mountains of Light
And the Captain was there-Uld Capt. Ben
Shed
I'd have died for that man the day.
When he led where we followed-we fol
lowed where lead
Moved wide swathes in our ranks from
the gray.
He wore an old rusty stove pine to-uicbt
And a farmers coarse frock so plain.
But my hand went up in salute at his sight,
Farmer ben was my captain again.
And Old Chaplain Brown with his hair as
white
As the horse that he rode at the Ford
W hen ne led on the men in that midnight
fight
When the Bible was changed for the sword ;
came down from the city to See his old
church,
AS he called all the boys in those days
A rather tough charge" bat you'd make a
. long search
To find brethren more worthy Of praise.
There was little Drummer Tim. now six feet
or more,
With his drum that he carried ali through,
And he rolled out tine iioms just the same as
before
To the filing of Suffering Hugh.
Why, the boys fell in line when the "long
rolf was beat;
And 50 hungry the dinner" made all;
Some wantel to pail Off their boots at "re
treat
And grew pale at the Surgeon call
And when we sat down to the supper, at
last
Noticed "a gray bearded man
! Took a seat at my side at the table and cast
A look at ills mark of Radan.
| And says he t" HE is your name John
Beers.
And didn't your wife's brother go out
| From this place in tie old Forty fourth vol
uuteors
In July, sixty-two CT there-a-hout2
And when told him that poor Tom was t.
That was killed in the Gettysburg fight;
That monument stood with his age and tht
Right there through the win lows in sight,
He said he'd a message for Toms sister-fol
The last one that you ever would know;
| For he stood by his side i'll the battle wheI
| true
He fell in front Of the foe
And, Nancy, I've brought him right HON,
| here tonight,
| For | knew you'd he longing TO hear
The last loving message Of Tom from tina
fight
| Poor Tom who to Us was 50 dear
| Come, comrade, come in All, here he i.
now,
Yes this is Toms sister, your name.
| Well, well never mind, take q chair, you'll
allow
For those tears for her love is the same.
Halo, what's the matter? Why, wife, ar
you madf
Going clawing at & stranger that wayl
tbs your brother, you say! Well, we'll, no
| 81 bad.
The joke that we managed to play.
What laughing ana crying Why, its fool
INl in you,
| Just like the old comrades ami me,
But guess you'n remember the night whel
We two
Cane home from old Post Number Three