The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-01-21
BLOODY SHIRT PAPERS!
NUMBER XIV.

In glancing over the record of the past,
the mind recalls scene on the Tennes-
see River, in the year 1864, which Illus
trates, to some extent, the suddenness
with which human affairs are changed
from peaceful to troublous surroundings
from mirth to sorrow, from light to
darkness: A boat was gaily moving
along the stream, the irregular beating OF
the wheels keeping up an answering re-
frain to the birds along the shore. All
seemed joyful, save that the houses passed
here and there presented a gloomy, de-
serted appearance. There was an unnat-
ural stiffness, or loneliness about them
that suggested the possible existence of
some earthly sorrow. On board the boat
the songs of the colored firemen diverted
the attention from the guns that frowned
by the several portfolios, and it seemed a
day on which man might enjoy himself
without thought or care for the future
AT one landing a pleasant faced young
man-who had just come out of the hos
pital-came on board. He was member
of the battery which manned the boat.
He had come but few months before,
from pleasant home and dear friends
over in Indiana, had been good soldier
until compelled by i'll health to take to
the hospital. On this particular morn
ing he came on board in the jolliest
humor. Glancing around at the neat
trim of the gun-boat, he smilingly re-
marked "Boys, you look so clean and
neat here, that 1 believe 1 will stay on
here as long as 1 Zi0e !"
The careless remark was made at nine
o'clock in the morning. That young man
was still in jovial spirits when at two
o'clock in the afternoon a battery of
artillery upon the shore but few rods
away opened fire on the boat AT the
second shot twelve-pound shot passed
through the boat, striking the young
man, and almost tearing him in two.
His idle prophecy had been fulfilled. He
had remained upon the boat as long as he
lived. The same day that witnessed his
merry entrance to the boat, marked the
hour of his funeral.
1t is an easy matter to trace the cause
of his death, after he reached the State of
Alabama He was engaged in warlike
experiences. He was pursuing armed
men. He was prepared to kill his fellow
men who were seeking his life. 1t was a
time of neighbor seeking the life of
neighbor, and friend seeking to destroy
| friend. For what?
We go over into Indiana and ask of the
grief-stricken friends, and they say :
"Oh, the recruiting officer came around
and persuaded him off, But that is
not, or was not, the case. The young
man sprang gladly to the call of his
country. Not only did the recruiting
officer not persuade him to go into the
army, but no consideration could have
prevented him obeying the call of his
country. But why the call of his cohn-
try?
Away down in Mississippi there is a
Democrat, well along in years, who can
tell all about it. He is regarded as a
sort of political Saint by the Democratic
party at large, relic of the fleeting
glory of Democratic greatness. Under
his leadership the Democratic party of
the South was guilty of conspiracy
grand larceny, highway robbery and
murder. To stop this reign of Demo.
cratic crime, and save the life of the
Nation, the brave boys of the North were
called to the field, and many of them
slain. Jeff. Davis can tell the cause OF
the death of every brave soldier-eithel
Union or Confederate. And above the
graves of the slain should not be writer
"Killed in Battle" but "Killed by Democ
racy"