Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-04-20
THE AMERICAN SOLDIER.

On the battle field the conduct Of the
American soldier Is simply sublime.
Here he may have peers, but no superb
ors. II you want to see men face hail
storm of shot and shell you need to go
to some place where the command is
moving on the works of the enemy. At
Fort Donaldson, Wagner and McAlister
the advancing columns met a continu-
GUS blaze or sheet of fire that cut them
down in heaps at every step. Yet they
took and held the fort. To an observer
these charges seemed to he shere mad
ness. So in the Wilderness, during that
seven days slaughter, the rebels held
works that were supposed TO be impreg-
nable. Death did reap bountiful har-
vest there. No wonder that Grants
Aid-de- Camp was horrified at the sight
of such an inhuman, murderous butchery
But the men went in to the death. No
quailing here. Brave men were bent on
victory. They did not need the stern,
electric voice Of an officer to sing "Stea-
dy, boys" The inspiration that bore
them up and on was not the product Of
any material. galvanic battery. The
courage Of these men came direct from
the fires that had been kindled on the
affairs Of liberty. God and humanity
were IN their thoughts, the love of coun-
try in their souls. When such men are
on the march their eyes are fixed on
the goal Of victory, If they halt it is
to take breath and receive new inspira-
tion. The living comrades reach the
goal. The dying and dead are already
there. The only difference is this-the
one sings peans of victory In heaven,
and the others hear the echo on earth.
II you want to catch the genius or the
Spirit of the soldier you need to see him
die on the field of battle. Per chance
his comrades stand around him. They
wipe away silent tear, and try to sup
press an involuntary sob. But the dy-
ing hero does not weep-not but that he
has feeling. He has passed the boundry
line OF tears. He takes the picture OF
the dearest friend lie has ON earth from
his bosom, presents 1t to his lips, sends
q last message Of love 10 q stricken
household whose wounds of bereave-
ment he longs TO heal, and whispers q
few words of triumph to his comrades
and leaves to posterity ms grand legacy
his devotion 10 his country and his God
Who can say that such men ought moi
10 have their names put on the retired
list as token Of honor, and receive the
land bounty and money promised on en-
listment? What other class of meI
have served their country 30 well? Let
claims, and the soldiers merits. We in
sist, and shall TO our dying day. thai
these men are not beggars--not paupOrs
They are the nations heroes, the bacl
bone and siuues of her strength ant
glory. The nation that will not Civ,
the due honor is pauper and memia
beggar, unworthy of existence. Hel
legislators and supreme judges and ex'
ecutives betray a sacred trust. The,
act the part of rebels and traitors an,
towards who ought TO be shot or hanget
J by the neck till they be dead. Humanit,
scouts them. Their very breath poison
the air they breathe. They crawl an,
fatten and breed as worms in the slim
Of slavery and serfdom. The devil doe
not want them. God abhors them, 70
/ such spirits have no place in his king
dom. ID.
THAT. in a measure only. is what
think. But ID" seems TO be laborin
under mistake like many others, q
regard to the promise of 100 acres O
land TO each Bollier. II we can find th
space and time next week will endeav
: or TO throw some light upon the subject
ED. JoUREALJ