Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-01-28
u.ND IN A LETTER.
...r ,hs nnttIn Of Antlstnm.

\ .n with Grant and the death OF
~ military captain, and the
Il tribute which the nation had
4 y 80 memory, was the subject
,.srsation. Many and interest
1 sre the bits Of personal reminis-
Il dated on that occasion, and as
\ .lisht shadows gradually gave
\ - tbe deeper darkness OF the
and clouds Of purple smoke
inward and hung like u grace
III Hating web overhead, the
, ~ insensibly carried back 10
laws OF anxiety and dread,
M national life trembled IN the
Y" Memory like a huge pendu-
n,singing imperceptibly between
Y ,asi and the present brought
!. II mind the SCIENCES Of
d,ys ana the veterans
themselves up To season
II ,;n:sr.nce, and striking incidents
i~onac. camp and battlefield
pa nnorated with that directness
Il '"y,ssiye effect which only a
.46o has been an actor IN the
u Inscribed can give TO his story
Il Il sson 81 story telling had con-
@ i for some time when one Of the
Mo had previously been
.,sstad listener 10 thcnarratlyes
,.isnds said as he tilted his
ssainst the wall There was
h orident III my army experience
n sboye all others has impressed
81 ndelibly on ms mind, II Is but
@ M thing, and possibly You many
alien / tell yon that amid the
81 ss,n,.s at tie battle OF Antietam
,c;drnt fixed itself 10 strongly in
u emory a. the finding OF a little
81 belonging 10 u rebel artillery
8& NM had fallen under our tire.
81 remember that battle as we'll as
III u that nvts,l not 20 over the
u 4, NJ the engagement Our bat
u vi,h several others, had "A pos.
on the right Of our line.
3 wc had been pounding
ior some hours at Lees
q ybsn Vie werc ordered TO another
Sc IN Later in tina day wo were
81 nsck tu our old position on the
u s1d again went az H. The en-.
81 .nt was terrific Lees leit
gas directly in front 81 as, WAS
III gg several batteries, and tell
@ gsy made il warm for tIs. The
~ lay aftu Lee had Withdrawn lis
I'll s5lnc q the boys wanted 10 90
|s@ tht ground occupied hy the rrbel
BIs fsss 50 as 10 ascertain how sslUt,
81 IN ilyr h5d it-pn The necessary
III .cu WAS obtained. and Il party
ar ar nye started, When NE
I'll d! ,hr rising ground occupied hy
1l artillery the scrnr which met
sieB Aas u terrible one ON
III NJ u.aaszl and iurrOWrsl by our
a@ sn,l she'll las In ghastlytaninsion
81 bodies oi men and horses.
iii lel c14ssons and spllnsvred tim
M sJtiit % aH irregular, naKy line,
E hing HR tEF as tire ryc could
thr rArth WAS etrpWH Mith
@ se6el dead. Such srcnes did
FL AFFECT us much. for We
III beromc .mnito thosp spvtnclcs,
|A = pe passed on taking mental
Hill u tlr accuracy u oar fire ar
MI II In at nWmlrr and positions nl
III isat While thua engaged ne
II IL wing on ihe ground ihe body 81
n aril,lrrymnn who had hppgi
III d hnr ing shell, His knap
Nil .ts, II tlr sAusr time hrrn shat,
MI s. thar part ~ ~ contents had
hi On tlsc ground near him. There
@ nothing IN his appearances 10 Rt
nv rriAi attention auy more thar
MI hGGelUls Who like him bad inl
|g8 NJ; als u curiosity picked ~ q
E mHrlY eoilwl by trcqugut hand
MI afi proy~lvi 10 read il Ms
NJ ,81cs Gathered around me. and al
| request read he mtssiyv aloud
Mi ade Ha pFcicnatous 10 elegance o
& 7u nor was the spelling ~ III
BIZ 4 employed always correct. bu'
a. the inrsaage Of a young wife
H from hrr home tI1 a small Ala
4 town had sent to her husband
dinss ot thr birth Of o daughter
3D. tseu written in September
MI nearly year previous, and j
NJ slnplC phrases 81 love and solici
l WIS truly touching. The lette
~ impression upon rs. but 81
ing Il over We noticed th
II ~ 81 baby's hand. The moth
ID evidently taken the little one
nj plare,l il on the paper aud tibet
2 pencil traced IS outlines Thi
III ne was them dotted with ink SO q
e ing Il ont more clearly, Within
Aues were written the siiupl
ne J. Martha NirUtnin, her ham
s 10 her 70. while on the oulsid
@ message appeared, iiyou want 4
S be haby you must kiss thi
MI The boys drew around ~
@ Eatcd at that little sketch, and
|H not SURF that most 81 them ~
iakc % their caps. When loOl
2 from the nissiyc saw lips qutt
@ "a uow and then tear take Ii
@ e silently down checks bronze
hardened What WAS there ]
Ss littlr letter to make men VIII
II I gaze without emotion on slaugl
N thousands soften under its il
81 iicrt Was IL because it told th
|S q The purrst love. or because -
@ that often in the still hours {
nl2bt that letter hal been take
a VS. place TO bo read. perchancet
BE-. 1ressed2 Was itbecnuseit hrongh
eIy to mind the thought thn
81 our own fallen boys in blu
S 700, some keepsake. some sol
OF loved Ct.ca ut home, who,
Z and tcnri and heartachc woul
| l'eir only rhGuiemS ] know nc
y Was. | OILY know that 10 II
@ lttle hand, standing ont in i
| 90 outlines from it's soiled whit
0 g,ronnd, told me how tcrrib
~ DC the anguish Of that moth,
| | tne story Of Antietam's bait
HI ''ea That quiet Alabama tow
w buried the poor fellow nei