Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-09-14
RAwsON LETTER.

ED. JOURNAL AS tho old saying is,
better late than never, here come. On
Friday and Saturday Of last week the
q. A. r. boys, OF Rawson Post, held
two days campfire. We had fine
weather, n fine grove and good attend
ance, and all the old battle scared vet
Grams, rs well as the citizens, seemed to
enjoy themselves Everybody partook
of the pork and beans. With good
music and fine speakers, time passed
away quickly.
There IS man, at least he calls himself
man, who is so contemptibly low and
has so much jeff Davis blood coursing
In his veins, that lie denonnces the SOL
diers and says they are nothing but
set of black legs, and are banded togcth.
er for the purpose of war and alass-
ination. The two first letters of his
name arc Rne Smith. MIR. Smith was
probably slowed away under the bed
curing the civil war.
In the two weeks just passed, three
Of the old veterans answered their final
roll call, and gone where traitors cannot
molest them or make them afraid.
As attended the burial of comrade
last week and listened TO the mournful
but still sweet strains of the dead march,
and gazed at the procession of old SOL
diers, I could not but wonder what
were the feelings of the many ladies
and gentlemen present. Some seemed
moved to tears, while many seemed to
be cold and Indifferent and did not seem
to realize that if it had not been for
many thousands OF soldier boys who
went to the front over 20 years nGo they
would be living under different circum
stances to-day. Who of us that was
not soldier can tell or appreciate the
feelings of a comrade rs the thoughts
and feelings and recollections OF the
memorable battles of the war in which
he and his dead comrade shared each
others dangers, and which pass through
his mind like great panorama. Yes,
he remembers well the shock, though
only boy, that thrilled the hearts of
the people of the north when the news
came that Fort Sumpter had been
fired upon. How well he remem
bers the indignation of the loyal peo
pie at this overt act Of a presumptiOus
and rrbellious people, an indigna-
tion that found him and his dead
comrades name signed to the first volun.
teer roll in his neighborhood. But how
the succeeding events quickly chased
each other through his mind. The.
leaving of home, the fearful parting
with their fond old mothers aud sweet
hearts, the assignment to the same COM
pany:and regiment, and in quick order
haw they found themselves at the front.
And here is the point at which all old
hearts fill to overfiowing, that makes
the strongest of them act as gentle as IL
woman or a little child. How well lie
remembers the day on which he and his
dead comrade went into ihe fight
shoulder TO shoulier. at that hard fought
battle of Stone River, or perhaps climb
ing up side by side to take part in the
heroic battle above the clouds at Look
out Mountain. Yes. they were together
at Chickamauga, at fredericksburg and
IN the three days terrible assault on the
batteries at Gettysburg, and how on the
third day, when their flag went down,
this dead soldier rushed to the front,
raised the flag and saved the day.
LEWIS HENNING, Ex-Soldier.
Rawson, Ohio, Sept. 8, 1888.