Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-31
RArILE OF MISSION RIpeE

The autunn's sun the days abridge,
And shadows len2then in the wood.
Where Lookout Mount and Mission Rid9s
Like sentinels together stood.
Grand rising in the Southern air,
Protective in their very FORMS
Encircling Chattanooga fair,
As If 10 shield her from all storms.
That autumn brings storm. alas.
More fierce than any e'er she knew,
For yonder, through the mountain-pass,
There files an army clad in blue.
Her sons, with Bragg, are on the heights
But 10. this army intervenes;
And many heart with terror blights
At thought Of the portending scenes.
All ominous those armies lay
One at the top one at the feet,
Shall we anticipate the day
When those two waiting armies meetf
An'icipate2 Nay, all too soon!
Alas. too soon for some twas found,
For hearts grew faint with sick ming swoon
Where CHASTITY forms bestrewd the ground
For Sherman's army came one night
And crossed the river stealthily-
There, stationed on the foeman's right
He waits the morning quietly.
Next day the booming cannOns roared,
All day was heard the battles tread,
And on the hillside hood was poured,
Till night broOds over wounded, dead
Next morn begins an awful day:
And Sherman's men are fighting yet,
Fer noon Joe Hooker came that way,
And Lookout Mountain he beset;
ae pushed along the northern pass;
He climbed the e istern lodges steep;
Up, up and on, until AZ last
The evening dews began to weep.
Now twilight shades the earth enshrouds,
And night IL creeping on amain-
And see! sIOrm is IN the clouds;
Powders the lightning. blood the rain
night Of carnage. night Of blood.
And stalking death relentless sweeps;
Fer break Of day Joe Hooker stood
Monarch of Lookout's lofty peaks.
Morn's dusky shades but half concealed
Grants men ensconsed near fortress wood,
While brighter lights above revealed
Bragg's army still defiant stood
Hut bark! six booming shots resound;
An order comes in every roar:
Charge, charge, and take the foeman's
ground ="
And see! they wait to hear 70 more;
Along the ridge from end TO end,
Bursts one continuous line Of smoke,
While musketry and cannon blend
As if Thor's thunders had awoke.
They're climbing up the rocky spurs,
They spring like madmen to the foe,
While through their midst lead meteors whir,
And crush and tear them as they go.
How can they hope TO reach the top
In such a sweeping death-fraught firet
They do not waver. do not stop;
They fight and climb on, higher, higher
Now fercer, darker grows the fight;
Where, where, pray, are those brave men!
The smoke has hidden them from sight
But see! they come in view again.
Far up the cliff two horsemen ride
And beckon on the men behind;
Harke- and Sheridan, side by side,
Have thus far up the mountain climbed.
Now they dismOunt they climb, they creep,
They heed not danger din or noise
And close behind them, up the steep
Is Opdycke with his Tiger boys
See, see, they climb the mountains brow.
They're shouting. hear them, cheer on cheer,
And Lookout Mountain takes it now
And sends the echo far and near
All valiantly Bragg stood that day
With Ialiying shout on shOut-and then,
Reluctantly he turns away
And follows his retreating men,
o day Of glorious victory.
OF ignOminious defeat:
One army shouts triumphantly-
The other fees with hurrying feet.
Mourn mourn for those who fell that day;
Weep, country, weep FOR those who bled;
For boys in blue. for boys in gray
Lay on the hillside cold and dead.
Hide, hide o earth, those forms so still;
Deck flowers, deck those mingled graves,
And praise the Lord, o men. that still
The Nations banner DER them waves.
Mrs. Sarah Mathews.