The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1889-09-26

The 1st Maine Heavy Artillery, or 18th In
fantry, had more men Killed and wounded than
any other regiment in the Union army. AT a
charge in front of Petersburg June 18th, 1854
she lost in killed and wounded, out of total
of 800, GA men in ten minutes. Gen. Meade
was heard to say. in later years. that it was the
most brilliant charge of the war, and that the
charge of the famous Light Brigade pales into
inslgnlcance before it, And at AppomattoX
to crown the State of Maine with still higher
honors, a Maine man, Gen. Chamberlain was
chosen to receive the surrender of Lees army.
And now, without stopping to recapitulate,
say. well did our forefatherS earn the right to
place upon their escutcheon the proud motto
DirigoI Leaf! and well has it been sustain
ed by worthy sons of noble Sircs,
Who swore whatever be the cc.t,
The heritage our fathers gave
Should never by their sons be lost,
Or freedoms home become her grave.
And now, what can be said of those who
went out tdrOm our good Old State to battle for
the right and never returned, Dead upon
many field of their c0untry's glory are thou
sands of our brave BOYS who ought to have
lived to have enjoyed the triumphs of final
victory and the peace and reconstruction fol-
lowing it. Their dying eyes We're to look only
upon the wretched spectacle of states discord-
ant, belligerent. and drenched in fraternal
blood. For us there was the laurel of victory,
for them only the cypress crown; and vet how
brayely they died with their faces TO the foe,
with nothing but sense of duty to urge them
on
have read somewhere in the history of the
Crusaders these lines:
The knights swords are rust
Their bones are dust,
But their souls are with the saints we trust.
- | believe it to be with our heroes who
went braVely forth to battle for the right
against the wrong, for liberty against oppre>-
sion. with courage as high and a chivalry as
pure as though they had the red cross upon
their breasts; and they have not passed away
without their reward. ! believe that some
where their deeds are recorded by pen that
cannot lie.
| know what my politics are, and were you
to ask me could answer you quick and sharp
but were you to ask me the tenets of my relg-
iouS belief | could not tell you. But believe
this, and think you will all agree with me
that it is well with the good. and believe that
the heroes who were ready to sacrifice their
lives in order that You and might enjoy the
proud title of citizens Of y peaceful, well or
Gered and free Republic are to be rtckoned
among the good. If they are not, | tell you
freely have no disposition to be- have cast
my lot with the boys that Wore the blue, and
living or dead | want to be with YOU. and with
all my soul | fetl to say one said an
ciently: ASK me not to leave thee or to turn
from following after thee. Whittier thou goest
will 20: and Where thou loigest | Will lodge
Thy way shall be my way and thy God my
Coll
As ! stand here tonight | seem to feel the
presence of my dead brother, killed at the bat
Tie of the Wilderness. | feel that my right
shoulder touches his left >houlder-hc touch
ing shoulders with all the dead comrades up
the line. touching shoulders with all the liv-
magnetic, a sympathetic chord permeating the
whole line of living and dead. and in my
minds eve | see the veil of heaven stripped
away aud can see the smiling faces of thou