Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-05
LOVE AND DEATH ON THE RAPPA-
HAMMOCK.
From the oregon vidette, February ?, 1854.
''BY NERcURIus


founded upon an actual incident supposed
10 have occurred the latter part of March. 1865,
when the Union and Confederate forces We're
encsmped on opposite banks of the RapPahan-
mock.
On the banks OF Rappahannoek
Stands the tent and soldiers barrack
Hundreds, thousands IN rows and lines
On the meadows in the pines:
Down afar the tranquil strsam
The warrior tented cities CLEAN,
As the suns declining grandear
Painted the awakened te.der
Budding earth in purple hue;
And while shadows creeping grew,
Evening zephyrs whisper .ighing-
home, sweet home; home, sweet home.
Rappahanaock. Rappahannockl
Floating, gliding by the bsrrack,
Not ripple not a spray
On thy crystal bosom play:
While fantastic shadows fail
hound the shores trom tree tops tall,
And upon thy waters blue
The skies reflect brighter hue,
Floating by the tented fed
Where the soldiers lay concealed,
RappahaDnocE murmurs lowly:
Home, sweet home; home, sweet home.
Heaven, kissing Natures face,
Blushing in the sweet .mbraca.
Nesting OF her bosom close,
Lingering, signs Tor Hssperus&
. 'Ho again with nlortals here.
Peace bring from yDnder sphere 81
spoke voice as once did those
OF Apollo al Delos
Mighty hosts, arise from Sleep
Airy spirits round me weep,
weep Tor this-now poor and blee ding
once our home; nome, sweet home.
"Hsrk the drum and trunpsfs call.
Stirring, ringing, martial call:
Hear the p-cSets watchword sound
As he makes his weary round.
Yet this slumberipg maiden fair,
NAV Lot dream what's plSSfDQr fhzre
In the thousand tents and bgTrack
On the shores OF Rappahaunock
List you, child, but yet no; hear
Voice OF spirit with mortal ear;
Five times more, FIRE tiCes more
shall the sun repeat his score
will come To you oncs more;
Only once; then, never more.
Heroes bleed and die Tor thee
And thy nome; home, sweet home"
Am waking am I dreaming?
IS this real, or o1ly seeming?
what strange voice 50 chilled my heart?
God Oh, may its echo part
Evermore from my poor soul
And the country cOudo.e.
Oh the vision darkly past,
But the darker waking last,
As my fearful eyes pei ceive
Scenes OF bitter woe and grief,
And my heart in anguish cries:
Home, sweet home; home, sweet home
..oh the thousand pangs I suffer
For my father, for my lover;
Foes in Dattle-hot and fierce;
How IL seems my heart TO piercap'
Inus, IN sorrow enG despair,
CRIED maiden young and fair;
RouS1Cg from a restless slumber
In her arbor, lesfess sonber,
Nhere she sought communion lonely,
In the memory OF him lonely,
VINO had sworn 70 fight FER Dixie
And Tor her, and home, sweet home.
Hark What sound? The maiden listened,
Ana her dark eyes flashed and glistened
Through the evening stiffness clear,
SOUND the notes so Gear, so dear
OF the tiag-"The Bonnie Blue;"t
BY the boys, the gray, the true;
Playing there beneath the hemlock
on the bank OF Rappahanaock
Wonder If my soldier true,
Thinks o. me this moment 100:
Waiting longing for him only
Far from me and nome. sweet home"
And the maiden silent stands.
on her breast She clssped her hands;
III the floating, sweet refrain
Melted with the dying strain.
Round her, stiffness wierd and lonely
Reigns, but lasts moment only
star spansled Banner, majestic, grand
By. rousing Union band,
Echoes oer the Rappahaanock
Where the soldiers round the barrack
Listing in the twilight hour,
Dream OF home; home, sweet home.
How the chords so full and round,
Through the glen and woodland sound,
Till the echo ceased replying
10 the notes, the faint and dying
Hsrk Another melody
Woke the maid from her reverie;
lis trumpet, loud and clear,
Falling on her listening ear
Playing Dixie" How il rings,
Merrily and how it brings
Memories OF happier days,
And OF home; home, sweet home.
'Oh what may this hour intend?
God, pray peaceful end!
Hark these notss my ear allure
50 sadly sweet, and sweetly pure"
Scarce had Dixie died away
When again the blue held sway:
From across the sylvan shore
Dreamily the zephyTs bore
To the maidens listeHing ear
MY Country, Tis of Thee r' Hear
lis OF theep' replies the echo,
And of home; home, sweet home.
And the maiden silent stands,
On her breast she clasped her hands:
While the fading sunbeams shed
halo round her beauteous head.
Like one dreaming, thus she listened
10 the notes, 50 sweet and distant,
For the Gods of music reign
Ger the main and tented plain;
Having banished war and hatred
From the hearts they had enfetter ed
Blue and Gray" are brothers now,
Brothers of one home; sweet home.
DaTkSE nave the slaCOHS grown.
Round the maiden sad and lone,
Hark what music, sweet and tender,
Fills the air with solemn grandeur?
Hark what voices, soul-inspiring,
Seeming up to heaven aspiring,
Keeping with the music time.
In s chorus so sublime2
Even the immortal bands
From the sunny spirit lands,
Left their home and brighter sphere
Joining in with mortals here
And the maiden, young and fair,
kneels entranced in silent prayer;
Hesvenward her eyes ascend
Tear-drops in their lustre blend,
From the soldiers brave and true
From the boys in gray and blue:
From the tents and from the barrack
On the banks of Rappabsnnock,
Kings the echo, deep and long,
OF the dearest, sweetest song
Ever sung by man on earth
Home, Sweet Home" Home, sweet home
"Am waking? am dreaming?
Is this real, or only seeming?
Signing stretch forth my arms
Have lost my youth, my charms?
Grasping only shadows fleeting;
Nainly hoping for his greeting.
Flee, oh, evil one, from me!
Speak not / implore thee
! have heard thy voice before
And viii hear 1t nevermQre.'
Darkly hangs the battle.cloud,
Dreadiul-like funeral shroud
Yet more dreadful is the sigh,
OF the mournful phantom nigh,
whispering TO the maid once more
1T is O. er; come no more;
Heroes bleed and die for thee
And thy homes home, sweet home"
Hush-hush-hush-
Darkness falls around them Hush
Silent pray to God a owe;
For It's here that Death and Love
Love and Death in holy union
Now with angels hold communion.
He is dying-her soldier dying
In the maiden's arms he's dying.
Hush" he whispers faint ana low
Darling, weep not, for go
To brighter-happier land
To-my-home-home
sHesperus-Evening Star.
fDelos-A small island in the .Egean Sea
famous in ancient times for its splendid tempt.
and oracle OF Apollo.
t"Bonnie Blue Flag" was played by the bauS
Of the Louisiana Tigers"
B''Star Spangled Banner was PLAYED by tn,