Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-25
Lee to the Rear.

JOHN X. TH0NPsOS.
Daxn Of a pleasant morning in Nay
R~oh !, through the Wilderness cool ana gray;
~ ia, ahed in the tallest tree-tOps the birds
,ysre carolling Mendelssohn's "Songs without
Words
Fer from the haunts OF men remote.
mo brook brawled on with liquid no'e'
Ana nature all tranquil and lovely, wore
'Ihe snile OF tho spring, as in Eden oil yore'
r ,,,lo nv little a. daylight increased,
And deeneped the rOseate flush In tue east
Little by little did morning reveal
4 wo long glitiering lines OF steeI'
WHARF two hundred thousand bayonets CLEAN,
Timed with the light Of the earliest beam,
And the faces are sullen ana grim 70 SEQ
In the hostile armies of Grant and Lee'
All Of sudden ere rose the sum-
Pea,ed on the silence the opening gun
A little white puff OF smoke there came
And anon the valley Was wreathed IN hame'
Down on the left Of the rebel lines.
Where a breastwork stands In q copse OF pines. |
before the rebels their ranks can FORM, |
Inc Yankees have carried the place ny s'orn'
s,ars and Stripe. DER the ss,Ientwave,
Where many a hero has found a grave
Aud tho gallant COltederaies strive III Nain
The ground they have drencne1 WIN '-0" O'o0N
10 regain!
We, louder the thunder Of battle roared-
Yeta deadler nre on their &C, umhs poured
slaughter internal rode with despair
Furies twain through the smoky an
No, far OF In the saddle there sat
A crsvheRried man 10 q black slOuched nat;
MOI much moved by the fire was he
Cam and TesOute Robert Lee.
Ouick and watchful, he kept his eye
ON two hold repel brigades close by
| Reserves that were standing land dying al ease
Whue tho tempest Of wrath toppled over the
trees.
For still with their loud, decp, bulldog bay,
| The Yankee batteries blazed away,
4 And with every murdeTous second that sped
4 A dozen brave fellows, aias fell dead
| The grand old gray beard rode TO the space,
/ Where death and his Victims stood face TO face,
| And silently waved his old sloucned hat
| A world Of meaning there was In mat.
Z. Follow mel steady Well save the day"
| This was what he seemed to say;
| And 10 the light OF his glorious eye
| The bold Drigades thus made reply
oven 20 forward, bat you mus, go back "
| And they moved not an inch in the perilous
900 70 the roar. and we'll send them TO h-!n
And the sound of the battle was lost In their
| yell
Turning his bride. Robert Lee
Rode 20 tho rear. Like he waves OF the sea,
bursting their bikes III their overflow,
Moily his veterans dashed on the Toe.
And backward in terror that foe was driven,
| Their banners rent aud their columns riveh,
| Wherever the tide OF battle rolled
| over tho Wilderness. wood ana wolu.
! Sunset out OF a crimson sky,
| steamed Ger field OF rudder aye.
| Aud the brook ran Oh with purple siam,
From tho blood Of ten thousand ioomcn slsin.
ssasons have passed since that day aud year
Again DER its pebbles the brook runs GEAR
| And toe neld In a richer green Is dresi
| Where the dead OF the terrible conflict rest
! flushed is the roll Of the rebel drum.
Tho sAbres arc shehthed, and tho cannons are
| dumb
| And Fate, with pitlass hand, has furled
| The ag that once challenged the ssle OF The
| world:
Bu, the fame Of the wilderness eight aoides;
Aud down into history grsndly rides.
| Calm aud unmosed as In battle lie cat,
| Tho gray beared man la the black SLOUGH hat