Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-06-04

/ traordlnary cases olted IN the histories or
other wars. Take, for instance, the charge Of
the Light Brigade at Balaklava, the charge
Of the six Hundred. Lord Cardigan took 673
/ officers and men into that action; they lost
/ 1l8 killed and 1874 wounded; total 247, or 80. 7
per cent. The heaviest loss In the late Franco
Prussian war occurred In at Mars.la.Tour In
the 10th German Infantry I'D Westphalian),
which lost 40 per cent. But the l4lst Pennsyl-
vania lost 70 per cent. at Gettysburg, while
i regin,ental losses OF 90 per cent. were a
frequent occurrence in both Union and Con-
| foderate armies. In the war for the Union
| there were scores of regiments. unknown or
forgotten In history, whose percentage OF
| killed and wounded In certain actions would
far exceed that Of the much praised Light
Brigade; and nobody bundered either"
The charge of the Lig ht Brigade at Balaklava
has been enshrined In tho hearts Of mon by the
inspired poem OF the immortal Tennyson, but
the poet who shall set In fitting phrase the
heroic sacrifice OF tho First Minnesota ut
Gettysburg, must be divineiy inspired. That
! noble charge will stand out forever as the
| most conspicuous battlefield event of the war.
| Since the beginning OF the war 20 years have
rolled bysince its close 25 The surviving
soldiers Of that stupendous contest have be-
[ come old men. The erect form has become
bent, the head silverod, tho clear eye dimmed,
the quick elastic step careful and hating.
Many escaped tho perils of battle, but time
the great cOnQuerer, Is fast thinning their
ranks. They are passing by platoons, by re-
gimcnts, by columns, to the other shore, to
join the comrades who had previously finished
the good fight. In heavens camping ground,
sooner Or later tho grand Old army will muster
in tull ranks The roll.call increases there,
year by year, but sad to say decreases here
A brave soldier however does no, fear death.
nor need he, l believe, as l once heard an
eminent divine express it, that the sacrifices
tho soldier made for his country will be re-
membered in heaven and there he will be
rewarded. "God hates coward it is said.
Conversely then 1t may be said he loves a
brave man. Az John Hay has quantity but
forcbly said of Jim Bludso, 50 it may be said
Of the brave old soldier:
ale seen his duty. a dead sure thing
And went for it there and then;
And Christ amt goin' to be too hard
On man that died for men,"
The surviving soldiers of the war have
proven powerful element for good. AS the
strong right arm Is to the athletic man, so
| country. Their country's brave defenders In
time of war, they have been the conservators
| of peace, and the firm counsellors of order
since its close. In short they have constituted
in themselves the potential physical force and
moral strength which has made this country
the strongest Of any country on Gods earth
No one can appreciate the value Of freedom
and peace and order so we'll as the man who
has perilled his life on the battlefield to secure
them. I would nevertheless enjoin the old
soldiers to be jealous of the rights of citizen
| ship cemented in the blood Of their fallen
comrades. They were purchased ut fearful
cost-let them be sacredly guarded. Insist
upon honesty and fidelity in public station:
| frown down and if possible stamp out all
corrupting influences in party politics.; guard
with soldiers honor the ballot box and every
avenue leading to it. The danger of most
serious import to-day to the stability of this
country lies in the corrupting influences of
money in politics. Political favor should
never be conferred in Difference to a money
power. Character and abllity-honesty and
capacity-are the proper qualifications for
public trusts in an honest government. Sol
diers, take heed Of what / have said and do
your duty.
But I must hasten to a conclusion. The
custom of meeting formally at a stated time
once a year to commemorate the virtues OF
our fallen comrades and decorate with flowers
their graves, Is one Of singular beauty. 1t Is
attractive for the simplicity OF its formula as
we'll as for the patriotic lesson it teaches
Yes, decorate every grave where sleeps an
old soldier. Pile high the flowers on his
mound, and bedew its grass with your tears
We can not honor too highly the memory OF
of him whose life was yielded up or imperilled
in battle that his country might live. Teach
your children the meaning of these exercises
A patriotism thus nurtured and developed
will prove the nations perfect safety.
In our sorrow for the dead let us not forget
our duty to the living. The old SURVIVING
soldiers are entitled by right to the highest
considerations due to noble manhood. Hero
amid these sacred surroundings let us dedi
cate anew our hearts in love and feaity tC
them, pledging ourselves to minister to theil
needs, to solace them in their sorrows, tc
comfort and cheer them in their declining
years.
Thus by honoring the Lying we honor the
dead. The DEAD did SAY?
''Thcre arc ragged gaps in the walls of blue,
Where the iron surge rolled heavily through.
| That the Colonel builds with word again
! AS he ceaves the din with his "Close Up Men T.
| And the grOan torn out from the blackened lips
| And the prayer doed slow with the crimson drips
And the bcaming look in the dying eye
AS under the cloud the stars 80 by.
But his soul marched on, the Captain said,
For the boy in blue can never be dead.
Gone? In a grander form they rise!
Dead? We may clasp their hands in ours.
And catch the light of their clearer eyes,
And wreathe their brows with immortal flowers
| Wherever noble deed is done
'Ts the pulse of a heros heart is stirred;
| Wherever the Right has triumph won,
There are heroes voices heard.
The heart so leal and the hand Of steele
Arc palsed aye for strife,
But the noble deed and the patriotic's need.
q Are left of the heroes life.
The bugle call and the battle ball
Again shall rouse him never;
He fought and fell, he saved us well,
= His furlough lasts forever.
r Following this address Judge Hick
spoke eloquently for few moments