The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-23

cuerine lions Of di6Icuities that met him ali the
way, he had at length arrived with hiseommand
guns i i Ike the striking 81 great clock, and
grew nearer and louder ~ the morning wore
away.
behind the works.
Generals Grant, Thomas, Granger, Meigs, Hun
ter, Reynolds, were grouped q Orchard Knob;
Bragg, Breckenridge, Hardee, Stevens, Cleburn,
Bates, Walker, were waiting on Mission Ridge!
And Sherman's Northern clock to1led on! At
noon pair Of steamers, screaming in the river
way, our ,.ir mountain triumph on the right,
strangely pierced the hushed breath OF
air between the two lines Of battle with
At 0 O'clock O. tie Signal dag 'l At Folt WOOD was
a:fiutter. Scanning the horizon, another flag,
glancing like . lady's handkerchief, showed
Ssss mile: q 1s a .Ha ss
back. The center and sherman's corps had
As the hour went BY. all semblance to falling
rafting roar; the ring Of Sherman's iron
knuckles knocking at the northern door Of Mis-
sion Ridge. II you will move nearer the river
you could see the breath of Sherman's painting
artillery and the fiery gusts from the enemy's
guns on Tunnel hill, the point OF Mission ridge.
They had massed there the corps OF Hardee and
sibie. save by. one steep, narrow. way com.
manded by their guns. A thousand men could
hold It against q host And right In front
that broad, clear field. skirted by woods ACROSS
this tremendous threshold up to deaths door,
moved 6herman's column. Twice it advanced,
some strange page ruled thick with blue ana
red.
Bright valor was in yaiR; they lacked the
giant Of old story, . touch of earth to make
them strong. 1t was the devils own corner.
Before them was 2 lane, whose upper end the
right flank or the left flank, nature opposed
them with precipitous heights. There was
nothing for It but straight across the field
swept by an enfilading fire, and up to the lane
down which drove the storm. ii sherman did
not roll the enemy along the ridge like carpet.
he rendered splendid service, for he held a
rsss g Il had them the VICE Of the On a n
Lemnian," who forged the thunder bolts.
Let no man dare e say they did not scquit
themselyss well and nobly 70 living and dead
hail and FAREWELL Al I think It all over,
federal epic, declare Il in your hearing today
But can render you no idea of the battle
caldron that boiled on the plateau. An In
cident here and there ! have given you, and
soldiers lay thick around Brage's headquarters
and along the ridge. Scabbards, broken arms,
artillery horses, wrecks Of gun carriages, bloody
"
Oh! true hearted, the boys in blue are lying
there; no more the sounding charge; no more
the brave, wild cheer; and never for them,
seta ny II e Ge
war" little wait of q drummer
boy, somehow h.. driited up the noun.
Muffie his drum for the poor child-and his
mother. This IL how . soldier dies But this 10
not all IL means to be q soldies McPherson's
<IAo h. IRA 80 &Axs - a.
some righteous cause and to ride to glorious
ending OF Q manly life amid such scenes seems
70 me fitting contamination. Then could we
have our requiem sung In O'Hara's wild dirge
owes his dead comrades in arms.
..The neighing troop, the flashing blade,
The bugle's stirring blast;
The charge, the dreadful cannonade,
The din and shout are passed.
Nor wars wild note nor glory's peal,
Shall thrill with fierce delight
Those breasts that never more may feel
The rapture OF the fight"
But 1t means more than death. Suppose this
up your health, your strength, and drag your
self in pain and anguish through long
hours of hopeless and obscure misery
Go where the stars have come out over the bat.
tlefeld. The field il In possession of the foe
there stalks the enemy's pickets. Just beyond
Hear shs as
nings of their anguish.
This is something more OF what it means to be
soldier. These things he dared and led others
to dare that yonder flag, shrouded now in Grape,
might come to Us lacking no star and having no
That dag, the emblem OF freedom, the. sienet
OF human rights Under its folds, since sherman
and his coadjutors carried it to victory, no man
all that is comprehended in that relationship to
our country.
been his last wish as regards you and me had he
expressed it? Methinks it would have been
give them the honesty and the courage to keep
the promise of that flag to all; the humbiest
ana most Obscure who come under its shadow.
Yes, Great Captain, reverently from thy stiff
fleming fingers we take the flag, and swearit,
here and now. upon our couptry's affairs. to
hand 1t to the generations who follow US, mean
ing as It meant to thee amid the sulphur smoke
Of battle--equal rights and Gods own truth.
We will follow 1t with the prayer that it may
continue to mean the same until time shall be
no more. and then Well nail it to the cross OF
Calvary and follow It through the streets of the
city which is the capital of the republic of God
Of great captains--may our country never need
the sword again; but this world is less home
like without thee. May thy rest be as sweet az
the liberty thy sword saved to us.
At the conclusion of the address Mrs.
Frederick Jewell Laird and Mr.. ]. H. Mid
Mrs. Celeste Langley Slauson recited
.sVanquished, a composition of Francis s.
Browne, first read at the memorial services
held in honor of General u. S. Grant
shortly after his death on July %. 1855.
The lines Of the poem are as follows:
Not by the ball or brand, n
Sped by mortal hand,
Not BY the lightning stroke
When fiery tempests broke
Not mid the ranks of war
Fell the great Conqueror.
Unmoved, undismayed,
In the crash and carnage of the cannonade-
Eye that dimned not, hand that failed not,
Steel nerve, iron form
The dauntless spirit that o'erruled the storm.
While the Hero peaceful slept.
A foeman to his chamber crept
Lightly to the siumberer came,
Touched his brow and breathed his name;
Ger the stricken form there passed
Suddenly an icy blast
The Hero woke; rose undismayed:
saluted Death-and sheathed his blade.
The Conqueror of hundred fields
To mightier ConQueror yields;
No mortal foemans blow
Laid the great Soldier low;
Victor in his latest breath
Nanquished but by Death.
The audience then rose and Joined with
the CHOIR in singing Nearer, My God. to
Thee. At its conclusion they remained
standing during the closing PRAYER by
Rev. l. W. Read, in these words:
We thank Thee, God, when the clouds NJ
rebellion seemed to be gathering thicker and
faster Thou didst raise up men who determined
that by the power of their own will the reheiI
Ion should be put down and liberty prevail in
the isnd We thank Thee for life and we come
now 70 pow reverently and invoke Thy blessing
upon this meeting. Lord, we ask that Thou