The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-06-04
WHOLE NO. 81

What JOY of Elysium could compare
with that experienced by the dead
warrior, as looking down upon the
land for which he died, he beholds it
blessed with peace, prosperity and
fraternity, fruit of his self-sacrifce?
Can we look up to them?
With mortal vision-no.
Yet, in imagination, yes, indeedl
And this, my brethren of the North
and South, is the vision which / saw
of late.
Through the open portals of the
great beyond 1 saw the boundless
plains OF Walhalla-where, far as the
eye could reach, were spread the
snowy tents of ghostly legions ranged
beneath the banner of eternal peace.
heard the booming of heavens ar
tillery, the strain of celestial bands,
and the hoarse roar of shouting
thousands.
Here and there, out the hurrying
hosts, stood out the faces of long ago,
young and fresh, as we knew them
when they VOLUNTEERED, the cruel scars
all gone-the blood stains washed
away.
Now and again, came forth clarion
voices of command voices silent since
we heard them on the beleagured
line of Petersburg, or in the bloody
angle of Spottsylvania voices which
startled the doting memory, and make
the old heart leap, if but for one throb
with the plause of long dead youth.
saw and heard them all. Just as
we knew them. Your brothers and
ours. Your old Generals and ours.
No longer arrayed in opposing ranks,
but side by side, as brethern.
Once again I heard the steady
tramp and saw the wheel and flash of
marching thousands, at grand re-
view
On sunny slope, in most pellucid
air, beneath streaming standard
famed by supernal breezes, ] saw as
sembled the field and staff of the army
of peace.
There sat Grant on Egypt, and by
his side was Lee on Traveller, the same
Grant and Lee we knew of old, save
that the lines of strife and care were
smoothed away-Clustered around
them in fraternal groups were all our
early loved and lost.
There were Sedgwick, and Reynolds
and Wadsworth - Albert Sydney,
Johnson, Stonewall Jackson and Pat
Cleburne
There were Mcpherson and Phil
Kearney. There were Garnet and
Armistead with their Gettysburg
smile-there were the Pegrams, stand
ing near to Meade.
Hancock and Breckenridge were
side by side-Bragg and Mcclellan
Thomas ane Hood Stuart and Sheri
dan. Thus was the hillside thronged.
Thus were they mingling in indis.
criminate fraternity.
From the Willowy Ferry, where the
river of Time is crossed where, so
long ago, Stonewall Jackson crossed
over and rested beneath the shadow OF
the trees; | saw an escort advancing
up the lines it came, surrounding
two aged warriors, walking arm in
arm. From right to left, swelling and
rolling and dying away along the
lines, with the thrill of the olden days
came the wild cheering, as Sherman
and johnson passed on to rejoin their
long lost hosts.
Then there was massing of men,
and hushed expectant stiffness, as the
great silent spoke-thus
"Soldiers of the army of the Hero
dead.
This day let all rejoice.
By the clearer light of truth and
broader view which we possess, we
have been brethren, since long ago in
this land of eternal peace.
Yet hath our happiness been ever
tempered by regret at thought of our
earthly brethren-still divided in
fratricidal:strife.
This day dispels that gloom.
Arm in arm no longer foes, but
brethren in areunited land; Sherman
and Johnston, this day rejoin us, with
these glad tidings Of great joy, more
priced by us than any other treasure.
It was who first proclaimed it.
1t was Lee who counseled it.
It is the morning and evening
prayer in the camp of the hero dead
Let us have peace"
At last the boon is granted to our
brethren in the land for which we
died
As Joy nnutterable lit the counte-
nances of the throng-as the heavens
were shaken with laundering salyos
mingled with mighty cheering-the
vision passed away
/ awoke, an old man on the spot
where had been young alone, on a
highway which had been thropged--
yet filed with the JOY OF that vision,
and the task OF its Interpretation.
Nav it linQer with the old soldiers