Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-06-11
MEMoRIAL AppREss, oheIsea.

delivered by lleuJ. Alland u. ray on MA.
30 are deemed worthy not only OF publ
cation but also of reading.
/ will pass over all tn
early history of our nation, all the cause
which brought on the war of the rebel
lion and begin at the firing OF the frs
gun of that greatest, fiercest and bloodies
war OF all modern times; the war whicl
began on that fatal day in April 1861 wher
Major Anderson with his mere handful o
brave soldiers were confined within the
walls of Fort Sumter and cut off by th'
made the brave defense of their position
and held it too, till the walls of the ole
fort were crumbling around them, the
woodwork all on fire, the smoke from the
flames they could not quench rendering il
impossible to remain in the fort; till they
had done all that it was possible for brave
men TO do, and then marched out from
the position they could no longer hold and
defend, driven out but not defeated.
When the sun rose upon that morning il
looked down upon country all unprepar-
ed for the terrific storm of death and de-
struction which was destined to rage over
our devoted land for the next four years,
a storm which was to rage till all that fair
and smiling south land was laid in ashes,
which was to rage till scarcely one home
was to be left in all the north which did
II
home but had its empty chair. Clouds
had been drifting across our political sky
for years, the mutterings OF distant thun-
der had been heard but no one dreamed
that it would amount TO more than pass
ing summer shower which would clear
the overcharged atmosphere and leave
everything brighter and more peaceful
when II had passed; but Providence in its
wisdom had ruled otherwise and the
81 an. lost tn he
a veritable cyclone and whirlwind, tear
ing up and destroying all that attempted
to stand in its way, leaving naught but
ruin in its path, but making the way clear
for a better, higher civilization and life.
That first gun fired by American citizens
against their fellow citizens was destined
to have results the most disastrous and
yet the most beneficial OF any event in our
history. That gun fired by traitor hands
on that peaceful April morning in Char
lesion harbor was the signal for such
uprisal as the world had never
seen, an uprisal which united all loyal
hearts throughout the land, an upheayal
which forever crushed slavery, rebellion
and oppression in this land.
would that had the eloquence to por-
tray in fitting words the events OF those
four years. / would that could so bring
before you who were too young to COM
prehend W nat was then taking place the
thoughts and feelings of those brave he
roic men that you might realize some ade-
luate portion OF the devotion and bravery
and self denial to which we are indebted
to-day for the best, the freest country up
on which the sun ever shone. But that is
No living man is gifted with
language adequate to express the thoughts
and feelings which moved and animated
hose brave and loyal souls, who, at their
call and at the demand OF duty,
threw aside every consideration of self,
and with one last embrace OF loved ones,
With the farewell kiss of wife, or mother,
lister or sweetheart upon their lips, leay
ng them to the tender care of the God of
Dattles, the father of the fatherless, the
comfort of the widow, went forth to
Icenes of carnage and perhaps of death.
Nothing but actual experience, which God
grant none OF us may ever have, will teach
is the horror they felt when first brought
INTO actual, bloody conflict, and when
hey first saw the terrible effects OF war
he ground Uttered with the debris OF bat
lie, broken and dismounted cannon,
lorses wounded and dead, soldiers re-
rsating to the rear covered with the
moke and CRIME OF battle, the wounded
)eing borne on litters and in the ambu-
ance to the hospitals, to hear the Shrek !
ng shell or whistling bullet and to know |
hat these were fired at a human target |
md that target themselves. We can inn |
gine perhaps but not realize the sinking |
4 the heart which they felt at such a
ime, when they advanced and became en-
aged in actual battle, to see friend and /
Ieighbor struck down with a groan at /
light and left Of them, to expect to be the
lext to fall, to feel at last the sudden |
hook as the messenger Of death tore thro'
'one and sinew in its course through their
wn body, to fall upon the ground, al
eady red with the blood OF others, to feel
be grim angel of death slowly advancing
0 claim them for his OWL, to lie there in
gony and think OF the loved ones in the
ar off northern home, to wish to see once
gain some loved face and form before
assing to the great unknown beyond, to
earn to send some dying message to wife
nd children to let them know that they
led doing their duty with their faces to
be foe and that their last thought was of
ONE and loved ones. And to others mer-
iful unconsciousness came, then the a.
-akenipg under the pale and pitying
sars, to hear the shrieks and groans OF
ain from the wounded on every hand, to
salize that they were still among the liv-
X, to gradually awaken to a sense Of
eenest suffering and misery, to feel the
sver slowly creeping through their veins,
wish for a cooling draught of water
1d to suffer untold agony for the want OF !
as the hours drag slowly by, then, after
ours and sometimes days of suffering and
ain, all unattended save by the dying and
lie dead, to see their comrades moving {
7er the bloody field burying the fallen q
Id removing the wounded. to be carried }
some rude improvised hospital, to be $
owly nursed back to health or to lose an J.
m or limb, to realize that they must Q
through the remainder of life manned q
Id disfigured, to know that their plans y
Id ambitions for life are thus rudely y
altered and made impossible, that they Z
i'll be burden upon some one instead of E
e support and protection of a happy 4
,me and family. Or instead OF wounds n
death to be captured by the enemy and p
arched to Libby Prison, to Anderson b
lie or Belle Isle; there to linger for &
0nths upon months until exchanged or v
ath claimed them for his own, to live G
ere a living, starving death in those y
DIVIDED filthy stockades. But a
no were the men who did so much and L
nom we remember to-day2 They were 81
nply merchants and mechanics, farmers n
d labcrers, teachers and students and Il
IN of all the common avOcations of life; e.
ey are heroes. They were men who at &
e call Of danger to their country threw b
de their usual employments and dom b
ng the blue uniform OF their country's Y
diers marched forth two million strong L
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